Hello everyone! It's been a week since we released the free 1.3 update. We hope you are enjoying this new major update with all its new features and improvements. In the meantime, we've been listening to your feedback, so here's a patch that fixes some issues and adds a few important improvements. Compatibility note: Saves from version 1.3.0 should be 100% compatible with this new version. This update is available on all stores. On Steam (it will auto-update), on GOG (will also auto-update) and DRM-free on Humble Bundle and Itchi.io (check for the latest version 1.3.1 on those stores). Thanks a lot to everyone who has bought the game and has been providing feedback! If you haven't bought the Natural Law expansion yet, please consider buying as it adds 2 very nice playable races to the game, among other features and music tracks. If you have a few minutes to spare, and have been enjoying what we do, please leave us a review on Steam or on GOG! ❤️ Have fun! Praxis Games UPDATE (June 18th 2021): Hotfix released for 1.3.1. Changes of this hotfix are marked with [Hotfix] below. VERSION 1.3.1 (change log) AI IMPROVEMENTS The AI now handles its civilian ships much more carefully and will avoid leaving them unprotected or in danger at all costs. This includes Assault ships. The AI now refrains from entering into too many wars, especially in the early game and when they already have one war going. The outposts and colonies lost by an AI to a conqueror will count a bit less for the AI's surrender purposes if those settlements did not belong to that AI originally (i.e. they were created and belonged to someone else and the AI had conquered them as part of its expansion). The AI now tends to use a bit more ships when defending against invaders [Hotfix] GAMEPLAY The Auto-Fire weapon modification can no longer be equipped with the Point Defense modification. It was not functional in space combat already and its support was now also removed from the ship design screen. As a consequence, the Flak Cannon kinetic weapon doesn't allow auto-fire anymore, since it's a Point Defense weapon, and it was non-functional anyway. PERFORMANCE Turn-processing now much faster in the very late game, especially for very long and extreme sessions with the biggest maps and the highest amount of planets. [Hotfix] UI / GRAPHICS The 'UI Scale' option's tooltip was revised to clarify what exactly gets increased, namely the icons and labels text of the galaxy map and system view. The number of players displayed from which custom races are required to play 10 player sessions was updated to show 8 and not 6 if the player owns the Natural Law expansion, which brings 2 new playable races to the game. Neutronium Shells' tooltip reworded to clarify that they boost kinetic damage but do not kill marines in the process (perhaps something to add in a next opportunity). BUG FIXES Fixed a bug that was causing the ruins search process to hang when a ship was found in the ruins and the fleet had a leader without the explorer skill. Fixed a performance issue when visiting many colonies in a row from inside the colony view, by making use of the 'Next Colony' option. This would result in a big frame rate drop when getting back to the galaxy map, which could last for several seconds, the more time the more colonies were visited. Also slightly faster leaving from the colony screen to the galaxy map now. Fixed a glitch that sometimes could cause missiles to be left hanging in the battlefield that were not destroyed but also didn't move in very special circumstances involving PD weapons. Fixed a bug that was causing a colony to suddenly vanish after eliminating a player from the game if that player had once established an outpost on the planet before that colony was established in it. Fixed a glitch that was causing an incomplete display of a colony in the special and rare case where a colony had a lot of buildings built, and where several of those had been upgraded or scrapped and replaced by others. Fixed a glitch that could cause rulers to be displayed with missing pieces in the 'New Game' screen when going to the main menu from a galaxy map fully zoomed out. [HotFix] Fixed an issue that was causing some fleet icons to be displayed behind system labels in the galaxy map. [Hotfix] Fixed a glitch that was causing the fleet icons of traveling ships to disappear when the game was fully zoomed out. [Hotfix]
Pity this couldn't have been fixed instead as the earliest point defense weapons in naval combat worked exactly like that. As an aside, did you remember to alter the configuration of the PD weapons on "Precious Prize"?
I believe you mean the Scourge of the Stars. It did have a PD/AF Flak Cannon installed, which will be fixed in the next update. Thanks.
No, I meant the other one, I believe it was autofire lasers as PDs, (it's been a long time since I got it, the aliens usually get that event as I colonize slowly). Scourge of the Stars as well, haven't gotten it in 1.3.1 yet.
Nah, the Precious Prize does have an AF laser weapon but it doesn't have PD. Scourge of the Stars yes.
Sorry man, I was going by memory as I only got it once, a long time ago. I was looking at the original specs I has submitted for it which were. (Gain 1DD Precious Prize. No Money from scrapping) 2 Particle accelerator, Heavy mount, Autofire, Shield Piercing, Forward Arc (In single bank) 2 Nuclear missile, Fast, MIRV, ECCM (Ammo X5) 2 Laser PD, Autofire, Continuous, No Range Dissipation, 360 ARC Battle Pods Tritanium Armor Heavy Hull Class 3 shields 360 So I couldn't remember what was in the final cut as I've only seen it a couple of times, fielded by one faction or another. P.S. This is a very good update from you guys, one of your finest in fact. I'm still tinkering, but I will post some specifics about it, exploring the various implications of the new goodies you have provided.
Hi Adam, Yes, I agree. Good job! I've finished my game (Gigantic, no election) and the new surrender feature shows its full advantage. The many small improvents are helpful as well. I.e. the overview of the fleet in the orbit of a planet. One suggestion: Have you guys considered to let the AI control the infrastructure planet development? Let's say I am invading a Sulak colony and do not really care about it. Battlestation etc. is in place and just be calm and enjoy life. Paying taxes is enough.
Hi, thanks, I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the new features of the 1.3 update. We do offer colony automation options, where the AI will handle colonies for you, and there are different development profiles/focuses you can choose, which include habitability development, population growth, a more balanced approach and others. Look in the Governor panel in the colony view. Or, do you mean let the AI handle the infrastructure specialization upgrades as well?
Or, do you mean let the AI handle the infrastructure specialization upgrades as well? Yes, that was my idea. Maybe it is something for the backlog. I would not consider this as critical, but could improve games with a larger galaxy.
