Progress Update #30

Hello, long time no see! Did you miss me? Because I sure missed you. Let's just say we've been deeply engrossed in work, focusing on numerous fixes and improvements. While many of these aren't flashy enough for a grand showcase here, you can catch all the details on our Changelog page.

And yeah, we have been thinking about changing the name from "weekly update" for a while now. Maybe some time! Anyways, let's not delay it anymore and jump right into the new juicy stuff!

As part of our in-game mapping initiative, Bod9001 has refined the Copy and Paste tool we teased in our last post. Here’s how it works and why it’s a game-changer for us.

To start, click "Start Selecting" to activate selection mode, then click on one corner of the area you want to copy and the opposite corner to complete the selection. You can select multiple areas in this manner. Once done, click "Stop Selecting" to exit selection mode.

Made a mistake? No problem. Click "Start Unselecting" to enter unselecting mode and click the areas you wish to deselect. Exit this mode by clicking "Stop Unselecting."

When you're ready, pressing the "Save" button will copy everything you've selected to your clipboard. 

Then, use the "Matrix Dropdown" to select the matrix where you want to paste the copied tiles. If you don’t choose an existing Matrix, a new one will be created!

To paste, press the "Load" button to enter paste mode and see a blue square representing the previously saved area. Complete the process by clicking in paste mode, and watch as your selection materializes in a new location.

While the tool isn’t perfect and won't be winning any beauty contests, it's a work in progress, and we're eager for your feedback. Let us know what you think once you try it out.

For those keen observers, yes, the saving step does store the selection in your clipboard. This means you can paste it into another file on your computer to retrieve later or even share your creations with the world. We’ve even created a new channel on our Discord specifically for this purpose!

This ability to save and load rooms or entire maps lays the foundation for our in-game mapping system. Keep an eye on its development—we’re excited to see how it evolves.

MaxIsJoe has taken a decisive step by implementing a highly requested feature: solar panels are now part of the game, at least in their initial iteration.

In this first phase, solar panels at MiniStation are fully operational. For other stations, you can activate existing solar arrays by constructing a Solar Controller and linking them with the Multitool. You also have the option to fabricate new panels using just some glass sheets.

Once set up, the Solar Controller needs to be connected to the station’s electrical grid using high voltage cables, enabling a sustainable power source that many have eagerly anticipated. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to expanding and refining this feature based on your feedback.

AutumnNova, a veteran contributor to our project, has returned to introduce a nifty new feature for energy weapons. Now, players can visually determine the charge level of their energy weapons through illuminated bars on each weapon.

The nuclear reactor, long neglected and notoriously unreliable, is finally receiving the attention it deserves. Thanks to the diligent efforts of AtnerNT, this critical component is back in action and better than ever.

AtnerNT has conducted extensive code refactoring and numerical balancing to enhance the reactor's functionality. Additionally, he has addressed and rectified an old infinite energy exploit that some, who shall remain nameless, had been exploiting.

With these improvements, the nuclear reactor is now a viable and robust option for powering the station. It is more stable, produces significantly more energy, and no longer feels underpowered compared to less maintenance-intensive generators like the P.A.C.M.A.N.

We encourage everyone to give the updated reactor a try and experience its enhanced performance firsthand.

Did we mention Autumn is awesome? Because she truly is, and we're thrilled to have her back, especially when she keeps dropping cool features like it's nothing! This time around, she's introduced gas grenades. What are those, you ask? They're exactly what they sound like: grenades with an internal tank that releases its gaseous contents onto the tile where it detonates.

These grenades are incredibly useful for quickly refilling a room that's lacking atmosphere—or for filling a room with whatever nefarious pink gas you desire.

Refilling them is straightforward: just insert them into a gas canister, much like you would with an oxygen tank. Plus, they come with a neat see-through feature allowing you to easily identify the gas they contain at a glance.

I don't know how we could live without this classic feature this long, but thanks to MaxIsJoe, it is finally here. Now text in the chat will get bigger the more it repeats, just like in BYOND.

Yes, we need to discuss when it stops being comedical and becomes a bug, but that can wait.

Video by posted by Kerw36 on our Discord.

We've had various species in our game for some time, but until now, they've mostly been reskins of the human species. Thanks to Autumn's creative contributions, the Vulpkanins now truly stand out with unique traits that differentiate them from regular humans:

• Language: Vulpkanins now have their own language, Vulpic.
• Sniffing Ability: They can sniff their surroundings with an emote to detect traces of abnormal gases in the air.
• Dark Vision: Vulpkanins have gained the ability to see in the dark.
• Increased Move Speed: They move faster than their human counterparts.
• Mouth Storage: A new storage capability has been added, allowing them to carry small items in their mouth.

To maintain balance within the game, these enhancements come with certain vulnerabilities:

• Heat Sensitivity: Vulpkanins are now more susceptible to heat.
• Light Sensitivity: Effects from flash attacks last longer on them.
• Weaker Limbs: Their limbs are slightly weaker than those of humans.

Hopefully we see similar changes to other species and who knows, the addition of new unique species ACK ACK!

Alright, that's all for now. It’s been a busy month, and there’s a chance I might have forgotten something. If so, I apologize! If I missed mentioning your contribution, just give me a reminder, and I’ll make sure to feature it in our next blog post.

As always, a massive thank you to all our contributors—whether you're new, returning, or have been with us from the start. Thanks also to our patrons, players, and friends who make all of this possible.