Before everything, I want to thank you for all the immense support you’ve given to this project! Thanks to all the Pirate Software community for the amazing encouragement and all around nice vibes that make these projects a joy to work on and share!

What better way to show love that with a new update, eh? The Full release is finally here!

After a lot of work, the definitive version of Mothership, with all the shiny stuff I expected to add (give or take) is here!

This is a complete expansion on the original, fleshing out all the aspects that felt “rushed” due to the Game Jam constraints. There are a lot of changes and new features, so here’s the Changelog I prepared for the occasion:

Changelog

New: Command Center

• Accessible from the Main Screen (Hotkey: 1).
• Provides access to several key features:
  • Shipbay: Manage combat ships and related options.
  • Ship Customization: (New) Multiple customization options for combat ships (detailed below).
  • Data Storage: In-depth tutorials and replays for completed Training Scenarios (explained below).

New: Ship Customization

• Accessible from the Command Center.
• Rename Ship: Assign custom names to combat ships (12-character limit).
• Change Protocol: Switch a ship’s Protocol (class archetype) for better strategy.
  • Protocols are optional rewards gained from Training Scenario completion.

New: Training Scenarios

• New locations marked as bright green circles titled Training in the Grid system.
• Entry requirements are detailed in-game.
• Purpose: Introduce core gameplay mechanics through gradually challenging scenarios.
• Rewards: Completing scenarios unlocks new ship Protocols tied to each scenario’s theme.
• Initial batch included: More coming Soon™.

Space Travel

• Keyboard controls added:
  • W – Thrust
  • A – Rotate (-)
  • D – Rotate (+)
  • Diagonal movement now fully supported.
• Improved rotation speed for maximum drifting potential.
• Destination system rework:
  • Mothership will now stop automatically when distance meter drops below 400 units.
  • You can now preview potential hazards at the selected destination.
  • For hazard details, see Ship Manual in Data Storage at the Command Center.

Grid

• Accessible from the Main Screen (Hotkey: 2).
• Exit the Grid with (Hotkey: 1).

Rework: Gathering

• Complete system overhaul:
  • Autonomous drones: Deploy drones by landing and directing them to material nodes.
  • Time-based gathering: Materials now require time to collect.
  • Drone management:
    • Retrieve drones via on-screen Recall or (Hotkey: R).
    • Drones will continuously gather available materials until recalled.
    • Deploy up to 8 drones simultaneously.
  • Hazard rework:
    • Zones now feature hazards that can destroy drones (destroyed drones lose gathered materials but are restored after leaving the area, so no hard feelings).
  • Material nodes:
    • Fully visible with on-activation text descriptions.
  • Escalating events:
    • Gathering all nodes triggers a full node respawn event with a yield boost alongside increased hazard severity. (Poor drones won’t stand a chance.)

Shipbay

• New help system: A [?] icon in the top-right now offers context-sensitive help. Hover your mouse to activate (Hover only for now, Hotkey WIP — I realized this while writing, sorry.)
• Streamlined navigation:
  • While viewing a ship’s information, switch between ships via:
    • Z / X keys
    • Click-dragging left or right
    • Swiping (mobile)
• Font restoration:
  • The original system font is back (I missed it!).
  • An alternative option is available in Settings in case of graphical issues.

Other

• Visual Enhancement: New shader added to give it a more authentic retro look (first time I add one, sorry if it’s laggy)
• Volume Standardization: Music and ambience should have be more on the quiet side to avoid harsh contrast. Remember you can always adjust all volume settings from Options!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my silly games, and while I don’t think there’s much more “reworks” to make to this project, I took special care to code this with the future in mind. So, expect a lot of content! Already underway: new training scenarios (with some puzzle like solutions), new bosses, and house specialty, some juicy storyline!

Keep an eye out for this and many other wonderful games from the Pirate Software community! Really, it’s nuts how many gems get made each jam!