Welcome to the first update for Diaspora! This update focuses on usability and polish improvements from feedback I received from the launch version. It also includes some changes to sushi bots intended to simplify them and lower the barrier to entry for automation.

Changelog

Gameplay changes

• Allow sushi bots to be placed directly on the station spine, between two modules.
  • Sushi bots placed between modules rotate their arms in place to interact with adjacent modules.
  • Up to two sushi bots to be placed between each adjacent pair of modules.
  • Split sushi bots and sushi track into two technologies, since bots can be used without track.
• Rocket no longer automatically launches resources.
• Reorganize the tech tree.
• Rebalance technology costs.
• Change the station export module so it functions more like the launch queue on Earth.

Usability improvements

• Add a construction site for modules that have been placed but still need parts.
• Add a controller diagram in space to explain the controls.
• Add a frame to the module picker.
• Progressively open the module picker's frame as the player gets closer to opening it.
• Animate modules producing resources.
• Animate modules consuming resources.
• Animate resources that are blocking a module's output slots.
• Add visible resource anchors to the Vehicle Assembly Building.
• Add visible anchors to the Research Center for completed experiments.
• Arrange the Research Center's completed experiment anchors more reasonably when the active tech costs more than 4.
• Limit what can be launched from Earth to just workers, food, parts, and incomplete experiments.
• Limit what can be returned to Earth to just completed experiments.
• Limit what can be placed into Earth's import storage to just completed experiments.
• Allow adding resources to any position in the launch queue, instead of only to the beginning.
• Resources picked up from an anchor they can also be placed in now do a little hop.

Visual improvements and polish

• Add model for the Vehicle Assembly Building.
• Add model for the Launch Tower.
• Add model for the station import module.
• Add model for the station export module.
• Update model for the station spine.
• Update model for the storage module.
• Update model for toxic waste.
• Play a wiggle animation and a sound effect when sushi bots are picked up.
• Add a transition effect when teleporting between Earth and your station.
• Rotate the rocket so it faces the resources it's carrying towards the player on Earth.
• Slightly juice up the animation for resources moving to an anchor.
• Make the blocked animations for the various modules more consistent.

Bugfixes

• Fix the research lab not indicating its blocked state.
• Fix an issue where resources could not be dropped or thrown normally on the Quest.