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[kytuzian]

Iter - The Journey

Iter is a game that I have been developing recently about space, space exploration, and such.

It has been inspired by several things, primarily the Stargate franchise, especially Stargate Universe, but also including:

Kerbal Space Program
Garry's Mod
Starmade

Pretty much, all you can do right now is fly around to various planets, or build simple spaceships, but I have some plans to improve it dramatically.

Features:
Semi-accurate physics (such as gravity, proper accelerations from engines and whatnot).
Randomly generated star systems.
Spaceship part systems that allows for many combinations and moderate complexity.
Save/loading.

Controls (something that needs fixing):
R - Open part inventory
L - Link inputs/outputs
F - Activate button
C - Open part creation menu
P - Toggle part snapping mode
I - Open inventory
T - Take item
N - Show Part Name

Alt - Detach Mouse
Shift - Reduce Angular/Linear Velocities
WASD - Move

Downloads:
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/o8xlrf9vsfvxi/Iter

Overview Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfVVzIXqLXk

Other Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrN7GapvulRb_jkj4Kv3-H8T9-Z6Bk5pH

[Retropunch]

This looks really interesting, I've been dying for an advanced/up to date Noctis (if you've ever played that?) and this looks like that kinda

I'm sorry to sound critical straight off the bat, but you really need a better overview video - I had no idea what was going on and it was mainly just you talking (interesting though it was) and that doesn't really give anyone any sense of the game at all.
I know there's always the feeling that other people can make the videos or just try it out, but the overview should have more of an actual overview and show you actually doing stuff.

Secondly, a quick help screen/loading screen with some info on it would help the player know what they were supposed to be doing (I know you're probably going to do that, but it'd help for that to be realllly soon) as I again had no idea what to do when I started.

It really does look good, and please keep it up, but just explain/show it off a bit better!

[kytuzian]

This looks really interesting, I've been dying for an advanced/up to date Noctis (if you've ever played that?) and this looks like that kinda

I'm sorry to sound critical straight off the bat, but you really need a better overview video - I had no idea what was going on and it was mainly just you talking (interesting though it was) and that doesn't really give anyone any sense of the game at all.
I know there's always the feeling that other people can make the videos or just try it out, but the overview should have more of an actual overview and show you actually doing stuff.

Secondly, a quick help screen/loading screen with some info on it would help the player know what they were supposed to be doing (I know you're probably going to do that, but it'd help for that to be realllly soon) as I again had no idea what to do when I started.

It really does look good, and please keep it up, but just explain/show it off a bit better!

I haven't heard of Noctis, but is sounds pretty similar to what I'm going for.

And don't worry about being critical - it was quite a bad video for an overview. I original had a video scripted and whatnot for an overview, but that ended being 11 minutes long (which I thought was too long). That video ended up becoming the tutorial video in the description. At least you thought I was interesting, I suppose. I'll probably end up making a better overview this weekend once I've worked out even more of the bugs and oddities.

Also, I don't really plan on other people making videos, I'm generally used to a low level of response when I show things off.

Right now the best thing I have to offer right now is a simple tutorial video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOD9mlQ9PCI).

Thanks for commenting/checking it out!

[Retropunch]

I haven't heard of Noctis, but is sounds pretty similar to what I'm going for.

I'd definitely suggest having a go with Noctis (I think the latest one can be grabbed here: http://mooses.nl/nice/relatedprojects/nivplus/latest/release/) as it's a fantastic procedural space-exploration game. Unfortunately there's very little 'game' to it, so it gets a bit boring after a while.

As far as an overview goes, just showing off a few planets, a bit of building a ship and flying through space and stuff would be fine - there's no need to make it at all complex. Even if its very rough it'll definitely entice people as I know a heck of a lot of people are yearning for that kind of game.

[kytuzian]

I'd definitely suggest having a go with Noctis (I think the latest one can be grabbed here: http://mooses.nl/nice/relatedprojects/nivplus/latest/release/) as it's a fantastic procedural space-exploration game. Unfortunately there's very little 'game' to it, so it gets a bit boring after a while.

As far as an overview goes, just showing off a few planets, a bit of building a ship and flying through space and stuff would be fine - there's no need to make it at all complex. Even if its very rough it'll definitely entice people as I know a heck of a lot of people are yearning for that kind of game.

Unfortunately, it would seem I cannot play Noctis because I have a 64-bit version of Windows.

Thanks for the suggestion, that's what I was thinking of doing when I redid it.

[Retropunch]

You'll need to download dosbox (and a front end utility like dfend if you need it) and then follow these instructions: http://anynowhere.com/bb/layout/html/frameset.html?l=lYUhCL3ho8g3l3hhX4s6_4458&r=lYUhcug3l3hhX4s6_4458
Make sure you get it to run noctis.exe not Go!.exe

It sounds like a ton of effort, but it's really worth while. It's a fantastic game in itself and I'm sure it'll give you heaps of ideas/inspiration!

[kytuzian]

You'll need to download dosbox (and a front end utility like dfend if you need it) and then follow these instructions: http://anynowhere.com/bb/layout/html/frameset.html?l=lYUhCL3ho8g3l3hhX4s6_4458&r=lYUhcug3l3hhX4s6_4458
Make sure you get it to run noctis.exe not Go!.exe

It sounds like a ton of effort, but it's really worth while. It's a fantastic game in itself and I'm sure it'll give you heaps of ideas/inspiration!

Thanks for the links, I'll probably check it out at some point.

Also, I release a new version, with a tutorial (among other things), but I'm not sure how clear it is.

Spoiler: Changelog (click to show/hide)

v0.1.1.13
- Allowed parts to be different colors.
- Added music to the starting screen.
- Change cockpits so that they rotated with the player.
- Fixed buttons.
- Added Navigation HUD (opened by pressing 'H') for more precise movements.
- Smoothed mouselooking.
- Fixed mouselooking.
- Removed debug option from inventory.
- Added tutorial.
- Fixed cockpit behavior.
- Fixed some factory behaviors.
- Added buttons that switch the template to generic part templates for each type of part.
- Added option to show keybindings 'F1'.

[kytuzian]

Finished the week's update, mostly UI stuff.

Also, a log video covering the changes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAoVAx5rdGY&feature=youtu.be

A new overview video will be up tomorrow, that actually shows things.

Changelog:
- Allowed parts to be different colors.
- Added music to the starting screen.
- Change cockpits so that they rotated with the player.
- Fixed buttons.
- Added Navigation HUD (opened by pressing 'H') for more precise movements.
- Smoothed mouselooking.
- Fixed mouselooking.
- Removed debug option from inventory.
- Added tutorial.
- Fixed cockpit behavior.
- Fixed some factory behaviors.
- Added buttons that switch the template to generic part templates for each type of part.
- Added option to show keybindings 'F1'.
- Added templates to the part creation screen.
- Added skybox.
- More planets and stars are now generated.

[kytuzian]

Finished some more stuff, took longer than I had hoped, but still finished.

Devlog:
http://youtu.be/HkJQO348yes

Changelog:
- Fixed part color assignment.
- Fixed bug with templates (and slight back-end redesign)
- The XML used to generate a part is now shown on the part creation screen, and can be edited to change the part.
- Fixed a bug where frozen parts would move.
- Fixed a bug where you could buy any part, regardless of cost.
- Added ability to load games.
- Added ability to save games.
- Complete redesign of the GUI Skin.
- Fixed a previously used inventory work-around.
- Fixed GUI of Navigational HUD.
- Added option to reopen tutorial.
- Added more content to tutorial.
- Added ability to reduce angular velocity by using the Shift key.
- Changed size of generated planets.
- Changed size of terrain pieces.
- Changed mass of planets.
- Some other small GUI improvements.
- Fixed some bugs with launchers that caused parts to be launched in the wrong direction.

[kytuzian]

Pretty big update, allows for an effectively infinite universe.

Devlog:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aOEmjKOFzQ

Changelog:
v0.1.3.11 - 6/20/14
- Fixed the logo.
- Added more music.
- Changed the loading and saving system so that it is on a per-system basis, to allow for many systems to be loaded at once.
- Added a new system/changed parts of the old system to allow for an effectively infinite universe.
- Added a reset button to remove all save data.
- Systems now keep track of all objects inside of them.
- Small tweaks.
- Shrank planet size again.
- Increase mass of individual terrain pieces.
- Added feature to match velocities with the targeted entity.
- Added feature to face the body that the player is in the sphere of influence is.

[kytuzian]

This update mainly concerned planets, added rudimentary atmospheres and also changing mining.

Devlog:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAZwYhZOAHA

v0.1.4.7 - 7/18/14
- Fixed bug which causes excessive shaking of screen when on a planet's surface.
- Added atmospheres to some planets.
- Player will now spawn near a planet, rather than in the middle of space.
- Mining is now different.
- Removed terrain blocks.
- Minors tweaks to gravity
- Various small fixes

[Retropunch]

Ok, I'm afraid this is just going to be a pretty blunt critique, but I really don't want you to be disheartened by it - I absolutely love the idea and I'm sure once it gets traction it'll be something people will flood too. I also realize this is at an early stage, but I'm just calling out the things that really need to be fixed before people can get into it.

My main problem is that the ship building is way, way too complex to be enjoyable - impressive, but way too complex. I think of myself as pretty adept when it comes to controlling things/working stuff out (being an avid DF and Aurora fan) but this just seems overly difficult. Giving the player a list of pre-made parts to select from is a must (and then letting them click a check box for if they want to use the advanced view) as it's completely overwhelming as it is. Even though there is a tutorial, it still seems like a lot to do just to put together a basic ship, especially when you're at a stage where, realistically, there isn't a whole lot to do to make it worth your while investing time in - people just want to strap together a ship, fly about and see the potential. This could be fixed with giving the player an actual ship to start out with, with more power so they can zip around to planets more easily.

The complexity of the ship building also isn't helped by the whole thing being pretty shaky - clicking on boxes didn't always work/line up and when I did create a ship, it smashed into me causing me to fly off into space and judder around uncontrollably.

All I mean to say is that I think it'd be a really good idea to invest time into making it more accessible, even at this early stage, as I imagine a lot of people are put off by simply not knowing what to do/how to do anything. A strong GUI, well labelled stuff and a simpler 'point and click' ship building would help this no end.

Again, sorry to give you such a harsh critique, but I really want this to succeed!!

[kytuzian]

Don't worry about it, I don't mind advice, and your criticism isn't even all that harsh.

I already had some improvements planned for the next version.

At the moment, I plan to:

- Add some default templates (for engines, cockpits, fuel, factories, etc.)
- Change how parts are placed so that you can just add a given template onto an existing part by clicking on it rather than spawn the part, and then connecting it.
- Add some form of indication (probably with arrows at the top, or some such) that shows which direction is forwards and backwards so people will know how to select the launch direction.
- Change how cockpits work, so that the player actually gets in it, rather than going in front of it.
- Allow templates to be saved (although this was actually an oversight, rather than a new feature)

Future:
- Change how the part inventory system works so that the entire ships shares an inventory with its size determined by the size of the ship (maybe not for next release).
- A key that allows your to manually modify a parts inputs/outputs, in case of typos or whatever. Also will removed the need for buttons.

Maybe:
- Using parenting rather than FixedJoints.
- A different type of part, a specific engine which utilizes just energy to move. (Probably going to be added. Will translate the ship through space (kind of like the alcubierre drive works, if I understand it correctly)), rather than actually accelerating it).

Also, if you were using the SmartSnap mode (a name I stole from the Garry's Mod mod, and I should most likely change to be my own name).

By the way, the parts are partly inspired by Aurora, as I've been playing it recently and very much like the designing of your own systems and such.

[kytuzian]

More new stuff, and many fixes for old stuff, such as cockpits, light intensity, and templates.

Devlog:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8f7AALD5BM

Changelog:
v0.1.5.20 - 8/1/14
- Fixed the issue with templates not saving/not being created properly.
- Changed the control menu, so it was scrollable to allow for more controls.
- Added the previously missing Size element to the Part XML.
- Added a slider to change Efficiency that goes from 0 to 1000.
- Added sliders to numeric part inputs/outputs.
- Added a capacity to the inventory that determines how much it can hold in terms of volume.
- Inventories now hold material.
- Completely fixed mouselook - Now turns properly (rather than with the world for reference for up/down).
- Player now starts in a partially stable orbit, rather than actually on the planet.
- Added information on Navigational HUD about Apoapsis/Periapsis.
- Added controls to allow players to face prograde/retrograde.
- Added mute button to main menu;
- Added prograde and retrograde markers to the main GUI.
- Cockpits now actually hold people inside of them, instead of just in front of them.
- Made the universe much larger (about 3x larger)
- Made planets and stars much larger (lots)
- Parts now use a ghost when connecting rather than the actual object, which should make it easier to weld without sending parts flying off into space.
- Tweak star light intensity.
- Fixed issues with the ghosting/connecting system.
- Material can now be transferred between inventories (so it goes into parts).