Hunternet Starfighter 
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Initiate jump protocol and travel in Hunternet's test universeSep 6, 2023 - Community AnnouncementsAccelerate to 27,000 km/h in Hunternet's dangerously efficient jump gate network Dear pilot, I'm happy to announce that multi-location support is now live and with it the technical foundation needed to build Hunternet's new open-world is complete. I've also implemented our first long-distance travel mechanic, the jump gate network. BoxWeld and IvanGrozniy created the new beautiful jump gate art and helped refine this mechanic through their valuable feedback and ideas. Our community of brave test pilots has also risked their virtual lives to certify the jump gate network as ready for service. In this video, I demonstrate travel between test locations via the new jump gate network. I also discuss plans for additional travel mechanics and a future update that will add static server meshing to Hunternet. Multi-location Update - Demo https://youtu.be/IK33GnOKd5A Sneak peek of new territories https://youtu.be/fyXKNqpq6jA Now that the foundation for the open-world is in place I will be focusing on open-world gameplay and art. Later, I will return to technical work to implement static server meshing to ensure that Hunternet can expand seamlessly as the community and universe continue to grow. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/224812756581351425/1133191301660155986/S3.png https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/224812756581351425/1133191302813601844/S0.png https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/224812756581351425/1133191303543398502/S2.png https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/224812756581351425/1133191302142509167/S7.png In the short term, I will finish integrating some additional VFX that IvanGrozniy has already created for us. His, recent weapon VFX and asteroid material updates are already live and are a feast for the eyes. I also plan on implementing a special bounty-hunting hunting side-mission that will make your forays in the test universe more interesting. New Hangar Preview - by BoxWeld https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/224812756581351425/1106846749001257051/hangar_preview2.jpg Thank you pilot for your interest and support. Hunternet now rests on a solid foundation and I'm excited to build upon it, with the help of the startup team, our artists, and our community. Until the next update, stay frosty pilot. Salute o7 Fernando ZMask your sensor signature in the new test universeApr 5, 2023 - Community AnnouncementsPersistence successfully implemented, tested, and deployed in Hunternet Dear pilot, Since the major networking update, I've been hard at work on the second technical update needed to support a single shared persistent universe. I'm happy to share that persistence is now live and you can try it out for yourself in the new test universe. But be careful, as promised, there are no safe zones and your ship's safety is your responsibility even while you are offline. The next technical update will be multi-location support. Once that is finished I'll be switching my focus back to gameplay and building the first open-world gameplay loops that these technical updates enable. While my focus was on making sure persistence was fast, reliable, flexible, and extensible, it has been quite fun to test even at this stage. Not knowing what to expect when I reconnect to a universe that lives on without me and hunting down weak sensor signatures as I attempt to dispatch the shutdown ships of my enemies before they return to the hunt has renewed my excitement for how game-changing a single shared persistent universe will be. Persistence Update - Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqcz0kM8uDI Hunternet has continued to improve in other areas. I worked with Antonio on a complete overhaul of cockpit ambiance and thruster sounds. The new implementation brings your ship to life with additional audio feedback for things like g-forces, damage, and thruster mechanics. I highly recommend jumping in and hearing this update for yourself. Next up in the audio redesign will be weapon and damage sound effects. I also integrated a significant set of graphical updates from Box for all existing starfighters and a new set of gun crosses for the HUD. Our ships' interiors and exteriors have never looked better and the new graphical damage effects provide great visual feedback. The HUD mechanics have also been further refined along with the graphical update. Ivan's explosion effects are now even more satisfying and eye-catching with new explosion details and physics-aware effects. Box captured this beautifully in his New Year's Fireworks video. Hunternet - New Year's Fireworks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC-VfVUzlgU The community also helped refine new race ring mechanics and some related updates to the flight model. This led to skramz being the first pilot to complete a sub-two-minute lap while also hitting speeds of over 1,300m/s. Top Speed Demon - 01:59.368 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj-h1ASNaxo&t=31s I also wanted to share with you two of my favorite clips from the weekly playtest since the big network update. 3 vs. 4 - Chickuns vs Ants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r791I1X7pQ Combat Racing - Ring Boost Testing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Boezo1TAA Until the next time pilot, I'll be hard at work on multi-location support. I want to encourage you once more to continue to spread the word, getting the word out is not easy and every little bit helps. I'm more excited ...One step closer to a shared universe!Nov 18, 2022 - Community AnnouncementsOne step closer to a shared universe! Dear pilot, Hunternet's single shared persistent universe requires three major technical upgrades. Last Sunday, we successfully tested one of them. Improved networking with support for massive moving objects is now live. Next up are battlefield and war economy persistence and unique location instances with fast travel. Network Update - Demo https://youtu.be/oooyOhSoSK8 While I have been focused on these core updates, other parts of the game continue to progress. Our sound designer, Antonio Coronato has begun work on the complete overhaul of Hunterent's sound design. His new alert and alarm sounds are already live. I'm working with him on cockpit ambiance next and you'll be able to preview them as they evolve. Ivan's new explosion effects have made each ship destroyed especially satisfying. His asteroid test materials are a big improvement and his works in progress show a ton of promise. We are lucky to have his support. New Explosion FX by IvanGrozniy https://youtu.be/iFhLLZFBrWQ Behind the scenes, Box continues to do amazing work on the next generation of location art, ship updates, cargo containers, new carriers, hangars, and more. Our Galactic Wardens and Founding Orgs have seen some previews and I've included this sneak peek for all pilots. Thanks to Boxweld when the first universe location goes live not only will it be a big technical achievement but also an amazing sight to behold. Unknown facility & resource containers by Boxweld https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/40011135/55ba78e28dc258d336b29ca301bb221ad955ca1c.png Other improvements since my last update include fuel mechanics, artificial nebulas, atmospheric drag for Harvester Station, the Legacy Fox's new railgun, dedicated Wingman instruments, improved salvage materials, and more. That's it for now, dear pilot. I encourage you to join our discord for more frequent updates and please continue to spread the word it's a big help and much appreciated. Until next time, good hunting pilot! Cheers, Fernando ZGet your hard hat on Salvage comes to Hunternet!Jul 4, 2022 - Community AnnouncementsGet your hard hat on Salvage comes to Hunternet! Dear pilot, One of the most exciting recent additions to Hunternet Starfighter is our salvage gameplay loop. With the addition of physical wreckages for destroyed starfighters now comes the ability to salvage them for resources. In my many years of playing space and flight sims, I've been a combat focused pilot. Yet, thanks to the empahsis on core piloting skills and the significant room for impact, I have really enjoyed flying dedicated salvage builds. Skillfully executing cargo runs or mid flight resupplies has been really satisfying. This has me pumped for future salvage additions and asteroid mining. To help demonstrate the new salvage mechanics, I recorded two new videos. These videos also showcase the iterative development process and the important role that our pilots play during our weekly playtest. Part 1: How to Salvage https://youtu.be/NgMwxzRMfg0 Part 2: Salvage 2nd Iteration https://youtu.be/Ql_2dnrx_7s Thanks to the efforts of our community. This Sunday's playtest also marked the debut of a new competitive leaderboard! To join in on the competition drop by our discord. That's it for today pilot, stay frosty and I'll see you between the stars! o7 Fernando ZHey listen! First public reveal of Saturn region's soundscape!Apr 6, 2022 - Community AnnouncementsDear pilot, I'm excited to share with you the first public reveal of a track from the Saturn Suite an original score composed by William Dodson for the region around Saturn in the Hunternet Universe. Saturn Suite Soundscape - Composed by William Dodson I'm very happy with how the suite turned out and I hope you enjoyed this preview as much as I did. I used some test footage I recorded with the first iteration of our spectator cam and set it to the Saturn soundscape. Will's track immediately elevated this simple video to another level. Will was a pleasure to work with and Ivan from our Startup Team deserves a lot of credit. He helped explain our vision for Hunternet and helped to direct Will, and it was a pleasure listening to them geek out on music. Since my last email, our community held a Hunternet Big Guns Tournament. Some of our most talented pilots participated and the resulting videos are an absolute joy to watch. Congratulations once more to the victors but also to everyone who participated in this amazing display of space combat. Big thanks to the Chickun Squadron for organizing this competition! Hunternet Big Guns Tournament - Matches Hunternet Big Guns Tournament - Finals That's it for today. Drop by our discord and let me know how you liked the new soundscape. Until next time pilot, I wish you good hunting. o7 Fernando ZHunternet Starfighter, Tobii eye & head tracking launch!Jan 31, 2022 - Community AnnouncementsSalute, pilot! Tobii eye and head tracking is now available in Hunternet Starfighter! After completing VR support Phase 1 I decided it was the perfect time to tackle Tobii support. Tobii support phase 1 is now complete and I am very happy with how it turned out! Big thanks to Tobii for providing me with the hardware that made this possible. Head tracking feels smooth and natural and eye tracking adds something completely new to the sim. Eye tracking is an excellent fit for Hunternet's emphasis on using your Mark 1 eyeball to maintain situational awareness and for our intense close quarters combat. It works so well that I hope VR headsets with integrated eye tracking support become the standard in the near future. Witness what this great bit a kit has to offer for us virtual space pilots: If you'd like to fly with us I highly recommend joining the official Discord community. Good hunting pilot, Fernando Z Patch Notes - 01/26/22 12:02 PM: - Tweaked Harvester atmosphere rendering parameters (basic & advanced) - Joysticks always auto checked even if primary input is not joystick @Zenchess - Added Tobii head tracking support - Ship menu > Cockpit > Head Tracking must be turned ON - Added eye tracking aware target preview (can be used with or without Tobii) - ship menu > HUD > Preview Target (On by default) - Improved auto targeting intelligence and responsiveness - Added Tobii eye tracking support to ship's targeting system - Ship menu > Cockpit > Eye Tracking (off by default) - Optional Eye Tracking button/key for easy toggle mid flight - Tobii Head Amplification Level setting (Main Menu > Settings > Cockpit) - Fixed: Boost would sometimes power burn even if PWB key was mapped @ BoxLunch @a s d - Target Preview marker now uses friend & foe colors - Fix: Missile explosion effect rendering issue - Fix: Ship menu > Cockpit > Audio Simulation was saving but not applying changes - Low Ammo alarm now uses Alarm Volume setting @ BoxLunch - Added Tobii positional tracking support - Added Set Tobii Starting Pose calibration to Settings > Cockpit - Auto set starting Tobii pose when first enabled - Added Main Menu > Settings > Cockpit > Prefer Tobii Head Tracking @$alteen - Improved Set Tobii Starting Pose feature - Some internal input code refactoring and cleanup - "VR Center" button renamed to "Set Center" and works for both VR and Tobii - A new shortcut, same as clicking "Set Tobii Starting Pose" in main menu - Added Start in VR to main menu Settings > Cockpit - Fix: Tobii head tracking was not being ignored while in VR - Added connecting to server indicator to VR main menuHunternet Starfighter, now with VR support!Jan 11, 2022 - Community AnnouncementsGreetings, pilot! I'm happy to announce that Hunternet Starfighter now has VR support! Last month I began work on VR support for the first time with a Quest 2 I purchased for the holidays. I wasn't sure what to expect as I was not a VR player before this. Simply put, Hunternet VR is amazing! It is now my preferred way to fly by far. I even had to add an in-game clock to the ship's HUD just to avoid losing track of time while in VR. The sense of scale and of inhabiting an actual spaceship has blown me away! If you are a VR pilot, I highly recommend checking out Hunternet Starfighter in VR. I'm really happy I took the time to support VR and I look forward to hearing about your experience in Hunternet VR. Phase 1 of VR is now complete and you can read the changes since the last devlog below. Phase 2 (the final VR phase) will come later when I begin work on a walkable 3D hangar. In the meantime the 2D main menu has been replaced in VR by a new VR-only main menu. There really is no substitute to seeing for yourself in VR, but you can get some idea of what it is like in this new video I just posted: If you'd like to fly with us I highly recommend joining the official Discord community. Good hunting pilot, Fernando Z Patch Notes - 01/09/22 12:02 PM: - Initial VR support - Added VR Mode button to enter/exit VR on demand, default key is Insert - VR optimized fixed reticle rendering - Workaround for Anti-Aliasing breaking the HUD @box @smartass - Added VR support to G-LOC screen - Unity update and switched to Win64 builds - Switched from Oculus to OpenXR plugin - Fix: Getting killed during G-LOC would mess with your view @ Maxi @CMDR SmartAss - Ship HUD now fully useable in VR (menu, chat, info log, etc.) - Added VR Center button to recenter your view in VR (default key: Home) - Added VR Mode and VR Center to Main Menu > Settings > Keymap - Added full antialiasing control from 0x, 2x, 4,x or 8x - Adjusted Harvester dust color - Added amazing new planet skybox from Ivan to old blue for testing @ IvanGrozniy ❤️ - Ported shield and repair spark shader to VR - Added a basic VR only main menu (to be replaced by VR ready hangar) - Mulitplayer server browser, Center View, Exit VR - Mute audio key now also mutes in game cockpit music - Add VR sub-menu to cockpit with VR specific settings - VR Mode, Center View, Leave Server (more entries to come) - Improved smoke rendering (minimized gaps in smoke trails at high speeds) - Fix: VR no longer requires "ship menu > check for new devices" every time - Fix: wingman HUD call signs were not being displayed - Fix: Made sure to always hide 2D main menu when playing in VR - VR mode will continue to run even if main menu window is in background - Fix: Main menu red text visible sometimes when joining game in VR - Adjusted game loading scene to look nicer in VR - Added Exit Application to VR main menu - Animated the "Loading..." in VR server browser - Refresh Cockpit -> VR menu status when changing VR mode - Automatically swit...Patch Notes - 12/08/21 11:43 AMDec 10, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsGreetings, pilot o7 From now onward I plan to cross-post all patch notes from our discord.gg/hunternet to Steam. These are the changes from our latest weekly play test (held every Sunday). Also included are changes from two minor updates published after the play test. I try to release an update once a week when possible so we have something new to test every Sunday. If you'd like to participate I highly recommend joining the official Discord community. Good hunting pilot, Fernando Z - Improved performance of Black Corridor - Baked Alt Speed & Ammo Factor - Carrier SRS turrets now have reload logic, creating openings - Fix: Scope reticle could become permanently hidden - Fix: Disconnecting and entering main menu could mess up lighting - Very long reload times for SRS and LRM - Cleaner reload logic, will increase reload times further if a problem - Auto fixed reticle now visible while an LRM is in flight but not tracking - Fix: Old Blue skybox had a visible seam that was removed by @ IvanGrozniy ❤️ - Fix: Spectator mode was overheating and playing heat SFX - Fixed all glitches caused by flying far from location center - Critical for supporting multiple point of interest locations in the future - Added new planet and moon skybox from @ IvanGrozniy ❤️ - Will be adding a proper sun with flare in the future to our skyboxes - Significant improvements to HDRP rendering performance - Will be a big help in hitting higher frame rates in VR - Added high quality anti-aliasing support - Greatly reduced jaggies and also important for VR - Added an optional toggle pip type button @=IDK=Dazegambler - Added an optional toggle auto targeting button @CMDR SmartAss - Added an optional mute audio button @SpiritGum - Added another amazing new skybox by @ IvanGrozniy to main menu ❤️ - Fix: Rendering of the lead ring was broken during optimizations @ Zopto - Added new track Gunslingers Tango by @Lamarro ❤️🤘 - Switched Primordium to use the new main menu skybox - how do you like it compared to the old nebula skybox? - Improved Auto Targeting switching heuristics - Auto Targeting will no longer switch targets while firing at visible target - Adjusted Track IR translational sensitivity - Added audio and message feedback to PIP and Targeting mode buttons - Added subtle press and release SFX to SDS button @GrandDayOut - While not necessary was one of few actions that had no audio or visual feedback. Give yourself some time to get used to it but do let me know if you like or dislike the SFX @ Boxsoul @SpiritGum - Added: Ship menu > Cockpit > Theme > Radar Target Color: Allegiance or Border @ Boxsoul @(IDK) aCRAZEDgunman - Default is now allegiance color (friend or foe color) - Previous behavior of using border color is also available - Fix: Lead ring was ignoring HUD off or auto settingsHunternet Starfighter - Crowdfunding Demo OfflineNov 25, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsAs planned, now that our crowdfunding campaign has come to an end, I've taken down the free demo. Thanks to everyone who made our crowdfunding campaign such a success. If you missed out on the original campaign you can still back us but you'll have to get your updates from itch.io until we officially launch into Steam Early Access as per Steam's rules on crowdfunding. Development is back to being the primary focus. I recently finished porting the game to the High Definition Render Pipeline which made the existing graphics look nicer and opens up a lot of room for additional graphical improvements. I'm currently working on some significant performance improvements as I get ready to start working on VR support. Some of the new art funded by our crowdfunding campaign will also be making it into the game soon. If you are interested in taking part in Hunternet's development, you can back and fly with us during our weekly play tests. Here is an example of a great fight we had between a few of us that stayed late after our play test last Sunday: Thanks to everyone who checked out the demo. If you would like to share your thoughts I invite you to join our community on Discord. I love to hear from new pilots. If you want to find out more about the game and its future I highly recommend visiting HUNTERNET.GG. Until next time pilots, Fernando ZHunternet Starfighter - Free to Fly time extended until November 8th!Oct 8, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsIn order to give our players more time to secure their Steam crowdfunding keys I have extended our campaign and the free Demo here on Steam by 30 days. You now have until November 8th to fly the latest version of Hunternet Starfighter completely free here on Steam. Our crowdfunding campaign has already reached over 100% of our goal and I am switching from a promotion focus back to a development focus starting next week. New updates will be released weekly and the demo will always be the latest version. Take your starfighter up for a spin, and come fly with us between the stars! Pilot starfighters with simulated cockpits and advanced hardware control as you fight to avoid blackout in close-quarter maneuvering fights of man over machine. Take on your friends or form a squadron to take on one of our capital ships and their AI escorts. Try racing and see if you can make it into the exclusive 3-minute club on the official Discord or try your luck in a guns hot race. You have until November 8th. Good hunting pilot! Crowdfunding Campaign Crowdfunding FAQ Find out more on our beautiful new website: HUNTERNET.GG Tournament Starts on the hour!Oct 3, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsYou and all your mates are invited to a major tournament today (October 3) at 1 PM New York time (7 PM Berlin Time). I will be hosting a series of Bounty Hunts (FFA) and Death Races, with teaming allowed. The pilots with the highest combined scores across all rounds will be rewarded prizes. Bring as many allies as you can to support your aces so that they can come out on top and claim victory. All rounds are drop-in and drop-out even mid-round. So even if you can't stay for the entire event you can still support any friends that are doing well to increase their chances of success. We want as many pilots and streams as possible during this event. Let's make some noise and have some fun and celebrate the end of our crowdfunding campaign. Invite your friends for some epic fun while the free demo is still live on Steam! Our official Discord Our official Twitch Crowdfunding Campaign Crowdfunding FAQ Find out more on our beautiful new website: HUNTERNET.GG Hunternet Starfighter - Free to Fly until October 8th!Sep 21, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsIt's never been easier to try Hunternet Starfighter. From now until the end of our crowdfunding campaign you can try the latest version of Hunternet for free here on Steam. Download it today and take one of our starfighters out for a spin alone or with your friends. Pilot starfighters with simulated cockpits and advanced hardware control as you fight to avoid blackout in close-quarter maneuvering fights of man over machine. Take on your friends or form a squadron to take on one of our capital ships and their AI escorts. Try racing and see if you can make it into the exclusive 3-minute club on the official Discord or try your luck in a guns hot race. You have until October 8th. Good hunting pilot! Crowdfunding Campaign Crowdfunding FAQ Find out more on our beautiful new website: HUNTERNET.GG Hunternet Starfighter - Now on IndiegogoSep 14, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsWe recently launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. It is off to a great start and is already at 62% funded. This campaign will be funding improved art and audio and allow me to focus on the remaining core technical foundation so that our Early Access release is as smooth as possible. It's a great way to support us and to start flying with us right now. Thanks to everyone who has already backed us or has helped to spread the word. o7 Crowdfunding Campaign Alternate: Back with PayPal on our website Crowdfunding FAQ Find out more on our beautiful new website: HUNTERNET.GG Try the demo for free during the campaign Beyond the Arena and into the UniverseJul 27, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsFor our weekly community and developer play test I presented "Beyond the Arena and into the Universe" to share with the community our future plans and direction. The presentation lasted about 15 minutes and I hosted a Q&A afterward on Discord and Twitch were I had the opportunity to answer many community members questions for over an hour. I've uploaded the whole thing to YouTube so you don't have to miss out if you didn't make the live event :)
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