Development Update August 2025
2025-08-21
A big new update just landed on the eXoSpace playtest branch! There's a LOT of additions and changes, as I'm working rapidly towards release in September. The metagame got a complete overhaul, energy shields were added, ship designs can now be shared easily via Steam Workshop, and a lot more!
The biggest change is a complete overhaul of the metagame. Bounty contracts now each feature a unique boss and sector to discover and overcome. Completing contracts rewards you with Galactic Guilders, which can be used to purchase new starting module sets and special perks for your next contract. The reputation system has also been reworked: you now earn 1 reputation for completing a contract on Normal difficulty, 1 for Hard, and 1 for Hardcore (Hard + Roguelike mode).
Modules
Modules have received lots of updates: they now come in different rarity tiers (from Common to Epic and Unique), module blueprints can drop from destroyed enemies, and many new modules have been added, including energy shields!
Resources
Another major change is the removal of ammo and the introduction of two new resources: antimatter canisters and exotic matter. Antimatter is required for building energy generators and shields, while exotic matter is needed for weapons and shields. The trader GUI has been overhauled as well, and trades now use the new eXoSpace currency, FluxCreds, instead of metal.
Steam Workshop support
One more highlight: Steam Workshop support! You can now share ship designs directly from the ship editor, as well as subscribe to other players’ creations. Subscribed ships will appear in the sandbox the next time you start the game.
Changelist:
- Bounty contracts have been restyled: each contract has its own unique boss and a sector with distinct factions and challenges.
- Added 3 new bounty contracts with new bosses: Dread Reaver, Contraptionist, and Emperor Pretender (these assignments will receive additional content over time).
- Completing bounty contracts now rewards Galactic Guilders, used to purchase new starting module sets and special perks for your next assignment.
- Completing bounty contracts now grants 1 reputation for Normal, 1 for Hard, and 1 for Hardcore (Hard + Roguelike permadeath). Reputation unlocks more difficult assignments.
- Faction reputation added: attacking a faction reduces your standing with them, while helping increases it. Reputation affects whether a faction attacks on sight and can influence encounter rewards.
- Ammo removed from the game, as it mainly made missile launchers and torpedoes less appealing and wasn’t fun in practice.
- Added new resources: Antimatter Canisters (needed for energy generators and shields) and Exotic Matter (needed for weapons and shields).
- Energy shields introduced! Four sizes are available. (Most built-in ship designs don’t use shields yet, with one exception.)
- Trader GUI significantly improved. You can now buy and sell resources and some blueprints using FluxCreds.
- Added an Armory screen for purchasing new equipment and perks.
- Module blueprints now come in rarity tiers: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Unique—with higher tiers being stronger and harder to find.
- Module blueprints can now drop from destroyed ships. Higher-value ships may drop higher-rarity modules.
- Auto-Fire weapons can now target not only ships but also incoming projectiles.
- Added new modules: Doom Beam weapon (used by the Dread Reaver), half-rhombus armor, salvo missile launcher, and light/medium/heavy/station energy shields.
- Default ship AI has been tuned for more interesting behavior and now has an Aggressiveness parameter that controls how bold the ship acts.
- Steam Workshop integration: upload your design via the ship details tab in the ship editor.
- Asteroid mining improved: asteroids are now easier to destroy, and special asteroids (visually distinct) may drop large amounts of metal or rare resources.
- Added several awesome player-made designs. Huge thanks to everyone who contributed!
- As always, this update also includes numerous smaller changes and bug fixes.
