Save and Load is working!
A few bugs to iron out but a big step to getting player creations in game.
#UE5 #EpicGames #GameDev #IndieDev #BuildSystem #Exosolar #RTS #Strategy

The Neu-xol were created on April 1st, 2025.
A shoal of cuttlefish achieved higher levels of sentience by near instant communication by electrical impulses.
Quick to consensus, it's logical diplomacy will save the universe.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy

#screenshotsaturday
Happy little ship :)
#Exosolar

My answer to balancing Ship builds is Limits.
Stats have a min and max value, go beyond those for a stat and you can't save the build and the out-of-range text changes color.
youtu.be/Z4v8OGHWqMY
#UE5 #EpicGames #Blueprints #GameDev #IndieDev #BuildSystem #Exosolar #RTS #Strategy

#flashback: update from 3/21/2025, first enemy AI.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy

I think traditionally I played games with pre-designed units and enjoyed it immensely.
As I'm building my own RTS, I want players designing their own.
I think it's an idea that could push RTS toward new audiences as the survival and crafting genre has gained popularity. #Exosolar

Overlapping accomplished!
So now if more than 50% of the new model is overlapping any object, you can't add it and a message pops up. This will prevent hiding ship parts.
#UE5 #EpicGames #Blueprints #GameDev #IndieDev #BuildSystem #Exosolar #RTS #Strategy

#Flashback: update from 3/17/2025, a bunch of new features like zones and usability features.
youtu.be/JEjSi0HYsew
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy

I mentioned I'd share videos from when I first started, here is one from 3/11/25, my first prototype. You can see all the essential RTS elements are in, unit controls, attacking, capturing.

youtu.be/UHWdpkSjcmQ

#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Flashback #prototype

One thing important to me with the building tool for Exosolar is that it feels as good as the prebuilt ships I was using. They'll be different because pieces = stats, but I do try to build them with the tool.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #buildsystem

I added some pieces to the build set and gave it a test. These are from the Avii ship set, a more fighter jet feel.
They use ballistic miniguns, the fastest firing weapon system.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #buildsystem

I think I found a sweet spot for the current weapons, so now back to implementing other limitations and new models.
My biggest focus was TTK, looking for between 5 and 8 seconds vs the ideal unit.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #buildsystem

Tuning the weapon systems values, trying to hit the sweet spot between different, useful, and non-dominant.
It's tricky to find the reward for a slower firing weapon over a something with low cooldown at min/max.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships

The idea behind Exosolar was formulated a year ago!
I'll do some post in the coming month of then and now, but I'll show you a WIP of different weapon systems in the ship builder.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #BuildSystem

Full ship build at 16x speed.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #BuildSystem

I wanted to give players the ability to change the non-team colors, so I set up a color wheel.
A few other tweaks to UI and stats track as well.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #BuildSystem

The least exciting looking post with huge game impact (lol).
SYSTEMS SPREADSHEETS!!!
Worked out stats for ship building and gaming out min/max values to prevent op builds.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #BuildSystem #Systemdesign

WIP UI to help inform and make building a bit easier.
You'll notice on the left stats, I've decided that parts will be associated with values, defensive and offensive.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #BuildSystem

New Build video at 4x speed. I added mirroring, team color, and 45 degree angles. Really happy with it.
Shoot out to Ebal Studios for the modular ship pieces.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships #BuildSystem

I've been inspired by Warzone 2100 and Snap Ships, I'm pushing ship building to be a core feature of Exosolar.
First WIP.
youtu.be/UmGRslQQLxI
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships

Following up on formations, Units use to swarm actors when set to follow, which was a readability nightmare. Now they'll keep formation. Video is 4x speed.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships

Formations!
Units sort into three lines, armor and shield units up front, shooters in the middle, and heroes, Capital Ships, range, and space stations in the back.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships

WIP on lighting and readability.
The cylinders under the ships and planets only get global lighting.
The Planets only get the suns.
The Ships get both, so they'll appear brighter near a sun but still readable away.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships

Here it is, revamped movements.
Now that I'm not using a navgrid, it's easier to get movement in the Z direction, like the ships flying over planets here.
youtu.be/qSLUDI8_axw
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #UnrealEngine #Spaceships

Back again!
I've been updating the missions and ran into an issue with ship navigation. One of those you fix and then it pops up somewhere else type deals.
So I'm rebuilding movement to not use character movement/nav. Video soon!
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #UnrealEngine

Let's talk plans.
#MDev showed me that mission 1 didn't have enough and mission 2 was too much.
Mission 1 has combat and a gather your crew storyline.
New Mission 2 that introduces planets gameplay.
Mission 3 will stay the same.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Missiondesign

Mission 1 Revamp - Kuiper Belt
So last time this mission was a move to gate and win.
I expanded the map, added combat, and gathering the team mechanic to make it more interesting.
Top-down attached.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Missiondesign

I've been rewriting the event system for ease of use and integrity; Dynomega's quest system is still the backbone, but events are triggered using the new blueprints.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #blueprints #Unreal

I'm revamping the first mission in the Kuiper Belt.
A big part of it is figuring out the clouds, as I've learned more about the nebulas from Ambient GraphX I think they'll work just fine.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Nebulas

I'm back.
I'm sharing the Avii Basic ship today.
Avii ships resemble jet fighters, cockpit forward. The ship base does have a semi-circle shape.
#gamedev #indiedev #Exosolar #RTS #Space #4x #Strategy #Spaceships