This new official update includes some very important bug fixes and performance improvements as well as further improvements across a wide range of gameplay areas. It also allows you for the first time, using the Game Editor, to switch the empire you are playing during the middle of a game.
You can download the update here
CRASH FIXES
- fixed crash when reviewing fleet escort ships
- fixed rare crash while fleet performs patrol mission
- fixed rare crash while querying display adapter
- fixed rare crash when resolving ship jump path location
- fixed potential crash when use faulty string formatting placeholders in colony event descriptions
- fixed rare crash when determining jump exit point
- fixed crash when editing resources at planet in Game Editor
- fixed rare crash when ship escorts another ship
- fixed rare crash when reviewing fleet lead ship
- fixed crash when loading character animations
- fixed rare crash when making research breakthrough
- fixed crash when calculating construction yard wait time
- fixed crash when ship enters hangar
- fixed crash when rendering exploration section header
PERFORMANCE
- improved performance, especially in large battle scenes
FLEET AND SHIP BEHAVIOR
- reduced delays when carriers (and fleets) are waiting for fighters to board before jumping
- improved ship collision avoidance to better allow missions where target is close to planet or other large body
- improved fleets investigating and clearing dangerous locations: now better focussed on priority locations for colonization, research and mining
FUEL TANKERS
- improved fuel tanker evaluation of when to refuel fleet ships versus load more fuel: more likely to refuel fleet ships, even when have to wait for them to exit their current jump
COLONIZATION
- automated Colony Ships no longer pre-load colonists for non-queued colonization targets when target does not meet minimum suitability threshold defined in empire policy. This eliminates repeated load/unload of colonists in some situations
- fixed bug where maximum colonization range was sometimes being applied incorrectly, improperly excluding some colonization targets
- automated colonization now more willing to colonize independent colonies even when have unsuitable race
EXPLORATION
- exploration ships now better at prioritizing planets and moons before asteroids when exploring a location
- ensure exploration countdown always reset between exploration targets, especially when performing Explore System mission
- ensure correct message shown when investigate ship that explodes
ABANDONED SHIPS AND BASES
- ensure construction ship repairing abandoned ships or bases now take ownership of ship when complete, even when other ships are nearby
DANGEROUS LOCATIONS
- improved logic to review and remove Dangerous Locations where threats are no longer present
- now indicate dangerous locations in additional lists, e.g. Abandoned Ships and Bases, thus helping player to avoid queuing construction/repair at locations with threats present
RESEARCH
- changed research project prerequisite path minimum count to default to 1 instead of total prerequisite path count (can override with PrerequisiteProjectsMinimumPathCount)
- empires now less likely to crash research higher level research projects (instead use money for other items)
- improved research project selection in various areas
DIPLOMACY AND EMPIRE REPUTATION
- when an empire is vassalized it will immediately end all wars with other empires unless those other empires are already at war with subjugating empire
- ensure diplomacy trade offers always exclude special locations where abandoned ships or bases have already been claimed by other empires
- updated some empire reputation incident amounts and decay rates
SLAVERY
- slavery population policy now properly adds to colony unhappiness ('We are enraged at your enslavement of our population')
- increased unhappiness impact on other colonies from slavery and extermination population policies at any colony ('ENSLAVED RACE are unhappy being part of our RACE empire')
- slavery population policy now severely slows population growth and assimilation
CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR
- fixed bug where bases built at independent colonies could not be retrofitted unless the colony had adequate resources
- increased range at which bases and colonies will auto-construct/repair damaged or incomplete ships
- altered automated ship and base construction to give higher priority to initial research station over additional exploration ships and military ships
FACILITIES
- AI now properly also considers income increase from improved quality when determining whether to build terraforming facilities at a colony
USER INTERFACE
- Enemy Targets list filter options now show correct list items even when warring empires change (e.g. a war starts or ends)
- ensure Mining Stations list shows mining stations at locations with no known resources when sorting by priority
- ensure system summary (bottom-middle of screen) refreshes when zoom to selected ship
- fixed bug where tour window was sometimes not properly displayed
EMPIRE COLORS AND FLAGS
- improved empire color selection to minimize similarity between empires
- fixed bug where empire colors could sometimes be white (should only be for independent colonies)
- changed Flag selection dropdown in Start New Game screen to display available flags in grid layout instead of vertical list
GAME EDITOR AND TESTING
- added ability to play as any standard empire in the game. Can switch player empire in Game Editor (Edit Empire > switch button). This is included for our own testing to help us improve the AI, but you may also find it a fun option. If you spot a problem with the AI decision-making while using this, please do report it to us.
- ensured that Suppress All Popups game setting always works, even for initial pirate encounter. With this change and usine Rule in Absence and the "Always Investigate" exploration policy settings, fully automated games without interruption should now be possible.
SOUND
- ensured sound effect volume always applies for button clicks, etc, even in main menu
DATA
- Reduced costs for Diplomacy tech projects
- Corrected some typos in game events
- Added additional late game research paths from Haakonish and Zenox unique weapons
- Corrected a research bonus issue with the Koloros Medical facility
OTHER
- fixed debris fields often being generated at home planet
- fixed Hive ships sometimes not mining fuel properly
- added missing automation setting in race policy files
