Help Us Test the New Alpha 19 Preview | May 27, 2016

[Jar]

We're getting very close to officially releasing Alpha 19.

But before we can do that, we need help testing the latest preview build of Alpha 19.

If you’ve already opted in to the preview version, Steam will automatically download this update.

To opt in to the Alpha 19 preview:

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
   
2. Click on ‘Properties’
   
3. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
   
4. Set the dropdown menu to 'alpha19preview'
   
5. Close the Properties window
   
6. Steam will now update Universe Sandbox ² to the preview version
   
7. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox ²

Since the last preview build we've improved the tidal heating and Roche limit effects, made further improvements to explosions, added new Physics sims, added a new Milky Way background, and fixed a ton of bugs.

When testing, please pay the most attention to the new tidal forces and explosion effects.

For a full list of what's new, improved, and fixed since Alpha 18, see our
release notes[docs.google.com].

The team will be in Amsterdam next week for the Unite Europe 2016 conference. Once we're all back we'll work on fixing any remaining issues and polish up Alpha 19 for release.

Thanks for testing and for your patience!

[TRON]

can i please have an answer?

[Jar]

引用自 mindseyeman：

can i please have an answer?

We agree that having more fictional models in Universe Sandbox ² would be pretty cool, but we don't have any immediate plans for this. We will consider this for the future.

[TRON]

how about in alphas 23 and 24 for the sci fi models to give you guys lots and lots of time to dender the models and code physics but a few things are as follows: will we get the star trek and star wars models i mentioned? because it would be so cool to recreate scenes from the two franchises, will the death star have the superlaser function(if so would it be able to blow up planets {range could be modified} like in the movies?). btw what update will introduce lasers to the gameplay (and can they blow up planets as well due to extreme heating?)

[Jar]

Alpha 20 will hopefully have lasers in the desktop version, but we can't say for sure.

We're focusing on Alpha 19 right now, not planning for Alphas 21 or further, and we don't have plans for an update which will include all of those models. The likelier option is that more fictional models will be made available when we support Steam Workshop and importing models, but we don't have a timeline for this either.

[TRON]

can i have an estimate as to what percentage you guys have completed of alpha 19? (in case you can't tell i am realy super duper pumped for each update as they usualy bring more awesome stuff!) also have you been focusing on the issue where blue hot stars only glow red or at most creamy white?

[TRON]

also thanks to you guys i now know much more about space like how accretion discs around black holes are in fact off center elipses and how many "named" dwarf planets(not counting pluto as i still call pluto a planet) keep up the awesome work guys! ;D

[Jar]

Sorry, we simply can't give an estimate for Alpha 19... We're very close, but we don't know how long it will take to address some of the issues with new features.

Stellar evolution is something we're looking into for updates after Alpha 19.

[CallMeSnake]

For some reason, I cannot select alpha19preview in the drop down menu to test this... that entry does not exist in the pull-down for me. Any ideas how to fix it? VIEW-->SETTINGS-->ACCOUNT-->BETA PARTICIPATION->CHANGE only has "Steam Beta Update"

[Dan Dixon]

To opt in to the Alpha 19 preview:

1. Right-click on Universe Sandbox ² in your Steam Library
   
2. Click on ‘Properties’
   
3. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
   
4. Set the dropdown menu to 'alpha19preview'
   
5. Close the Properties window
   
6. Steam will now update Universe Sandbox ² to the preview version
   
7. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox ²

[CallMeSnake]

引用自 Dan Dixon：

To opt in to the Alpha 19 preview:

1. Right-click on Universe Sandbox ² in your Steam Library
   
2. Click on ‘Properties’
   
3. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
   
4. Set the dropdown menu to 'alpha19preview'
   
5. Close the Properties window
   
6. Steam will now update Universe Sandbox ² to the preview version
   
7. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox ²

That's the problem ... the dropdown menu does not contain an entry for "alpha19preview" It only contains an entry for "OPT OUT"

The "alpha19preview" option in this drop down menu does not appear in my client. Do I nee a "beta access code"?

[Dan Dixon]

"VIEW-->SETTINGS-->ACCOUNT-->BETA PARTICIPATION->CHANGE"
... is a Steam application setting.

Are you right-clicking on Universe Sandbox ² in your Steam Library?

[CallMeSnake]

引用自 Dan Dixon：

"VIEW-->SETTINGS-->ACCOUNT-->BETA PARTICIPATION->CHANGE"
... is a Steam application setting.

Are you right-click on Universe Sandbox ² in your Steam Library?

Yes, I am right clicking on Universe Sandbox^2 in my Steam library.

Under the BETAS tab, in the drop down list, there does not exist an entry for "alpha19preview" The only option that exists is "NONE - Opt out of all beta programs"

I cannot select alpha19preview as an option because it literally does not exist in the drop-down menu.

Here is a screenshot of my menu, it is fully expanded: http://imgur.com/nq07TeN

[Dan Dixon]

Thanks for the screenshot. That's strange... there should be 15+ options in that list as none of our various version are password protected (just checked).

I bet Steam is confused. Have you tried restarting Steam?

Or try this:

1. Close Steam
   
2. Delete the file 'appmanifest_230290.acf'
   Likely found here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps
   
3. Open Steam
   
4. Click on Universe Sandbox ² in your Steam Library
   
5. Click the 'INSTALL' button (should just find the existing files you already have installed)
   
6. Now follow the directions above for changing your beta branch

[Moth]

I MADE LIFE ON A PLANET WITH LIGHTS

[CallMeSnake]

引用自 Dan Dixon：

Thanks for the screenshot. That's strange... there should be 15+ options in that list as none of our various version are password protected (just checked).

I bet Steam is confused. Have you tried restarting Steam?

Or try this:

1. Close Steam
   
2. Delete the file 'appmanifest_230290.acf'
   Likely found here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps
   
3. Open Steam
   
4. Click on Universe Sandbox ² in your Steam Library
   
5. Click the 'INSTALL' button (should just find the existing files you already have installed)
   
6. Now follow the directions above for changing your beta branch

Happy to report: Following the above steps ( deleting that .acf file ) and re-downloading US2 data worked like a charm! Thanks for the hack Dan ... you're the best.