Signals from the Deep - Alpha v0.1.1 Update

Attention Operators,

PlanetCore is live! Since the initial release of v0.1, I have been watching the feedback and working hard to stabilize the core systems. This update focuses heavily on Story Progression, Save Game Stability, and major Quality of Life improvements.

The planet is deeper than we thought, and Management has new orders for you.

🚀 Major Features

• Expanded Narrative (Missions 6-14): The story continues! Venture beyond the 8km safety limit. New characters have been introduced—meet Director Vance (CEO) and get deeper insights from DavidStone. There are secrets buried in the deep sector that Management isn't telling you about.
• New Building: High-Tech Research Wing: A pristine corporate facility has appeared on the surface. It stands in stark contrast to our gritty mining operation. Go pay them a visit.
• New Tech: The Teleporter: Tired of the long flight back to the surface? R&D has reverse-engineered some "found technology." You can now purchase disposable Teleport Beacons to warp instantly back to the Refuel Center.
• Automation Upgrade: Late-game players can now purchase the Auto-Service Module for the Refuel Center. No more clicking buttons—just fly near the building for instant repairs and refueling.

🛠️ Physics & Drilling Improvements

• "Despeckling" Algorithm: The drilling engine has been overhauled. The drill now cleanly removes tiny floating pixels and "sand" artifacts left behind during horizontal drilling.
• Drill Expansion: Added a new upgrade to the shop that physically widens your drill radius, allowing you to clear more terrain at once.
• Hit Detection: Fixed an issue where the drill would sometimes fail to detect background walls vs. solid rock at high speeds.

🐛 Bug Fixes & Polish

• Save System Overhaul: Fixed critical bugs where Inventory slots, Discovery history, and specific Upgrade caps were not saving correctly. Your progress is now safe!
• Music Logic: Fixed a glitch where music tracks would cut out halfway through or switch aggressively between layers. The soundtrack now flows naturally as you descend.
  
  
• UI/UX: Locked upgrades are now properly hidden until they are unlocked via the story, decluttering the shop interface for new players.

🔮 What’s Next?

The Outer and Inner Core is still not yet fully integrated, but not for long. The next updates will focus on the enemies that dwell in the magma layers and the final tier of upgrades required to reach the center of the planet.

Thank you for testing the Alpha! Please report any bugs in the comments or on our Discord.

Stay cool, and keep drilling.