Weekly update #18

Hey there, space people! Welcome back to your favorite 'almost' weekly blog post, bringing you the latest news from the world of Unitystation. We realize it's been a bit longer than usual since our last rendezvous and for that, we owe you an apology.

We've been knee-deep in fixes, improvements, and vital changes. Between that and the fact that some of these updates might not seem too flashy, we didn't manage to deliver our regular blog. But hey, every cloud has a silver lining! This week, we're making it up to you with not one, not two, but three weeks' worth of updates all rolled into one mega-post! So buckle up, we've got a lot to cover. Let's get this space party started!

Ever found yourself squinting at your screen or felt like the buttons were just a tad too big? Well, we've got some good news for you. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our own MaxIsJoe, Unitystation now sports a fancy new feature – UI Scaling!

This update gives you the freedom to tweak and adjust the interface to your heart's content, ensuring that everything on screen fits just right, no matter what device you're using.

Want to give it a shot? It's a breeze. Just hit the Escape menu, find your way to 'Settings', click on 'Display', and select 'UI Scale'. With these simple steps, you can say goodbye to any sizing issues and enjoy Unitystation just the way you like it. After all, it's your game, your rules.

Hey, code slingers and game tinkerers! We've got something just for you. Ever wished you could change your code on the fly and see its effects without the tedious stop-start routine? Well, now you can. Introducing Hot Reload, right inside our editor!

Our very own Bod9001 made this awesome find. What this means for you, the developers, is that you can tweak your code and instantly see its impact on the game, all in real time, no interruptions necessary. Sounds good, right?

Not only does Hot Reload make your coding life easier, it also accelerates the development process. Now you can focus on bringing your ideas to life, with less waiting and more creating

Our very own FuntimeDudeski has been stargazing and concocting some upgrades to the way your universe is lit.

First up, they've added a bunch of new light sprites into the mix. This isn't just about making the place look more attractive - though, of course, that's part of it. These new sprites bring extra depth and dimension to the game, making your in-game experience even more immersive.

Our dev team has been hard at work exterminating various game crashes, with some quite humorous bugs arising from the deep, dark corners of the code. The most amusing (and particularly strange) one involved a monkey and a piece of broken glass...

Imagine a scenario where a monkey, in all its innocent mischief, strolls onto a piece of broken glass and meets an untimely end due to the damage inflicted. In the process, it despawns. Now, if by chance, there happens to be any broken glass in someone's inventory, the mischievous monkey, now a ghostly apparition, would be sent to a hidden realm along with the glass, only to step on it again. The result? The poor monkey dies again, gets sent back to the hidden realm, and the loop continues indefinitely.

This truly bizarre bug, which we've come to affectionately dub as the "Infinite Monkey Glass Shard Death Torment," has now been banished to the abyss from whence it came. Rest in peace, dear monkey, your torment is over.

We've been giving our game launcher, StationHub, some attention and care, thanks to the efforts of our team member, CorruptedComputer.

Firstly, the news tab within the launcher has received an upgrade. It now displays and links directly to the most recent updates from this very blog. Keeping up with the latest news and features has never been easier!

Next, for our valued Russian players who encountered difficulties running the game when their Window's profile name contained Cyrillic letters, we've implemented a workaround. Now, you have the freedom to choose any path for storing your game installations within the preferences tab.

Our goal is to continually enhance the functionality and usability of StationHub. So, keep an eye out for more improvements in the future!

We're thrilled to see our daring researchers making the most of the recently introduced laser lab. At the same time, we also appreciate a station that's not riddled with hull breaches or teeming with nightmarish clown manifestations.

In light of this, we've been carefully tweaking the parameters of the resonance cascade event. Now, only the rarest of items have the potential to trigger this chaotic chain reaction. Plus, these items must meet an elevated purity threshold before they can activate the cascade.

This adjustment helps to ensure a balance between scientific discovery and station safety. Rest assured, we'll continue to monitor and refine the game mechanics to enhance your gameplay experience and don't forget to get away from the beam!

A sneak peek into what's coming next – Xenobiology! Our developer Bod9001 has been hard at work developing this intriguing feature. If you're not familiar with the concept, Xenobiology involves the breeding of slimes through a diet of... well, monkeys! Gradually, the breeding process gives rise to increasingly rare slimes, whose cores boast unique abilities when injected with substances like blood, water, or plasma.

We are aiming for a gameplay experience akin to that of SS13 TG circa 2017, but with an innovative twist. Instead of utilizing a console for breeding and management, you'll wield a Vacpack Gun to gather up the slimes and, unfortunately, the remains of their meals.

While there's still a significant amount of work to do, the progress thus far has been promising. Keep an eye on our updates for more information on this exciting new feature!

And that's all for this jam-packed, three-weeks-worth update. We hope you enjoyed reading about the new developments as much as we enjoyed working on them. Remember, we're hosting a playtest right this very moment to showcase these latest features and improvements, so why not join us and experience them firsthand?

Before we sign off, we need to extend our heartfelt thanks to the amazing community that makes all of this possible. To our patrons, developers, players, sprite artists, wiki editors, and everyone who supports and contributes to our project - your efforts and dedication are what keep us pushing forward. This grand adventure would not be the same without you.

Here's to you, and to many more weeks of creation, exploration, and fun. We'll see you in the next update!