This is a thread that will highlight the changes coming in version 0.2.0 of Fusion Horizon—there will be quite a few of them, and they will lay the groundwork for the mod's development.
Code Rework - Better Research
The first version of the mod was developed using Custom Assets Loader as the main mod framework to create recipes, making it one of the first complex mods developed with this framework. However, over time, I realized that using Custom Assets Loader would begin to limit the mod as it expanded to introduce new mechanics.
For this reason, I decided to completely rewrite the mod using the official COI modding guide. With Claude’s help, I was able to convert the Python code to C#.
By rewriting the mod, I was able to fix bugs caused by the Custom Assets Loader and improve the search system, allowing for the creation of logical chains and a progressive search process, while also adjusting the search cost. Additionally, this update is compatible with old save files and works with both the stable and experimental versions.
CANDU Update
This update primarily focuses on CANDU reactors and the nuclear fission aspect, while fusion and plasma will be covered in the next update.
CANDU reactors now behave the same way as the nuclear reactors in the game, allowing you to upgrade the building when the upgrade becomes available after completing the research.
There are now three CANDU reactors, with the CANDU III nuclear reactor being distinct from the CANDU I and II reactors and the nuclear reactors in the game. Because its power output is identical to that of a Fast Breeder Reactor, it produces tritium-enriched heavy water as an effluent; therefore, before proceeding to the heat exchanger, this water must first pass through a tritium separator, which separates the heavy water from the tritium—which can then be used in nuclear fusion. Furthermore, the CANDU III requires a two-stage heat exchanger system due to the high temperatures of the liquid exiting the reactor.
In addition to CANDU fuel, DUPIC fuel has also been developed, which can serve as a shortcut for those who do not want to build the entire nuclear waste reprocessing chain; however, DUPIC fuel is inefficient and requires larger quantities to power a nuclear power plant.
Fission products have also been expanded. With this update, you have two options. The first is the standard storage of fission products for 100 years, and the second is isotopic separation.
With the latest processing, you can separate the isotopes used in industrial applications from the others that cannot be used. You must then manage the depleted fission products, which must be stored just like regular fission products but have the advantage of lasting 50 years. Industrial isotopes must also be stored in the repository because they are radioactive.
Finally, the models have also been updated with textures similar to the vanilla ones but adapted to each product.
Plasma, Isotopes, and Medicine
With the introduction of industrial isotopes, new recipes are now available, and in this update, Medical Supplies 4 are the new item that the population can consume.
Medical Supplies 4 are an evolution of Medical Supplies 3 and require the use of plasma and industrial isotopes. However, since plasma is a liquid, you must first produce Plasma Modules before you can begin manufacturing Medical Supplies.
Plasma modules are the new product that allows you to incorporate plasma into the production chain and create new products. Since this update primarily concerns CANDU reactors, plasma technology has not yet been implemented and will be added in a future update; in the meantime, you can use Medical Supplies 4 as a preview of the new recipes, products, and research that the mod will introduce.
Language Support
The mod originally supported only English and Italian, but now we also have native support for French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese, in addition to Italian and English. However, people can still contribute to the mod's development by translating it into their own languages that are not currently included in the mod.
Future
As I mentioned at the beginning of this journal, the next update will focus more on fusion and plasma, in addition to implementing recipes related to industrial isotopes. While I have a general idea of how to proceed, your feedback is important because it helps me understand where to invest more effort in developing the mod, as well as implement ideas that I hadn’t thought of but that you have.
This concludes this development log for version 0.2.0 of the mod. The update will be released in a few days once the final tests are complete. On GitHub, you can find both the new and old versions of the mod’s code for reference and to help you develop your own mods.