Galactic Ruler News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liIK2lV5uTU

These week we actually pushed 2 fast track updates, v.899 and then v.902 with added a few extra fixes. In case you missed it, here is a combined changelog;

FastTrack v.899 and v.902:

• Welcome screen created for first time the game is played
  
• Game Cutscene added
  
• Game stability improvements
  
• Map Seam improvement (fixing visual glitch at planet level)
  
• Final 2 factions added - Disciples and Plodders
  
• Updates to lore and backstories
  
• Steam achievements added
  
• Governor Priorities updated with more options and revised effects
  
• --- Will have significant impacts on AI faction actions
  
• Improved AI faction facility build sequences
  
• Improved AI invasion code
  
• UI updates
  
• --- Land Department renamed to Recon Department
  
• --- Quit options added
  
• --- Planet Popup contents update
  
• --- Improvements to battlegroup assignment controls on orders panel
  
• --- Game Options menu re-sorted and cleaned up
  
• --- List expand/collapse arrows added for better feedback
  
• --- Faction emblem shown on alert messages
  
• Updates to player feedback and help system
  
• More tutorial fixes and balance changes
  
• At galaxy level, units in battlegroups are no longer shown individually, just their battlegroups
  
• Balance changes to what actions are triggered at which initiative levels
  
• Merchant AI ship movement adjusted (move faster, FTL closer)
  
• Unit pathing around stars updated (no more star diving)
  
• Fixes to galaxy generation outer edge positions
  
• Variouqs sounds effect updates, include lots of space Pew Pews
  
• Various fixes to models and textures
  
• Fixes to ship upgrade components gained from researching improvement techs
  
• Minor fixes to galaxy shroud - ongoing work as bugs remain
  
• Minor updates to combat VFX
  
• Fixed bug where beacons could be given orders
  

Hello Galactic Ruler Community!

We're excited to announce that on August 3rd, Galactic Ruler will move out of Early Access and be officially released. We even recorded a video for the occasion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T-q3z4OTDg

The team is hard at work on the remain features and we do plan for another Fast Track update before release. We'll also be recording more videos to discuss game features as the date approaches. In case you missed it, here's our most recent developer blog;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxZprg_-zCw&t=8s

So we hope you'll join us and either pick up the game or add it to your wishlist. We really appreciate all the feedback and support we've gotten from the community.

BattleGoat Studios

The big addition this time is FTL pathing and waypoint support! Orders to systems out of range will now cause ships to make multiple jumps to reach their destination.

Further improvements have been made to AI, tech tree and the planet types. A lot of housekeeping changes in this update.

FastTrack v.874:

• Fixed bug where planets would begin to "repair" and slowly increase in size (oops)
  
• Fixed ship upgrade component system ( +5% is different than =5%...)
  
• AI Invasion process updated (work ongoing)
  
• FTL pathing added for long distances, AI and player units, including waypoints
  
• Colonies can no longer declare war on parent region
  
• Parent regions will auto accept offers made from colony
  
• Planet types and visuals updated
  
• Each faction now has a specific homeworld, all homeworlds have at least some food
  
• Faction lore and storyline updates (work ongoing)
  
• Tutorial updates
  
• UI and Graphics updates
  
• --- Slider bar shuttle position fixed
  
• --- Advanced Orders at lobby, button is moved to lower right of basic options
  
• --- Planet Popup functionality improved (work ongoing)
  
• --- Planet HUDs significant updates, allies/enemies indicator add to ring around emblem
  
• --- Fixed "clear all messages" button
  
• --- Lists with regions, action buttons improved, more consistent
  
• Tech tree updates
  
• Fixes to trading with colonies
  
• Fixes to units landing on planets without dropship specialty
  
• Sound file updates
  
• Fixed crash when placing waypoints for Ore Harvester facilities
  
• Fixed potential crashes in various places
  
• Updated various feedback messages
  
• New Outpost facility created for colonies
  
• Updated ballistic shot VFX movement/position
  
• Pause system for messages additional option to control global "pause on events"
  

Since we made some good progress on AI, we wanted to get another fasttrack pushed out. As of this new build, the various parts of the AI have been connected together such that it is now capable of assembling an invasion force, moving an invasion force, and deploying an invasion force. The AI will also take some basic strategic actions to support the invasion, but we plan to continue expanding and diversifying the AI tactics.

We've also made some big changes to the tech tree and the planet types, but AI tends to be of greater interest to most players.

This update will be a much larger download than normal due to a minor validation that was needed for all 3D model textures. Because of this, they are all seen as having been updated.

FastTrack v.867:

• Basic AI space invasion implementation (testing ongoing)
  
• Build Spaceport order renamed to Build Outpost (function is unchanged)
  
• Major balance updates to planets composition and planet visuals
  
• Major tech tree updates
  
• Fixed action buttons in transport ships to manually pick up/drop off crates at stations
  
• Updates to planet popup, controls of planet actions and governor priorities at system level
  
• Tutorial Updates
  
• Minor format validation on ALL game textures.
  
• On map feedback for actions updated, new messages added
  
• Fixes to capture of facilities
  
• Fixes to trade between colonies and merchant AI
  
• Fixed carrier capacity for transport ships of some factions that were zero
  
• Doubled move speed of planetary and stellar transport ships
  
• Various UI and graphic fixes
  
• Updated slider graphic to have notch, but currently positioned too high
  
• Further fixes to avoid "information bleed" of players seeing info on undiscovered factions
  
• Fixed bug where building an orbital station changed player faction to AI controlled
  
• Fixes to unit orders, player vs. AI action priority
  
• Fixes to AI use of hotspots
  
• Fixes to governor priority checking for governor actions
  
• Updates to what planets each race can start on
  
• Fixes to various 3D models for scale and components
  
• Fixed game option to play with Fog of War turned off, regions properly "discovered"
  
• Adjustments to order of availability for some treaties
  
• Fixed player elimination if focused on a colony when the colony dies
  
• Fixes to research not being used by some AI factions
  

We'd like to say a big thank you to all the players who've asked questions and provided feedback during our Early Access for Galactic Ruler. Our recent FastTrack update made some big changes and it's time we brought the public builds up to the latest versions.

The colony system has gone through significant changes and diplomatic trades have been implemented. There are also more races to play now. Our tutorial system has also gotten significant updates to help players learn the game. Below is the full list of changes for public users.

Please note! Changes since the last public update are quite significant. savegames from the previous public build will not be compatible

Players who opt-in to the fasttrack branch have already seen these changes. Since our last public build, we've had 8 fasttrack builds so a lot has changed. This is a condensed list of the changes.

Core features

• Tutorial chapters 1 and 2 content completed, chapter 3 in progress
  
• --- Custom load screens added for tutorials
  
• --- Help UI redesigned, work is ongoing for further improvements
  
• Galaxy sizes reduced by half - may be increased again later in development
  
• Added 5 more playable factions
  
• --- Swarm, Rhydandite, Breel, Gulthian and Dicapse
  
• Players can now select a starting force size of up to "massive" space fleet when setting up a new game. Affects all spacefaring regions.
  
• Combat stats of space units and weapons platforms rebalanced
  
• Redesign of colonization and exploitation mechanic
  
• --- Empire planetary territory is now only on the homeworld. Taking territory creates a colony
  
• --- Fixes to taking territory on non-breathable worlds
  
• --- Some facilities renamed to reduce confusion, Space Dock is now Orbital Station
  
• --- Engineers build Orbital Stations above worlds or Spaceports on planet
  
• --- Engineer includes starting Finished Goods and starting military personnel to get more facilities online
  
• --- Cannot place Orbital Stations on Asteroids (see Ore Harvester)
  
• --- Colonies with a planet surface take ownership of their Orbital Station
  
• --- Empire faction can interact with the units of its colonies
  
• --- Resource inventory properly planet-bound
  
• --- Colonies of colonies become colonies of the empire
  
• New facility - Ore Harvester.
  
• --- Set rally point on an asteroid to "mine" for Ore resources. Spawns 2 workers.
  
• New facility - Orbital Station Launch Pad facility
  
• --- If your Orbital Station is destroyed, build this on planet to launch a replacement
  
• Game economy major rebalance, Power plants now require map resource deposits to exploit
  
• Many tech tree updates
  
• Beams are now a tech tree unlock. Once researched, some units can be refitted for beam weapons
  
• Beacon mechanics improved
  
• --- Systems with a beacon show a blue ring around the system status medallion
  
• --- Drones no longer allowed to deploy beacons, only Survey Ships and Engineers
  
• Units can be ordered to self destruct, capture crates, station in position.
  
• Pirate faction influences and action archetypes updated
  

AI

• Updated AI build preference system for better mix of ships
  
• Improved AI action request/response system
  
• AIParams refactored AI Build sequence system
  
• Updated pathing through neutral territory at system level
  

Diplomacy

• Fixes to treaties system, updates to First Contact mechanic
  
• Various new treaties added in Diplomacy with other regions.
  
• Diplomacy between factions implemented, Merchant AI used to transfer traded
  
• Added Orbital Storage facility for system level. Replaces Spaceport for planets with no surface. Trade of resource requires either a Spaceport or an Orbital Storage
  
• Fixes to Diplomacy screens for interaction with colonies
  
• Resource department allows for creating crates for transport
  

Multiplayer

• Resolved MP Sync issue caused by use of tprand in AI map list scan
  
• MP UI fixes
  
• Steam Username better handling in MP lobby and for savegame naming
  
• Better support for long messages in MP chat
  
• Multiplayer chat word wraps properly, whisper @ function cleaned up
  
• Steam player name cleanup now fixed for pre-Win10
  
• Fixes to multiplayer sync on reload
  
• Improved multiplayer stability
  

User Interface

• Ability to switch to colony at system level added. More UI elements planned to make switching to your colony easier.
  
• On Map Notifications now show on level up hex
  
• Unit order sequence in lists updated
  
• Rules of Engagement for space level implemented
  
• Fixed next/previous space production location selector
  
• Declare War menumap item opens popup instead of department
  
• Fixed colony emblems
  
• Tightened up information bleeds in UI
  
• Clean up of right click options at system and galaxy
  
• Button added to the system level UI, top left, to cycle through beacon locations.
  
• Unit Orders list now has tooltips for order details (partially written, ongoing)
  
• Planet type names shown, might create some mismatch types (work ongoing)
  
• Various UI fixes and improvements
  

Visuals and Graphics

• Size of system maps adjusted for more zoom out, Max zoom in increased (reset options to apply)
  
• Added visual "bounce" effect when going up a level (visual improvement only)
  
• Game Cursors updated (wait cursor, waypoint cursor, Build cursors, default choices and more)
  
• Updated energy shield and Survey VFX
  
• Space ballistic shot/hit updated, style and speed refactored
  
• Fixes to visual effects for smoke and shots
  
• Ballistic shot graphic colour at space level updated
  
• Updated Command Unit and Radar Truck 3D models
  
• Fixed FTL spin up effect. Adjusted growth model and maximum size
  
• Faction emblems improved
  
• Updated tree models and 3D Model Shader system better tree visuals
  
• Fixes to background graphics, slider bar graphics when using GUI scaling
  
• Fixed some models with wrong texture file type
  

Sound/Audio

• Refactored Music Playback system
  
• Replaced many music tracks, added many more, music almost completely redone
  
• Sound and music default values adjusted
  
• Updates to sound engine / track switch timing
  

Game Engine

• Various additions to scripted events system condition checks to support tutorial objectives
  
• Rebalanced planet scale sizes, add more variability to gas giant sizes and non-landable
  
• Fixes for internal change of player counts related to updated colony model
  
• Implemented faction edible resource (defines what they eat)
  
• Fixed multi-threading issue on Random Number Generator
  
• Improved performance for level change
  
• Game performance improvements and optimizations
  
• Improved galaxy procedural generation mechanic
  
• Planet level procedural generation updated for better facility dispersion.
  
• Improvements to Capture order system
  
• Fixes to ownership when an orbital station is destroyed/captured
  
• Improvements to galaxy generation - asteroid placement
  

General Fixes

• Fixed missing Merchant Marine unit on planet (oops!)
  
• Fixes to facility attack order, FTL order conflict with Formation move.
  
• Cleaned up some GameTexture allocation memory leaks
  
• Various newsitem and translation fixes
  
• Combat system fixes
  
• Fixed a variety of potential and actual crash issues
  
• Fixed planet level direct combat attacks
  
• Added stability in unit order processing
  
• Name system fixes for cities/planets
  
• Space facilities no longer need hex loyalty to use destroy command
  
• Fixes to unit use of "attack facility" rules
  
• Formation move ignored at galaxy level
  

We also recorded a livestream a few days ago that shows off a bunch of the newest features.
BattleGoat YouTube Livestream