Remember that Starbound winter update that was teased back in December? Well, it's finally out in the stable build, and it's a big one. So many things have been tweaked and overhauled in Upbeat Giraffe, it's like playing a brand new game. Er, kinda.
The last stable update for Starbound was in March 2014, which seems like forever ago. It was worth the wait, though, as now combat isn't lame, space travel is better, matter manipulators aren't useless, and there's plenty of new tech, items, weapons and armors to hunt down and make. So many that a bullet point list of the highlights is the best way to display them:
Sectors have been removed. All stars and planets are part of the same map now. New oceanic worlds are available, including tropical and arctic oceans, toxic and magma planets. New surface biomes and underground mini biomes. Ships have race-based upgrades and expansions. Coal no longer powers ships. Now you have to find radioactive ores or the new Liquid Erchius Fuel. New playable race: Novakids. Reworked tech system with lots of new techs for different parts of the body. Matter Manipulator can be upgraded to mine faster, better, and more things, like liquid. Pickaxes and drills are weaker and cannot be repaired. Combat has been reworked to include an energy meter, better shield use, and new weapons, staves. Bug collecting is now a thing. Put 'em in jars, watch them sit! New enemy types and re-balances. The universe has a civilized Outpost containing shops, quests, and other services. Performance enhancements, modding, server features, and more.Less reading about Starbound and more playing it! It's recommended to start a new character to take full advantage of the new features. You'll want to, anyway, since the Novakids are awesome glowing space cowboys with no faces.