Your boss Tony just invested in a business on shark tank. All Thanks to top dashers 👍

Outer Space Shack is a gripping space base building game where players strive to master the cosmos and establish sustainable habitats. In this update, we delve into thrilling enhancements in the game like our advanced life support system, the return of the lunar rover, and the initial stages of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Plus, we've integrated numerous quality of life improvements to boost your gaming experience. Stay tuned for the latest game insights on our subreddit ( outerspaceshack). You may enjoy the latest video screenshots or the trailer on the Steam page.
High Performance life support
Over the past few months, I've introduced basic thermal and air management systems into Outer Space Shack. Early in the game, players can access this system, but it comes with certain drawbacks. It requires a piece of machinery per space base module, taking up considerable space inside. Additionally, CO2 scrubbing requires consumable supplies. Plus, cooling, a primary challenge on the Moon, demands substantial thermal radiators.
(screenshot here)
I'm excited to share that the high-performance life support system is a significant upgrade. A large heat pump now assures heating and cooling. The renewable life support mechanism I've designed includes a high-performance air conditioning vent and a renewable CO2 scrubber. This scrubber removes CO2 from the air and releases it later. I've also added a new vent for disposing of CO2 outside, and in the future, I plan to introduce a specialized tank for storing CO2.
I've also made provision for storing O2 bottles outside the base in a specially constructed shack, shielding them from solar radiation. This solution helps save valuable space within the pressurized modules of the base, further optimizing interior space usage and enhancing the overall functionality of your lunar base.
The escargot is back
I'm excited to announce that the space rover 'Escargot' has made its return to Outer Space Shack. You might remember it from the 2021 trailer. Subsequent development focused more on astronauts, causing the rover to fall into the sidelines. But now, after some thorough overhauling, it's back in action. The rover is an outdoor operator, as it can't enter the space base, but it's designed to automatically undertake landscaping and transport tasks.
Integrating the rover has the significant advantage of reducing your astronauts' EVAs. EVAs pose radiation risks to the astronauts and consume valuable water resources, as the space suits are cooled using a water evaporator.
(screenshot here)
Notably, the rover is indispensable for building regolith walls due to its ability to transport large regolith bags and blocks weighing a metric ton. Despite the Moon's lower gravity making this equivalent to just 150kg on Earth, it's still far too heavy for even the strongest astronaut.
I'm also mulling over making the rover a necessary component for transporting materials to build space base modules. Some parts realistically weigh more than the 100kg that astronauts can safely transport on the Moon. I would love to hear your thoughts on this, and invite you to join the ongoing discussion here.
Exploring ISRU: The First Step
ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization) involves the collection, processing, storage, and use of materials found or produced on celestial bodies like the Moon or Mars. These materials serve as a substitute for those that would traditionally be shipped from Earth. While the ultimate goal of ISRU is to construct space base modules, cultivate food, and fabricate necessary technology, the reality proves to be complex. Consider all the raw materials, factories, and diverse machinery required even to produce a simple object like a fork.
The initial implementation of ISRU in Outer Space Shack is modest but vital: a solar kiln constructs large blocks which can be stacked to create thick walls and roofs around space base buildings. The process of the solar kiln is slow, constructing one to two blocks per month. I'm currently exploring the possibility of integrating a combined solaelectric kiln for quicker block sintering.
(screenshot here)
These blocks play a critical role in shielding the interior of the space base from harmful radiation. Radiation poses significant threats to the central nervous system, causing cognitive and motor function changes, and behavioral shifts. Acute effects can include radiation sickness symptoms like nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and fatigue.
Chronic exposure to radiation heightens the risk of developing diseases such as leukemia, lung, breast, thyroid, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers, as well as affecting the central nervous system. Radiation can also cause eye damage, potentially leading to cataracts, and can compromise the immune system, making astronauts more prone to illnesses or infections.
Thus, while the large regolith bricks may seem mundane, they serve a crucial purpose. Two meters of this material is needed to shield effectively from radiation, making them an essential part of your lunar base's safety measures.
Exciting Quality of Life Enhancements
As we inch closer to release, with less than two months to go, a significant portion of my time has been spent fine-tuning the game, implementing several small yet essential improvements, many of which are long overdue. To summarize:

• Expedited Transitions: The shift between the space center on Earth and the space base on your chosen celestial body is now faster and more fluid.
• Multiple Save Files: I've added the capability to save several game files for those times when you want to try different strategies or start anew without losing progress.
• Enhanced Function Screen: This feature has received a visual overhaul, providing a clearer, more appealing graphical interface. It's now accessible for all networks, encompassing electricity, heat, cold, clean water, dirty water, oxygen, and CO2. The screen now showcases top consumers and allows direct control to switch off systems as needed.
• Prioritized Assembly: When assembling diverse structures on your chosen planet, power generating buildings are now assembled first. This priority is given because power is typically necessary to operate other buildings effectively.
• Camera Improvements: The camera now provides smoother movements, enhancing overall visual experience. I've also included a feature where the camera can follow a land vehicle or astronaut for a more immersive experience.

(screenshot here)
I'm thrilled to confirm the official release date of Outer Space Shack - July 20th. This will mark a significant milestone in the game's journey and, as the old saying goes, 'you only get one chance to make a good first impression.'
If you've enjoyed what you've seen of the game so far and haven't already done so, please consider adding the game to your Steam wishlist.

[M]/Doing retro coz reddit has apparently locked my account before 2024 expired, and I just realised this hasn't been published /[M]

Canadian Federal Elections 101

Canada has inherited its political system from the United Kingdom, sticking to Westminster parliamentary system ever since. This means, that unlike in the United States, the outcome of Canadian elections are won by whichever party manages to elect the greatest number on Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of Canada, allowing the leader of this party to assume the office of Prime Minister.

The Senate of Canada provides for a stark contrast, since despite being originally designed to ensure provincial representation, the upper house remains unelected and is largely subjected to the politics in the House of Commons.

When no party is able to secure more than 50 per cent of seats in the House, a leader of a political party that is able to command more than 50 per cent of MPs, for example through singing supply and confidence or coalition agreements with other parties, becomes Prime Minister instead. Historically, however, the largest party in the House of Commons tends to form a monitory government, when it commands a plurality of MPs, rather than an outright majority. This allows the largest party to remain in power, but it has to rely on MPs from other political factions to pass crucial pieces of legislation, especially when it comes to votes that indicate parliamentary confidence, such as federal budgets. Losing those votes, would effectively mean that the current government has to either be completely re-staffed with new Cabinet Ministers, or call a snap election.
However, minority governments remained fairly uncommon in Canada, since the current voting system, called First-Past-the-Post (FPTP), allows for individual MPs to win their respective ridings - also known as constituencies - to be elected into the House of Commons with a simple plurality of votes. Thus, a political party can win most seats in the House of Commons through strategically placing their bets on ridings with very tight margins, where just one extra vote may allow their nominee to win a permanently seat, effectively making all votes for the opposition candidate in that riding meaningless.

General Backgrounder

For example, the Liberal Party of Canada has won the last two federal elections with a plurality of seats in the House of Commons, despite coming only 2nd to the Conservative Party of Canada during popular vote. The Liberals, despite becoming the largest party in the House still fell short of winning the majority of seats, being forced to rely on the New Democratic Party, that represented are more progressive social democratic part of the electorate, for crucial votes. Later, the Government has called a snap election aiming to get their desired majority, but failed, and had to sign a formal Supply and Confidence Agreement with the NDP, that included a massive package of social programmes, such as the recently implemented national dental care and prescription drug insurance.
However, while enjoying a steady lead in polls vis-a-vis, the federal Conservatives during the pandemic, the Liberals had experienced persistent slump as post-pandemic recovered coupled with sticky inflation and rapidly deteriorating housing crisis. As the Federal Conservatives have moved to the right following the election of a new leader, they have utilised concurrent economic challenges and liberal economic policy, blaming the current government's pandemic related emergency spending coupled with expansion of social programs as the root cause for inflation into collapsing housing affordability.
As Canada had to respond to America's Inflation Reduction Act with a new public investment into green transition, conservative criticism of the Trudeau government has become ever more vocal, with fiscal deficits presumably exacerbating, concurrent inflationary pressures.
Liberal policies, especially introducing the federal backstop mechanism for carbon pricing, has also spurred, vicious opposition, among Conservatives, especially those living in the Western Canada, that culminated in the razor-thin re-election of the United Conservatives in the oil-producing province of Alberta. The federal response to the freedom, convoy protest, as well as the general push, forever wider collective community during the pandemic, has created some fertile soil for the opposition, Conservatives to capitalise on, especially as the more moderate leader of the party had been ousted shortly after the convoy protest.
After more than eight years in government, the liberal party has also been embroiled in several corruption and ethics candles, including the SNC-Lavallin affair, the pandemic-era ArriveCan App scandal, and, most recently, the accusations of Chinese electoral interference, and Chinese police stations operating in Canada.
In fact, the situation for the current government has become so dire. It's a point, but more than 80% of forecasters projected a Conservative minority government has the most probable outcome for the next election. According to some polls, the Liberals would be unable to form a government, even with the support of the New Democratic Party. The liberal convention in late spring 2023, didn't provide much of a relief either, how's the party continued to lack a comprehensive platform to combat the issue of housing and affordability - something that steadily climbed the rate of priorities for many Canadians, to become the most pressing issue, when deciding who to vote for. If anything, the Conservative party has become the most popular political force, among younger Canadians, with their laser, sharp focus on the issue of inflation and housing affordability.
The issue of housing affordability has become central to the Conservative Convention, where the Party has committed to "restoring" home ownership across the country, through planning laws deregulation and "removing resections on the supply of housing". This would see the federal government to tie federal spending on housing to municipalities shortening approval times, waive HST/GST for housing, as well as allow landlords to re-invest their profits into new housing tax-free. The Conservative convention also proposed federal infrastructure funding to be linked to higher-density housing construction.
What did, however, play in favour of the current government, what is the time. Within Canadian Parliamentary system, the Prime Minister can call an election effectively anytime, so long their term doesn't exceed the four year threshold, that was approaching at Fall 2025, supported by the Supply and Confidence Agreement with New Democrats.
As inflation in North America has started slowly subsiding toreturn to the 2% target in early fall 2024, Trudeau has managed to re-gain some the economic credibility his government has seemingly lost. The Liberals have also continued their tilt to make some inroads into the NDP camp, with the Federal Budget 2024 going heavily on Net Zero and Green Transition.
However, the Liberals also had to deal with a political deadline, whether to call and election before or after the Budget 2025 would've been published. The former might allow the LPC to avoid the criticism of "buying up votes" that the party received after calling the snap election shortly after introducing their Federal Budget in 2021. However, Trudeau also had a stake at deferring the election for long as possible, hoping that waiving inflationary pressure might open up more space for the Liberals to re-gain the economic ground over the Conservatives.

Federal Election 2025

After long deliberation, the federal Cabinet has opened to hold an election in late March 2025, right at the time when a government would have normally tabled their budget. The election that both the Liberals and the Conservatives have approached after almost a year or neck-and-neck perforce in the polls, with Trudeau having a minuscule advantage in personal ratings.
The economy, especially housing affordability, have become two main issues during this election, closely followed by healthcare - namely access to family physicians and waiting times for selected procedures - and the issue of inflation still lingering at the back of the public debate.
Trudeau himself because a matter for the debate, with the Liberals banking on his personal likability, while Federal Conservatives continuously pressed with corruption and ethical scandals and corruption allegations, combined with the Liberal campaign continuously bringing up the "electability issue" of their opponents.

Housing

With the Tories enjoying slight lead on the matter of economic competence, the Liberals opted to treat the housing crisis as a matter of social policy, while banking heavily on personal popularity of Trudeau himself. From the policy-standpoint, LPC Election Platform has effectively copied the proposal originally voiced during the Conservative Convention. Namely, waiving GST/HST for housing construction, allowing landlords to re-invest their profits into constructing more units tax-free, as well as linking federal spending to new housing development and liberalising permitting process. The difference with the Conservatives was the focusing on new federal spending to combat housing affordability.
Liberal election promises involved the commitment for new federal housing construction to exceed population growth by the end of the first term, through the government directly contracting private developers to build more affordable housing, and task the Canada Infrastructure Development Corporation to provide funding to non-market housing in numbers meeting or exceeding population growth in larger metropolitan areas on Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and across Atlantic Canada.
Unlike the Tories, Trudeau also went further, promising the government would cover development charges for projects that included affordable housing. The Liberals have also committed to conducting of affordable rental housing, aimed at younger Canadians and those who are yet to start cloning the property ladder. Conservatives on the other hand emphasised Trudeau's poor track on housing affordability, combined focusing on making home ownership more affable through market-driven construction of new units for sale.
Both Team Blue and Team Red have committed to expediting the arrival of new skilled trades professionals, especially those working in the housing sector, including interest-free loans to have their qualifications recognised or to up-skill their existing credentials. Liberals however, took a step further, promising automatic Permanent Residency who has worked in residential construction after 1 year, as well issuing Open Work Permits - exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment - to anyone with construction work experience willing to come to Canada, so long they continue working in the construction sector for the majority of their time before obtaining permanent residency. The Tories on their part suggested granting PR automatically after they've worked in construction for at least 5 years.
On the matter of banning foreign buyers, both parties have committed to banning home purchases in Canada for those who do not hold Canadian citizenship or are not Permanent Residents of Canada, with Liberals maintaining existing exemptions, so long the person buying has invested an equivalent amount in affordable housing construction.
Rhetorically, the Liberals have echoed the National Housing Act 1938, suggesting their government would run fiscal deficits to finance nation-wide home construction, especially affordable rental units. CPC has openly accused Trudeau of "policy stealing" choosing to emphasis permitting deregulation, subsidies for new units, and investing more construction professionals.

Healthcare & Social Care

Federal Conservatives have focused their attack in increasing waiting times, as well as increasing shortage of medical professionals across the country. Liberals, however, aimed to conservative proposals to introduce more private providers into the system, while emphasising their expansion of public health insurance that now covers both dental care and prescription drugs. Both parties suggested increasing the immigration intake for doctors, nurses, medical researches, providing financial support to have their credentials recognised in Canada as well as to update their skills.
The Liberals have however suggested lowering tuition rates international students who come to study health, social care, and eduction, granted them access to domestic rates of tuition, as well as a designated pathway to Permanent Residency for health, eduction, and social care who have obtained at least 1560 hours of Canadian work experience, and received at least part of their eduction in Canada. This would come as a supplementary measure, with domestic students becoming eligible for federal student loan write off if they have accumulated at least 1 year of post-graduation work experience in health, social care, or education - so long their degree is in the same field.
The Liberals have also committed to covering a Royal Commission to introduce a national social care insurance programme for seniors and people with disabilities.

The Economy

The Conservatives suggest introducing "full expensing" allowing companies to deduct up 120 per cent of their expenses on machinery, equipment, and non-residential property, akin to UK's Super Deduction, to combat Canada's low investment levels. They also propose to introduce tax credits for Canadian companies to up-skill their workers, as well as increased federal funding to provinces to support job training and second career programmes and labour market integration.
The Liberals suggest increasing the minimum wage in federally-regulated institutions, linking as a proportion of executive pay. LPC also pledged to introduce at least 4 weeks of paid vacation after 1 year on employment, with additional increases in line with employee tenure, as outlined in their Convention 2023, while brining paid leave of up to 6 weeks a year, allowing recipients to tradition onto disability payments after that.
Both parties have committed to supporting Employee Ownership Trusts, as well as introduction of worker representation on corporate boards in federally-regulated industries. Team Red however to it a step further, suggesting they will employee ownership mandatory for large corporations , with the only exemption provided for profit-sharing schemes.
Both parties have also supported reforming Canada's Employment Insurance Program:
The Conservatives suggest introducing Individual EI Savings Accounts that any Canadian can access whenever they are let go of their job or decide to quit. The proposed accounts would be funded through mandatory employer and employee contributions and could also be used to pay for labour training and re-skilling, with means-tested federal assistance available for those who's exhausted their accounts. Tories also suggest expanding current marginal earnings projection to apply to both individual and household income. The party also suggests waiving EI Premiums and provide rebates for C/QPP Contribution rebates to those not paying federal income tax, to guarantee every Canadian can earn at least $1000 a month free of payroll deductions.
Trudeau on the other hand suggested making EI coverage universal, and providing up to 90 per cent wage replacement in the first month of claim, while also introducing EI Benefit Floor, where every Canadian would be entitled to a minimum benefit equal to federal minimum wage regardless of their original earnings, for as long as they have enough insurable hours. The Liberal plan also introduces expands "working while on claim" provision, allowing people collecting EI benefits to have their wages supplemented through the program so their total paycheque reaches at least 90 per cent of their average 5-year earnings at all times, regardless whether the claimant is eligible for EI Regular Benefits. EI Parental Benefits are set to be fixed at at least 60 per cent of the family's income, subject o the benefit floor. Liberals suggest paying for the programme through waiving maximum insurable earnings to levy EI Premiums on all income of an individual, while introducing cap on benefits linked to median regional wages. However, the basic exemption shall be aligned to the federal income tax minimum threshold. Surpluses generated should be used to pay for expanded WWoC provisions and putting EI Operating Account back into surplus.
Both parties also committed to brining in a Canada Savers' Creditthat mirrors both the amounts and eligibly criteria of the GST/HST tax credit, but is instead deposited in people's Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) and automatically invested into corporate equity. Tories and Liberals also support introducing automatic enrolment for Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), Registered Eduction Savings Plans (RESPs), Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSP), First Homebuyer Savings Accounts (FHSAs) and TFSAs upon either birth of obtaining Canadian tax residency for eligible non-Canadians. While the Conservative proposal would new accounts automatically linked to existing financial institutions the individual already has an account in, the Liberals instant new accounts should be automatically assigned to a new independent crown corporation, so long the primary account holder haven't decided to the move their registered accounts to an eligible financial institution.
Both parties pitch the policy as a potential interim solution to address Canada's sky-high household debt, through increased asset ownership and participation in stock markets.
When it comes to fiscal policy, the Liberal Government suggests they'll keep their "structural deficit" - as defined by tax revenues versus programme expedites - bellow the rate of economic growth over the 10 year period. LPC however is open they'll not restrain their spending on new housing construction, Ottawa set to absorb almost all the costs of housing under the liberal plan. The Conservatives on the other hand suggest introducing the $1 for $1 rule for federal expenditure, where every dollar of new spending has to be offset by a dollar in spending cuts or increased taxes, suggesting to balance the budget in their first 5 years in the office.
Somewhat comically, the Liberals seem to be attacking Conservative proposals on the grounds it may bring back the pain on the nighties - referring to the Chretien austerity era - especially in Atlantic Canada and the Regions of Quebec where benefit dependency ratios have traditionally been elevated.
The Liberals have also committed to expand existing childcare agreements, to make childcare services and spare available to anyone, and drastically reduce wait times for subsidised spots.

Energy & Environment

The issue has surprisingly played a somewhat muted role during this election, as CPC has contained to opposed federal price on carbon, pressuring the idea of turning Canada into a "natural resource superpower". Liberals on the other hand boasted about their massive investment into Net Zero Transition, while also attacking the Tories one potential fiscal penalties that the government would assume after cancelling the carbon tax. Team Red had also opened to cling to previous commitments of the Conserve Leader to ban overseas oil, which Ontario, and Quebec, as well as Atlantic Canada remain fairly dependent on, due to lack of oil transportation infrastructure from western oil production facilities. Considering the fact Quebec has remained one of Liberal strongholds even at the lowest, as well as the party's perceived electability in the province, CPC would've had even harder to fight for the votes in Quebec.

Tipping the Scales

However, what truly decided this election, was something that may in the future divide the country even more, namely the issue of the French language. Something that has been present in Canadian politics for generations, but something that this time brought a party over the finish line, while completely tanking their opponents.
While both leaders fluent in French, having French Canadian roots, combined with an almost unchallenged dominance of the local Bloc Québécois, it seemed quite unlikely either party would be able to gain any meaningful advantage in Quebec, until both parties have revealed their election manifestos.
Here was the moment the Liberals played their cards best. Namely, the party has committed to supplying French language both within and outside Quebec, through drastically bolstering access to Francophone eduction across the country. The Liberals has committed to introducing a brand-new federal agency tasked with facilitating access to French eduction and integration services - Francisation Canada.
The agency was set to provide free-at-use eduction in French, while also providing up to $1000 a month in finical assistance to immigrants who were willing to learn French. On top of that, the Liberals have committed to make existing Explore and Odyssey Programmes more universal, integrating them into school curriculums across the country. The Party has also committed to negotiating bilateral agreements with all provinces to provide additional funding and guarantee access to services, including eduction in French across Canada, while making French a mandatory subject for Early Learning & Childcare, as well as in secondary education. LPC would also waive tuition fees for post-secondary eduction in French, and negotiate agreements with other francophone countries, to facilitate French-speaking immigration into Canada and Quebec.

Conclusion

Thus, on the night of the election, the sudden realisation waived through the country. The Liberal Party managed to protect their urban ridings, even in West, as their pledge to "spend whether it takes to make houses and rents affordable for everyone" managed to persuade swing urban voters across the country, combined with their massive investment in green transition. The Tories has also lost their lead in Atlantic Canada, where an idea of a massive EI expansion has resonated with voters much more than the concept of individual accounts. Massive subsidies in battery production have also helped the Liberals to protect their seats across Ontario, especially in former industrial towns. However, what actually brought Trudeau over the finish line, was Quebec. The Combination of absolutely massive investments into green tech, coupled with new social programs, and proposed childcare expansion, on top of the Liberal pledge to "protect and promote the French language from Coast to Coast to Coast" allowed the party to make some significant inroads across the province, despite loosing some suburban ridings, Central Canada gave Trudeau yet another chance to form yet another minority Liberal government.

Party Name	Popular Vote	Number of Seats
Liberal Party of Canada (LPC_	33.8%	158
Conservative Party of Canada (CPC)	35.8%	140
New Democratic Party (NDP)	19%	20

Bloc Québécois (BQ)6.2%21 People's Party of Canada1,5%0
​

Acknowledgements

• https://energynow.ca/2022/04/energy-east-will-not-live-again-heres-why-jean-francois-thibault/
• https://2023.liberal.ca/policy/
• https://macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/erin-otoole-socialist-crusade
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-election-results-1.5330105
• https://tnc.news/2022/03/25/pierre-poilievre-proposes-ban-on-foreign-oil-within-five-years/
• https://nationalpost.com/news/why-does-pierre-poilievre-appeal-to-young-canadians-its-all-about-economics-2
• https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-conservatives-more-trusted-than-liberals-to-manage-federal-finances/
• https://centre.irpp.org/research-studies/amending-the-official-languages-act-a-new-vision-of-bilingualism/
• https://energynow.ca/2022/04/energy-east-will-not-live-again-heres-why-jean-francois-thibault/
• https://tnc.news/2022/06/22/poilievre-pay-as-you-go/
• https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/where-the-six-conservative-leadership-candidates-stand-on-key-policy-issues-1.5888530
• https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/federal/2021/party-platforms/
• https://338canada.com/sim.htm

Late 90’s fish game on school computer
I remember it was from the point of view like it was a fish tank. I’m not even sure the point of the game or how the gameplay was but I remember plankton, random fish and sharks swimming around. I believe you clicked on different fish to grow maybe. Super vague but I can’t find it anywhere. Pretty sure I played it on the school computers around 1997-2001.

Sorry in advance for the long post, but I hope it's amusing!
I've been playing cataclysm off-and-on for about a year, but most of my runs have been pretty short-lived. I'd usually end up dying mid-summer due to dying to some acid-based zombie, but on my current run I've been doing much better than I ever have before. I've even managed to raid a lab, installing cbms and mutating myself along the way. It's amazing, but I don't know if I'll ever convince myself to play again if I die and lose my Sōjutsu + Lucerne Hammer combo. As a matter of fact, I nearly died today and almost tore my hair out in the process.
I was raiding a trans-coast logistics (which is a rather fancy name for what could otherwise just be called "big lab") for the first time, and my expedition was going wonderfully. I found a couple of mutagens along with other specialized lab equipment, and neither the bots nor the zombies were putting up too much of a fight (I even managed to obliterate a melded task force by melee alone!) - in other words, I was getting a little too cocky. In my hubris, I stopped my usual tactic of kiting zombies and leaving the lab to heal every time I hit "moderate pain" and started running through the lab as fast as possible, looking for the last piece of home-lab equipment I was missing (the fabled fractional distillation apparatus)
At one point, I enter a room with only a single cleaning bot in it. For those who haven't encountered them, this is a timid little bot which doesn't even so much as fight back. I didn't need to kill it... and in fact, doing so would serve little purpose at this point. But I was beyond the point of needless things like "caution" and "basic reasoning ability". So instead of leaving it alone, I stab it... ...only for it to explode and set me on fire. In approximately sixty in-game seconds my danger level drops from hydrogen bomb to crying baby as both of my legs burn up (along with my combat boots which I had grown so fond of - goodbye sweet acid protection), leaving me practically immobile and in-severe pain in one of the lower floors of the hardest area in the game. Hoo boy. At least the fire went out after it finished burning my legs...
After spending a couple seconds crying (irl) and calling out to god for help (in-game), I mentally debate the idea of smashing some furniture in the lab, crafting a splint and simply waiting out my recovery in this cleaning bot's now empty room. But of course, I didn't bring a coat (I flashback to four minutes ago, where my past self is laughing at the idea of staying the lab long enough for the cold to get to me. It'll be in-and-out before my morning coffee is done brewing [again, irl], he says to himself). I don't know if it gets cold enough in the lab for someone to freeze to death, but I decide not to test that theory. So, my heart still pounding, I drag my pathetic, burned body across the floor of the lab through the "safe route" I cleared out earlier. I run into a couple skitterbots on the way there, thinking my run would be ended by the most pathetic enemies the game has to offer, but apparently they can't even hit a barely-moving target. I barely do any damage in my weakened state, but managed to finally beat each one after four in-game minutes of fighting.
Eventually I manage to exit the facility. But I still have another challenge ahead of me - getting home. Usually I'd just walk my "safe-ish" route through a forest, but now even the idea of running into a regular zombie sends shivers up my spine. Thankfully, the lab's parking lot has ton of cars... most of which I drove back to my home base on earlier trips when I was scoping out the place. Whoops. Luckily, there's a single working car left in the parking lot... a tiny beetle which would probably send me to heaven if it hit an oversized pebble. Still, beggars can't be choosers. I get in, and I'm delighted to find there's still a quarter-full tank of fuel. I'm less delighted to find that I can't see over the dashboard while prone, but I find out after five minutes of harrowing blind driving that - thankfully - you can sit on seats even while your legs are crippled so long as you don't move to a new tile. Please don't think about how I managed to operate the gas pedals without working limbs - and to any devs reading; please do not implement anything based on my last sentence. The rest of the drive still makes my hair stand on end, especially when passing a triffid grove and "place where I saw a mi-go once and avoided for the entire next in-game season", but I finally make it home, craft splints for my legs, and collapse on my cozy bed.
I wake up the next morning with fully healed limbs. I know I have good in-game health and the "very fast healing" mutation, but thinking about what my body did overnight gives me the shivers irl. I'm more blob than man at this point, and it's not just because I'm fat this time!
Anyways, I digress. I come away from this experience wielding lessons more crucial than any weapon:
1) Don't get cocky in games with permadeath
2) Always tip the cleaning lady, or at least do not skewer her with a spear-like implement.
3) Humanity peaked at the discovery of fire. It was our scariest weapon back then and it still is today.

I have skills in engineering, both mechanical and electrical, mainly focused on 3d printing and CNC manufacturing, but I have also worked on lots of robots and drones. i think we should assemble a team to design and manufacture it.

A multi-cade where the cab skin changes to the game you are playing. Where's Shark Tank?

Outer Space Shack is a gripping space base building game where players strive to master the cosmos and establish sustainable habitats. In this update, we delve into thrilling enhancements in the game like our advanced life support system, the return of the lunar rover, and the initial stages of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Plus, we've integrated numerous quality of life improvements to boost your gaming experience. Stay tuned for the latest game insights on our subreddit ( outerspaceshack). You may enjoy the latest video screenshots or the trailer on the Steam page.
High Performance life support
Over the past few months, I've introduced basic thermal and air management systems into Outer Space Shack. Early in the game, players can access this system, but it comes with certain drawbacks. It requires a piece of machinery per space base module, taking up considerable space inside. Additionally, CO2 scrubbing requires consumable supplies. Plus, cooling, a primary challenge on the Moon, demands substantial thermal radiators.
(screenshot here)
I'm excited to share that the high-performance life support system is a significant upgrade. A large heat pump now assures heating and cooling. The renewable life support mechanism I've designed includes a high-performance air conditioning vent and a renewable CO2 scrubber. This scrubber removes CO2 from the air and releases it later. I've also added a new vent for disposing of CO2 outside, and in the future, I plan to introduce a specialized tank for storing CO2.
I've also made provision for storing O2 bottles outside the base in a specially constructed shack, shielding them from solar radiation. This solution helps save valuable space within the pressurized modules of the base, further optimizing interior space usage and enhancing the overall functionality of your lunar base.
The escargot is back
I'm excited to announce that the space rover 'Escargot' has made its return to Outer Space Shack. You might remember it from the 2021 trailer. Subsequent development focused more on astronauts, causing the rover to fall into the sidelines. But now, after some thorough overhauling, it's back in action. The rover is an outdoor operator, as it can't enter the space base, but it's designed to automatically undertake landscaping and transport tasks.
Integrating the rover has the significant advantage of reducing your astronauts' EVAs. EVAs pose radiation risks to the astronauts and consume valuable water resources, as the space suits are cooled using a water evaporator.
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Notably, the rover is indispensable for building regolith walls due to its ability to transport large regolith bags and blocks weighing a metric ton. Despite the Moon's lower gravity making this equivalent to just 150kg on Earth, it's still far too heavy for even the strongest astronaut.
I'm also mulling over making the rover a necessary component for transporting materials to build space base modules. Some parts realistically weigh more than the 100kg that astronauts can safely transport on the Moon. I would love to hear your thoughts on this, and invite you to join the ongoing discussion here.
Exploring ISRU: The First Step
ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization) involves the collection, processing, storage, and use of materials found or produced on celestial bodies like the Moon or Mars. These materials serve as a substitute for those that would traditionally be shipped from Earth. While the ultimate goal of ISRU is to construct space base modules, cultivate food, and fabricate necessary technology, the reality proves to be complex. Consider all the raw materials, factories, and diverse machinery required even to produce a simple object like a fork.
The initial implementation of ISRU in Outer Space Shack is modest but vital: a solar kiln constructs large blocks which can be stacked to create thick walls and roofs around space base buildings. The process of the solar kiln is slow, constructing one to two blocks per month. I'm currently exploring the possibility of integrating a combined solaelectric kiln for quicker block sintering.
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These blocks play a critical role in shielding the interior of the space base from harmful radiation. Radiation poses significant threats to the central nervous system, causing cognitive and motor function changes, and behavioral shifts. Acute effects can include radiation sickness symptoms like nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and fatigue.
Chronic exposure to radiation heightens the risk of developing diseases such as leukemia, lung, breast, thyroid, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers, as well as affecting the central nervous system. Radiation can also cause eye damage, potentially leading to cataracts, and can compromise the immune system, making astronauts more prone to illnesses or infections.
Thus, while the large regolith bricks may seem mundane, they serve a crucial purpose. Two meters of this material is needed to shield effectively from radiation, making them an essential part of your lunar base's safety measures.
Exciting Quality of Life Enhancements
As we inch closer to release, with less than two months to go, a significant portion of my time has been spent fine-tuning the game, implementing several small yet essential improvements, many of which are long overdue. To summarize:

• Expedited Transitions: The shift between the space center on Earth and the space base on your chosen celestial body is now faster and more fluid.
• Multiple Save Files: I've added the capability to save several game files for those times when you want to try different strategies or start anew without losing progress.
• Enhanced Function Screen: This feature has received a visual overhaul, providing a clearer, more appealing graphical interface. It's now accessible for all networks, encompassing electricity, heat, cold, clean water, dirty water, oxygen, and CO2. The screen now showcases top consumers and allows direct control to switch off systems as needed.
• Prioritized Assembly: When assembling diverse structures on your chosen planet, power generating buildings are now assembled first. This priority is given because power is typically necessary to operate other buildings effectively.
• Camera Improvements: The camera now provides smoother movements, enhancing overall visual experience. I've also included a feature where the camera can follow a land vehicle or astronaut for a more immersive experience.

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I'm thrilled to confirm the official release date of Outer Space Shack - July 20th. This will mark a significant milestone in the game's journey and, as the old saying goes, 'you only get one chance to make a good first impression.'
If you've enjoyed what you've seen of the game so far and haven't already done so, please consider adding the game to your Steam wishlist. Your support can make all the difference. Thank you!