Sand Saga Insider: December 2024

Patrik Harag, 2025-01-04

Hello everyone, and welcome to the December edition of the Sand Saga Insider! Towards the end of the year, I focused on adding some explosive new features and introducing a whole new concept to the game: machinery. Let's dive in!

December Additions

Better Explosives
Explosions in Sand Saga have just gotten a whole lot more exciting! I've finalized and significantly improved our explosive elements: Gunpowder, Dynamite, and Nitro. These aren't just simple bangs anymore. Explosions are now larger, more destructive, and feature a new upward force effect. This means that explosions occurring underground can now partially eject elements above them, creating dynamic and realistic terrain deformation. The amount of explosive material used directly affects the size and destructive power of the blast. Prepare for some serious chain reactions!

Machinery
Machinery has arrived in Sand Saga! I've introduced several new mechanical entities that bring a whole new level of complexity to your creations, allowing for automation and the creation of new elements. These include:

• Belt Left & Belt Right: These conveyor belts allow you to transport elements horizontally, opening up possibilities for resource transportation, and complex contraptions.
• Grinder: The Grinder offers two main functionalities. First, it can break down solid objects, such as trees, rocks, and pieces of metal, into the individual elements they're made of. Secondly, it can further refine existing elements into finer particles. Each pass through the Grinder increases the element's angle of repose, making it more prone to spreading and flowing.
• Supply Pipe: The Supply Pipe provides a continuous supply of a chosen element, like water or sand. This allows you to create flowing systems and automate the introduction of materials into your builds.
• Drain Pipe: The Drain Pipe serves as an outlet for both loose and liquid elements. This is crucial for managing overflow, removing unwanted materials, and creating closed-loop systems where excess elements are efficiently removed

2024 – From Sand Game JS to Sand Saga

2024 has been a year of tremendous development for the game. The evolution has been truly dramatic, with the game transforming significantly from its state a year ago. To give you a sense of just how much has changed, you can try out this older version of the game: Play 23w52a.

We've undergone a rebranding process, transitioning from the name Sand Game JS (which still refers to the engine) to the new brand: Sand Saga. The SandSaga.com portal, including the scenarios and workshop, is a completely new addition, developed entirely this year. The core gameplay has been completely revamped with the addition of numerous new elements and the introduction of fundamental engine mechanics such as solid bodies, particles, and entities. For a deeper dive into the project's history, visit: sandsaga.com/about.

Android App

We are still looking for volunteers to help with testing. I would be grateful if you decided to get involved. See Sand Saga Insider: September 2024.

After reaching the required number of testers, I recently submitted the game for review. Unfortunately, Google rejected the submission, stating that the testers hadn't engaged in sufficient testing. So testers are still needed.

Conclusion

That's all for today. Stay tuned for more updates!
Wishing you all a happy and creative new year full of exciting experiments and fun in Sand Saga!