Early Access hit Hardspace: Shipbreaker gets even better by lifting limits

Blackbird Interactive has addressed some of the most egregious aspects of their spaceship salvaging simulator Hardspace: Shipbreaker with a new update. With the addition of a new game mode, players can now enjoy the game at their own pace by the elimination of timers and more.

Simulation games are a particular kind of digital entertainment. They try to convey the more mundane aspects of activities while still offering a fun experience while doing so. As such, it’s a literal balancing act for game developers to find the sweet spot between those two.

The folks over at Blackbird Interactive have now experienced exactly that. To be fair, while salvaging broken machinery is a real-world job, doing that in zero gravity on actual spaceships is anything but. Hardspace: Shipbreaker has a big leg up over its competitors in that regard at least.

In this mode:

Players’ shifts NEVER end unless they enter the HAB.
The timer at the top will count up instead of down for Players to keep personal track of their playtime.
Players’ O2 will not drain, unless the helmet has been cracked.
It will have its own separate Leaderboard.

But still, the developer’s decision to convey the feeling of working on a clock by putting a digital work clock and shifts into their game has proven one step too far for many gamers. In the end, simulators are also well-known for being casual-friendly, and being forced to achieve duties in a set amount of time has proven to be too much pressure.

Thankfully, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is an Early Access game where communication with the fan base and large changes to the game are not only possible but expected. That’s exactly what the developers are now delivering with the introduction of the new Open Shift Mode. Here, there are no pesky timers, no need to check your oxygen meter, and most importantly the player decides when their shift ends. The perfect way to plan and execute the most efficient way of deconstructing defunct ships without having to worry about other things.

The update also adds the essential feature of fully remapping player controls