Version 1.12 released

Post PixelConnect2017 version. It contains mostly feedback from visitors of my booth and my thoughts when observing how they play. In addition there is an experimental feature “patrol squadrons” for autonomous fleets, a more independent and fast reacting force to reacts to enemy invasions, patrol’s drawback is those do not coordinate their efforts.

– [feature] Autonomous fleets algorithm improved, retake planet order is issued when you lose control of the planet orbit without waiting till planet is conquered.

– [feature] Experimental feature (available only if you enable experimental features via options, possible heavy bugs!) autonomous fleets have patrol squadrons. You can select how many of those you have via Fleet/Orders tab, those squadrons will patrol in warp and react to combat on imperial planets. Each patrol squadron acts independently and always reacts to a planetary distress signal disregarding chances of success.

– [interface] Courtier screen, better description that courtier will be fired next turn.
– [interface] Courtier influence renamed to rank influence (to make it more clear that it’s connected to a position not the courtier).
– [interface] Edicts screen improved, buttons are now marked much more clear what is selected and what is active also tooltips unified and improved.
– [interface] Victory screen, victory and defeat conditions moved to top.
– [interface] Removed #X from game mode (some people mistaken it with order of playing those modes).
– [interface] Contracts screen more clear, explanation that those are done via audience.
– [interface] Planet strategic bombardment button aligned and got a better tooltip.
– [interface] Fleet/Orders screen, sector direction buttons realigned (more intuitive which direction is where).
– [interface] Fleet/Orders screen, description improved (offensive and defensive).
– [interface] Fleet/Orders screen, improved tooltips.
– [interface] Audience screen has better marker which audience is already done.
– [interface] Food icon changed.
– [interface] Help buttons centered.

Version 1.11 released
Many people will like this version, it contains some highly requested features. First, autonomous offensive fleets were polished and moved from experimental to regular features, accompanied with interface improvements to make use of those autonomous fleets more new player friendly. Second is the highly, highly requested shipyard option to see the squadron bonuses of newly requested squadron composition. Also two important balance changes, traditional interface improvements and some fixes.

– [feature] Autonomous fleets polished and moved from experimental to regular features.
– [feature] Analyze Squadron Composition button on shipyard screen which let you see what squadron bonuses would be in battle (highly requested).

– [balance] Adjusted score formula, now it’s affected by how long it took you to win. Win in 400 turns or less score x4, within 500 turns x3, within 600 turns x2. This bonus applies only if you win, so losing early grants no benefit.
– [balance] I was thinking a long time if this is a bug or a feature and I decided that from now on planetary defensive installations should not count into Command Bridge, Communications Array requirements. So, those affect ships only, planetary defences are excluded from the calculations.

– [misc] By default fleet #2 start as autonomous.
– [misc] Adjusted default fleets settings so those can be easily turned to dedicated autonomous fleets with fewer clicks.
– [misc] Adjusted starting required ships per squadron.

– [interface] Removed confusing back buttons on some help pages.
– [interface] Different map marker and a notice if there was a conquest order issued for a non border planet.
– [interface] Option to start with all fleets set as autonomous (just a convenience option, you can change it anytime in game via Fleet/Orders).

– [fix] Ion weapons resistance bug.
– [fix] Interface glitch on intelligence screen.
– [fix] Interface planet screen squadrons button glitch.

Version 1.10.1 released

A small and boring technical update.

– [misc] Improved safe_mode to handle more cases.
– [misc] The game auto switches to safe_mode when it encounters more serious problems.

– [removed] Removed ingame changelogs (too troublesome to update and looks ugly on the interface, besides it was redundant since players can read Steam/website announcements anyway).

– [fix] Fixed safe_mode (a bug preventing it from working in some cases).

Version 1.10 released

So, we have reached version 1.10, I wanted to make something special for this one and decided to tackle the long requested feature which is autonomous fleets attacking. There was a debate how it should work (player’s control especially) and I went for a half automated approach. Basically, the player tells which planets want to be conquered (in some cases admirals can make this decision too, but only in same case and when explicitly authorized to do so) and the admiral tries to carry out the orders. For now it’s classified as an experimental feature so you won’t see it unless you have experimental features enabled, I hope to move it to regular features in the next version.
Another interesting feature is selecting of type of the Empire upon game start. You can start as a Young Empire or as an Old Empire. I wanted this to more deeply affect the game, not just by making boring “+X to something” but by making something that affects the way the game is played. So, the old Empire is corrupted and stable, you have an option to bribe courtiers, young Empire is vigorous and flexible with more power directly in the Emperor’s hands.
There are also several other improvements, the usual interface upgrade and bug fixes. Also more customization options and rebalance.

– [feature] Upon new game you can select a Young or an Old Empire which alters game rules. For example under Old Empire you can bribe a courtier to change faction and on Young Empire you have doubled political points.
– [feature] An experimental feature (available only if you enabled experimental features via options), autonomous fleets offensives. You can authorize autonomous fleets to not only defend by also conquer planets. They will conquer only planets you marked for conquest (there is a new “Issue conquest order” button on planet screen) and those lost of aliens (only if you explicitly allowed admirals to do so). You have all the options to control those on Fleet/Order tab (only if enabled experimental features). Note that this feature was only partially tested and it’s prone to bugs and unexpected behaviour (although, overall it should work) so it’s recommended for adventureous players only. If you notice any problems, make sure to post on our Steam group!
– [feature] Advanced customization option which allows adjustment of storylines pace.

– [balance] Storylines progress faster.
– [balance] Significantly reduced number of genetic pool points.
– [balance] Inspiring leader trait cost lowered.

– [interface] Improved fleet screen (fleet selector buttons show which fleet is autonomous, which sector the fleet covers, etc).
– [interface] Slightly improved courtiers screen (cancel all political actions button is now separated from the individual courtier’s options).
– [interface] Removed redundant minerals count on shipyard screen (it’s on the top bar already, besides this information is not really needed for making decisions on the shipyard screen and it was a bit misleading that it relates to selected fleet).
– [interface] Industry screen shows relative priority bar (this should make more obvious how changing industrial priorities work).

– [fix] Corrected a few typos.
– [fix] Fixed faction unbalance displayed incorrectly on the first turn.
– [fix] Fixed blue star bonus bug.
– [fix] Fixed chancellor button bug.

Version 1.09 released

Our imperial astronomers made a great discovery, they found out that each planet is orbiting around a small star which they call a “sun”! Sometimes, there is also a smaller body orbiting a planet which they refer to as a “moon”. Some say the reason they found out about those so late is because they never go out from their cozy labs and that they focus mostly on filling papers to get the imperial grants instead of science. The Department of Treasury proposes a reform, to cut down astronomers funding unless they actually look at the sky. There is a strong opposition to this proposal.

So, in this version I focused on astronavigation. Added suns and moons and the long awaited rename planet feature. There is also a new map mode “astronavigation” and several other improvements.

– [feature] Suns and moons implemented. Those have various effects (check a tooltip as usual).
– [feature] Rename planets feature.

– [balance] The Hive overminds do not spawn on heavily radiated planets.
– [balance] Adjusted number of civilized races for game mode #2.
– [balance] More diverse pirates attack power (overall pirates became weaker but sometimes they send much stronger forces).

– [misc] More lore entries added (Help/Lore section) “History of the Empire” and “Astronavigation of the Empire”.

– [interface] Industry screen simplified and made more clear.
– [interface] Diplomatic stance renamed to aggressiveness (it reflects much better what this variable means).
– [interface] Hall of Fame includes a difficulty level, ‘custom’ (when advanced customization was used) also added tooltips to highscore with possibly exgtra info (like game version of the save).
– [interface] Improved shipyard screen (less confusing).
– [interface] Improved intelligence screen.

– [fix] Incorrect squadron names for autonomous fleets.
– [fix] Fixed main menu How to Play scrolling bug.
– [fix] Occasional context help not working on the first tab.

Version 1.08.1 released

A small technical update which introduces ‘Big UI’ video option and makes the game more likely to run on some older/odd setups.

– [misc] Better errors reporting (useful if you have an odd/old/rare setup and encounter some problems).
– [misc] Better handling in case of rare/old setups.

– [interface] ‘Big UI’ video option (Options/Video) which rescales the screen and make everything big, useful for high resolution monitors (it’s the old experimental mode rescale UI option but improved).
– [interface] Beautified map scaling.

Version 1.08 released

Another boring version with mostly technical updates, fixes, etc. Some interface improvements as well. No gameplay changes this time.

– [misc] Configuration (resolution settings, audio, etc) is persistent and not overwritten upon each update (you will see this effect upon the nearest update).
– [misc] Proper icon for .exe file.
– [misc] Installer (for non Steam distribution), no more .zip files.

– [interface] Unexplored planets have unexplored planet icon instead of planet type icon.
– [interface] Finished unique ship icons for different race types (all ship types included).
– [interface] Added ship icons to squadron details screen.

– [fix] Fixed prestige gain per era.
– [fix] Fixed squadron details screen (rare glitch).

Version 1.07 released

This version focuses on balance, alien armadas introduced (difficulty 5 or higher) which should make late game significantly harder. It also contains several important fixes.

– [feature] Civilized races have a diplomatic stance with the Empire (neutral, hostile, feud) which is based on difference in planets and claims tension and determine which diplomatic options are available and what scale of war they will wage (from occasional border skirmishes to a full scale war).
– [feature] Alien armadas (send by major civilized races that Feud with the Empire), activated in this version for difficulties 5 or higher only (in future lower difficulties will probably get it as well).

– [balance] Increased diplomatic tension from claims significantly (x6).
– [balance] Negative treasury prestige fall is cumulative (-1,-2,-3, etc per turn), no more sitting on negative treasury.

– [interface] Different ship images for different race types.
– [interface] Renamed base anger to tension.

– [fix] Fixed several serious bugs.

Version 1.06 released

In this version I wanted to remove every single reported bug, no matter how minor. Also I finished several small interface improvements that were being put off as minor. In short, primarily it’s a version that improves many small quirks and annoyances.
Another adjustment was balance. Several things were changed in order to make early game easier and late game harder.

– [balance] Increased starting planetary infrastructure (industrial facilities).
– [balance] Reduced prestige required for glorious achievements, decreased prestige gain from beating transdimensional aliens.
– [balance] Doubled ship maintenance points from planets, halved ship maintenance points from factories.
– [balance] After turn 100 major races have a recurring chance for an extra strong attack (in the next version they will get more options like that, so expect major races to become stronger in future).

– [interface] Save game sorting by date, also beautified load/save screen.
– [interface] New ships images (auto recoloured according to owner).
– [interface] New image on create new game (cloning).
– [interface] Squadron details screen improved (removed list of individual ships, beautified, etc).

– [misc] Extended context help (fleet/shipyard added ships abilities, etc).

– [fix] Help pages scrolling bug.
– [fix] Occassional blank technology (require a new game).
– [fix] Other small fixes.

Version 1.05 released

This version brings you several important fixes (BTW, thanks for all players who report those, it’s a great help!) some interface improvements and the highly requested Hall of Fame feature.

– [feature] Hall of Fame (persistent high score).

– [balance] No court moves allowed during the audience turn (to prevent switching courtiers during the “fire department X” event).

– [interface] New graphics for ships.
– [interface] Added a marker who was appointed last turn to the court (for convenience).
– [interface] Audience mini info on alien ambassador event (shows number of planets and if it’s a minor or a major race).
– [interface] No more research not queued report when a field of science is completed (all researched).

– [fix] Numerous fixes (prestige bug, audience removing department courtiers bug, diplomacy relations bug, interface fixes).