Thorium Nova Blog

Alpha 14 - Torpedos

Alpha 14 - Torpedos

Thorium Nova Alpha 14 is ready to go, with torpedos and more goodies

July 25, 2024

Happy Birthday, Thorium

Happy Birthday, Thorium

Thorium's celebrating its 8th birthday. Thanks for being part of the journey with us.

June 27, 2024

Torpedos Go Boom

Torpedos Go Boom

Torpedos are the primary way to damage ships. They work great at long-range, but it's possible for them to miss their targets.

May 30, 2024

Fabricator - Making New Inventory

Fabricator - Making New Inventory

Oops. I might be adding crafting to Thorium Nova

May 2, 2024

Quick Thorium Nova Update - 2D Universe

Quick Thorium Nova Update - 2D Universe

Thorium Nova will be switching from a fully 3D universe to a 2.5D universe like many of its fellow bridge sims.

March 6, 2024

How to Write a Story

How to Write a Story

Thorium Nova takes everything great about Timelines and expands the vision to make them fully automated. Here's how it does it.

October 5, 2023

Reinventing the Universe

Reinventing the Universe

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.

July 19, 2023

Thorium Nova Alpha 11

Thorium Nova Alpha 11

Thorium Nova Alpha 11 is now available, with the new power grid implemented

April 27, 2023

The Power Grid

The Power Grid

The power grid takes a classic fixture of spaceship controls and expands it for more realism and exciting play styles.

March 23, 2023

Thorium Nova Alpha 10

Thorium Nova Alpha 10

This even-numbered Alpha release contains mostly bug fixes and enhancements.

February 23, 2023

Thorium Nova Alpha 9

Thorium Nova Alpha 9

Thorium Nova Alpha 9 delivers the beginnings of power grid simulation for ships.

February 8, 2023

Thorium Nova Alpha 8 - Bug Fixes

Thorium Nova Alpha 8 - Bug Fixes

This latest alpha of Thorium Nova focuses on improving and streamlining the existing experience.

January 19, 2023

Thorium Nova Alpha 7 - The Big One

Thorium Nova Alpha 7 - The Big One

The latest alpha of Thorium Nova is the culmination of 7 months of work, and includes over 30 features and bug fixes.

December 8, 2022

Thorium Development Streams

Thorium Development Streams

I'll be streaming my work on Thorium Nova starting September 14

September 8, 2022

Update 39 - Ship Map for Cargo

Update 39 - Ship Map for Cargo

A Thorium Nova first - the ship map is now working with cargo container management.

August 18, 2022

Update 38 - Alpha 6

Update 38 - Alpha 6

A new alpha means new goodies!

May 5, 2022

Update 37 - Alpha 5

Update 37 - Alpha 5

Alpha 5 is ready for testing.

April 20, 2022

Update 36 - A Call for Artists

Update 36 - A Call for Artists

Updates on development progress, and a call for artists.

April 7, 2022

Update 35 - Ship Systems & Ship Map

Update 35 - Ship Systems & Ship Map

We're making progress on defining ship systems and building out the deck map.

March 17, 2022

Update 34 - Development Meetings

Update 34 - Development Meetings

Join us for our regular Thorium Nova development meetings

February 24, 2022

Update 31 - Station Layouts

Update 31 - Station Layouts

Progress continues on building the station layouts.

December 2, 2021

Update 30 - Flight Director Controls

Update 30 - Flight Director Controls

Progress continues on discussions, including Flight Director controls and ship classifications. Also, there's a path to releasing the first alpha version.

November 4, 2021

Flight Director Controls

Flight Director Controls

How can we give Flight Directors godlike powers while keeping their controls simple and approachable for beginners?

November 3, 2021

Update 29 - Preliminary Discussions

Update 29 - Preliminary Discussions

Not a lot of code is being written, but there are many important discussions happening behind the scenes.

October 14, 2021

Thorium Contributor Kickoff Report

Thorium Contributor Kickoff Report

With a successful kickoff, the Thorium Nova open source project is now fully operational.

October 7, 2021

Contributing to Thorium Nova

Contributing to Thorium Nova

So, you want to contribute to Thorium Nova? Here's where to start.

September 30, 2021

Musical Themes

Musical Themes

Music is such an important part of every bridge simulation experience. That's why Thorium Nova will make it easy to play the right song at the right time.

July 8, 2021

Distributing Power

Distributing Power

Power distribution in Thorium Nova is going to look a lot different - and more like real-life power systems!

February 26, 2021

Update 28 - A Zap of Inspiration

Update 28 - A Zap of Inspiration

Adding search to navigation made me realize I need to change my focus.

February 25, 2021

Update 27 - I would like to speak to your manager!

Update 27 - I would like to speak to your manager!

An update on the new issue tracker.

February 24, 2021

Update 26 - A Little Diversion

Update 26 - A Little Diversion

Progress on the controls has slowed, as the new ThoriumSim.com has taken my attention.

February 17, 2021

Autopilot

Autopilot

How will autopilot work in Thorium Nova?

February 11, 2021

Update 25 - We'll get there when we get there!

Update 25 - We'll get there when we get there!

Transitioning between interstellar space and systems is now working.

February 10, 2021

Answers to Sundry Questions

Answers to Sundry Questions

Answers to several questions I've received over the past few weeks.

February 4, 2021

Update 24 - Which way do we go?

Update 24 - Which way do we go?

You can lock in a course, which means travel to solar systems is now possible.

February 3, 2021

Update 23 - We Go Fast now

Update 23 - We Go Fast now

We can now navigate to locations in interstellar space.

January 27, 2021

Update 22 - Navigation

Update 22 - Navigation

The Navigation screen allows the crew to create waypoints which they can use to set course.

January 20, 2021

Stormfront - Part 2

Stormfront - Part 2

Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. How will the crew get out of this mess?

December 18, 2020

Update 21 - More Flight Control

Update 21 - More Flight Control

The Flight Control station gets even more updates, with thruster and impulse engine control.

December 17, 2020

Stormfront - Part 1

Stormfront - Part 1

The crew is assigned to provide security during diplomatic negotiations. What could possibly go wrong?

December 16, 2020

Update 20 - Flight Control

Update 20 - Flight Control

Progress begins on the flight control station, including a built-in sensor grid, a significant departure from Thorium Classic.

December 15, 2020

Stormfront - Briefing

Stormfront - Briefing

We'll take a look at what makes a great mission briefing by exploring one of the missions Alex wrote.

December 9, 2020

Update 19 - Flights and Themes

Update 19 - Flights and Themes

Station complement generation, flight assignment, and theme creation

December 8, 2020

Update 18 - Quick Start Flights

Update 18 - Quick Start Flights

Work on speedy flight creation

November 25, 2020

Mad Libs

Mad Libs

Working on a seemingly simple feature has raised questions about what features are really necessary in Thorium Nova.

November 18, 2020

Update 17 - Spawning Ships

Update 17 - Spawning Ships

Spawning new ships from the Flight Director core.

November 17, 2020

The Flight Director Star Map

The Flight Director Star Map

Flight Directors should have a seamless, intuitive experience as they orchestrate ship movements through their star map core.

November 11, 2020

Update 16 - Map Updates

Update 16 - Map Updates

Zoom and drag select added to the Flight Director map

November 10, 2020

The Emotional Investment Of Spaceship Simulations

The Emotional Investment Of Spaceship Simulations

There are many interactive experiences which might be enjoyable, but none match the immersion that comes from a fully invested crew in a spaceship bridge simulation.

November 4, 2020

Update 15 - The Flight Director Map

Update 15 - The Flight Director Map

Work has begun on the overhead Flight Director map

November 3, 2020

Interview With A Flight Director - Natalie Anderson

Interview With A Flight Director - Natalie Anderson

This flight director has an appreciation

October 28, 2020

Update 14 - 3D Viewscreen and Auto-rotate

Update 14 - 3D Viewscreen and Auto-rotate

The 3D viewscreen is populated with planets and ships, and the ships can rotate to specific points in space.

October 27, 2020

The Roadmap

The Roadmap

Thorium Nova is taking bridge simulation far beyond just flying through space.

October 21, 2020

Update 13 - New Flights and PID

Update 13 - New Flights and PID

Autopilot and starting a new flight.

October 20, 2020

How Do We Stop This Thing

How Do We Stop This Thing

It's one thing to make a ship go; it's an entirely different thing to slow it down.

October 14, 2020

Update 12 - Slowing Down the Ship

Update 12 - Slowing Down the Ship

Slowing down and stopping.

October 13, 2020

What Happens Outside the Simulators

What Happens Outside the Simulators

Making a good experience for crews and Flight Directors alike takes more than just fancy spaceship simulator controls.

October 7, 2020

Update 11 - Engines Simulations

Update 11 - Engines Simulations

More work on the underlying simulations

October 6, 2020

All About Networking

All About Networking

How do computers talk to each other in multiplayer video games? And how does it work over the internet?

September 30, 2020

Update 10 - Outfits Config

Update 10 - Outfits Config

A quick look at the outfits config.

September 29, 2020

Distances, Engines, and Speeds

Distances, Engines, and Speeds

Distances and speeds worked in Thorium required making some nuanced decisions.

September 23, 2020

Update 9 - Starmap Systems

Update 9 - Starmap Systems

A short update, but work progresses.

September 22, 2020

Plugins - How to Configure Thorium Nova

Plugins - How to Configure Thorium Nova

If story is what makes Thorium Nova special, the background and setting have to be carefully considered.

September 16, 2020

Update 8 - Backend updates and More Stars

Update 8 - Backend updates and More Stars

While I've been doing some work on the backend of Thorium Nova, I wanted to see what would happen if I added a bunch of stars.

September 15, 2020

Thorium Nova's Lore

Thorium Nova's Lore

If story is what makes Thorium Nova special, the background and setting have to be carefully considered.

September 9, 2020

Update 7 - Moons, Measurements, and Search

Update 7 - Moons, Measurements, and Search

Finished up preliminary work on the starmap.

September 8, 2020

What's staying from Thorium Classic?

What's staying from Thorium Classic?

Thorium Classic has a lot to offer to the new ways Thorium Nova works.

September 2, 2020

Update 6 - Planets and Nebulas

Update 6 - Planets and Nebulas

Details on planets in the starmap and nebula backgrounds.

September 1, 2020

The Starmap

The Starmap

The starmap is the centerpiece of Thorium Nova and opens up infinite possibilities.

August 26, 2020

Update 5 - Stars and Planets

Update 5 - Stars and Planets

Details on planets in the starmap as well assorted answers.

August 25, 2020

Bridge Simulators and Education

Bridge Simulators and Education

Bridge simulators can play a unique role in teaching STEM principles to crews.

August 19, 2020

Update 4 - System Creation

Update 4 - System Creation

How systems are created, along with a helper in case you get lost.

August 18, 2020

What is a Flight Director?

What is a Flight Director?

Storyteller, elite technician, DJ with a god complex - that's what makes a Flight Director

August 12, 2020

Update 3 - Starmap Foundation

Update 3 - Starmap Foundation

This week saw the creation of some foundational aspects of the Starmap

August 11, 2020

What is a Bridge Simulator?

What is a Bridge Simulator?

Bridge Simulators are dynamic group games where players take the roles of a starship bridge crew.

August 6, 2020

Update 2 - Foundational Aspects

Update 2 - Foundational Aspects

This week was dedicated to foundational parts of Thorium, like internationalization and automated tests.

August 5, 2020

Update 1 - Concepts

Update 1 - Concepts

New simulator controls with a new audience require a reimagining of some core concepts.

July 29, 2020

Announcing Thorium Nova

Announcing Thorium Nova

Thorium Nova is bridge simulator software reimagined, combining action and narrative for a truly exciting experience.

July 21, 2020