Alpha 12.1 now available - November 6, 2014

[Dan Dixon]

If you already own Universe Sandbox ², just run Steam to update to the latest version.

Or you can buy Universe Sandbox ² here:
http://universesandbox.com/buy/

What's new?
We’ve added further integration of tiles in the UI, unified temperature and color appearance, and made a few small improvements.

We’ve also fixed the major stability issues for Yosemite users (Mac OS X 10.10).

Complete List of Updates

Let us know what you think! And please report any problems either with the in game feedback tool or by starting a new thread...

[gabriel.dac]

Wow. The font (text) changes are great. I'm not quite sure why, but it is much more comfortable to read now. Also, I'm glad you got rid of the rounded edges of the input fields in the properties menu.

I'm not sure how to feel about the new powers panel (that narrow one). I don't think it's necessary... That small list below the 'powers' was fine. However, the secondary power panels (the "setting" ones, which you can use to select what object to shoot, for example) are absolutely ok.

Besides that, everything looks great. I mean, there are lots of improvements to be made, but in the future updates everything will look perfect, I'm sure. I don't wanna flood you guys with minor suggestions

edit: I just noticed that my objects weren't kept. I mean, the my objects list is empty even though I had objects saved in the previous releases, but nevermind that. We're just testing the game after all, right

[Gordon Freeman]

I love the new lava and planetoid looks, but why do rings spawn at random axis?

[Hyperion]

FPS problems and disappearing moons for the Saturn scenario still persist

[smjjames]

I just noticed that the thread title says 2014.1, heh.

Theres also some strange stuff with collisions like fragments not getting spin and other oddness, but I know theres a bunch of collision and other stuff that you were working on that didn't make it into alpha 12.

[smjjames]

hmm, any ETA on Alpha 13? I would certainly love for the collision wierdness (especially at low speeds) to be fixed, including the fact that fragments have no spin and for some reason, two things colliding (especially if they are similar size and lower mass), they'll actually increase in speed.

In complex collisions, I've seen bodies shoot off at very high velocities, usually hundreds of km/s or a few thousand km/s, sometimes in excess of 10k k/s, I may have seen a few that were in the 100km/s+ range.

[Dan Dixon]

hmm, any ETA on Alpha 13? I would certainly love for the collision wierdness (especially at low speeds) to be fixed...

We don't do ETAs.

Thomas has been working on a major refactoring of collisions that should address many of the strange issues we're all experiencing. We has originally hope to include this in Alpha 12, but it's now planned for Alpha 13.

[smjjames]

Any word on SPH? Or are you guys trying to get the collision stuff to where you're happy with it first?

[Greenleaf]

Any word on SPH? Or are you guys trying to get the collision stuff to where you're happy with it first?

When SPH is added in a form where it makes sense to play with, we will be the first to let you know.
When it is very close to being available, we will likely mention it as well as make more videos about it. Till then, please have patience.
Essentially you are correct in your assumption that there are other things we are trying to focus on right now. I actually want to finalize SPH just as much as anyone else wants to play with it, but first things first.

[Prometech]

Im not getting any collision fragments in this version,  is this a result of the collision system being rewritten or am I missing something.
Collisions generate Particles, and non-attracting bodies, but no attracting bodies at all.

EDIT:
Well, Fragments finally appeared but long after my initial collision. Is there any way to make them generate quicker?

[smjjames]

Im not getting any collision fragments in this version,  is this a result of the collision system being rewritten or am I missing something.
Collisions generate Particles, and non-attracting bodies, but no attracting bodies at all.

EDIT:
Well, Fragments finally appeared but long after my initial collision. Is there any way to make them generate quicker?

This is normal actually.

They're in the middle of a collision system rewrite and stuff, so this could change.

[The Hacker]

When alpha 13 is ready for an update

[smjjames]

When alpha 13 is ready for an update

It'll be ready when it's ready.

[crashman1390]

I'm starting to get that feeling the the impending release of alpha 13 is going to be very much like the wait for the pre alpha. 

[blotz]

wait time

[C7]

One of the reason's we've not fully released on Steam is because we're still integrating major features. When we work on something that's highly integrated into the rest of the code, like the base Physics engine and Collision systems. It will tend to stretch out the times between when we can release a stable version of the game. If there's even a small problem there, the game can be unplayable.

So, even if we've got features that are otherwise complete, we can't really release while the rest of the game is undergoing breaking changes.

We're actually looking into a different version control system, so we don't have these issues going forward where we have to wait on all features being complete before a release.

[Gordon Freeman]

So why don't you guys at Giant Army fix the essential things before adding more food to your plate?

[Greenleaf]

So why don't you guys at Giant Army fix the essential things before adding more food to your plate?

As Chad just said "When we work on something that's highly integrated into the rest of the code, like the base Physics engine and Collision systems."
The collision system is rather essential, do you not agree?

[Gordon Freeman]

Not what I mean. Now, you guys are working on planet cutaways and Mars' climate and stuff that aren't needed for stabilizing the game when you haven't even finished polishing the actual base physics.

[Greenleaf]

Not what I mean. Now, you guys are working on planet cutaways and Mars' climate and stuff that aren't needed for stabilizing the game when you haven't even finished polishing the actual base physics.

You need to keep in mind that "we guys" are not one homogeneous mass of development power.
For one, climate is exclusively Naomi's thing. Cutaways was something George threw together when he needed a break from other things. Some additions come easy, some take a whole lot of effort.


Neither Naomi, nor George, have any real insight into the NBody physics and collision logic, so one thing does not really connect to another. That job lands squarely on my shoulders, and I am personally responsible for the majority of the "delay".... which reminds me to ask... when was it we promised that the next release would be ready by now? ;-)

[Gordon Freeman]

when was it we promised that the next release would be ready? ;-)

Never. I'm not sure what you're talking about =P