Hi Galactic Survivalists!
Welcome to Part IV of our Alpha 7 experimental phase! This will be the final experimental version release - the next update will already be the Release Candidate.
Part IV has a lot to offer: XenoSteel as a new material to build with, a slew of updates on the scenarios, optimizations and refinements, like the Color/Texturing now working with the UNDO button in creative and the furnace now working in full-auto-mode.
As we are making good progress, we also managed to add a long wanted feature: Blueprints are now showing a preview! No guessing of front and back sides anymore ahead of placing it. ;-)
The biggest undertaking in Part IV has been the first ever rebalancing of all the handheld weapons.
Said that, the settings you experienced until now were a first attempt of how they could work but weren’t based on the limits of the game, like view distance of objects etc. Some weapons (like the T2 or Epic Pistol) had a damage output which was far over the top and not in a meaningful relation to all other weapons yet.
Our goal of this re-balance is to give each weapon a better identity and role. We want players to make a meaningful decision which tool to pick for the task they intend to do. Keep in mind that these updates do not attempt to simulate features of similar real-world weapons.
One change is the reduction of weapon ranges. Some of the prior ranges made little sense: You had long-range weapons up with 600m range - but the graphic engine currently shows spawned creatures, like wildlife, only up to 120m. You had no benefit of using a long range weapon at all unless floating in space shooting drones. A place where you are always better off sitting in a spaceship anyway.
We also intend to reduce the sitting duck problem: Some weapons allowed you take out drones before they were even able to react to you on a planet. This made taking out drones a shooting gallery without challenge. Now you must approach them with most weapons or have a proper long range weapon to get an advantage.
Please let us know what you think about these changes here:
https://empyriononline.com/threads/a7-0-experimental-faq-feedback-weapon-balancing.21724/
We are very curious about your feedback.
Please also report new and recurring bugs over here: https://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-alpha-experimental-7-0.15379/
Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team
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CHANGELOG: Alpha Experimental 7.3.0 (Build 1287)
Major Re-balancing of Handheld Weapons:
- Range of all weapons have been reduced or equalized.
- Plasma and laser weapons now ignore atmospheric density.
- Added bullet spread except for laser weapons
- Damage of all close-range weapons has been increased.
- The damage for the shotgun has been altered so it’s devastating at very short range but much less effective at its max range
- Damage for long-range weapons have been reduced. Their range is already their benefit. The headshot multiplier for the sniper rifle has been increased.
- All weapon versions of the same kind (no matter if they are T1, T2 or epic) now have identical weapon ranges to ease up making a choice which weapon to use.
- You can build your own epic weapons by upgrading a T2 weapon with a weapon kit; you have a choice now if you want to stick with your T2 weapon, which can be repaired, or upgrade it with another kit to an epic version, which is more powerful but won’t last forever. A Large or Advanced Constructor is required for crafting it. Additionally epic weapons can still be found in ultra rare containers as usual.
- Epic weapons can no longer be repaired
- Epic weapons and weapon kits can now be recycled in the Blue Print Factory
- Changed: Instead of "Eff.Range" now display "Current Range" in Weapon HUD
- No sniper zoom with Shotguns anymore > otherwise: overpowered
- Do not display head multiplier anymore
- Removed “Ammo Type” from weapon HUD
- Reduced impact of atmo density on weapon range
For more details and feedback, see https://empyriononline.com/threads/a7-0-experimental-faq-feedback-weapon-balancing.21724/
Updated Playfields / Terrains:
- Tweaked Akua playfield: added NPC spawning on mountains, tweaked grass texture, tweaked deco + grass
- Minor update to terrain of Akua (to avoid shallow shore line)
- Added more underwater deco on Akua
- Updated Tutorial playfield with new deco distribution on Akua
- Updated deco for Omicron (NewDesert) - eg added green version of Omicron Palm for Oasis on Omicron
- Added new terrain for moon: NewMoon2
- Updated terrain for Skillon (barren planet)
Added Alien Xeno Steel:
- Added new Alien Block "Xeno Steel" that can be found on POIs
- Added new crafting component: Xeno Substrate (you need this component to craft the Xeno Steel blocks)
- Added Xeno Substrate to loot (Alien Container grey)
- Added new alien textures (more to come)
Optimizations:
- Major optimization for POM shader: on average, you should get around 10-15 FPS more inside structures when you have set POM shader to high (compared to before)
Default Scenario Updates:
- Omicron / Masperon: The atmospheric density has been increased, reducing your effective weapon range and those of drones and POI turrets to around 50% to 60% of the weapon’s full range.
- Omicron: You will start with Light Armor on all difficulty levels
- Akua: Reduced the average amount of Copper and Silicon a bit
- Moon (Akua and Omicron): The atmospheric density is now nearly non-existent like space
- Eleon anniversary cake for every new game start :)
Gameplay:
- Excluded Bio Fuel from "AutoFill" in Control Panel
- Implemented: Furnace full auto mode > auto-processing of ores into ingots
- Reduced the effect of atmospheric density; drones, turrets and handheld weaopns have a longer range as a result now
- Drone weapons shooting with plasma or laser weapons ignore atmospheric density
- Zirax equipped with Laser guns shot up to 120m now
- The Pulse Rifle and the Shotgun T2 can now be built with components available earlier in the progression
- Added proper space playfield Aestus for Default MP (with regenerating resource asteroids and POIs)
- Reactivated “Predator” mode: cut down those trees with a minigun :)
Visuals / Sounds:
- Removing now larger patches of grass when digging
- Updated model for flashlight
- Updated model for Light Lantern and Light Work 02
- Updated preview icons of new items (eg Erestrum Gel etc)
- Tweaked space nebula in Aestus and Aitis space playfields
- Multitool window (eg Updgrade) is now broader (as broad as the ammo info window below)
- Added emissive to Alien Containers and tweaked grey color
- Aloe Vera farming plant does not show wind movement anymore
PDA Update:
- Implemented: Add CHECK for spawning a Prefab Blueprint or any structure type
- Implemented: Allow InventoryEmptied to also work with NPC/looting
- PDA GameOps: Added missing ArmorBoost parameter "DegradationFac"
- Enhanced PDA InventoryContains check to also work for player inventory (use "Player" as inventory name)
- Enhanced: BlocksRemoved can now optionally check for a Structure Name
Changes:
- Show complete object when spawning Blueprint via F2
- Activate Undo/Redo also for Coloring/Texturing
- Changed "High" Quality shadows to only Manual Activation (ie they are not activated automatically anymore with Best setting)
- Updated POI Abandoned Mine + Factory: thanks to Fractalite
- Updated several POIs + added a new POI: Mining Hub
- Updated PDA languages
- Removed text that 2 players are needed for ESR mission
- Set time until dropped empty container disappears from 60s to 30s
Updated Invader vs Defender Scenario:
- Peplaced several planets with splatmap planets
- Changed starter system resource distribution to fit recent gameplay update (no magnesium, no rare resources)
- Invader & Defender starter systems are <15 AU away from next orbits (you can reach them with your SV warp drive)
- Changed starter gear
- Reworked a lot of POI distributions and add missing regenerate keys for them
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Prevent other players / structures activating OP in AntiGrief Area
- Fixed: NPC do not attack player anymore as soon as player enters cockpit
- Fixed: Only the 1st placed passenger seat allows free view any other passenger seats placed after do not allow free view
- Fixed: Grass not always got removed when using drill at slopes
- Fixed: Swamp golem still walking on the spot after being killed.
- Fixed: Resource meteorites aren't appearing when deposits have been depleted.
- Fixed: Flare of flashlight was shining through player in 3rd person view
- Fixed: Name tags of depleted deposits were sometimes reappearing
- Fixed: Cutout box for POI: currently the terrain cutout is sometimes very sharp for small POI
- Fixed: PDA message's ExtraText part (that part that is only shown in PDA Log) can now use loca keys
- Fixed: Large PDA notification messages: high prio variant had wrong vertical layout
- Fixed: PDA check InventoryOpened did not work with ATM, O2 and Fuel tanks
- Fixed: Lootbox disintegrating into smaller boxes when pressing F twice in a row
- Fixed: Problem that some displays/screens were still on even if a base had no power
- Possibly Fixed: NPC spider getting stuck in terrain.
- Fixed: Problems with holo screens on Media Center and Computer Table
- Fixed: Mining ore (mining an SSOR) does not give XP anymore
- Fixed: PDA log-info button switch issue
- Fixed: Ore Scanner: Resource Outline order still reversed
- Fixed: Preview selection on SVs in space sometimes wrong.
- Fixed: Tutorial scenario demanded cobalt
- Fixed: Problem with transparent grass
- Fixed: Wrong step sound and particle effect was shown for some block textures
- Fixed: Problem that "Top Gun" instance was no accessible