Spaceport Station

 The Spaceport Station is the main docking hub for large capital ships.  It has 8 docking ports around the large central hub.  A view dome at the top serves as the control center.

The first two ships to dock at Spaceport Station were the Genosis and Lambda Six.

They were joined by Oberon after it had finished helping to construct the jump gate network.  There is also work being done to expand to a second level.

Lambda Six

 Another Star Wars classic remade in Space Agency 2138.  This time it is the Lambda Shuttle named Lambda Six. 

The trick to getting the half solar panels is to have something blocking the way when they are powered on.  The solar panels will not fully extend when something is blocking it.  It stays that way even after the obstruction is moved.

After a brief tour of duty Lambda Six is now docked at the Spaceport Station.

TIE Fighter

 

This small ship has two solar panels for wings and a big viewport in the front just like the TIE Fighter from Star Wars.  It has a Black Module in the back for power.

The pilot has ejected from this ship leaving it floating abandoned above the home planet.

Home One Station

 Home One is Centauri Spaceworks main station in the Space Agency 2138 universe.  It evolved from the original Station 38.

Home One features a large solar array at the top of the station.  Below it there is a hydroponics arm with two hydroponics modules and a moisture recovery unit.  There is also a communications arm with a satellite link to the ground. 

At the bottom of the station is the jump gate.  Home One is the center of a hub and spoke system that Centauri Spaceworks has constructed.  It connects all most all the planets to the home planet.  From here astronauts on the station can connect to any other jump gate in the system.

Space Agency 2138

Space Agency 2138 has been released for Android and iOS!  This is the sequel to the original Space Agency game by Nooleus.

Big changes in game play from the previous version include:

• 3d environments
• Base building
• Astronauts
• Automatic launching and re-entry
• No career missions
• More resource types

First Impression

The game had a kind of zombie thriller feel when I first started playing it.  Not everything is explained in the tutorials.  I'm wandering around these space stations that came pre-made in the sand box trying to figure out how things work.  There are also containers floating around which makes it feel like some sort accident happened.  Add in the dark lighting and it can get kinda spooky.  After figuring out how things work and adjusting some of the lighting the spooky feel wore off.

My 2d piloting skills didn't provide much help in 3d.  Adding the 3rd dimension doubles the number of RCS controls.  Docking takes me much longer.  While it may appear the vehicle is lined up from one viewpoint, it may be misaligned from another direction.  I have to stop right before the docking port and re-adjust before giving the final RCS forward thrust to dock now.

The game did have more of a micro-management feel to it than the original.  Alerts pop up to let you know when a part breaks or when a supply is running low.  In some ways this keeps the game more interesting compared to the original.  In the original once you had a station built there wasn't much work do to do maintain it.  Now you have these mini-missions to that will keep coming up to complete. However it can be annoying when you are having an intense piloting session trying to dock two parts and you get a pop up that your botanist is thirsty.

Base Building

The original game was not set up to build bases on planets (even though we tried really hard to).  2138 makes base building part of the game.  The ground is divided up into a grid and you can construct different building types in the square.  You also need to build a power source and hook the buildings.  

The fact that you can customize the layout of your base opens up lots of possibilities.  I'm looking forward to seeing some creative base designs!

Astronauts

One of the most requested features in the original Space Agency game has finally arrived.  Astronauts come in four types:  commander, pilot, engineer, and botanist.  You have to choose wisely the type of astronaut you send on a mission because not every astronaut can perform every function.  

Commander is the super astronaut that can do everything.  They also cost the most to hire.  Engineers let you turn on and off power to parts.  Pilots let you control space craft.  Botanists maintain the plants in the hydroponics module.  For example, a pilot cannot turn on the gyroscopes in a vehicle.  Only an engineer or command can do that.   

Astronauts have stats that you must manage: nutrition, hydration, blood oxygen, fatigue, and radiation.  If you are not careful the astronaut could die.  Unlike the original Space Agency you need the astronauts to operate the space stations.  You can't operate something if there isn't an astronaut on board.

Player Created Universes

There are a number of smaller features that will be very exciting for players looking to create their own universes or sandboxes missions to share with others.  (Although there is not currently a share feature, this may be in a future release).

• Ability to turn lights on and off, as well as customize the color.  Now the dark covert-ops spy station can have a different look than the science station.
• Door locks with codes.  This opens up possibilities of having restricted areas, or preventing players from accessing entire stations or vehicles.  
• Computer terminals with files.  Each module has a terminal that allows you to view and edit text files. This opens up more possibilities for creators to insert their content into the game instead of having to include it all in a mission briefing.  Could also be combined with the door locks to make the player go to a certain module to get the key code for another module.

Summary

This release has some major game play changes from the previous game.  Nooleus has set this up game to have lots of possible directions to expand in. I'm looking forward to future updates.

Android App Available

It is finally here!  An Android version of Station Blueprint Designer.  It is currently in beta but you can still download it and try out.

This version comes with the Centauri Spaceworks part library built in.  You can also easily share your creations to your favorite social or chat apps.

If you have any issues or questions please join the Station Blueprint Designer Discord server.

Grasshopper Transport

The raid on Area 51 will require a massive amount of supplies for all those narrato runners.  The development of Centari Spaceworks new Grasshopper cargo transport has come at just the right time to supply them.

The Grasshopper also has a Heavy variation for additional cargo and range.

Accessing all the cargo in the Grasshopper Heavy

1. Stage separate the tug if not already done.
2. Dock
3. Unload cargo.
4. Undock.
5. Use the thrusters on the Orion SM to start moving toward the docking port.
6. Stage separate the Orion SM.  The vehicle should continue moving toward the docking port and re-dock.
7. Unload cargo.
8. Repeat.

Lunar Laser Lost Location

The space laser that Centauri Spaceworks used to etch its logo on the moon is drifting out of position!

The space laser only has rotation thrusters that adjusted the laser as it traced out the logo.  Unfortunately, all of the rotation motion ended up inducing a slight drift in the laser's position.  Without directional thrusters to correct, it was left drifting slowly away from its original position.

A mission was launched to attach an LK Core to the space laser and return it to its original position.

For this launch Centauri Spaceworks used the Indian PSLV rocket.  It was able to launch the LK Core playload in HOM orbit and then transfer it to an intercept course with the drifting laser platform.

Once in range, the LK Core as attached to the laser plaform.  It was then used to move the laser the 99 units back to the LRC waypoint where it was originally positioned.

No Connection? No Problem!

Station Blueprint Designer is now a fully functional progressive web app.  That means that not only can you copy it to your home screen of your phone, but you can also use it offline.  This way you can design stations anywhere you go.

Quest Chaser

There is an elite crew that goes on the most dangerous daily questions in Tiny Space Program.  This is the crew of the Quest Chaser.

Almost everyday they launch from the blue pearl in the sky that is Earth to he far reaches of the solar system.  Their mission is to complete the daily quest issued by their supreme commander, Jerry, through his computer controlled minions.  They fly in their Dragon spacecraft the moons of every planet in search of crashed meteors and broken down rovers.

Each at the end of each mission they arrive back on earth with valuable metals or parts for a new outpost.

Their standard mission load out is either 6 or 9 rover parts, depending on what how generous the government is feeling with funds.   A compressed live support packages is also brought along to insure that there is enough life support to assemble the rovers, conduct the daily quest, and gather rock samples.

Photo of the Quest Chaser crew on a mission.