Galactic Ruler News

NOTE: This fasttrack may break the multiplayer synchronization. This will be fixed for the next fasttrack build. It does however include lots of big changes. Tutorial Chapter 1 is complete, music has been redone for most of the game and trades between factions works properly again. We also have lots of improvements on the use of space docks and beacons. Check out the full changelog below.

FastTrack v.782:

Fixed missing Merchant Marine unit on planet (oops!)
Big updates to Tutorial chapter 1
--- Custom load screens to provide player basic info
--- Help UI redesigned
--- Progress on chapter 2
Improved relationship between space dock and spaceport
Updated to trade between factions. Merchant AI now work as delivery service
--- on trade of commodities, set quantity is put into a "crate" in the space dock for pickup
--- future potential for capture/destroy of goods/units in transit
Added Space Dock Launch Pad facility
--- Ability to build a facility on planet that will create a space dock in orbit if dock is lost
Added visual "bounce" effect when going up a level (visual improvement only)
Refactored Music Playback system
Replace many music tracks, added many more, music almost completely redone
Updated AI build preference system for better mix of ships
Updated energy shield and Survey VFX
Updated Command Unit and Radar Truck 3D models
Added condition test 36 for hotspot counts.
Added advanced orders to tell space units to station in place
Rebalanced planet scale sizes, add more variability to gas giant sizes and non-landable
Beacon mechanics improved, minor fixes
--- Systems with a beacon show a blue ring around the system status medallion
Fix factions sending multiple diplomatic offers with different products
Fix factions always asking for energy in some other conditions
Fixes to facility attack order
Improved performance for level change
Fixed issue causing people silhouette graphic not to appear on missing pics
Fixed FTL order conflict with Formation move. Everything arrives at the beacon
Cleaned up some GameTexture allocation memory leaks
Various UI and graphics fixes
Various newsitem fixes
Localizations updated for tutorials

Our latest developer blog has been posted on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MBP-EKuGp0&t=12s

We explain the relationship between the space dock and spaceport. This feature was included in the latest fasttrack and will have a number of improvements in the next fasttrack build.

We're pleased to announce that to celebrate Galactic Ruler's 1 year in Early Access, Build 776 is now live in the public branch for all Galactic Ruler players! We've also posted a video for the occasion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngXGsJDelE4&t=1s

We've also put our library of games on sale! Get more details here;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lnLxk-TsZ8

Please note! The savegame file format was updated, savegames from the previous public build will not be compatible

Players who opt-in to the fasttrack branch have already seen these changes. We'd like to thank all of our users who have provided great feedback on various fasttrack builds so that we could get to this next stable milestone. Since our last public build, we've had 6 fasttrack builds so a lot has changed. This is a condensed list of the changes.

There have been a number of significant changes to core game features such as FTL Beacons, exploiting energy from system level, merchant AI and aggressive pirates. We encourage players take note of these changes before starting their next game.

Core features

• Game speed improved
  
• Tutorial first chapter content completed
  
• Space Pirates will capture, raid and attack with an expanded inventory of 4 ship types
  
• --- Game Lobby options to customize Pirate capture responses.
  
• Redesign of FTL jump mechanic - added Beacons, path indicators
  
• --- Survey and Engineering ships can deploy beacons as an advanced order
  
• --- Units arriving in a system MUST use a beacon or arrive randomly.
  
• --- Update draw order of FTL Paths, coloured display over uncoloured
  
• Galaxy shroud added, option added to game startup settings
  
• --- No more minimap, FTL path lines show next accessible system only
  
• Game economy rebalanced for energy resource
  
• --- Power plants now require map resource deposits to exploit
  
• --- Homeworlds are usually critically short of power "deposits". Creates the need for Spaceport trades, commodity rationing and exploiting at system level
  
• --- Possible to exploit non-landable worlds for resources. Asteroids for ore, gas giants for energy, lava moons for a bit of either. Requires research to unlock facilities.
  
• Merchant AI trading implemented
  
• --- Requires a Spaceport to be built on planet, AI factions build spaceports
  
• --- Requires minimum 1 product set to import and 1 product set to export
  
• Space docks now have cargo capacity, Spaceports can receive cargo
  
• --- Transfer of planetary units to the space dock through unit orders
  
• --- From space dock can be sent to planet or onto available transport ship
  
• --- Reserving space transports will unload cargo into space dock
  
• Added options for Galaxy Type at game start, design of galaxies improved
  
• --- Includes Cluster, Spiral and Band. Other in progress.
  
• --- Asteroid Belts exist in some systems
  
• Shields are now a tech tree unlock. Once researched, units in reserve are refitted for shields
  
• --- Shields fail when a unit is out of energy
  
• Beam weapons won't fire with energy (fuel) is < 10%
  
• Technology Popup UI for "Leads to" techs now fully implemented. Double click to follow up the chain.
  
• Order added for space combat units, they can now capture facilities if undefended.
  
• Ability to attack facilities with unit orders or as a Rule of Engagement
  
• Sensor array now allows spotting of FTL activity for the system in which it's built, regardless of line of sight
  
• Redesign of Alerts UI so multiple categories can be shown simultaneously.
  
• --- Shift click to see only selected category
  
• Atmosphere system update, planet atmosphere values revised, factions homeworld have proper atmosphere
  
• Map locations can be assigned hotkeys (mutually exclusive with BattleGroup numbers)
  
• Weather patterns game mechanic removed
  

AI

• Added AI for exploring and expanding. Works for AI factions and player's governors/unit initiative
  
• Updated AI unit build decisions and triggered responses
  
• Updated AI research logic
  
• Better AI understanding of power usage/needs
  
• Hotspot improvements for planet and space level
  
• Fixed unit retreat issue where wrong hex evaluated
  
• Updated AI base location routines
  

Multiplayer

• UI fixes in Multiplayer lobby for selected faction images
  
• Fixes to MP Sync and lobby hosting/creation (work ongoing)
  

User Interface

• Unit and facility designs now include descriptions in their popup view
  
• Supply Chain implemented, bottom right of user interface. Shows flow of commodities in/out.
  
• Mouse over information of planets improved for both visuals and content
  
• Improved access to Strategic Controls (Theaters and Battle Zones)
  
• Large Research Panel has been properly adjusted for the list size.
  
• Empty right click menu fix at galaxy level
  
• Added Hotspots option to right click menu
  
• Map notifications bound to their relevant levels
  
• Added "Offer Peace" function in UI, similar to "declare war" for ease of sending offers
  
• Updated HUDs filter to no longer hides planets and systems
  
• Function of double clicking a unit in the Command list is now a game option for Center on unit / Technical Readout / Both. Pulldown in game options.
  

Visuals and Graphics

• Planet relative sizes improved, rotation added
  
• Updates to combat, FTL and explosion effects
  
• Added support for "banking" of fixed wing aircraft in unit move animations
  
• Shield particle effect, only exists when target is alive, moves with target
  
• Added Corvette and Command ship models for all races.
  
• Pirates now have their own unique ship models and city models
  
• Added Construction Crane building 3D models for planet/system
  
• Fixed VFX graphics glitch while game is paused
  
• Galaxy level FTL unit path lines color coded for FTL range
  
• --- Green: In range / Valid Target
  
• --- Yellow: In range / Invalid Target
  
• --- Red: Out of range
  

Game Engine

• Game now starts at space level instead of planet level (because space game)
  
• Adjusted default starting game difficulty levels
  
• Space Transport ships now have basic fighter carrier capacity
  
• Space ranges ("Sectors") are now counted in hexes (not 16perhex)
  
• Improved notifications and alert messages for both content and frequency
  
• Game will now pause on peace offer, message will open
  
• Merchant marine equipment IDs now set per faction in .CVP, overrides WMData values
  
• Music looping callbacks added, set up for alternate music tracks
  
• Option for ‘shareable music’ added to game options, will use \Musicn\ folder instead of \Music\
  
• Game Lobby options for other trade mechanics
  
• Various ProcGen updates / Bug fixes (Orbiting profiles, atmospheres, habitability)
  
• --- Planet profile updates, new terrain set added for better swamp+jungle type planets
  
• --- Rebalanced landmass lobby setting to have a greater effect on sea level
  
• Combat implementation fixes and improvements
  
• Externalization of AIParams (moddability of AI responses)
  
• Galaxy generation optimizations for start of game, fixes to Battlezones
  
• Decolonize by parent will now keep all treaties (including alliance, transit)
  
• Improvements and fixes to unit order processing (Survey, Capture, Clear Orders, etc.)
  
• Updates for scripted events to understand system vs. planet levels
  
• Code cleanup of listbox objects, data structures
  

General Fixes

• Surveying the world of a minor race makes them "discovered"
  
• Fixed potential crash on VFX pipeline not cleared on quit/load
  
• Fixed possible declare war by dead regions/pirates
  
• Fixed border supply creep 'wobble' that's been around forever
  
• Updated handling of "dead" regions. Require > 1000 population to be restored as alive
  
• Fixed loading savegame starts as main empire faction, not start as colony
  
• Fixes to switching between colony and main faction
  
• Refactored how the total population per planet is calculated.
  
• Refactored calculation for number of "sustainable" days of commodity reserves
  
• Fixed rare situation where alert bar product stocks show wrong region
  
• Fixed NavPoints list of Inhabited worlds
  
• Fixed response options in some alert messages
  
• Various UI fixes, graphic updates, data file fixes and localization fixes
  

Our latest fast track has a small list of changes, but some very significant things have changed, specifically that FTL Beacons are now required to jump to a specific location in a system. Engineering and Survey ships can deploy beacons. Also, space docks can now both store and move units between the planet and the transports in space.

The feedback messages in game have been updated to reflect the new feature designs.

FastTrack v.776

• Improve Pirate responsiveness and aggression
  
• Improve AI build/deploy sequence for space level
  
• Ability to attack facilities as a Rule of Engagement
  
• Transfer of planetary units between space dock and spaceport
  
• --- From space dock can be sent to planet or onto available transport ship
  
• Redesign of FTL jump mechanic - added Beacons
  
• Map locations can be assigned hotkeys (mutually exclusive with BattleGroup numbers)
  
• News Items messages updated to match changes in feature implementations
  
• Improvements to galaxy generation algorithms
  
• Merchant AI ships now come with shields (no extra charge)
  
• Faction awareness and declarations of war rebalanced
  
• Pirate worlds have custom city meshes
  
• Fixes to Merchant AI trading with minor races
  
• Planets rotate on their axis
  
• VFX touch ups
  
• General UI and graphics fixes
  

Our latest fasttrack tweaks some of the economy and also makes both the merchant AI and the pirates more active. And you can now capture facilities. But be prepared to get really beat up by the pirates short term until you can build up a bit, they might now be too aggressive...

Hint: if you can research up to shields, they make a big difference.

Also, chapter 1 of the tutorial is now complete, although we might still add a bit more content to it. Feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

And lots of miscellaneous updates and fixes.

FastTrack v.771

• Adjusted default starting game difficulty levels
  
• Merchant AI trading system optimized
  
• More fixed to galaxy generation
  
• Order added for space combat units, they can now capture facilities if undefended.
  
• Hotspots in right click menu now let you select type of hotspot directly from the menu list
  
• Added Orbital Control hotspot to indicate where to place space docks
  
• Updates to tutorial system, Tutorial chapter 1 now works from start to finish
  
• Sensor array now allows spotting of FTL activity for system in which it's built, regardless of line of sight
  
• Surveying the world of a minor race makes them "discovered"
  
• Pirate economy balance updated
  
• Pirate aggression level updated, declare war on sight vs. regular factions
  
• Pirate declare war on players and alliance between pirates update
  
• Refactored use of Shields by units and User Interface to communicate what's happening
  
• Space Transport ships now have basic fighter carrier capacity
  
• Space unit descriptions added, text due for more review
  
• Adjusted Space Docks and Engineer ships to have the same weight
  
• Technology Popup UI for "Leads to" techs now fully implemented. Double click to follow up the chain.
  
• Asteroid HUDs redesigned
  
• Updates to planet types, sizes for both text and visuals
  
• Fixed wrong city models until end of first day
  
• Some performance optimizations
  
• Space ranges ("Sectors") are now counted in hexes (not 16perhex)
  
• Fixed border supply creep 'wobble' that's been around forever
  
• Updated handling of "dead" regions. Require > 1000 population to be restored as alive
  
• Updates for scripted events to understand system vs. planet levels
  
• Updated AI base location routines
  
• Fixes to some unit orders
  
• Fixes to diplomatic trades between factions
  
• Updates to loading/unloading of units on planet
  
• Updates to alert message system
  
• Fixed loading savegame starts as main empire faction, not start as colony
  
• Refactor of various visual effects
  
• Refactored how the total population per planet is calculated.
  
• Fixes to switching between colony and main faction
  
• Fixed small memory leak that would have created a crash eventually
  
• Refactored calculation for number of "sustainable" days of commodity reserves
  
• Decolonize by parent will now keep all treaties (including alliance, transit)
  
• Fixed rare situation where alert bar product stocks show wrong region
  
• Fixed NavPoints list of Inhabited worlds
  
• Fixed response options in some alert messages
  
• Various UI fixes, graphic updates, data file fixes and localization fixes