v0.4.2 - Please Rate This Update 5 Stars

This update has a bunch of content but not as many features as I'd originally planned. At one point, I spent a week working on a new feature, only to realize that that feature would work even better if I implemented an active economy. As the Twitter followers would've seen, said economy was implemented and soon removed. Every fix felt like applying duct tape on a broken system. A redesigned version is top priority for the next version.

One major change in this version involves Instability. Instability was added as a passive mechanic that would randomly destroy your resources. One playtester suggested it should do more than that, and I agreed. Instability now triggers special instability events. Most of these still mark your resources unstable, but planet-specific ones will have other effects. Asteroids will destabilize further, water worlds will crush your resources under immense pressure, and gas giants will electrocute your controls. Good luck!

Another major change is moving from just meeting Quota to earning Stars! You now earn 0 to 5 Stars based on your performance, just like on the apps those kids like. Every time you meet Quota, you earn 1 Star, and the next Quota will scale up. This change is a part of a major rebalancing effort: early planets should be quick to complete as you don't have many abilities yet, while later planets should be harder and require more skill to pass. Additionally, Quota scaling is now based off of your prior performance, where earning 1 Star per planet will be quick, but earning 5 Stars on all planets should be a test of skill. There's already been feedback on this aspect and I do want to continue tweaking it, so please feel free to provide your honest opinions on it.

A quick note on some of the art: due to some real world challenges on the artist's end, assets for the cutscenes got pushed back. Everything's fine now, and I hope to show you the incredible characters in a future update.

Finally, a quick note on development speed. As much as I love working on Planets For Sale, I still have bills to pay. I recently got a job, which will impact how much can be completed in future updates.

Major Features

• Added the following new planets:
  • Abandoned Gigaworks, a once-vibrant factory world gone dark.
  • Skarj, a cold and harsh planet.
  • Susanoo, a storm-covered water world full of fish and artifacts.
• Added the following new resources:
  • Cetacean Artifact
  • Hardlight
  • Methane
  • Nitrogen
• Buildings are now Bays
• Instability now triggers instability events instead of randomly marking goods unstable. Additionally, different planet types have unique instability events.
• Instead of using the same 8 planets, choosing New Game will choose a random 8 planets from the pool of planets available.
• Planet results now run on a star-based system, from no stars to 5 stars, rather than meeting (or failing) quota. Meeting Quota now earns 1 star. Quota amounts have also been updated.

Minor Features

• Added a drop-down computer screen to the game, visible via reports or options.
• Added unique events for the following:
  • Coolant Tanks
  • Dark Matter Engine
• Changed the planet selection screen from a solar system view to a computer screen.
• Changed the resolution of the game to 1080p!
• Contract animations now process in order, rather than faux-simulataneously.
• Hardlight Array's primary ability now produces 1 Hardlight instead of $25B.
• Performed art passes on the following:
  • Phenor
  • K-112A
  • Trade Hub
  • Whales on various planets
  • AuSome Exchange
  • The Planet Results view
• Players can now lose the game if their Prestige is -10 or lower after a planet. Good luck actually achieving this in this version.
• Random events should now occur more frequently.
• Resources now spawn in a pretty circle instead of dead center of the resource area.
• The resource area now has a distinct grid. This is a surprise change that will help us later.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where certain cutscenes broke the game.
• Fixed an issue where finishing a contract that would allow you to meet quota/earn a star would not do so until after your next action.
• Fixed Command Hub not working.
• Fixed Drillbots' tooltip crashing the game.
• Fixed events that lock buildings locking non-existent buildings.
• Fixed Hardlight Array crashing the Bay Selection view.
• Fixed locked buildings not actually locking.
• Fixed mouse issues with the confirmation button.
• Fixed power discounts not showing on tooltips.
• Fixed typos.
• Optimized card creation at the start of each planet.

Known Issues

• Susanoo should have Crabs as a resource. Due to time constraints, this was pushed to the next release.
• Tutorials and instruction pop-ups may be out of date. If you spot any discrepancies, please let us know.

As always, please feel free to check out the game and provide feedback! Plants tend to grow better if you talk to them, and us gamedevs are basically vegetables, so please, talk to us!