The future of Starbound

So here is a non exhaustive list of additions coming to the game. We have a lot more than this in store (not yet discussed), but Xealaz over at reddit compiled such a nice list of the stuff we HAVE discussed that I wanted to share it with you. As always, things are not set in stone.

On with the list!

 

  • NPC Spawners & Building Logic: NPCs will scan the structures you build around them and the contents of chests; they will have improved inventories/behaviors depending on how valuable their surroundings are.
  • Macro Terrain Changes: Affect an entire planet’s terrain and weather
  • More Planet Scanner Data: See details in the planet scanner like planet occupants/dungeons
  • Underground: More secrets will spawn below the surface
  • Space Combat: Way in the future, expect space combat and the ability to board other ships.
  • Spaceship Dungeons: Very large, size of a planet.
  • Biome Hazards: Sandstorms, icestorms, meteor showers, toxic planets, airless planets.
  • Ore & Difficulty: Higher difficulty planets will have improved ore distribution
  • Story Missions: Eventually each tier will end with a story mission that ends with the bosses you see now.
  • Ship Navigator Changes: Still not set in stone; but the new idea is to give a local map with fog of war. Instead of sector buttons you have to fly out of a sector and into the next one by uncovering more of the star map. The final sector would be infinite.
  • Smoother Difficulty Curve: Better indication of the difficulty of an area. Difficulty will change within tiers as well as between tiers. There will be fractional difficulty (for example, Difficulty 1.12 in tier 1 would be easier than Difficulty 1.52, while still in T1)
  • Monster Generation: Right now, monster parts just have stat boosts, but eventually rolled monster parts will affect their behavior and abilities. For example, monsters with spider legs can climb walls; fiery monsters inflict burning. You might get a burning spider dropping on you from the ceiling. Projectiles may be tied to specifically generated heads. Biome may influence monster part generation.
  • Mini-Map: Rotating circular map showing highlights only such as the location of friendly players, spawn points–but no major details. For the details you’d use a mapping item to create a map as you travel.
  • Teleporters: Stargates between planets and eventually between servers.
  • Dramatic Planet Modification: Not going to be implemented any time soon. Ability for players to modify huge chunks of planets through things like orbital bombardment; removing the entire first layer of a planet and leave behind a lifeless surface.
  • Tech Priority: Eventually all techs can be active at once, but a categorization system is in the works to assign priority to conflicting techs, preventing issues. A hotkey to switch the active tech will be added as a temporary workaround until the priority system is completed.
  • Server Commands: More server commands and control for chat and port listening.
  • Villager AI: Villagers will aggro when you steal from them and follow you more aggressively.
  • World Storage: Improve world storage and organize *.pak files to improve modding. Add launcher integration.
  • Spawn Points: Change spawn points on individual planets.
  • Controls: Reconfigure controls; keybinding.
  • Ship Size: Upgrade ship/increase size.
  • Racial Armor: Racial abilities will not be inherent but will be tied to racial armor. For example, Avian armor can glide downward.
  • Capture Pods & Mercenaries: May be able to capture NPCs with pods. Summon NPC Mercenaries by using the pod as a beacon.
  • Reduced Wipes: Working on a system to patch without requiring as many character wipes in the future. This will require one more wipe and that’s it.
  • Other Changes: Colorblind Mode & Engine Optimization. FTL animation being revamped to reduce memory strain.

Patchnotes for v. Indignant Koala 12/11/2013

Re-posting, the build is actually live this time! Go update! :)

Changelog for v. Indignant Koala  12/11/2013

There are a whole bunch of improvements to balance here, particularly in the early game.
We aren’t wiping characters or worlds, but if you want to experience the proper balance
you should make a new character/worlds to play it on!
Also..
– Nerf the hell out of birds, they no longer attack you at long range, lower damage, don’t follow you forever.
– Monster projectiles across the board better balanced
– Shields better balanced
– Early armors better balanced
– Melee weapons better balanced
– Ores better balanced
-AI improvements
– you can now craft lanterns (similar to sixxes’ lantern mod!)
– you can now craft a new back armor to help light caves
– fixed the bubble gun crashing on mouse over
– improve grass ( Suggestion by Dracyoshi)
– You are now invincible on your ship (this requires a new character)
– You need to be hit a lot harder to get knocked back
– some UI updates
– Drills now destroy 3×3 blocks
– nerf fall damage
– You can now turn 10 unrefined wood into coal in the furnace
– New “melting” status effect on lava makes lava super dangerous (watch out)
– Other misc changes
As always, more coming your way soon!

12/10/13 Patch Notes

Changelog for v. Frustrated Koala  10/12/2013

Hi guys, so last night we pushed the major balance update. We’d tested it for hours and at the last
minute a bug crept in that broke crafted weapon damage, making them crazy overpowered.
Hence the name of this version.
We’ve decided NOT to wipe characters or worlds. This means if you already have overpowered items
or planets they will remain that way. We’d recommend starting a new character to assist with beta testing.
That’s been fixed. It was an interesting bug. The old leveling system used a “level” specified
in each swords configuration file. The new system no longer uses “level”, instead each sword is
hand balanced.  The bug that crept in at the last moment reenabled “level”.  Given that they are now unused, levels weren’t
changed from their previous values that went all the way up to level 100, and now that the game
is leveled up to 10, they were massively too powerful.
Also..
– Uranium, plutonium and solarium now work as fuels
– You can now REALLY craft a grappling hook
– Boss balance has been tightened even more
– Platinum armor is now unlocked on tier 5
– You can now ‘recapture’ pets
– some more fixes
More coming ASAP! It’ll take us a little while to balance everything just right, so please hang tight.