A mixed set of changes and features this week as I put a bunch of time into tweaking the gameplay, adding new and interesting interface areas to the game and creating some new graphics for the various planets.

The options menu has gotten some changes, we now have hints to all menu items so you’ll know what it what, and we also have the start of a codex/statistics menu. For now this is just home for the new Residex!  I added a scanner to the players standard inventory (have to start a new game, won’t be there in older saved-games), and this will allow you to scan the various creatures you encounter on planets.  Once you scan them, their information is shown in your visor, and also stored (permanently) into the Residex.

I also created a couple of new planet-scapes, so if you start a new game you might find yourself in new uncharted areas of the galaxy! Can’t have enough of those ;)

Besides those features, it’s mostly a bunch of improvements making the gameplay better and, as always, attempting to make the game more open to new players.

This weeks devlog goes into the effects the various Mushrooms can give you:

Full changes list:

• added: extra mission info can now be found in your visor
• added: new planet-backgrounds
• added: Mushroom effect: forget (you forget some random crafting knowledge)
• added: show “action to Eat” when carrying cookable food
• added: show instructions how to put down items (back in backpack)
• added: DNA Scanner for scanning lifeforms
• added: Residex – shows scanned lifeforms
• added: message for devices packing them selves up due to receiving damage
• added: Exit game to the settings menu
• added: setting to change “in-game” time speed
• added: hints/info to option menu items
• added: trimmed down the “settings menu” in pause-mode (no credits, not exit game options available)
• added: Show HP bars on top of inventory screen (more clearly)
• changed: background art for “big plant” planet
• changed: randomness on planet-generator
• changed: tweaked the “jump” sound-effects to be less annoying when used a lot
• changed: echo pillars shouldn’t spawn to deep in the planet
• fixed: datacard storage spawning in water
• fixed: avatar in scan-interface doesn’t match chose character
• fixed: mouse and keyboard controls interfering with eachother
• fixed: broken-fidget switches won’t allow to grab the broken fidget
• fixed: player losing the item in it’s hands when saving/restoring
• fixed: space ration now correctly increase health
• fixed: space Rations don’t increase food-energy
• fixed: silo hooked up to deployable that packs up – will stay connected to “air”
• fixed: removed the “covered in ooze” on Echo-pillars pop-up message (annoying and confusing)
• fixed: better handling of fire-pedestal-analyzing state