Modding & Adventure Mode Update

Modding & Adventure Mode Update

This update marks an important milestone for Archean.

It officially introduces modding through the Steam Workshop with XenonCode & Blender and brings significant changes to Adventure mode, with new mechanics related to mass, inventory management, and interactions.

Modding with XenonCode and Blender

Modding is now a core feature of Archean.

Players can create fully custom components modeled using Blender and scripted entirely in XenonCode, with their own behavior and internal logic. These components integrate into the game exactly like native ones, including construction, inventory handling, data systems, and interaction with vehicles and the environment.

Mods are fully supported through the Steam Workshop. Publishing, updating, subscribing, and sharing are handled directly via Steam, with no manual installation or external tools required.

This first iteration establishes the foundations of the modding system and will continue to evolve over time.

Here are a few components created by players in the experimental version:

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Adventure Mode: mass and physical interactions

Adventure mode now introduces a real mass system for the avatar.

The contents of the avatar’s inventory have mass, which:

• directly affects the avatar’s movement speed and Jetpack

• is added to the total mass of the vehicle you're sitting on

Inventory: new interaction mechanics

The inventory gains several new mechanics aimed at reducing unnecessary actions and making interactions more natural.

New features:

• Active hand: select an active tool or item from any inventory by double-clicking on the item/tool

• Tools can now directly use resources from an external container, as long as they are placed inside it

• Avatar crafting can use resources from all open inventories, with automatic transfer to the backpack

• The search bar now performs real item filtering

Building, symmetry, and painting

Building tools receive new options focused on precision and efficiency.

Main additions:

• Movable symmetry axis with 0.125 m precision, allowing perfectly centered mirrors on blocks

• The Paint Tool can now paint all faces of a block at once using a modifier key (Shift)

It is also now possible to place components directly on the ground, without requiring to build a platform.

Full changelog:

• Official Modding system (Blender and XenonCode) through the Steam Workshop

• Adventure: Avatar inventory now has mass (affects vehicle mass and avatar speed and jetpack)

• Added ability to place components directly on the ground without the need to build a platform

• Added latest log file contents directly in launcher (Settings tab)

• AddedInventoryAdded "Hand" -> ability to select an active item/tool from another inventory by double clicking it
• AddedInventoryAdded ability for tools to use items from external containers by placing said tool inside that container and double clicking it

• Inventory: Search bar now filters items instead of just highlighting them

• Inventory: Remove escape key handling for active item deselection in Belt (use backtick ` instead)

• Inventory: Allow avatar to craft using resources from any open inventory (it will automatically move what it needs to the backpack)

• AddedPilot SeatExit seat by quick press R instead of hold (added option for Hold)
• AddedBuildAdded movable symmetry axis with 0.125m precision, allowing mirror on center of blocks
• FixedBuildFixed symmetry mode allowing invalid frame placement when opposite side is occupied

• PaintTool: Can now paint all sides of a block at once with Shift

• FixedPaintToolFixed pipe metallic paint
• FixedBlueprintToolFixed blueprint rotation not updating block colors properly
• AdjustedBlueprintToolImproved blueprint hologram performance
• AddedLinearTrackAdded ability to override limits via GetInfo(V)

• data logic: reading non-numerical text values (like kv objects) as numeric (like input value for the lamp) are now considered