ZF Alpha Update #12

Zenith Frontier alpha updates are resuming, here’s what’s new in v0.2.5.1:

• Spacecraft Fuel
  Backend development of the initial spacecraft fuel implemented has been completed. Spacecraft now have a fuel tank component which can store Zenith Frontier’s first commodity: fuel. The fuel tank is automatically filled at the start of a mission and will be consumed as the spacecraft travels around the galaxy. Placeholder icons have been added to the mission path UI at the points where the fuel level will reach 75%, 50%, 25% and 0%. Running out of fuel currently has no effect on the spacecraft and/or mission.
  Mission execution has been hooked into the fuel consumption and travel duration subsystems. Now a mission to a more distant sector/system/star/planet will consume a larger amount of fuel and run over a longer period of time.

• Spacecraft Crew UI
  A placeholder UI element has been added to the mission planner interface that displays the crew of the selected spacecraft.

• Spacecraft Position
  A placeholder icon now indicates a spacecraft’s position so that its progress can be seen along the mission path.

• Dynamic Environment Scale
  Zooming in to the galaxy now increases a global scale value. This in turn is used in the calculation of environment object (sector/system/star/planet) positions and scales. The effects are intended to be largely hidden from the player, but allow environment objects to be made more/less visible as required. This also lays the foundation for a level of detail system that will provide visual and performance improvements.

• Performance Improvements
  The application launch process has been refactored for minor performance improvements.
  Star and planet 3D object and physics improvements have been implemented.