Winter Sale & Updated Height system, Object Density and new AI preparations

Here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve been working on recently. This update focuses mainly on performance optimizations, UI fixes, and continued progress on co-op, even if some features are temporarily being held back until they’re ready. The main changes have been done in a new height system that makes navigating a bit easier, preparing groundwork for a brand new AI, as well as making the Zabu and Asteroid field more detailed!

Building & Map Constraints

⦁ Preparation has been done for a new AI system where there are various sizes maps to try as well as automated economy, battle, or both (optional!)

⦁ Height clamping added to make the battlefield more condensed and ready for future mods

⦁ The battlefield now feels more full and detailed

⦁ Building placement height is now properly clamped to vertical map bounds

⦁ Scroll height limits are now properly clamped to vertical bounds

⦁ Destination altitude scrolling has been limited to prevent invalid or unintended values

⦁ We intend to add an optional camera system in the style of Homeworld as well at a later stage to make navigation easier for those who are more used to that type of controls

Performance & Optimization

⦁ Loot crate performance overhaul

⦁ Optimized the loot crate system to eliminate performance spikes when opening crates. All required images and prefabs are now preloaded into a cache at game start, preventing intermittent freezes during gameplay.

⦁ Resource loading improvements

⦁ Loot crate resources now load only once when entering the in-game UI, instead of repeatedly during play.

⦁ Reduced redundant loading

⦁ Further optimization ensures certain resources are loaded a single time only, improving overall runtime performance.

Co-op spawn safety

⦁ Added a height clamp to the Atrix co-op spawn system to prevent spawning issues.

UI & UX Improvements

⦁ Updated co-op splash screen

⦁ Building menu resized

⦁ Slightly increased the size of the Building Menu for better readability.

⦁ Ultra-wide display fixes

⦁ Corrected control button orientation on ultra-wide monitors.

⦁ Progress bar fix

⦁ Progress bar resizing now uses a fixed delta value for consistent behavior.

Controls & Localization

⦁ Reset keybinds button added

⦁ You can now reset keybindings directly from the keybinds menu.

Localization hotfix

⦁ Fixed localization issues in the keybind menu, including proper translated labels.

Multiplayer & Co-op Status

⦁ Co-op vs AI temporarily removed (we are working on a new system for this)

⦁ The Co-op vs AI option has been removed from the multiplayer menu for now. There are still several issues to resolve before it’s ready to go live, and we’d rather ship it polished than rushed.

Ongoing branch merges

⦁ Continued integration work between development branches to align co-op, Atrix, and Aber systems.

That’s it for this update! The next update will most likely be regarind the new AI system, but it depends on what we get done first and how satisfied we are with the result!

As always, thanks for your patience and support while we keep improving stability and laying the groundwork for upcoming features—especially the new AI we're working on. More news soon! 🚧✨

— The Dev Team