Hi Galactic Survivalists,
Public release is coming closer! Before we start the Release Candidate phase, we are releasing a final Experimental version today.
All base features for Alpha 8.0 are now implemented, although some will see future refinements in the Release Candidates and beyond.
The latest major feature we added is a Fog-of-War (FoW). The goal is to allow you to track ‘where you have already been’ - which is quite helpful as we think. While the Detector (added in Phase V) gives you a rough direction, the Fog-of-War, or better: the removal of the ‘fogged’ areas, will add an indicator where you should go next or have already looked for POIs or deposits. We are looking for your feedback right here: Empyriononline.com
We also made some changes on the playfield threat layout. While Phase 5 added the possibility to let any spawnable NPC patrol around a POI or deposits, we iterated on this new feature a bit more. So expect more troops of the glory Zirax Empire strolling around their bases ;)
Beyond FoW and threat updates, we of course added a ton of other additions, balances and bugfixes. Please find all the changes listed in the changelog below!
One last question to answer: when will Alpha 8.0 hit the public branch?
Answer: This is now more an announcement of an announcement, but depending on how the last Experimental update performs, we plan to announce the release of Alpha 8.0 anytime next week.
Now, enjoy the new features of Phase 6 - and as always: First Play. Then Feedback!
All feature discussion threads pinned: Empyriononline.com
Note: If you are NEW to Alpha 8.0 please read the individual feedback thread starters as they contain valuable information of the new gameplay mechanics!
Please report all bugs over here:
Bug Reports: Alpha 8 EXP Phase 6
Empyriononline.com
Bug Reports: Solar System Generator
Empyriononline.com
Bug Reports: Controller and Keymapping Empyriononline.com
Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team
==============
CHANGELOG: Alpha Experimental 8.0.4 (Build 1647)
Fog-Of-War:
- Added Fog-of-War (FoW)
In the current implementation, the goal is to allow you to track ‘where you have already been’ and consequently, the shape of the terrain of the not yet visited area is still slightly visible. Would you prefer that the terrain of the not yet visited area is not visible at all (ie the greyed out area is completely opaque)?
Additions:
- Added Zirax Patrols
- Added mixed groups with eg Zirax Laser and Mechanoids (or Zirax and Crawlers etc):
- Added Zirax Sniper
- Added/updated SV thrusters (some large jet thrusters are not yet final)
- Added Medic Station (no re-spawning just healing) and Clone Chamber to HV - placeholder models
- Added Drill Laser Module for CV
- Added new Group: FridgeBlocks (TechTree Level 0) + added large Fridge Box from LabDeco to new Fridge Group (incl. Cooling feature)
- Activated TurretRobotV2 (note: you cannot use TurretRobotNew anymore, it is now called TurretRobotV2)
- Added HoverEngine as deco blocks for POIs (under alien devices)
- Added RadarSuitDebug with 2500m range
Planet Update:
- Added Ice Moon (WIP)
- Updated desert planet + stamps
- Updated snow planet + stamps (WIP)
Updated Starter Planet:
- Starter planet is now a bit warmer and height has less impact on temperature
- Tweaked weather on starter planet: in the beginning much longer nice weather
- Added Zirax Patrols around some Xenu POIs
- Added more NPC groups - see playfield_static.yaml of Starter Planet
- Increased amount of Firemoss und Confetimoss drops on starter planet
- Added AlienBugs04 to Savanna/Sand on starter planet
- Slightly tweaked colors of terrain textures on starter planet
Balancing:
- Reduced amount of spider spawns around Promethium Deposits
- MedicStation BA and CV now heal 500 HP at once (MedicStation HV heals 250 HP at once)
- Changed range in which plants grow outdoor from 20-30°C to 15-35°C
- Increased HP of TroopTransport to 14000
- Reduced impact of temperature for several weather types
- Moved FoodProcessor To Level 3
Separated Templates of SV and HV Mobile Constructors:
- Adapted several templates (eg Wings only craftable in SV, Hover Engines only in HV etc)
- Removed from HoverConstructor (HV) : CrystalWarp
- Added to HoverConstructor (HV): Bases Starter
- Removed from SmallConstructor (SV): Cement, ConcreteBlocks, WoodBlocks, LandinggearBlocksHeavySV
Gameplay:
- AI Creatures: new target selection mechanics - based on threat level, parasaur animation desynch - less robotic look
- First version of recursive Constructor / Food Processor that doesn't stop crafting when far away, added bulk crafting of sub-queue items
- More consistent faction assignment for enemy NPC creatures (eg Crawlers, Overseer, TotalHorror are now in Alien faction)
- No respawn of ZiraxPatrols and other NPCs for SpawnZones, exclude Mountain Biomes for spawning
- Ignore PvP playfield.yaml parameter in SP > in SP always set PvP: True
- Updated size of RadarVesselT1 to 2x1x2 (instead of 3x2x3)
- Updated freighter with drone spawn points
- Updated loot: Slight adjustments on Alien Container loot to improve diversity of items
- Hot Beverage removes Hangover & Bad Trip
POI Update:
- JunkT1 update: Removed non-intentional personal cargo box and added standard cargo container instead
- Xenu Mainframe update: Build was not saved with damaged effect
- Added Epsilon OPV (model: A Big Bag of Earwax, modified by fFractalite)
- Added Xenu OPV (model: Zerbarus, modified by Fractalite)
- Added Ghost Rider OPV (by rainyday)
- Tribal Villages: Updated Alien Loot Containers
- Graveyard: Added CV_Destroyed5 (by Runningwithhamster)
- Freighter: Some of the freighters did not have their turrets activated when spawned
- Crusald Orbital: some smaller detail updates (thx to Pantera)
- Updated wreckage POIs T2: now they cutoutlevel the ground so that the personal container is never underground
- Added POI Unknown Floating Artifact (thanks to jmcburn)
- Added POI Unknown Armed Artifact (model: Faith, modified by Fractalite)
- Added Talon Temple (Dungeon by Ramachandra) - not yet activated in scenario
Playfield.yaml / Sectors.yaml Update:
- Added new dynamic yaml parameters: WaterProb and PvPProb. Adapted these parameters for all playfields
- Allow for designation of starter playfields by game mode (Survival/Creative) in sectors.yaml
- Correct setup of space graveyard in space_dynamic.yaml
- For now only 1 moon for each planet in RandomDefault scenario
- Updated Akua-Omicron sectors so that planets are on a disc/plane
Visuals / GUI:
- Only show max 5 elements in pickup window
- Added Info message to show Resources cannot be added while scanning or repairing (R2T Window)
- Sector Map: Ignore several entries of same resource
- Tweaked Map Windows: Ensure Orbit playfields are sorted before main sector playfields, Disabled "PvP" Labels in SP, Disabled Difficulty Labels
- Adjusted sector map labels to be better positioned above objects. Make locked selection reticle orange (from red)
- Tweak to prevent 3d sector map zooming when scrolling through planet list
- Disabled "Reduced Time" message in Repair Bay
- Separate string of Status Effects
- Sorted randomly generated sector file playfields to match new sorting requirement. Minor 3d map refactoring.
- Repair protection shield is now green
- Extended far clipping plane for sector map camera to allow for visibility of larger (distance-wise) systems
- Tweak orbit map hover label so not obstructed by cursor and dimmed 3d sector map light by ~30%
Texture Update to New Format:
- The following blocks/devices have been updated: Fridge, Fuel tank, Generator, Gravity generator, Landing gear, ArmorLocker small, WarpDriveTank, Core Block, Cargo Box, Constructor, HoverBooster, HoverEngine, GeneratorSV, emergency oxygen generator, Food processor, Forcefield emitter, Consoles, Ventilator, Landing gear light/heavy Medical/Clone stations, Oxygen station, mobile air con, Oxygen tank, Passenger seat SV, RCS, repair station, Saw attachment, drill attachment, Sentry gun, sentry gun alien, solar capacitor, Spotlights
SSG Update:
- Eliminated possibility of dead-end sectors due to path intersection with sun.
- Better checks and warnings when users move/delete content directories between sessions
- Allow for randomly assigning asteroid fields to moons. Remove roman numeral from moon names when only 1 moon present.
PDA Update:
- For NearUnit Guiding the visible distance of the marker can be configured (also to be not visible at all)
- Added new game event "PlayfieldTypeEntered" aside from "PlayfieldEntered" to also allow PDA missions to use this information (and to not change the meaning of an existing event)
Changes:
- Added Creative setting for Akua Orbit and added orbital base - thanks to Tamarak7777
- Implemented Lockout Timer check in R2T Window and moved "Repair in Progress" to status info label
- Adapted exit transforms on all SV/HV cockpits + passenger seats > please re-test
- Removed "BaseItem" tag from several ore types in Templates
- Loca update: "Pickup blocks" now 'Retrieve Blocks'
- Stack size increased from 5 to 6 (for better use with symmetry plane)
- Added TurretEnemyRocket and TurretEnemyArtilery to Alien Devices
- If structure contains no blocks any more, it will be now removed within a few seconds
- Do not export ZiraxMale to Config.ecf anymore
- Cleanup of playfields (removed test moons: +DesertMoon, +TemperateMoon)
- Console Command: added new sub command 'addtrooptransport' or 'att' to command 'aimanager' to spawn a troop transport in new frame work
- Console Command: added new command "aim tttoggleforcedetection" or "tttfd" to force the troop transport to target the player.
- Avoiding CoQ and adding error message when a spawner spawns an entity that is not in the config file any more.
- Controller Update: Made analog slider control less choppy (still needs a bit of tweaking)
- RepairBay block cannot be rotated anymore (to prevent misuse)
- Renamed MarkerBlock into DroneSpawner and changed model (it is now placed flat on a block).
- DroneSpawner blocks now appear in Control Panel so "Show on HUD" can be activated
- Renamed "Carrier" into "OrbitalPatrolVessel" OPV > please adapt your custom playfields
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Memory Leak
- Fixed: RadarSuitT1 not working in toolbar
- Fixed: Do random distribution of POIs / resources depending on playfield seed if given (before: all POIs/resources were distributed almost equally based on main seed)
- Fixed: R2T console is accepting any item put into it (Now only accepts "Base Items" like Ingots, Plastic Material etc)
- Fixed: R2T: Repair Blocks breaks Repair bay progress and info and does not finish repair
- Fixed: R2T: Repairbay gets stuck in 'Receiving Repair Data'
- Fixed: R2T: Ship is pushed UP when repair is ready
- Fixed: R2T: Vessel is being placed inside of the BA after R2T is finished.
- Fixed: R2T: Iron ingots duplicated and vanish when repairing in repairbay
- Fixed: R2T: CoQ when placing Ores that do not have a Template into R2T Window
- Fixed: After moving far away from a vessel & returning to it you can no longer open the CP when standing by it & aiming at it.
- Fixed: Instability of recursive constructor's crafting algorithm after having been far away for a while (sometimes left extra items in inventory)
- Fixed: Troop Transport stuck at dronebase
- Fixed: Waypoints on the other side of green wall are not shown correctly on RADAR map
- Fixed: Dropdown menus to close with 'UICancel' (Escape or B on controller) without closing the menu.
- Fixed: HV: Medbay is not added to STATISTICS page
- Fixed: Some line drawing problems in TechTress by re-arranging some devices
- Fixed: Text under “Upgrade” should be in white font
- Fixed: Temperature info and position differs between planet and sector view
- Fixed: Exception when approaching carriers
- Fixed: Carriers are not spawning any space drones
- Fixed: Ships don't have repair shield sometimes
- Fixed: Closing trapdoors did not work anymore in PDA Mission
- Fixed: Survival constructor can be made to not use ingredients from the quick access bar
- Fixed: SV landing gear (docking pad) does not give components after salvage
- Fixed: Closed cockpit and passenger seats have wrong exit points (stuck in vessel) > we fixed more use cases
- Fixed: Warp: Lock Target button and Warplines Toggle inconsistencies; Add view buttons to sector map; other tweaks
- Fixed: Multi tool 'Salvage' mode returns too much items in certain cases
- Fixed: Water Generator puts out heat when unpowered (removed heat from several terrain placeables)
- Fixed: Exception when going to orbit in DefaultRandom Scenario
- Fixed: Broken display of clone chamber and medic station
- Fixed: Problem that Entity Spawner was spawning "ZiraxMale" per default (Note: renamed ZiraxMale into ZiraxMinigun)
- Fixed: LOD issues with several grow-able plants (disappeared too early)
- Fixed: 'Jump' in the sky & nebula when moving fast on terrain and in orbit
- Fixed: Terrain Editor TE window: when using “Reset” the DominantLayer property is removed
- Fixed: HUD name tag of structure still on screen after being disassembled & is being repositioned constantly.
- Fixed: Admin/Alien Admin Stations: Ship Type Cannot be repaired
- Fixed exception in debug mode (load pf from main menu) when opening CP
- Fixed: Sound when consuming Energy Drink (now Drinking instead of eating)
- Fixed: Missing grass in Oasis biome on Desert planet
- Fixed bug SSG orbit map when no moon in orbit in certain cases.
- Fixed: ESC menu can get stuck on screen
- Fixed: Problem that RadarVesselT1 did not show up in Constructor
- Fixed: Mouse cursor jumps to screen center when joystick is plugged in
- Fixed: Double radiation info given for player armor
- Fixed: InputContextManager messages.
Incredible to see how far this has come.