Michi (molp)
500! Five hundred! It's hard to believe, but today's devlog is the 500th one. When I wrote Martin a while ago that the 500th devlog is coming up, he just reacted with the 🤯 emoji, and that is how I feel as well. This feels like a massive achievement for us!
Initially, the devlogs were meant as a journal for Martin and me, a way to think about and reflect on what we worked each week. Quickly we decided to make them public, so others could see what we work on. In the early days there was no Early Access always-on version of the game. We started out with short alpha-tests on an invite-only basis. Interested players could join our mailing list, and once a new test started, we invited the recipients. I am pretty sure the devlogs helped to get new mailing list subscribers.
If you have ever scrolled way back to the first devlog you might notice that it is number 7. This is because we started writing devlogs in the seventh week of the development of Prosperous Universe. So I guess the real 500th devlog is the 507th one?
You might also notice that the date the first devlog was posted is November 22nd, 2015. Yes, that was almost 10 years ago, and to me that is even more mind-blowing than 500 devlogs. I am more than happy that we are still around, the game is still being played, and we are in the incredibly lucky position to be able to work on the game, pretty much without any interruption. I am sure Martin will write a bit about all the ups and downs of the last 10 years once November comes closer :)
Interestingly, Martin and I wrote about the system connections and highlighting them in the first devlog:
I also spent about a day improving our world builder tool to generate star maps with connections between systems so Micheal had some pretty test data for his work on ship movement. To be able to show the connections of the stars and plot routes I added a library that allows to set up a graph structure and do searches on it. The first thing I've done with it was improving the before mentioned highlighting of systems the user hovers over. Starting at that system every system within 4 hops is searched and the edges between the systems are highlighted. This allows a better view of the local star connections.
And just a few days ago I implemented the gateway connection visualization for the upcoming gateway release:
Links between active gateways:
Gateway links that can only be traversed in one direction because the counterpart is inoperational:
Gateway links between inoperational gateways:
Exactly 500 devlogs or not, we want to celebrate anyway and unveil a small feature that will be released even before the gateways: colony ships!
Let's quote the source!
Press Release from the Exodus Council – Directorate of Stellar Cartography (DSC) Sep 29, 3025 The Directorate of Stellar Cartography, acting under the authority of the Exodus Council, is proud to announce the discovery of several new sectors at the fringes of known space. Preliminary survey data indicate that these systems contain abundant natural resources and, in some cases, even worlds suitable for habitation. Early analyses further suggest that among these resources are rare materials believed to be essential for the construction of future gateways, infrastructure critical to securing lasting connections across the cluster. These findings mark a historic milestone in humanity’s continued expansion beyond the established cluster. At present, no stable faster-than-light connections to these new regions have been identified. However, the Council has determined that waiting for the establishment of conventional routes would delay vital opportunities for growth and exploration. Therefore, by decree of the Exodus Council, the blueprints for the newly sanctioned Colony Ship class are being unlocked and released to all registered companies across the cluster, regardless of faction affiliation. Equipped with advanced Vortex engines, these specialized vessels are capable of traversing interstellar distances without reliance on existing FTL links, bridging the void to otherwise inaccessible frontiers. While their use demands significant investment and caution, they represent a bold step toward charting new horizons and ensuring that no resource or opportunity remains beyond our collective reach. The Directorate calls upon the pioneers, corporations, and explorers of the cluster to seize this moment. The stars are waiting. — Directorate of Stellar Cartography, Exodus Council
We have updated the handbook with additional information. The colony ship feature will likely be released within the next few weeks.
As always, we'd love to hear what you think: join us on Discord or the forums!
Happy trading!