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Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

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Author Topic: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes  (Read 574470 times)

Alex

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #300 on: October 19, 2015, 08:25:56 PM »

How is the engine glow implemented by the way?

Code: java
private Color color = new Color(255,100,255,255);
@Override
public void advanceInCombat(ShipAPI ship, float amount) {
ship.getEngineController().fadeToOtherColor(this, color, null, 1f, 0.4f);
ship.getEngineController().extendFlame(this, 0.25f, 0.25f, 1f);
}

Should in theory work with multiple hullmods trying to do this by producing a blend of the desired colors.
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xenoargh

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #301 on: October 19, 2015, 09:05:44 PM »

Quote
Decorative weapons now render in the campaign view and on ship icons
So... does that mean that the scripts run, too?  Or, if it's a Decorative that we want to be hidden, does it need to be hidden on frame 0?

I like that we're going to get direct control over Engines, yay!

Any chance that we can finally add some custom particle types / generate particles with an angle value when generated, as a straightforward way to do muzzle flashes, certain types of special effects, contrails, etc.?  That seems like something with a multitude of uses for you, not just us, in terms of final polish and optimization (to put it one way, particles are a non-minor load when we're having a big fight, so cutting down the number needed would be a fairly fast / cheap way to conserve FPS).
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Thaago

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #302 on: October 19, 2015, 09:08:52 PM »

Safety Override is intriguing me! Any preliminary numbers on how large the speed and flux bonuses are? Between aggressive captains and tooling out ships to ride in and blast away, I can really imagine the "Assault" role coming into its own.

Speed: +50/30/20. Flux dissipation: multiplied by a factor of 2, which means the bonus from adding vents (or anything else, such as skills) is doubled as well.

Speaking of wish list items; did you ever get around to tweaking the AI to improve fast ships getting away from slower ships when ordered? I kind of remember you saying something but can't seem to find it.

Yes, that should be much more reliable. They'll open up a safe distance and circle around it. There's also the new "avoid" order for when you just want everyone to keep away from something.

 :o Double flux venting! Woah! Well if it feels balanced to you it will certainly open up a huge new number of weapon configurations. And the "avoid" order is all of a sudden going to be super useful.

I just hope it doesn't turn too much into a game of "keep away from the safety override ships until they start malfunctioning, then blast them".
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Alex

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #303 on: October 19, 2015, 09:15:50 PM »

Quote
Decorative weapons now render in the campaign view and on ship icons
So... does that mean that the scripts run, too?  Or, if it's a Decorative that we want to be hidden, does it need to be hidden on frame 0?
No scripts, no - that would be a bit insane :) Those can't really run outside a CombatEngine, anyway. So, yes: hide or show in frame 0 based on what's desired.

Any chance that we can finally add some custom particle types / generate particles with an angle value when generated, as a straightforward way to do muzzle flashes, certain types of special effects, contrails, etc.?  That seems like something with a multitude of uses for you, not just us, in terms of final polish and optimization (to put it one way, particles are a non-minor load when we're having a big fight, so cutting down the number needed would be a fairly fast / cheap way to conserve FPS).

Hmm - wasn't planning on that in particular; probably belongs in the modding or suggestions forum, as I'm not 100% clear on the details. If it's some sort of entirely new particle thing, though, then honestly, chances are low - I can't add that sort of thing without testing it extensively (which in practical terms means using it), and I'm not exactly planning to overhaul combat graphics like that.


I just hope it doesn't turn too much into a game of "keep away from the safety override ships until they start malfunctioning, then blast them".

It's not something that's in common use by AI ships; meant to be more of a player playstyle thing. Pathers (i.e. Luddic Path) tend to use it, but they only have frigates - and playing keep-away against a frigate with +50 speed isn't exactly an easy thing to do. Oh, just realized I forgot to mention one more detail on SO - it also allows the 0-flux boost to function regardless of flux level. So, yeah, keep-away isn't going to be much of an option.

(As a side note, SO can make Pather frigates very tough to face in the early game. Sure, it's only a Cerberus, but it's in your face firing *the entire time*. I recommend tithing. Or alpha strikes.)
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Thaago

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #304 on: October 19, 2015, 09:39:38 PM »

Quote
Decorative weapons now render in the campaign view and on ship icons
So... does that mean that the scripts run, too?  Or, if it's a Decorative that we want to be hidden, does it need to be hidden on frame 0?
No scripts, no - that would be a bit insane :) Those can't really run outside a CombatEngine, anyway. So, yes: hide or show in frame 0 based on what's desired.

Any chance that we can finally add some custom particle types / generate particles with an angle value when generated, as a straightforward way to do muzzle flashes, certain types of special effects, contrails, etc.?  That seems like something with a multitude of uses for you, not just us, in terms of final polish and optimization (to put it one way, particles are a non-minor load when we're having a big fight, so cutting down the number needed would be a fairly fast / cheap way to conserve FPS).

Hmm - wasn't planning on that in particular; probably belongs in the modding or suggestions forum, as I'm not 100% clear on the details. If it's some sort of entirely new particle thing, though, then honestly, chances are low - I can't add that sort of thing without testing it extensively (which in practical terms means using it), and I'm not exactly planning to overhaul combat graphics like that.


I just hope it doesn't turn too much into a game of "keep away from the safety override ships until they start malfunctioning, then blast them".

It's not something that's in common use by AI ships; meant to be more of a player playstyle thing. Pathers (i.e. Luddic Path) tend to use it, but they only have frigates - and playing keep-away against a frigate with +50 speed isn't exactly an easy thing to do. Oh, just realized I forgot to mention one more detail on SO - it also allows the 0-flux boost to function regardless of flux level. So, yeah, keep-away isn't going to be much of an option.

(As a side note, SO can make Pather frigates very tough to face in the early game. Sure, it's only a Cerberus, but it's in your face firing *the entire time*. I recommend tithing. Or alpha strikes.)

Wow. That sounds broken, but if it doesn't play that way then it will make for an entirely new set of threats. I remember from Ironclads a few versions back that one of the pirate factions had these super nasty, super fast, well armed frigates. In the early game, their patrols were so fearsome that you basically ran on sight from them; sounds like the Pathers might convey a similar vibe, which is really cool.

The other way to go is that instead of having longer overloads, the ships suffered from the effects of low CR somewhat even before the timer runs down - engines or weapons giving out infrequently. Not sure if I really like it as its a bit random, but it fits the theme of power over reliability.
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Jonlissla

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #305 on: October 19, 2015, 09:43:22 PM »

Quote from: Alex
New graphics for some ships (Eagle, Enforcer, Falcon, Dominator, and a few others)

How much has the Falcon changed? I've always thought it looked a bit too... kitbashed. As if the artist went "Should I make a new sprite? Nah, lets just drag and select this middlepart, and press delete, BAM, a totally new original ship."
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Achataeon

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #306 on: October 19, 2015, 09:58:22 PM »

  • Adjusted crew losses from battle so that you don't end up being heavily over crew capacity after losing ships

Does that mean more crew will die during engagements?
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Alex

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #307 on: October 19, 2015, 10:50:47 PM »

Does that mean more crew will die during engagements?

Indeed it does.

How much has the Falcon changed? I've always thought it looked a bit too... kitbashed. As if the artist went "Should I make a new sprite? Nah, lets just drag and select this middlepart, and press delete, BAM, a totally new original ship."

Well, I think it looks good now, and just feels like a very solid ship. I'm probably biased, though, so I guess you'll need to wait to see it to know for sure :)
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Hopelessnoob

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #308 on: October 19, 2015, 11:03:07 PM »

Starwars trailer, Starsector patch notes and a new job I am going to have terrible luck this week as everything today was awesome!
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Histidine

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #309 on: October 19, 2015, 11:04:27 PM »

Does that mean more crew will die during engagements?

Indeed it does.
Do marines die as well now? This can be a pretty big cause of crew overload if you have a lot of them.

(It'd probably be hugely annoying to bleed marines with random ship losses, but you could just make them die only if the remaining ships are still overloaded after crew deaths)
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Alex

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #310 on: October 19, 2015, 11:40:12 PM »

(It'd probably be hugely annoying to bleed marines with random ship losses, but you could just make them die only if the remaining ships are still overloaded after crew deaths)

Yep, that's how it works.


Wow. That sounds broken, but if it doesn't play that way then it will make for an entirely new set of threats. I remember from Ironclads a few versions back that one of the pirate factions had these super nasty, super fast, well armed frigates. In the early game, their patrols were so fearsome that you basically ran on sight from them; sounds like the Pathers might convey a similar vibe, which is really cool.

Right - again, though, this is mostly centered around the player using it.

The other way to go is that instead of having longer overloads, the ships suffered from the effects of low CR somewhat even before the timer runs down - engines or weapons giving out infrequently. Not sure if I really like it as its a bit random, but it fits the theme of power over reliability.

Hmm, yeah. Given that the player is the main target for this hullmod, though, I'd like to stay away from random malfunctions here. I did try it out at first, btw, and it just makes the hullmod not worth it. The hullmod encourages more aggressive and risky piloting, so having stuff randomly give out on you *really* hurts.
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Dark.Revenant

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #311 on: October 19, 2015, 11:46:22 PM »

A lot of the players here forget that flux dissipation gives diminishing returns.  Sure, you can maximize DPS on your flux-heavy weapons and have very short venting time.  But the fact of the matter is: your shield is no better than before!  It may sound like a great idea to stick SO on an Enforcer and reap endless power, but then you realize that its shield is made of paper, you've got no OP to spare for Heavy Armor, and the time limit is ticking fast.

This could get ridiculous on larger ships.  I don't even want to think about what an Eagle does with SO.
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Dri

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #312 on: October 20, 2015, 12:21:38 AM »

I actually really want to see the new Dominator; it'll probably look badass!

Man, I really hope the new patch will release soon as I'm really getting anxious to play with all the new STUFF! But Alex, would you say early game is harder, easier or about the same as it currently is?
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Tartiflette

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #313 on: October 20, 2015, 01:19:47 AM »

Yay, a surprise! So, quick thoughts:

  • Added Luddic Path faction, radical arm of the Luddic Church
    • No markets, but launches small raider fleets from Luddic Church worlds
    • Hostile to player, but individual fleets may be bought off with a "tithe"
Bribes, YESSSSS, that will be interesting with the...
Quote
  • Turned off customs inspections, at least for now - sneaking into market w/ transponder off fills the same role
...Oh. It won't be very useful then.

Quote
  • Hurricane MIRV - changed to be a medium range finisher weapon rather than long-range
    • Removed ammo regeneration
    • Increased number of warheads to 10
    • Reduced refire delay to 5 seconds
    • Reduced range to be in line with MRMs
    • Increased missile hitpoints and range at which the main missile splits
    • Increased flight time of individual warheads
So, assuming one of the new large weapons is a rack of the "Hammers" and the other fill the former role of the Hurricane, we are still stuck with a single weapon for support on larges missile mounts like the Astral's. Also with this fire-rate, it sounds like a guaranteed kill if anyone but an Onslaught or Paragon vent or overload near that new Hurricane.

Quote
  • Added text scrolling for standalone (non-campaign) mission descriptions
More text space, MOOORE text space, MOAR....  ;D
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Gothars

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #314 on: October 20, 2015, 05:15:21 AM »

Attaching a screenshot of the new Enforcer

Looks awesome, much clearer than before. I'm so glad David got this greeble epiphany.

Oh, interesting. Is this absolute (you can get an officer with skill XY only from faction YZ) or just a probability modifier? Does this affect the officers of the faction's own fleets, too?
It's not skills - it's the probability for them to have a specific personality, which is one of timid/cautious/steady/aggressive.

Oh, right. Same question then: Absolute or probability modifier? Does this affect the officers of the faction's own fleets, too?
Could be quite a handicap if e.g. all or most Tri-Tachyon officers are cautious, but interesting to fight against (or with! :))nonetheless.


I actually kind of want more frigates with *just* small slots. It feels like small weapons don't get as much of a chance to shine as primary armament, which they're certainly capable of.

Sounds good, although quite some frigates rely on small weapons already (Lasher, Shade, Afflictor, Sheppard, Omen). I'd like to see some destroyers do the same.


Safety override seems just perfect for pursuit craft in escape scenarios. Or for torpedo/missile strike ships.




Quote
Built-in hullmods (Flux Shunt, Repair Gantry, etc) no longer show up in mission refit

The refit screen was my go to way of finding out what built in hull mods do. How do we do that now? Perhaps rather than eliminating them you could give them a special font or something...I dunno

They just don't show up as mods to choose from in the missions. If pre-installed they are visible in the refit menu.


Sure, you can maximize DPS on your flux-heavy weapons and have very short venting time.  But the fact of the matter is: your shield is no better than before!  It may sound like a great idea to stick SO on an Enforcer and reap endless power, but then you realize that its shield is made of paper, you've got no OP to spare for Heavy Armor, and the time limit is ticking fast.

I suspect the enforcer might be a prime candidate for SO. You can totally overgun it, catch anything and just take incoming fire on the armor. While its time is limited, that also means that the opponents time to hurt you is limited and thus armor might be just enough. I just wish there were a shield disabling hullmod in vanilla.

...Oh. It won't be very useful then.

I imagine bribes will be quite useful, considering that you'll have much less information about the position of enemy fleets than now and will be more likely to run into otherwise fatal situations.

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