ZF Alpha Update #8

In the last week we have begun to work on Zenith Frontier’s mission system. This will eventually allow players to interact with the environment by:

  • exploring previously unknown sectors and planetary systems to reveal what awaits in the void of space

  • surveying distant stars and planets to learn about their atmospheres, natural resources, etc.

  • colonising new worlds to extend your reach and influence the balance of power between factions

  • and more…

Mission Control

A placeholder UI is now available for the Mission Control interface. This will be the hub from which you can oversee and monitor your active and planned space missions. It can be viewed by clicking on a UI button in the top left of the screen:

Open the mission control screen from the button in the top-left of the HUD.

Open the mission control screen from the button in the top-left of the HUD.

The displayed screen is (obviously!) still a work in progress. It will display your factions active mission (or empty slots representing remaining capacity at your mission control facility) and any assets (typically spacecraft) available to execute a new mission. For now no information is being displayed about the active missions or available assets other than a simple coloured box.

The mission control screen will become the hub from which you can oversee and monitor your active and planned space missions.

The mission control screen will become the hub from which you can oversee and monitor your active and planned space missions.

Exploration Missions

The first type of mission that we will be implementing is the exploration mission. This will allow you to reveal previously unknown regions of the galaxy, beginning with sectors. Right clicking on a sector in the galaxy map will open its contextual menu. Selecting explore will open the mission planner (see below) and set the mission target and type to the selected sector and (of course) exploration.

Right click a sector and select explore to open the mission planner.

Right click a sector and select explore to open the mission planner.

Mission Planner

Once again a placeholder UI is being used, this time to display the mission planner. Eventually this will display the full details of your planned space mission, but for now includes only the mission target, mission type and the selected asset (typically a spacecraft) that will be executing the mission.

This mission planner will eventually present all the options available to you when planning a space mission.

This mission planner will eventually present all the options available to you when planning a space mission.

Asset Selector

Clicking the empty asset (SELECT ASSET) will open the asset selector screen. Here is displayed every asset belonging to your faction which is suitable for executing the mission you are currently planning. Selecting an asset and clicking CONFIRM will set this asset in the mission planner.

The mission asset selector displays all suitable spacecraft for your mission.

The mission asset selector displays all suitable spacecraft for your mission.

We’re inviting players to join the alpha test every week. If you want to join the alpha then simply complete the form on our website.

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