Wow, you guys have done it again. In just 3 days we've cleared the next stretch goal, which brings both Shuttles and procedural Alien Structures into our Early Access release.
These are two important core systems because when combined they represent the ability for players to leave their own ship and explore a whole new location on foot. This is a critical step on the road to Planetary Landings, which is looking ever more likely if funding continues at its current pace!
How will shuttles work though, and what do we mean by alien structures?
You will have access to a number of different transport and utility vehicles in your shuttle bay, and they'll be individual vessels in their own right. Once you enter a shuttle and leave your mothership's sphere of influence, it will be very much on its own and able to navigate the world independently.
Shuttles are far too small to have their own FTL drives however, so they will be limited to transporting crew and cargo between your main ship and a nearby location.
Scattered throughout the galaxy will be derelict alien ships and stations. They might be the remnants of a long dead civilisation, an abandoned research outpost, or just a ghost ship drifting silently through space.
Once you land in their shuttle bay, or EVA across to their docking port, you'll be greeted with a unique procedural interior that we're approaching like an RPG style dungeon crawl. There will be challenges to overcome, such as needing to restore power, or shutting down some ancient defence systems. The interior might even be infested by some unpleasant critters, which might explain why it was abandoned in the first place. You probably shouldn't touch those eggs...
We intend for these locations to have data terminals where you can retrieve log entries, or maybe some star maps to aid in your onward journey. There will also be cargo you can salvage, and alien technology that you'll be able to bring aboard your own vessel for research purposes. Be careful that you don't get infected by an alien virus though.
Thank you all for your amazing support. This is the next step in a much bigger adventure, and we couldn't be more excited for it!
