0.3.01.3 ECO HOTFIX 3 Release Notes

[Michael_J]

Hello all. As you might have noticed from either the readme or the update's announcement post, I've decided to shift focus a bit for Rogue System. I am moving many of the sandbox elements forward, and pushing the campaign missions back. The reason for this is simply, since I am still a one-man show (and since I was forced to take full time work ALONG with working on RogSys), it has become apparent that the ship are required to make the campaing missions work will leave RogSys in virtual "state of limbo" gameplay-wise. The art will just take too long to get us to a point where we can introduce significant mission-based gameplay. Immediately, let me state that I am NOT dumping the idea of the campaign! I simply need to introduce actual gameplay as efficiently as possible.

To this end, I have added (along with everything I WANTED to do for this update) the initial economy system, along with the ability to buy and sell trade goods. The "Test Sandbox" mission has been updated so that there is a station orbiting each body that can contribute to the economy--any planet or moon with a defined colony basically. Our current training platform is a placeholder for the orbital stations that manage the flow of goods to and from a colony. Later, I'll also be adding orbital production stations that create manufactured items from raw goods; and then these too will add to the economy.

Colonies have a population, and these folks require critical items to survive. Colonies can "die" if they are starved of critical items. If there is a shortage of critical items (right now, these consist of drinking water and oxygen gas) their demand will go up (the colony will send out a request for these items if needed badly; but there is no way to access these trade jobs yet). The idea here is to introduce the idea the items get used and have to be replenished so there is never a point of saturation.

Right now, there are just over 50 items that can be traded. The ones we currently have will need tweaking as to mass, manufacturer's base price, etc. These will be addressed; and of course we'll need MANY more items available (ideas are welcomed!). Obviously, the entire economy model has a LONG way to go still, too. I am in no way saying what's there is perfect. It's nothing more than a solid foundation....

To buy/sell items, you can access the CARGO page on your MFD (for now) while docked with a station. That is a current limitation that will be addressed. The bigger limitation is that you still can't save your progress. I am working on this now, and I will release an update solely for this feature once it's available. We need to be able to save so you can begin to see the effects of age-related wear on ship systems, thus providing one of many reasons to maintain your ship.

Another new page on the MFD is SAN. This is an extension of the current wake events. While in orbital flight, you can set a wake timer (in increments of 15 minutes), or you can select the next periapsis/apoapsis event). These come in handle while in orbit--waiting for another object to get closer to you. While doing a NAS transfer, then you have the normal XFER wake events. I DID add the ability to select specific XFER events only, but had to disable this due to some last minute bugs.

Please note: I have DISABLED the current key combo to induce SAN. You MUST do it via the MFD's SAN page!

Another new addition is a simple VMS HUD for EVAS. This provides information on suit pressure, remaining O2 and propellant, as well as exterior flood light indication. This is VERY rudimentary, but it does the job. We'll come up with something pretty later on....

Lastly, the BMS system received its "final" revision. As part of this, not only is it now possible to remove batteries from the ship via data, there is alsp a physical representation of them. With an EVAS, exit your ship--just above the crew compartment on the port side, and below it on the starboard side, you'll see a small panel with a panel number decal. You can open this panel, unlock the battery, and then remove it. Once removed, it will float in space as anything else does. You can grab it and move it around with you. Again, this initial functionality is a bit finicky; but it does work.

There is a new "Test Ship Repair" mission where you can practice pulling the battery from your ship, flying it out to another, and installing it there so the ship can be recovered. More importantly though is that this introduces the idea of being able to change parts outside of the ship in order to affect repairs.

Be advised: if you pull a battery while it is still enabled, there is a chance you could short it out. Turn the battery OFF before removing it (battery one is port side, battery two is starboard)!

In the update immediately after save functionality, I'll introduce the ability to be able to sell old batteries, and buy new or refurbished ones. Eventually, you'll be able to do this with all the parts that make up your ship....

Along with all of this, there were many other revisions and fixes. Please check out the change log either here or in the readme for a more complete list of what was done.


I know many folks (myself included) are looking forward to campaign play. I am NOT abandoning this. Nor am I moving ALL the items forward that were to comprise the Maverick Module. I simply am responding to the need to develop RogSys into something that actually provides goals and gameplay. Doing so will hopefully open RogSys up to folks who have been on the fence about it up until now. If I can get it selling more steadily, then my hope is I can return to full time development on it and press on with the other features as originally planned.

As it stands now though, I have to make best use of the time I have--needing to build many ships, each taking a month or more, BEFORE any gameplay can go in simply won't work. I've done a lot of thinking and soul-searching over this; and this new plan seems to be the most efficient way to move RogSys forward.

In any case, as always, thanks for everyone's continued support!

Edit: I did forget to mention, I think, that you can now have your ship refuelled when docked to a station. You need to do this from the STC COMMS menu (Request Service). To prep each tank to be refueled, it must be:

1. Depressurized
2. The "Allow Refuel" button must be enabled (even though it still shows "NYI")

Once STC has an indication that at least one tank is configured, refueling will begin. While one tank is filling, you can set up another.

Once all the tanks that have been configured are fueled (or you cancel the operation), the service is completed. You are then free to return to STC COMMS and request departure, check out, etc....

[<ORION>]

Thanks for the drop Michael. Keep at it. We appreciate the fact that you're a one man band.

[Hrusdik (Alex)]

Yay !

[Dr_Bicinium]

Sounds like Christmas before time to me! :D

Awesome job, Michael, and definitly worth the wait! I can't imagine the amount of work you made on this one!
You might be right to focus on sandbox first: you'll be able to define all the elements you want, and then have all the tools you need to create your campaign with serenity.

I'm endoctrinating everyone i know that is interested in space sim, and spam Elite Dangerous discord... now i'll have to threaten if they don't get your game during the sales!

[Marcos Tinen]

Michael, I think you need help . Why dont you select some people to help you for programming, arts etc? help you for pleasure and not for money

[Marionette]

Thanks for the update! Always happy to see a new version from you.

It seems like the batteries will only charge through using the fuel cells.

[Grundy]

I am very happy about the choices you have made. Art is the major stumbling block for me whenever I think about developing a computer game. That and marketing. I had some pretty cool particle system tools in Second Life that I built back in the day, but without an artist and a marketing plan, I only ever sold a handful. What little art I did create, took me huge amounts of time and was mediocre. Also very glad that saving is next.

Thanks.

[TheBoot]

Just an observation and no big deal but FYI, US Military ships tend to have even numbered components on the port side and odd numbered on the starboard.

[Myst Leissa]

#Micheal - I don't pretend to know what's going on in your life - but trust me when I say I am thankful for each and every update you put into RogSys. It is indeed welcome news that soon the Savedata will start being "saved" as per intention; I've played games like BattleCruiser Millenium in the past and RogSys reminds me of that premise but done on a more....tolerable....developmennt - Needless to Say Derrick Smart was an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ even for his brilliance; You on the other hand strike me as a very humble and down to earth person; Keep up the great work - and always aim high.

[skiiwa]

All I was ever interested in, was the sandbox anyway LOL! YAY, I'm finally getting My sandbox!

[Gekkibi]

Origineel geplaatst door TheBoot:

Just an observation and no big deal but FYI, US Military ships tend to have even numbered components on the port side and odd numbered on the starboard.

No surprise there, they're still using non-SI units too... :P

[Marionette]

saw a second update pushed out after the first, Batteries seem to charge correctly now, but don't rise above 85% or so. ( sounds normal)

Another thing I noticed, the switches for the HVAC scrubbers are stuck in the "on" position.

Nice to see SAN details in the HUD, even if they aren't working yet.

Keep fighting the good fight. I love watching this game evolve.

[Michael_J]

"SAN details in the HUD" --you mean the new SAN page on the MFD? If so, that is indeed working. If you want to use a timer, you need to set a time value > 0. Apoapsis and periapsis wake alarms do work as long as you're not within 1 km of the event you're trying to use (not the best indication of peri and apoa; but it was a quick implementation just get the mechanics working).

The NAS event wake alarm is only visible in you are actually transferring using NAS AP...

And, thank you :)

[netshaman]

A noob quesion : What a battery looks like ?
I had searched for it for a while and .... nothing :/

[Devastian]

I believe that focusing more on the sandbox elements for now is a good decision. Gameplay tends to naturally emerge from features being added, even without handmade quest or campaign content. Hopefully this will attract a few more people to RS in the short term, considering that many just want things to do.

Thanks for the update by the way! :)

[Michael_J]

Note: I added some steps, at the end of the first post, concerning how to refuel your ship. Just FYI...