Generation Ship, Log 5
Short changelist for 0.0.7 release! (Download from: itch.io)
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Mega feature: Mac/Linux releases!
- Feature: rescue missions!
- Feature: building probes now takes time
- Feature: hints for a galaxy screen
- Feature: accessibility: game now can be played with mouse only
- Feature: planet names generation
- Fix: now less information is hidden by screen borders
- Fix: game over screen skipped too fast
- Fix: planet generation is now in both hemispheres
- Fix: probes now lose their speed when jumping to other systems
- Balance: now game is a bit harder to win
And now in details:
First of all, I think it was my crime - to write in Java and provide only Windows binaries. With bit of work, I created Linux and MacOS packages too. They’re generated on Windows machine, so may be some magic still be needed to launch them. chmod +x generation_ship
kind of magic. Due to absense of Mac/Linux computer (Switched to windows 10 since last year) the builds are not throughly tested. If an error occures, please report it back to me so I can make fix for all other users!
To accomplish it I used tool called packr, which comes with libGDX and packs jar together with Java Runtime Environment and lets run a game as it was a native application.
Second - the game was too easy. I took few steps to make it harder, more challenging and thus, interesting. I’ve rebalanced started resources, added rescue missions and made probe building not instant.
Another point - accessibility. It may be a small achievement, but now the game can be played with mouse only. I hope I can do the same for keyboard only players.
In addition to this, I took into account that the game is not intuitive as a start. There is no tutorial or something that explains how stuff work. In order to help beginners I’ve added an on-screen hints - what every action will do. It’s still far from the best, but it’s improvement.
Last point - planet names generation - I used a tool called Markov Chains to get a random, but nice sounding names for my planets. There’s more to add, for sure, but it looks more interesting already.
And now - for my plans! Despite being not so much productive last 4 months, I’m not abandoning the Generation Ship. For next version I’m going to add sounds and music, better tips and hints, better physics and additional objects in the star systems.