The new version of Omeganaut is finally available in early access! The main goal of this update is to refine the game engine to make adding future content easier. It’s a complex task, but the foundation is solid. Time to check the pre-flight checklist!

✅ Models Updated

The pipeline for integrating new objects is now streamlined. I can adjust size and shape directly in SketchUp and view the changes in real time in the game without recompilation. A huge time-saver for the future!

✅ Sound Effects Loaded

All sound effects are dynamically generated at startup. By simply tweaking a few parameters, I can modify them without taking up unnecessary space on the disk.

✅ Physics Engine Warmed Up

Gravity on planets is enabled, and the results are convincing. If an enemy ship doesn’t explode instantly, avoid staying in its path or passing underneath it.

The next step is advanced use of physics to trigger emergent events that will undoubtedly enrich gameplay.

✅ Bug Control

The list of fixed bugs and optimizations is rather long. Here are a few major fixes:

• One of the last big issues with the game engine was the flickering of objects whose polygons intersected with slopes in the scenery. This is now fixed.
• All issues with different gamepads should be resolved, such as buttons being mapped differently on Android or some d-pads not being recognized because they’re actually special buttons... Hardware manufacturers sure like to joke around.
• Complete rewrite of menu management. They are now responsive and compatible with mouse, keyboard, gamepad, and touchscreen. It wasn’t an easy task. Now, the interface is ready to be dressed up nicely.

✅ Difficulty Increased

It all started with an issue in the physics engine: despite fine-tuned settings, there were still situations where the ship could pass through walls. So, I made a radical decision: make the ship explode upon any contact between the cockpit and an object.

DoDonPachi's chicken heart

This approach is reminiscent of Bullet Hell games like DoDonPachi, where a tiny hitbox makes gameplay both more forgiving and paradoxically more demanding. As a result, a direct collision with certain enemies or projectiles now results in death. Suddenly, the game made sense. Gone are the long health bars with incomprehensible damage. The 100-point bar has been reduced to a clear 10 points, with damage and bonuses adjusted accordingly.

Now it’s up to you to avoid obstacles!

❌ Bits Multiplication

I had hoped to release this new version four months ago, but a bug was reported regarding the game’s compatibility on Android 64-bit. Until recently, phones could run both 32-bit and 64-bit apps. However, with the latest devices, it’s now impossible to install 32-bit apps.

Since then, I’ve lost far too much time compiling libraries and adapting the ZGameEditor source code for Android 64-bit, instead of focusing on adding content to the game. Currently, the game can crash randomly due to what appears to be a memory leak in the game engine, but it’s hard to pinpoint. For this reason, I’m not releasing an Android 64-bit version this time. You’ll have to wait a bit longer while I find a solution.

✅ Keep your spirits up

Aside from the Android 64-bit issue, the new version of Omeganaut is ready for takeoff. I’ve updated the game’s download page, and there’s even the beginning of a rather dark story.

One last word: if you encounter a problem in the game, please contact me to find a solution instead of making a fool of yourself on social media. Creating a game is an especially difficult task that requires support ❤️