Progress Update 08/30/2025

A sizeable amount of progress has been made the past week, with some refinements to the planet editor, greater polishing across multiple features, and some graphics improvements. Players should now be able to create more varied experiences on their planet, and should find mechanics to be a lot more consistent across the Microbe Stage and Multicellular prototype.

Programming

• New DevBuild for our patrons:
  • Added more planet customization options to the new game settings and a preview of planet stats
  • The button to eject engulfed objects now works in a cell colony and in multicellular stage
  • Enabled specular highlights effect for microbe membranes
  • Added a new tutorial that tells the player about adding the binding agents to guide them towards the next stage
  • The temperature miche in auto-evo now penalizes sessility
  • Improved visual water currents syncing to the simulation
  • Fixed the hydrogenosome not being available through endosymbiosis like it should have been configured to be available
  • Updated translations

Graphics

• Specular highlights enabled for cells, making membranes more noticeable and polished.
• Further refinements to water current graphics.

Gameplay

• Planet customization options now allow greater variety of experiences in Thrive.
• Discussion on the 3D planet generator for the Macroscopic Stages, with updates on progress.
• Brief post on multicellular stage concepts.

Sound

• Nothing substantial.

Theory

• Nothing substantial.

Outreach

• Nothing substantial.

Other

• Nothing substantial.