Approachability
The point of this update was to make it easier for new players to get into the game, and I hope it helps. :)
There are also some content updates, mainly involving character customization.
Tutorial
The primary world screen now has a Help window that brings up a tutorial explaining game mechanics and interface usage, as briefly and comprehensively as I could. :)
The help index also includes a full combat reference at the end.
Contextual Help System
Most windows, including the main menu, now have a Help screen customized to the context. Most elements within windows can now be clicked on to bring up their own help window.
The total number of tooltips (including the tutorial) is 900+, and each tooltip can have multiple modules.
Drone Classes
In character customization, you can now choose a drone class to go along with your starting paths. Each class provides a custom set of stats per level, and include the following:
Armored Drone
Aspected Drone (one for each of the nine magic types)
Gatherer Drone
Scout Drone
Tech Drone
Each preset is configured for one of the above classes. Classes don't restrict path choices in any way; this is simply an extra set of stats on top of everything else.
Character customization also shows the new equipment pool, starting inventory, and any bonus paths you get from the chosen scenario.
Starting Equipment Customization
Starting paths now provide an equipment pool from which you can select and equip items before entering the world.
Duplicates add levels, so if you pick the Tank combat path with its heavy armor 1 set, and the Heavy Armor equipment path also with its heavy armor 1 set, the heavy armor in the pool is instead level 2.
You may auto-equip to quickly populate your character. Any equipment not selected here is discarded. Starting inventory items like ammunition and consumables are kept.
The dialog also shows what proficiencies your build is using, and the current max needed.
Improved Equipment Dialog
The normal equipment dialog now shows ability and stat changes in new panes. It also includes the auto-equip feature, as well as proficiency usage data.
Improved Leveling Dialog
The level-up dialog now allows auto-leveling. This instantly populates what levels you can afford, and allows you to back out and redo specific changes, if you want.
This also makes it easier to see how leveling up works.
Stat gains can now be clicked on to see where they came from (overall level, path level, overall investiture, or path investiture).
Proficiencies now show whether or not you have equipment or abilities that need them (via green/yellow/red value colors), and you can click the proficiency stats to see what the top user of the stat is.
Quick Starts
You may now quick start the game from difficulty settings, skipping character customization, and getting a default build (an explorer).
You may also go to character customization, select your drone class and paths, and quick start from there, skipping equipment and leveling customization.
Combat Result Dialog Improvements
Combat result dialogs should now more clearly show what happened when using a combat ability, and like other windows, they have a new contextual help and tooltips for their elements.
Damage results split out damage, accuracy, pierce, and steal boosts into a separate window, to clean up the primary results window.
Any result adding conditions now has a separate window showing how the condition stats were generated, such as effect, stacks, and duration.
Summoning now has a results dialog. Summoning power is now added to the health of the summons (the actual bonus is power * ability level).
Savegame Effects
This shouldn't break saves, but it does effectively randomize allied chats in savegames. This is fixed on a new game.
Other Changes
Perks that regen stats like mana can now stack (they regen level * base amount);
Research can now unlock extraction projects;
Path investiture can now unlock proficiency points;
Shop now has tabs for current inventory and equipment in the transaction pane;
Help screens can now be opened and closed with the “h” hotkey;
Medbay now costs 1 prestige per application, and only levels abilities 1 per room level; (medbay should be cheaper than health syringes);
Tooltip window now remembers location if you open and close the same tooltip;
Base status window now shows parties with current leader zone;
Base status window now shows construction priority a little more clearly;
User status window now also shows a summons list with zone;
Added project queue details option to room (showing projects in order of civilian and base attention);
Station list for a project room now includes the project station;
Room data now shows cost class stats per level;
Adjusted monstrous growth handling in data display; also re-enabled the code allowing mana gems created from refining monstrous growth extracts to be sent to the player’s storage;
Re-enabled zone magnitude boost for conditions (target zone only), but removed the settings from condition classes, so no effective change, but can be leveraged later (possibly by mods);
Positive conditions now show origin in data dialog;
Removed the old intro screen (was replaced by scenario description in difficulty settings, and the tutorial);
Tooltips now allow navigating via left/right arrows;
Condition adds are now sorted by power (descending);
Progression history now properly shows stat progression type for system and lore;
Projects now show cost type as well as amount, and link to the player stat;
Idling "action" now links to tooltip in base action list and on character;
Training result dialog is now enabled again;
Level dialog no longer has instructions pane (auto-level is better);
Consumable tech and gem power classes didn’t need accuracy boost defs, and they were removed;
Player now starts with 1 in all professional skills;
Character class level is now displayed better in stat sources;
In character creation, the escape key and right-click now return to the previous customization dialog (or the main menu); this also works on difficulty settings;
Bugfix for scroll index retention issue;
Expanded path equipment pools for character customization;
Remove buffs can only cancel target toggles if a buff was successfully removed (not in use at this time);