For this update, I have added Player Stat Upgrades and Power Systems to the game!

Mix and match upgrades in your installation grid to increase your character’s speed, health regeneration, damage, and jump level! These upgrades require a Power Core to function – find the first one in the Asteroid Belt! These Power Cores also provide energy to the Carrier Beam and the Trilaser.

This update also adds two new moves – the Slide Attack and the Ground Pound – each available as their own upgrade chips!

For the next update, I am going to add an interesting new feature to the game: a drill! This item will be used to acquire resources for armor… but where will these resources come from???

**** RODINA 1.6.4 ****

* New Feature: Energy meter powered by Power Core
* New Feature: Stat upgrades: Speed, Health Regeneration, Damage, Jump Level
* New Feature: Slide Attack and Ground Pound move upgrades

* Improvement: Inventory hover menu with stats
* Improvement: Quickwheel toggle / active status / text labels

* Crash fix: Solve multithreading issue with thread tasks (savegames)

* Bugfix: Fix fire extinguisher radius issue which was making fires massively more difficult
* Bugfix: Fix first person lighting issue
* Bugfix: Improve pixelization of near terrain due to blurring
* Bugfix: Targeting in ship pilot mode (again)
* Bugfix: Solve flash when crossing into interior portals
* Bugfix: Explosions shouldn’t be blocked by debris or magnetic shields
* Bugfix: Document attachment buttons
* Bugfix: Child entity palettes and scale restored on load
* Bugfix: Anchor worldspaces rejecting children, causing slow space movement
* Bugfix: Ensure players with old-style saves receive starting equipment

The Inventory Updates continue with the Jetpack! Now a real inventory item, the Jetpack is found somewhere in the Mines in the Asteroid Belt!

Additionally, since some players may not have a Jetpack equipped when they visit the Mines, Xenos have installed Grav Elevator Beams in the mine entrances!

Next up, I will be departing from working on legacy items to add a new feature: Power Systems! This will add some brand new gameplay to Rodina!

**** RODINA 1.6.3 ****

* New Feature: Jetpack item
* New Feature: Grav Elevator Beams in mine entrances

* Improvement: Turn down oppressive docking engine volume

* Crash Fix: Repeated crash where entities would disappear around Vanguard Chunks due to LOD problems

* Bugfix: Targeting in ship pilot mode
* Bugfix: Fix headlamp and target scope being added over and over (also allow deleting headlamp and scope)

The inventory content updates are starting to arrive! First up – the Target Scope and the Headlamp! Now you can use your quickwheel to toggle between these two head items.

Existing players should receive these items automatically when you load your old savegame. New players should see them immediately when the game begins!

In this update you can also destroy items in your inventory via a right click menu. In the future, you will be able to throw items to get rid of them!

In the near term, I will continue to focus on bringing “old” items into the new inventory system. Next up – the Jetpack and story progress items! After that, I’ll be adding new weapons and gameplay systems!

**** RODINA 1.6.2 ****

* New Feature: Target Scope item
* New Feature: Headlamp item (Ship Headlight is now C / Cross Up button to match)

* Workaround: “Destroy Item” inventory right-click option

* Improvement: Laser fire / recharge sounds

The first inventory content addition has arrived – the Trilaser!

This new laser weapon focuses 3 beams for enhanced damage. It can be found in a Xeno base or debris pile on the planet Veles!

Version 1.6.1 is the first of a series of inventory-focused content updates. However, it also features a substantial number of small improvements and bugfixes, including a fix for a serious memory leak which caused frequent crashes in the ship editor.

The next few updates, which will add more items, will come much more quickly!

**** RODINA 1.6.1 ****

* New Feature: Trilaser Weapon

* Improvement: Add support for cross-portal interaction (grapple hook, laser, targeting)
* Improvement: Improve DOF blur performance with transparent objects (particles)
* Improvement: Save / Restore mouse position only for certain menus (inventory)
* Improvement: Add “Activate” gamepad binding

* Crashfix: Fix memory leak causing editor crash
* Crashfix: Fix infinite loop when creating an opening to the airlock
* Crashfix: Fix crash when exiting ship at cruise speed while grappling

* Bugfix: Fix inventory item dropping placement
* Bugfix: Fix gravbike persistence
* Bugfix: Fix editor room transparency for rooms that straddle floors
* Bugfix: Change the way we prevent accidental clicks so that players can reassign controller A button
* Bugfix: Screenshot mode HUD fix
* Bugfix: Fix crouching in space
* Bugfix: Fix controls passing through binding popup menus
* Bugfix: Fix controller default button positioning
* Bugfix: Clean up some object pools
* Bugfix: Fix Lua error for next/previosu in Archives / Radio document menus

It’s happened! Rodina 1.6: Inventory is released!

I’m overjoyed to be sharing this addition to my game with you. This is a major update to Rodina which adds a grid inventory and player equipment grid, and a new HUD, setting the stage for much more content and variety in the near future.

The first major new item is the Carrier Beam*, a grapple-hook style tool you can equip in your left hand. Our next item which is well underway is a new Laser Weapon, after which I have a long list of items, upgrades, weapons, and tools I will be working on in the near future!

* The Carrier Beam can be found on an unvisited xeno base or debris pile on Perun!

I’m very excited that this update also includes a new control scheme, a quickwheel selection menu, and various new effects like DOF Blur, Bloom, and slow motion. Additionally, the gamepad controls have been completely revamped and the game now has Aim Assist and Tracking Assist in gamepad mode.

Of course, this update may require a patch, so please let me know if you see any bugs or have a problem I can help you with! brendan@elliptic-games.com

I’ve been working on this update for a long time, but what allowed me to push it over the finish line was a period of full-time work I lined up thanks to the support I’ve received on Patreon. I truly appreciate the support of patrons as it is a huge help to get this opportunity and get updates out faster. Thank you so much!

https://www.patreon.com/Rodina

**** RODINA 1.6.0 ****

* New Feature: Grid inventory
* New Feature: Equipment and status HUDs
* New Feature: Carrier Beam (grapple hook) tool
* New Feature: Quickwheels
* New Feature: Quickwheen blurring and depth of field blurring
* New Feature: Emissive bloom effects
* New Feature: Slow motion

* Improvement: Added ducking (Shift on Keyboard, B on Controller)
* Improvement: Revamped gamepad controls (Left Trigger = Use Tool, B = Move Down, Cross = Quickwheels, Left Stick Press = Flashlight, Select = Exit Ship / Inventory).
* Improvement: Targetting is now a toggle
* Improvement: Gamepad autoaim and tracking. Reduced gamepad sensitivity
* Improvement: Rocket Blaster is now a separate weapon
* Improvement: Beam rendering effect
* Improvement: Replaces air hissing sounds which were torture for senstitive listeners
* Improvement: Added GPU events to improve frame organization in RenderDoc
* Improvement: Refactor menusystem – move to Engine side and add declarative style of tile creation

* Bugfix: Fix projectile motion to be smoother
* Bugfix: Fix particle birth orientation
* Bugfix: Fix drag in player jumps
* Bugfix: Fix vertical orientation of menu textures
* Bugfix: Fix loading savegame while riding gravbike

* Decline: Powerups removed as they do not work with new inventory / equipment systems

Rodina 1.5 is released!

Thank you for all your help with the 1.5 Beta! This update is finally complete! 1.5 was a major engine upgrade to Rodina, and introduces object persistence across the whole game.

For the first time, Rodina’s engine has a generalized way to store object properties. This opens the door to more complicated interactive stuff, like container inventories and complex game systems. In the meantime, we can now use it to save your progress as you clear the Xeno bases.

Our next update is going to be a doozy. I’m going to be adding an inventory system, lots of items and upgrades, a suit installation grid / player systems, and updated controls and an item selection wheel. I can’t wait!

If you are interested in a postmortem of this update, I made a video talking about all the programming challenges and things that went right / wrong this time. Don’t feel obligation to watch as it doesn’t have any gameplay info or hints about the future, but feel free to check it out if you’re interested in engine programming discussion!

As always, thank you so much for your support. More info on the next update coming soon!

Changelist:

**** RODINA 1.5.0 ****

* New Feature: Persistence of actors and interiors

* Improvement: Display an interior’s Xeno count on targeting UI
* Improvement: Debug pages (F11)
* Improvement: Added fog to rooms for air pressure
* Improvement: Adjust ship fire angle in first person mode to be centered
* Improvement: Refactor of entity creation and destruction
* Improvement: Move game systems to engine / air pressure and fire run in component system
* Improvement: Encode / Decode replaces Save / Load
* Improvement: Savegame format changed to EGON binary

* Crashfix: Fix editor autosave crash

* Bugfix: Fix temporary flash when crossing interior boundaries
* Bugfix: Fix targeting UI accuracy

I’m so excited to share with you version 1.4.2 of Rodina – the Planet Terrain Revamp!

This is a major update to the visuals of the Zorica System. All of the planets in the game now have their own terrain types and textures. This really takes the full-size planets in the game to the next level. Jarilo even has ice caps!

I also increased the terrain detail, both on land and in space. It makes the planets look even better (but if you have performance issues, turn down the Distant Terrain Detail or Terrain Detail options, or turn on Retro Mode!)

Thank you so much for your continued support on this amazing journey!

Next up, I am going to be redoing all of the ship art as well. Finally, after 7 long years, we will be saying goodbye to the programmer-art ships! I’ll have more info soon!

**** RODINA 1.4.2 ****

* New Feature: Planet textures based on feature, altitude, normal, latitude, etc
* New Feature: Triplanar texturing

* Improvement: Terrain physics generated at low-level when in flying mode
* Improvement: Terrain physics generated between start and end points
* Improvement: Fix low lighting quality shader compilation
* Improvement: Polish ship impacts / fire likelihood

* Options: Updated Distant Terrain Detail options (turn down to reduce hitches)

* Bugfix: Fix terrain planet curvature culling
* Bugfix: Fire should only damage the base floor
* Bugfix: Remove Xeno patrol from the first planet
* Bugfix: Fix missile blaster palette
* Bugfix: Fix script error when a debris type cannot be found
* Bugfix: Fix saves failing silently when there’s an invalid filename
* Bugfix: Fix null scene crash

This is a minor update with only one change – new Xeno art, by yours truly!

Some of you may know that I’m now doing all of the art for the game, which I’m really enjoying. Art isn’t my expertise, but by doing it myself it’s a lot easier to get something closer to my vision.

With that in mind, I’ve been meaning to redo the Xenos in a different style for a while now, and this was a good time to do it! The update was delayed a bit due to a long exhausting sickness (I’m fine now!), but I hope you like the final product!

Rodina is better than ever! This update is a massive reworking of interior generation, combat, and player movement. Things are starting to come together!

The dangerous new Xeno Trooper reflects your plasma shots with its Magnetic Shield.

The Xeno Interiors have seen a major overhaul – more enemies, turrets, exploding thermal gel, loot pickups, and more! It’s even more fun to get around, as player movement is tighter and smoother!

This is a major update to the game. Combat feels WAY more fun now. If you haven’t played in a while, now might be the time to pick the game up again!

Thank you all for your support! I couldn’t make this game without you!

**** RODINA 1.4****

* New Feature: Explosions massively improved – physics, camera shake, occlusion
* New Feature: Xeno Trooper w/ Magnetic Shield gun
* New Feature: Functioning turrets
* New Feature: Projectiles refactored / can be reflected by collidees

* Improvement: Massive buildings / mines generator refresh. More fog types. More building types
* Improvement: Massive combat rebalance. Much more enemy variety. Easier Xenos
* Improvement: Charged Blaster shots massively improved – camera shake, explosion, splash damage
* Improvement: Rocket Blaster now needs ammo
* Improvement: Health / ammo resources appear as loot in buildings
* Improvement: Thermal Gel explodes when shot
* Improvement: Merge hallways with neighbor rooms
* Improvement: Fixed targeting for buildings / Vanguard Ruins
* Improvement: All Xenos in a room attack at once
* Improvement: Fix rotation accumulation for player / mouse (IE: Much smoother movement)
* Improvement: Change Main Story 11 message post-protocol removal
* Improvement: Increase character gravity
* Improvement: Increase ship friction

* Crashfix: Don’t update profile file when dragging options slider around
* Crashfix: Solved problem with direct copying refcounted objects
* Crashfix: Fixed crash with GPU timing references

* Bugfix: Fix flickering while flying Limnal Drive
* Bugfix: Finally fix charging blaster particles!

They’re here!

Xeno Bases are starting to pop up on the planets in the Zorica System! I’m very excited about this update!

These bases aren’t fully functional yet. As the Xenos finish their construction, they will become even more dangerous.

Next up: making the bases more awesome with functional shields, turrets, explosive Thermal Gel, Trooper Xenos, atmospheric pressure, and maybe much more stylish walls!

Thank you for all the support!

-Brendan

EDIT: Patch released!
* fix gravbike disappearing from ship after editing ship layout (FINALLY!)
* fix interior getting alpha blended sometimes
* fix crash with gravbikes out of physics world

**** RODINA 1.3.3****

* New Feature: Xeno Buildings, Tileset, and Debcorations
* New Feature: Editor skeleton (particles, interior testing)

* Improvement: Gravbike controls in space via the mouse, can be activated in space, has a UI indicator
* Improvement: Make use of Steam’s remote storage API so we can add “Delete File” button to save/load
* Improvement: Alpha and Emittance for generic objects
* Improvement: Redo decoration placement randomization
* Improvement: Improve room placement so less likely to overlap
* Improvement: Interior Editor tweaks: show all rooms (transparent), polish door placement

* Optimization: Optimize missile debris to fix explosion hitch

* Bugfix: Prevent Xenos from firing at you through walls
* Bugfix: Fix gravbike breaking when you exit mid-flight, or upon load
* Bugfix: Fix wall distances in generated interiors to reduce lights ending up behind walls
* Bugfix: Remove entrance hallway from generated interiors
* Bugfix: Duplicate mines on Morena
* Bugfix: Make sure productions don’t reuse production seed and end up with identical results
* Bugfix: Fix projectile motion / double impacts at low framerates
* Bugfix: Fix delete button in interior editor
* Bugfix: Fix planets with small radius getting no physics in low-terrain-detail mode