Update 25 -- Experimental

[Nitrous Butterfly]

Update 25 Is Now Available on the Test Build branch for final testing. Experimental branch will continue to receive updates, but all feedback, reports and further patch notes will be here:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/704510/discussions/3/2447091901848849276/

Howdy Folks!

Update 25 is in active development, but I wanted to offer the chance, to those interested, to check out the latest content and let me know what you think. More content will be added and changes will occur while still in experimental.

Main Features

• New Expedition Mechanics
  
• Updated POI generation
  
• Additional POI stories
  
• New surface side visuals
  
• Various UI tweaks and bug fixes

SAVE GAMES
When using the experimental branch save game files from previous versions may not be compatible. Save games created in experimental may not be compatible with the main branch or compatible with the final update. Be sure to back up your save files or only create new save files while in the experimental branch.

Please review the release notes below for all of the changes

About Experimental Branch

The optional Experimental branch is for helping test the latest features in active development. This version can include more bugs/issues than in the regular version. If playing the Experimental Branch, please report any issues you encounter or any feedback on new game play mechanics. Your feedback and/or reports will help to ensure the final version is the best it can be.

For information about accessing the Experimental branch click the link below:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/704510/discussions/4/1869497660774052612/

Feedback/Testing

Send All Feedback/Bug Reports:

• As a response to this thread
  
• Email: [e-mail]
  
• Discord :: Experimental Channel -- https://discord.gg/WdndeXx

Additional information on submitting bug reports:
http://www.mercuryfallen.com/bug-reports

If you report a bug/issue, please provide details on how I can cause the bug/issue to occur.

Provide as much relevant information as you can. If I can’t see it, I can’t fix it.

If you submit a bug report related to the Experimental Branch via email, please state you are using the Experimental Branch.


In addition to bugs/issues please let me know what you like or dislike regarding any new or changed features.

Latest Changes/Fixes :: Exp-12

• Discovery item tooltips show that the item is a discovery instead of only showing the name
  
• Improved performance on planet map when many POI locations are visible
  
• Fixed: Not receiving discovery item from flora/fauna expedition in some cases
  
• Fixed: Game becomes unresponsive and or crashes due to auto explore vehicle action exploring near map edge
  
• Fixed: Available research count showing incorrectly after loading save game in some instances

In Development

Known Issues

• N/A

Release Notes

Progression

• Added EMG. Replaces elevator as early game power. Elevator no longer provides power when constructed.
  
• Updated getting started guide to reflect new starting progression
  
• Massive re-work of technology tree to improve progression

Expeditions

• Added new POI types
  
• Updated look of Create Expedition window
  
• Destination POIs must now be chosen when creating an expedition
  
• Once an expedition is created and embarked, it will automatically travel to the selected POI locations and interact with each POI in turn. Once all POI locations are visited the expedition will automatically return to the facility and dock.
  
• Robot passengers no longer affect Estimated Food Supply time in the create expedition window

Points Of Interest

• POIs are no longer generated using the Comm Station/Radar Towers. POIs will appear automatically as the map is uncovered/explored. There is no limit to the number of visible POIs.
  
• POIs now have a more informative name/description
  
• POIs now show a risk level, recommended job(s) and required gear.
  
• Re-worked how POI stories calculate success chances
  
• POI action success chance no longer factors in health/stress
  
• Added POI story action type that allows for a chance based result from the expedition party as a whole instead of choosing a specific colonist. This is currently used in the abandoned mine POI. More POIs with this type of interaction will be added based on feedback.
  
• Game will now pause when interacting with a poi story

Vehicles

• Can now use the Dock vehicle action from anywhere. Vehicle will automatically return to the primary facility and dock.
  
• D.O.G.E. and Wasp vehicles no longer convertible to radar towers

Planet Surface Visuals

• Change to river generation on the planet surface to avoid rivers being too close together. This change helps rivers to be better distributed and not clumped together.
  
• Updated look of river biome tiles
  
• Updated the color of water tiles
  
• Mountain tiles with less than two adjacent mountain tiles should no longer appear flat

UI

• Added notification when a vehicle docks at the facility
  
• Updated the look of the story interface
  
• Changed the tooltip for Unknown Research projects in research window
  
• Facility Management buttons moved to a new button bar at the left edge of the screen
  
• Updated tooltip text to use a better text generation method to reduce blurry text in some cases
  
• Coal Generator fuel percent now has a tooltip to show fuel percent and total amount stored
  
• Fuel Item shows fuel amount in item tooltip

Misc

• Increased fuel consumption rate of coal generator
  
• Minor increase to fuel amount provided by anthracite
  
• Changed game contrast/lighting to make unlit areas darker
  
• Colonists now have a chance to spawn with random accessories such as glasses or facial hair.
  
• Water trap no longer requires bait to function. Base gathering speed decreased, but can be increased if using bait. Bait brought to the water trap automatically if it’s available.
  
• Water Trap now shows status in info window
  
• Added guide section for Water Trap
  
• Bio-Waste removed from water trap loot table
  
• Blood fish and blood fish egg added to water trap loot table
  
• Bait now unlocked in the recipe research section under the food processor
  
• Added Decoration research section to research interface. Existing decoration research moved to the decoration section.
  
• Added new unlock-able decorations
  
• Re-organized recipe research section
  
• Updated how research sections are generated
  
• Added Blood Fish and blood fish egg items
  
• Updated power generation guide topic
  
• Updated fish tank interface to be able to change fish type
  
• Fridge and food dispenser no longer have a required room
  
• Bio samples added to organics chest loot
  
• Changed color of colonists on mini map.
  
• Increased research cost of food processor recipes from 25 to 50

Modding

• Updated loot table processing to be more consistent and allows currencies to be used in any loot table
  
• CItemEdible no longer has values for satiation and nutrition. These values are now under a values tag inside CProperties
  
• CElectricCreatorSolidFuel now has a “fuel_consume_frequency” tag which is the time in seconds one unit of fuel is consumed. A unit of fuel is not the fuel item delivered, but is a unit of “max_fuel_store”.

Fixes

• Fixed: Tab no longer works to close management window after saving game in some cases
  
• Fixed: Starting supply chest spawning inside stasis capsule on game start in some cases
  
• Fixed: POI stories not checking “seen before” flag correctly which meant seen before text was not shown in some cases.
  
• Fixed: Space between number and percent in some user interfaces

[BlackSmokeDMax]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2103673012

Missing a bunch of menu items. I have tried verifying files with Steam and it didn't come up with any problems. This was a brand new game, not an old save.

[Boogey]

Stress/health not affecting POI success chances is a bit weird change. Before it was like the only reason to make sure your folks don't stress too much as at the base it really didn't matter too much. Has stress been made more relevant now inside the base?

Medical health should affect POI success chances, it really should..

[Nitrous Butterfly]

Originally posted by BlackSmokeDMax:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2103673012

Missing a bunch of menu items. I have tried verifying files with Steam and it didn't come up with any problems. This was a brand new game, not an old save.

Facility Management buttons moved to a new button bar at the left edge of the screen.

Originally posted by Boogey:

Stress/health not affecting POI success chances is a bit weird change. Before it was like the only reason to make sure your folks don't stress too much as at the base it really didn't matter too much. Has stress been made more relevant now inside the base?

Medical health should affect POI success chances, it really should..

Still some more tweaking to do. Health/stress affecting POI chance may well be re-introduced.

[BlackSmokeDMax]

LOL, never even looked over there! Sorry about that!

[Nitrous Butterfly]

Originally posted by BlackSmokeDMax:

LOL, never even looked over there! Sorry about that!

No worries. Habit can be a hell of a thing. :)

[shogar1]

Experimental Branch Problems

No Bio-Lab floor found after unlocking
Also, went out thinking maybe it needed to patch and reload, now sits at about 5% loading and seems to be stuck.

[Nitrous Butterfly]

Originally posted by shogar1:

Experimental Branch Problems

No Bio-Lab floor found after unlocking
Also, went out thinking maybe it needed to patch and reload, now sits at about 5% loading and seems to be stuck.

Thanks for the report and will look into that issue. There is currently an issue with loading save games on the experimental branch. This should be resolved in the next patch update coming soon. Your topic was moved to the experimental branch thread.

[BlackSmokeDMax]

Will we need to start a new game when the fix comes out for save games not loading. Or should that fix allow already in-progress games to continue?

[Nitrous Butterfly]

Originally posted by BlackSmokeDMax:

Will we need to start a new game when the fix comes out for save games not loading. Or should that fix allow already in-progress games to continue?

Save games created in Exp-1 may not load when the fix comes out. So may need to start over when Exp-2 comes out.

[Nitrous Butterfly]

Latest Changes/Fixes :: Exp-2

• Colonists now have a chance of spawning with accessory items like glasses and/or facial hair.
  
• Fixed: Save games not loading in some cases. Save games created in Exp-1 may not load, but newly created saves should now load.
  
• Fixed: Planet surface river data not saving

[BlackSmokeDMax]

Originally posted by Nitrous Butterfly:

Originally posted by BlackSmokeDMax:

Will we need to start a new game when the fix comes out for save games not loading. Or should that fix allow already in-progress games to continue?

Save games created in Exp-1 may not load when the fix comes out. So may need to start over when Exp-2 comes out.

Yeah, I'll just start over, I wasn't that deep yet anyway!

And thx for that quick update, that was a bit of a nasty bug for doing any testing!

[BlackSmokeDMax]

I had another thought while exiting the game just now.

It would be nice if the "save and quit" option brought you to the save interface just like the regular "save" option does. The "save" game itself is kind of weird because after you save, you still need to "save and quit" to leave the game, which generates another save game, which is just an autosave.

Something more elegant seems needed. I'm probably not phrasing that well, lol.

[BlackSmokeDMax]

Here is the screen shot I mentioned on the bug-report channel on discord:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2112276956

[Nitrous Butterfly]

Latest Changes/Fixes :: Exp-3

Progression

• Added EMG. Replaces elevator as early game power.
  
• Updated getting started guide to reflect new starting progression
  
• Massive re-work of technology tree to improve progression

Expeditions

• Changed colonist selection process in create expedition window
  
• Added new POI types (more in process)

Water Trap

• Water trap no longer requires bait to function. Base gathering speed decreased, but can be increased if using bait. Bait brought to the water trap automatically if it’s available.
  
• Water Trap now shows status in info window
  
• Added guide section for Water Trap
  
• Bio-Waste removed from water trap loot table
  
• Blood fish and blood fish egg added to water trap loot table
  
• Bait now unlocked in the recipe research section under the food processor

Misc

• Added Decoration research section to research interface. Existing decoration research moved to the decoration section.
  
• Added new unlockable decorations
  
• Re-organized recipe research section
  
• Updated how research sections are generated
  
• Added Blood Fish and blood fish egg items
  
• Updated power generation guide topic
  
• Updated fish tank interface to be able to change fish type
  
• Fridge and food dispenser no longer have a required room
  
• Bio samples added to organics chest loot
  
• Changed color of colonists on minimap. Further changes are coming to this.
  
• Increased research cost of food processor recipes from 25 to 50

Fixes

• Fixed: Unable to start an expedition using a vehicle
  
• Fixed: Space between number and percent in some user interfaces

[BlackSmokeDMax]

Noiiice!

Can't wait to start a new game!