New Update: AI in space and new player spawning system news - Empyrion - Galactic Survival

Hi Closed-Alpha participants,

We have uploaded a new version to Steam (Pre-Alpha 1.2.1), which is the Release Candidate 1 for the Wednesday release on Steam. We would really need your help to test this version and find any deal breakers (major bugs) - it is the last effort before the official Steam release. We will follow the bug report section closely. Thank you already in advance.

In the new version, we have integrated AI in space. In particular, we have now activated the Space Drones that you know from the Launch Trailer. In addition, we have implemented a new player spawning system that allows you to choose different spawn points after you die. With this new spawning system, we hope to prevent any "game over" situations.

Here are some screenshots of the Space Drones:

Screenshots from space battles:

New community build "Habitat Beta" which can be found on Omicron Moon (thanks Hummel-o-War):

CHANGELOG FOR PRE-ALPHA 1.2.1 (Release Candidate 1):

Features:
- Added AI drones in space
- Added spawning system after death: now you can choose between different spawn points (current location, medic station or Omicron starting position)
- Added tabs for BA, CV, GV, SV in Creative Menu - blocks now have color coding to distinguish for what they are used.
- Added color hint icons (SV, GV, CV, BA) in player's inventory
- Control panel now shows missing essential components
- Added icons in Control Panel's list of controllable units
- Added explosion effect to laser based weapons
- Desert Golem and Arachnid appear now also in the mountains of Omicron during night

Improvements / Changes:
- Changed functionality Drill: LMB and RMB -> drilling (strong, weak), Fillertool: LMB -> filling, RMB -> flatten
- Placing starter block for BA / CV / SV / GV is more accurate now
- Added (transparent) window to Constructor templates
- Added community builds: Lightning Shuttle in Creative Orbit and "Habitat" on Moon
- Added special charge for repair tool
- Added lights to filler + repair tools
- Added filler/flatten tool to Escape Pod loots.
- Added flashlight to Assault Rifle
- Increased armor of passenger seat
- Increased rotation speed of enemy turrets.
- Orbital spire is now better defended.
- Improved drilling so that no ores should get lost anymore
- Auto turret stop attacking if target is dead.
- Auto turret is deactivated if switched off in Control Panel
- Some tweaks to sniper scopes (less tint color and larger dot)
- Tweaked jetpack rotation speed (less sensible now)
- Nerfed Minigun SV / GV
- CV now gets destroyed when trying to land on a planet -> 2 warning messages when approaching planet (temporary solution)
- Increased range of Sentry Guns.
- Increased defence of Orbital Spire
- Slightly increased health of Desert Golem.
- Added 'Close' button to Options menu when in game
- Disabled 'Access' button in Control Panel (since not functional)
- In-game tutorial messages now use the actual currently configured input (if used)
- Added Filler/Flatten to Escape Pod
- Enabled SSAO now already in "good" quality mode
- Slightly increased effective distance of removal tool

Bug fixes:
- Fixed bug: 'moving' of SV when adding/removing blocks.
- Fixed collider on Turrets GV and Fuel Tank
- Fixed error that appears sometimes when leaving turret
- Fixed bug that sometimes terrain is not generated
- Fixed constructor exploit 'craft item without needed inputs after removing currently crafted item from queue'
- Fixed jetpack not showing when switching 1st and 3rd person
- Fixed bug that when work light was picked up it disappeared
- Possible fix for bug when deleting old save games
- Fixed exception when client tries to connect, canceling a connection attempt returns to Multiplayer window.