A more welcoming main menu

Hi Space Cowboys!

Here is a new monthly update. We have been working hard on art, the UI for the main menu, and pause.

And trying to give each planet more personality.

ART & VISUALS

-------------

• Player laser now uses particle system instead of sprites for added effect in space

• Enemy lasers in space using particle systems

• Enemy lasers in planet using FX

https://x.com/aWay2TheStars/status/2051597901609013450?s=20

• Revamped new items art adding outlines describing items type

• Improved head placement on some NPCs generation

• Reduced map indicators size

• Max shirt line more visible by adapting shader

• Companion interaction UI new box

• Updated companion health bars

• Decreased planets soil brightness

• Stronger vibration when last combo of melee attack

• Removed more low resolution guns

• Pause menu art improved

• Main menu art buttons improved

• Changed stairs art

• Updated menu image to new capsule

• Slower windmills

BUG FIXES

---------

• Keyboard prompts on inventory

• Diagonal pyramid couldn't be entered

• Laser having wrong angle before hitting an object

• Player pad not selecting buttons when bringing them up

• House name not showing

• Friendly animals spawning too close to each other

• Placeable flow showing wrong colors and sometimes not being responsive

• Some NPC heads floating

• Controls texts on Pause Menu

• RB button tutorial shows right sprite

• Removed acid on bottom of exploding barrels

• North button location in Inventory Pad

• Journal navigation buttons can now be pressed with gamepad

• Skill leveling up now also levels up science

• Bug when selling items not finding what to select next

• Bug when selling stuck items

• Platform collider

• Accents in data pads

• Enemies left in planets won't reset when entering caves or leaving planets

• Implant showing description text when acquiring it

• Tutorial enemies having too much health

• Enemies left in planet started at zero

NEW CONTENT

-----------

• New house variants in planets: Bars, Hospitals, Shops, Storage

• Enemy ships and freighters now have health bars

• Solar panels in planets

• Centre stairs for wall elevations in micro cities

• One type of house per planet if non-procedural

• 30% chance to get non-procedural houses in planets

• Cleared map coordinates now saved when exiting planets or entering caves

BALANCE

-------

• Reduced amount of shops in cities and containers

• Decreased pirate companions speed

• Increased health for enemies on difficult planets

• Increased enemies needed to pacify high-threat planets

• Less enemy settlements in planets

• Improved difficulty scaling on harder planets

• Minimum skills to select for implants at science level 0 is now 3

• Less containers outside

• New enemy comments added

QoL & UI

--------

• Visual clarity on implants with orange highlight

• Skill descriptions shown when selecting them

• Can now switch between container and inventory with L1/R1

• Added master volume option

• More space for item descriptions in crafting

• Added lines to inventory tab

• Smaller player message texts

• Button prompts are now pixel art

• Translated buy shop and sell shop

• Tablet pad tabs easier to see

AUDIO

-----

• Sound when taking off

• Sound when moving on implants screen

• Reduced matching pair button select sound

Thank you for getting here :D

Jejo