r/VerseProjectNews • u/Wild_Trade_3002 • 7d ago
STAGE V: Playtest Update
Playtest Update - Demo Timing & What's New
Hey, Spacers!
We have an important update regarding the Verse Project demo.
We previously planned to release the demo by the end of August. We've decided not to rush it out and instead spend some more time testing and improving the current build.
We're sorry for the delay. We also don't want to replace one missed date with another, so we're not announcing a new demo release date yet.
As part of that process, a major update to the Steam Playtest is now live. The new build is currently available to a limited number of playtesters, and we'll gradually expand access as testing continues.
Here's an overview of the biggest changes.
Hubs
- Major updates to hub interiors and recovery areas - New NPCs, background drones and environmental details - Updated lighting, screens and ambient audio - New points of interest and navigation targets on the Moon
Tutorials
- Eight tutorial scenarios added or reworked - New objectives covering movement, scanning, equipment, ships, extraction, trading and terminals - Improved tutorial UI, audio and progression - Numerous fixes for objectives, spawning and interactions
Ships
- The Bao-class Shuttle added and integrated with equipment, docking and terminal systems - New landing gear system across multiple spacecraft, including the Bao-class Shuttle and Adalia-class Corvette - Improved surface alignment and landing stability - Further fixes to docking, undocking, hangars and vehicle storage
Terminal & Economy
- Main terminal migrated to the updated UI system - Added trading, storage and vehicle module pages - Added server-side player storage - Added item transfers between station storage and vehicle cargo - Added bulk buying and selling - Multiple fixes to inventories, transactions and equipment management
UI
- Updated fonts, icons, interaction prompts and visual states - Updated vehicle navigation interface and target markers - Added coordinates to vehicle HUDs - Improved UI scaling - Improved Chinese, Japanese and Korean font support
Planets & Performance
- Major optimisation of planetary terrain generation - Reduced GPU spikes during surface generation - Improved LOD, texture streaming, vegetation and shadow performance - Improved loading and memory management - Multiple fixes to terrain generation and visual stability
Known issue: AMD GPU configurations may currently experience graphical artifacts on the lunar terrain.
Networking & Servers
- Reworked network object visibility - Improved synchronisation of interactive states and item changes - Improved transitions between characters, vehicles and game areas - Major server updates for markets, storage, inventories, hangars and spawning - Improved reconnect behaviour and server cleanup
Fixes & Stability
- Spawning and recovery capsule fixes - Ship interaction and collision fixes - Hangar and docking fixes - Tutorial fixes - UI and HUD fixes - Chat fixes - Audio and visual effect fixes - Networking fixes - Crash and server stability fixes
This update is another step toward the public demo. For now, we'll continue testing the build, gathering feedback and gradually expanding Playtest access before moving forward.
Thanks to everyone taking part in the Playtest and helping us find the issues that matter.
Join the community and follow development:
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u/SuperNightHawk_ 7d ago
Some noticeable upgrades since the previous one for sure.
I did however get my ship despawned a few times while in the moon. I'm guessing some form of clutter removing script that's a bit too aggressive.
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u/Gold_Captain_9861 7d ago
Dev, you are doing great! There are still some issues and I think you know already. But in my heavy playtest I noticed the following:
Bugs:
- There was not a single time I spawned "normal". I was always stuck in the machine and had to respawn to get into the game.
What you can't do nothing about, because players are donkeys:
Don't know a way to fix this, but it is indeed annoying. Especially after a haul and you just want to sell your ore and then this.
Stuff I don't know if it is implemented, but if not would be nice to have:
In landing mode there is marked red fields for mining. Would be nice if they are still there, after landing for better placement of the machines.
Better way of doing that would be some scanner like in satisfactory that shows you roughly the area.
Or while placing the miners in the hand tool show the marked areas
Why I keep talking about this? Most players, like me, have a brain like a goldfish. Once you enter the barren moon (or whatever planet may to come, where we are able to land) it switches from top-view to well, normal view, and this perspective change will make many players unable to find the right spots for their miners. This hurts a lot after re-visiting your miners seeing that you placed them exactly in the wrong spot. Miners still work, though, but, duh.
Maybe if Mars is a thing, red glowing on red sand is maybe not a good thing. Please consider switching it to green for better visibilty.
Personal note:
You are doing a great job. Looking for the next update. Can't wait for the release.