Empyrion - Galactic Survival News

[h3]Hi Galactic Survivalists![/h3]
Today, while the developers are heavily at work with the galaxy generation, NPC dialogues and such, we will talk about some of the more global content and convenience updates.

Global Updates

• Lots of POI updates, that should have made it to A11 already, like dust and snow versions, fixes on signals and triggers etc pp.
  
• Multitool: now works with UNDO in Creative mode
  
• Projectors can have a background layer
  
• Removed Alien01 and Spiders from starter areas (Crashsite and starter area)
  

Feature Updates

• Inventory Sorting (alphabetically, item type, food points, mass and volume)
  
• Increased Stacksize (up to 4000 per stack; Stacksizes are derived from item mass)
  
• Player Turrets can now be used on any NPC Faction POI (without having to cheat in ammo
  and ammo boxes!)
  

(Sorting Options)

There are of course more interesting changes coming with Alpha 12, for example the new SPACE POI DEFENSE mode: Meet the renewed Polaris and Zirax Patrol Vessels, called in as reinforcements when you attack their orbital POI. We plan to do an own dev blog on this topic anytime soon.

(Zirax Destroyer)

On the ground Base Attacks, the Talon got a new building, the Talon Ziggurat, which will serve as a headquarter or ‘end boss' which, when beaten, will stop any planetary Base Attack from that NPC faction. The end of the Base Attacks is also now tied to a so-called ‘headquarter setting’ which any playfield designer can individually set to any POI. For example you do not need to use the Dronebase as a BA Attack-Stop for Zirax anymore, if you do not want to.

(Talon Ziggurat)

More content updates include:

• Reworks are planned for other devices as well (Armor Stations, Warp Tanks etc; feel free to make other suggestions in the comments!)
  
• We plan to rework the Alien Turrets and give them a consistent design appeal, f.ex for the Zirax
  
• All-new Energy Turret for the (planned) Legacy Faction ships and POI
  
• Adding Heavy Blast Doors (two sizes for now)
  

We’ll of course release more screenshots on the model and blueprints as soon as they near their completion.

(Blast Doors, Size 1 and 2)

(SV and HV O2 Station and Armor Locker)

What‘s on your wish-list in terms of this blog posts context, model updates and alike? ;)

Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team

PS: Do not forget to participate in our GAME SURVEY 2020!

[h3]Hi Galactic Survivalists![/h3]
Welcome back to Part II of our Alpha 12 feature update dev blog!

While you have read through the first part of this blog, you might have wondered what's added to the game besides the galaxy feature.

Of course there is a lot of code work going on on other elements as well, ranging from adding new features to the ModAPI, the Terrain Editor Settings, down to refactoring code elements and fixing and streamlining settings.

One of those topics has been CPU in conjunction with the new Flight model. The following might be interesting for a lot of players and all the forum discussions on that topic.



To start with, we will aim for a few balancing changes.

Examples:

• Cut CPU cost on SV and HV RCS by 40% to make it more workable for small builds and on game start
  
• Tier 4 for HV will be increased (planned from 70k to 100k)
  
• Thruster CPU Cost rebalancing: Larger thrusters are planned to be more CPU-efficient than their smaller versions.
  
• Materials/Items/Devices in containers will get a storage bonus, in terms of a 50% mass reduction when computing max speed of the ship (the mass of the vessel will remain the same)
  

Further improvements of the flight model ( fixing issues with drag and lift calculations ) and smaller, additional up- and down balancing of CPU cost aside, we also plan to make a few more in-depth changes on these feature(s) themselves.

• Per-Axis Torque setting
  With Alpha 12 you will get three sliders in the Control Panel > Statistics tab to adjust the Torque of your vessel. One slider for each axis.
  
  
• CPU Tier Buffs
  Unlocking a CPU Tier will add benefits. The same way overshooting the CPU count is penalized, we might give you certain buffs or bonuses when reaching a new tier. For example we already internally added a 5% speed up on the booster reload time for every new CPU tier level. We are of course open to your suggestions on this topic!
  
  
• CPU Tier 5
  We currently discuss an expansion of the Tier System - starting with Capital Vessels. The approach is currently not yet decided, but will be referred to as “Tier 5” (whether it is a real CPU Tier or something different)
  

We are looking forward to your thoughts! :)

This has been a little bit more condensed on only one topic. Expect more dev blogs about the other topics later this week!

Until then, take care. Read you soon.
Empyrion Dev Team

PS: Do not forget to participate in our GAME SURVEY 2020!

[h3]Hi Galactic Survivalists![/h3]
Welcome to our dev blog on the Alpha 12 features!

We have dedicated the first release of the planned blog series to the most substantial change coming with the new major updates: The galaxy.

What does it mean, when we say ‘galaxy’ ?

Let's answer that question with a picture:


All these suns are visitable.
Some will have planets.
Some won’t.
Some might be void of anything.
Some might be crowded spaces.

This is where we will start. But there is more!

In Alpha 11.5, when you look at the galaxy map, you will only see one type of a central star: The default-yellowish sun. For Alpha 12 we have added all of the main sequence star types (archetypes, following the OBAFGKM scale; while the blue-white O stars are the largest and the orange-red M stars are the smallest). We also added a variant of a Black Hole and a Neutron Star.

A little note for our Creators: The star types will be placed by a probability factor. For example M is a lot more common than O. Black Holes are rare. Of course you can customize the probability factor for each sun type individually.
Also, the galaxy you can see in the picture above, is configurable by the amount of stars (min/max) as well as the diameter of the galaxy (which influences how far the stars are away from each other)

More variants of star types will follow in future updates.

As you can see, the new “galaxy” is not just an “improvement” over the Alpha 11.5 ‘Multi Solar System’ mechanic. It is something entirely new.

Downwards compatibility?
Now you might ask: but what is happening with all the savegames and fixed solar or multi solar games started in Alpha 11.5.

The answer has two parts

We will add a “legacy mode” for the old scenario and savegames. The galaxy will simply NOT be generated. The downside: you cannot use any of the new features that come with the new system.

We plant to have a new method of how a galaxy is created, including the combination of a fixed part and a generated part

Point 2 might need some further explanation, but it's not complicated.

Example: Let's we want to place a system with a starter world and the home planet of a npc faction. You want to place those systems with a certain distance or on a specific, galactic position. You of course also want to have a galaxy, filling up the other solar systems spots, but you actually do not want to add as few as a couple thousand more systems in that config? :D

We of course have a solution for that.

Fixed-Random Galaxy Combination

This info is again a bit more for our creators, but as this was asked several times, we would like to share our current approach right now.

The method we currently aim for, works like that: you will place your “unique systems” and their parameters in a single sectors.yaml (similar like you did with Alpha 11.5 - although different in some details), then set the “create galaxy” flag to true...and the game will create the galaxy random systems AROUND the positions of your “fixed” solar systems.

Easy as that! :)
(Although it’s not even remotely ‘easy’ for our devs to achieve that)

In the end, you get a galaxy with so many solar systems you will possibly never be able to visit all, different sun types (with different colors!), in a combination of fixed and random generation and a legacy mode for old systems.

And Gas Giants.

This blog covers only the very basic elements about the new galaxy creation - but how does this sound to you?

Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team

PS: Do not forget to participate in and share our GAME SURVEY 2020!

Hi Galactic Survivalist!

We hope you all had a great start in 2020! We have been a bit silent on the current progress on Empyrion and you deserve to know what is going on behind the curtain.

While we still run smaller patches on the Alpha 11.5.x branch, the development on the Alpha 12 features (we are working on since early January), have already made some noticeable progress.

That being said, we want to share with you a brief summary of some of the features that will be in the next major update. These blog posts are currently in preparation and will be released in the next few days. Please excuse the delay.

In the meantime, we would like to announce our GAME SURVEY 2020: Participate here!

This time, the survey contains additional game-related topics, questions about your hardware, your likings on certain game features and such.

Please also make good use of the surveys free-text answers, but please keep your replies on the spot and as brief as possible (so we have a chance to read them all) .. or instead, link a forum or reddit thread you already have set up on a certain topic!

Thanks a lot in advance for your participation and also thanks a lot for all your ideas and suggestions you have shared over the last months and years which have - or will be - changing the shape of the game in the future!

Yours,
Empyrion Dev Team

Hi Galactic Survivalists!

Being the last update in this years development cycle - hotfixes aside - Alpha 11.5 will not only add bugfixes, but also a few important changes and additions to enjoy in your winter holidays!

Examples:

• Small and Large Optronic Bridges/Matrix are now craftable
  
• Loot Tables are now exported to the Config_Example.ecf
  
• We have reactivated the new, reworked galaxy map
  
• The Default-Random scenario now creates up to 6 solar systems
  
• Multitool has now a downgrade option
  
• HV Drills are now usable in space
  

And a lot more. Please have a look at the full changelog below.

Please contribute any feedback over here

Forum updates:

• For those of you that are interested in the Game Lore, we suggest to visit our Lore & Story forum, where we will detail more of the Backstories of important events in Empyrion
• For our creative community, we also opened a dedicated Creators-subforum, where you can start challenges or share your custom playfields. More to come! https://empyriononline.com/forums/#creators-forum.74/

As always: please report any bug and issue in our bug-forum

Before making a bug report, please read about how to use the bug section

Have a great time and happy holidays from everyone here at Eleon! :-)



PS: Although the development team will be on holidays from christmas to the new year as well, we have of course already made some plans for Alpha 12… ;)

===========

Alpha 11.5.8 Patch 2020-03-24 (Build 2785)

Fixes:
- an exploit

===========

Alpha 11.5.7 Patch 2020-02-28 (Build 2784)

Fixes:
- When a POI container is opened the UI can close by itself
- Some exploits
- Zirax base attack behavior error
- Net code exception
- Vessel crosshair can get 'stuck' when adjustments are trying to be made when the weapon is in range of a target
- Faction chat messages not always shown in-game
- [MP] Docked vessels moving when the player returns to them

===========

Alpha 11.5.6 Patch 2020-01-29 (Build 2777)

Fixes:
- CoQ from LCD signs when approaching a structure with an LCD with "bad" content
- Rockets kill its own pilot

===========

Alpha 11.5.5 Patch 2020-01-22 (Build 2776)

Fixes:
- Fixed COQ when opening Advanced Constructor (improved template recursion detection)

===========

Alpha 11.5.5 Patch 2020-01-21 (Build 2775)

Changes:
- Updated: Merc MX5E (Thanks to jrandall; Alpha 11 feature & visual update + interior rebuild + prepared for upgrade to T3: info can be found on info LCD)
- Updated: FORGE Skyfortress (fixed medbay leading to getting stuck when spawning)
- Galaxy map: removed zoom when opening it
- CPU Extender T3 can be upgraded to T4; T4 can be downgraded to T3
- PdaScript: prevent possible exceptions and cleaner initialization. Read data from correct directory in subscribed managed scenarios.

Fixes:
- CoQ when opening the advanced constructor
- Item exploit
- NullRef spam in EAI Manager fixed
- NPC textures missing after playfield change
- DynamicC# (needed for PDA.cs) now references dll for old ModInterface
- HV's tilting to the left & backwards
- HV HUD does not show ammo-bar when harvester/drill equipped
- Console cmd 'gopt' doesn't show correct game options in MP
- 'CPU Efficiency' display in Control Panel's main page showed wrong on/off state
- Changing the seed in a randomized custom scenario causes CoQ error and it won't start
- Unwanted water texture shows through on terrain altitude zero (Moons, Dead planets)
- When a player returns to a previously visited POI & kills an NPC it can instantly disappear
- Template modifications in Config.ecf could trigger the client to close to desktop

===========

Alpha 11.5.4 Hotfix 2020-01-09 (Build 2763)

Fixes:
- CoQ fix when using upgrade function in MultiTool

===========

Alpha 11.5.4 Patch 2020-01-09 (Build 2762)

Changes:
- Galaxy map: some UI improvements
- Less network RTT by using less thread switching
- Internal optimization should result in more performance if a scene has potential low fps
- O2 Station (SVHV) now airtight due to model change
- Changed description for Medic Station (HV), removed info about being a spawnpoint
- Add Offline Protection player options

Fixes:
- [MP] Drones becoming unresponsive & not moving
- [MP] Trees re-appearing after being removed
- Exception when opening double doors
- A face of the block shape Ramp C face becomes see through when when next to stairs wedge
- When light 6 is placed & viewed from behind the center becomes transparent
- Fixed flickering of voxel asteroid that are far away from the origin
- Client is kicked back to the main menu after selecting to respawn at 'Home base'
- Armored single & double doors frames can go invisible after taking some damage
- When SV/HV Cockpit 8 is damaged the model goes invisible
- Multitool: Possible to downgrade and upgrade other players structures and POI
- 'Wipe All' command duplicates POIs
- Landing gear 2 (Folding to side) does not mirror correctly
- Broken Deco: "AlienPlant11Blue" has an un-fitting, large movement hitbox
- Turret targeting in MP not working

===========

Alpha 11.5.3 Patch 2019-12-20 (Build 2759)

Fixes:
- Ship randomly shaking behavior in some cases bug -> fixed

===========

Alpha 11.5.3 Patch 2019-12-19 (Build 2758)

Fixes:
- Infinite speed possible fix 2
- Ship rotation speed bug -> fixed
- Space carrier have sometimes a mass equal to zero bug -> fixed
- possible fix for texture-streaming crash

===========

Alpha 11.5.2 patch 2019-12-18 (Build 2757)

Changes:
- added video option "Texture Streaming" to allow players to decide if they want to use it (default active on machines with more than 8GB RAM)
- added special config file 'Empyrion.props' to override settings if, for example, the game crashes early
- Added new story mission: Uncertain Outcomes (Requires Friendly standing with Polaris)
- Updated BAOs Trading Station, Polaris Asteroid Mining Facility and Planetary Remnant for story mission
- Updated help text of Galaxy Map

Fixes:
- Blueprint exploit
- Client crash when getting into the cockpit of a HV with ground repulsor engines flat on the terrain
- Pre-11.5 Blueprints are not update to the new torque / movement speed calculation

==========

Alpha 11.5.1 patch 2019-12-17 (Build 2755)

Changes:
- added workaround that machines with 8 GB RAM don't use texture streaming (to avoid crashes)
- Reactivated Auto-Fire: SV Pulse Laser, SV Raril Gun, SV Plasma Cannon, CV Pulse Laser
- Small Generator and Fuel Tank now also complete 'Robinson Protocol - Vessels" task
- Starter Orbit: Updated Polaris Trading Station
- Address issue with selecting a sector, but being unable to use the mouse to manipulate the data window (scroll, etc)
- Updated EAH: https://empyriononline.com/threads/tool-eah-empyrion-admin-helper-v1-48-x.5771/page-61#post-380808

==========

Hotfix 2012-12-12 (Build 2754)

Fixed:
- CoQ when opening Marketplace from top menu

==========

Changelog (Build 2753)

CPU

• Added crafting template for small/large Optronic Bridge & Matrix (Adv. Constructor)
  
• Increased drop count for Optronic Matrix/Bridge
  
• If active CPU Tier is lost, the efficiency will not drop instantly, but after 3mins
  
• Sending alert message when CPU Extender ( CPU Tier) is lost
  
• Increased hitpoints for BA and CV CPU Extenders
  
• CPU Extenders are now auto grouped to CORE group
  
• CPU efficiency is reduced to 20% when overshooting the CPU max limit by 100%
  

FLIGHT CONTROLLER

• Reduced min speed to warp to 30 m/s
  
• Ship booster reload time now affected by efficiency
  
• Ground Repulsor engine thrust has been doubled and CPU cost increase from 300 -> 400
  
• SV thruster: rebalanced all jet thruster by increasing the CPU cost by 10%
  
• Reduced technical max speed without booster. Space : CV 150m/s -> 100m/s, SV 200m/s -> 130m/s, Booster will allow to go beyond those limits
  

GAMEPLAY

• Added DOWNGRADE feature to Multitools
  
• BA attacks can now only be triggered by players of the same faction or the creators of the Base (if private)
  
• Base attack, zirax soldiers will attack also generators and shield generators in random order
  
• Portable Constructor now available at Unlock Level 1
  
• HV Drills and Laser Drills now allowed in space
  
• Allowed several devices of level 1 and 3 to be crafted in Small Constructor (O2 Station, Small O2 Tank, Lights, Growing Lights, Ammo Box, Food Processor, Large Solar Panels and Sentry Gun)
  
• Increased Pentaxid Tank content to 500 (before: 200) to increase AU warp range for games under mass/volume limitation, reduced mass of Pentaxid crystal
  

MULTI SOLAR & PLAYFIELDS

• Reactivated new Galaxy Map (Not yet finished; See [?] info overview for features/handling info)
  
• Implemented new "OriginRestricted" feature for the orbits around the starter playfields
  
• Using wormholes now costs the full amount of AU traveled (1 AU = 1 Pentaxid; before: capped to 25 Pentaxid)
  
• Playfield settings: Added AllowMaxCPUTierSV, AllowMaxCPUTierCV, AllowMaxCPUTierHV, AllowMaxCPUTierBA, RestrictToOrigin
  
• Updated 'Default Akua-Omicron' scenario
  
• Galaxy map: stars now use color from sectors.yaml, stars in the background use grey now instead of white for circle and text
  
• Improved existing sun flare quality by optimizing compression on flares
  
• Improved nebula quality be optimizing compression (reducing visible artefacts)
  
• Updated stamp database
  
• BP Library : Spawning checks CPU Tier restrictions of playfield
  
• Updated Invader vs Defender II Scenario
  
• Activated CPU and Mass&Volume for Official Eleon US & EU MP server
  

ADDITIONS

• Added Crafting Templates for new Small Generator/FuelTankReactivated new Galaxy Map
  
• Added Small HVSV Generator (Unlock Level 1; Moved HVSV Generator to Level 3)
  
• Added Small HVSV Fuel Tank (Unlock Level 1; Moved HVSV Generator to Level 3)
  
• Only for Creative/POI: Add a new Core No CPU that behave like a player core but is not using the CPU system
  
• Only for Creative/POI: Add new NPC Core : Behaves the same as the NPC Core but is using the CPU system
  

OTHER CHANGES

• LootTables and LootGroups are now available in custom Config.ec
  
• Blueprint Library info card now shows CPU efficiency instead of used points
  
• Relaxed server side player muting by allowing muted players to use faction messages
  
• Added some visual noise to shore lines of planet outside view
  
• Slowed down player drone rotation
  
• Added to public config: FuelTankSVSmall, GeneratorSVSmall
  
• Increased HP of CV Landing Gears
  
• Increased HP of SV/HV Landing Gears; Reduced Mass
  

BLUEPRINTS

• Updated: Ascalon Eclipse, Ascalon Nibiru, FORGE Heavy Gunship, FORGE Neoburst, UCH Storm MK2, UCH Raider, UCH Raider Technical, CORE Heavy Fighter, ZeroG Malo
  
• Added: FORGE Bulldog (Vermillion), Box Cutter Mk2 (XCaliber)
  
• Updated MS Titan and Rapier on CREATIVE Orbit (Station)
  

TECHNICAL

• Internal naming change of sub folders in save game folder Shared: now the folder names of structures are only named by their ids. Old folder names are still loaded.
  
• Improved planet outside view (sharper texture transitions)
  
• Showing volumetric light now only on planets (turned down compared to the last public release)
  
• Added an option to turn Volumetric lighting on & off (TURNED DOWN VOL LIGHT PRETTY MUCH, NO OPTION ADDED YET)
  
• Local Coop no longer needs admin rights for dedicated exe
  
• Enabled ConstructorT0 to be used for templates production location as ‘BaseC’ ("Small Constructor"; Previously: Small Constructor and HV Mobile Constructor shared templates )
  
• Low memory check detects if pagefile is enabled, and displays messages accordingly. It is now forcing low textures only when it's necessary for the game startup. Messages are shorter and cleaner
  
• Updated to Unity 2019.2
  
• Playfield servers with a PvP playfield loaded will not load additional pf's to avoid FPS drops
  
• Updated Empyrion Admin Helper (EAH): check changelog

BUGFIXES

- Jet thrusters can idle when used with cruise mode & maintain speed
- Fixed: Trading Stations broken in MP
- Fixed: Balanced HV tilting sideways
- Fixed: Vessel stats are not refreshing until the player gets into the cockpit & reopens the stats window of the CP
- Fixed: Retrieving the CPU extenders cause COQ
- EnableCPUPoints setting not persisted when setting for a new Scenario game.
- Fixed: Efficiency update for base bug -> fixed
- Fixed regression that adjacent planets on moons did not have the correct texture set
- Fixed: Multiplayer Reputation sometimes ignored
- Fixed: prohibit re-uploading a scenario you're currently subscribed to
- Fixed: Difference in torque values added by RCS when a vessel is spawned in as a BP
- Fixed: Some ventilator shapes did not mirror correct
- Fixed: [Player report] Supplied vessel triggering CoQ's when opening CP>Stats window or when trying to sit in cockpit
- Fixed: Cruise mode can only go to 100%
- Fixed: SV prefab uncontrollably spinning after rolling + CoQ from it's stats window
- Fixed: When a vessel is flying, rolls & turns in a direction (left or right) the thrust appears to get stuck
- Fixed: Placement preview of starter blocks AND blueprints does not vanish after disconnecting container
- Fixed: CoQ if resume a savegame in orbit
- Fixed: When AlienBug03 fires at the player no projectile is fired from it
- Fixed: Thruster flares can be seen to flicker & shine very bright
- Fixed: [MP] When trying to spawn a BP in MP a CoQ is triggered & the BP doesn't appear
- Fixed: Ship inertia tensor bug fixed. May change the turn rate of a specific ship up or down.
- Fixed regression in BP Lib window: playfield spawn restrictions are applied even with 'gm iv'
- Fixed planet clouds rendering in front of LCD text (f.e. when starting a creative game in space)
- Fixed: Rocks or ore bearings falling under terrain after being drilled
- Fixed: Not possible to warp to a 15.0 AU playfield with a SV
- Fixed: Ship booster > fixed boost recover rate + rebalance boost recover time form 23s to 20s and boost duration from 3 to 10
- Fixed: Request_Player_ChangePlayerfield causes player issues if destination is same playfield
- Fixed planet outside view not loading correct splatmap if planet was never visited
- Fixed: Wall shape L block can partly go invisible when another block is placed next to it
- Fixed: Lag when changing block of a vessel
- Fixed: Rocket launcher & plasma cannon shots when fired inside a structure can ghost through blocks
- Fixed: Trees, surface rocks & pickable terrain plants becoming 'Containers'
- Fixed exception spam on a playfield server started with UI and pressing F9
- Better fix for playfield exc. spam when loading instance and space playfield at the same time
- Fixed: Teleporter Doesn’t work with Type: CV_player
- Fixed: Color & texture tool with personal drone can sometimes not work (better fix)
- Fixed: Solar panel not active in some cases -> bug fixed
- Fixed: Infinite speed possible
- Fixed: Structure hull blocks micro stutter when moving