Another long list of fixes and changes in beta 2.8.1 :D we will have a proper write up once this hits stable.
v2.8.1 [Add] : Added 4way APS gauge cooler
v2.8.1 [Add] : Added 5way APS gauge cooler
v2.8.1 [Add] : Added L shape APS gauge cooler.
v2.8.1 [Change] : Removed Thruster Balancing from additional AI routines.
v2.8.1 [Change] : APS autoloaders with intake counts that do not match the amount needed for sustained fire get a warning and an orange outline in build mode
v2.8.1 [Change] : Made T splitter APS gauge cooler
v2.8.1 [Change] : Removed component count limit
v2.8.1 [Change] : Durability estimate is also used for the difficulty assignment of faction designs. The difficulty of many designs will change and these might be tweaked a bit later
v2.8.1 [Change] : NPC factions are more aggressive towards the player at higher difficulties
v2.8.1 [Change] : NPC factions should no longer completely wipe each other out
v2.8.1 [Change] : Reworked how the strategic AI decides which territories to capture to make it more intelligent
v2.8.1 [Change] : Rough estimates of the durability of designs is now used by the strategic AI for combat related assessments
v2.8.1 [Change] : Added warning that shows output reduction when the engine is partially/fully submerged
v2.8.1 [Change] : Generator power/thrust up from 0.05 to 0.052
v2.8.1 [Change] : HEAT base damage up, from 20% of a frag warhead's damage for 1 max special HE body to 30%
v2.8.1 [Change] : Short range laser combiner max distance up from 300m to 500m. Damage multiplier at max distance down from 2x to 1.5x. Inaccuracy at max range is the same (so at 300m changed from 1° to 1.5°)
v2.8.1 [Change] : Powered jets, propellers and ions now gradually spool down when they get a request for 0 output (change was gradual in all other cases before)
v2.8.1 [Change] : Powered propellers do not instantly stop when getting above water. They gradually slow down until they stop
v2.8.1 [Change] : Reflect and laser scatter modes on shield projectors merged
v2.8.1 [Change] : Reflect mode base ricochet chance up from 20 to 25% at minimum angle, from 40 to 45% at maximum angle
v2.8.1 [Change] : Ring shield armor bonus increased by 50%
v2.8.1 [Change] : Shield projector UI updated
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Cost of steam pistons, turbines, gearboxes and generators multiplied by 60
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Heat dissipation rate of boiler decreased from 0.5 kW/(m2*K) to 0.05 kW/(m2*K)
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Heat of material decreased from 3000 kJ to 1500 kJ
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Max power of small gearboxes increased from 3000 to 6000
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Piston base efficiency decreased from 0.9 to 0.75
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Piston cylinder length is now 1.1 for small, 2.5 for medium, and 3.5 for large
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Piston efficiency changed from (0.8)^(0.5*input/output-1) to (input/output-1)^(-1/5), which means better throughput (ppv) and efficiency (ppm) for naive steam engine designs
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Reduced the intensity of steam crankshaft noise
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Reduced turbine flow virtual volume to 2m * end area of turbine
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Side shell thickness of turbine, piston and boiler increased from 5mm to 1cm
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Steam components are now updated in a fixed order, to avoid inconsistencies caused by the order of placement. The order is now {Boiler, Piston, Turbine, Valve, Jet, Pipe, Propeller, Crankshaft, Gearbox, Transmission, Generator}
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Steam jet max speed changed from 200m/s to 150m/s
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Steam jet power limited to 10000 and thrust limited to 50000
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Steam jet thrust per power changed to 3.5 (it is 15 for ion, 25 for jet, 40 for propeller)
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Steam pipe tanks can now restore their pressure
v2.8.1 [Change] : [FTD-466] Turbines flow half life reverted from 0.4s to 0.1s
v2.8.1 [Fix] : The height map for alloy has been fixed to stop one face from looking like it is moving.
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Railgun chargers can no longer connect to barrel magnets.
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Added code to locate the cause of a block disconnection bug
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Fixed duplicating text in text block
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Custom jet generators are now also disabled under water
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Custom jet generators now use the correct amount of fuel when supply is low
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Custom jet parts are no longer automatically rotated to match the controller's orientation
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Fixed custom jet generator mode switch possibly not registering on being put into play
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Jet controller tooltip now shows the correct thrust/fuel value even when some output is reserved by a generator
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Fixed powered propellers providing forward thrust on a backwards request
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Powered jets, propellers, ions and wheels now use the correctly scaled amount of power when running below their maximum allowed output
v2.8.1 [Fix] : Fixed ability to set clamped value beyond the bounds
v2.8.1 [Fix] : [FTD-466] Fixed a bug that increased some pressures by 101 kPa
v2.8.1 [Fix] : [FTD-466] Fixed crankshaft fluctuation
v2.8.1 [Fix] : [FTD-466] Steam components can no longer consume more energy/steam than available in shaft/pipe
v2.8.1 [Fix] : [FTD-466] Steam jet now correctly respect the maximum thrust and power consumption