At Last, A BIG Update!

Hello, Stargrid Players,

It's been a while since the last update, and I’m excited to finally share the biggest update yet for Stargrid. This release brings a complete overhaul of the graphics and several core mechanics. I had hoped to release this sooner, but I ran into a few unexpected challenges along the way. Keep in mind, this build is still experimental.

Let’s get into what’s new:

Graphics Overhaul:

I’ve spent a lot of time improving the visual aspects of Stargrid, including:

• Redesigned shaders for a more polished look.
• Updated lighting and shadows to improve depth and realism.
• Reworked post-processing.
• Added anti-aliasing for smoother visuals.

UI Improvements:

• The UI has been cleaned up to make navigation easier.
• Fixed multiple bugs where overlapping UI elements would trigger unintended actions.

New Resource System:

During battles, earning scrap has been replaced with a new resource system. Now, resources collected in battle will go into an inventory that persists across sessions.

Base Resources:

• Iron
• Carbon
• Quartz
• Gold
• Copper

Inventory and Crafting:

• Added an inventory system to store resources, blocks, and weapons. This data is saved between sessions.
• You can now craft blocks and weapons from raw resources directly within the inventory.
• Added the ability to disassemble blocks and weapons for a full resource refund.

New Levels:

There are now 7 levels to play, with more planned for future updates. These levels introduce the core mechanics, blocks, and weapons in a more structured way.

• To complete a level, you’ll need to destroy at least half of the enemy ship’s blocks.
• If you fail a level or the timer runs out, you can retry.
• Between levels, you can save up resources, craft new blocks and weapons, and improve your ship for the next challenge.

I’m aware the levels aren’t perfectly balanced yet, but they serve as a foundation for what's coming.

Longer-Term Progression:

One of the main goals with these changes is to introduce a longer-term progression system. While Stargrid attracted players, I felt there wasn’t much to keep them coming back. This update lays the groundwork for more engaging progression across sessions.

Bug Fixes:

I’ve fixed a lot of bugs—really, quite a few—but there are probably still some lurking around. Thanks in advance for your patience!

Tutorial Overhaul:

I’ve also updated the tutorial to reflect the changes to the core mechanics. This update feels like the first step toward creating a "vertical slice" of what Stargrid will become, and it provides a solid framework for future updates.

Thanks for sticking with Stargrid, and I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this new direction!