“Space is big. No I mean really big. No I mean really really really big.” - Jack Finn, Space Hippy

So last night I finally solved the slowdown problem. It turns out that the game just needed some compiler optimisation and debug mode prevents that. So in release mode the game runs smoothly even on really big maps. I’m stoked.

So here’s a big map to gawk at.

With that solved I think I’ll work on adding more to the game and smoothing out the pathing and jobs system. Before I do that I need text and a small UI.

“To know where you are now, you have to know where you have been.” - Jake Krippin, Master Astrographer.

Woohoo!

I reached a major milestone in my development today. I have pathing and tasks finished today, so colonists don’t just wander around any more; they do the jobs that need to be done, and quickly too. As one of the complicated cores of the game I’m glad I have a system in place, now I can get on with the other more useful stuff. No screenshot today, nothing interesting to see, it was all ‘under-the-hood’ stuff.

Next on the agenda is colonist construction, transport and workshop use.

I’ve been taking a minor break the past few days, but I did get a small gameplay video made. It just shows off some mining and colonists walking around.

Don’t mind the art, I can’t draw.

“Mining is all well and good if you know what you are doing, but more asteroid colonies have been lost to mining mishaps than Greebon attacks.” - Jason Tanner, chief astrogeological expert.

Wow, even more progress, I’m stunning even myself.

Tonight I managed to complete buildings, building coldet, mining, square contents, more AI and minor pathing. These systems aren’t finished, but they are adequate enough while I flesh out the UI, which is more important. That will be next, and it will be the harder code.

Here’s a screenshot.

“Okay, we’re coming in to land. What’s that? Oh holy …….” - Last transmission of the S.S. Pegasus

I continue making progress, this time it’s with colonist moving and falling. It’s adequate, which is all I need to move onto the next list item, but I’m not satisfied. Definitely the first thing to re-factor when I start adding proper AI.

I have tile clicking done, so the cube under the mouse is highlighted. Next is to add walls and buildings. Then mining, and with mining sub-tile values. Then there’s tasks and pathing to add to the Colonists giving them more AI, and last on the list so far is the UI, which will be the hardest.

Here’s to an eventful and successful week of programming.

Addendum: I just finished walls. It was easier than I thought.