Hello Galactic Survivalists!
Preparations for the upcoming major Alpha 8.5 Anniversary Update are nearly done (no, you did not miss Alpha 8.3 and Alpha 8.4 - given the huge amount of new content and features, we decided that the Anniversary Update merits the A8.5 name tag).
Most of the new features, blocks and items are implemented and we now need your help to test them thoroughly until the public release on August 27!
Said that, we have updated the EXPERIMENTAL Steam branch to 8.5 just a few seconds ago.
As always:
1. Please closely read through the changelog below BEFORE starting into the new version!
2. Make sure to start a NEW game in the Experimental version. (This is not a savegame break, but we might change a few things again and thus we recommend to not risk your current public savegame becoming unplayable!)
3. Make sure tor report any bug or issue over here AFTER reading through the 1st post:
> BUG REPORTS: https://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-8-5-experimental.43234/
4. Please make sure to report feature-specific feedback and questions about new 8.5 features and game mechanics (what you like, what you do not like, what you would want to be improved) in the pinned threads in this forum, so we can collect and review your ideas and suggestions:
> FEATURE FEEDBACK: https://empyriononline.com/forums/experimental-features-discussion.35/
Please check back regularly to this announcement, as several updates to the Experimental version are to be expected until public release next week!
Now please go ahead, update and enjoy! But before, check out this short teaser video:
Have Fun!
Empyrion Dev Team
PS: If you are new to Empyrion, this thread explains on how you can participate in the EXPERIMENTAL version: https://empyriononline.com/threads/new-experimental-branch-on-steam.6371/
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CHANGELOG: Alpha Experimental 8.5 - Part I (Build 1833)
MAIN FEATURES
1. Modular Wings:
- Added a set of more than 20 modular wing parts that allow for infinite customizations of your Small Vessels
- You can now even attach thrusters, weapons etc below your wings via pylons
2. Blinking Lights:
- Added blinking lights (customizable blink frequency, blink length and blink delay)
- Added possibility to use a light as a spotlight (with customizable spot angle)
3. Infinite Colors & Device Texturing:
Custom Color Palettes:
- You can now set up your very own color palettes (free color picker!) beyond the 31 predefined colors we had before
- Each color palette can then be used for a certain structure (Base, CV, HV, SV)
- You simply need to be close enough to a vessel or base and right-click while having the color tool in your hand. If you are close enough, the “Configure” button on the top right will light up. Use it to open the color picker and the custom palettes. Select a slot and configure the color to add with the sliders on the right. You can copy, paste and swap the color of any slot to your likings. Note: The color palettes are saved with the structure you are ‘in touch with’, what means you can set up several color palettes with EACH structure individually!
Device Texturing:
- It is now possible to add custom textures to some of the devices: Thrusters (not the JetThrusters!), Modular Wings and Heavy Window Blocks
4. Retractable Turrets:
- Added retractable turrets (turret automatically retracts into its box when deactivated)
- If the turret is retracted into its box, it has 20% stronger armor
5. Deconstructor:
- Added deconstructor device to disassemble other devices or components into smaller parts
6. New and Updated NPC Creatures:
Telluropod:
- Amphibian behavior: can be found close to water / in shallow water on Temperate planets
- Roams around spawned position, but tends to walk in water
- When it is alerted by player, but the player is too far for attack (20 meters), it will follow the player but will stay in the water
- If player get's a bit closer, it will attack the player
- If lured too far from water, it will return to water
- If its HP is low, it will run from player into the water
- If it encounters the player in water - it will follow him on the bottom of the water body slowly, if the player will be close enough both in distance and not too far from the bottom of the water, it will attack him
Pangolin:
- Replaces Triceratops with updated behavior
Arachnid:
- Replaces old Arachnid ((internal CaveWorm) with updated behavior (aggressive, attack player on sight, during the attacks sometimes retreats a bit to make angry gesture)
Otyugh:
- Replaces old Otyugh with updated behavior (aggressive with roaring before attack, big and slow)
Desert Worm:
- Replaces old Desert Worm with updated behavior
=========
OTHER FEATURES:
Improved Turret Behavior:
- Prevent shooting of turrets when turret is "built-in" (you cannot use hull blocks anymore to built-in turrets anymore)
- Added more detailed targeting options: BA, CV, SV, HV, Troops
Notes:
- Since ‘Troops’ is now a separate setting, you need to always select a faction (Alien, Player, Prey, Predator) and have the ‘Troops’ checkbox selected as well in order to allow turrets to pick up NPCs as a target!
- Just having Predator selected will NOT make the turrets fire on those anymore!
- Check the handling info given on the bottom of the turrets device group page on the device tab in the Control panel
Planet Update:
- Added new moon (MoonNascent) as a Zirax resource outpost for Lava planets - includes new mountain stamp, new POIs and new PV
- Updated: Lava Planet (Higher temperature, POI + creature spawning, etc)
New NPC Behaviors:
Raptor:
- when calm: roams the surroundings
- low alert: searches the player
- when player is spotted: circling formation attack
Circling formation attack:
- all animals in the group will circle in random direction around player
- only one animal can attack at the same time.
- animal can only attack when it is in front of the player
- when the animal attacks the player, the attack can be interrupted by weapon fire or evasion
Lizard Mule:
Updated behavior (similar to before but in the new AI framework)
AlienBug04:
Updated behavior (similar to AlienBug03 and in the new AI framework)
General AI Behavior Improvement:
- When there is no attackable target, but the AI has a non attackable threat - the agents will run away (applied for: Raptors, Parasaur, Spider, CaveWorm, Crawler, Overseer, Alien Assassin)
- better terrain analysis - avoiding mountains and water
Better Target Info:
- Added info panel for NPCs and other players displaying name/type and health
Better Target Info:
- Added info panel for NPCs and other players displaying name/type and health
Additions:
- Added more Heavy Window shapes
- Added Hover Thruster: it is a weak "all-in-one" device (hover engine, thruster, RCS) to make building of a HV in the beginning straightforward): we updated some Stock Prefabs HV and integrated new hover thruster; Maxlimit for a HV is: 4 (maxlimit can be deactivated for Servers and in NEW GAME start options)
- Added Epic Drill
- Added Epic Heavy Armor
- Added “Special Event Container” which can be used for loot during special events. Now it contains Epic Heavy Armor and Epic Drill as loot
We plan to add it temporarily to the Anniversary Update as a special loot: how do you think it handles?
New Terrain and Planet Generation:
- Re-activated new terrain and optimized colliders
- Activated improved planet generation: biome stamps support now OverlapAll, OverlapOff and OverlapOther
- Added possibility that stamps have own splatmap
Improved Wipe Mechanism:
- Improved "wipe poi": now we do not rely on "regenerate" any more as regenerate will wait until no player is adjacent that can lead to delays for wiping
- Implement console command ‘wipe poi’ + wipe will now also work in orbits
Gameplay:
- Allow to use Quick-Loot (SHIFT-F) also with drone wreckages and dead bodies/corpses
- Added idle energy mechanic for saw and drill attachments (drill/tool turrets will follow)
- Added In-game message when harvest box is full or missing
- Added idle energy mechanic for drill/tool turrets
- AMMO is now taken into account when filtering for BA/SV/CV/HV
- Show info message once when player switches to Survival Constructor
- Added on-screen message for status effects as a reminder for players that these will evolve into something worse
- Hover Vessel: When placing multiple emergency hover boosters, their effect adds up (but also charge time increase)
- Templates update: Added some deconstruction Rules
- Added BlastDamage and BlastRadius also to weapon info
- Added: Skill tree double click to unlock stuff
Balancing:
- Faster crafting for Adv Constructor (x2 instead of x1.4) and Furnace (x5 instead of x3)
- Updated EnergyIn and added IdleEnergyIn of several devices (Drills, Drill Turrets, Multitool Turrets, FoodProcessor, all Constructors, Furnace, Deconstructor, etc)
- Increased Range of CV Multitool Turret from 80 to 120m (space)
- Increased speed of Retrieve-Blocks mode of CV Multitool turret
- Increased speed of Retrieve-Blocks mode and Salvage mode of HV Multitool turret
- Increased Range of DrillAttachementCV from 40 to 80m
- Increased Range of TurretMSDrill from 80 to 120
- Reduced BlastRadius of drone bombs
Techtree Changes:
- Portable Constructor: added Composite Hover Engine
- Added block description for Composite Hover Engine
- HV Starter now available per default (level 0)
- HV basic equipment set to Level 1 (auto-unlock): Generator, Fuel Tank, O2 Tank, Cockpit Blocks, Docking Pad
- Moved Light from level 7 to level 1
- Moved Fridge (HVSV) to level 3
- Moved Mobile Constructor HV to level 5 and Mobile Constructor SV to lvl 7
- Moved O2 Station from level 3 to 2
- Moved Detector HV from level 5 to 3
- Moved Detector Suit from level 3 to 1
- Moved Ore Scanner from level 3 to 2
- Moved HoverEngineSmall up to Level 3
- Moved Spotlight form level 5 to 2
- Detector (Suit) now parent for Ore Scanner (Techtree)
- Survival Tool now parent for Multitool T1 (Techtree)
- DockinPad & O2 Tank now available in Portable Constructor
- Techtree changed unlock order for HV > Light, Spotlight, Detector
Traders Update:
- Added all new Sprouts to Aunt Marys (removed ingredients to craft sprouts)
- Added all new medical items to Ok'Y Medical (removed ingredients to craft items)
- Added Energy Drink to food-traders and Market Cafe
UI Update:
- Added keyboard navigation to line lists in Control Panel, including group expanding/collapsing
- Keep Custom Button assignments in Device Group Header dropdown when using AutoGroup
- Custom Keybinds: Input config data is now versioned and saved in an XML file in the savegame folder, i.e. no more reset of custom keybinds after an update (however, we need to reset keybindings in A8.5 a last time)
- Adjustments to Blueprint Factory Window (show Life Stats + toolbar while window is open, some other re-arrangements to the window)
- Added farming, medicine, and food categories to the creative menu
- Add message that SHIFT+F works on dropcontainers/lootboxes
- Control Panel: Ordering of properties is now same as Block Info
- Use new Format Convention for Craft Time
Status Effects Update:
- Added “WellFed” effect that slowly regenerates health if you have more than 485 food (Note: this is the current setting, we could change it to 85%). This effect is negated by Indigestion and Poison Food
- Added count-down timer to status effect icon panels to show how long a status effect will remain active. If the effect has no time limit (e.g. Broken Leg), a message 'No time limit' will display
- Added 'Radiation Immunity' effect. For a short time, radiation will not build up in the body
- Added the possibility to suspend effects for a limited duration. For example, the new 'Poison Antidote'. This type of effect will temporarily suspend the negative effects of Poison Food (others to follow). The Poison will still be present in the body and its effect time will still count down, but no negative effect will be applied.
- Added messages to inform players of when a particular effect will 'evolve' into a worse effect: "Dermal Parasite will evolve soon into Endo Parasite!"
- Added possibility to increase status effect condition checks with 'AND' clauses in addition to the 'OR' clauses
- Added several additional console commands for working with status effects (additional information, removal of a specific effect or all effects, effects attached to the player will also show the next stage, if applicable
- Added possibility to attach particle effects to players when an effect is active (f.e. Fire now ignites the player model!)
- Added possibility to attach sound effects to players when an effect is active (f.e now you can hear the player burning if on fire!)
Visuals and Sound:
- Major update of color masks for devices (more areas remain now uncolored)
- Color bleeding removed
We fixed the color bleeding of block textures when looking in a flat angle on a large structure. Here is a screenshot that shows the old problem of color bleeding: https://i.imgur.com/3BQMOgw.jpg
- Increased resolution of many block textures > textures should look crisper now (high res textures also for low graphics setting without any performance loss)
- Individual texturing is now possible for the following devices: Thrusters, HeavyWindows and ModularWings (areas that have standard plain hull on it)
- Added random rotation of asteroid fields to all orbits
- Exchanged some models for BA turrets (now using consistently CV turret models - before we had a mix between models)
- Added icon to lower right corner of blocks that are block groups so a player knows which blocks can be extended via RMB
- Tweaked damaged windows of Cockpit 04
- Sound is now played when picking up an inventory item as well as when placing one
- Updated model for Multiturret CV
- Added hover texts to more GUI elements
- More details on texture preview of texture tool
Optimizations:
- Major optimization of deco trees and plants to improve performance when inside dense vegetation
- Optimized animal spawning through PlanetLifeManager
- Improved performance of thruster particle systems by switching them off in distance
Playfield.yaml Changes:
- Added probability and flag to other Compound structures in space: all scenario creators have to take this into account
Updated Random Scenario:
- Updated Radar Station POI on Temperate Starter
- Added Minefield and Destroyed SV with warp to starter orbit
- Updated Robinson Protocol: Added Lockdown Gate for Mainframe entrance (floating POI, Indestructible) and deactivated Teleporter, to prevent accidentally teleporting to the Radar Station when SV is parked up in the Mainframe (You cannot go back to Mainframe this way! Required: Complete Radar Station quests first)
- Updated Prefabs and Space Graveyard
- Added POI for start of chapter 2 (Ancient Prison)
Added test setting: Arid Start is now like in A7 (with wreckage)
- Idea is to have a start with faster progression and more equipment
> What do you think?
Added new Stock Prefabs:
- BA Tier 1e: thanks to CrazyZ https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1464099873
- SV Tier 3c: thanks to Lmntz https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1466203286
(old SV Tier 3c is now Tier 2b)
Other Changes:
- Weapon display: showing now if weapon has automatic firemode and how accurate it is (Weapon Spread)
- "Repairs Left" is no longer displayed for items that can't be repaired.
- Dynamic display of weapon damage (affects Damage property in Config.ecf)
- Added Random Rotation to Asteroid Rings
- Do not display the ammo capacity if a weapon has unlimited ammo (eg Harvester Module etc)
- Removed root steam_api64.dll (the one in Plugins should be the only one)
- Parameter ReturnFactor is now exported for config.ecf usage
- Added playfield type to console command 'stats'
- Added help+description to console command 'regenerate'
- Invader-vs-Defender scenario: updated Sect playfield to A8
- CV drill attachment: switching off now hit effect when drill attachment is too far away from target
- Removed GrilledVegetables from Config.ecf (since no longer in use)
- First draft of spectator mode for other player/entity within the same playfield
- Allow Blueprint default pics "BP_Default..." to be in jpg format (in addition to png)
- Updated Localization.csv
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Rocket explodes immediately after being fired from a rocket launcher when player looks down (eg shooting from an elevated position down)
- Fixed: Improved problem that on a client the wheels of the player bike keep spinning too long when getting off the bike
- Fixed: DSL is not fast enough for some orbit structures
- Fixed: MP: Bikes jump back and forth when player disembarks
- Fixed: MP: Players often driving 'sideways' when observed by other players
- Fixed: It is possible to lose control of a vessel if parked in the green barrier zone
- Fixed: Scoped Pistols can shoot through blocks
- Fixed: Sometimes when returning to docked vessels they can be positioned incorrectly but still docked (partly fixed)
- Fixed: After deleting a circuit the circuit list always scrolls back to the top of the list
- Fixed: Touch Screen controller calibration (No touch drag allowed for Templates or Items)
- Fixed: shared map markers stopped saving; in space playfields, shared map markers not created in map
- Fixed: Troop Transporter cannot land / stuck in landing in some use cases
- Fixed: Keep Device customized names when moving between groups
- Fixed: Problem that Harvest Module and Drill attachments had "Access" button in CP but were not accessible
- Fixed: MP: Food Processor acts like a fridge even when not powered
- Fixed: [MP] When a player gets into a passenger seat the mounted weapons of a vessel lose the loaded ammo.
- Fixed: Landing a vessel on a repair bay with 'Automatic mode' on the vessel can be repositioned away from the bay
- Fixed: Solar capacitors are not being charged by solar panels when in space
- Fixed: O2 used up in a vessel on a breathable atmosphere planet
- Fixed: MP: Markers can not be renamed in-session. Relog needed
- Fixed: SHIFT+F was not working correctly
- Fixed: Solar Capacitor empties although output is high enough
- Fixed: Damage dealt by some AI was inconsistent
- Fixed: Furnace never continues crafting after Output has been full once
- Fixed: Furnace does not work when playfield is unloaded or if DSL got active
- Fixed: Problems with lags on a dedicated server
- Fixed: health/info overlay appearing while loading/spawning after quitting/dying while looking at something with an overlay
- Fixed: Autofill takes bio fuel from the player inventory on HV's with a harvester
- Fixed: Rail gun can be crafted in large and adv. constructor, ammo only in advanced constructor
- Fixed: HUD objects lagged behind a bit when camera rotated
- Fixed: DSL: Structures/Vessels use many times more fuel than loaded (SP and MP) - final fix
- Fixed: Trying to name a group 'Oxygen' in the device list gets changed to 'Oxygen Storage' automatically
- Fixed: Turret looks/shoots in wrong direction
- Fixed: [Regen] Approaching structures in space in a ship does not trigger regeneration
- Fixed: Problem with bloom and color bleeding of some brighter colors
- Fixed: Possible to place more than one AMD on a very large ore deposit
- Fixed: Problem that console command 'regenerate' did not set the faction back to original faction
- Fixed: Alien bug trying to shoot at the player through blocks
- Fixed: exception when attempting to set more than just a couple of starter planets in solarsystemconfig.yaml.
- Fixed: Water prevents stamps from spawning on land
- Fixed: Pathing problem in POIs with armored golem
- Fixed: Exception: TerrainEngine.GrassProcessor.GrassCell.Set
- Fixed: Symmetry plane not activating automatically when selecting a symmetry plane, and vice versa
- Fixed: Max, Min stamps show too much splatmap-texture
- Fixed "Overbright" problem with some Colors
- Fixed: Particle effect on some turrets appeared on the wrong position
- Fixed: Hover engines can be rotated by the selection tool (now they are deactivated when rotated)
- Fixed player bike animation errors in console
- Fixed: Texture issues on MoonIce
- Fixed: Some commands do not work for structures that were never loaded since Playfield load
- Fixed: Player jumping back and forth on radar
- Fixed: Removed seam in the middle of texture in SSG
- Fixed: PDA MP: PlayFieldOps "DeviceUnlock[Multi]" don't work