- Development Hold - 4 April 2022
Hello folks, We've had to stop our development schedule for Lacuna Passage V2. Our goal with this project was to first expand on the original concept built by Random Seed, followed by raising funds & backing to ramp-up production. Due to various factors we have not been able to meet this goal. We understand the community here has been eagerly waiting to see this project thrive. Our team has also been committed to building out Mars and we've spent many hours and resources doing so. But sadly we cannot continue down this path. In the future, if we find the right backing, we might attempt to leverage the tech we've built to give the project another shot. But for now, development for Lacuna Passage V2 is on hold. The original Kickstarted version built by Random Seed will stay live. Sincerely, Vilas Candescent Games, Inc.
- Dev Update 06 - 8 September 2020
Hi folks, in our last update we touched on the dynamic weather system we’ve built to recreate conditions on the Martian surface. This update is a brief check-in to show you our new astronaut suit and some features we've built around it. Martian Suit We’ve designed and built a modern EVA ( Extra Vehicular Activity ) suit. It's light and flexible but still provides protection from the terrain and solar radiation. Features: The shoulder integrated Oxygen feed allows a greater range of head motion and makes the helmet more ergonomic. The external O2 and battery meters will let you visually monitor your co-op buddy. The forward looking sensor cluster will be used to survey and take pictures of Mars. The built-in harness will allow you to do some spelunking and use zip-lines. Modular Design As with many of our new assets the EVA suit is built to be modular. This means the helmet and life-supp…
- Dev Update 05 - 16 June 2020
As things slowly return to normal we’d like to talk about our new development timeline and progress. Update 04 touched upon new assets and items. This update will cover our launch timeline, new gear in the works, and weather systems. New Timeline We want to be upfront about delays. Update 03 layed out a July release of the new version of Lacuna Passage. This was an aggressive timeline that we set out to accomplish in earnest. Of course we did not expect the chaos of pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. Our launch timeline is now pushed to the end of this year. We know this is disappointing but we hope to illustrate how we’re expanding the foundation of what will be possible in the new Lacuna Passage. Martian Weather We’ve been working on a Martian weather system that can simulate a variety of conditions on the Martian surface. This includes wind and dust conditions near the surface and…
- Dev Update 04 - 5 April 2020
Hi folks we hope everyone is safe and well during these unexpected circumstances of the global pandemic. In Update 03 we talked about Rovers and a timeline for our new build. This update is a brief check-in towards that goal. At the moment we’re heads-down and focused on hitting the July timeline. We’ve had to make changes to our working setup due to social distancing restrictions in California. But work on the new build is continuing at a good pace. Among the many things we're working on are updated assets, animations and various elements that will flesh out the new Martian environments and Habitats. The Game Plan Our 2-month update cycle will continue. These will be shorter updates, which allows us to focus more resources on development. We know it’s been a wait but we’re excited to share our vision for the new version of Lacuna Passage once it's ready to jump in. Thank you for your f…
- Dev Update 03 - 31 January 2020
We hope everyone had a great start to 2020. Post holidays our team hit the ground running with our build-out of Lacuna Passage and we’re excited to share more progress. In Update 02 we talked about new areas like the stunning Chandor Chasma, and our new Habitat design. Let’s start this update with a look at Rovers! Martian Rovers Want to colonize a harsh planet? You'll need a reliable set of wheels. This 4-Axle Mars Rover will be the backbone of long distance travel and moving stuff around. At work we’ve dubbed this machine the Toyota Hi-Lux of Mars (Top Gear reference). Our Rovers and vehicles have a detailed physics model! We’re working with a talented vehicle-physics developer ( see footnotes ) to give you a true simulation of suspension and wheel forces. Different surface types will have varied traction properties. We can simulate independent axles with electric motors driving each…
- Dev Update 02 - 22 November 2019
It’s time for Update 02 and we’re excited to share our progress on Lacuna Passage. In our last update we talked about the switch to Unreal Engine which allows us to create larger landscapes and build accurate maps from terrain data captured by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Let’s start this update with a look at a brand new map. :: ~~ Drum roll ~~ :: Candor Chasma Located in the heart of Valles Marineris, Candor Chasma is the deepest part of a giant canyon system that stretches across Mars. This map in the southwest quadrant of Candor Chasma, lies in a deep valley that is surrounded by harsh 5 kilometer tall canyon walls. This wind swept terrain will be a challenge for even the most seasoned astronaut. We’ve been working hard to recreate such Martian frontiers so that you can explore them in detail. Martian Habitats Survival in harsh environments like Candor Chasma will require rel…
- Candescent Games Dev-Update - 20 September 2019
Hi All, Since acquiring Lacuna Passage we’ve been planning out and building our new direction for the game. Today we’d like to share this direction with you and show some of our development progress. The current version of Lacuna Passage (on Steam) captures a glimpse of what it’s like to be an Astronaut on Mars. Our development goal is to build on Tyler’s original concept, while revitalizing and greatly expanding the gameplay possibilities. To accomplish this we are making some big foundational changes. Unreal Engine Future versions of Lacuna Passage will be built in Unreal Engine. Switching over to Unreal was something we thought long and hard about. We’re not starting from scratch, in fact we already have a lot built out. While this decision does increase the amount of development work needed, it opens up a lot of great gameplay possibilities. The first of which is the ability to grea…
- Lacuna Passage Lives - 12 April 2019
A couple months ago I had to make a very difficult announcement. Lacuna Passage was being put on ice. That decision was not made lightly and I kept looking for a solution that might allow the game to live on. Well, I’m happy to share that Lacuna Passage has found a new home. Effective immediately, Candescent Games is taking over development. I’ve been communicating closely with Vilas Tewari and the team at Candescent Games in Burbank, California and the future looks bright for Lacuna Passage. This game has been very important to me and I wouldn’t trust it to just anyone. They have demonstrated a great understanding of the themes and design, and they have really impressed me with their ideas on how to improve upon that foundation. I know the team at Candescent Games is excited to get their boots on Mars, but the important thing for me was that they were willing to let the current version…
- Development Update - 27 January 2019
Version 0.65 just went live to add a long requested feature. Mouse input for datapad screens. There are two ways to use the mouse controls. First, you can just hold down the datapad key (E by default) and the UI will switch to fullscreen with mouse input enabled as long as you have the datapad key held down. It will close the datapad when you release the key. The second way is to open the datapad normally by just tapping the datapad button instead of holding it. This will bring up the datapad like you are used to and then you can press R to switch between keyboard controls and mouse controls. Since the launch of Lacuna Passage on Steam Early Access I have put out 25 updates adding a wide variety of new features and improvements. Dust storms, rovers, scientific research, and more. This has all been done in an attempt to expand on the features that would support the eventual story mode. D…
- UI Update Beta - 23 December 2018
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F28764393%2Ff32c189361f5e84bc6f4d2424279aa513b3a1530.png I was intending for this update to go live to everyone before Christmas, but I ran into some last minute bugs that I didn't have time to fix before I travel. Instead of leaving you all empty handed during the holidays, I figured I would put it out on the public beta branch. To enable it, right click on the game in your library and select Properties. Then go to the Betas tab and select the public beta. This is the preview for 0.65. It contains probably the most requested feature since the game launched. Mouse controls for the datapad. There are two ways to use the mouse controls. First, you can just hold down the datapad key (E by default) and the UI will switch to fullscreen with mouse input enabled as long as you have the datapad key held down. It will close the data…
- Performance Update - v0.64.3 - 6 October 2018
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F28764393%2Fcd0c5143d30ca4c722896d3e22698859429deb43.gif There have been enough additions to the game that I felt it was time to go back and make some serious performance improvements. So there are fewer feature updates in this release, but it should make a big difference for some players on lower end systems. Check out the full change log below. Many of these fixes were suggested and tested by our helpful community on our official feedback forums. Significant performance improvements have been made across all gameplay systems. If the game ran slowly for you before, please report back if you see any improvements after these changes. Lighting improvements have been made inside habitats, including windows that now glow brightly from the light of the sun outside. This is most noticeable with the lights in the hab turned off. A…
- Research Achievements - v0.64.2 - 1 September 2018
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F28764393%2Fda673d74752debb59dfb216addcaaaacffe040b6.gif This month's update is focused on expanding the research mechanics of the game. You now have a new research bench inside each habitat that lets you track your research progress towards four new achievements. There are lots of other bug fixes as well. Check out the full change log below. Many of these fixes were suggested and tested by our helpful community on our official feedback forums. Change Log There are four new achievements based on mission research progress. There is a new workstation in each habitat called the Research Bench. Similar to the Crafting and Salvaging Bench, you can interact with the Research Bench to see an overview of your research progress for each research category. This can help you track your progress towards the new research achievements. H…
- Research Update - v0.64 - 30 June 2018
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F28764393%2F068910ec4786a963f5c033e15d20375c5083c44d.gif This month I'm introducing the first of many new late-game goal mechanics. No longer will the survival mode be entirely based on survival time. You now have the optional side objective of completing mission research. Much of this update consists of background implementation that will allow me to expand on the research features down the road, but for this first iteration I have added rock sample collection as the first type of research. So how does it work? Collecting research is a critical goal for these manned missions to Mars. There will be many types of research samples to collect and then deposit in the storage sections of each habitat. You only have five slots for each type of research sample in your personal inventory, so make sure to deposit these samples in ha…
- Radiation Storms Update - v0.63 - 1 April 2018
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F28764393%2Fef67eafd227a4ca497924f9450845fc5ac32283c.gif Radiation storms are a new environmental hazard for Lacuna Passage. They will not occur if you pick the "No Storms" scenario, but otherwise they are randomized low levels of radiation exposure that you can only escape by taking shelter in a habitat. This update is a bit lighter on additional features than I was hoping for, but I just wanted to get something out for this month. Because of the rush to publish, there are also some balance issues that may need to be addressed in the near future since I didn't have time to properly test everything. The main change that may cause balance issues is the lengthening of the day-night cycle. Players have requested for quite some time now that the days should be extended a bit to feel more realistic. Previously, 30 minutes real-t…
- Radiation Storms Update - v0.63 - 1 April 2018
https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F28764393%2Fef67eafd227a4ca497924f9450845fc5ac32283c.gif Radiation storms are a new environmental hazard for Lacuna Passage. They will not occur if you pick the "No Storms" scenario, but otherwise they are randomized low levels of radiation exposure that you can only escape by taking shelter in a habitat. This update is a bit lighter on additional features than I was hoping for, but I just wanted to get something out for this month. Because of the rush to publish, there are also some balance issues that may need to be addressed in the near future since I didn't have time to properly test everything. The main change that may cause balance issues is the lengthening of the day-night cycle. Players have requested for quite some time now that the days should be extended a bit to feel more realistic. Previously, 30 minutes real-t…
- Driveable Rovers Update - v0.62 - 31 January 2018
Driveable rovers are finally here! There will be at least one rover guaranteed to spawn in every playthrough. There are two possible areas towards the center of the map where they may spawn randomly, but if you can't find any there you can be sure to find one parked at the third habitat. If you haven't played much before, the third habitat is also randomized, so happy hunting! If you choose to continue a saved game keep in mind that you may run into errors, but if you have already discovered a rover previously, then you should be able to return to it and it will now be operable. I would still recommend starting a fresh save however. Here are all the major additions that have made it into this update: Change Log PRTs found in the environment are now driveable. Added Charged Backup Battery items that can be used to recharge your suit while out on an EVA, which after using will change to e…
- Driveable Rovers Update - v0.62 - 31 January 2018
Driveable rovers are finally here! There will be at least one rover guaranteed to spawn in every playthrough. There are two possible areas towards the center of the map where they may spawn randomly, but if you can't find any there you can be sure to find one parked at the third habitat. If you haven't played much before, the third habitat is also randomized, so happy hunting! If you choose to continue a saved game keep in mind that you may run into errors, but if you have already discovered a rover previously, then you should be able to return to it and it will now be operable. I would still recommend starting a fresh save however. Here are all the major additions that have made it into this update: Change Log PRTs found in the environment are now driveable. Added Charged Backup Battery items that can be used to recharge your suit while out on an EVA, which after using will change to e…
- Power System Rework Update - v0.61 - 3 November 2017
v0.61 focuses on a complete update of the power management system for exterior habitat modules, but a bunch of bug fixes are included as well. Check the change log below. Change Log Fixed incorrect east hab map marker location. Fixed datapad UI navigation issue that would discard inputs that were entered too quickly. Fixed bug that prevented you from strafing while auto-walking. Fixed bug that caused dust storm effects to be visible and charging with portable solar panel to be possible while inside east hab airlock. Made change to WayStat discovery view colliders so that they hopefully trigger more reliably. Made change to mouse sensitivity range (this may require you to adjust your sensitivity in the control options menu). Fixed bug causing the minimum solar charge during a dust storm to go lower than intended. Game performance should be slightly improved after doing a recent optimizat…
- Power System Rework Update - v0.61 - 3 November 2017
v0.61 focuses on a complete update of the power management system for exterior habitat modules, but a bunch of bug fixes are included as well. Check the change log below. Change Log Fixed incorrect east hab map marker location. Fixed datapad UI navigation issue that would discard inputs that were entered too quickly. Fixed bug that prevented you from strafing while auto-walking. Fixed bug that caused dust storm effects to be visible and charging with portable solar panel to be possible while inside east hab airlock. Made change to WayStat discovery view colliders so that they hopefully trigger more reliably. Made change to mouse sensitivity range (this may require you to adjust your sensitivity in the control options menu). Fixed bug causing the minimum solar charge during a dust storm to go lower than intended. Game performance should be slightly improved after doing a recent optimizat…
- Controller Support Update - v0.6 - 6 October 2017
v0.6 focuses on making the control options much more flexible. This required a complete rework of the input system in the game to support most PC-compatible controllers and full key remapping options. This continues my current pattern of alternating major updates between gameplay system additions (like the previous pop tent and dust storm updates) and quality-of-life additions (like this one). Check out the full change log below. Change Log Controller support has been added for most dual joystick controller types. Keyboard and controller button remapping is now available via the Controls option menu. Increased frequency of dust devils. Fixed bug that caused hab status panel to display information from a different hab. Fixed production levels of oxygen and water modules relative to the impact that broken components should have. Changed locomotion settings for moving up and down slopes an…
