Hey Galactic Survivalists,

We are very excited to present you our newest and feature-packed update: Pre-Alpha 4.1!

Without further ado: we added the first iteration of a faction/ownership module AND playfield settings for PvE and PvP to the game! The latter can be set individually for each playfield (e.g. each planet can be PvE or PvP). Read on below for more details.

We also added early customization toys to play around with: want to change the color of the sky or have a lower or higher sea level for your lakes and oceans? These are only two examples of the customization options, so go ahead, give it a try and show us your favorites!

With an easy tweak in the config file, you can change the sky color so that Omicron will look like that:

You can also easily change the water level. This screenshot shows Akua with a lower water level:

Finally, we added a slew of changes, improvements and bugfixes. Read on below for the full changelog.

One of the new alien plants on Akua:

Among others, you won't run out of resources on a multiplayer server anymore: watch out for meteorites bringing in new sources of ore!

One of the resource meteorites that drop if your resource deposits get depleted:

Next steps:
- Offline/Log-out protection of structures on PvP playfields
- Adding possibility for a "fresh start" on a server if you are stuck
- Better admin tools for dedicated servers: kick, ban, etc
- Force field for hangars
- Solar system

….and last but not least: we can't give an exact ETA (yet), but we can already say with all certainty, that the Solar System will move planets further away and your capital vessel will finally have its purpose :)

How does PvP, PvE, Factions and Ownership work?

Please have a look at the detailed update notes on the forum:
http://empyriononline.com/threads/pre-alpha-4-1-pvp-pve-factions-and-ownership.3571
(due to the character limitation, we cannot post everything here)

Here is the full Changelog of Pre-Alpha 4.1:

Main Features:
- Added PvP, PvE, Factions and Ownership
(Per default, Akua and Orbit are PvE playfields, the other playfields are PvP - however, you can change this setting, see below)

Other Features:
- Added faction internal chat: press "," to open it
- Added playfield config files for basic customization: now you can configure e.g. sky color, water color, gravity, playmode (PvP, PvE), and also biome type of a playfield (to switch biomes you MUST change also the name of the save game - otherwise the map will not be correctly displayed)
- Added resource count for deposits. Resource deposits that are nearly empty (<10%) are no longer shown on the map, i.e., map marker is removed (you have to start a New Game to correctly enable resource counter)
- Added resource re-generation: if resource A is depleted on a planet then resource meteorites of type A will fall on planet
- Dedicated server now auto saves every 60 seconds
- Added dedicated server command line parameter "-dedicated " to allow custom config files (.yaml extension must not be changed)
Example: Make a batch file with the following content: "start EmpyrionDedicated.exe -batchmode -nographics -logFile Logs\DedicatedServer.log -dedicated MyCustomDediConfig.yaml"

Changes / Improvements:
- Added server password caching (now you only have to enter the password once)
- Improved ship controller: rolling Q / E is now more accurate
- Added simple clean up algorithm: Bases/HV/SV/CV will be removed if one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
(i) a player did not visit structure for 24 game hours AND structure has no core
(ii) a player did not visit structure for 24 game hours AND the structure is smaller than 25 blocks.
This clean up algorithm will guarantee that there are not too many unused structures in a playfield which reduces performance (especially on dedicated servers this is a problem)
- Added 30 Unlock Points for players that have reached max level to unlock new blocks
- Added food category to Survival Constructor
- Added planet overview list to map window
- Added sentry gun for Bases and Capital Vessels in survival mode
- Added new constructor 3d models for Large and Advanced Constructor (to replace old constructors)
- Tweaked texture for thrusters to prepare for color masks
- Tweaked texture for Core Block, Fuel Tank and Passenger Seat (less scratches)
- Added new spotlight for SV / HV
- Added several new explosions
- Added "Back to inventory" button to Tech Tree window and improved visuals of Tech Tree window (larger icons)
- All doors in POIs are now closed per default
- Set culling of windows to a much higher distance
- Removed color overlay for sniper scopes
- Player list (Scoreboard) now scrollable
- Added 2 new plants on Akua (Moved plant to Omicron that grows Alien Plasma ZR1 - replaced with Alien Tentacle plant)
- Driller / filler can now also remove grass
- Increased overall range of CV weapons
- Removing Alien turrets now also give resources
- Reduced number of turrets and sentry guns on some POIs (for performance improvements)
- Added Sathium ore deposits on Ningues

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed problem with floating POIs (you have to start a New Game to benefit from this fix)
- Fixed problem that player could peek through door by standing close to door frame
- Fixed problem that some turrets did not shoot accurately
- Fixed problem that food did not decay in multiplayer
- Fixed problem that clients of a multiplayer game could not set names of BA, SV, CV, HV
- Fixed problem that O2 / water generator did not produce at the bottom of very deep lakes
- Fixed problem when SV with 2 or more cockpits (player inside) left playfield
- Fixed problem that game crashed in some cases when troop transport was destroyed
- Fixed problem that warning message "troop transport is approaching" was played several times
- Fixed problem that entering cockpit on crashed CV caused problems
- Fixed problem that drones appeared sometimes near the player starting position on all planets on a dedicated server
- Fixed "plant sprout exploit" (before player obtained template inputs by removing sprout and could thus duplicate plant in food processor)
- Fixed collider on turret radar
- Fixed wrong quality setting text, possible fix for full screen resolution switch bug

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next update

Empyrion Dev Crew