Development Update 2 - July

[LKx]

SO update 6 is coming this week?

From what Arf wrote, it's look like it's coming with this Thursday mainteinance, but i might be wrong

 

[[Cancelled Consoleer] boppa_]

Planet Coaster PC was in 2016, Planet Coaster Console was in 2020.

JW2 simultaneously releasing.

Planet Coaster simultaneously releasing last gen and current gen versions. I just don't buy into the supposition that this is all resource related for Frontier.

If you're a PC CMDR I get that this seems inconsequential.

 

[Craith]

Looks great @Arthur Tolmie, but you know what I'm going to say, aren't you

begins with P

P ... Proper VR? Right? RIGHT?

to then meet the Power Play contact in person and use the new and improved Power Play mechanics, of course (made for VR, of course).

 

[Joe-Gillian]

• Spaceship interiors, including the Fleet-Carrier with a possible community hub for your team and those you want to share with...
• More emotes (example: lying down to snipe, drinking a drink at the bar, sitting on a chair, a bench, always more immersion...)
• More exploration gameplay on foot. Currently it's ridiculous... When it should be fantastic...
• Real things to discover in the galaxy outside the bubble...
• Powerplay only in OPEN.
• Work on the netcode to avoid getting lost in server sub-instances with friends.
• Balance the spaceships, especially the Fer-de-Lance (no meta if possible).

 

[Viajero]

Any guesses where the 4th multicrew seat will be?:

Spoiler

 

[Erei]

Planned for later this week (Update 6)

Planetary Colour Improvements

Planetary bodies will see a number of improvements. Explorers will find new planetary colouration which will increase vibrancy and variety. These improvements will still be grounded with real science, but will offer a much richer experience for those looking to forge their own path through the black. Here are a few examples:

View attachment 252451View attachment 252452

There will also be further variation with the addition of earthy, gritty, and dirty ice worlds. These new textures will add even more variety. Here we can see a frozen CO2 and a tholin rich ice planet.

View attachment 252453View attachment 252454

Planetary Surface Improvements
Planet surfaces will also be getting an uplift with the following:

Improved surface texture detail, improved Ice materials, increased volcanism, improved lighting and the integration of new AMD technology FSR (which works on all GPUs) will bring a significant improvement to planetary surfaces visuals and allow for some improved performance.

View attachment 252455View attachment 252456

I'm very interested now

Yes I saw the big crater copy pasted on half the screenshots, but still, it look so much better already.

 

[Falcon91]

where are the icy planets? when will we have decent textures? View attachment 252467

Note sure if you noticed.. at the bottom of this image can give you quite a bit of an answer
"Development tests - Not Final"

• More emotes (example: lying down to snipe, drinking a drink at the bar, sitting on a chair, a bench, always more immersion...)

This costs a lot of money man, it's like 30 grand to rent a motion capture then like a grand a minute for the processing.

• More exploration gameplay on foot. Currently it's ridiculous... When it should be fantastic...

Agreed on this, but I still have fun on the ground exploring.

• Real things to discover in the galaxy outside the bubble...

There's stuff outside the bubble that hasn't been found yet even, the galaxy is huge. There are multiple guardian sites that most likely haven't been found, just no one is looking in the area's where tons of BT's are that no one has explored pretty well.

• Powerplay only in OPEN.

Never gonna happen

• Balance the spaceships, especially the Fer-de-Lance (no meta if possible).

FDL doesn't really need a balance? I've used it plenty and I actually moved away from it to a bigger ship cause I found the FDL once it got it's shield taken offline wasn't that great to use.

 

[StuartGT]

Planet Coaster PC was in 2016, Planet Coaster Console was in 2020.

JW2 simultaneously releasing.

Planet Coaster simultaneously releasing last gen and current gen versions. I just don't buy into the supposition that this is all resource related for Frontier.

If you're a PC CMDR I get that this seems inconsequential.

As a PC CMDR I think it'll be fantastic if console CMDRs get their port of Odyssey much sooner than in 4 years.

 

[Wendake]

Great news ! With FSR being available this mean we can expect a 20 to 30% FPS increase without quality loss from what I've seen from other games / tests =D

The changes to planetary tech are more than welcomed - started an exploration trip yesterday so the timing couldn't be better if it drops thursday !

I sincerely hope to see more exploration related gameplay though...insta-scanning plants isn't the most challenging / fun gameplay in the world...finding unique vista & walking around is nice but please give us more things to do out in deep space.

o7

 

[Rubbernuke]

Never gonna happen

If only FD would tell us what they intend to do and how much they want to change.

FDL doesn't really need a balance? I've used it plenty and I actually moved away from it to a bigger ship cause I found the FDL once it got it's shield taken offline wasn't that great to use.

A long time ago the FDL had its powerplant uprated and heat level upped, so it became far too powerful. Its fast, agile, can fit any weapon, has loads of utility slots with very little downsides.

 

[Cmdr Canucklehead]

No mention of anything UI related.

Don't get me wrong, these are big changes and I'm glad about them, but we need more UI improvements than typo and formatting fixes. I can deal with wonky lighting and textures. Those aren't a result of bad design choices.

 

[Prof Horatio Hafnaugels]

INVISIBLE ROCKS!@!!!@##$$#*

100 times this, not only because invisible rocks are despicable, but also because they are representative of all the almost-but-not-quite-fixed bugs.
I really hope the list doesn't grow each new update.

 

[HeatherG]

Really great to hear
Thanks for the information!!

 

[felixlennart]

There are still massive performance problems for VR players, especially when flying inside of starports.

 

[willisit]

Excellent updates!

 

[Rainbro]

5.Hyford's Cache missing Scannable Data Point

• Fixed – awaiting deployment (Update 6 / maintenance).

I am going to laugh/cry so much if it turns out that this hides something super significant, and we haven't been able to access it for years because it was bugged and you forgot to fix it after being told.

 

[Sysmon]

Greetings Commanders,

With the end of July closing in on us faster than a getaway Mamba with illegal cargo, we wanted to share our second monthly developer update with you now.

As mentioned in David Braben’s recent post, we have adjusted our planning to retain our development focus on the PC version of Odyssey before revisiting our plans for console. This change in planning will mean we are able to deliver more bug fixes, performance improvements, as well as some new features and content.

Issue Tracker

Similar to last month, we would like to update you on key issues as voted for by our community on the Issue Tracker. You can visit the Issue Tracker and vote for your top issues or make a report.

1. Lighting and Illumination in Odyssey

• Changes in Update 6 will address lighting issues, however we’ll continue to monitor any feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

2. Degraded terrain textures compared to Horizons

• Update 6 will bring significant improvements in this area, however we’ll keep the issue open for further feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

3. FPS performance in Odyssey

• Further improvements and optimisations have been made which will be deployed in Update 6. Significant work is underway to improve this further.

4. Cargo Canisters get stuck in the Megaship

• Fixed for release in Update 6.

5.Hyford's Cache missing Scannable Data Point

• Fixed – awaiting deployment (Update 6 / maintenance).

6. Retrieval from crash site mission POIs no longer appear

• Fixed – awaiting deployment (Update 6 / maintenance).

7. Odyssey sticks at “Loading Game” when launch

• Fixed for release in Update 6.

Upcoming Updates and Content

As promised, we also wanted to share with you work in progress content and improvements which will arrive in future updates.

While bug fixes and performance improvements remain a priority and activities such as narrative, events, and community goals will continue. However, our new approach allows us to add further content and features.

This month, we would like to share some of the content currently in development. Please note these are at varying stages of progress, and other content is also being considered. Please also note they are not final and are subject to change. We will keep you updated with news and details as they progress and we expect the content to release over the coming few updates.

Planned for later this week (Update 6)

Planetary Colour Improvements

Planetary bodies will see a number of improvements. Explorers will find new planetary colouration which will increase vibrancy and variety. These improvements will still be grounded with real science, but will offer a much richer experience for those looking to forge their own path through the black. Here are a few examples:

View attachment 252451View attachment 252452

There will also be further variation with the addition of earthy, gritty, and dirty ice worlds. These new textures will add even more variety. Here we can see a frozen CO2 and a tholin rich ice planet.

View attachment 252453View attachment 252454

Planetary Surface Improvements
Planet surfaces will also be getting an uplift with the following:

Improved surface texture detail, improved Ice materials, increased volcanism, improved lighting and the integration of new AMD technology FSR (which works on all GPUs) will bring a significant improvement to planetary surfaces visuals and allow for some improved performance.

View attachment 252455View attachment 252456

Camera Suite
Nothing would accompany all of these visual upgrades better than improvements to our camera suite. On the surface, we’ve reduced blackout intersections in the vast majority of scenarios. However, under the hood, we have actually implemented a whole new collision detection system which will allow you to move the camera freely around a settlement or social space and avoid bumping into those problem blackout spots.

Rocket Troops at Military Installations
AI rocket troops will be added to military bases providing a greater challenge for Commanders approaching in SRVs.

Please note these features will be accompanied by a vast number of other improvements, tweaks and fixes which will be detailed in a dedicated forum post ahead of release.​

Future Updates

Here are other features currently in development, which are planned for future updates. As we get closer to their release, we will announce which of these will be included in each update with further details:

Four Player Multicrew
Four Commanders will be able to board ships together for the first time, with a number of ships set to be equipped with a fourth cockpit seat, including several Commander favourites.

New Odyssey Engineers in Colonia
This is a much requested community feature and we’re pleased to oblige. We’ll be revealing more detail around these engineers soon.

Air Defence Turrets in Conflict Zones
We recognise that further balancing is required between on foot commanders and ships entering Conflict Zones. As such, further defence turrets will be added to Conflict Zones with associated on foot gameplay.

Increased Stored Module Capacity and Bookmark Numbers
These are long requested community features which will arrive in the near future.

Mission Feature Extensions
We will be expanding mission features for Odyssey with the aim to increase mission diversity and also create stronger links between the in-cockpit and on foot game.

Apex Redirect
This will allow passengers to redirect their Apex shuttle mid-flight, to return to the port of departure, or divert their Apex shuttle to another location, fuel permitting.

As mentioned, this list is not exhaustive and we will be sharing more details on the content mentioned above and future, unannounced content in further monthly development updates and across our other channels.

Thank you as always for your continued feedback and support.

-Arf

Excellent stuff, and 3 thumbs up for use of "tholin" in a sentence. Can we some day start soil sampling for microbes and organic compounds?

S

 

[SH4DOWM4K3R]

How would my old friend and half-Klingon put it: well, well.

 

[Pikokola]

Apex Redirect
This will allow passengers to redirect their Apex shuttle mid-flight, to return to the port of departure, or divert their Apex shuttle to another location, fuel permitting.

-Arf

Could we also have the option to send our ship with us when using apex shuttle? like sending our current ship via ship transfer to the shuttle destination so we don't have to wait until we reach the destination before being able to "call" the ship to the location?

 

[VR jefranklin18]

Greetings Commanders,

With the end of July closing in on us faster than a getaway Mamba with illegal cargo, we wanted to share our second monthly developer update with you now.

As mentioned in David Braben’s recent post, we have adjusted our planning to retain our development focus on the PC version of Odyssey before revisiting our plans for console. This change in planning will mean we are able to deliver more bug fixes, performance improvements, as well as some new features and content.

Issue Tracker

Similar to last month, we would like to update you on key issues as voted for by our community on the Issue Tracker. You can visit the Issue Tracker and vote for your top issues or make a report.

1. Lighting and Illumination in Odyssey

• Changes in Update 6 will address lighting issues, however we’ll continue to monitor any feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

2. Degraded terrain textures compared to Horizons

• Update 6 will bring significant improvements in this area, however we’ll keep the issue open for further feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

3. FPS performance in Odyssey

• Further improvements and optimisations have been made which will be deployed in Update 6. Significant work is underway to improve this further.

4. Cargo Canisters get stuck in the Megaship

• Fixed for release in Update 6.

5.Hyford's Cache missing Scannable Data Point

• Fixed – awaiting deployment (Update 6 / maintenance).

6. Retrieval from crash site mission POIs no longer appear

• Fixed – awaiting deployment (Update 6 / maintenance).

7. Odyssey sticks at “Loading Game” when launch

• Fixed for release in Update 6.

Upcoming Updates and Content

As promised, we also wanted to share with you work in progress content and improvements which will arrive in future updates.

While bug fixes and performance improvements remain a priority and activities such as narrative, events, and community goals will continue. However, our new approach allows us to add further content and features.

This month, we would like to share some of the content currently in development. Please note these are at varying stages of progress, and other content is also being considered. Please also note they are not final and are subject to change. We will keep you updated with news and details as they progress and we expect the content to release over the coming few updates.

Planned for later this week (Update 6)

Planetary Colour Improvements

Planetary bodies will see a number of improvements. Explorers will find new planetary colouration which will increase vibrancy and variety. These improvements will still be grounded with real science, but will offer a much richer experience for those looking to forge their own path through the black. Here are a few examples:

View attachment 252451View attachment 252452

There will also be further variation with the addition of earthy, gritty, and dirty ice worlds. These new textures will add even more variety. Here we can see a frozen CO2 and a tholin rich ice planet.

View attachment 252453View attachment 252454

Planetary Surface Improvements
Planet surfaces will also be getting an uplift with the following:

Improved surface texture detail, improved Ice materials, increased volcanism, improved lighting and the integration of new AMD technology FSR (which works on all GPUs) will bring a significant improvement to planetary surfaces visuals and allow for some improved performance.

View attachment 252455View attachment 252456

Camera Suite
Nothing would accompany all of these visual upgrades better than improvements to our camera suite. On the surface, we’ve reduced blackout intersections in the vast majority of scenarios. However, under the hood, we have actually implemented a whole new collision detection system which will allow you to move the camera freely around a settlement or social space and avoid bumping into those problem blackout spots.

Rocket Troops at Military Installations
AI rocket troops will be added to military bases providing a greater challenge for Commanders approaching in SRVs.

Please note these features will be accompanied by a vast number of other improvements, tweaks and fixes which will be detailed in a dedicated forum post ahead of release.​

Future Updates

Here are other features currently in development, which are planned for future updates. As we get closer to their release, we will announce which of these will be included in each update with further details:

Four Player Multicrew
Four Commanders will be able to board ships together for the first time, with a number of ships set to be equipped with a fourth cockpit seat, including several Commander favourites.

New Odyssey Engineers in Colonia
This is a much requested community feature and we’re pleased to oblige. We’ll be revealing more detail around these engineers soon.

Air Defence Turrets in Conflict Zones
We recognise that further balancing is required between on foot commanders and ships entering Conflict Zones. As such, further defence turrets will be added to Conflict Zones with associated on foot gameplay.

Increased Stored Module Capacity and Bookmark Numbers
These are long requested community features which will arrive in the near future.

Mission Feature Extensions
We will be expanding mission features for Odyssey with the aim to increase mission diversity and also create stronger links between the in-cockpit and on foot game.

Apex Redirect
This will allow passengers to redirect their Apex shuttle mid-flight, to return to the port of departure, or divert their Apex shuttle to another location, fuel permitting.

As mentioned, this list is not exhaustive and we will be sharing more details on the content mentioned above and future, unannounced content in further monthly development updates and across our other channels.

Thank you as always for your continued feedback and support.

-Arf

Thank you to Arf and all the teams. It is good to see increased transparency of what is being worked on - I hope this continues and not just until Odyssey launches on console.