Take On Mars - Development Build Change Log

[dram 14]

I asked this a long time ago, and want to ask again, is the realistic rover programming still in plans? I pre-ordered the game just because of that one feature, would be a shame to drop it.

edit: I'm really sorry. Just noticed that this feature is already partly in the game. Haven't played it for a while :) Big thanks from me!

No worries, it's what we're working on right now, so rest assured, it will be complete soon :)

[Scimajor 10]

I too am waiting with barely contained glee for the full implementation of rover programming and light delay. I can't wait!! :-)

[dram 14]

Version 0.8.0309:

31st January 2014:
- Added Isidis Planitia map


29th January 2014:
- Added missions to North Polar Cap


28th January 2014:
- Added missions to North Polar Cap
- Added Objective for Mars polar caps
- Added wiki entries


27th January 2014:
- Added rocks to North Polar Cap
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap
- Adjusted distant terrain on North Polar Cap


24th January 2014:
- Added rocks to North Polar Cap
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap


23rd January 2014:
- Improved 3D map making it easier to distinguish locations and so on
- Added wiki entries
- Fixed issue in 3D map with 3D resolution offsetting points
- Added rocks to North Polar Cap
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap


22nd January 2014:
- Added wiki entries
- Added missions to Ptolemaeus Crater
- Added rocks to North Polar Cap
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap


21st January 2014:
- Added rocks to North Polar Cap
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap


20th January 2014:
- Added rocks to North Polar Cap


17th January 2014:
- Added thermal particle material (visible only in Thermal Vision)
- Improved Night Vision mode
- Improved Thermal Vision modes
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap
- Adjusted rocks on North Polar Cap


16th January 2014:
- Added 3 modes to Thermal Vision (full range color, orange, black and white)
- Added thermal simulation of vehicle parts and objects
- Improved thermal vision functionality
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap
- Adjusted rocks on North Polar Cap


15th January 2014:
- Added WIP Thermal Vision to vehicles (default B)
- Fixed several tasks in mission 7429 in Lyot Crater
- Fixed calculation of sun elevation which used north instead of south
- Added wiki entries
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap
- Added rocks on North Polar Cap


14th January 2014:
- Added WIP Thermal Vision to the free fly camera (default B)
- Modified layer textures at Ptolemaeus Crater
- Added layer textures at North Pole


DEV BRANCH UPDATE		13th January 2014


13th January 2014:
- Added highlight to back side of planets in the 3D map
- Fixed triple monitor setup problems where objects were not rendered out of view		0000024
- Adjusted layer textures on North Polar Cap
- Added wiki entries

[brad.inggs 10]

Hi Dram, great additions! Just a quick question though, is everyone on the official release/updates? I'm still on the development updates but it keeps crashing upon loading the missions. Must I go to the normal/non-development update option so I can play? Haven't been able to play in weeks. Thanks, looking forward to a way forward so I can continue.

[stevoau 6]

Verify the integrity of the game cache, there may be some files missing.

[dram 14]

Hi Dram, great additions! Just a quick question though, is everyone on the official release/updates? I'm still on the development updates but it keeps crashing upon loading the missions. Must I go to the normal/non-development update option so I can play? Haven't been able to play in weeks. Thanks, looking forward to a way forward so I can continue.

Yeah there is a compatibility issue which I have not sorted yet. I maintain compatibility with the main branch saves, but at some point compatibility with the dev updates broke, so I'll need to debug what caused the issue. I expect on monday or tuesday I'll get time to properly look into this.

[brad.inggs 10]

Hi guys,

Ok, I did a file integrity check and came up fine but what I hadn't tried is start from afresh and it works now. Happy to start fresh, lost the saved game but guess it was required with the new missions that were added. Looking forward to carry on now!

[dram 14]

Hi guys,

Ok, I did a file integrity check and came up fine but what I hadn't tried is start from afresh and it works now. Happy to start fresh, lost the saved game but guess it was required with the new missions that were added. Looking forward to carry on now!

bummer a little late now but you didn't have to start anew - I plan to restore compatibility with the saves since the last main branch update. But either way, glad you have it functioning now!

[brad.inggs 10]

bummer a little late now but you didn't have to start anew - I plan to restore compatibility with the saves since the last main branch update. But either way, glad you have it functioning now!

No worries, enjoying it! Looking forward to your future developments, thanks Dram.

[dram 14]

Hey guys! New dev update today with the following major new features:

- 3D Printer for creating building blocks such as panels and so on

- Vehicle driving, featuring an updated and improved version of the buggy, mostly for playing around with. 2 new realistic vehicles in the works

- Interactive 3D GUIs, for interacting in complex ways with vehicles, such as pressurizing/depressurizing, toggling lights and so on, an example is seen in the buggy in scenarios

Also Cydonia sees a major update as well, progressively getting more and more rocky by the day!

Next up - resource mining and building pressurization!

[EleSigma 10]

Nice, I like the new 3D printer concept as well as how your marsonaut is put into the vehicle when you drive now. I have a question though, are the colony parts and 3D printer going to look the same in the final version or are they temporary "proof of concept" pieces? Not to be nitpicky but they just look a bit too sci-fi with the glass panels (it's not going to stop radiation or retain heat) and the 3D printer looking like a teleporter.

I'm probably thinking too much on it. I'll get back to swimming around in the Victoria Crater filled with water. :P It's a good update, I'll be on the lookout for bugs.

Edited April 7, 2014 by EleSigma

[dram 14]

The 3D Printer is definitely placeholder model-wise. The panels are not, but that is because they will be made from the martian rock/soil. When you first land in the game, you will land in a descent vehicle that also acts as a habitat.

[tpw 2315]

I just had a play with the latest dev build and it's very very impressive. About the only thing that jars with me is the 1st person astronaut view, with the carbon fibre looking overlay around the screen edges. I'd imagine that the helmet would be designed not to obstruct peripheral view so much, and the screen overlay gives a certain tunnel vision.

[EleSigma 10]

The 3D Printer is definitely placeholder model-wise. The panels are not.

I'd like to suggest that there be a negative effect to using too many glass window panels. Each glass window panel should make it harder to heat a room and a room and protect less from solar radiation. Would it be possible to have shudders that could go over the window panels that could be opened and closed via switch? So they can be closed off to prevent strain on the colony heating and to keep whoever is in the room from getting a nasty dose of radiation from being in the room too long. :P

[dram 14]

Dev build update released!

Version 0.8.0398:

DEV BRANCH UPDATE        17th June 2014


16th June 2014:
- Updated Manned Victoria Rim Base scenario
- Deleted old manned tests
- Fixed freeze when highlighting the South Polar Cap in the 3D Map
- Fixed occasional incorrect display of mission completion in Global Objectives
- Fixed an issue when saving vehicles in scenarios


13th June 2014:
- Added skip to Mars 3 sequence
- Reduced Prop-M control time from 30s to 15s
- Added custom animation support for Human character
- Added jump-land animation for Human character
- Added new death animation for Human character(ragdolls coming soon!)
- Added camera being from head position when dead for the Human character


12th June 2014:
- Added manual landing switch
- Improved manual landing for Landers further


11th June 2014:
- Added default low-res landing cam for Landers
- Improved Lander handling, now relative to camera


10th June 2014:
- Fixed issue with throwing (used dBodyApplyForce, which is unstable)
- Added gas spray effects to the Manned Manoeuvring Unit
- Improved Lander manual landing handling
- Fixed Lander using dBodyApplyForce (unstable per fps)
- Improved Lander leveling out (removed wobbling)


9th June 2014:
- Added view bob slider to the menu for character and 3d map view bob
- Improved 3D Printer


4th June 2014:
- Added resource area type
- Added particle emitter priority support


3rd June 2014:
- Added WIP resources system and distribution
- Added location resources distribution display to developer mode free fly camera


31st May 2014:
- Added WIP Manned Landing Module
- Added seat highlighting when looking at enterable seats in vehicles


28th May 2014:
- Added lerping of body angles and head angles for the Human character for smoother transition in 3rd person


26th May 2014:
- Added heart rate and breath rate


21st May 2014:
- Added wheel differential calculation to the Manned Mobile Laboratory and Manned Scout Buggy
- Fixed suspension for Manned Mobile Laboratory


20th May 2014:
- Added WIP Manned Scout Buggy


19th May 2014:
- Water pressure display
- Improved surface swimming


18th May 2014:
- Changed onPFrm and OnSim vehicle script arrays to single script array
- OnPostFrame and OnSimulate events now called for all vehicle scripts
- Added oncontact event call when a vehicle part calls the oncontact event
- Added team to vehicles and characters
- Added position in water clamp function
- Fixed projectile not working underwater


15th May 2014:
- Added crouching to Human character


14th May 2014:
- Improved water physics
- Added 4 new music tracks
- Improved Human character movement, now uses 3 spheres
- Optimized pause physics function in free fly cam
- Fixed problem where sometimes spawned objects collided and activated even while the editor was open
- Fixed problem where spawned objects did not fall after hiding the editor


13th May 2014:
- Fixed Manned Mobile Laboratory collision-smashing itself
- Improved underwater overlay
- Added physics interaction layer display to the editor


12th May 2014:
- Added standard gravity animations to Human character


10th May 2014:
- Added Human character swimming animations
- Added interaction layers to physics objects


9th May 2014:
- Added Human character swimming
- Added impact and velocity change damage to the Human character
- Adjusted jumping and movement for various gravity levels
- Adjusted Manned Mobile Laboratory to be heavier and other fixes


7th May 2014:
- Added automated foot-height based footsteps
- Added speed cheat to Manned Mobile Laboratory ('cos it's important!), used by typing 'SPEED' while driving it


6th May 2014:
- Added sounds to the Manned Mobile Laboratory


5th May 2014:
- Added WIP Manned Mobile Laboratory
- Overhauled object manipulation dragging, making it much more stable and precise


2nd May 2014:
- Improved grip for Rover wheels and Lander legs, improving their handling on terrain


1st May 2014:
- Improved character collider
- Overhauled character movement system based on rotating sphere (allows walking inside moving cars)


30th April 2014:
- Added character head turning
- Improved character handling


29th April 2014:
- Improved Human character turning, not using angular velocity anymore


24th April 2014:
- Improved Asteroid Belt sky visuals
- Added properly rendered Mars in Deimos location sky


22nd April 2014:
- Added milky way to sky background
- Added rotation for stars and milky way according to sun position


12th April 2014:
- Added WIP Manned Manoeuvring Unit for zero-g environments

Edited June 17, 2014 by Dram

[Trase 10]

Hooray! I thought you guys were dead :)

[dram 14]

Hooray! I thought you guys were dead :)

Far from it :) Rather extremely busy, which is a good thing hehe.

[Fixxerdot 10]

Cool! When will the manned missions become available in the campaign? :) And when, will it be possible to skip the rover missions?

[dram 14]

Cool! When will the manned missions become available in the campaign? :) And when, will it be possible to skip the rover missions?

In about a month or so :) We want to get the manned gameplay mechanics nailed down and then implement it into the campaign.

[EleSigma 10]

You mentioned something in he past about having two months left of development time. Is that to finish the entire game or just to finish the manned missions? Also after the two months are up will we still be seeing features being added?

[dram 14]

2 months of development time for the game. Once the game is complete, no more new features are to be added, though rare excepetions may occur.

[felthat 1]

i tried to spawn many objects in editor, some works but manned buggy always crash my game :3

[Demongornot 10]

Nice update, i'm a little surprised and sad that the keybinding issue which is a major one still not fixed yet...

Will we have in the future (for the final maybe ?) Mars Expedition One which will be available through the Space Program "campaign" without need to use Scenario ?

We first send rovers and then after unlock tech for manned expedition and send it, and send more and more stuff to them, tools, supply, vehicle, new suit and stuff like this.

Maybe first need to send resources from Earth for the 3D Printer and then after have an extraction vehicle that can extract materials from Mars ?

[EleSigma 10]

Nice update, i'm a little surprised and sad that the keybinding issue which is a major one still not fixed yet...

Will we have in the future (for the final maybe ?) Mars Expedition One which will be available through the Space Program "campaign" without need to use Scenario ?

We first send rovers and then after unlock tech for manned expedition and send it, and send more and more stuff to them, tools, supply, vehicle, new suit and stuff like this.

Maybe first need to send resources from Earth for the 3D Printer and then after have an extraction vehicle that can extract materials from Mars ?

I imagine we'll be seeing a lot of bug fixes after they finish the game in the next two months, so I wouldn't worry there. :) On the manned missions, I think that's how they're planning on it to work? The manned missions will happen in the campaign after you've completed all the rover missions if I remember right. There will probably be final rover missions dealing with finding a suitable spot for the manned mission to land or something.

On that note, the manned landing capsule prototype in the game right now looks like a combination of three modules in one though with the 3 level capsule (supply/cargo, habitat, landing/return module). It makes me think that your manned mission will start with everything you need to set up a base, skipping the resupply missions. I don't know how to feel about this though. So far the manned portion of the game feels like it's going to be rushed due to the obvious time constraints the devs have. I'm curious on how things like power, water, and air supply will work. Again I'm afraid that with only two months left that the team might be forced to rush such mechanics. Please let there be power cables, air, and water pipes :P

Plus you have other partially or not implemented features like the rocket launch, radiation, micro-meteorites, proper battery drain and recharging and the like. :D

[katipo66 94]

I really like playing this game, very beautiful opening sequence and menu screen... I have completely no idea what the hell I'm doing but i just like jumping in the manned mission scenario and fumbling around and checking stuff out, game looks and feels really nice!

Maybe one tiny criticism is the helmut HUD, in my opinion it doesn't feel quite up to scratch with the rest of the technology!?

I'll try and get my head around it a bit more and try the mission.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Katipo66
Hell auto spell he'll