- Mechanica v1.2.3.2: Patch - 16 February 2022
Hey all, This patch includes several bug fixes as well as one important new feature. Link priority option Every variable now has an option that controls how links affect the variable. You can access this option in the 'set value' menu. If set to 'link has priority', the variable will always be overridden by the controlling variable's value (if one exists). If 'link can be overridden' is selected, the value of the variable can be overridden, either in the 'set value' menu or by other means (e.g. manually opening a door). This means that the value of the variable will not necessarily always match the value of the controlling variable. Links will still replicate values from one variable to another, but only when the 'controlling' value itself changes (e.g true -> false, red -> green), or if manually done by using a 'value controller' or 'value branch' function. By default, this new option…
- Mechanica 1.2.3: The Programming Rework - 11 February 2022
Hey everyone, After over 2 months and 2 major revisions, Mechanica's programming rework is finally complete! Programming is Mechanica's most fundamental gameplay aspect, and I've put every effort into ensuring the new system is an objective improvement - I rewrote the entire programming system from scratch (twice) to get it right, and I'm really proud of the new system. With that being said, humans are resistant to change, and I know some people will not be happy with such a big change. All I ask is that you keep an open mind - it'll take some getting used to, but I think you'll find that the new system is easier, faster, and more intuitive to use, whilst still being as powerful as the old system. It'll be difficult to explain every aspect of the new system in text, so I'd encourage you to jump in game to see the new system for yourself. Here's the most notable changes: There is now a '…
- Mechanica v1.2.3.1: Programming Rework (2) Open Beta - 27 January 2022
Hey everyone, I got a lot of great feedback from the programming open beta. I've been spending some time reworking it yet again to address some key concerns: Allowing the creation of complex programs compactly and efficiently. Avoiding the clutter introduced by physical wires. Minimizing the amount of space required to display functions, variables, and events. This is an open beta and as such I'm not going to be providing a massive writeup on every change made. So here's a rough outline: Introduced 'programming mode'. Any programming-related activity is only available when programming mode is enabled. It can be toggled by pressing caps-lock (this will be rebind-able shortly). Links are now only visible when programming mode is enabled. Links can now be created and destroyed only when programming mode is enabled. General-purpose functions are no longer massive physical objects - they are…
- Mechanica v1.2.3: Programming Rework Open Beta - 25 December 2021
Hello everyone, I've been working on the programming system rework for the past month, and the open beta is now ready! You can opt into this beta by right-clicking on Mechanica in your Steam library -> properties -> betas -> select 'new_programming_beta'. In this update, I've focussed on reworking the programming system so that it is faster, easier, and more intuitive to work with. On a basic level, It functions similarly to the old system, except that instead of functions, events, and variables existing abstractly and only being visualized within the programming menu, all of these now have physical visual representations - an object's functions/events are represented as a physical 'block' that you can find attached to the object. Variables are represented as input/output ports (depending on if it is read only, set only, etc) that are also physically located on the object. You can link…
- Mechanica v1.2.2: Electric Manufacturing - 9 November 2021
Hi everyone, This is the third and final manufacturing overhaul update, introducing new electric manufacturing machines. These machines are 25% faster than petrol machines and can be powered by a connection to an electricity network. They can be unlocked via research. I have also redone several severals existing objects - the incinerator, vacuum, and power bank. The incinerator and vacuum have been redesigned and now have the new manufacturing input/output. The power bank now operates automatically, charging when there is an excess of power in the network and discharging when there is a deficit. The old versions of these objects will remain in the game for compatibility, but you'll receive the updated version when you pick them up. I have also made changes to the power system - power requirements are now expressed in power per (in-game) hour. For example, an electric Autominer requires…
- Mechanica v1.2.1: Petrol-Powered Manufacturing - 23 October 2021
Hey everyone, This is the second of three manufacturing updates. This update introduces petrol-powered manufacturing machines. These are 25% faster than coal machines and run approximately twice as long as coal-powered machines before needing refueling. They can be unlocked via research. There are also some new structural objects, which have been placed in the new 'structure' crafting category. The lights/screens and inputs/sensors crafting tabs have been merged into an 'electronics' crafting tab. Additions Added petrol-powered Autominer. Added petrol-powered Furnace. Added petrol-powered Autodigger. Added petrol-powered Autocrafter. Added petrol-powered Water pump. Added petrol-powered Pumpjack. Added petrol-powered Chemical Crafter. Added empty barrel. Added wood boards. Added wood beam. Added wood panel. Added wood basket. Added metal beam wedges. Added corrugated iron. Added bookshe…
- Mechanica v1.2.0: Manufacturing Rehaul - 13 October 2021
Hey everyone, I'm super excited to release the manufacturing rehaul for Mechanica. I've been working on this update every day since the last update, and I'm really proud of how it's turned out. The manufacturing system has been totally rehauled, resulting in a much more cohesive, intuitive, and fun experience. All the new manufacturing machines added in this update are powered by coal, which is the newest natural resource. The next update will introduce petrol-powered machines, and the update after that will introduce electric machines. Each successive generation of machines will be faster and require less maintenance. I've also reworked the crafting recipes of most items in the game to be well adjusted to the production rate of the new machines. From a technical standpoint, the new conveyor points are the coolest addition in this update. The meshes for these conveyors are generated at…
- Mechanica v1.1.9: Creations - 26 August 2021
Hello everyone, This update introduces the Creation tool, which allows you to save and re-use groups of objects called 'creations'. You can upload and download creations from the Steam workshop. This is a really neat little feature that will be a massive time-saver for many players. Additions Added creation tool. Added dragging feature to items. Press and hold the interact key on dropped items to move them around without picking them up. Added refresh button to code library Steam workshop tab. Added 'prime directive' display to boot screen. Improvents/Changes Modified the process of uploading a code blueprint to the Steam workshop. Removed lights from research crystals. Unfortunately, they were causing significant performance issues. Modified 'event listener' output to always exist, even if no event is selected. This means function links will not be deleted when 'none' is selected in th…
- Mechanica v1.1.8: Code Blueprints + Steam Workshop - 14 July 2021
Hey everyone, This update adds 'code blueprints' to the game. You can now save collections of functions/links for reuse later. Simply hover your cursor over the right side of the programming menu to access the blueprint library. Additionally, you can upload your code blueprints to the Steam workshop, as well as download those created by others. Also, you can now change the 'target object' of a function by clicking on the orange dropdown at the top of the function. The 'target object' is the object that this function applies to - for example, if you have a 'turn on' function that affects a sentry, you can retarget the function so that it turns on a different sentry. I've also implemented automatic retargeting, so a sentry's 'turn on' function can be changed so that it targets a furnace, auto-miner, or any other object that can be turned on. This should make complex programs a lot less bu…
- Mechanica v1.1.7: Better Bots - 24 June 2021
Hi all, This update introduces a new enemy dropship that serves as a carrier for enemies, streamlining their journey from the factory. Additionally, enemies now have the ability to damage and destroy certain player-made objects. Most non-programmable objects now have health and can be destroyed by enemy robots if they are obstructing the enemy's path. Please note that all programmable objects except for sentries and conveyor belts cannot be destroyed by enemies - this is to prevent enemies from destroying your code and causing a massive headache. Finally, to combat this new enemy ability, a repair tool has been added. It is a simple tool that repairs objects quickly and without any cost. Additions Added enemy dropship. Added repair tool. Added object health displays. Added enemy object destruction. Added sounds for picking up and dropping items. Changes/Improvements Sand drill drilling…
- Mechanica v1.1.6: Research System - 7 June 2021
Hey everyone, This update adds the new 'research system' - something I think will add a lot of progression and depth to the game. Now, to craft and build certain objects you must first 'research' them in the new research station. Research stations are powered by new items called 'science' - they come in three variants, blue, orange, and purple. Once you provide enough science to a research station and give it some time, it will unlock a certain 'research group'. Each research group contains certain items, for example, the 'advanced weapons' research group contains the electric baseball bat, nailgun, and EMP grenade. Please note that research is disabled by default on all games created prior to this update. If you wish to enable it, it can be toggled on in the save game's options. I think this is a great new addition and will add a proper sense of progression to the game, which it has pr…
- Mechanica v1.1.5: Miscellaneous Stuff - 14 April 2021
Hey everyone, This update is going to be a little smaller than usual as I've only had about 4 days to work on it - I spent about 2 weeks trying to solve one of the meanest bugs I've ever encountered. It's quite rare and only occurs for certain players but could can significant disruptions so I deemed it necessary to get it fixed ASAP. Unfortunately, it was an extraordinarily difficult problem to diagnose and solve, and I have thus far been unable to fix it :( To prevent further delays, I chose to put the issue on the backburner and continue with the rest of the update. I'll keep working on this issue in parallel with the regular updates until it is fixed. This update includes an assortment of new objects, mostly decorative items. There are also a couple of new base-buildings objects. I hope you enjoy these new additions! Additions Added garage door. Added barbed wire fence, Added bollar…
- Mechanica 1.1.4: Defenses Update (Part 2) - 17 March 2021
Hey everyone, First of all, sorry for the lack of updates/communication in the past month or so - things have been pretty crazy on this end, and I've struggled quite a lot to find the time to work on Mechanica. Fortunately, things are settling down now and I'll be able to get back into a frequent update cycle. Thanks so much for your patience and apologies again. This is the second part of the defense update - as the name suggests, three more defensive objects have been added. In addition to this, following a lot of personal playtesting, I've made a lot of small adjustments that I believe will improve Mechanica's gameplay experience. See below for specifics. Additions Added primitive suspension trap. Added advanced suspension trap Added spinning laser trap Bug fixes Fixed a bug that caused inventory items to temporarily disappear. Fixed the furnace being unable to detect ores. Fixed var…
- Mechanica 1.1.3: Defenses Update (Part 1) - 3 February 2021
This update is the first of two adding more defensive objects. In addition to this, several new crafting components have been added. These include the plant threads, cloth, and rope. Plant threads are obtained from new desert plants that are scattered throughout the map. Additions Added primitive compactor trap. Added advanced compactor trap. Added spinning blade trap. Added laser sentry. Added primitive rake trap. Added basic bear trap. Added plant threads. Added cloth. Added rope. Added desert plants to the map (source of plant threads). Added rope and cloth crafting options to the auto-crafter. Changes Reduced the crafting cost of several defensive objects. Converted the existing bear trap into a 'computerized bear trap'. This has been done to differentiate it from the newly added basic bear trap. The model has been modified slightly. Couches are now craftable. Lounge chairs now craf…
- Mechanica 1.1.2: Combat Update - 25 January 2021
This update introduces various new weapons as well as an entirely new enemy type: F.R.A.N.K F.R.A.N.K F.R.A.N.K is the newest addition to Odyssey's robot lineup. He is a heavy hitter, making use of a large machete in close range and a powerful laser cannon at distance. He has a large amount of health and is impervious to impact damage. What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in durability and deadliness - he is truly a formidable enemy. Additions Added F.R.A.N.K Added nailgun. Added EMP grenade. Added throwing knife. Added spiked baseball bat. Added electric baseball bat. Added PVP option. Disabled by default. Added power attacks to the baseball bats. Right-click to perform a power attack, dealing extra damage. Requires stamina to perform. Added auto-sort feature to the inventory. Added reload keybind. Defaults to 'R'. Added dynamic heightfog. Improves visual atmosphere quite a bit, I t…
- Mechanica 1.1.1: Base Building Improvements - 30 December 2020
Hey everyone, this update introduces a new base building system. There is now a lot more flexibility in regards to what you can build. Multi-story buildings, large indoor structures, towers, etc, are now possible. Additionally, there are now two available building materials; wood and steel. I have also reworked how trees function. Instead of incrementally dropping wood in a similar fashion to ores, trees can now be cut down completely and drop all of their wood upon doing so. Additionally, trees also drop sticks when being hit. There is a 30% chance of dropping a stick for every hit. Additions Added sticks. Added torch. Added wall-mounted torch. Added two additional build points to windows and window covers. Added wooden door. Added wooden foundation. Added wooden wall. Added wooden doorway. Added wooden window frame. Added wooden double doorway. Added wooden garage frame. Added wooden…
- Mechanica 1.1.0: Multiplayer - 16 December 2020
Mechanica multiplayer has now fully released! Thanks for much for the patience as multiplayer has been developed - networking a game like this has proven to be quite an interesting challenge. Now that multiplayer has released, my focus will be introducing a lot more content over the next couple of months. I will be introducing more machines, base-building options, defenses, crafting components and more. After I have introduced a sufficient amount of content I will start work on an entirely new map. I will likely release this map while it is quite small and expand it over time with incremental updates. This map will be much more densely packed and higher quality than the current one - I am really excited to get to work on it. Changelist (including changes from all multiplayer beta versions) Additions Added multiplayer. Added shovel. Added sand. Added character color customization - you c…
- Mechanica Multiplayer Open Beta v1.5 - 4 December 2020
Hey everyone, this will be the final beta update I will be running for Mechanica Multiplayer. In a few days time after I've resolved the remaining issues, I'll push the multiplayer update to all versions of the game. Additions Added chat system. Added commands. Added shovel. Added new 'sand' item. Added new impact effects when mining/chopping ores/trees. Added keybind to open chat. Added three building keybinds that were previously unchangable. Improvements Improved the appearance of the day-night cycle system Improved the appearance of stars and clouds. Added minor detail to axe/pickaxe textures. The sand drill (was glass refinery) is now animated. Dropped tools now have unique models rather than the generic box. Animated all equippables in third person. Changes The glass refinery has now been converted to the sand drill. Rather than instantly producing glass, it produces sand. 2x sand…
- Mechanica Multiplayer Open Beta v1.4 - 17 November 2020
Additions Added character color customization - you can now change the appearance of your avatar with a selection of 10 colors. Player names are now displayed above vehicles. Bug fixes Fixed resolution not applying correctly under certain circumstances. Fixed issues with sleeping in multiplayer. Fixed screen flickering during load screen. Fixed blue lounge chair position/rotation not syncing correctly. Fixed equipped item label staying visible after the item has been dropped. Fixed various occurs that sometimes occured when exiting to the main menu from multiplayer. Hey everyone, My exams are finally done, and I'm excited to get back on track with Mechanica's development. This is a relatively minor update as I've only had a few days to work on it. However, the next update (v1.5) will introduce the remaining features I'd like to add before fully releasing multiplayer. I'll keep v1.5 in b…
- Mechanica Multiplayer Open Beta - 30 September 2020
Hey everyone! It's been a while since the last update, but the wait is finally over - I am super excited to announce the beginning of the Mechanica multiplayer open beta! Disclaimer This is a beta test of Mechanica's multiplayer features. I've tried super hard to get everything working as smoothly as possible but there will still almost certainly be some issues. Some of these could potentially be gamebreaking (though I believe this is unlikely), which is why I am running an open beta before release. There are also some nonessential features that are not yet present in the game but will be added during the beta. How to get started Before getting into a game, it is important to know that this update is opt-in, meaning that it will not be automatically downloaded to your computer - you will have to manually choose to participate. Opting in is simple, and can be done through the following s…
