The main server is finally open for the signups!

Alpha Version (v0.8.0+)

• 2023-02-14
• Will probably stay in this state for about a month. Everything should work, but this is a very early release.
• 50% chance of server wipe in case some hideous bugs are found.

Beta Version (v0.9.0+)

• 2023-05-15
• Should be almost as good as the final version. "Beta" status will also be kept for about a month.
• 25% chance of server wipe in case some hideous bugs are found.

Final Release (v1.0.0+)

• 2023-10-15
• 100% Guarantee that no server wipe will occur past this mark. History of the galaxy unfolds uninterrupted into the future, with your help!

I hope there aren't any hideous bugs. I'm well on my way towards buying a better ship!

On 2023-02-27 21:32:03.724868 UTC goofball wrote:

I hope there aren't any hideous bugs. I'm well on my way towards buying a better ship!

So far so good :)

Stirred by a discussion on Discord, I want to lay down some ideas, that will hopefully make the game more fun to play.

You may notice, that everything is called "2.0", I just think it sounds cool :)

So...

Combat 2.0

Basically, introduce some kind of geometry into play. Weapons, that operate in different modes, rather than "select target, click attack, roll dice".

Landmarks 2.0

This is a veeeery far-off milestone, with the goal of making each sector in the game unique in some way or another. Firstly, exploring the galaxy should be more exciting. Secondly, traveling should be encouraged, and right now, most of the sectors are more or less the same, with NPC stations providing similar services and such.

Inventory 2.0

Complete revamp of the inventory system. Due to the way it was built, technology-wise, the old version of the game had some weird data-structures in place. Since every request/game action was processed asynchronously, LOTS of game logic was implemented right inside the database, with transactional locking, and that lead to things which are more convenient to express as tables and columns. On the new architecture, there is a dedicated "game server" entity, which is responsible for processing all events in synchronous order, which is a much better setup for a game like this. (And yeah, there's still a database, but its role is significantly diminished, it does not dictate design decisions anymore).

One notorious example, is the cargo slots/cargo capacity game-play mechanic. It really is a remnant of the old database-centric design, with tables and columns.

However, yanking it out would first require making a better inventory UI on the client, as the current UI was also bogged down by this weird "cargo capacity" structure. So, yeah, it will take time, but it'll be worth it, as that would open doors to a better crafting experience, a more vibrant game economy and so on.

UPDATE: Inventory 2.0 milestone is done as of 0.9.0

To be continued...

Watch this space for more inane ramblings. And feel free to post game ideas, balancing suggestions, or any other potential improvements you feel might help!