Stellar Monarch 2 News

In this version combat mechanics were adjusted, improved, fixed and clarified. It's a bit fuzzy what is a new feature, what was wrongly explained and what was broken (it was a mixed bag of stuff), so I just listed all those as "misc". Some stuff was also simplified (like missiles locking each combat round instead every second round). I also took the opportunity and redesigned and expanded the armor type vs weapon type dynamic. Overall, this version cleaned up some messy stuff related to combat. Oh yes, also traditional small fixes (spelling related mostly).


- [misc] More hull types and weapon types (Laser, Particle Beam, Plasma Gun, Graviton Lance), also Ion renamed to Particle Beam. Added to weapon tooltips the exact effect. Some hull types now have a different weapon type.
- [misc] Missiles attempt to lock on a target enemy ship each combat round (not every second round). The average number of missiles locking per combat round is similar (the change is only to make it less confusing).
- [misc] 50% damage goes to Shields and 50% to Hull (was explained incorrectly in the tooltip). Actually, I was wondering which one is the bug, the mechanic or the tooltip. Decided it's the tooltip, since 50:50 has some advantages with rounding and is overall easier to grasp.
- [misc] Now aliens can start with Guided Missiles.
- [misc] Other combat related adjustments/fixes.

- [interface] Squadron statistics and espionage tooltip has added that Fighters/Heavy Fighters carry 1 bomb each (and how much damage those deal). Also improved missiles tooltip to make it more clear how those work.

- [fix] Armor ship component was not working.
- [fix] Description of Shields fixed (damage reduction incorrectly listed) (as 1/3 while it's 50%):
- [fix] Incorrect tooltip info (listed as Hardened Shields instead of Hardened Armor).
- [fix] Incorrect position of some interface elements.
- [fix] Several text related fixes (wrong emperor pronoun in one place and other small stuff).



Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

This version is one big bug fix. Well, it has one measly interface improvement as well, but other than that, just fixes. Actually, there are many more changes, hidden deep inside, but those are made as a preparation for the upcoming expansion, so more like things that needed to be done but not visible to players at all. In short, the most boring update ever. Move along, nothing to see.


- [interface] Mini house buttons (on the top of the screen) sorted by relations/opinion.

- [fix] Was possible to get diplomatic/infiltration progress towards an extinct race.
- [fix] Was possible for an Admiral to sent negative number of squadrons in some cases.
- [fix] Safeguard against potential memory overflow error.
- [fix] Safeguard against squadron templates with no ships (which could cause negative production). Now at least one ship is guaranteed.
- [fix] Events could include options to add Popular Support to reforms that were already passed. Now all such options only pop up if the reform is not passed yet.
- [fix] Bio Chemical bombs were not destroying defensive installations.
- [fix] All constructions (star bases, etc) upkeep was positive (those added money instead of deducting).
- [fix] One of the previous versions broke budget changes counter, fixed.
- [fix] Turns to research could have been displayed as negative (if there was an abundance of research points).
- [fix] Replacing leaders of the house (rebels punishment option) made the head of the house broken (banquet, phantom person on planets display, etc). In addition to the fix, old saves will have this auto corrected on load.
- [fix] Offensive squadrons were not converted to defensive squadrons upon planet conquest in some cases.
- [fix] When automatic queue of technologies option was used the highest unlocked tech level was not updated (and therefore sometimes too low).
- [fix] Various spelling mistakes.



Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

This version is a bag of various changes. First, the bankruptcy mechanic was redesigned. Now you don't get a direct stability drop from negative treasury but it causes a small penalty to administrative points generation and triggers bankruptcy audience events. The end result is similar, the fall of the Empire due to stability drop if treasury is negative for too long, but now you have more options to react to it and you can pretty safely allow to run negative for a few turns. A similar mechanic for private treasury was introduced, but with less severe penalties and events. Next, the Houses minimap mode was removed. This was a think I thought for a long time but I don't want to drag it any longer. The placement of fiefs is too distracting, sure, it looks cool but it plainly do not work. And I don't like to keep things that do not work, so removed. Now the exact placement of fiefs is irrelevant. Next, a small rebalance to Centralization was done, the tax efficiency boost might seem like not useful in practice but it's logical, intuitive and might become more important once I implement some events I planned for future. The last thing is a bunch of smaller changes and traditional fixes.


- [feature] Negative Imperial treasury causes penalty to Administrative pts generation (at least -10 per turn, increases over time).
- [feature] Negative Imperial treasury triggers an event each audience which makes you select one penalty (default being Stability loss). The longer the deficit the higher the penalty.
- [feature] Negative private treasury causes penalty of Authority -10 for the Royal House (lifted after balance is positive).
- [feature] Negative private treasury triggers an event each audience which makes you select one penalty.

- [remove] Removed stability drop from negative money mechanic (replaced with Bankruptcy audience events).
- [remove] Removed Houses minimap mode (it made an incorrect impression that the location of fiefs is very important). Also removed all mentions of Noble Houses Homeworlds from all tooltips.

- [misc] Mechatrons will now run out of supply after around 100 turns after unburrowing (no more reinforcements). There is a proper event announcement about it.
- [misc] Hidden battle markers on starmap when there is no Recon (it was plain confusing).
- [misc] Removed dev "triangle" notice (to avoid confusion).
- [misc] Removed the option to Expand Ministry of Protocol (Ministry of Protocol has no bonus, therefore the option was pointless).

- [balance] Centralization decreases legislation points needed to pass laws to -2% per Centralization point (before -5%).
- [balance] Centralization increases Tax Efficiency by +1% per Centralization point.

- [interface] Improved Corruption tooltip to clarify that all income is affected by Corruption.
- [interface] Houses summary screen lists grudges next to relations.
- [interface] Rebels tooltip improvements: Removed rebel points gained from events (this information is redundant here and just confusing) and cleaned up the tooltip so % modifiers are listed separately.

- [fix] Cities started being constructed before colonization is completed. Same for infrastructure points generation.
- [fix] Main menu help right side section items (left side was correct) "Back" button closing the whole help screen instead of moving one level down.
- [fix] "Unexplored" was off on the planet short info box.
- [fix] Spelling corrections.



Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

This version fulfills one of my secret desires as the designer. It finally gets rid of diplomatic corps as a separate entity and integrates diplomats directly into the court. I know, I know, it's not that important to you as a player but for me it's super nice. I mean it's very clean design wise, I no longer need to take into account loyalty of diplomats to rebel points generation (since now they are courtiers and standard rules apply), it also, indirectly, allowed me to improve tooltips of personnel (since now I can say "In addition to being a Courtier, those additional rules apply because the character is appointed as a Diplomat)". Next, I was watching some YouTube videos and read through various forum posts and based on those I incorporated several small changes and improvements to the interface and the game balance. Overall, the game is now slightly more streamlined without losing any depth (actually a bit of depth was added), which is always a desired outcome. Only one fix, if we not count spelling corrections, which is kind of nice since it seems I start to run out of bugs to fix, even the most obscure ones.


- [feature] Removed Diplomatic Corps, now you appoint diplomats among courtiers (there is one diplomat position for All Minor Races and one for each major race). Note: You need to appoint Diplomats among courtiers if you have an old save (otherwise you will have no diplomats).
- [feature] Extra optional rule "Visible Technologies". When selected will make all technologies visible regardless of level.

- [misc] Removed bonus to All Ministries Efficiency from the court (the Administrative points gain is more than enough to make you care for Competence of courtiers, so the effect was redundant and was not affecting any decisions anyway and was just adding to the interface and mental clutter).
- [misc] Banishing a Courtier from the Court requires stripping the Courtier of all positions first.
- [misc] Level of Ministry renamed to Efficiency of Ministry (more logical and consistent with other similar effects).
- [misc] Color of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Justice switched (for more intuitive Diplomats color, since they use a variant of the color of the Foreign Affairs Ministry).

- [balance] Technologies rebalance (effects slightly adjusted, tier of some technologies adjusted), one new technology added.
- [balance] Budget (Administration) grants Administrative points (+5 per tier).
- [balance] Budget (Administration) reduced Tax Efficiency bonus.
- [balance] Budget (Administration) increased All Ministries Efficiency bonus.
- [balance] Agricultural Standards Act and Mining Standard Act (laws) made significantly stronger.
- [balance] Will Of The People Act (law) increases reform speed by additional +25% instead of +10%.

- [interface] Summary/Empire list all dynastic perks.
- [interface] Bonuses tab on Summary/Empire which lists all bonuses (identical to stats on Technologies screen).
- [interface] House button tooltip shows wealth, FED shares and has proper colors for Authority and Monarchism.
- [interface] Authority and Monarchism on Houses summary screen.
- [interface] Tax changes are instantly updated (to see how it affects happiness without waiting for the next turn).
- [interface] Top bar tooltips improved.
- [interface] Court screen shows stability bonus from houses.
- [interface] Better tooltips for courtiers competence, loyalty and charisma (with extra notes depending on the role like minister or diplomat).
- [interface] Various small interface improvements (colors, tooltips, etc).

- [fix] Removed incorrect aliens aggressiveness report (this was leftover from first Stellar Monarch mechanic which was never used in the sequel).
- [fix] Minor spelling fixes.



And one more thing... it's not official yet but there are quite high chances the next project would be an expansion to Stellar Monarch 2. Drop by Discord or Steam forums to discuss possible expansion.



Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

My other game series, classic retro RPG "Amberland" got a sequel released!

Official announcement: https://www.silverlemurgames.com/2023/12/05/legends-of-amberland-ii-the-song-of-trees-has-been-released-on-pc/


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2110840/Legends_of_Amberland_II_The_Song_of_Trees/