Early Access version 28

MAIN CHANGES

Under the hood: This update includes a lot of far-reaching internal changes that could affect the game in very subtle ways. Theoretically, everything should be exactly the same for the player, but if you notice anything out of the ordinary, let us know immediately. It’s important to make sure everything works correctly before we can build upon it, so you’ll notice there aren’t many new features in the update.

Key Rush missions: Having said this, there is one new thing: Key Rush missions. The intention is that Key Rush missions will be invasion-style ultra-rare missions (10-20 in the entire galaxy), but with a greatly enhanced key drop rate (rate is not finalized yet). You’ll only be able to fly each Key Rush mission once. To that end, we’re issuing a single experimental Key Rush mission as a test. We’ll then tweak key rates based on collected statistical data about your performance. You can find this mission in your Inbox.

Looped sounds: The looped sounds bug should be finally fixed :crossed_fingers: . This particular bug took so long to track down because it was part of the BASS sound library that CIU uses, and we had to coordinate with the developer in order to fix it.

Medals for ideas/bugs will be awarded later today. Note: If you’re using a different in-game callsign than your forum name, then you cannot receive your medal unless you let us know what your callsign is.

COMPATIBILITY

You will lose:

  • any in-mission progress
  • any menu options you have configured

CHANGELOG

:new: New features – :bulb: Tweaks – :bug: Bug fixes – :gear: Internal changes

  • :gear: Deleted users that haven’t logged in in the past 4 weeks and have less than an hour of playtime.
  • :gear: Uses GlobalMemoryStatusEx instead of GlobalMemoryStatus.
  • :bulb: Gifts/powerups now only appear on top of enemies & explosions if spawned during a boss’s death.
  • :bulb: Floating satellites are now removed when mission ends (@ChickenInvader45 :medal_sports: Idea)
  • :gear: BASS_SampleLoad: Removed BASS_SAMPLE_VAM flag.
  • :gear: Numerous fixes based on static code analysis recommendations.
  • :gear: Tweaked “extreme tilt” algorithm: Extreme orbital tilts are now assigned to a different set of planets.
  • :gear: EffectPuff: Corrected particles to be individually randomly rotated (previously they all shared the same rotation). Affects: Invader, Invader Boss, Asteroid, Barrier, Chef, Crab, Egg Cannon, Egg City, Henterprise, Saucer (& wreck), ExhaustVisuals04, Football.
  • :bulb: “High Speed Chase” wave: Halved number of spawned enemies (and hence wave duration).
  • :bug: “To Infinity and Beyond” wave: Enemies now spawn higher to avoid being visible when wave starts (@Fractorial :medal_sports: Bug)
  • :gear: Uses freetype 10.2.1.
  • :gear: Uses UTF-32. Supports (monochrome) emoji.
  • :bug: Rankings screen: chart is now more opaque/visible when a dark theme has been selected (@ShardNguyen :medal_sports: Bug)
  • :gear: Uses BASS 2.4.14.21
  • :bug: “Looped sounds do not stop” bug is now finally fixed :partying_face:
  • :gear: Removed D3DRS_ALPHATESTENABLE. Possibly speeds up rendering under certain hardware.
  • :gear: Changed generation algorithm for landmarks (burgers, etc.). Landmarks have moved. Different landmark types are less likely to be grouped together in the same star system. Galaxy regeneration required.
  • :new: Added Key Rush missions (experimental).
  • :gear: Greatly improved speed of DB upgrade process (LIMIT delay is now constant; was previously proportionate to limit offset).

BACKUPS

You are reminded that during Early Access you are responsible for backing up your own progress. Make a copy of everything under C:\ProgramData\InterAction studios\CIU (including all sub-folders).

15 Likes

THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Please drop the weapon… we can talk about this… just put the weapon down…
Anyway Key rush missions seem pretty dope. Can someone post a screenshot of the final key count with SSH?

Idea for Key Rush exclusive wave: An “Object Approaching: Ailen Container” with greatly increased health travels through the screen. Also unlike normal containers, it will only go through the screen once before disappearing entirely and never returns.

Its health should be just enough so that :zap:20 weapons are required to take it down. If you destroy it, it will instantly drop 5 to 10 keys depending on skill and base difficulty.

When I go to the left or right or up or down the hand appears.

Is this bug? And if it is, can you fix it?

And if it is not bug, Would you like to please remove it?

This is not a bug, it’s a feature!
The hand is supposed to show you where your mouse is, because sometimes, like here, the ship does not directly show where your mouse is positioned.

2 Likes

You can hide it in Options -> Controls -> Mouse -> Show cursor outside playing area

Ok thank you.

Well, didn’t make it all the way through (surrendered), but I still ended pretty happy with the key rush! Collected at least 100 keys.

6 Likes

Holy moly.

You sure?
So far haven’t experienced it.

1 Like

So it returned?

We can’t be sure.

A new mission?
Nice.

I meant that I’ve never experienced this bug.

So for what was the “you sure” part?

Cos looped sound bugs are destined to make it into the full release.

@discobot fortune
Will the looped sounds ever go?

:crystal_ball: My reply is no

4 Likes