Erik Rutins
Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000 From: Vermont, USA Status: offline
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Hi everyone, Here's a preview of what we are focusing on in 1.0.5, which will hopefully enter internal beta this week and public beta by mid-June. Note that these are the highlights of the improvements, we are also always working on additional bug fixes based on the reports in the tech support sub-forum. Distant Worlds 1.0.5 • Improved target engagement o Auto-engagement range: when attacked, nearby (2000), system, sector. Defaults by ship type/role as well as by fleet. o Default empire range settings for mission types: patrol, escort, other o Empire/Fleet overkill factor: 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 3:1, 5:1 • More careful evaluation of targets – do not attack targets much larger than self • Improved checking for other military ships of your empire nearby to respond to local emergencies. • Ships that are members of fleets should either attack as entire fleet, in groups or not at all, this should be a fleet level setting o Alter auto-engagement setting per ship/fleet/empire • Display in brackets after mission description (InfoPanel) o Manual attack mission assignment always sticks with assigned target until complete, damage/shield settings may still override, but others should not. • Auto-refuel refinements o Make exceptions for some mission types: • drop troops / invade colony • colonize • Major Game Save/Load performance improvements, including 64-bit option • Habitat quality, expanded use of "quality" level for planets o Determines colony value: income and max population o Quality below 50% depending on empire type and native world costs empire maintenance o AI evaluates colonization desirability: considers quality, resources and strategic location o Preponderance of quality planets can be altered with slider in galaxy settings at game start o Home system favorability determines quality of home planet – planet type is determined by native planet type of race, no longer changes planet type, just quality o Alter prevalence/balance of planet types: less continental and marshy swamp, slightly more ice and volcanic • Add slider in game startup to alter level of corruption for player empire • Fleet load troops command o Improve logic to ensure fleets are loaded up with troops • Only assign ships to fleet when they are full of troops • Rebalance weapon components ranges/damage, torpedoes vs beams, etc. Increased torpedo size and energy cost, decreased torpedo rate of fire. Beam weapons increased damage, decreased rate of fire. Some individual weapon tweaks for specific balance issues. • Change behavior of troops o Higher deterrence of rebellion/defection at colonies, your troops resist rebellions rather than "switching sides". • Independent worlds recruit troops • Lower reputation hit from using planet destroyer and bombarding colonies, based on various factors relevant to the current faction/race relation, war status, previous bombardments, etc. • Extra commands in Ships and Bases screen o Refuel selected ships o Retire selected ships • Fix system/habitat indexing problems when use planet destroyer, or add/remove systems • Alter target prioritization so that distance is more important, i.e. closer targets more preferred o In wars, AI empires much more likely to attack border colonies, thus maintaining more coherent empire borders • Updated Empire Summary screen o Better readability: fonts bigger, better colors o Layout Economy and Ships and Bases sections more clearly – show relationship of state and private costs better • Update Design Detail screen o Consolidate design components so that multiple components of same type listed as single entry (e.g. 5x) • Change Galactopedia to use RTF format • Update Galactopedia articles to reflect changes since release Regards, - Erik
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