Islanded Beta 0.10 will be released soon at:
Humble Bundle (Backers & Supporters)
Islandedgame.com (Beta Testers)
Stay tuned on Twitter or subscribe to the Newsletter to know when will be ready!
How to download Islanded Beta versions
If you didn't read it, in the last post I explain the problems with Desura and why Islanded will no longer be updated on Desura. Check it out to understand why.
Now that Desura is no longer an available repository for updates and distribution, until further notice, all future updates (Including this one) will be available directly form Humble Bundle (Backers & Supporters) and the Islanded website, under "Play Now" section.
If you Backed or Supported Islanded using Humble Bundle or Paypal, you should have a private page on Humble Bundle, where you can download Islanded DRM-FREE. There will be posted all the updates from now on.
Unity 5
Islanded was originally created using Unity 3. Then was developed with Unity 4. And now is running on Unity 5. But why?
Unity is the platform where Islanded is being developed. As any other software, Unity gets updates to fix issues and improve the content available. A few days ago Unity 4.7 was released to finally close the 4th generation of Unity, which means that all games made in using Unity 4 will no longer receive support or fixes on the main engine. If a game using Unity 4 is already finished this will not affect at all, but games like Islanded, in current development need to be developed in a up-to-date platform, or they will never progress. This is why Islanded was ported from Unity 4 to Unity 5, and this is why it take that long to release the Beta version. This means that from now on, time between updates will be much smaller, and updating the game will be much easier.
What's new?
Well, everything.
If this was a normal changelog, here would appear the most important updates and additions to the game, but this time will be a little different because all you know about Islanded changed at least a little. Don't get me wrong, Islanded is still the same game, but the UI, Icons, Inventory system, Build system, Water, Sky, Terrain, etc. are in some way different. And, more important, now are easier to change and improve for next updates.
All the following content it's an small part of the Beta update that will develop the full potential in next updates.
Beta updates
You may have noticed that regular updates (Not this one) take between 1 to 3 months to be completed during the Alpha stage. Beta should change that to a max. of 1 month between updates.
Instead of big changelogs and intensive remodelations during Alpha, Beta will update more often with minor changes, but with more added content, as the core game is already fully working and configured.
Menu & Interface
The splash screen, main menu, options, credits, etc. are all totally new. Instead of using a small portion of the screen, the interface now uses the whole screen to display more information that is relevant to the player, with easier to use buttons and scroll lists.
Also, now in the menu there is a news section that will update automatically, displaying last changelogs of new updates and relevant news. This way you can be informed of new stuff without leaving the game or checking the website each time.
To go along with the new update policy, in the right corner of the main menu there is an update checker that will find if there are new versions available to download and play, displaying the information inside the game.
Resources & Inventory
The inventory changed again, and will probably change more during Beta. Resources now don't stack and fill one slot, each one. But as I said this will probably change, so don't get very used to it.
Build menu
Like the inventory, the build system changed, and will change again during beta. Two temporal tools have been added to build and upgrade current builds. Just follow the tutorials that will appear ingame.
Performance
Going form Unity 4 to Unity 5 has some good outcomes. One of them is the huge improvement on performance. Not only the whole world renders faster, but the drawcalls by builds and objects are enormously reduced, and will give a huge boost on FPS in worlds fill with buildings.
Tutorials
With a lot of requests, a tutorial will now appear each time you use a feature. Just press F1 when a book icon appears on the top-left corner of the screen. It will display some info on how to use that feature you just used. Tutorials can be deactivated on the options menu.
Ingame console
During testing, a new ingame console has been added to the game, to improve the experience to the creative players out there. Just press "~" during a game session, and a console will appear. Right now, the only command available is "unlimited on" that will activate unlimited resources to build whatever you want.
Saved games
As you would expect, any saved content form Alpha versions will not work on Beta. An alert will appear on the menu if the game detects any Alpha saved content, blocking the option to continue until that files are removed.
Just hit "New Game" to start a new save file.
Beta 0.10 Fixes
Fixed AMD and Radeon low fps issue (Maybe?) Fixed Flying trees and stones Fixed Limited FPS to 144 (now unlimited) Fixed Mono UI audio Fixed UI sounds cutting off Fixed Fullscreen exclusive mode Fixed Inventory pause bug Fixed Resources colliding with player Fixed Wood log angular drag Fixed Stick layer Fixed Spawn lag if a big log is destroyed Fixed Spawn lag if a big stone is destroyed Fixed Displaying build menu at start Fixed buildings half stuck inside terrain when building Fixed Place builds in pause menu Fixed Big amounts of Draw Calls from buildings Fixed Resolution issues Fixed Audio missing when loading Fixed Build Sound missing Fixed Buildings stuttering when placed Fixed Player max health Fixed Size of tier 0 buildings Fixed Torch light distance Fixed Torch light Intensity Fixed NormalMap terrain issues Fixed Resources collision Fixed Minor issues
Beta 0.10 Full Changelog
Upgraded Islanded to Unity 5 Added Ingame debug console Added Main menu introduction Added Main menu loading bar Added Version & Updates notifier Added Welcome message Added Hotbar UI Added UI Placeholders Added UI Gamepad art selector Added Collider controller Added Support to 21:9 resolutions Added More 16:9 resolutions Added Tutorial option Added Unity Analytics SDK Added SSAO post effect Added Bloom post effect Added Player damage screen effect Added Inventory drag & drop Added Inventory animation Added Inventory optional key (Tab) Added "Inventory is full" alert message Added "No resources available" alert message Added Soundtrack Added New bark model Added New bark icon Added WIP build saw Added Swipe sound effects Build Added wood stairs Build Added wood stairs under railing Build Added half wall Build Added fence small Build Added wood door Build Added wall door sticks Build Added wall window sticks Build Added automatic modular pilars to walls Build Added automatic modular endofwall to walls Build Now walls can be atached to other walls without using floors Build Now strucutres can be placed under other structures Build Now floor can be placed directly to the terrain Build Now walls can be placed directly to the terrain Build Parts now appear in green before getting placed on th ground. Build Parts rotate with the player vision Improved Tremendously overall frame rate Improved Tremendously frame rate with multiple buildings Improved Sky & Ambient light Improved Walk & run speed Improved Stamina icon Improved General UI Improved Main Menu UI Improved Pause Menu UI Improved Inventory UI Improved Create UI Improved Build UI Improved Save manager and save system. Improved Sea water Improved Load time ingame Improved Save & Load system Improved Save inventory position Improved Build system Improved Tier 0 & tier 1 buildings performance Improved Save data to use only 1 file Improved Sun shafts color Improved Moon shafts intensity Improved Night darkness Improved Stick model Improved Building icons Improved Sea horizon Improved Splash screen Modified Tree models Modified Inventory system to work by position and not by size Modified Maximum stack of resources now infinite Modified Key to upgrade buils form E to LMB Modified Key to remove buils form R to RMB Modified Key to rotate builds from Mouse Wheel to Z & X Fixed AMD and Radeon low fps issue (Maybe?) Fixed Flying trees and stones Fixed Limited FPS to 144 (now unlimited) Fixed Mono UI audio Fixed UI sounds cutting off Fixed Fullscreen exclusive mode Fixed Inventory pause bug Fixed Resources colliding with player Fixed Wood log angular drag Fixed Stick layer Fixed Spawn lag if a big log is destroyed Fixed Spawn lag if a big stone is destroyed Fixed Displaying build menu at start Fixed buildings half stuck inside terrain when building Fixed Place builds in pause menu Fixed Big amounts of Draw Calls from buildings Fixed Resolution issues Fixed Audio missing when loading Fixed Build Sound missing Fixed Buildings stuttering when placed Fixed Player max health Fixed Size of tier 0 buildings Fixed Torch light distance Fixed Torch light Intensity Fixed NormalMap terrain issues Fixed Resources collision Fixed Minor issues Terrain Retextured entire terrain Terrain Improved terrain height Terrain Improved beach height Terrain Improved second island border Terrain Improved overall design Terrain Improved texture distance Terrain Improved shader Terrain Added stone cliff MultiUV Terrain Decreased number of tree colliders in runtime at the same time Tutorial Added Inventory information Tutorial Added Select build information Tutorial Added Build information Tutorial Added upgrade information Console New command "unlimited on" to enable unlimited resources