Ship Update: Introducing, the HC Turret!

I'm just now realizing that I failed to write an update log when I changed the title of the game. "Shooting Star: Tactics" is no more. The game is now called "MicroCosmic: Water Bear Warfare". I hope you'll agree that it's a much better name.

I admit that the "water bear" elements are all but absent at the moment. That's because it's mostly art stuff that I haven't gotten around to. The primary focus is still (usually) on making things works, fixing broken things, and adding new QOL features to make the game easier to play.

Before I get to those QOL updates, I'd like to formally introduce the latest ship, the HC Turret!

The concept for this ship was in my notes for a very long time, so it's cool to finally see it in action. The ship itself is very small and fragile, but it comes with a tough, heavy shell to keep it safe. While engaged with the shell, it's barely mobile at all, but it usually doesn't need to be. Its secondary weapon is a powerful sniper rifle. If it runs low on ammo, it can use its primary weapon, the Plunder Beam to steal the target's primary weapon ammo, and convert it into ammo for its own sniper rifle. If the shell becomes badly damaged, or an enemy is playing hard to get, the HC Turret can come out of its shell to zoom around wherever it needs to. Its ability will build a new shell around itself, so you can create a new campsite for yourself.

Once I had the HC Turret's shell working, it wasn't too much more work to create "blast shelters". They function similar to the shell except that 1) Any ships that can fit through the door can use them, 2) It costs AP to close the door, 3) They cannot be controlled once inside, and 4) They aren't quite as tough.

Okay, now onto that QOL stuff...

- Press ? to bring up controls overlay

- Long-ranged ships' line-of-sight is now represented by dotted lines. I hope that these more clearly communicate their purpose than the weird light beams that I was using before.

- Re-named a few things ("Precision Mode" is now simply "Aim", "Ship Select Mode" is now "Command Mode").

- Weakness system has been simplified. Each ship is still weak to one of the four types, but instead of there being a four-way rock-paper-scissors relationship, each ship is just weak to whatever type its primary weapon is, eliminating the need to remember what type is weak to what.

- Force Fields are now always visible while active instead of only when near another ship's force field.

- All ships will start to emit smoke and sparks when they are low on health

- The "Mini HUD" under each ship will remain visible while using the scope

- The "bullet" icon has been replaced. Matt's original icon was made before we knew how small it would appear on screen.

As always, there are tons of other smaller updates, but that's about all I'll rant about for now. Check out the game!