Changelog
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April 1, 2026
Link to April 1, 2026It’s been a while! Time for a DSPACE update.
What’s DSPACE, you ask? You must be new around here, and if so, welcome!!! I’m glad you’re here. DSPACE is a space exploration game that I’ve been working on for a while now. It’s still in its early stages, but I’m excited to share it with you. You can learn more about the game on the About page.
Nano Banana Pro prompt: democratized.space DSPACE v3 is a major content and platform release focused on three goals:
- Much more to do (quests, processes, and items)
- Better creator workflows (build and submit custom content in-game)
- Safer, local-first player data (migration, backups, and cloud sync)
If you are new to DSPACE, start with About.
v3 at a glance (vs v2.1)
The current v3 release snapshot includes:
- 248 quests across 19 quest trees
- 311 processes
- 507 items
Compared with v2.1 (current
main):Category v2.1 v3 New in v3 Quests 22 248 +226 Processes 36 311 +275 Items 90 507 +417 That means v3 delivers roughly 11.3x more quests than v2.1, exceeding the original 10x target.
Custom content (headline v3 feature)
v3 ships end-to-end creator tooling for player-generated content:
- Custom quest creation, including validation and preview
- Custom item creation (with
/items/createpreserved as a legacy alias) - Custom process creation, including requires/consumes/creates modeling
- Bundle submission workflow for grouped quest/item/process contributions
Like custom quests, your creations are stored locally by default. When you’re ready to contribute, package everything into a bundle following the Custom Content Bundles format and submit it through the in-game interface. This keeps related content synchronized and makes reviews more efficient.
Reference docs:
Navigation, docs, and UX polish
v3 also promotes many previous placeholders into working destinations:
/stats,/titles,/toolbox,/leaderboard, and/settingsnow ship as active pages./docs/changelognow has a dedicated release-notes landing experience.- Docs navigation was improved with section manifests and search filtering.
- Mobile usability was improved across custom-content forms and menu navigation.
- Theme preference (dark mode) now persists across reloads.
Notable docs updated for v3 workflows and gameplay:
Local-first saves, migration, and backups
v3 moves canonical save storage to IndexedDB and keeps migration from legacy v2 saves built in.
- On first launch, v3 detects legacy
localStoragesave keys and migrates data to IndexedDB. - Save and content backup workflows are available in-game.
- Cloud backup and restore is available through GitHub Gist integration.
AI chat in v3
v3 launches with OpenAI-only chat in production.
- NPC personas (such as Sydney, Nova, and Hydro) are available in chat.
- token.place integration is coming in v3.1, bringing free LLM usage instead of the metered usage that currently requires an OpenAI API key.
See:
dChat knowledge upgrade
dChat now ships with an in-game knowledge base that summarizes canonical quests, items, processes, and the player’s local inventory snapshot. This gives the assistant immediate context to answer gameplay questions without waiting for future updates or external documentation lookups.
Self-hosted
DSPACE 2.1 was migrated from Netlify to a local Mac Mini M4. DSPACE v3 now runs on-premises on a k3s cluster across 9 Raspberry Pis.
Switching to MIT License
While 0BSD sounds like a nice license, it is in some cases not on the list of accepted OSS licenses on the Internet. Therefore, I’m switching from 0BSD to MIT, which is still very permissive but much better supported.
Looking Forward
These changes reflect a commitment to keeping DSPACE focused on its core mission: democratizing space exploration through education, simulation, and real-world impact. By removing unnecessary complexity, the game is more accessible while strengthening the connection between virtual achievements and actual space development.
v3 is the biggest DSPACE update yet, and it lays the groundwork for faster content releases moving forward.
March 1, 2026 (moved)
Link to March 1, 2026 (moved)This changelog entry has moved.
Please use the canonical v3.0.0 release notes at /docs/changelog/20260401.
September 15, 2023
Link to September 15, 2023Time for a DSPACE update! Welcome to DSPACE v2.1!
Midjourney 5.2 prompt: democratized.space What’s DSPACE, you ask? You must be new around here, and if so, welcome!!! I’m glad you’re here. DSPACE is a space exploration game that I’ve been working on for a while now. It’s still in its early stages, but I’m excited to share it with you. You can learn more about the game on the About page.
New quests
Do you like grindy quests? If so, you’re in luck! You’ll notice some new quests that reward you for grinding out some prints on your 3D printer, generating energy, and soaking up the sun’s rays with your solar panels.
In total, v2.1 adds 11 new quests. These will take a while, but it gives the hardcore players a little something extra to work on. v2.2 brings a ton of new quests, including the non-grindy kind! I’m hoping to accommodate a variety of preferences when it comes to gameplay.
Gamesave import/export
DSPACE will eventually have cloud saves, but for now, in order to maximize user privacy and simplify the architecture, all of game state is stored in localStorage (the nerdy details if you’re into that sort of thing).
In the short term, you can now export your game state on the gamesaves page. It’s pretty barebones at the moment, but it gets the job done! Just chuck that block of text in a notes app or a discord server.
Reliability improvements and code health improvements
This is a pretty minor update content-wise, but this update also adds a lot of important code, like instructions on what meta tags to inject in the HTML pages for SEO purposes. Additionally, game state related code has significantly increased test coverage. This is all in preparation for finding incentives (e.g. bounties) for third-party contributors.
June 30, 2023
Link to June 30, 2023Welcome to DSPACE v2!
Midjourney 5.1 prompt: democratized.space What’s DSPACE, you ask? You must be new around here, and if so, welcome!!! I’m glad you’re here. DSPACE is a space exploration game that I’ve been working on for a while now. It’s still in its early stages, but I’m excited to share it with you. You can learn more about the game on the About page.
Major updates
Revamped Quest System
Elevating your questing experience is my top priority. I’ve added engaging NPCs, branching dialogues, and more to make your journey exciting and immersive. Although the dialogues are linear for now, I’ve built a robust, expandable quest system which I’ll continue to evolve in future updates!
In the process of this revamp, I’ve removed some older quests and rearranged others. So, if you’re a returning player from DSPACE v1, you may find some of the content familiar. I’ve made the tough call to reset everyone’s quest progress, but don’t worry! All the items you’ve collected are still safely stored in your inventory (there is a known issue). Plus, the updated quests now yield even better rewards.
In upcoming versions, I’ll be leveraging large language models like GPT-5 and GPT-4 to enable you to ask open-ended questions to NPCs. They’ll respond with a deep understanding of the game and its systems. We’ll be inching towards this goal incrementally, so stay tuned!
Check out the new quests on the Quests page.
Improved processes
I’ve worked on making Processes more intuitive and visually pleasing. You can now interact with quests directly on the quest page. Experience the enhanced processes for yourself!
Searchable, filterable inventory
Your inventory now features a handy search bar, doing away with the need for Ctrl+F or endless scrolling. Just type in anything related to the item - be it a part of the name, description, or even the price, if you happen to remember it.
And now, instead of displaying every item in the game, your inventory only shows what you actually own (with the option to view all items if you so choose). Item filters are also on the horizon! If you’re keen to have this feature sooner, please upvote this issue!
Customizable Avatars
I’m setting the stage for a social multiplayer experience in the future. To kick things off, you can now choose your own avatar from a range of options, with more coming down the line. Visit the Profile page to pick your avatar!
Updated Documentation
I believe that good documentation is vital, and I’m striving to ensure that DSPACE has the best docs out there! If you’re eager to learn more about the game, check out the freshly updated Docs page.
Experimental Features
I’m also working on a few experimental features, which you might find interesting, although they’re not quite ready for full-fledged use:
dChat
Jumping on the AI Chat app trend, I’ve introduced my own version called dChat. It’s a work in progress and may have a few bugs, but I’m continually improving it. While it doesn’t know much about the game yet, that’s changing soon!
Ethereum Wallet Integration
For those interested in blockchains, I’m working on integrating Ethereum wallet functionality. You can sign in with your wallet on the Wallet page, with more features to be gradually rolled out. I assure you that this won’t be mandatory, and you’ll be able to enjoy the game without it.
Want to Contribute?
If you’re wondering how you can help, here are some ways:
- Join the conversation about the game on the Discord server.
- Report bugs or suggest features on Github or in the Discord’s #bugs and #feedback channels.
- If you’re a developer hoping to contribute, stay tuned! I’ll be releasing a contributors guide soon.
- Upvote Github issues to help prioritize tasks.
- Spread the word among your space enthusiast friends!
Made with ❤️ by Esp
January 31, 2023
Link to January 31, 2023We’re happy to unveil the January 2023 content update!
This update adds 7 new quests, a 64% increase!! We’ve also added new items. There are updates on the Energy and Wallet pages as well.
The following quests have been added:
Reusable rocket with a parachute
A quest that involves launching a virtual rocket with a parachute has been added to the game.
Solar energy generation
A new solar quest has been added, which tasks the player with increasing their solar panel grid to a total of 1000 kW and buying the appropriate energy storage.
Basic income
A quest that introduces the game’s basic income system. Earn 100 dUSD every week, no strings attached!
Electric vehicle charger
A quest that involves installing an electric vehicle charger, promoting the use of sustainable transportation.
Offsets
A quest teaching the player how to buy dOffset using dCarbon.
Goldfish aquarium
A quest that involves setting up a goldfish aquarium. You buy all the components needed to set up a healthy aquarium of an appropriate size, and then you add a goldfish. Feed the goldfish up to 3 times per day.
January 5, 2023
Link to January 5, 2023Your rescue has arrived!
Some users may have been stranded in the Hydroponics quest, but there’s now a solution:
Back and Forward links have been added to the hydroponics quest. If you were stuck before, try now and see if your issue is fixed!
Other updates
- Added a new trophy for completing all the quests available so far.
- The rocket launch process now properly also requires a rocket igniter.
January 1, 2023
Link to January 1, 2023New year, new content update!
- Print and launch your own model rocket.
- Grow hydroponic basil and harvest it for profit.
- Generate dWatt sustainably with solar and wind power to avoid accruing dCarbon.
I’m working on some big important changes behind the scenes that will fix some of the awkwardness of quests and help me scale the amount of content I add greatly. In the meantime, I’ll try adding a few more quests here and there. New features and non-critical bugfixes are on pause right now until those big changes are implemented. Stay tuned!
Known issues
- Currently, when you start a process, it won’t reserve the materials, which means you can accidentally overcommit if you end up selling or using those materials somewhere else. The fix for this is not trivial, and it’s what prompted the cookies->localStorage change in the first place. Once that change is done, items that are consumed will be consumed when you start the process. Expect that change before the end of Q1 2023. As a workaround, make sure you have an abundant amount of materials before starting a process.
December 10, 2022
Link to December 10, 2022Quests
- Added some unique collectibles for obtaining the following items:
- Added more content to the hydroponics quest. You can now germinate seeds to produce seedlings!
Energy
- With a handy smart plug, you can tokenize energy usage before it’s used in order to track the amount of CO2 emissions. Generating dWatt using your wall outlet assumes the energy source is coal, which means you’ll also generate dCarbon, a tokenized representation of 1 kg of CO2 emissions.
- In the future, you’ll be able to generate dWatt using solar panels and (wind turbines)[/inventory/item/7], which will not generate dCarbon.
- In a future update, you’ll be able to burn dCarbon by paying with dUSD. As you accrue dCarbon in your inventory, you’ll incur penalties on your account to incentivize renewables.
Machines and Processes
- The complicated series of steps needed to 3D print a Benchy is now replaced by a simplified machine and process system. Processes have a total duration (anything from a few seconds to many days) that must elapse before you can exchange a list of items for a list of other items, and they may require a certain machine in order to work. Go through the quests to learn more about processes!
October 31, 2022
Link to October 31, 2022- Big Docs content update. No more 404s (for now)! Did a little consolidating and reorganizing. Plenty more documentation coming in the future. Next up: a big content update!
October 19, 2022
Link to October 19, 2022- Overhauled the Inventory and Quests pages.
- You can now manually create any of the items on the item page (e.g. /inventory/item/1).
- Set cooldowns for all items. If cooldown is not specified, default to 5 minutes.
- You can now finish the first 3D printing quest and collect your reward.
- Material and machine requirements don’t apply yet but will in the future.
- Path for quests is now
/quests/play/\[id\]instead of/quests/\[id\](e.g. /quests/play/0).
October 15, 2022
Link to October 15, 2022- You can now create a test print in the 3D Printing quest! No material requirements just yet, so you can create as many test prints as you want!
- After some CSS magic, the Inventory page looks a little better! Lots more still to come!
- Friendly reminder that there’s a Discord server, and that you can see all the code for this site on Github!
October 5, 2022
Link to October 5, 2022- Added a Changelog, which has the full history of changelog notes for each release.
- The homepage now shows the most recent changelog entry, with a button to view the older entries.
- Each Docs page (e.g. /docs/about) now takes up the entire width of the main content area, as opposed to only half of it before.
- Settings page now has an appearance similar to the Docs page.
- Made the Inventory page dynamically load a list of items from items.json.
- Added a small bit of Roadmap.
- Some docs updates (namely, About, Mission, Roadmap, Frequently Asked Questions, Glossary, and Contribute).
October 3, 2022
Link to October 3, 2022