Hello everyone!
The dust has finally settled, and now I can share some details about what lies ahead.
Skirmish Mode: One of the most frequent requests from players was to add a skirmish mode separate from the main campaign. I’m happy to report that work on this is already underway, and it will be released as part of a major patch later this September. Along with it, the game will feature new map templates and several other improvements.
Here are a few of the new map templates:
Expansion Tools: Another topic that sparked a lot of debate was the mechanics behind the rising costs of station construction and planet colonization. While this system works fine early on, it significantly bottlenecks expansion in the later stages of the game.
The original intent was twofold: to prevent the "snowball effect" (where a player's empire becomes unstoppable powerful late-game) and to encourage players to utilize alternative expansion methods with their own unique mechanics.
Developing these alternative ways to colonize and build stations will be the focus of an upcoming update. I won’t spoil too much just yet, but these mechanics will revolve around utilizing local resources. Simply put, you’ll be able to assemble a new station right on the spot using harvested metal and other components.
Magic: The brutal and unforgiving world of Solar Wave wouldn't be complete without destructive magic, curses, and techno-magical rituals! Naturally, players should have direct access to these abilities.
Initially, the combat magic system was planned as the first major update for the game. However, your feedback helped me prioritize more urgent tasks and quality-of-life improvements first. But don't worry, magic is definitely coming to Solar Wave in a near-future update. Just like you, I can't wait to incinerate a few enemy fleets with some devastating spells! 😅
Campaign: Right now, the campaign is limited to a small sector of the galaxy. As more content is integrated into the game—such as new technologies, maps, mission types, and other gameplay systems—the conquerable area will expand to match the growing scale of the game.
QoL (Quality of Life): Last but certainly not least. Thanks to your feedback, a number of improvements have already been implemented, making the game much smoother and eliminating several frustrating annoyances. I will continue working hard in this direction, and I look forward to hearing your new suggestions. Thank you all so much for your support!