Dogs Of War Vu

Sim/Strategy/War => Games Discussion => Topic started by: Attila on March 05, 2017, 01:05:13 PM

Title: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Attila on March 05, 2017, 01:05:13 PM
HELLION - Space survival game  - Only for Hardcore Survival Gamers

Let start from the beginning, you guys know that I am big fan of "realistic" space games and survival games. I was scanning trough Steam Game Queues (most games are crap) after few hours searching and destroying my mouse left button (clicking "Not Interested") something shown up : Hellion

Steam Video was very promising, but wait it is Early Access and cost a little more than I normally sped on EA (not Electronic Arts) games (U$ 24.-), also Steam review showed "Mixed"  ???

But I decided to read some of the reviews and was lucky to find some very good stuff. To make it short, most of the complains came from casual players, they have a problem of HARDCORE approach of this game.

So here a list that gives a little insight of this game:



This list above are functionality they till now implemented in the game 100%, ohh one thing this is in my personal opinion about this game: This is a SIMULATION made right.

Here the Weblink for more info's : https://www.playhellion.com/# (https://www.playhellion.com/#)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsSzoQJek70

STEAM Store Page for Hellion : http://store.steampowered.com/app/588210/ (http://store.steampowered.com/app/588210/)



I will post here my experience with this game - videos, screenshots, reviews and discussions. Trough the nature of this game, I would be happy when some of you guys would join in for co-op Space Survival and Explorations.


THIS IS HARDCORE GAME - ONLY FOR SPECIAL AUDIENCE
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 05, 2017, 01:27:50 PM
I watched a video on this last night after you told me about it. It shares some similarities with Rogue System. This uses Newtonian physics.

Interesting  :teach

I look forward to more of your posts on this.

Thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Attila on March 05, 2017, 04:55:11 PM
My first steps in Hellion :

https://youtu.be/GFBuViI5rDU
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 05, 2017, 05:21:18 PM
This looks cool. Thx for making the video.


I have 1 question....How you manage to not talk for 30 minute?  :eek
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Beef on March 05, 2017, 05:32:15 PM

I have 1 question....How you manage to not talk for 30 minute?  :eek

He probably didn't realize his mic was muted / turned off--thank the gods for that!

I also have been keeping an eye on this game. The one issue I have is that it is multiplayer only and I see it quickly de-volving into an environment full of griefers who will ruin any fun a player such as myself would have.
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 05, 2017, 05:36:27 PM

I also have been keeping an eye on this game. The one issue I have is that it is multiplayer only and I see it quickly de-volving into an environment full of griefers who will ruin any fun a player such as myself would have.

Play with Attila.....People will not come near.... :roker
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Attila on March 05, 2017, 05:36:41 PM
To clarify - the mic was on, but this is a hardcore game so you need to concentrate and every move in outer space can be you last.

Also one thing about the game, you can run your own server (dedicated) so you play only with people you want.
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 05, 2017, 05:49:29 PM
To clarify - the mic was on, but this is a hardcore game so you need to concentrate and every move in outer space can be you last.

In space no one can hear you scream...Unless you are Attila....

(https://i.imgur.com/wqV0Oyh.gif)
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Beef on March 05, 2017, 10:59:44 PM
It'd be more like this with Attila...we'd have to tell him to get off the nuclear weapon.

https://youtu.be/k9YYbrZ4whY

Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on July 07, 2017, 02:18:57 PM
Patch 0.2.1 - update
HELLION - Mr. Yankovich

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/1ece9e4523662ed1a970a485d260ba895bc00856.png)

Attention!

We have captured the culprits and recovered the warp cells.Ship is back on track. Signal reestablished. Investigation closed.

Hellion 0.2.1 patch will be deployed tomorrow (Friday July 7th). Servers will be down from 10:00 UTC until 11:00 UTC, and they will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.
Your patience is appreciated! (And resistance is futile ;-))

We have a little something for you to make up for the wait: it is HELLION - Dev Q&A and gameplay Part 1, recorded and produced by Quertier:

https://youtu.be/gkKmcIw0uF4

If you like what you've seen, have in mind that the second and third installments of this Q&A session will be available later today. Also, subscribe to Quertier`s channel to give him a thumbs up for his work.

Take care and fly safe,
Zero Gravity team

Patch 0.2.1 notes

Greetings everyone!

First, thank you all for your feedback on the 0.2. update; we will continue to work on bug fixing, optimization and performance improvement. With that in mind, patch 0.2.1 will be released on July 6th. Servers will be down from 10:00 UTC until 11:00 UTC , and they will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.

For private servers:
- Update your server and game client
- Delete server save files

New Features / Changes/ Improvements:

- Melee combat added.
- New melee weapon - crowbar added.
- Scanner tweak: results of scans around smaller celestials should now have less fuzzy objects while derelicts around Bethyr should be easier to identify on a scan.
- Loot distribution tweaked - certain items will spawn more often.
- Shortened time for re-pressurizing ship cargo.
- Number of CO2 filter slots in ship’s LSM reduced from five to two.
- New sound effects are implemented for Turret, EMP Grenade,No-Helmet--
Suffocation and few other things.
- New animations:Crowbar swing, fist punch.

Bug fixes:

- AltCorp Corridor Vertical (CSM-AC) colliders missing/flying through object.
- Cargo and Security terminal panels blinking when a player looks at them under certain angle.
- Predefined stations not showing on map after server restart.
- Selecting video settings freezes the game.
- Placed item near wall in ALtCorp PowerSupply Module (PSM-AC) would fall through.
- Ship’s RCS leakage when module is docked.
- Destructible items (turret, grenade) would always have 100 HP(on server) regardless of actual values set.
EDIT:
- Various interaction problems with pilot chair (pilot unable to sit, pilot stuck in chair, etc.)
- After server restart loot is not respawning.

Known bugs list:
https://www.playhellion.com/forum/discussion/33/known-bugs
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on July 16, 2017, 04:09:47 PM
Tweaks, improvements, loot distribution and future concepts
13 July - ZG_Smorty

Greetings survivors,

How’s the harsh world of Hellion treating you? Today’s post will cover a number of improvements that you can expect in the upcoming patch, as well as some additional info about Zones and the Loot Distribution system. Also, we will tease a number of visual improvements that we are working on.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/2042d4163781b525dcaaac2f1fd104eaec540648.jpg)

Let’s kick things off with Zones and Loot. These features made their debut with the 0.2 update but we still want to provide a bit more info regarding this system and the placement of zones. After all a good loot system is only useful if players can understand how it works. Since all items are broken down into categories and further divided into quality tiers, a few questions were bound to emerge. Military zones are usually packed with weapons, ammo and various tools of destruction. These zones are also the best place to search for power supply modules, Command modules and abandoned ships that you can confiscate. Industrial zones are loaded with mining gear, specialized EVA equipment and cargo bay modules as well as various refined and raw resources just waiting to be picked up. Finally civilian areas are full of decorations, crew quarters modules, airlocks, life support systems and medical supplies. Below is the map of Hellion’s zones. As a rule of thumb, the further the zone is from the starting area, the higher its tier.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/ab05d13608302a83a3fdec1ca3b419e2a2fe9dcf.jpg)

However, these zones are somewhat pointless if getting to them will take hours. Since we want players to explore and try their luck in higher tier zones, the next update will address the Warp Drive speed issue. Overall players can expect significantly shorter warp times when moving between different planets.

Now let’s go over a few additional improvements that players can expect. Aside from numerous fixes a lot of effort is being put into optimization and improving player experience. Ship controls have been tweaked slightly so traveling towards a distant target should now prove to be a pleasant cruise rather than a nerve wracking adventure.

To further optimize the user interface and eliminate annoyances, you can also expect a targeting reticle feature, toggleable from the options menu. Those that compare picking up canisters to finding a needle in a haystack will appreciate it, while players that prefer immersion will most likely turn it of. It should also make EVA maneuvering a bit easier.

And last but not least here’s a tease of something our concept team is currently working on:

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/327b5c864ff187b98442b12a7d5a32683961ef05.jpg)
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: JasonPratt on July 17, 2017, 05:56:32 PM
Definitely keeping an eye on this.  :thumbsup
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on July 20, 2017, 10:54:55 AM
Patch 0.2.2 notes
20 July - ZG_Smorty   

Patch 0.2.2 will be deployed on Thursday, July 20. Servers will be down from 10:00 UTC until 11:00 UTC, and they will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.

For private servers:
- Update your server and game client
- Delete server save files

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/2658be337e9d6fb3cf003804bc99d0afbe6c0e1d.jpg)

Patch Notes:

Nav-Map improvements:

Completely reworked the Nav-Map. Interface moved to overlay, rather than world-space canvas. Players can expect more functionality, better visibility and improved responsiveness.

- “Warp To” button added to the coordinates screen.
- Custom orbits can now be modified by clicking on arrows over relevant orbit parameters. Changing parameters by clicking and dragging the orbit points is not working at the moment. It will be implemented at a later date.
- Orbital parameters that can be adjusted are now highlighted in green.
- Custom orbit is now automatically removed after warp.
- Added distance to target and power consumption indicators to the warp cell selection screen.
- Initialize warp button is now grayed out if warp maneuver is impossible.

Flight controls improvements:

- Adjusted player camera position when piloting the ship. As a result ship crosshair and radar indicators are now properly synced, eliminating drifting and unwanted offset while flying.

- Lateral speed indicators inverted to be in sync with docking indicators.

- Improved lateral indicator sensitivity, making them more responsive and easier to use.

Warp Drive improvements:

- Warp speed increased to be in line with recent zone and loot distribution changes. Short distance warp travel should remain roughly the same, but long distance warps now take considerably less time.

- Slightly tweaked how Warp works:
- Warp 1 - Intended for short distance jumps (changing orbit)
- Warp 2 - Intended for medium distance jumps (Planet -> Moon)
- Warp 3 - Intended for long distance jumps (Planet -> Planet)

- Warp Cell consumption tweaked and increased to compensate for shorter flight times.

Other improvements:

- Server sorting improvement - disabled servers will now always show on the bottom of the list.

- Increased maximum air filtration output of life support nodes from 0.12 to 0.3, making it in line with the maximum filtration capacity of Life Support’s Air Filter System. As a result air quality should improve at a faster rate.

- Added on screen crosshair. It can be toggled on/off from the options menu.

- Weapons now shoot from camera to the center of the screen (crosshair).

Audio:

- Added Basketball Sound Effects

Optimization:

- Command Module Optimization
- Ship optimization

Bug Fixes:

- Dimed (dark) screen on game launch
- Character camera swapping when interacting with the piloting chair
- Endless loading problem
- Infinite ‘loading’ when game server unavailable after death screen
- Nav-map frame rate drop with multiple objects
- Ship cargo re-pressurize speed
- Small canister repeatable animation when holding LMB
- Ship cargo constant oxygen consumption when depressurized/vented
- Ship cargo oxygen loss when re-pressurizing
- Industrial container missing RCS recourse injector
- Delay in filling jetpack with Small Canister
- Security terminal doesn't save after server restart or crash
- Press J to warp overlapping with M on screen
- Fixed stations not showing proper names

Known Bugs:
https://www.playhellion.com/forum/discussion/33/known-bugs
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on August 04, 2017, 01:26:36 AM
Patch 0.2.3 notes
2 August - ZG_Smorty

Greetings Hellion survivors!

Patch 0.2.3 will be deployed tomorrow and here are the patch notes for it.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/3e74b8dcab5b3c694f276ce792c4134f211b9060.jpg)

Patch 0.2.3 will be deployed on Thursday, August 3. Servers will be down from 10:00 UTC until 11:00 UTC, and they will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.

For private servers:
- Update your server and game client
- Delete server save files

Important note

We will be changing the bi-weekly patch schedule into a monthly schedule starting after tomorrow’s patch deployment.

Reduced patch frequency will allow us to properly test and implement new features that we are currently working on and also extend time between server wipes giving players more time for exploration and base building. We believe this will accommodate frequent requests by the community for more time to develop their space stories and continued progress in the world of Hellion.

General Improvements

Preloading:

- Added scenes preloading optimisation that preloads all game scenes at start significantly reducing load times in game.

- Preloading is on by default for systems with at least 6GB of RAM and off for systems with less.

- This option can be manually deactivated by directly editing the properties.ini file (located in:\Steam\steamapps\common\HELLION) and changing the following values:
load_type=0 (Simple mode - no caching)

- Added loading screen while preloading scenes.

Other improvements:

- Station despawn improvement - default value is now: 48 hours. Each docked module after the first adds + 48h.

- Note that this despawn function works for stations with authorized characters.

- Abandoned stations (without authorized characters) will despawn after 15 minutes.

- Disabled all security panels on Premade Stations. Players should no longer be able to authorize themselves on Premade Stations.

- Tweaked loot distribution values. Parts, especially Resource Injectors and Servomotors should now spawn more frequently.

Nav-Map Improvements

- Added click and drag manipulators for custom orbits. Players can now use mouse to adjust position, apoapsis, periapsis and angle values.

- Position indicator will now retain its angle/position when adjusting apoapsis/periapsis values.

- Added click and drag option for adjusting activation/arrival points when setting up a warp maneuver.

Infrastructure Improvements

We are introducing new official servers that are expected to improve overall performance. These servers cover Europe, Russia and Oceania. New US servers will be deployed at a later date.

Graphics optimisation

AltCorp_Starting Module optimization
AltCorp_Corridor Module optimization
AltCorp_Corridor Intersection Module optimization
AltCorp_Corridor 45T Module optimization
AltCorp_Corridor 45TL Module optimization
AltCorp_Corridor Vertical Module optimization
AltCorp_PowerSupply Module optimization

Bug fixes

- Despawn ship/module with active player(s) inside.
- Command module occlusion glitch when player outside or far away.
- Wall fan occlusion glitch in starting module.
- Repeatedly loaded scenes stay in client forever.
- Planets/moons show smaller on Nav-Map than in-game.
- Cannot pick up several objects from spawn points in PSM.
- Corridor Module occlusion reverted when player inside.

Fly safe,
Zero Gravity Team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on September 07, 2017, 12:51:36 AM
Patch 0.2.4 notes

6 September - ZG_Smorty   

Greetings Hellion survivors!

As we promised a new patch for Hellion is ready to be uploaded tomorrow, a month after the previous one. We had more time to fix some of the bigger issues and make the game more enjoyable. You can check out the list of changes and additional information below.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/55b2116b6d33ce37a48cb0fd2efb99c62e387c97.jpg)

Patch 0.2.4 will be deployed on Thursday, September 7. Servers will be down from 10AM UTC until 11AM UTC. Servers will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.

For private servers:
- Update your server and game client.
- Delete server save files.

NavMap Improvements
- NavMap optimisation.
- NavMap now properly groups overlapping nearby objects. Players can click the group icon to display a list of all nearby objects.
- Ship icon should now always be visible on the NavMap.
- Scanning optimisation.
- Remove warp line when warp finished or failed.
- Removed obsolete NavMap filter options from the interface.

Ship Engine Tweaks
- Ship engine controls reworked. When ship engines are activated (default key ENTER) players can use standard forward/backward controls (default keys W,S) to accelerate/decelerate using engines instead of RCS. Players also have the option to set constant engine thrust values for longer journeys (default keys NUMPAD +,-).
- Engine power consumption tweaked. Power supply screen should now display proper values when the engines are operational.

General Improvements
- Players can now check blog news in-game. In-game home screen changed to fit Blog news.
- Disabled all docking ports on premade stations. Players can no longer dock a Command Module to take ownership of premade stations.
- Removed "Call Ship" and "Distress call" buttons from premade stations.
- Added confirmation before applying video settings.
- Texture quality slider can only be adjusted when in menu (out of game). It is disabled by default when in-game.
- Implemented automatic server restart after a predefined amount of time.
- Added automatic server restart configuration to GameServer.ini file.
- Server info added to server browser list.
- Server info configuration added to the GameServer.ini file.
- Added report server option in server list and server menu.
- Added tooltip information when trying to loot dead bodies (default key F).
- Added missing glossary descriptions for several objects and added Hellion System Zone map to the glossary located under Lore and History tab.
- Loading screen concept art added.
- Server browser visual changes for added server information.

Security Improvements
- All lockable doors linked to the security system. Players who are on the "authorised personnel list" on the ship/command module security panel can now open/close locked doors.
- Ships no longer transfer their security authorisation to docked/grappled modules. As a result, turrets that spawn in various modules remain hostile even when module is docked/grappled to the ship.
- Command Modules now properly transfer authorisation to all docked modules and turrets.

Optimisation and module improvements
- Double checked optimisation for multiple modules and reworked as necessary.
- Turrets can no longer shoot through walls and closed doors.
- All items can now correctly be picked up from LS nodes in all modules.
- Changed RCS fuel from Nitrogen to Nitro for all modules.
- AltCorp_LifeSupport_Module optimisation.
- AltCorp_Airlock Module optimisation.
- AltCorp_Cargo Module optimisation.
- AltCorp_Crew Quarters Module optimisation.
- Reflection Probe Rework.

Bug fixes:
- Not able to pick up battery from ship cargo.
- Ship grappling hook missing collider.
- Cannot pickup slotted ammo from gun magazine attache points.
- Server client communication when matching velocity - results in position change on client.
- Starting module lights not working when low pressure.
- Server errors and crash due to Unhandled Exception.
- Docking ports not showing in the target list after warp and undocking grappled module.
- CQM Med-pack fridge placing med-packs on wrong place when putted in.
- Stuck on connecting to game server no response from server.
- Cannot use SHIFT to grab onto the hull of some modules.
- Life Support Module not working when docked to base.
- Power Consumption Bug. Capacitor draining when Output > Consumption.
- Dockable Container Ports don't work.
- Loot respawns in modules that have been taken by players and attached to their stations.
- Turrets get detached from attach points because of distance optimisation.
- Ship casts lights on planets.
- When default video settings are clicked they should be saved immediately.
- Despawn timer restarts after server reset.
- Airlock Module doors not connected to the security system.
- Sun is bigger on nav map.
- In-game loading icon stays on screen results in unable to get back to the server.
- Power supply panel in PS module inactive.
- After server restart Turrets lose tracers or fire blank shots.
- Cannot pick up items in CM.
- Refined resource Canister has only nitro in it.
- Infinite loading icon and invisible module(s).
- Systems interconnection issue across docked modules.
- Persistence - systems auto reactivate after server restart.
- Spamming call rescue ship button results in multiple ships spawning at outpost.

Known Bugs List
https://www.playhellion.com/forum/discussion/33/known-bugs

Fly safe,
Zero Gravity Team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on September 22, 2017, 12:55:41 AM
Devblog #24 - Upcoming features
20 SEPTEMBER   - ZG_SMORTY

What’s up survivors? Is Hellion treating you alright? You getting the hang of survival? Better put on your pressurized suits and double check the safety on your helmet since we are introducing a number of brand new hazards to the world of Hellion.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/5f138b1a98e99172594b8a64853d4a4723e92c07.jpg)

It’s been awhile since we did a proper announcement of new features so this blog will outline our plans and explain various new mechanics that we are working on, including damage, degradation, heat and radiation. Today, we’ll explain the reasoning behind these decisions and update our roadmap https://steamcommunity.com/linkfilter/?url=https://trello.com/b/IB3hepnV/hellion-road-map-phase-one accordingly.

Here’s what Marko Smiljanic, creative director at Zero Gravity, had to say about the planned features: “We are excited to implement mechanics that will take the PvE aspect of the game to a new level. Immersion plays a big role in Hellion and recreating the harsh conditions of space is a major part of it. After all, space is a dangerous place and it won’t hesitate to kill you if it catches you off guard, even for a second.”

These changes will be introduced one by one in the following updates to allow more time for testing, feedback and improvement.

Damage, degradation and repair

Some of you may have noticed the new concept art in between the loading screens. These images are just a small teaser for the upcoming damage and repair mechanics. We are happy to announce that the “age of invulnerable ships and stations” is coming to an end. In order for their equipment to function properly players will be required to repair and maintain it. Damage comes in two basic forms, degradation and collision.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/79aff8b228192470023d3e69b02bf0ca442a11f0.jpg)

Degradation is a steady process that represents a slow decay of materials due to extreme temperature variations and exposure to space radiation. As time goes by modules and ships will slowly lose a percentage of their health until it is reduced to zero. This is true for both claimed and unclaimed modules and ships and will completely replace the current despawn mechanic. Loss of health will be accompanied by various visual changes like cracks and material decay, sparks and electrical discharge for modules with power and fire for those with pressure. These effects will vary in intensity based on the amount of HP lost allowing players to discern the approximate HP of an object at a glance.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/7a934f1d31e7026f35e607bb5123fb7f230a41a8.jpg)

Collisions in space can be a rather deadly thing, especially considering that damage is based on physics and takes into account mass and relative velocity of objects. So a slight bump between two small modules will cause damage, but won’t be fatal. However, a full on collision between two ships is likely to ensure mutual destruction and even cause damage to other nearby objects as well.

All of this brings us to the repair mechanics. In order to repair a damaged module players will require two things: a working repair tool and resources. Repair tool is a small welding device that allows players to restore HP to the modules and consumes a certain amount of resources that can be replenished from the cargo interface, much in the same way as you refuel a jetpack. Repair can only happen at repair points that are scattered across both the interior and exterior of the module. They also count as damage indicators since the number of active repair points and the intensity of visual effects indicate how damaged a module is. To fully fix a damaged module players will have to interact with all active repair points as each one can only restore a fixed amount of HP.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/4411d2737f8c3965a09c6241efe75362f2689006.jpg)

And just to spice things up and make salvage a bit more interesting, modules and ships that players can find will never spawn at full HP, requiring some maintenance work before a module is restored to full functionality.

Heat management

Another new feature that we are working on is the introduction of heat and cooling in space. Considering that we often hear “how cold space is” it might come as a bit of a surprise that in vacuum cooling is actually a bigger problem than heating. This is because all matter transmits heat in two ways: contact with other particles and electromagnetic radiation. Since in vacuum there are almost no particles, the only way to cool down is to either vent hot particles (using limited resource) or radiate heat into space. However radiating heat is a bit tricky since it is based on the mass and surface of the object. The bigger the surface the faster an object will cool but it will also absorb more of solar EM radiation causing it to heat up.

Modern technology handles this problem by using specifically designed radiators. Radiators look similar to solar panels in design and use heat transfer system to collect excess heat and bleed it off into space. To compensate for solar radiation, they are always angled in a way that exposes very little of their surface to the sun.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/1cad70fc34841b4f1a304338127efab69cc027a6.jpg)

In Hellion, we plan to introduce a similar system that will require players to carefully plan their actions and manage excess heat if they want to keep their ships and stations operational. There will be two factors at play here: external and internal influence. External influence is entirely based on the distance from the star and whether or not players are in the shadow of another large body, such as a planet or a moon. Internal heat will be generated by various onboard systems. As a rule of thumb the more power a module produces or consumes the more heat it generates. Needless to say excessive heat will have a negative impact on the player’s health and cause damage to the module’s hull. In order to mitigate these effects and maintain stable conditions players will have access to entirely new systems and upgrades.

Radiation exposure

In addition to heat we also plan to introduce radiation as a factor in Hellion. Rather than damage the hull of the modules directly, radiation will cause damage to active systems and parts ultimately causing them to break down. For players however, it might be more dangerous than heat since there will be only a handful of options for removing radiation poisoning.

Radiation sources will include natural ones such as trapped radiation (Van Allen belts), galactic cosmic radiation, solar particle events (coronal ejections, solar flares) and gas giant planets, while abandoned stations, damaged modules and derelicts will represent artificial sources.

Station management and overview

So by now, we already know what you’re thinking. How the hell are we going to keep track of all that? It is for this reason that we will be adding a proper ship/station overview interface that will allow players to easily keep track of the conditions in their base. The overview will feature all necessary information to allow easy management of security, power, pressure, damage, heat and radiation. So, no more guessing if there is enough oxygen to pressurize that new power supply module. The overview will be available to players at any given time, but managing various systems will only be possible from specific consoles within the base.

Our goal is to make player stations an important part of gameplay in Hellion. As such their function will expand well beyond “a place to safely log off” and turn them into safe harbors where players have to return to recover, upgrade their equipment and plan their next move. Creating a proper base layout to counter various threats at a certain location by using available upgrades, resources and equipment will require additional planning and in large part decide the pace at which players explore the Hellion system.

Inventory and storage rework

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/5ec47184aa4aa4bb8d9d7def0a102715fb485654.jpg)

Along with the features mentioned above we are also working on improving inventory and storage mechanics that will make manipulating items more intuitive and user friendly. Streamlining inventory management will speed up gameplay and eliminate many of the grievances our player base had reported so far.

That’s all for today’s news, fly safe and stay tuned for more news over the next weeks as we will go into detail about each and every new feature outlined today.

Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on October 19, 2017, 07:35:23 PM
"Don't Panic!" update is now LIVE!
19 OCTOBER   - ZG_SMORTY

Hello survivors!

Time to put on your helmets and double check your suit seals, Hellion’s Don’t Panic! update just went live! Get ready for a completely new experience as you fight fires, breaches, malfunctions and more! Just remember, whatever happens, keep calm and Don’t Panic!

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/5a6177c8c14a17e2560657da8f7336ebe4a71581.jpg)

If you haven’t got Hellion yet, you can grab it now at 25% off! Steam discount will last until 10 AM (Pacific time), October 23.

This is the first multi-language version of Hellion. We have localized the game into eight languages: Chinese, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish and Turkish. And it’s just a start.

What to expect in the Don’t Panic! update:

Degradation damage - all ships, stations and individual modules now take degradation damage over time and must be maintained in order to avoid destruction. All ships and modules have a number of “repair points” that will become active once objects take enough damage. The more damage a module accumulates the more pronounced damage effects become and more repair points activate.


Collisions - all modules can be destroyed by collisions, the amount of damage depends on the mass of colliding objects and their relative velocity.

Destruction - once a module is destroyed it will explode and damage nearby objects and players. Explosion damage is based on mass of the module and increases in radius and intensity if the object had an active engine, reactor or warp drive.


Onboard hazards - as damage accumulates it can cause various problems like: system malfunctions, fires and breaches. . System malfunction will cause the affected system to shut down until repaired. Fires will damage nearby players and drain air quality from the room until extinguished or if air quality and pressure drop too low. Breaches will rapidly vent air into the vacuum of space until sealed.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/2e4cb175a4fdd6edc78a949a4599f3d80c9cb4ec.jpg)

Repair - two new items are introduced: a welding tool and a fire extinguisher. Welder is the main repair tool and uses Hydrogen as fuel (temporarily). It can be used to fix any damaged repair point. In case of fire, players can use the extinguisher to put it out before safely repairing the damage.

Grenade changes - radius of all grenades has been increased to make them easier to use. AP grenades will now cause damage to module’s interior and will detonate other nearby grenades, potentially causing spectacular results!

New visual effects - all modules will now dynamically change in appearance based on their health. Completely decayed modules will look considerably worse compared to their fully repaired counterparts.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/64404184aa9959ae6cf57f4b1784232a0af70439.jpg)

Module spawn changes - all modules now spawn at low hull integrity, no pressure and will continue to decay over time. As a result most modules that players can find will require extensive repairs before they can be used, as well as additional Oxygen and Nitrogen to pressurize.

Starting scene - major changes to the starting scene, including resources items and hull integrity of all objects. Ship in particular will require a number of repairs before it is fully operational. Overall players can expect a more dynamic starting experience.

Balancing - cargo and system tanks of all modules, as well as contained resources were adjusted to be in line with the new mechanics. Mining speed was also considerably increased. As a result mining is now a viable alternative to looting.


Finally, we want to thank everyone from the Hellion community for their support and feedback, as this update would not have been possible without them. We sincerely hope that you will have as much fun playing it, as the team had making it.

And again, remember… Whatever you do, just Don’t Panic!

Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on November 16, 2017, 07:01:45 PM
Hellion - Localization
HELLION - ZG_Rick

Scientists from H.A.D.E.S Labs are currently scouring the Hellion system in order to pinpoint the origin of a mysterious signal recently caught by the Expedition’s Askatar Observatory. So far their efforts have been unsuccessful as the signal is heavily encrypted by a very intelligent algorithm...

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/cd2f12f994f5b4e7198468dd80c55012dae126d0.png)

Dear players, for the last couple of months, we’ve been working on a localization of Hellion. We wanted Hellion to be available in as many languages as possible, so people from all around the world could enjoy space adventures in their native languages. What we’ve found is that the task which we thought would be a simple matter for any experienced translator, actually proved far more difficult than we had expected. Hellion is a special game in many ways. It’s a hard-core game meant to be played and enjoyed by real sci-fi fans, often requiring at least basic understanding of physics and space exploration. Any professional translator, regardless of their skill, must also fit within this sci-fi niche to do the job properly. Statistically, that is a very unlikely scenario.

On the other hand, some players took action and made translations on their own. They wanted to have Hellion localized so their friends could play it in a local language. And they did a great job! Thanks to Mulbity, =V=Heromant and AAAlexander we have Hellion in Chinese, Russian and Italian respectively. Now we are absolutely sure that we need your help in order to localize Hellion properly.

That’s why we decided to put the Hellion localization project to the Crowdin platform. If you like the game, and you want to help translate it into your native language, please visit our project page here: https://crowdin.com/project/hellion-zero-gravity
If you have any questions please send an email to support@zerogravitygames.com

Thank you very much for the amazing support! Next week, we’ll be announcing a new stuff coming in the next update.


Until then, fly safe.

Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on November 16, 2017, 07:03:18 PM
Devblog #26 Systematization
HELLION - ZG_Smorty

What’s up survivors, it’s been awhile! We sure hope the latest update is treating you well and that you will continue to voice your concerns, critique, and suggestions (praise is also welcomed).

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/2e763d11d6abd29597546a4b16c01e4bdc18c6bb.jpg)

During the past few weeks we’ve been collecting and analyzing community feedback and working on Hellion’s next update. We believe it will bring several much wanted improvements, address a number of gameplay issues pointed out so far and further expand the gameplay introduced in the Don’t Panic update.

Today’s dev blog will outline various changes coming in the next update that is expected to land mid December. Next installation of our blog will bring a detailed preview of the update.

Systems

One of our objectives with the next update is to rework and rebalance the way systems work in Hellion. At the moment systems are something that players activate and then forget about. We aim to change that in a way that makes systems, and in turn base-building, essential to player survival and one of the key factors when making decisions.

In this regard Power Supply system is our main focus, as we want to completely change the current balance of resources, output and power requirements between ships, stations and individual modules.

Our second goal is to rework the Life Support system and rebalance O2 and Nitrogen consumptions to bring them in line with changes to the power supply system. Also important to note is that we want to make a clear distinction between using a jetpack and having a fully operational environmental control system, with the other being far superior in terms of resource consumption.

UI improvements

Next on the list is a series of improvements to the user interface as one of the often voiced complaints was that many of the UIs, especially power supply and life support were unclear, confusing or simply inadequate for proper station management.

The new interface is designed to be simple, clear and intuitive and should make station management (regardless of the number of modules) faster and more enjoyable. We expect it to solve most if not all of the issues players have with system management while also providing sufficient information regarding consumption, production and power requirements to make it easier for new players to learn and understand.

Parts

Don’t Panic update introduced system damage and malfunctions without touching the way parts currently work. One key feature of the next update will be a full rework of the way parts work and interact with different systems.

Contrary to the current mechanics, where players collect a bunch of different parts just to have spares in case they break down, we want each part to be important with rare “higher tier” parts providing a considerable bonus to systems they are attached to.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/f256ee4069c192c3e8a09c3f8cf60889f44f65d6.jpg)

Localization

We want to use this opportunity to thank everyone for their efforts in community-based localization process as the level of dedication and attention to detail far exceeded our expectations in this regard. Eighty people gave their best during the weekend to make this possible. Join them in our continuous effort to make Hellion available all over the galaxy. Starting from today, a new set of languages will be imported into the game, ready to be approved by community. If you have any translation suggestions or you want to have Hellion localized in your native language you can visit our localization project.

Discord integration

We are also proud to announce that our work on Hellion’s rich presence for Discord is also nearing completion. We are looking forward to letting you try it out as soon as it’s finished.

Roadmap

Also, we have updated our roadmap so you can keep track of the development process.


That’s all for today folks! Stay tuned for future dev blogs when we will talk in-depth about all of the changes outlined so far, as well as some new features that haven’t been announced yet!

Until next time, fly safe and mind your oxygen level!
Zero Gravity Team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on December 21, 2017, 08:19:52 PM
Kessler Update Release Date
HELLION - ZG_Rick

Greetings colonists!

Your ships are coming close to the Kessler Update. Be sure to take the necessary precautions since you’ll be entering the debris field on December 21.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/9dbb8f44f4e50374da3488addcdfcab27e78c9e7.jpg)

We’ve decided to take one more week for additional testing to ensure a stable release. It is our goal to stir things up and bring a lot of excitement to the world of Hellion. Kessler will also introduce the improved Power Supply system which should make base planning and building more interesting.

We also want to say a few words regarding bug fixing, server improvements and optimization as these still remain one of the top priorities for our development team. In this regard our goal hasn’t changed since launch. We want to deliver a smooth and enjoyable experience for all colonists in the Hellion system.

Optimization on its own is a huge task which is at the moment being executed on a special dev branch because of the sheer complexity and repercussions that can affect every aspect of the game. Needless to say this is a no small task that cannot be completed within a short timeframe.

Community art contest ends today and we are looking forward to seeing your creations in Hellion. Thank you once more for taking part in this event and making the game together with us.

Finally, before we get back into our spaceships, we’d like to share these two hilarious videos which we’ve recently discovered. They are provided by courtesy of Nu Level Nerds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EoAPA9HDqM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qssObxah9Mo

Fly safe,
Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on December 21, 2017, 08:21:13 PM
Devblog #28 - Community Art Ready For Launch
HELLION - ZG_Rick

Howdy space cowboys!


How’s Hellion treating you? Having trouble surviving? Don’t you worry, the Kessler Update is just around the corner and it’ll bring even more disasters your way.

Weather forecast looks a bit grim these days as we can clearly see a massive debris storm approaching, that is why we plan to observe what is happening from fortified SDS bunkers. Those of you who are not so lucky might just have to watch out once you see a debris field warning sign on your HUD. But remember, brave warriors, even under the shower of deadly scrap, one thing will be seen from the distance - symbols and signs on your ships which clearly distinguish wreckages left by brave knights from those of others.

Zero Gravity thanks you all for participating in Hellion community art contest. It’s a pleasure to have such a creative and dedicated community. We’ve chosen some of the most interesting art pieces which and they will be making their way into Hellion with the Kessler update. Here they are:

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/6896b0ee7b01fa2444c170f672ce8115f1743c52.jpg)

Choose your “coat of arms” on the Security Panel and it will immediately appear on dedicated places inside and outside of your ship or Command Module.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/ba3a9f8df47fd2ff4a4a6dbdb5ab78af7b0f5186.jpg)

Once again, thank you for taking part in the making of Hellion together with us. All of you who are still interesting in sharing your art pieces with us, we’ll have community@zerogravitygames.com open for your applications, so we can add your creations in one of the future Hellion updates.

Until next week,
Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on December 21, 2017, 08:24:45 PM
Kessler Update Patch Notes
HELLION - ZG_Rick

After collecting data from numerous system scans and running multiple simulation models our scientists finally pieced together the fate of Expedition’s initial infrastructure. While some details remain unclear, one thing is certain, most of the original stations have been destroyed and now exist only as the orbital debris fields. Whether this was the result of a Kessler effect or deliberate sabotage is irrelevant at this point.

If you find yourself caught in one of these orbital storms keep your tools handy in case you have to do some emergency repairs and check out the Kessler Update patch notes!

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/5f5b8ecc7547f2b430c3d699eba5c32105122fb9.png)

Kessler update will be deployed on Thursday, December 21. Servers will be down from 2PM UTC/6AM PT until 3PM UTC/7AM PT. Servers will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.

For private servers:

Update your server and game client
Delete save files

New Features

Debris Fields are large orbital zones filled with deadly shrapnel and derelict remains of ships and stations.
All ships, stations and EVA characters have a chance to take damage while inside a debris field. Damage and chance are affected by the strength of a debris field.

There are two major sources of damage inside a debris field, shrapnel and derelicts.

Shrapnels have a percent chance to damage all ships, modules and EVA characters. EVA characters can take cover behind modules and ships to avoid getting hit.

Derelicts spawn with a percent chance and will fly roughly in the direction of any ships and modules present inside a debris field.

Derelicts will deal normal collision damage on impact.

Ships can maneuver out of the way to avoid being hit.

Ship emblems - players can now select an emblem for their ship or a command module from the security interface.

Self Destruct - players can choose to activate self destruct sequence on their ships and stations from the security interface.

Solar power module - a new module with four solar panels power to your stations.

Second pass of localization - Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Greek, Hungarian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish and Ukrainian languages have been added with the help of our community members on Hellion translation project.

Discord app integration - Hellion rich presence enabled for Discord users.

Major changes to Systems and Parts mechanics

Base power consumption - all modules/ships have a base power requirement in order to work. Power consuming systems and devices will not work if the module’s base power requirement is not met.
•   Base power requirement for all power consuming systems
•   Base power requirement for all panels
•   Base power requirement for turrets
•   Removed lights as subsystem (added to base consumption)


Systems no longer require parts in order to function. Parts now provide major bonuses to any system they are slotted in. To balance this and retain importance of parts throughout the game, basic values of all systems have been severely reduced.

- Part tiers implemented ranging from T1 (lowest) to T4 (highest)
- Catalysts are now used inside solar panels rather than servo motors
- Catalyst now improve power output
- Servo motors now reduce system’s power consumption
- Resource injectors reduce system’s resource consumption
- Core Containment now increases maximum capacitor storage
- CO2 Filters now eliminate O2 consumption of Air Filter
- Number of Warp Cells no longer determines available warp type
- Singularity Cell detonator now unlocks better warp types
- Air Processor part removed from the game
- EM Field Controller part removed from the game
- High Energy Laser part removed from the game
- Changed resource consumption of all systems to be fixed rather than dynamic
- Refining raw resources now takes time and consumes power
- Changed power consumption values of all modules and individual systems
- Changed resource consumption values of all systems
- Removed most parts from the starting scene

Warp Drive improvements - Warp Drive now consumes very little power when idle. Warping now requires a large amount of stored power from the ship’s Capacitor.

Warp 1 - 150.000
Warp 2 - 200.000
Warp 3 - 250.000


UI improvements


- Power supply interface changes and improvements
- Refinery interface changes and improvements
- Name-tags of players and ships on Helmet HUD
- Debris field indicators on Helmet HUD and Environmental monitors
- Players can see the orbits of ships and stations on which they have been authorized - meeting up with friends made a lot easier this way

Other Changes

- Degradation values reduced (x3)
- Repair point prioritization (collision damages exterior points first)
- Lower damage priority chance for offline systems
- Added storage shelves to Cargo Bay Module central platform
- Added turret slots to the interior and exterior of modules
- Repositioned main deck turret in ship and added another slot in cargo bay
- Cargo panel “Vent resources” function
- Added chance for parts to take damage when a system suffers damage
- Item tiers added to tooltip info
- Increased starting hull integrity of outpost and ship in the starting scene

Bug Fixes

- Scan not working after warping to another planet (not moon)
- Warping into objects
- Items health persistence
- Helmet radar target persists after destruction
- Entering wrong password for server can stuck game menu
- No effect when dying from 0 AQ   
- Scan not working after warping to another planet (not moon)   
- “Add crew” not working for online players on the same server   
- Cargo panel can't refill jetpack fully when its on 99%
- Home station button on nav map is active after home base was destroyed   
- Targets of docked modules not merging
- Refueling station tank naming is wrong
- Server crash when modules are docked in a circle
- Cannot re-pressurize cargo bay in ship
- Stuck on loading when on doomed outpost
- LSM Port B missing texture on geometry
- CM hallway doesn't change gravity
- Doomed Outpost items not spawning
- NavMap authorized vessels not showing when player and authorized vessel are not in the orbit of the same parent planet
- Decal missing in warp drive box
- Inventory can be opened on death screen after dead


Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on December 21, 2017, 08:25:27 PM
Kessler Update is now live!
HELLION - ZG_Rick

Greetings colonists!

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/5f5b8ecc7547f2b430c3d699eba5c32105122fb9.png)

Hellion was always a dangerous place. With Kessler Update, it became deadlier than ever before. A massive orbital debris fields are out there, waiting for you and your crew. Read the patch notes here. and get ready for a new round of space survival.

Good luck!
Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on December 31, 2017, 05:06:55 PM
Hellion, Survivor's Guide
22 DECEMBER - ZG_SMORTY

Welcome to Hellion colonist! This short guide will serve to help you get your bearings in the world of Hellion and extend your expected lifespan beyond the 15 minute mark.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/f3d21b1875bfe8d871fc5e3d3db5c5d24d054ed4.png)

What is known
1.   You have been sleeping for over a century.
2.   Initial colonization efforts proceeded as planned while you were asleep.
3.   At a certain point in time prior to your awakening the Hellion colonization project (also known as the Expedition) came to an abrupt halt due to still unknown factors.
4.   An armed conflict took place in the Hellion system.
5.   The fate of early Expedition personnel and the “Daedalus” flagship is unknown.
6.   Contact cannot be established with the UNE government or the corporate representatives of Altair Corporation, Skyline Defence Solutions and HADES Foundation.
7.   It is unclear if the distress signal was ever sent back to Sol.
8.   Odds of a rescue operation within the foreseeable future are close to zero.
9.   It is unknown how many other Expedition survivors are currently stranded in the Hellion system.

Waking up from a cryosleep can be a disorienting experience for seasoned veterans and new colonist alike, so take a moment to familiarize yourself with the interior of your Crew Quarters Module. Depending on your circumstances you might have to weather an orbital debris storm or two and repair your outpost before you can fully access all of its systems.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/71c698b80d9967a36b8f1497692341ffdd596f1f.jpg)

What to pay attention to
1.   Cryopod - always remember where you parked your character. Vacant cryopods in your base can be used by other survivors. Having a friend help you out is never a bad thing.
2.   Survival gear - always take a suit, a helmet and a full jetpack with you.
3.   Emergency equipment - fully loaded welder, fire extinguisher and a spare oxygen canister or two will greatly improve your odds of survival.
4.   Environmental monitors - check them out as they show you the current pressure, air quality and any problems that the station might be experiencing.
5.   Heads up Display - pay attention to your suits HUD at all times and watch out for hazards like fires, hull breaches and system malfunctions.
6.   Pressure hazards - in case of a hull breach or loss of atmosphere doors will not open automatically. Use manual override to open doors and make sure to grab onto the walls to avoid being knocked down or blown away by decompression.
7.   Main Systems - Power Supply, Life Support and Cargo are three main systems of any station.
8.   Power Supply Interface - allows you to manage different systems and balance out the base’s power output and consumption.
9.   Life Support Interface - provides air filtration and pressure regulation capabilities. All connected modules and their current status can be viewed from here.
10.   Cargo Interface - allows you to refuel your equipment as well as refine and manage vital resources necessary for survival. All connected modules, their system tanks and cargo holds can be accessed from this interface.
11.   Refinery - enables processing of raw materials into useful resources but consumes a lot of power while operational.
12.   Parts - provide massive bonuses for systems they are attached to and can greatly reduce system operating costs. Keep an eye out for higher tier parts and don’t be afraid to swap out parts from one system to the other depending on the situation.
Priority for any Expedition survivor should be to restore full life support capabilities to their outpost by repairing any hull breaches and damaged systems. In case you have to go out into EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) to repair any external hull breaches or malfunctioning solar panels you should remember the basics of navigation in zero gravity.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/8f96292cecd6eba560c0e6c8cdf9f0ea31aab5a8.jpg)

How to survive in the vacuum of space
1.   Airlocks - are the only modules that can be used to enter or exit a space station without venting precious atmosphere. Docking an airlock to your outpost is paramount for conserving resources.
2.   Decompression - occurs when atmosphere is vented into space. If you do not have access to a working airlock remember to use manual override to seal off corridors and sections of your base to minimize loss of atmosphere when going EVA.
3.   Jetpack - is the most important piece of space gear as it allows you to maneuver in the vacuum of space. Without a working jetpack you slowly quickly drift away and suffocate. Jetpack also contains your suits oxygen, power and fuel supply.
4.   Acceleration - occurs constantly while thrusting in any direction.
5.   Inertia - countering is vital to effectively move in the hard vacuum of space as all motion is perpetual since there is no air friction to slow you down. If you thrust forward for 3 seconds you will need to thrust backwards for 3 seconds in order to stop your movement.
6.   Fuel conservation - will help you survive for longer. Use inertia to your advantage when crossing large distances.
7.   Collision - in space can be extremely dangerous depending on the relative speed of two objects. Pay attention to your directional speed indicators and avoid colliding with other objects when moving faster than 5 m/s.
8.   Stabilize - your rotation by using jetpack or grab onto the hull of nearby modules to stop your motion.

By now you should have a solid grasp of your situation. Salvage what you can from the surrounding modules and start making preparations for moving your outpost from its current position as its orbit frequently passes through one of Bethyr’s debris fields. In order to accomplish this you will need to refine some resources, repair the ship outside of your outpost and learn the basics of ship navigation.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/a920804d410793c74844002abce0be82957545f9.jpg)

The ship functions much like your outpost having both the Power Supply and Life Support systems. In addition to two auxiliary solar panels the ship is also equipped with a small fusion reactor, powerful engines and a warp drive FTL (Faster Than Light) system. But before you access the pilot chair, make sure to authorize yourself as the ship’s captain using the security interface panel.

Due to immense distances between planets and moons most ships rely solely on FTL for travel between locations. While engines can be used to cross large distances they remain inferior to the warp drive.

Remember that your ship can only carry a single module at a time. In order to move your outpost to a safer location you will first need to detach individual modules by using docking levers inside the connecting corridors. Then grapple a detached module using the ships docking interface. Once a module is safely grappled by your ship you can start plotting a warp jump by using the NavMap.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/d6de7e9886fe4cd3fe88a503dff470f83bd00495.jpg)

Navigation and Scanning tips
1.   NavMap - shows your current orbit and position in the Hellion system.
2.   Ship scanner - is the only way to accurately locate distant objects. Scanner has a limited range so change your orbit and scan again from a different location.
3.   Locations - of nearby scanned objects will show as points of interest on your map along with their orbital trails.
4.   Derelicts - are ruined modules and an excellent source of equipment, parts and other gear.
5.   Modules - are the building blocks of space stations. They can be towed with your ship and docked to your outpost.
6.   Asteroids - can be mined for raw resources to replenish your fuel reserves, oxygen and other resources.
7.   Debris Fields - are large orbital zones filled with deadly shrapnel and derelict modules. Try to avoid them whenever possible. If you decide to enter one of these fields on purpose make sure your ship is in good condition and that you have sufficient resources for emergency repairs.
8.   Warp drive - maneuvers require warp cells and sufficient power in the ship’s capacitor to execute.
9.   Distance - plays an important role in setting up a maneuver and directly affects warp cell fuel consumption.
10.   Collision - with a planet or a moon will always be fatal so make sure the line connecting your current location and desired destination is clear of any planets/moons. You may need to adjust your departure and arrival times, or execute an additional warp maneuver to get clear.
11.   Interplanetary travel - requires an improved warp core also known as a “Singularity Cell Detonator”. Better cores will allow you to use faster warp.
12.   Planetary zones - all planets and moons belong to either Civilian, Industrial or Military zones. Each zone holds specific items, upgrades and modules.

After completing your first few warp maneuvers, mining some raw resources and looting a derelict or two you should be confident enough to deal with anything Hellion throws your way. Just remember to upgrade your systems with better parts when you find them and add additional modules to your outpost. The ship may have most of the systems to keep you alive but it will not allow you to refine raw resources. Same can be said about your starting outpost, although it has all of the systems necessary for survival they are inferior to specialized modules like a dedicated life support or a cargo bay refining system.

Finally never forget that you are not the only survivor out there. You will come across others. How you choose to interact with them is up to you but it never hurts to be armed appropriately or have a sentry or two to protect your station while you are away.

Good luck colonist! Let’s hope you won’t need it.

Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on December 31, 2017, 05:07:47 PM
Let's Play - Kessler Update
30 DECEMBER   - ZG_RICK

What’s up colonists? Are you feeling lost? Uncertain of what you should do or where to go? Are you worried about those debris fields? Whatever you do, just don’t panic! Our new Let’s Play Series is going to answer all of those questions and more!

This first video covers the basics and explains everything a new player needs to know once they wake up from a century long cryosleep! From basic controls and zero-g movement to warp maneuvers and custom orbits, we got you covered!

https://youtu.be/kRI0jD0acYI
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on February 12, 2018, 12:52:16 PM
Development Process Update
1 FEBRUARY   - ZG_RICK

Hello Colonists,

It’s been a while since our last post and we have a lot to share with you. Today we’ll talk about the work we’ve done over the past month and what you can expect in the next Hellion update.


(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/4fef49d8de3d301114315f1e5b0fd7ebc749a526.jpg)

Development


Let’s start with the important news first, migration to Unity 2017 version. Our developers have successfully resolved all the conflicts that are simply inevitable when updating the game engine. Now our team is fully focused on stability and optimization, which remain our main task.

Apart from the general gameplay and code optimization we are also working on optimizing the modules which will result in higher frame rates. This will also eliminate a lot of problems many players have been experiencing, since framerate drop is one of the major sources of most known bugs. Improvements to collision models, geometry and light setup are all part of this process. We have also put a lot of effort into the net code optimization in order to improve server-client communication which is expected to reduce or eliminate many of the desync issues.

There is a large list of resolved bugs. One of the most annoying, the “Elevator bug” was successfully sorted out, so no more “stuck in the middle of your ship”.

Most of these improvements will find their way into the next update which is expected to see the light of Hellion before the end of February. Those that are not included will require some additional testing time and will be implemented shortly after.


New Update


What to expect? First of all, a plethora of bug fixes and game improvements. We won’t go into details here, since they will all be listed in the patch notes.

We continue importing community made images for in-game customization. If you want to see your artwork in game, do not hesitate and send your art to community@zerogravitygames.com.

Since we’ve decided to focus on optimization, we had to slightly adjust our roadmap[trello.com]. In terms of new gameplay mechanics, we had made a decision to push Heat and Radiation further back in favor of a mechanic that many of you wanted from day one - crafting.

Define what you need for your station improvement, get in your ship and go on a salvage run. Find scrap materials and turn them into something useful. We are very excited about this one and expect crafting to become one of the backbone features in the future.

Next on the list are the improvements to the Life Support system. These changes are in line with the Power Supply rework and should round up base building and maintenance aspects of gameplay where you upgrade individual systems in order to improve the performance and functionality of your base as a whole.

This is just an overview of our latest activity which we wanted to share with you. If you are interested in more details, visit our roadmap[trello.com] and check the latest changes. During the following weeks we’ll go into details about all of the new game mechanics you can expect in the next update.


Until then, fly safe,

Zero Gravity team

Road map: https://trello.com/b/IB3hepnV/hellion-road-map-phase-one
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on February 12, 2018, 12:54:45 PM
Craftwork Update Preview, Part I
8 FEBRUARY   - ZG_RICK

What’s up survivors, is Hellion treating you alright? Today we bring you the first part of the “Craftwork” update preview. This blog will focus on improvements coming to Life Support system, airlock mechanics and security.

Ok, so lets start with the Life Support system. As you all know, life support is responsible for maintaining normal breathing conditions on board your ships and stations. In order to work properly it requires power and a supply of refined resources (oxygen and nitrogen). So far life support worked with little or no input from the players leaving them with very few options when it came to base management, usually boiling down to: leave it ON, or turn it OFF.

We’ve put a lot of thought into redesigning and changing the way LS works and have done a complete overhaul of the life support UI to bring it in line with the recent changes to the power supply interface.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/5d5d3e40aee9e8d04175eb81be8a47bb7569968c.jpg)

One major improvement to the LS mechanics is the way game handles air itself. Instead of being a magical substance inside your modules that you have very limited control over, air is now treated as an entirely new resource. Once you turn on the Air Generator it will start mixing oxygen and nitrogen to create breathable air and safely store it inside the life support’s “air tank”. Since this tank is accessible from the cargo screen, you can freely transfer air between different air tanks and cargo holds. In case you want the resources back, you can use the refinery to have it broken down into nitrogen and oxygen once again. While different air tanks store air individually, LS interface will show the combined air tank value for all connected LS systems, in the same way multiple capacitors are handled.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/f88ebfb2e724b38c78f3782705656b26c7cade4f.jpg)

Second important thing is how much information and control players have over the atmosphere in their stations. The new LS interface now displays all relevant information for each system and module connected to the base. This information includes output, information about parts, power and resource consumption, as well as volume information, pressure and air quality per room.

Another big change is that pressurization is no longer an automatic process tied to the Air Generator sub-system. In order to pressurize a room, players have to simply click the Pressurize option for each room from the UI. So, no more wasting precious nitrogen on that cargo bay just because you forgot to turn off the air generator. And before some of you start raging about manually pressurizing individual rooms, you can click on multiple rooms and let the LS do its task while you deal with other things.

In addition to the “pressurize” option, players can now also choose to “depressurize” and “vent” individual rooms. Note that depressurizing the room will return the air back into the air tank. So in case you don’t have enough resources to pressurize an entire station you can depressurize any module you do not find necessary and pressurize those that you visit frequently. Or use the life support module as a makeshift airlock.


Airlock changes


Speaking of airlocks we’ve also done a number on how they work and more importantly how fast they work. Airlocks now require a functional life support system and access to the life support air tank in order to work. Once you choose to depressurize an airlock, the air will be returned to the main life support air tank. In addition, all airlocks have received a considerable boost to their air cycling speed, reducing the waiting time considerably when moving in and out.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/f0c8d01169c57af4bdb00f11ea5ef6c0be3db1a5.jpg)

Part of this change is the removal of the infamous “elevator airlock” that caused much grief to our players. The elevator is now just that: an elevator. All airlock functions have been delegated to the cargo airlock that now works considerably faster than before.


Security improvements


With the improvements to the Power Supply system, a number of problems related to base security came to light and changing the way security works became necessary. First major change we implemented was to tie all interface panels to the central security system.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/fcc374d9a5f9a090c6c7f2b204f6c73a8bdf430b.jpg)

With this simple change any unauthorized personnel will be blocked from accessing your base or ship systems. Keep in mind that this works only for systems that are actually linked to the security interface. If a module such as power supply or life support isn’t connected to the command module, anyone will be able to access it. If, however you run across an abandoned ship, or a command module that by default has a security interface, you will need to authorize yourself before gaining access to any system panels.

Another improvement was to change the command module into a proper nerve center of your base as its name implies. Once you have obtained a command module you will be able to access any of the connected systems from its command deck.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/0bfdf85c5e3d948cd822633ca7d470caf3bab90f.jpg)

And last but not least we had decided to block outside access to all maintenance shafts in order to prevent intruders from simply bypassing all locked doors and going straight to the command module.

Finally, if all goes well during the testing phase you can expect the “Craftworks” update to hit live servers on March 1, 2018. That’s all for this blog, join us next week for the second part of the update preview when we go into the depths of the crafting system.


Fly safe,
Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on February 18, 2018, 08:33:17 PM
Craftwork Update Preview, Part II
15 FEBRUARY   - ZG_RICK

Welcome back survivors! Ready for Craftwork preview, Part 2? Alright! Then let’s dive into the crafting system that was only mentioned in our last post. Reminder: Craftwork Update is coming out on March 1, 2018.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/56324b2d3309ea9c9b0b1a2e910754ba3f8a8f65.jpg)

Why crafting?

Player progression in Hellion always felt a bit off, especially since the rework of the entire system mechanics and the introduction of new parts. While searching for the right parts and modules is certainly fun, failing to find that one part you really need due to RNG can be a frustrating experience. In order to lessen the RNG impact on gameplay we resorted to scattering a large number of parts and equipment throughout the derelicts and modules to ensure that players can easily find them once they’ve reached a certain zone.

While this made it easier for new players to obtain gear and upgrades it also created an overabundance of high tier parts and items for players who knew where to go and what to look for.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/7a39a36c791b88620974f77cee7131031d52ae94.jpg)

Another problem with the aforementioned system was that building and upgrading your base added little to the gameplay experience as it was almost completely disconnected from the core loop. In terms of improving your parts and equipment, a fully built base provides absolutely no benefit over the starting outpost.

We aim to change that with the introduction of crafting mechanics. Giving players the ability to craft exactly what they need means that they would no longer be at the mercy of RNG when it comes to upgrading their gear. However we do not want to remove the element of surprise and excitement when you do find something you weren’t expecting.

As an example, having multiple EVA helmets and jetpacks is useless until you find the suit and finding more of them just adds to the frustration. With the introduction of crafting, finding any piece of the EVA gear becomes meaningful since you will have one less item to craft. And in case you find multiple pieces that you do not need, you can break them down in order to craft the parts required to complete the set.

Needless to say this will also remove or at least severely reduce the odds of you running out of Warp Cells.

Immersion

Another issue we’ve had with the crafting system was its immersion. Simply combining some electronic parts with spare plastic by hand isn’t enough to give you a cellphone, not to mention a functional part for a futuristic spaceship. That meant that the standard and intuitive crafting system “combine item A with item B to get item C” was out of the question. We needed a system that would tie in with the rest of the game’s mechanic while also looking realistic and immersive. So... How are things made in the 24th century when you find yourself stranded almost a thousand lightyears from Earth?

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/c0b09b8174f3ffa92cacae47eed0609c8cfd0c22.jpg)

Glad you asked! Introducing the Altair Corporation’s mobile manufacturing system: the AltCorp Fabricator Module ™ . This scaled-down fabrication unit comes with a large storage space, integrated cargo hold and a state of the art production unit that combines latest advancements in CNC technology with industrial 3D printing solutions. To further complement the system each AltCorp Fabricator Module ™ also features a dedicated Recycling Unit that is capable of breaking down any on-site items into base components that can be used to craft whatever is necessary.

Crafting Mechanics

As we’ve mentioned earlier, our goal with crafting was to close the core gameplay loop. In order to craft any items players will first have to gain access to the Fabricator module. This can be done in two ways: by flying to one of the premade stations and using their refining and fabrication facilities, or by attaching the fabricator module to your base. Since manufacturing items and parts is rather energy intensive you might want to upgrade your power output, or at least ensure that you have enough power stored in the capacitor.

The second part involves obtaining sufficient crafting materials by salvaging them off of various derelicts. This will require you to first strip derelicts and modules of any valuables and then use the fabricators Recycling Unit to break them down into crafting components.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/a666c3f61cbed4a16de77e1d6be08b1d3b6a09d7.jpg)

In addition to regular items and parts that you will still be able to find, we are introducing a new type of item: salvage. These “parts” will be exclusive to derelict modules and will yield a high amount of crafting components when recycled, as opposed to standard items that will yield only a fraction of their production cost. Location and “danger level” of the zone will affect the number of salvageable items as well as the composition of crafting materials that you get out of recycling.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/176c13ddd9f0061153e455882f0b9ef6988915e9.jpg)

New crafting resources include alloys, carbon fibers and circuits. Alloys are fairly plentiful in all zones and represent the most basic crafting resource. Carbon fibers are somewhat less common but most basic items won’t require a large amount of them. Finally circuits are pretty rare and never needed in large quantities. In addition to crafting resources, certain items (like Warp Cells) will also require a substantial amount of refined resources.

With all the changes coming in this update we had to make some improvements to the Cargo Interface to make room for the new crafting system and to make using and transferring resources faster and easier to understand.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/beb3dfc428e13de9f751f3e3bfc123b6984ec039.jpg)

Finally, this weekend on Steam Store: enjoy a 25% Hellion discount while celebrating Lunar New Year!

Set your mind on the Moon and fly safe,

Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on February 26, 2018, 08:41:27 PM
Hellion - One Year Anniversary!
24 FEBRUARY   - ZG_RICK

Hello everyone!

Today is a very special day for Hellion, as it marks its birthday, so to speak. Exactly one year ago, Hellion embarked on its journey on Steam Early Access. It is said that every great journey changes you and Hellion was no exception. The game had changed a lot during the past 12 months and we want to make a short retrospective about these changes.

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/c5bdf7de3baa59c8c5e3e14ed7f4d8849ddb55ca.jpg)

No one can deny that Hellion had a rocky launch day on February 24th, 2017. Its rusty feel, scarry environment and unforgiving gameplay weren’t for everyone and bumpy warp jumps certainly didn’t help much. That’s why the Zero Gravity crew did everything we could to improve the experience and make it more comfortable in the following days. We’ve seen many mechanics change and improve, user interface getting better and a lot of new features. Hellion saw nineteen updates since then, with the twentieth coming out next week.

After a year of orbiting around planets and moons, with thousands of “crashes into planets”, millions of looted stations and tons of oxygen used up, there is one thing that we as the developers consider the game’s greatest achievement - the Hellion Community. You guys, you are incredible! We had always hoped to get quality feedback from the community, but this became something more than that. This is an example of cooperation between devs and players. Everyday we read your bug reports, we talk about your suggestions and ideas and we watch your streams and videos.

We hope to continue and improve this relationship moving forward and let Hellion adapt, grow and evolve into a great game, one that we all love and want to play. Thank you all very much for this wonderful year!

Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/hellion
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 01, 2018, 07:51:37 PM
Craftwork Update Patch Notes
HELLION - ZG_Rick

What’s up everyone? The wait is over and the Craftwork Update is upon us and with it the next major feature of Hellion: Crafting! Along with being able to build parts, suits, weapons, etc the new update comes with a myriad of improvements to basic systems, user interface as well as a large number of bug fixes and quality of life improvements.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/7bdd1914e1fc8593034a36e2860ad774b120821e.jpg)

Craftwork Update will be deployed today (Thursday, March 1). Servers will be down from 5PM UTC/9AM PT until 6PM UTC/10AM PT. Servers will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.

For private servers:

Update your server and game client
Delete save files

New Features


Crafting mechanic - starting with the Craftwork update players will have the option of crafting any piece of equipment in the game, from parts and warp cells to suits and turrets. Crafting is only possible from the new Fabricator module and requires new crafting resources alloys, carbon fibers and circuits as well as old refined resources.
•   Crafting resources can be obtained by placing existing items in the Fabricator’s recycling unit. Note that recycling items will yield only a fraction of their manufacturing cost.
•   New “scrap items” added. These items can only be found on derelicts and will yield a high amount of crafting resources when recycled.
•   Fabricator module added to the game

Volumetric Lighting - volumetric lights option can be toggled on/off from the options menu.

Major system improvements


Major improvements to airlocks, life support system, cargo interface and the security interface.
•   Air added as a new resource. Air can be transferred between cargo holds and can be refined back into Oxygen and Nitrogen when needed.
•   Air Tank storage added to the life support system. This tank serves as storage for pressurizing and depressurizing rooms and airlocks.
•   Air Generator now produces air that is immediately stored inside the air tank.
•   All rooms can now be pressurized/depressurized or vented from the LS interface.
•   Players will now start suffocating when the Air Quality in a room reaches 20% instead of 0. Interface panels have been updated to account for these changes.
•   CO2 filters now completely eliminate oxygen consumption of the Air Filter but slowly degrade with use.
•   Airlocks now operate much faster and require a working life support to operate. Without space in the Air Tank or a working life support players will only have the option to override the airlock and vent the air.
•   Changed the cargo interface to be in line with the visual changes to the -
Power Supply and Life Support interface.
•   Nitrogen Minerals renamed to Nitrates, Heavy Ice replaced with Regolith and Deuterium replaced with Helium-3.
•   Changed all resource icons for improved visibility.
•   Adding Command module to your base will now prevent unauthorized personnel from accessing any of the system panels.
•   Locked all outside maintenance shaft hatches to prevent players from bypassing locked doors.
•   Added Life Support and Power Supply interface panels to the Command Module.

Propulsion changes
•   Warp with multiple modules. Up to 3 docked modules can now be moved at once at the cost of increased Warp Cell consumption (x2, x3, x4).
•   Ship engines can now properly be used to change orbits of docked stations.

User Interface Improvements
•   Added “Join Hellion on Discord” option to the game menu
•   Added Gamepedia link to the game menu
•   Added UI tooltips on hover for all interface panels
•   Added UI tooltips for interaction points (switches, leavers, attach points, etc.)
•   Added System Information help screens for all System Interface Panels
•   Added new tutorial triggers and messages to the starting scene
•   Replaced old loading messages with “gameplay tips”
•   Other improvements
•   Warp drive changes
•   Door UI Decal improvement
•   Different Post effects for map camera and player camera
•   Helmet visor glass effect as post effect
•   Removed airlock from ship’s elevator
•   Localization improvements missing strings
•   Elevator Indication Decals
•   Anti Aliasing selection in options
•   Item tooltips for recycled resources yield
•   Environmental monitor added to cryopod
•   CQM module scene and light optimization
•   Ship shelf attach points improvement
•   Borderless window
•   Helmet UI improvement
•   Added tooltips on/off in options
•   Changed pressure value for all found modules to 0
•   Power Supply light optimization
•   Command Module light optimization
•   Life Support light optimization
•   Output_log.txt transferred to (C:\Users\USER\AppData\LocalLow\ZeroGravity\HELLION\output_log.txt)

Bugfixes
•   Server client communication after login problem preventing players from equipping helmets
•   Pressure hazard not showing up on doors in certain cases
•   Different ship solar panel malfunction values for input and output
•   Helmet radar showing premade stations as multiple modules instead of a single station
•   CBM extinguisher attach points in wrong positions
•   Turrets losing animations when power is turned off and on
•   Keyboard options reverted after client reset
•   Power supply power source list scroll not working
•   Stuck on connecting to main server when choosing Russian language
•   Post effects not applying when loading settings
•   Wrong CBM refining and power consumption values
•   Missing hotkeys for EVA suit
•   Double confirmation popup when changing game Quality
•   Invert mouse option not working
•   Stuck at "connecting to invite" screen
•   Unusable shelf in the CQM module
•   English typos present in rescue ship functionality
•   Station not allowing docking and targeted module list showing Outpost only
•   Ship cannot warp when grappled to another ship
•   Using any control panel with item under the character, causes take off as in zero gravity
•   Server list - connect button icon overlapping with connect button border
•   Environmental panels showing red air quality values when player is not in any danger
•   Ship changing position on match velocity
•   Jetpack resource consumption problem, Oxygen and Power not used when decimal number is left in the tank
•   Inverted commands when moving more then one docked module
•   Outpost corridor A gravity not changing after undocking
•   Stations showing up as individual "invisible" undocked modules on radar.
•   Ship Docking Port still Glows after Docking to AM
•   ALT+TAB while in Cryopod disables Mouse Control


Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 01, 2018, 07:52:46 PM
Craftwork Update is Now Live!
HELLION - ZG_Rick

It’s time to warm up those warp drives and set course for the nearest industrial zone. Debris fields and dangerous orbits should pose no problem for the experienced space survivors looking to get their hands on some prime salvage and a chance to find a brand new… ehm... Slightly less banged up Fabricator module.


(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/cf92017e62387e2911f5a5ce4f68640788b06db5.jpg)

Your feedback is of great importance for the development of Hellion. That’s why we’ve installed a new feedback tracker which can be accessed here: http://feedback.zerogravitygames.com/

Before submitting your ideas, be sure to follow the instructions: {LINK REMOVED}

Also, we invite you to join Hellion community on Discord: https://discord.gg/hellion


Fly safe,
Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 07, 2018, 08:19:12 PM
Rise And Fall Of Never Never Land
2 MARCH   - ZG_RICK

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/quGamgod4Fs
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 10, 2018, 11:30:53 PM
Hello colonists,

We have hotfix ready for Craftwork update. Thank you all for the much appreciated feedback. Deployment starts in 15 minutes. Servers will be down for maintenance from 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM GMT. There will be no server wipe. Have a nice weekend!


Server stuff

In order to improve server stability, we’ve decided to implement “regular server restarts”. Servers will automatically reboot at the eight hour mark. You can always check the time until next reboot by pressing ESC while in game.

Main server infrastructure was upgraded to improve connection to the main server.


Visual improvements

- Lights improvement in all corridor modules, airlock module and SPM module
- Scrap spawn points color change, from blue to red to make spotting a scrap item (most of them glow blue) a bit easier.


Loot distribution changes

- Fixed the spawn rule issue present in the original Craftwork update. As a result all items should now properly spawn at their designated locations.

- New and improved loot system implemented based on community feedback.
- Greatly increased the amount of regular and scrap items that can be obtained by looting modules and derelicts

Few days will be necessary for all changes to fully take effect since we are not wiping servers. During this period you might expect issues while recycling “old” (pre patch) items: they will yield no crafting resources.


Refinery adjustments

Ice refines into: Hydrogen (60%) + Oxygen (30%)
Dry Ice refines into: Oxygen (70%)
Regolith refines into: He-3 (20%)
Nitrates refine into: Nitrogen (75%) + Nitro (20%)

CBM: capacity set to 1000, nominal power consumption set to 3000, processing time set to 300
Outpost: capacity set to 100, nominal power consumption set to 500, processing time set to 180


Gameplay improvements (based on community feedback)

•   Derelicts - Reduced Decay Rate and increased HP (should make derelicts more durable and less prone to sudden explosions)
•   Warp cell crafting ingredients change
- Increased alloy and carbon fiber requirements
- Removed circuits requirements


Bug fixes

[FIXED] Security panel loses authorization when player warps away and gets back
[FIXED] Mouse invert not working
[FIXED] Air cycling becomes faster after docking modules
[FIXED] Ship interior colliders
[FIXED] Carbon Filters missing from Fabricator crafting list
[FIXED] Lower-right large items shelf in fabricator not working properly
[FIXED] _ApplyRoughness being printed in log because of missing decal in CBM Dock A
[FIXED] Asteroid A002 collider problem
[FIXED] Character falls through when two CBMs are docked to each other via large doors
[FIXED] Can not undock ship from CBM IC dock port
[FIXED] Alloys and Carbon Fibers ingredients switched
[FIXED] Air filter power consumption being multiplied when more then one is working
[FIXED] Recycling scrap after server restart is not working


Fly safe,
Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 25, 2018, 03:02:02 AM
Catastrophic Disruption, Part One
HELLION - ZG_Rick

The story of Hellion begins to unfold...

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/92ccb6fc07da71e2974ba79317496ce5b2a4ae7e.png)

"At first we relied on chance and opportunity as we looked for our place among the stars.
Today, we shape the universe and create our own destiny."
Excerpt from Daedalus launch ceremony - UNS Admiral Sandi, Earth April 11th 2292

'Sam how are we doing?', James spoke into the commlink.
'Almost there, darling', Samantha said with a playful voice.
She's totally enjoying this. Smile crossed his face as external cameras showed Sam effortlessly maneuver the new engine unit into place. 'Just checking, dear. Here's the last piece.'

He maneuvered the ship a bit closer, waited for a few secs until she gave him an OK and then pulled the undock leaver.

'Richard, Sam's nearly finished. How are things on your end?'
'So far so good. I'm doing the final system check right now. You guys want to stick around for a test drive?'
'Only if you stop referring to me as guys,' Sam barged into the commlink.
'Yea sorry about that ma'am...'
'It's the suit, Sam.', James laughed. 'You can't really blame him.'

It's been little over a year since captain James woke up from his 80 year long cryosleep. James, along with his wife Samantha and a handful of colleagues like Richard, was part of Hellion's "Stage one" deployment team. The station they were assembling, was part of the "Hecaton" project, a large asteroid capture operation in the outer belts. Post 6 was just one of many such installations, built to insert massive ore rich asteroids into stable orbits around Hellion's most promising gas giants.

'We're good to go!', Sam said as she locked the final piece of the engine puzzle in place.
'Ok, head on back. I'm coming to pick you up. Richard, all done on our end!'
'Sure thing. I'm starting the ignition sequence in five. Make sure you are both clear of the blast zone!'

James maneuvered his "Steropes" closer to Sam's position and began depressurizing the airlock. The Steropes class was considerably smaller and much more maneuverable compared to its big brother Arges, but no less capable at assembly and transport. Due to its small size, captains had to plan ahead and economize with available resources to get the most out of their ship. Fortunately he had no problem with this, but many of his colleagues would have preferred the larger and ""safer" Arges. James, Samantha and Richard were among the first Expedition personnel to wake up and for a good reason. An expert pilot, a brilliant EVA specialist and an engineering prodigy.


'Guys! There's some kind of a...', Richard's voice was cut short by a powerful wave of static and the sound of alarms going off all over the place.

For a moment the ship's instruments went dark, then the alarms started ringing. Even without the noise James could see what was going on. Only one of the asteroid's four engines was activating. The engines were embedded deep into the asteroid's rock layer and were made to work in pairs. With only one, the place would tear itself apart. Sam was still outside and he was forced to only watch as the entire asteroid slowly spun out of control. Then all he could see was a huge expanding cloud of dust, fire and smoke.

James counted to three and fired all starboard thrusters, he prayed that was enough for her to get in. Dammit! He narrowly avoided a head on collision with a massive chunk of rock but didn't have enough time to escape one of the engine support beams that came behind it. The impact sent the ship spinning out of control as the canopy cracked and the breach alarms sounded. Bringing the ship under control while trying to move them away from the incoming debris was no small feat and ship took several more hits before it was out of harm's way. As soon as he deemed it safe, James jumped out of his chair and lowered his visor.

'Sam!' Are you ok? Sam!' He found her slumped against the airlock wall, her helmet cracked. His heart skipped a beat. 'Don't do that to me girl!', he yelled as he pulled her into the prep room. A quick glance over the monitor confirmed he could take off her helmet. 15 minutes of air left, not good! He checked her pulse and pulled a stim out of his pack. Work you damn thing, work! When he felt her shift in his arms he let out a sigh of relief. Longest damn minute of my life!

Well hi there…', her eyes slowly opened.
'Damn it Sam!', he tightened his grip. 'You had me scared shitless! Are you ok?'
'Ouch! Easy there, I hurt all over…', she gasped. 'My suit stopped most of it, I think.'
'You hit your head. Can you stand?' She gave a small nod and he helped her to her feet.
'What the hell happened out there Jim? All I heard was alarms going off, then there was a flash…'
'Something went wrong with the engine sequence, only one of them fired.'
'Only one?', her eyes went wide. 'What about the station, what about Richard!?'
'I don't know yet.', he looked away. 'I barely got the ship out of harm's way.'
She noticed his hesitation and grabbed his hand. 'You did the best you could! Now lets see what the two of us can do.'
James raised his head and looked at her. Shock, pain and confusion were gone from her eyes and she stood there calm and confident, as always.
'You sure you want to go back out there?'
She threw him a smug smile. 'Why? You know someone better?

Within seconds he was back in the pilot seat. Their radar was acting up, several starboard thrusters and the main comms array were severely damaged. Three hull breaches in total and a piece of shrapnel lodged in one of the capacitor banks. Could have been worse, he thought.
The two functioned like clockwork, James routed what little air remained back into the air-tank and tweaked the systems to draw less power then went to work on the capacitor. By the time he finished, she was done fixing the hull and got 3 out of 5 thrusters working. James got back into his chair and started looking for Post 6.

'Sam better get back in your seat. This is gonna be a rough ride. We have a runaway asteroid to catch!'

Catching up proved to be a lot more difficult than James initially thought. The asteroid was spinning violently and already falling apart under pressure, sending wave after wave of debris into space. As James took a dive beneath one of the larger ice chunks a storm of smaller fragments crashed against the cracked canopy. With his radar damaged, and several thrusters barely working it turned into a rigged game of dodgeball or a space version of Russian roulette. Finally, he saw an opening.

'Richard was in the command module right?'
'I think so, why?'
'Because I'm gonna use that cargo as cover!'

James added more strength to the thrusters and went straight towards the next ice wave. He reached the module's shadow with a second to spare, dove beneath it just as a huge chunk of ice crashed against the massive doors and burned towards the rocky surface. We made it!

'Hell! I think I just aged 30 years!', James breathed out a sigh of relief.
'Wouldn't that make you...What? Like 140?', he heard Sam say from her seat.

James threw her a quick glance and caught her pale smile through the visor. He laughed and turned towards Post 6. He got them closer to the surface and avoided large cracks and the shrapnel they were spewing. As the station's remains came into view James remembered why he liked Steropes so much. The stunt they've just pulled? It would have been impossible with Arges. Better armor would have come in handy for sure, but it would make little difference if they got hit by even one of the larger chunks. Not to mention that its size would have made using cargo for cover all but pointless. James tightened his grip on the controls and moved towards the command module.
Post 6 was in bad shape. With the exception of the cargo bay most modules were still connected, but severely damaged. The station was anchored near the asteroid's center of mass, which let it avoid most of the G forces that were tearing the asteroid apart but that couldn't protect it from the explosion and debris. There were holes everywhere, and the entire side facing the crater left by the malfunctioning engine was scorched.

'...can anyone hear me. I repeat, James, Sam is anyone still there?', Richard's voice came on the radio, but it was weak, very weak.
'Can't we answer?', Sam asked. Worried look on her face.
'No. Our transmitter is busted and there is too much interference for short range radio.'
'Ok. Get close and look for a place to dock. Once I'm in the station I should be able to reach him.'
'Just be careful, alright?', James barely managed a smile.
'Aren't I always?', with that she went to the airlock.

James got them as close as possible and could see her dive straight to the surface. The entire landscape looked eerie, almost like a slow motion scene from a horror movie. A thick layer of ice dust enveloped the surface like a cloud, obscuring razor sharp edges beneath while the larger rocks slowly bounced back and forth as the land shifted. At the corner of his eye he could see a figure fearlessly darting through that frozen hell towards the command module tower. And then she disappeared inside. A thousand things could go wrong there in an instant, but James pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on flying. He noticed an exposed docking port further from the command module, near one of the broken airlocks and moved in to dock.
Docking itself was a bit harder than usual, with all the circular motion to compensate for, but James was not ready for what followed. The moment docking clamps closed and the vessels connected a violent shudder shook the ship, then another, and another. All followed by sounds of breaking rock, torn metal and cracking ice. If there is a hell, I think we've found its soundtrack. Comms were filled with nothing but static with no trace of either Richard or Sam. He waited for what seemed like an eternity when the hellish cacophony of the outside got interrupted by the static from the suit's radio. It was Sam.

'James, can you hear me?'
'Sam! I hear you but barely. Did you find him?'
'I did, but it's not good James…', her voice was trembling. 'You have to come down here…'


End of part I
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 25, 2018, 03:02:37 AM
Steropes
HELLION - ZG_Rick

Altair Corporation Steropes is a small and maneuverable industrial craft designed for heavy lifting and transport duties. Perfect for exploration, salvage and mining operations.

(http://cdn.edgecast.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/068e11b78e66411242d718c2d9a6cf6bc3454c3d.jpg)

Get ready!


Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Attila on March 25, 2018, 08:12:58 AM
Cool new ship in the super hardcore game :)
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on April 03, 2018, 04:35:23 PM
A Catastrophic Disruption - Part 2
30 MARCH   - ZG_RICK

After finally getting into the station James wasn’t sure what to make of it. There was far more structural damage than he had expected and multiple scorch marks all over the place. Furthermore the station was in zero-g and full lockdown. The only reason he and Sam managed to get in was because the integrity had weakened enough to let them break open a few doors. Richard was locked inside one of the few still operational cryopods of the Life Support module. He looked like he’d been through hell. His suit was in shambles, multiple lacerations and punctures. It all looked like it was held by internal seals alone. At a glance James could identify several serious injuries. Punctured lung, broken leg and several broken ribs, judging by the suit damage. Still what made him pause was Richard’s right arm, scorched all the way to the elbow seals, his charred fingers still clenched around a small black object.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/edf6ff534bb99dbadee8f7ecfd5946d81fa26748.png)

‘‘What the hell happened here Sam?’
‘I’m not sure…This, this is just insane.’
‘Any way we can get him out?’
‘I don’t think so’, Sam said with a sigh. ‘That cryo is the only thing keeping him alive. If we open it’, there was a pause in her voice. ‘He’d be dead in minutes…’
‘So, we need think of something else...’

A violent shudder shook the entire station and James had to grab onto an exposed girder to avoid being thrown away. He could feel the steel structure straining beneath his fingers as several large cracks appeared before his eyes. He looked over at Sam who likewise held on to a nearby wall and used thrusters to stabilize herself.

‘Jim, the entire place is about to fall apart. We need to get him out of here.’
‘I know, give me a second.’ James’ eyes turned to one of the still working monitors. ‘Integrity is failing. No way we can tow him with us.’ His eyes darted back and forth across the room. ‘Is there a chance we can cut him out?’
‘The cryo? I don’t know, maybe. But without power and life support it won’t work.’
‘There’s got to be something we can try’, James let go of the girder. ‘I’ll head to command and see if there’s something I can do about the lockdown. You go outside and see if there’s anything we can use.’
‘Alright just be careful! I have a bad feeling about this!’
‘You and me both, Sam. You and me both.’

Getting to command module proved to be a lot more difficult than James originally thought. The entire station was locked, but he couldn’t find any emergency protocols in effect. Override codes weren’t working, even the ones Richard set just two days ago. Too many things just don’t add up! Excessive structural damage, the bloody lockdown, what happened to the failsafes?, he was furious! Then as he passed through one of the shrapnel riddled corridors he noticed that the ceiling was in ruins. Panels looked blown off and most were either shattered or melted. Did the engine blast do this? The question stayed on his mind as he tried to clear the rubble that was barring access to the command module’s upper deck.

As expected, the place was a complete mess. Broken windows, fried consoles and shattered panels everywhere he looked. Most of the damage was caused by the outside explosion, but just like in the corridors there was damage along the walls and ceiling that made little or no sense. But the real issue was the central console that somehow still had power. A full system wipe?! What the hell Richard? He entered the mainframe room and a million questions sprang up in his mind.

‘‘Sam? Do you read?’
‘Kind of. Go ahead!’, her voice was almost lost in static.
‘Can you check the external RCS?’
‘Alright. What am I looking for?’
‘If I’m right. You’ll notice at once! Meet me inside when you’re done.’

It took 10 minutes for James to get back to the life support module. By now the place was full of dust that was getting in through the massive hull breach that had effectively split the module in half. When Sam arrived she didn’t even bother with the door and got in straight through the rupture.

‘How was it?’, James turned as she floated in.
‘You were right’. So I also checked the fuel lines. All gone.’
‘And there I hoped I would be wrong’, he said with a sigh.
‘I think I’m starting to get the picture.’

After James was done recounting what he had seen on his way to the mainframe, they both remained silent for a bit.

‘So you are saying that Richard deliberately wrecked the system?’
‘I think so.’
‘But why? What reason could he have for something like that? It makes little sense!’
‘I know, I know. On its own it doesn’t, but I think that core he’s holding is the key to everything.’
‘You know that sounds a bit crazy. Right?’
James waved his hand at Richard’s pod.‘For crying out loud Sam! He ripped the mainframe core out with his bare hands! Can you imagine a guy who never does anything without a reason do something like that?!’
‘Calm down James, I believe you!’, she floated over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. ‘I know what you saw. I just can’t wrap my mind around it.’
‘I’m sorry’, he lowered his voice and took her by the hand. ‘But I don’t have a better explanation. Something went wrong during ignition. He tried to stop the sequence, realized he couldn’t and did the only thing he could which was to...’
‘Physically take out the core’, Samantha finished for him. ‘That explains the lockdown, but it would have shut down the engine not blow it up?’
‘Remember his arm? The mainframe was torched from the inside out by an electric surge.’ James looked at her. ‘That’s how his arm got burned.’
‘But if that also ignited the fuel it would mean…’
James looked at her with a grim expression. ‘That every safety mechanism in this installation failed to activate...’

To any outsider his words wouldn’t sound that strange. After all systems can fail and accidents happen. But to any AltCorp engineer it just sounded wrong. They all knew how their equipment was built and how many different safeties and redundancies existed in each of their systems. He looked over at Samantha and the look on her face gave him all the confirmation he needed. They were thinking the same thing. Whatever happened here was deliberate!

After about a minute, Sam finally lifted her head and let go of his arm. ‘I think I have a plan Jim. One that will get all of us out of here’, her voice was calm and confident.

Had someone told a few days ago that he would be glad that he was not piloting Arges, he would have just laughed. Now, he was no longer sure. Steropes was at the core of Sam’s plan and the reason why James believed they could pull it off. It was also the only chance they had to get Richard out of this place in one piece. Unlike its big brother, Steropes’ had a flexible design. It was the ship built for easy field deployment and that meant its systems weren’t as hardwired or complex as the ones on Arges. Sure it didn’t have a fusion reactor, but it didn’t really need one. The amount of power its triple capacitor banks could store, enhanced by the added core containment units Sam salvaged, were more than enough. They just had to charge them! He looked over through the cockpit and noticed Sam’s flashlight closing from the dust cloud. Now to see if they actually fit!

Her plan was simple. With base’s systems compromised they couldn’t rely on any of them and since the place was doomed anyway they would just take any parts they needed and use them to make an interface to keep Richard’s cryopod working long enough for them to reach the nearest habitat. For that, they needed power and that’s why Sam spent the last 20 minutes dismantling the station’s solar array. James went out the airlock and began welding the panels in place. She waved at him and went back into the dust cloud to start working on life support.

Once the last panel was in place he started cutting through the hull. Steropes’ systems may have been “loosely” wired, but the ship wasn’t exactly designed for what they were doing. He still had to tear the hull open to expose the conduits that brought power to the RCS thrusters, then rewire the internal components to feed power back to the capacitor. After he was finished, the ship would have all the maneuverability of a brick. If anything was to go wrong... the thought crossed his mind as he was looking at the first set of cables and he hesitated.

He looked over his shoulder towards the asteroid. It was steadily losing mass for the past 2 hours and as a result kept accelerating, spinning faster and faster with each chunk of ice and rock that it flung into space. At this point they had to hold on to the surfaces to avoid being tossed around as their jetpack thrusters were starting to have trouble countering the rotation. He knew full well what was happening. The asteroid was getting dangerously close to the breaking point. Then his eyes caught a series of faint flashes coming from the shifting dust cloud that by now covered the entire station. Sam’s cutter, he smiled. She’s still down in that mess. He turned around and started cutting. At best they had two more hours, give or take, before everything went to hell.

‘I think that’s it Jim!’, Sam said as she welded the final part in place.
‘Alright, gimme a sec. This damn thing better be working…’
‘It will.’, her voice was tired and her breathing was heavy. ‘It has to!’

They’ve both spent the last hour and a half trying to get the backup life support that Sam cut out of the station jury-rigged onto the ship. Systems room that housed their capacitor banks, air tank, RCS control and warp drive was now a total mess. They had to rip out most wall panels and rewire everything. Everything, except the ship’s warp drive, since none of them dared touch it.

James crawled from under a pile of cables and looked at one of the crudely wired access panels lying next to him. He breathed a sigh of relief when it finally activated and displayed their makeshift life support unit as “online”.

‘It’s working Sam! It’s actually working!’
‘Finally!’, he heard her say. ‘Ok, once you get us close I’ll go pick him up!’
‘Roger, I’ll have us there in a sec!’

Back behind the controls, he swung the ship around and moved it closer to the surface. He was definitely missing those thrusters he had to dismantle. The ship felt heavy and sluggish and it took a lot more effort to maintain position, especially since the asteroids rotation was getting worse. The only good thing about their situation was that most of the dust was gone by now so he could clearly see the life support module, or what was left of it. He brought them as close as he could and did his best to keep the ship leveled with the surface while Sam linked Richard’s cryopod to the improvised towing cables. Once he saw her ok signal he began gently pulling away from the asteroid until they were far enough to stabilize. He left the ship to drift away from the asteroid and went outside to help her. As they struggled to get the cryopod into the ship, James looked behind them at the spinning asteroid. There were no rocks flying towards them any more, no ice chunks, no nothing. A calm before the storm, he thought. Whether or not the asteroid finally reached an equilibrium he couldn’t say, but he wasn’t planning to stay long enough to find out. He helped Sam get the chamber into the ship, even in zero-g it still felt heavy and since both the chamber and its occupant were in bad condition, they couldn’t risk hitting any of the walls. They set it down in the corridor, just outside of the system room and connected it to the makeshift life support unit. It wasn’t perfect but it was the best they could do. Now to get us out of here!

James set a course for Eridil. At best speed they could reach the habitat in 35-40 minutes, but first they had to wait until their capacitor was charged up. Lucky that Steropes has three separate capacitor banks, he thought. Had it been just one that first hit would have left us completely stranded. He increased forward thrust to make more distance between them and the asteroid. Just five more minutes…

‘How’s he doing Sam?’
‘I’m not sure.’, she sounded worried. ‘His vitals are really low. Even with the chamber it’s bad.’
‘We’ll be at habitat in 40 minutes! Let’s pray he can hold out that long!

Finally they were ready and James started the countdown. One more minute and we’re out of here! As the timer reached 15, his entire screen went white. He closed his eyes and when he opened them the asteroid and Post 6 were gone. All that was left was an expanding cloud of rubble and smoke. Not this time you don’t! This time they were far enough away so he slowly aligned the ship to the warp coordinates and activated the ship’s warp drive! He could not remember the last time he was this glad to see that bright blue glow envelop the ship. He started pressurizing the rooms and got out of his seat.


Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on April 21, 2018, 10:43:38 PM
Steropes' Hull Design Poll
3 APRIL   - ZG_RICK

Hello colonists!

How does it feel being stranded in deep space? Do you feel lonely? Have you considered giving names to your turrets yet? And most important - did you like Hellion story from previous weeks?

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/1040deb7ea28208fcc4d13ab36abf77b77f8ab14.jpg)

If you’ve read it, you already know that one of the main characters in the story is a “never-before-mentioned” ship, one that belongs to the Steropes class. Yes, a new ship is coming with the next update, planned for May!

As all of you know, we took an Early Access model seriously. Devs from Zero Gravity, together with our fantastic moderators, are trying to nurture this beautiful Hellion community. We read all comments, whether good or bad, and process them internally with the aim of making Hellion a game that is fully built on the grounds of well thought feedback. Hopefully, you guys are enjoying this model as much as we do.

Today we’ll continue in that manner: we invite you to help us decide which hull design for the new Steropes ship would you prefer! Here’s the link for the public poll: make a choice here . https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScC1jndhegT52XdN_WW9Dt7sAGTyRRCc_4QOPhPcTJ6C65CtA/viewform


Thank you for your time,

Altair Corporation board of directors
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on April 21, 2018, 10:45:33 PM
Poll Results and Much More
12 APRIL   - ZG_RICK

Howdy survivors!

What’s new in the world of Hellion? Any new trade routes, newly formed clans or rare resources? Welcome to another Hellion blog!

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/490f3c6b1d8137de44509b305673108099cf0c8a.jpg)

Remember that poll we had last week? The one where we asked for your opinion on the new ship hull design? Well the voices have been cast and here are the results.

The winner is...

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/280970d8c80154a188212d68e0750395c9e04b28.jpg)

Distinct yellow color, often found on construction vehicles of the world, won the contest with 60.1% to 39.9%. A fitting result since Steropes does belong to the Altair corporation after all, but even so many of you asked simple questions: Why not both designs? Why not make them craftable? While we agree that Hellion would certainly benefit from improved player/ship customization options, we had decided to push these cosmetic features back in favor of optimization and bug-fixing. After all we don’t want you getting stuck inside your new ship, right?

Still, the amount of feedback we received is excellent and we will do our best to incorporate your suggestions and ideas. As you all know Hellion is a big place and its story is made out of many different puzzle pieces. So you might want to keep your eyes open in upcoming updates, as you never know when a new puzzle bit might catch you off guard and we’ll make sure to present it “in a fashionable way”.

Having seen the creative power of the Hellion community, we had decided to help develop it further. To this end we are adding a downloadable Fan Art Kit https://www.playhellion.com/media on our website that is a collection of visual assets that can be used to create compelling game related content. Rest assured that the kit will receive regular updates with each new game version.

With regard to content creation, most of you have surely noticed that Hellion related videos (mostly on YouTube) do not have a proper Hellion icon. Reason for this lies in the fact that Hellion doesn’t have an official Wikipedia page. Rules for content creation on Wikipedia are strict and are meant to not allow any biased opinions towards any topic. That’s why we need your help. If you have any experience with Wikipedia content, use this link for Hellion draft page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft:Hellion. Thanks a ton in advance!


Until next warp,
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on May 17, 2018, 05:01:30 PM
Devblog #32 - Beneath the Hud
HELLION - ZG_Smorty

What’s up you crafty space survivors?

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/33353be5452b753769ba3aa9a67d12bb6ef586b6.jpg)

The team is back in office after a week at Reboot Develop 2018 conference held in Dubrovnik and working full force on our next update. Today we are going to cover a number of changes that went into the code or “beneath the hud” so to speak!

Nav Map

First thing we want to discuss is the nav map. In order to improve its stability we had to dive deep beneath the surface and rebuild the code from scratch. The end result of this work is that nav map is now a lot more stable and its functionality has been expanded with a multitude of new options.

To start off let’s discuss the visual changes. Aside from better indicators, players can expect a lot more detail about various objects, most notably planets and moons, their orbital values, mass, rotational period etc. In addition, each celestial object now has a visual gravity radius that should make it easier for players to judge orbits at a glance. The second change is the ability to manually input orbital parameters when creating custom orbits and to have multiple custom orbits at once. Third change is the seamless zoom that had replaced the old “three step system” allowing you to zoom as close as you want or as far as you want to cover the entire Hellion system.

(https://media.giphy.com/media/4ZmwAVUqJ0VMENwuuT/giphy.gif)

(https://media.giphy.com/media/69jvbc3GNfaqBal6sF/giphy.gif)

Another improvement and one that was long overdue is that ships can now warp independently of players. Yup, that’s right, you can now set up a warp maneuver, align your ship and leave the controls. No more waiting for the 5 seconds mark. This also opens up some new options for resourceful players. Want to try and tackle the turrets of that military outpost, but don’t want to risk losing your ship? Plot a course to your home station, set a decent departure time, initialize and lock the doors behind you. Win or lose the ship will head back home with or without you.

Movement

Parallel to our work on the nav map we’ve put a lot of time and effort into improving how the game handles dynamic objects and player movement. Desync issues have been the bane of many a brave explorer and have caused our colonists much grief ever since their arrival to the Hellion system. We expect these issues to become far less prominent with the next update and to eventually disappear entirely once our work on improving server/client communication is finished.

Loot Distribution

With the amount of work going into code improvements we also had to touch on the loot distribution and spawn mechanics. Some of these changes aren’t immediately apparent but provide us with a lot more options when it comes to adding new locations and items, most notably new stations and outposts for our colonists to explore. These changes will also let those who host their private servers add their own station designs into the game as premade locations.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/b35e56fd88351bf4f9c86364a19c988a28349694.jpg)

You wanted it, you got it!

Lastly here’s just a simple quality of life feature, but it is something players have been asking for a long time. We’ve added the option to freely change docking port name tags in the same way you edit labels on crates. So no more wondering if it is this corridor or the other one that leads to the airlock.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/f051af9ac7b4311f4783222b1edb89bb9c21c502.jpg)

All of these changes and the new Steropes class are arriving to an Outpost near you in mid May. And finally for all those who are anxious to see more of the new ship here’s a few more screenshots.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/188067c716d287a36eb5d437393961cae77689d0.jpg)

Fly safe!
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on May 17, 2018, 05:03:56 PM
Steropes Update Preview
HELLION - ZG_Rick

“Steropes is the first AltCorp vessel designed specifically for the Expedition project. The early Altair Corporation analysis of Hellion’s survey data concluded that using Arges would prove risky during the initial colonization effort. Arges’ high fuel consumption and overall complexity made it ill suited as a workhorse in a completely alien system with no prior infrastructure. Hence the Steropes project was put forth with a goal of designing a smaller vessel that could be assembled and retrofitted in the field with minimal effort, while still retaining its construction and transportation capabilities. Steropes Class entered mass production in March 2278.”

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/b5271af500008f1e489832866fdc3904924c0f7a.jpg)

Well we guess it’s about time for us to cover the new ship. The star of this show, as the update name implies, is the Altair Corporation’s Steropes class. In this preview we are going to cover what this “lightning” is capable of as well as go over our design philosophy and features and improvements that we’ve somehow managed to cram into this update. Expect Steropes update to land on May 17.

Why not go bigger?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions, ever since we announced the new ship design. So let’s go and explain the reasoning behind going smaller. In truth we were never too happy about using Arges as the starting ship. Those of you who have been with us from day one know how overpowered the original Arges would feel if we restored its full functionality today. It had a life support system that was on par with the life support module, reactor almost as strong as a dedicated power supply module, towing capability, RCS, engines, warp drive and to top it all off a cargo bay complete with a refinery! The only thing it lacked was a cryopod and crafty players quickly found a way around this by constantly towing the starting module behind them.

So we had to ask ourselves a question: Why would anyone want to build a base if a single ship could do everything? To solve this problem we resorted to removing the cargo and refinery and then imposed an artificial limitation to the number of modules you could tow at any given time. This wasn’t a solution, but rather a quick fix that we were never too proud of, but since Hellion lacked most of its core features it was the only viable choice at the time.

By replacing Arges with Steropes as the starting ship we are now free to restore the old “Mule” to its rightful place as the “workhorse” of the Altair Corporation’s industrial fleet. However, we do not want to make Steropes obsolete the moment you get your hands on Arges. Instead, we want players to make a decision which ship to use, based on the task at hand.

“Pocket Lightning”

How is Steropes different from its big brother? Well to start it is a much smaller ship, about one third the size. Its systems have also been reduced in comparison. Instead of a fusion reactor there are only solar panels and a dedicated life support system has been replaced with just air filters. Furthermore the ship has no engines, only RCS and Warp Drive. Its airlock is also incompatible with standard airlock docking ports. So far this all looks pretty grim, we can hear you say. So is there anything about this ship that isn’t a straight downgrade from Arges?

Glad you asked! Since our goal was not to make people feel like they are driving a runaway bathtub, but a full fledged spaceship we had to provide it with a few “upgrades”. Steropes has a much more efficient and powerful warp drive and the same is true for its RCS system. Compared to Arges it is about five times more maneuverable owing it to its lower overall mass which also means that it uses far less power when initiating warp. It can cover more distance with its single warp cell and warps considerably faster. To top it all off it has a triple capacitor bank that features three upgrade slots. When fully upgraded it easily trumps the capacitor found on a dedicated Power Supply Module giving it a lot of “flexibility” despite it having only one solar panel. Needless to say it can also tow modules just like its predecessor.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/d04539b7bc499e5b761c2581dd37db47551be474.jpg)

Gameplay

In terms of gameplay we had a specific thing in mind when we sat down and discussed the new ship. Steropes was designed to complement player’s efforts as they progress through the game, most notably base building and upgrading. Due to the aforementioned reductions, the ship is not self sufficient and relies heavily on the supporting infrastructure of your base with the end result being that upgrading your base with additional modules directly benefits your ship as well. As a simple example: expanding your station with a dedicated power supply module means that charging the ship’s capacitor banks becomes much faster and easier. Same holds true for pressurizing rooms and filling up the ship’s air tank. Due to this mechanic the ship had already been nicknamed “The Leech” by several testers...

(http://steam://openurl_external/https://steamcommunity.com/linkfilter/?url=https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/c3f86067b706131c32a047b3621bbddd437ca78b.jpg)

While all of this is not enough for it to trump Arges’ expanded functionality, Steropes’ speed and maneuverability provides a clear advantage when fuel conservation or time constraints come into play. For some reason doomed outposts come to mind… Finally, its layout feels far more comfortable making various interactions easier, regardless if you’re a veteran or still learning the ropes.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/851c8db4278f831bcf27ba3889a0a675038c8c81.jpg)

Also keep in mind that several features that were originally planned for Steropes couldn’t make it into this update due to their complexity and overall impact they would have on existing game mechanics. So expect to hear some exciting news in future updates.

Improvements

Of course with the introduction of the new ship we had to tackle some of the problems which had been plaguing us since launch. We put a lot of effort into code improvements to optimize movement and server client communication and then moved on to tackle NavMap, Warp Drive, Loot Distribution and Premade Stations. All of these were covered in our last blog post, but one item was not on that list. It’s the complete overhaul of the piloting interface.

As was the case with the NavMap we had to rebuild piloting from scratch. The end result is a far more stable interface with improved functionality that is at the same time easier to access and modify (or expand with new options) should the need arise. It also displays all of its functions and indicators across the entire canopy rather than just a small center portion. Getting into the piloting seat is now faster and no longer requires an additional step to start flying. As you sit in the cockpit you are now in piloting mode by default and using free-look does not interrupt flying. This rework also allowed us to remove some of the annoyances (like barely visible buttons) and implement some quality of life features like hotkeys, “scroll to cycle targets” or “target object under reticle”.

That’s all for this preview. Expect a complete list of changes and bug-fixes next week as part of the “Steropes update” patch notes. Until then, get back to your cryo-pod and prepare yourself for consciousness transfer. Mind upload procedure starting in 10...9...8...7 days!


Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on May 17, 2018, 05:08:14 PM
Steropes Update Patch Notes
HELLION - ZG_Smorty

Well it’s been a while since Hellion’s last update, but we believe this one was worth the wait. Those that have gone through our last few posts already know what to expect: the Altair Corporation’s Steropes class. In addition we have made a number of major changes to the code and many improvements to key gameplay features.So get ready for the full list of features, improvements and bugfixes!

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/9d785c1f107fdc3ed7246ce7de14b2d31b1f2a9e.jpg)

Steropes Update will be deployed on Thursday May 17th. Servers will be down from 1PM UTC/6AM PDT until 2PM UTC/7AM PDT. Servers will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.


For private servers:
Update your server and game client
Delete save files

New ship
Steropes replaces Arges as the new starter vessel. It is much smaller compared to its big brother weighing only 468t compared to Arges’ 1698t. As such it only has an Airlock, an Air Filter, RCS, warp drive and a single Solar Panel for power generation. In order to replenish spent RCS fuel or the atmosphere you lost (in case of accidental venting or a breach) you will have to dock with your base.

To compensate for these drawbacks the new ship is about 2.5 times more maneuverable. It also features an improved warp drive that is much faster and less fuel intensive allowing Steropes to travel further with one warp cell than Arges can with all three. Finally it comes equipped with a dedicated capacitor bank with 3 upgrade slots allowing Steropes to bank a ton of power before setting off and of course it can tow modules just as good as Arges.

NavMap improvements
Navigation map has been redesigned from scratch and expanded with new options that should make it much more intuitive and easier to use.
•   Improved performance
•   Seamless zoom
•   Custom orbit parameters can now be entered directly as numerical values
•   NavMap can now hold multiple custom orbits
•   New icons for ships, modules, outposts and stations
•   Three information tabs for selected object
o   Warp maneuver parameters (W)
o   List of objects in close proximity (G)
o   Selected object information (A)

Piloting interface
Piloting interface has been redesigned from scratch and expanded with new options.
•   Full visibility across the entire canopy
•   Only authorized personnel can now pilot the ship
•   New icons and improved indicators
•   Free look (default L.Alt) no longer interrupts piloting
•   Added hotkeys to access Piloting (1), NavMap (2), Docking (3) and Headlights (4), removed unused buttons for these interactions

Warp Drive Changes
•   Warp Drive now activates automatically when initiating warp and deactivates when finished
•   Removed 5 second warp confirmation after aligning
•   Ships can now warp independently of players, provided that the timer and maneuver have been set in advance
•   Server restart no longer stops warp

Server improvements
•   Improved server-client communication to fix desync issues, movement, combat and object interactions
•   Update data in a separate CPU thread (optional)
•   Non attached items now automatically despawn on pre-made stations
•   Server save file renamed to: hellion_{DATE}.save

Admin commands
Server owners can now set admin rights and allow access to admin commands from GameServer.ini file. Check GameServer.ini for a full list of admin commands.

Pre-made station improvements
•   Pre-made stations now use their own specific blueprint json files
•   Additional options (lock doors, invulnerability, systems on/off) can be set globally or per module through the station blueprint json file
•   Docking ports can be locked/unlocked per module from the json file
•   Replaced old stations with new ones for improved immersion

Improvements
•   Added several new emblems to the security interface
•   Players can now rename corridor and room labels
•   Added a “rent a server” button in the game menu
•   Airlock operation improvements
•   Airlock collision optimization
•   Airlock sound effects
•   Door interact animation
•   Added tooltips for resources
•   Recycler now notifies players if storage is full
•   Turret targeting improvements
•   Added Warp Drive (FTL) time to environmental panels
•   Multiple players can no longer interact with the same system panel
•   Changed “grappler” to “anchor” and added specific anchor docking ports for ships and modules
•   Initialize warp by absolute solar system time (instead of orbit angles) to prevent getting stuck after broken warp

Bug Fixes
Items disappears when thrown out of modules on some locations
Items and parts disappearing on scene after warp, relog off fix the problem.
Reloging on asteroid with drill in hand will result in disappearance of canister and battery from the drill
Items change position when thrown if two or more players are in the same room
After repairing the repair point there is no timeout it shows up again instantly after you repair it
Server restart or crash cancels warp
Air filter power consumption problem
Significant loss of Steropes RCS thrust if docked to multiple modules structure
Naming a station from authorised CM still shows as OUTPOST
Pilot panel doesn't update after warp, old targets stay on screen they refresh when player opens pilot panel again
Canceling warp, removes custom orbit
Canceling a warp from one system to another brakes warping and it cannot be set again (Fixes it self after server restart)
CBM Cargo interface Servo slot missing
Air processing controller in premade stations lootable Automated Refinery B1
Player logged out of the cryopod shows outside at random position in the large stations
Dropping item in space makes him static when player goes in and out of module
Spawned flag in the CBM. Incorrect place.
Loot distribution not spawning correct amount of set items
Can't locate Fire inside main room of FM when it depressurized
Turrets shoot through CTM objects
Texture gap in ship cargo bay door
Player gets stuck around the ships chair
Player can't reach the glass in the observation deck
Station change gravity
Inventory dupe bug
Servers not showing in the list
Warp through debris field causes damage to the ship and modules towed
Ship small attache points are not accepting all items
Warp towing failure
Warping INTO stations
Panel rendering partially missing in FM
Inventory key collide with ship rename field
Throwing items in space not working while inside module it works fine
Signs instead of quotes in tutorial text on loading screen
Coordinates on Map not matching the ones from Spawn Rules
Don't allow Anchor docking ports to be usable from the module
Everest Station Prefab going missing / changing orbits.
CLM not occluding sunlight inside
Air quality drops while player is driving
Docked CBM's loose ~0.2 pressure after server restart
Debris field in Nav Map does not reflect reality
Saved settings Volume, Invert mouse and Effects are reverted on game start.
Pistol Ammo Clips Oriented Wrong On Shelf
Stuck on game loading (Server problem)
CQM Medkit Storage Is Opaque When Closed
Refine Air not working
Warp not working when player is not inside the ship
EM field controller still lootable in random PSM
Jetpack light shows when using the docking port
Ship shows matched even when not and moving
Power panel - strange capacitor loading while steropes is docked to PSM)
Cell detonator slot - u can use the slot without a need to open it by the button
Solar Panels Missing Material on Doomed outpost
Warp cell consumption not showing correct amount
Jetpack oxygen consumption in cryo pod after server restart
Matching velocity not working on range 116-130m (match velocity indicator is shown)
Navigation map - "warp to" button label behind celestial body label
You can put and get servomotor of Arges' air filter system without opening glass door
Docking Interface lighting / shadow issues.
Arges 'glass box' lighting effect when piloting
Velocity Matched (not docked) Arges appears in CM's Power Interface
Incorrect interact zone for suit cupboard

Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on May 17, 2018, 05:08:41 PM
Steropes Update is Live Now!
HELLION - ZG_Rick

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/b5271af500008f1e489832866fdc3904924c0f7a.jpg)

Let's play some Hellion!
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on June 15, 2018, 10:33:33 PM
Devblog #33 - Event, Story and Singleplayer
1 June - ZG_Rick   

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/8b1e305cf19751d4ec7bfc78b7ab47c7330230ab.png)

It’s been two weeks and it looks like Steropes is comfortably holding its own in the brutal world of Hellion. Now that we’ve made sure that the ship is safe we are going to cover the exclusive “Phone Home” event that preceded the Steropes update and two very important aspects you can expect in the near future. So read on!



Several days ago, SETI began picking up strange readings coming from an unknown source. Analysis revealed that it was in fact a highly sophisticated radio signal coming from a star over a 1000 light years away. However, the initial excitement quickly turned into confusion the moment scientists managed to decipher the first message… It only said: “Hey, what’s up guys? Peace out!” As puzzling as this message was it was nowhere near as crazy as some of the other things that followed:

“Halp! Epiktetus kitten need halp!”, “Send Sausages!!”, “Could I have a cheese sandwich?”, “42”, “And as always don’t let Clang get your wang!”, “Who put a Boston Terrier on the ship?”

The only conclusion the best and brightest minds at NASA managed to come up with was that the messages arrived from the future, warped by the GW170814 gravitational wave.


Phone Home Event

As some of you may know, we held an exclusive event on May 16th. This event, nicknamed “Phone Home”, had players look for a source of a mysterious signal that was broadcast throughout the Hellion system. Finding it wasn’t easy as the bits and pieces of info they received were scarce and scattered across the system. The final set of coordinates ultimately brought them to the Actaeon 34, a survey probe who’s original message identified Hellion as the most promising colonization candidate. Since the probe was dormant for over a century, Hellion survivors had to reactivate it before they could send a message back to Earth.

Needless to say, the event was a success and those who played through it had a lot of fun. In case you haven’t had a chance to watch one of the many streams that covered the event here are two videos done by dear players Epiktek and BaronQuertier. Enjoy their fabulous videos!

YouTube™ Video: Steropes Update Story Event - Hellion
Views: 2,146
I was invited by the Hellion developers to a Special Event to promote the new Steropes Update, so Kitten and I decided to have some fun and Role Play with it.


YouTube™ Video: HELLION-Actaeon: The Beginning RP story- Exclusive Event
Views: 600
Hello ladies and chaps and a jolly good welcome to you. I had the absolute pleasure to take part in an exclusive event put on by the dev team of hellion. Here is the story of what unfolded....


Steropes Update Story Event - Hellion

https://youtu.be/qRvZBlVS0so



HELLION-Actaeon: The Beginning RP story- Exclusive Event

https://youtu.be/Hc6Lxb0wtYA


Story implementation


Original idea behind the Phone Home event was to use it as a “test run” of sorts for the implementation of Hellion’s background story and see how the community would react. The overwhelming amount of positive feedback was all the confirmation we needed for us to start considering a proper “quest” mechanic for Hellion. Now we know what some of you might be thinking. Quests in a survival game? Doesn’t that belong in an RPG or something? While this may be true, there is nothing saying that a space simulation with survival elements can’t have a proper story to accompany its gameplay and a system of quests to guide players through it. Afterall, we want to build an exceptional gaming experience and nothing less will suffice.

Up until now players only had limited access to story information from our website and several devblogs. But Hellion is a game, not a novel and having to browse the internet for lore elements or read through several pages of text is not a very immersive way to tell the story about the largest disaster in human history. The system required for this is still in early stages, but many of you will be happy to know that the first task of this “objective based quest system” will be to create a proper tutorial section at the start of the game.

Still the main purpose of it will be to tell the story of the “Expedition project” and provide players with a set of goals and objectives to strive for. Its second task will be to give players a sense of progress and accomplishment and award them with unique items and upgrades. And this leads us to our next topic.


Singleplayer mode


You know how programmers are somewhat crazy, right? And you can’t always tell what they are doing, especially if it’s part of their home project? Well, one of our programmers decided to add a “singleplayer mode” to Hellion so he could test various things faster and easier. As it turns out it was rather effective, so much in fact, that we’ve decided to adjust it and add it to the game.

So once you’ve selected the singleplayer option from the main menu the game will create an instance of a local server on your machine and connect you automatically. You will then have a choice between two game modes: normal and sandbox.

Normal mode is essentially identical to the online experience minus the other players and comes with the “gamer’s favourite” save/load system, while the sandbox mode also adds all dev commands into the mix. As you might imagine being invulnerable, able to teleport, spawn modules, ships and items or refuel and dock instantly can come in very handy when you want to test that station layout you were planning on building.

So that’s all for today’s devblog. You can expect the singleplayer mode to land near the end of June, along with several other fixes and improvements (that will not require a server wipe). Quest system is still in very early prototype stages and it will probably be quite some time until we are ready to deploy it in full.

Until next time keep looking at the sky and call NASA to finally send those sausages!

Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on June 15, 2018, 10:35:24 PM
Devblog #34 Singleplayer Update Preview
14 June - ZG_Rick   

Hello dear colonists,


We’ve been hard at work over here at Zero Gravity to bring out the next update for our fans. As the title of the update suggests, a single-player mode will be added to Hellion. It’s coming out next week, on June 21. And the additional very important info is that the update will not require a server wipe.

Single-player mode

We were always aware of the fact that many of you out there wanted to experience Hellion as a lonely survivor of the gigantic catastrophe that happened to the Expedition. Playing the game alone has its special under the skin feeling that can be hard to achieve in a multiplayer environment. Not to mention that save/load system can be especially useful in conserving resources and avoiding mistakes. And needless to say it offers an alternative for people who couldn’t otherwise enjoy the game due to internet connection problems.

Single-player mode will allow those who do not want to deal with other players an opportunity to explore Hellion’s background story and quests at their own pace, without the risk of interference, once the quests are fully implemented, of course. It will allow new players to learn basics of the game without having to start over in standard game mode and let experienced players test various ideas and station designs in sandbox mode.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/dca5811e84671e667f89e1b1156b77df40578519.jpg)

Server and game optimization

We are fully aware of the current issues that have been plaguing our servers over the last few weeks. That is why we have dedicated most of our work to improving server stability and optimizing server-client communication. More detailed description of these changes will be given in the patch notes next week, after the final round of testing is completed.

Another part of our work on optimization includes partial scene texture and lighting improvements that should allow the game to run smoother. You can see the changes in the images below.

Old version:
(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/1c8f4e74df78769b93257675820409b42d4dc676.jpg)

New version:
(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/5e27e0c23374e2224c75b6fa1992674757072033.jpg)


As we’ve mentioned before, this update will not require a server wipe and also represents an important milestone for us as it allows us to deploy smaller updates and fixes without resetting player progress. Wipes are still necessary for updates that affect large portions of the game but with future improvements we believe we can find a way around this and offer you a truly persistent universe.


All of these changes should help us tell many stories in the world of Hellion, stories meant for both solo players and groups of adventurers alike. And that’s why we are so excited about future updates as we will finally be in a position to bring you new content on regular basis. Most importantly, we are looking forward to seeing your own unique stories.


See you soon,
Zero Gravity
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on June 20, 2018, 10:41:49 PM
Singleplayer Update Patch Notes
20 June - ZG_Rick

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/b99f22c0b5312f42f3c3b1752a354b1c89cef42e.png)

Greetings Colonists,

Did I leave my station in a stable orbit, did I hide it well enough? Where the hell was that fabricator module again? Did I fix my ship before I logged, is it still going to be there when I’m back? What about the base, what if it was too close and someone managed to raid it? Whatever the case might be, the new single player mode has it covered!

Through the magic of save/load you now have all the time in the world to make those split second decisions or plan your next few actions. Regardless if you are a seasoned veteran or a fresh arrival to the Hellion system you can now experiment in peace or learn the ropes at your own pace.

Single player mode will feature two basic game modes: normal and sandbox. Normal puts you in a default starting position but without other players to worry about. It is an excellent choice for new players as it lets them learn all of the game basics and get a hang of Newtonian physics, most notably inertia and zero-g movement. It’s also perfect for those who can’t afford to play the game each and every day. Sandbox mode is meant for players who love experimenting and testing things as it comes with all dev commands unlocked. Activate God mode, spawn all modules, smash them into pieces by launching a torpedo container, build the largest base ever or freely teleport between locations, whatever comes to your mind. Use the game as a playground and feel free to express your creativity.

Singleplayer Update will be deployed on Thursday June 21. Servers will be down from 4PM UTC/9AM PDT until 5PM UTC/10AM PDT. There will be no server wipe this time.

Features and improvements

New single player options added:

•   Normal
•   Sandbox + free spawn selection

Added a new menu for using dev commands (Default F2)
Implemented partial texture optimization
Added in-game Data Privacy button for Unity Analytics

Bugfixes

Incorrect pistol clip shelf orientation
Disappearing pressure suit after clicking “remove suit” icon
Clustered objects in navigation panel text rapidly changes
Docking panel - all ports listed below a single object
Cannot grapple Fabricator module bug
Debris Junk 002 missing collision
Steropes - force open Airlock opens locked doors
Asteroids missing collision after server restart
Warping into asteroids
Update warp maneuver when entering a new ship
Multiple client errors
Server error (An item with the same key has already been added)

Until tomorrow,
Zero Gravity team

Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on June 21, 2018, 07:57:47 PM
Singleplayer Update Ready!
HELLION - ZG_Rick

Dear Colonists,

Summer is coming! Actually, it has officially started with the summer solstice. A perfect time for the new Hellion update to be released - Singleplayer is now live!

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/bc0aefcd9c7653bca73e8b094be126f891237569.jpg)

Hellion solo travel deals - 33% off during Steam Summer Sale!

Looking for a way to survive the upcoming summer heat and those long and dreadfully hot days? How about a vacation in the dark and cold vacuum of Hellion? Best consumed in single player mode while floating alone in a debris field. Our dedicated solo traveller concierge at each station will contact you pre-arrival.

You need a quick summer night adventure? We offer you a dark Hellion sandbox playground where you’ll be able to build abomination bases and demolish them with torpedoes. Or maybe you prefer teleporting to locations you’ve never been able to travel to - right to the heart of the Sun. It’s all there, Hellion is open for your experimentation.

We wish you all a beautiful Summer!

Love you all
Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on July 04, 2018, 07:50:09 PM
Let's Play Video #4 - Singleplayer Update
HELLION - ZG_Rick

Being stranded a thousand light years from civilization certainly comes with various benefits, like the absence of tax collectors, managers or politicians. It does however come with its own set of drawbacks like no supermarkets or hardware stores and the lack of any movies and TV shows. But worry not! We got you covered with another Let’s Play video!

It’s been quite a while since we last did a Let’s Play and the last one we did was a bit on the long side. So today we bring you a short video that aims to cover all major changes that came to Hellion since the Kessler update. It also provides a number of helpful tips for new players that should help them avoid various mistakes and hazards.

https://youtu.be/mzvcIiGwITY
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on July 14, 2018, 11:14:37 PM
Devblog #35 Inventory improvements
12 July - ZG_Smorty   

How’s it going you crafty colonists? Has the single player update been treating you well? Or do you find the emptiness of the void unbearable without some proper orbital piracy? Well whatever the case we’ve got some exciting things in store for you in the upcoming months.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/a44ce1d3344e12c74b26f8bd96c83c72c4e30767.jpg)

In our last Let’s Play video we mentioned a few changes coming to Hellions economy. Our goal here is to make every activity in Hellion worthwhile and give players a sense of progression. However, before we start discussing resources and crafting we need to take a step back and turn our attention towards something that precedes them.

Inventory improvements

Ever since Hellion launched back in 2017, inventory remained mostly unchanged. As any seasoned asteroid miner can tell you managing items in your inventory can be tedious, to put it mildly.

At the moment we are working on improving the inventory management system and make it a lot easier for players to access, store and use various items they come across. New inventory screen will show your character, your equipped items and inventory slots as well as any additional information relevant to your character. The following image is still work in progress, but should give you an idea of what we are aiming for.

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/8c15b3aaa0d9f549d095bfe79079be5c73d300c1.jpg)

Since our goal is to improve the way inventory works as a whole we are also expanding its functionality to allow players to loot, store, equip and refuel items in a much more intuitive and user friendly manner

Since inventory is directly tied to your equipped suit, picking the right suit for the job may become paramount as different suits will have a different distribution of equipment slots and offer different levels of protection, speed, oxygen supply, but more on this topic at a later date.

That’s all for today colonists. Until next time, fly safe and see you in Hellion!
Zero Gravity team
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on November 30, 2018, 01:45:59 PM
Patch 0.3 Notes - Rude Awakening Update
28 November - ZG_Rick
Ladies and gentlemen,

Here are the patch notes for the Rude Awakening Update!

Rude Awakening Update will be deployed on Thursday, November 29th. Servers will be down from 5PM UTC/9AM PST until 6PM UTC/10 AM PST. Servers will be wiped to ensure proper patch deployment.

For private servers:
Update your server and game client
Delete save files

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/ce3318994bcadaa5c1aa738480fe45a6838232c1.jpg)

Features

Story, missions & quests

We are introducing a deep and immersive Hellion story into the gameplay. Players will have the opportunity to enjoy the role-playing experience by doing quests while discovering the secrets of a distant solar system. For that purpose, we have implemented:
•   Tracking system for missions
•   Quest markers
•   Journal
•   Audio logs
•   Written logs

New inventory system

The main goal of this change is to make manipulating items faster and easier, for both character inventory (suit slots) and storage (nearby shelves and containers). Proximity loot system is also in place allowing players to access nearby shelves and containers from their inventory screen.
•   New inventory UI design
•   3D character preview
•   Proximity loot
•   Added quick slots (1 - primary; 2 - secondary; 3 - bombs; 4 - Medpacks/Small Canisters)
•   Dedicated slots on guns and mining drills for ammo, battery and canisters
•   Health bars added to all items in inventory

New locations and new modules for these locations

Added multiple new modules and custom locations as part of the main story arc. We won’t spoil them here, so look for them in game.

New sounds

There is no sound in vacuum but in pressurized rooms there is plenty of them. Added a multitude of new sound effects to the game and improved existing ones to improve the quality of gameplay experience.

Flight mode assistance

Added flight assistance for ships that automatically tries to compensate for ships lateral velocity, relative to your current target.
•   Auto-adjustment for lateral speed when a vessel is moving towards the target
•   Toggle on/off available

Steam achievements
Optimization

•   Lightbake for all modules
•   Texture density
•   Ship/module rotation limited for server processing optimization
•   GPU instancing enabled
•   Hide canvas UI on proximity range
•   Network improvements resulting in better ship and module movement
•   LZ4HC Unity file compression enabled

General improvements

•   Powered up modules have significantly higher degradation resistance
•   Planet textures improvements - new textures added to all planets and moons
•   Main menu redesigned
•   Match velocity to the target that is already matched to another target (previously not possible)
•   Pressurization/Depressurization speed properly set for all modules
•   Masses adjusted for all modules
•   Added decals to the docking panels
•   Changing video settings enabled while outside of main menu
•   Quick load available after death in single player mode
•   Rescue ship button added to Command Module
•   Doomed orbit warning visible on NavMap
•   In game latency warning will show up when latency is over 120ms
•   Added Ambience volume slider
•   Removed bloom and motion blur from NavMap
•   Pilot panel UI improvements
•   Mouse sensitivity range increased (it is possible now to set it under 1)
•   Hide in-game chat option added in menu
•   External warp start/end effects changed

Bug fixes

•   Male corpse appearing after a female character dies
•   A female character loses hair when the suite is equipped
•   Air Filter does not deplete carbon filter to 0%
•   Resource injector not affecting Air Generator
•   Helmet Visor state not saved; it was always down
•   Severe FPS Drop while inside CM
•   Players, ships, and modules do not render for other players
•   Rotating ship fast sideways results in objects jumping and blinking in front of the ship
•   RCS sound continues to play when module or ship is docked from a hard angle or fast speed
•   Hitting module at high speed register collision far from the actual collision point
•   Bullet holes decals stay on the player capsule and blend with objects
•   Can't attach canister and battery to drill by pressing "F"
•   Docking cam view does not show docked module
•   Cargo Panel: manipulation with resources doesn’t show correct numbers
•   Player character not loaded correctly
•   Jetpack and helmet invisible (for female char)
•   Premade stations not spawning on proper coordinates
•   CBM Cargobay and AM Airlock prep room sign can't be wiped
•   FM Fabricator - missing attach point decals
•   CM: fire extinguisher slot not working properly
•   VOIP sound level is not saved properly
•   Optimization hides module geometry - outpost module
•   Pilot panel HUD: target marker uncontrollably jumping around
•   A station's name (Command Module name) will sometimes appear on the radar (ship's radar/player's radar) as the name/designation of the last module or ship docked to it
•   Sound effects audible for other players even if the source is far away
•   Airlock module PREP ROOM label will stay as a texture after renaming
•   Pistol 8.20 clip randomly appears after crafting in fabricator
•   Wrong NAV screen - NAV screen act like I'm in the old ship after using another ship
•   Crafting panel desync when the other player interacts with the panel
•   CQM has pressure on predefined stations
•   Issue with certain keybinding setup when naming ship/station
•   Ammo not being destroyed or moved to inventory when reloading directly (not from inventory)
•   Item slots missing after server restart
•   Small collision damage slowing creates server lag
•   Shooting after reload (direct magazine swap) generates server exceptions
•   Free-look in cryo-pod bugs character
•   Solar System Map issue - hovering mouse over a group of objects causes a visual bug
•   Derelict loot locker interaction bug - door can’t be opened
•   Loot spawn points in CTM-Modules makes it near impossible to pick up loot
•   Slot decal overlaps with item slotted into it
•   Steropes airlock interface not working properly when there is a pressure difference
•   Camera offset on sniper scope

Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on November 30, 2018, 01:47:13 PM
Rude Awakening is now live!
29 November - ZG_Rick   

Rude Awakening is now live!

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/ce3318994bcadaa5c1aa738480fe45a6838232c1.jpg)

Credits to Devotion Studios for all things audio and special thanks to Ashley Gould for that charming voice of Theona Mayers!
Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on December 11, 2018, 12:12:50 AM
Rude Awakening Hotfix is Ready!
HELLION - ZG_Rick

(https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/27748844/f42ba9e52eae043871451a3a5e7609c500478291.jpg)


Dear colonists,

Since the release of the Rude Awakening we’ve been working hard on fixing the issues you experienced during the first days of your journey with Theona. Our idea was to release two hotfixes - client and client/server version of it. But we managed to merge both into one. So, we’ll have a server downtime lasting for an hour, starting at 5PM GMT/9AM PST until 6PM GMT/10AM PST. No server wipe is needed for this hotfix.



Rude Awakening hotfix will cover the following issues:
•   The game client can’t be closed properly
•   Quest tracker bugging after relog
•   Auto-Stabilization option is sometimes applied to the ROLL axis (Q and E keys) even when the setting is disabled
•   Mouse sensitivity option not saved after game restart
•   Walking in her shoes quest resets after character dies and can’t be picked up again
•   The modules from Amnisos station can be undocked (and that should not be the case) - if you claimed any module from Amnisos, it will be despawned
•   Connection breaks while the game is loading
•   Various quest markers not working showing up properly
•   Fabricator Module issues: never ending animation + cargo terminal not accessible
•   Loot respawning in claimed modules
•   Relog teleport: players are placed to the last known location after relog
•   Junkyard modules are visible on the map after attaching them to players’ bases
•   Problems with loot spawn
•   Added the “SKIP” button in the Safe Haven mission. You can use it if you get stuck while playing tutorial quests.
•   Echoes from the past marker does not appear
•   Turrets can be picked up by using “take all”
•   Dirty yellow tint on the helmet visor
•   Arges spawns with locked elevator\cargo hold door
•   

Enjoy the new Hellion update and have a nice weekend!

Zero Gravity team

Title: Re: Hellion - Space survival game (Super Hardcore Game)
Post by: Asid on March 26, 2020, 02:32:24 AM
Hellion - the last announcement
Tue, 24 March

Dear survivors,

This is the last official announcement by Zero Gravity, since the team has already been disbanded.


This is what happens with Hellion:

1.   The game will be free for download on Steam from March 27, 10AM (PT) until March 30, 10 AM (PT).
2.   After that, it will be no longer available for purchase.
3.   You will still be able to play Hellion.
4.   We’ll keep the main server online.
5.   We’ll keep official servers EU West and US West online (two instances of each).
6.   Community servers will stay alive, and the new ones can be added at any time in the future.
7.   Single player mode will stay available.


We have received a lot of support from players during the past couple of months. And we want to thank you all. These measures are meant for Hellion to stay alive since you enjoy playing it.

We’d like to give a huge shoutout to Hellion moderators who have been volunteering in managing the Hellion community and the official servers. Thank you so much team!

Big thanks to Nitrado for providing us with official Hellion servers!

And to you all out there in space - thank you for these wonderful years trying together with us to make a super special space experience that still can’t be found anywhere else. It was a blast!

Stay safe,
Zero Gravity