Distant Shift VU5.1 is now live.
NEW FEATURE - DISCOVERIES
• Added Discoveries, a completely new collectible archive system for unusual objects recovered during the Distant Shift expedition.
• Discoveries are separate from the existing Discovery Upgrades system and do not replace or alter normal Upgrades, Resource Shop items, Achievements or existing progression systems.
• Discoveries include unusual expedition objects such as eggs, relics, components, items, ancient artifacts, shards and other mysterious recovered technology.
• Every Discovery has its own identity, artwork, category, descriptive information and permanent collection state.
• The Discoveries system is intentionally open-ended so future Version Updates can continue adding new objects without revealing a final collection total.
• Players are never shown how many Discoveries exist or how many remain undiscovered.
DISCOVERIES SIDEBAR
• Added a new Discoveries bar directly below the existing Achievements bar.
• The Discoveries bar displays the number of objects the player has recovered using the permanent open-ended format X / ?.
• The total number of possible Discoveries is deliberately hidden to preserve the mystery of the archive.
• Clicking the Discoveries bar opens the Expedition Archive.
EXPEDITION ARCHIVE
• Added a dedicated responsive Discoveries archive popup using the established Distant Shift modal visual style.
• The archive only displays objects the player has actually discovered.
• Undiscovered objects are completely hidden.
• The archive does not display locked cards, silhouettes, question marks, empty slots, hidden names, future objects or total collection spaces.
• If the player has not discovered anything yet, the archive displays a clean empty-state message instead of revealing hidden collection information.
• Each recovered object appears as its own clickable Discovery card.
• Discovery cards use the smaller 64x64 artwork created specifically for the archive.
• Discovery cards display the recovered object's known information without leaking details about undiscovered objects.
• The archive layout is responsive across desktop, tablet and mobile displays.
DISCOVERY RECORDS
• Clicking a recovered Discovery now opens a separate Discovery Record detail popup.
• Discovery Record views use the full 600x600 version of the recovered object's artwork.
• The detail view includes the Discovery name, category, descriptive information, lore and recovery information.
• Recovery records can display the world where the object was found.
• Recovery records can display the sector where the object was found.
• Recovery records permanently log when the object was recovered.
• The full Discovery artwork is loaded for the detail record rather than being unnecessarily loaded for every archive card.
• Discovery Record windows are fully responsive and support internal scrolling where required on smaller displays.
MANUAL DISCOVERY SYSTEM
• Collectible Discoveries can now only be recovered through successful active manual gameplay actions.
• Manual Gathering can trigger hidden Discovery checks.
• Manual Combat can trigger hidden Discovery checks.
• Manual Prospecting can trigger hidden Discovery checks.
• Manual Fabrication can trigger hidden Discovery checks.
• Passive and idle production can no longer recover collectible Discoveries.
• Automatic progression can no longer silently place new Discoveries into the archive while the player is away.
• Sector advancement no longer directly triggers collectible Discoveries.
• World unlocks no longer directly trigger collectible Discoveries.
• Upgrade purchases no longer directly trigger collectible Discoveries.
• Resource Shop purchases no longer directly trigger collectible Discoveries.
• Assignments no longer directly trigger collectible Discoveries.
• Mini-Games no longer directly trigger collectible Discoveries.
• Ascension no longer directly triggers collectible Discoveries.
• This change makes Discoveries a reward for active interaction with Distant Shift rather than passive background progression.
DISCOVERY CHANCE BALANCE
• Significantly increased the manual Discovery chance after initial testing showed the original value was far too restrictive.
• The original manual Discovery chance was producing excessively long dry periods and made the system feel as though it was not functioning.
• Manual Discovery checks have been rebalanced so Discoveries remain uncommon and exciting while still being realistically obtainable through active play.
• Discovery eligibility continues to respect player progression so objects can become available as the expedition advances.
• Players with advanced existing saves are not forced back to early-game Discovery eligibility.
DISCOVERY FOUND POPUP
• Added a dedicated DISCOVERY FOUND popup when a collectible Discovery is successfully recovered.
• Discoveries no longer silently enter the archive without immediate player feedback.
• The popup appears immediately when the successful manual Discovery occurs.
• The Discovery Found popup displays the recovered object's artwork and information.
• The popup also presents the Discovery reward choices associated with the newly recovered object.
• Closing the popup without selecting a reward does not lose the Discovery.
• Unclaimed Discovery rewards remain available after the object has been permanently archived.
DISCOVERY AUDIO
• Added dedicated audio feedback when a collectible Discovery is recovered.
• A Discovery chime now plays alongside the Discovery Found popup.
• The sound uses the existing Distant Shift sound-effects and audio handling system.
• Discovery audio respects the game's existing audio state rather than introducing a separate audio system.
DISCOVERY REWARDS
• Newly recovered Discoveries provide a choice of three reward options.
• Players choose one reward from the three generated choices.
• Discovery rewards are dynamically weighted around the player's current progression rather than using static early-game values.
• Reward generation considers the player's current expedition progress so rewards remain useful later in the game.
• Reward scaling takes current production and wider progression into account.
• Reward generation considers lifetime sector progression.
• Reward generation considers Ascension progression.
• Reward weighting can take unlocked professions into account.
• Reward weighting can consider current resource shortages.
• Reward weighting can consider upcoming useful Upgrade costs.
• Reward weighting can consider current Fabrication recipe requirements.
• The reward system is designed to avoid giving advanced players amounts that have already become meaningless at their current stage of progression.
• Reward options remain distinct from the normal Resource Shop and Upgrade systems.
• Unclaimed reward choices are saved so players do not lose them by closing the Discovery popup or reloading the game.
DISCOVERY ARTWORK SYSTEM
• Added dedicated support for separate Discovery archive icons and full-size Discovery artwork.
• Archive cards use lightweight 64x64 PNG icons.
• Discovery Record views use full 600x600 PNG artwork.
• Discovery artwork is stored in separate icons and full asset directories.
• Each Discovery can map its archive icon to the matching full-size object artwork.
• Artwork pairs with different historical filenames can be explicitly mapped without requiring existing files to be renamed.
• This structure allows future Version Updates to add more Discoveries without redesigning the archive system.
SAVE SYSTEM AND COMPATIBILITY
• Added permanent save tracking for collectible Discoveries.
• Collectible Discoveries use their own save namespace so they do not conflict with the existing Discovery Upgrades system.
• Older saves created before VU5.1 remain compatible.
• Existing saves automatically begin with an empty collectible Discoveries archive if no collectible Discovery data exists.
• Previously recovered collectible Discoveries remain permanently recorded once found.
• Discovery records remain available after normal progression resets.
• Collectible Discoveries survive Ascension.
• Pending Discovery reward choices are preserved in the save.
• The implementation keeps collectible Discoveries isolated from older resource-find discovery terminology already used elsewhere in the game.
DISCOVERY SYSTEM SAFEGUARDS
• Existing Discovery Upgrades remain a separate progression system and have not been replaced by collectible Discoveries.
• The new collectible system uses separate data and logic to avoid collisions with existing discovery-related systems.
• Undiscovered content is never exposed through the archive interface.
• The game never displays a final Discovery collection total.
• Future Discoveries can be added without changing the X / ? presentation.
• The archive deliberately preserves uncertainty around what may still exist elsewhere in the expedition.
UI AND RESPONSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
• Discoveries use the existing Distant Shift popup and modal styling rather than introducing an unrelated interface style.
• Archive cards are designed for both mouse and touch interaction.
• Discovery Record layouts scale correctly across desktop, tablet and phone displays.
• Large Discovery artwork scales within the available viewport instead of overflowing smaller screens.
• Longer Discovery information can scroll internally where required.
• Close controls remain accessible on smaller displays.
• The Discoveries sidebar addition was kept compact to avoid unnecessarily increasing sidebar height.
VU5.1 DISCOVERY FIXES
• Fixed collectible Discoveries being obtainable from passive or idle activity when they were intended to be tied to manual interaction.
• Fixed players being able to return to the game and find a Discovery already present in the archive without having actively triggered it.
• Fixed newly recovered Discoveries entering the archive without a dedicated Discovery Found popup.
• Added immediate visual feedback when a successful manual Discovery occurs.
• Added missing audio feedback for successful Discovery recovery.
• Rebalanced the original manual Discovery chance after live testing showed Discoveries were too difficult to obtain.
• Improved Discovery rewards so they scale with current player progression rather than becoming trivial for advanced saves.
• Ensured existing high-sector saves retain appropriate Discovery eligibility instead of being treated as fresh early-game saves.
Play Distant Shift:
https://distantshift.com/game/