^
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Update:
So not as polished as I would like but I am out of time since my free time is getting more limited for a couple months. I will still squeeze in hotfixes for bugs and cleanup though.
Some known minor issues I didn't get to in time:
1) Flux burst per salvo/shot in the description of weapons may be inaccurate and reflect the last update. -I will try and get to this one first.
2) Adamantine Consortium campaign start doesn't have the new Consortium vessels added for phase vessels instead of stock ones. -Will be in a hotfix soon so hold off on that start if you want all the starting ships to be new ones. (some already are)
3) Jangala is still not a Hegemony station. -On the list for the next big update.
4) Some descriptions are missing for new built-in drones and the Adamantine Consortium drone system for their stations. -Will get this into a hotfix when I can.
5) (Edit) For some dialogue the switch to the Rules Tool made it so that "\n" is treated as characters rather than New Line (Or I just have the wrong slash like I did before the edit
). -Planning on also getting this into a hotfix at some point.
Full Update Notes:
Spoiler
Campaign Content Additions and Balance Changes
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--- New Ships:
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- Justicar-class cruiser (new Archean Order cruiser due to Revenant-class changes)
- Nightreaver-class light battlecarrier (Adamantine Consortium- cruiser-sized)
--- New Fighters:
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- Hellbeast Attack Drones (Does not drop. Built-in to the Medusa (Ad)-class drone carrier for the Adamantine Consortium).
- Imp PD Drones (Does not drop. Built-in to the Acolyte (Ad)-class drone carrier for the Adamantine Consortium).
--- Overall Design Strategy behind most faction/market changes:
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- Increase the sense of player progression. Access to higher quality ships and weapons should be more limited.
- Primary factions' militaries shouldn't dominate by stats/weapons but rather by circumstantial fleet compososition logistics or tactics.
- ^ That being said- each primary faction has its own flavor, tech options and tactical strategies. (Mostly already in place, just being continually fine-tuned)
--- Market Changes:
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- Significantly increased the cost of ships across the board to better match unmodded starsector.
- Increased cost difference between weapon tiers and increased weapon costs in general.
- Adamantine Consortium: Friendly market theme now only contains one music track instead of two. They had (imo) conflicting vibes to them and I'm saving the other one for something special lore-wise.
- Smuggling at Adamantine Consortium or Archean Order markets now has more serious consequences to reputation with those factions.
- Resigning a comission with the Adamantine Consortium or Archean Order now has more severe consequences to reputation with those factions.
- Rescuing an Adamantine Consortium officer or administrator now has a major impact to the player's reputation with the barons.
- Increased the extra cost multiplier of Hegemony Legion vessels. Reduced their deployment cost substantially. Faction AI buffed by ship system changes better suiting their overall tactics.
- Standardized cost increase multiplier of Luddic Converted warships. Lower than Hegemony but higher than standard. Reduced their deployment costs in addition to the benefits and drawbacks of the conversion.
--- Faction Changes: (The idea behind most of these is to increase the sense of player progression.)
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- Added custom dialogue for comissions for all new factions.
- Added two extra variants to the Odyssey battlecruiser for the Sci-Corps.
- Adamantine Consortium has a new look and theme to their vessels and fighters.
- Added three extra variants to the Revenant battlecruiser for the Archean Order.
- Changed Tri-Tachyon fleet composition- they should hopefully now contain more destroyers and cruisers instead of merely large numbers of frigates supporting capitals.
- Added default variants to the Lion's Guard faction from designed variants from .8
- Removed chance for Acolyte-class frigate to be found in Adamantine Consortium dreadfleets.
- Increased the presence of Elite Mercenary variants in Trader Guild fleets.
- Added more variants for the Vigilance, Drover and Hammerhead for Lions Guard, Trader Guilds and Persean League fleets.
- Many of the most advanced and rare vessels are now removed from loot after combat. Especially for the Adamantine Consortium and Archean Order, advanced vessels are now only obtain-able through faction commissions or black market smuggling that has already had an increase in penalty.
- Adamantine Consortium finally has their own station type. The design is based off the Archean Order station but loadouts for each upgrade are different and present a different tactic for the player to overcome. The station's theme should also better match the new streamlined Adamantine Consortium's hellish ghost-ship look.
- Removed use of Thermal Pulser and Thermal Cannon from Sci-Corps. Added more use of the Obliterator Cannon.
- Added more use of Thermal Cannons and Reapers to Admantine Consortium fleets to help offset their high flux strike weapons and make them scarier as a whole.
- Adamantine Consortium Phase ships generally equip Hardened Subsystems to help them maintain fleet presence for longer periods of time. This also helps prevent cheap tactics from defeating them.
--- Missions (Outside of campaign):
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- Added a Random Faction Battle Mission that pits the player against a random faction's fleets. Player factions have around a 50% less chance to generate capital ships in their support fleets to increase overall difficulty.
--- Feature Enhancements/Additions:
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--- Cease Fire Changes/Additions:
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- Doubled the credit cost of the standard bribe.
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Combat Balance Changes
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--- Overall Design Strategy Behind Weapons Changes:
1) All Strike weapons are now efficient unless they are hitting less effective defenses in the case of damage specialized ballistic or energy weapons. Energy projectile strike weapons generally cost more flux and are less efficient than specialized hitting correct defenses- but more damaging for higher OP.
2) Beams are more efficient than projectile energy weapons since they deal soft flux. They tend to have lower dps and higher strike damage than most projectile strike weapons. (Exceptions exist and typically sacrifice range or flux efficiency to achieve higher strike damage)
3) Beams turning into Fire Support weapons by equipping Advancted Optics become among the longest ranged non-missile weapons, but also become very inefficient to fire.
4) Almost all non-missile Fire Support weapons, including the Ion Beam, have reduced range, some have reduced flux costs to compensate, but are always inefficient.
5) Missile Strike weapons range from flux-free to far more efficient than other weapon types, but have lower effective dps either from point defense mitigation or the weapon stats themselves. Unmitigated strike damage remains very high, however. (So essentially opportunity weapons.)
6) Rockets and torpedoes have a much higher chance to get through point defense than fire support weapons, but have shorter range.
7) Fire Support missiles are actually typically flux efficient and have much longer range and ease of fire than other types since they can travel through allies, but are easily mitigated by pd. The less efficient the missile, the more likely it should get through pd (Thundebolt, Hurricane, Hunter, etc)
--- Details For Changes:
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- Increased hitpoints of Shockwave Rockets substantially. Less flux efficient to fire and has less overall dps than Annihilators, but much higher anti-armor capability and longer effective range.
- Increased hitpoints of Hammer, Atropos and Reaper torpedoes.
- Reduced flux cost of Annihilator Rockets. Increased hitpoints slightly.
- Reduced flux cost of Javelin Rockets. Increased hitpoints slightly.
- Reduced OP cost of Interdiction Drones by 1 OP point, reduced refit time by a few seconds (Made it a more thrifty option than pirate Broadswords which perform the same role but slightly better)
- Tachyon Lance now fires about 50% faster, but has half the range (2500 from 5000) and costs more flux to fire to make it very inefficient. Damage per second overall has increased but strike damage remains the same. (Was by far the most powerful 32 OP weapon- especially in a player's hands)
- Razor Tri-Beam damage per second has been increased.
- Slightly reduced Phase Beam damage per second. Increased flux cost to fire, but only inefficient if modified by Advanced Optics into a fire support weapon.
- Increased Heavy PD Burst Laser and Paladin PD System's damage.
- Fury and Hailstorm rockets have less effective range.
- Beams with advanced optics are now the longest range non-missile weapons (one or two exceptions exist).
- Increased projectile speed and hit damage of PD Cannon and Scythe Cannon. Reduced Scythe Cannon's flux costs. Reduced PD Cannon's fire rate - Updated description to describe weakness against fast-firing missiles but is better against fighters.
- Increased durability of ship-based torpedoes substantially. Increased time to reload on those weapons. (More reliable, lower dps)
- Reduced Atronarch Beam dps slightly and increased its flux cost to fire. Still efficient unless equipping Advanced Optics to increase range.
- Quadrupled the magazine size and clip regeneration size for the Squall SRM. Hit damage and and emp per hit reduced to compensate. Reload rate remains the same. (Again trying to make it more reliable in a fleet setting.)
- Terminator Drones have much more durable shields- damage remains the same.
- Reduced speed and spread of secondary stage of the Thunderbolt MIRV to better allow point defense the ability to counter it.
-- Rebalanced most Projectile-based Assault, PD and Strike Energy weapons above small:
- Obliterator Cannon now deals significantly more damage and fires at regular intervals to better match its heavy assault role. Flux costs adjusted- Hybrid weapon.
- Heavy Obliterator Cannon now deals more damage per shot. It costs more flux to fire, however is still very efficient compared to strike weapons- Hybrid weapon.
- Thermal Pulser and Thermal Cannon have increased damage per shot. Firing rate remains the same. Thermal Cannon now deals slightly more damage per second than Thermal Pulser and has increased strike potential. Both have slightly increased range.
- Increased Cutlass Laser and Heavy Cutlass Laser damage per shot.
- Plasma Cannon deals more damage per second, has increased strike damage per salvo, and has longer range. Costs more flux to fire and is one of the more inefficent strike weapons available. Relatively high OP.
- Antimatter Blaster charges up more quickly and can fire charges more often. More flux to fire, but extra charge regeneration has also increased dps considerably. Lower range but higher damage all around than Plasma Cannon. Higher OP.
-- Rebalanced entire line of Archean Order energy weapons:
- Reduced Void Driver damage per shot slightly.
- Increased Phase Cannon hit damage and reduced its range. Dps remains similar or slightly reduced. No flux cost but very high OP.
- Eclipse Cannon now has less range but increased damage per shot (increased anti-armor effectiveness). Overall dps reduced but still among the most flux efficient Energy Fire Support weapons, though with a very high OP cost.
- Apocalypse Cannon Ordinance Point cost reduced to 28, range reduced by about half, increased damage per second but reduced armor penetration. Among the most efficient Fire Support weapons, though with lower dps than assault weapons.
- Heavy Apocalypse Cannon range reduced by about half, significantly increased damage per second but reduced armor penetration. Among the most efficient Fire Support weapons, though with lower dps than assault weapons.
--- Faction Hullmod Changes:
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- Reduced negative impact of Luddic Conversion hullmod on Luddic Church ships and reduced those ships deployment cost. Now greatly improves handling rather than reducing it but causes more damage to engines. (Luddic Church vessels still needed improvement.)
- Reduced the penalty of increased deployment cost for Hegemony 14th Legion vessels. Armor now calculates as a percentage increase that varies with hull size instead of a flat increase.
- Reduced the deployment cost reduction benefit associated with Simple Core Systems hullmod.
--- Station Balance Changes:
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- Station weapons no longer generate flux on station modules. Dissipation adjusted to compensate for modules that share shields with weapons. (This should buff beams effectiveness vs some stations and helps to better balance station modules all around)
- Added a few extra high explosive Dual Artillery Cannons to Trader Guilds' stations. (It had an imbalance of anti-shield to anti-armor at optimal defense range.)
- Now that no ships (to my knowledge anyway) have the Targeting Supercomputer hullmod, increased its effectiveness to strengthen stations across the board. (No longer able to outrange them as easily, if at all, depending on the station.)
- Additional armor and hull and light shield capacity for basic Archean Order station.
- Additional armor and hull and flux dissipation for Persean League (midline) basic station.
- Redesign of stations' shield systems. Weapon modules no longer generate flux. Shield adjusted to be weaker with poor dissipation and 0% dissipation when shields are raised. This helps beams be more effective while keeping the defense level the same for other weapons.
- Removed Flux Shunt on Luddic station variants of low tech. Removed flux capacity bonuses. (Other weapon improvements made these changes no longer necessary)
- Increased basic hightech station's armor and hull. Increased max flux and dissipation of weapon modules separate from shields.
- Tri-Tachyon and Archean Order stations will no longer interrupt high damage burst weapons due to flux venting. They will no longer vent flux since shield venting is separate and they have enough flux dissipation that venting is actually harmful in most cases.
- Replaced Graviton Lances with Heavy Obliterator Cannons on Sci-Corps stations to give more solid defense rather than pure opportunity based strikes that become volatile to the station's long term durability in some situations.
--- Ship System Changes:
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- Accelerated Ammo Feeder renamed to Combat Capacitors - now also increases ship speed by 40 and increases acceleration in addition to its usual effects.
- Plasma Jets regenerates a charge far less often and has an increased cooldown between uses.
- Active time for Phase Shell Projector has been reduced by almost half.
- Interdictor Array now has charges.
- Reduced flux cost of Quantum Disruptor and Entropy Amplifier.
- Added a cooldown to High Energy Focus. (Still has charges- more so the AI doesn't burn it too fast)
--- Ship Changes:
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- Megalith-class Dreadnought:
- 100 less Ordinace Points.
- Reduced max flux.
- Greatly reduced flux dissipation.
- Replaced built-in Targeting Supercomputer with Advanced Targeting Core.
- More effective shield resilience.
- Increased shield radius. (Larger target)
- Increased crew and fuel requirements.
- Increased max crew storage.
- Adjusted all variants.
- Revenant-class Heavy Cruiser:
- Redesignated and redesigned as a Light Battlecruiser.
- All stats reworked.
- Added built-in Phase Field.
- Replaced built-in Advanced Targeting Core with Dedicated Targeting Core.
- Adjusted all variants and added 5 more.
- Templar-class (Archean) Heavy Destroyer:
- 15 less Ordinace Points.
- Adjusted all variants.
- Paragon-class Battleship:
- Replaced built-in Targeting Supercomputer with Advanced Targeting Core.
- Onslaught-class (XIV) Battleship:
- Replaced built-in Dedicated Targeting Core with Advanced Targeting Core.
- Removed core stress hullmod and merged effects with XIV Legion hullmod.
- Has a much lower deployment cost over the last update (down to ~28 from 34)
- Acolyte-class Heavy Frigate:
- 20 less Ordinace Points.
- Reduced max flux by 2000.
- Reduced max speed.
- Reduced flux dissipation by 140.
- Shield resilience to 0.7 from 0.85.
- Adjusted all variants.
- Neophyte-class Frigate:
- 15 less Ordinace Points.
- Reduced max flux by 1000.
- Reduced max speed.
- Reduced flux dissipation.
- Shield resilience to 0.7 from 0.85.
- Adjusted all variants and added 1 more.
- Exile-class Light Carrier:
- 10 less Ordinace Points.
- Reduced max flux.
- Reduced max speed by 50% (Still faster than the Vigilance-class).
- Reduced flux dissipation.
- Increased shield resilience.
- Adjusted all variants.
- Wolf-class (Arc) Frigate:
- 10 less Ordinace Points.
- Adjusted all variants and added 3 more.
- Aurora-class Cruiser:
- Increased flux dissipation.
- Increased armor.
- Slightly more effective shield resilience.
- Eagle-class Heavy Cruiser:
- Slightly reduced flux dissipation.
- Costs 1 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Dominator-class Heavy Cruiser:
- Increased armor.
- Pillager-class Battlecruiser:
- Costs 1 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Malevolent-class Dreadcarrier:
- Costs 3 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Reduced flux dissipation.
- Sprite re-work/polish.
- Tyrant-class Phase Battleship:
- Reduced flux dissipation.
- Reduced armor.
- Reduced hull.
- Now costs 30 supplies to deploy
- Legion-class Battlecarrier:
- Increased armor, max flux and flux dissipation.
- Conquest-class Battlecruiser:
- Costs 2 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Executor-class Battlecarrier:
- Costs 4 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Havok-class Heavy Destroyer:
- Costs 1 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Heron-class Carrier:
- Costs 1 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Mora-class Carrier:
- Costs 1 less point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Increased armor, max flux and flux dissipation.
- Tempest-class Heavy Frigate:
- Costs 1 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Shrike-class Destroyer:
- Costs 1 more point/supply to deploy in battle.
- Reduced max speed.
- Spectre-class Interceptor Drone:
- Reduced hull and armor.
- Increased replacement time.
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Bug Fixes
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- Added Carrier Bays built-in hullmod to Epiphany, Exile, Executor, Drover, Medusa, and Osprey as intended.
- Corrected Megalith description to better reflect its combat role and power, as well as its lore compared to campaign realism.
- Fixed and expanded station descrtiptions in the industry layer - to give players a concise tactical reason to choose a station based on playstyle and faction choice.
- Corrected the names of ranks and posts for administrative staff and ground military for new factions.
- Corrected outdated reputation relationship descriptions for Adamantine Consortium in the intel window from when the faction started neutral to the player.
- Fixed situations where a player with their transponder off who was stopped by an Archean Order patrol was attacked even though they had high reputation.
- Fixed situations where a player with A.I cores would have them confiscated even after complying and turning their transponder on and having high reputation with the Archean Order.
- Corrected some drones need of crew due to missing values in the spreadsheet instead of 0s.
- Added Fleet Paragon variant to the Tri-Tachyon Corporation fleets as intended.
- Removed possible- though highly unlikely- case where the defective Falcon variant was used instead of the Pirate Falcon skin that has a large hardpoint.
- Corrected crew requirements for Tyrant-class battleship.
- Changed Iridium Hyperdriver to target fighters when no better targets are available.
- Fixed issue with Guillotine Cannon firing at fighters too often. (Strike tag was on the wrong weapon)
- Corrected situations where a player would token bribe the Luddic Path and there would not be a dialogue option to continue.
- Luddic Path now has custom dialogue for success cases for all bribe types.
- Removed flux cost of the large-slot Atropos Torpedo launcher.
- Stations should no longer waste strike weapons on fighters.
- Station hangars should no longer lose replacement time when fighters are destroyed.
- Advanced Targeting Core (on the Paragon, Megalith, etc) now increases PD weapons up to the Dedicated Targeting Core's benefit to capital ships. Standard weapon range increase remains the same.
- Large Atropos launcher no longer costs flux to fire.
- All station hangars now correctly have chassis storage hullmod to ensure replacement rate does not decrease from fighter losses.
- Legion class now has the correct weapon types for the Hegemony version.
- Hopefully corrected issue with "'hegemony_legion' not found" error upon campaign start.
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Misc
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- Polished the Guillotine Cannon recoil sprite to better differentiate it from the Heavy Cutlass Laser.
- Continued dialogue polish.
- Reduced Rules.csv inefficiency for the new fleet dialogue features. (Removed some absurdly large score weights, cleaned up RT directory organization, etc).
- Improved Commodity Request script (more efficient- includes adjustments for all factions for non-upfront bribe calculations).
- Adjusted all variants utilizing OP adjusted weapons.
- Slight round of polish on the Punisher Artillery Cannon sprite.
- Round of polish on the Obliterator Cannon hardpoint sprite.
- Reduced sound level of Thermal Pulser and Thermal Cannon and heavily reduced sound of the Fighter variant.
- Removed use of ASSAULT Fighter AI tag since it has been deprecated. Replaced with BOMBER tag to ensure the same assault behavior.
- Corrected the descriptions of hullmod changes and made sure to include all effects in the description. (couple outliers there)
- Round of polish on the Malevolent-class dreadcarrier sprite.
- All Adamantine Consortium skin files have been separated into individual hulls and their theme now better reflects the faction. (There wasn't difference between the two implementations anyway)
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Download
Main Mod Directory