We’ve just released version 0.09 of High Frontier, the space settlement simulation game!
In this release, we calculate the energy balance of the colony to determine how hot or cold it will be. This takes into account both black-body radiation — which is the primary form of energy loss in space — as well as the insulation provided by the pressure vessel, shielding, and soil within the habitat. If your colony has excess energy production, it will be used to warm the colony as needed, or turned down to keep it cool, but you can’t turn it down less than what the residents feel they need (they’d rather sweat than give up their video games).
We’ve also reworked the squawk system, so that more important squawks are more likely to be seen. You may also see some complaints about missing docking ports or inadequate communications, if your design is short on those.
The next release will be another “shine & polish” release. At the same time, we’re continuing work on prototyping the most critical parts of the internal colony simulation. Stay tuned here for more updates on that this week — in fact, if you haven’t subscribed already, use the Subscribe widget at right, so you never miss an update!