Evochron Legacy
Evochron Legacy SE Update Launched...
- Larger cockpit displays and HUD readout text.
- Primary rendering API now Vulkan with OpenGL fallback.
- Most textures/images updated to lossless full quality format.
- Codebase entirely rewritten in new development platform/language.
- Default radar range (ID and IFF) extended to 25K with 5K intervals.
- Long Range Radar equipment item range (no ID/IFF) extended to 50K.
- Directional audio system implemented for various external sound effects.
- New explosion effects with debris that 'burns away' with an orange-red color tone.
- OCRS (helmet mounted camera system) visibility setting added to 3D cockpit option menu.
- Added ability to remap the external ship tracking view mode zoom key and button controls.
- Save game importing system added to convert profiles from DirectX version to Vulkan version.
- New lighting system and effects implemented for explosions, weapon flashes, and tractor beam.
- New options added to the quest system to destroy or damage other ships (details in sample file).
- Increasing rank and civilian rating are now displayed as a popup message with an image of the earned level.
- Profile name queue system implemented to significantly decrease initial loading time of pilot profile menu.
- Heavily revised planetary terrain detail management system for improved performance and framerate stability.
- New coastline element added to planetary terrain shader for a more distinct division between water and land.
- Player-to-player contract system expanded to permit one player hiring another player to destroy them (wager).
- Higher precision collision system added for mining effect to better place sparks and smoke on surface of asteroids.
- Inertial compensator disabling of particle cannons at around 5K removed to allow firing particle cannons at very high speed.
- Added companion app option (dubbed LinkApp) to link an Android phone or tablet to the game wirelessly to display location and status details.
- Rail Cannon added as a secondary weapon type (energy based, requires 8 hardpoints and charging), rarely available for sale at some planet-side locations.
- Hiring/paying player in trade console contracts now has exclusive authority to adjust parameters (including credits).
- Player that sends the 'Arrange Contract' request in the trade console is now designated as the hiring/paying player.
- New shader effect implemented for asteroid explosions to render a smoke/dust based explosion rather than fire based.
- Added ability to map axis inputs as buttons in the key/button configuration menu (marked as 'A' for Axis).
- New 'Sandbox Mode' added providing shortcuts to locations, weapons, equipment, cargo, repair, and credits.
- Credit rewards for completing contracts are now more clearly indicated with green text in message log.
- Joystick animation movement in cockpit can now be changed to respond to roll input (see notes).
- Default text font updated for improved legibility (spacing, color tones/ranges, sizes, etc).
- Instrumentation font updated to match default text font, including more defined color tones.
- Disruptors expanded to include knocking out shield arrays on ships in range when detonated.
- Hired/paid player in trade console contracts now has exclusive access to 'Accept' button.
- Base engine and thruster performance increased across the board by 50%-100% (see notes).
- Added ability to map controller axis inputs to roll and movement on X/Y/Z view control.
- AI systems updated to increase detection and attack distances for new 25K radar range.
- Cube mapping for water effect updated to better show reflections from nearby terrain.
- Experimental terrain rovers now very rarely available at some planet-side locations.
- Spark effect applied to cockpit displays when taking direct weapon impact damage.
- Added ability to change brightness of all message log and menu text (see notes).
- Smoother gun turret operation and movement interpolation for connected players.
- Reward sound effect added for contract completions and rank/rating increases.
- Zoom control rate in external view modes now scales with tracked ship size.
- Elevation indicators added to 3D radar mode ship and object contact blips.
- Experimental/unsupported VR mode ported to new plugin for Vulkan version.
- 'Trade Score' added to pilot statistics list in the information console.
- Floor pathway hologram and humidity vapor effects added to main menu.
- Improvements to nebula and gas giant cloud effects in external views.
- New Rocket Pack weapon type added (mounted to secondary hardpoints).
- New Torpedo weapon type added (mounted to secondary hardpoints).
- New hangar entrance shield effects for carriers and stations.
- Currency character marker added to most displayed prices.
- New post processing jump drive streak effect added.
- Stats/status option now key and button mappable.
- New custom cockpit display system implemented.
- Comets added as new rare environmental entity.
- User interface changes and improvements.
- New quest download system added.
Notes:
Engine/Thruster Power Levels:
Baseline engine and thruster power levels have been increased by 50-100%. This is to help rebalance performance between ships and individual engine/thruster systems as well as increase agility overall for all ship types.
Radar Detection Ranges:
The default radar range has been increased from 10K to 25K. Likewise, the long range radar equipment item has had its range extended to 50K. As a result, hostile ship detection and attack distances have also been increased to match along with increased initial ship placements for combat contract waypoints. Radar range setting step values have also been increased from 2K intervals to 5K intervals.
Gas Giant Planet Environment:
The gas giant planet environment now renders cloud layers a bit softer to look more realistic and align with the overall darker/thicker environment.
Comets:
Comets have been added as a rare entity close to stars in a few systems. To enable this capability and retain multiplayer functionality, it has been added as a permanent element into the universe data set with calibrated orbital patterns (so they orbit their host star at close range in sector). They are functional for mining (with the added challenge of a moving target) and include collision systems for weapons and player ships. They contain high amounts of water (ice) and platinum with lessor quantities of diamonds. Their tails point away from their host stars as they fly in their orbits and the tails also have a subtle movement effect to them (much like the aurora effect on planets). When detected by nav sensors, they will appear with a new comet icon on the nav map and also include a nav point selection button in the local points of interest list.
Advanced Lighting:
Through a series of rewritten shaders along with newly coded lens flare, placement, and activity routines, a more advanced lighting system has been introduced that provides new effects such as a soft blue flickering light source for the mining/tractor beam (reflecting off asteroids, terrain, and other objects nearby) and improved particle cannon light flashes along with new lens flares and bright pulses/flashes for explosions. This new system more accurately applies variable illumination based on material/surface reflective properties defined in texture data as well as intensity and range variation. Changes and improvements to the lighting system also carry over into better reflection glowing from bioluminescent and lava sources on planets.
LinkApp Companion Display System:
The Evochron Legacy SE LinkAPP connects with an Android phone or tablet wirelessly (or by ethernet) over a local network to communicate with the game in order to display location, ship, and target details on the mobile device as an auxiliary display while playing the game. To use the app, first download the APK installer available here (consult your device's documentation on side loading apps): https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkitse/Evochron8-CompanionApp.apk
Place the APK installer on the mobile device you want to use with the game and launch the APK on the device to install it. Once the app is installed, you can enable the 'Activate LinkApp' option in-game in the Options > 3D Cockpit menu. Enabling the option will create a text file inside the game's save data folder (default location is '\Documents\EvochronLegacySE') named 'savedataapp.txt' and the first line contains the update rate with a value from 100 to 1000 (higher is possible, but not generally recommended). This value specifies how frequently the game will broadcast data to the mobile device in milliseconds. 200 is generally a good default value. You can optionally change the value if you want to try a different update rate. After launching the game from the main menu and once the game's startup sequence has finished, this green message will be displayed in the message log: '< Connection established for LinkApp >' That message indicates the game successfully started the network connection to link to the app and will include the current IP address and port number of the connection which you will need for the app to connect with. Once that's done and the game is running, you can launch the LinkApp on the mobile device. It will first prompt you to enter the IP address to connect to the game with. Enter the address and tap '[ OK ]'. If successful, the app will advance to the default 'Location' mode and begin displaying data transmitted from the game. You can tap 'Ship Status' for readouts about your ship or 'Target Details' for readouts about your current target. A few control options are also available.
Custom Cockpit Display System:
A new custom cockpit display system has been added which lets you add, place, scale, and rotate custom cockpit displays with information and/or images you choose to render on them. An example is now included with the newly revised cockpit viewer program that places a custom display on top of one of the original default displays in the civilian design. You can use that example as a template to create your own custom displays. Up to 9 individual displays can be added with up to 9 indicators or readouts each (digital/text or bar graphs). You can include custom static images on the base display structure for reminders, notes, or just eye candy. You can also use a custom static image as a background for frames and/or descriptions around readouts/indicators that are rendered on top. You can then add individual indicators using either digital/text readouts or bar graphs to display various values related to ship systems. Some bar graph options will display on or off indicators, so you can make alert or status lights with those (including individual custom images for the lights). Full position, scaling, and rotation options are available for both the base displays and their indicators. For digital/text indicators, you can also set the spacing between individual characters.
Instructions are included in the 'CustomDisplays.txt' configuration file included in the 'media\hud' folder in the sample file set with the cockpit viewing program (another copy is available in the 'hud' folder with the sample file set for the customizing kit). The revised cockpit viewing program is available here: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkitse/EvochronLegacySE-CockpitViewer.zip
User Interface Improvements:
Scroll bars have been updated to a clearer one color scroll range, further distinguishing them from any up or down buttons that may be nearby. Several scroll bars have also been moved to align better with their scroll range and buttons. A new inverse button highlight has been added for multiple menu modes to help visually distinguish a current mode from other available modes. Button frames and mouse over highlighting have also been updated to reduce color saturation and provide a more gradient look with softer tones. The editable currency indicator ('$' by default in lines 173 and 535 in 'text.dat') has now been added as a marker to most values displayed in the game for consistency. Some text lines have also been shortened for a little less clutter and to make room for including the new character. Menu frames have also been updated to provide finer lines and a little more space in some areas. Several menus also have revised button positions for improved alignment and accessibility.
Axis Inputs for Key/Button Controls:
You can now map axis inputs for key and button controls in the configuration menu. They will be displayed as 'A#' in the configuration menu where '#' indicates which axis channel has been mapped. When mapping, axis inputs must be moved by a default 50% of the range of their motion in either direction from center to provide an on/off signal to map a control to. This range value can be changed via a text file placed in the \media folder named 'axisbuttonrange.txt' and in the first line, enter the percentage of movement you want axis inputs to respond at (default 50). This new control addition also means that you may see new 'A#' values displayed in the key and button configuration menu when a control device is idle if any axis inputs are not centered (such as throttle or rotary controls). Any controls that are not centered when activating the mapping mode will be ignored for no interference when mapping buttons and keys. You can also bind either a positive or negative movement direction on an axis independently. Axis inputs bound to button control functions will display '+' or '-' after their respective axis channel number depending on the direction of movement from center. So binding positive movement of axis 1 to an input will show 'Device #, A1+' in the configuration menu. You can then optionally recenter the axis and bind the negative range of movement to a different control, if desired.
Terrain Rover:
An experimental terrain rover can now (very rarely) be available at some select planet-side locations. It operates much like a terrain walker in terms of equipment hardpoint loading and terrain-side activation, but is capable of relatively high speed with its built-in overdrive system that is engaged with the default space bar key. It has one powerful cannon mounted on the top of its roof that tracks where the driver looks (view control is done with the mouse) and has a powerful mining system equal to that of a walker. The rover has gravity and thruster stabilizers to reduce the chance of getting stuck and also an energy based suspension system that insulates against drops/impacts. It also includes shielding, four wheel steering, optional chase view, and a cargo bay. It's still considered an experimental technology with some quirks and one that only rarely shows up in the marketplace. It's also known to command an extremely high price.
Message and Menu Text Brightness:
The brightness of all in-game message and menu text can now be changed with a new custom file option named 'setfontbright.txt' placed in the '\media' folder. Simply create a file with that name in the '\media' folder and in the first line, indicate the multiplier for how bright you want the text to be. The default value is 1.0. So values above 1.0 will be brighter, below 1.0 will be darker.
Rail Cannon:
The new rail cannon is the only energy based weapon that can be installed on secondary weapon hardpoints. It requires all 8 secondary hardpoints (much like the Excalibur missile pack) as well as charging before firing its single round. The projectile is a condensed energy cell fired at extremely high velocity with a range of around 5K (before it burns out) through a technique similar to magnetic rail cannons, but instead uses fulcrum field emitters to provide the 'rail' acceleration. The condensed nature of the projectile combined with is ultra high speed produces an immense level of damage upon impact. However, after it fires, it needs to recharge for a rather long period of time before it can fire again. The rail cannon is also a highly volatile weapon. Once it enters the charging phase, it will need to be fired within about 10-15 seconds. Otherwise, the internals of the weapon will overheat and explode (an alarm will sound and caution alert on the HUD will flash when the weapon gets close to detonation). So when operating this weapon, you'll need to be certain that you are ready to charge and fire it before doing so.
Rocket Packs:
A new Rocket Pack weapon is available that provides a high damage, long range (5K), rapid fire, unguided, ultra high speed missile option. Rockets do not require a lock and must be aimed manually at targets, but travel at extremely high speed and inflict a high level of damage for their size. Each Rocket Pack contains 16 small rockets inside a pod and are fired in paired sequence. During the firing sequence, you will need to maintain a direct line of site to the target you are firing on, which may require maintaining your aim on a moving target until the weapon finishes firing all 16 rockets. The firing rate is faster than the Excalibur and the level of damage is much higher, but they must be aimed manually and are ammo limited. After firing each salvo of 16 rockets, the weapon is exhausted and the next secondary weapon in line will be armed. You can mount up to 8 packs with 16 rockets each for a total of 128 rockets on an 8-secondary hardpoint configuration. Rocket Packs are also relatively expensive, but can be an effective weapon for capital ship, station, and city strike attacks.
Torpedoes:
Torpedoes are long range high speed weapons with a high yield. They lack a guidance system and must be aimed manually, but are heavily armored and resistant to capital ship AMS (Anti-Missile System) beam cannons. They are less expensive than rockets (30-50%) and deliver their yield in one hit rather than dividing it up into a series of impacts.
Cockpit Joystick Animation Axis:
By default, the cockpit joystick will respond to yaw/turn input from a connected flight control device. You can now change this to respond to roll input instead by a new line available in the 'joystickthrottle.txt' custom file option (detailed in the customizing kit). The first 8 values specify the joystick and throttle structural positions and rotation multiplier as indicated in the customizing kit. A new 9th value is available which lets you specify the control input the left/right movement of the joystick will respond to. The default value is 0 for yaw/turn or enter 1 for roll.
Quest Download System:
The new quest download system (accessed via the 'Download' button in the quest menu) allows players to retrieve quests from the official SW3DG website. This way, quests can be installed either by placing the needed files manually or through the download option which will automatically install the files for them. There is currently only one quest available via download in index 5, but if more are added, they can also be accessed via this new menu option. Downloaded quest files are automatically routed to the save data folder for installation (the game can use either the '\media\Quests' folder inside the installation folder or the save data folder, the '\Documents\EvochronLegacy\quests' save data folder is checked first, then the '\media\Quests' folder). A protection system is in place for existing script files in the save data folder, so if you download new quests and still have old 'Quest#.txt' files left behind, the game will back up those files first before replacing them with the download versions. This way, if you create a quest of your own in an index that a downloadable quest also uses, your script file will be preserved with a '-bak#' label where '#' will be a number starting at 0 up to the number of backups made. You can optionally remove those backup script files if desired or clear out the '\quests' folder in the save data folder (if it exists) first, then download any available quest(s).
Player-To-Player Contract System Expanded:
You can now hire another player to destroy you in a wager through the multiplayer player-to-player contract system in the trade console. So you can bet them a number of credits to see if they can destroy you by setting it up in the trade console contract menu, then once they click on 'Accept', you will be linked to pay them if they destroy you. Other selectable objectives have also been improved to be more reliable under a variety of conditions. There are new dedicated hiring and hired modes for each player accessing the trade contract system. The first player to click on 'Arrange Contract' in the trade console is designated the 'hiring' player status. This gives them exclusive control over the contract parameters (objective, target/amount, and credits). The second player is designated the 'hired' player status, which gives them exclusive access to the 'Accept' button. This way, the 'hired' player can review the parameters selected by the 'hiring' player, then decide if they want to accept the contract not.
Save Game/Pilot Profile Importing:
The Vulkan version of the game utilizes a new save game template format designed to better accommodate the new development system. However, this does not mean old save games can't be loaded in this version of the game. I've included an automated conversion and importing system that will look for pilot profiles in the original format and then transfer them to the new folder location as well as update them for the new save template. When you launch the Vulkan version of the game for the first time, it will automatically look for pilot profiles in the original folder location (\Documents\EvochronLegacy). If it finds any, it will display a message about importing them and begin the process (a small progress indicator will also be displayed). It's important to allow that process to finish, even if it takes several minutes. The time it takes will vary depending on the performance of your system and how many pilot profiles it needs to convert. The updated pilot profiles will be saved in the new folder location (\Documents\EvochronLegacySE). The game will also copy over any engineering templates, flight logs, map logs, and ship templates it finds. Once finished, you should be able to access your original pilot profile(s) in the Vulkan version of the game. The original files will remain in their original location, so you can go back to the 'classic' DirectX version (via separate installation) of the game any time. Updated profiles are not backwards compatible with the original format, so be sure to back up any compatible versions you want to keep to use with whichever version of the game you play. Updated pilot profiles will contain the letters 'se' after their number in their filenames.
If you have specified a custom folder or want to later transfer over pilot profiles from the original DirectX version of the game over to the Vulkan version, you can simply create the 'EvochronLegacy' folder inside the '\Documents' folder if it doesn't already exist, then place the pilot profile(s) (pilot*.sw) you want to transfer in that folder. From there, locate the 'UpdateSE.sw' file in the new '\Documents\EvochronLegacySE' folder and either delete or rename the file. This will prompt the game to again look for original format pilot profiles to copy and convert. An important note about this process, the game will not override any pilot profiles that are already in the '\EvochronLegacySE' folder. So if you want to transfer an original pilot profile over to an existing index, you'll need to relocate or rename the pilot profile file that is in the index you want to update. For example, if you have a pilot profile from the DirectX version of the game named 'pilot1.sw' that you want to import into the Vulkan version of the game, but there is already a 'pilot1se.sw' file in the 'Documents\EvochronLegacySE' folder, rename the file in the 'Documents\EvochronLegacySE' folder to something like 'pilot1se-bak.sw' to back it up, then launch the game with the 'UpdateSE.sw' file removed from the same folder to prompt the game to convert the profile over from the original '\Documents\EvochronLegacy' folder to the same index.
Sandbox Mode:
The Sandbox Mode is a new separate gameplay mode capability allowing the player to quickly access locations, equipment, weapons, cargo, and credits by simply typing in commands with parameters within brackets in the message log. Options to destroy the current targeted ship, change the current contract's pay amount, and repair all hull and subsystem damage on the player's ship are also available. The sandbox mode is available in the 'Available Pilot Profiles' menu and manages its own separate set of save games dedicated to the sandbox mode. Simply select the 'Sandbox Mode Pilot Profiles' option next to the 'Standard Mode Pilot Profiles' option, then create a new profile and launch the game. Once in the game, press enter to open the message log's entry prompt and type in one of the commands listed (with parameters as required for the commands that need them), then press enter again. If the command and parameters are valid, the selected action will be performed. Here is a list of the available commands (this list is also provided in-game when opening the message log entry prompt):
For commands that involve cargo, equipment, and weapons, a list of available values is displayed for reference and color coded for each item category. Each selected item will automatically be routed to its compatible ship hardpoint. Any item can be placed in an available cargo bay. So you can also place equipment and weapons in your ship's cargo bays by using the 'cargo' command rather than the 'equipment' or 'weapon' commands. Equipment items will be added to the specified hardpoint/slot, overwriting an item if one is already in place and/or is of the same type. For example, you can install a Fulcrum Jump Drive C4 on a hardpoint if your ship has no jump drive or replace an existing jump drive with the C4 model if you specify the same hardpoint where a jump drive is already installed. Cannon weapons will overwrite their respective slots (slot number doesn't matter) while missiles will be applied in the specified slot. You can quickly transport your ship anywhere in the Evochron quadrant using the 'transport' command and specifying the SX, SY, and SZ sector coordinates, along with the X, Y, and Z in-sector coordinates. Just be carefull not to transport yourself into a planet, star, or moon. :) There is no fuel penalty when using the transport option in sandbox mode. Transporting is also confined to the Evochron quadrant (so values in the -5500 to +5500 SX and SZ range). The 'credit' command will add credits to your in-game total. You can add up to 100-million credits at a time up to 1-billion to effectively be able to buy, hire, or fleet recruit any time. The 'contractpay' command lets you alter the currently selected contract. You can change a contract's pay before you accept it while reviewing or after you accept it. As with the 'credits' option, you can increase the value up to 100-million credits. The 'destroyship' command will destroy the ship you currently have targeted. The 'repair' command will repair your ship's hull and subsystems. Multiplayer is still available in sandbox mode, but it requires the server to be set to accept sandbox mode profiles (so public standard mode multiplayer sessions are not available when using sandbox mode profiles). See the 'text8.dat' file included with the server program for details and once set to sandbox mode, you can connect to a sandbox mode server via direct IP.
___________________________________________________________________
> Note for 32-bit users:
Evochron Legacy SE is 64-bit. While 32-bit is not supported, there have been 2 or 3 players who have requested some form of x86/32-bit support, at least initially. So 32-bit files have been bundled with the Steam version in a folder named 'x86' inside the install folder (default location for Steam is \Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Evochron Legacy ). Direct download players can download them separately here: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/beta/EvochronLegacySE-x86.zip A ReadMe is included with the files for instructions, but in short, you simply need to extract the files into the game’s install folder, replacing 2 files and adding 1. From there, the game should launch in 32-bit mode. Be aware that this limits the accessible memory for the game. So if the detail settings you select or customizations you might install exceed what the 32-bit version is able to access, resulting in memory related issues ('vk' error messages or crashes to the desktop), you may need to turn down details or remove customizations to keep things in a reliable range.
While these files are available for the time being, it may not always be practical to keep two separate bit formats up to date or operational. So these are being provided in the meantime temporarily as the game will likely transition away from 32-bit entirely at some point. Driver and other third party support is being phased out for 32-bit anyway, so it's a good time to consider switching to 64-bit in the near future. For those interested, the 'classic' version of Evochron Legacy that uses DirectX will also continue unchanged in this regard and supports 32-bit. The installer for that version of the game is available on the official website at evochron.com
___________________________________________________________________
If you encounter any issues with this update, please send any bugs reports or feedback directly to me via e-mail ( starwraith.com > contact ) as that is linked to my checklist system I use to prepare for each work day. It helps me more easily manage pending code changes, test results, collect error logs/msinfo reports/screenshots, and contact info I can follow up with users directly for potential test builds to check personalized fixes and collect data on changes made for performance and compatibility.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0888b...
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0888...
- Jump drive animation sequence updated to retain view direction when using mouse, HAT, and key view controls.
- POV/HAT inputs now display corresponding green box highlight marker next to mapped control inputs when pressed in key/button configuration menu (aligns with button behavior).
- Added ability to set custom text character sizes for HUD secondary direction indicators and target direction indicator independently.
- 'Clear Key' option would often set key binding to 'Z' in key/button configuration menu, fixed.
- Planetary terrain processing and collision systems updated for improved performance.
- 'Screen Mode' setting moved to second line in Game Options menu, below 'Resolution'.
- 'Terrain Updates' setting added to provide adjustable processing levels (see notes).
- Axis specific deadzone values for horizontal and vertical view controls fixed.
- Zoom control rate in external view modes now scales with tracked ship size.
- Enemy missile contrails would sometimes not be rendered, fixed.
Notes:
Custom text character sizes can now be selected for secondary ship direction indicators and the target direction indicator independently of the global text character size value. Using the \hud\hudtext.txt file option detailed in the customizing instructions ( https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkit/readme.htm ), two new lines have been added to the end of the file to provide unique values for those readouts. Also, the new values can be set to '0' to remove them completely so any custom graphics for these indicators will be displayed with no text readouts. The second to last line specifies a unique size value for secondary direction indicators, the waypoint direction indicator, nav direction indicator, quest direction indicator, cargo box direction indicator, and asteroid direction indicators. The last line specifies a unique size value for the target direction indicator specifically. These new options will allow modification of these indicators separately from the global size value specified for the cockpit MFD's (the initial value in line six is now linked to the cockpit displays separately). If no custom values are specified in these lines, then the new values will default to the global MFD size value.
A 'Terrain Updates' setting has been added to the main Game Options menu as part of the retooling and rewriting of the planetary terrain system. This new option lets you directly control the amount of data processed during each frame cycle. Previously, there were four pretty static stages for each terrain section update, each requiring a sizeable operation for specific attributes until a terrain section was constructed. The new variable staging systems allow certain operations that previously required such large single stages with longer time requirements to be split up into separate operations across multiple passes. And they can do so dynamically by monitoring the time and then scaling the volume of operations to meet target performance goals for improved framerate levels and/or stability. So you can now adjust this setting to tune the staging systems to what your computer can handle. If your system is slower, the game will now automatically scale back how much data it processes per loop to try and keep the framerate as high and stable as feasible within the update setting you select. As before, you can also still reduce the traditional planetary terrain detail setting to lower the data overhead the game manages overall to help reduce any performance related issues further.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0878...
- Introduction of new optional 'Set Axis' throttle control mode designed for gamepads.
- Missile damage table updated for better overall alignment with heavy class military ships.
- Improvements to jump drive exit cycle to prevent view/direction mode changes and rendering anomalies.
- Improvements to sector transition systems to prevent missed station/city module state packets due to excessive loading/performance delays in multiplayer.
- Changes to planetary proximity systems to prevent rare potential for ship destruction at particular jump arrival points.
- Improvements to planet terrain detail staging to prevent occasional flickering at certain distances/angles.
- Improvements to IDS off/inertial physics behavior when near planets with thin/no atmospheres.
- Docking fees for IND faction players could potentially be higher than indicated, fixed.
- Minor UI improvements (alignments and click ranges).
Notes:
This update is primarily to fix the remaining known/reported issues. But it also introduces a new 'Set Axis' throttle control mode that allows an assigned throttle axis to control the set velocity level with an auto-centering stick axis input. This is to better accommodate throttle control on gamepad controllers with thumb sticks by allowing the player to push up on the stick to increase the set throttle level or down to decrease it (mapping is also still reversible as may be desired). Then when the player releases the thumb stick to its auto-centered position, the set throttle level will remain where the they set it. This is done with variable input control just as with the default mode, so moving the stick slightly will increase/decrease the set throttle level slightly while greater movements will adjust it faster. The new set axis mode also supports the deadzone adjustments so you can expand or contract the input response from center. Axis afterburner control and full range selection can also still be used with this new mode when enabled. To enable the new mode, check the box next to 'Set Axis' next to the throttle axis you've selected in the axis configuration menu.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0848...
- Smooth scrolling added to message log line removal sequence.
- Smooth scrollbars added to menu lists that were previously more staged.
- Added support for reverse afterburner with axis control input when full range throttle mode is active.
- Revised jump effect to render sequential warp tunnel animation during jump phase (rather than fade to white).
- Traffic control directives for gate entrances now optionally enforced via fines if player does not follow them (arrivals and departures).
- 'Enforce Docking Directives' option added to modify and create pilot profile menus to enable or disable new enforcement option (off by default).
- Cargo bay transfer/selling mechanisms changed to prevent player from discarding equipment or weapons by holding alt key down and then left clicking twice on the item in the cargo bay list while docked.
- Fix for issue that could cause strange physics behavior when variable forward/reverse inertial thruster control was used in conjunction with the IDS being turned off at low speed and at least two rotational control inputs applied.
- 'Station' button in nav console local points of interest selection menu now places nav point near station rather than directly inside it to provide time for following traffic control guidelines.
- 'Carrier' button in nav console local points of interest selection menu now also places nav point near carrier rather than directly inside it.
- 'Watch for traffic' and 'pattern is full' audio messages now play if a hangar gate entrance is blocked sufficiently to require a redirect of player.
- Sequential radio chatter system implemented for docking directives to play follow up message to player when redirect is required.
- Docking directive audio messages sent to player now given priority over all other radio communication (will override).
- Turning practice training stage updated to be more forgiving in precision (pitch limit increased from +/- 4 to 10 and more time added).
- Local points of interest list on nav console now lets player select locations in remote sectors once zoomed in on them.
- Minor fixes and some planned finishing touches for a few UI and code cleanup/efficiency elements.
- Text message now displayed in message log for traffic control gate entrance/exit directives.
- Docking pathway lights now align with directed docking entrance once directive is given.
- Improvements to radio chatter system to prevent interruptions and missed directives.
- Jump effect warp tunnel modification option expanded to support variable brightness.
Notes:
By request and to accommodate the new optional docking directive enforcement option, the 'Station' button on the local points of interest list ('Local Pts' on the left side of the nav console) will now place the nav point near the station in the direction the player is jumping from rather than directly inside it (similar to how the 'Planet' and 'Moon' buttons work). This way, the 'Station' button can be used to more easily arrive near the station with space left to navigate to the directed gate entrance announced upon arrival.
When docking directive enforcement is enabled, players will be fined for not following the radio directives broadcasted by the dockmaster. This is enforced for both arrivals and departures. Text messages of docking directives are also now displayed in the message log for additional reference and the docking pathway lights will also line up with the directed entrance for visual reference (will do so once the directive is announced). Such fines will only apply if the player has a certain minimum level of credits. Docking directives and potential fines are focused on AI traffic patterns in relation to the player. This is also true in multiplayer, so players can fly together and handle their own formations and docking patterns.
The local points of interest list has been further updated to provide selecting nav points to detectable object locations in other sectors, rather than only the sector that the player is currently in. So in effect, the list can be localized to any sector in range for jump/nav point selection to specific objects in space without requiring right clicking. The list will update for a selected remote sector as soon as the player zooms in on it. This also means that the player can select 'safer' jump points near planets, moons, and stations remotely as well as in the immediate sector. As result, the player won't have to jump to an empty area of space before using the local points list to plot a second jump point at a safe location next to a planet, moon, or station in a different sector. Only one jump is now needed, even for remote sectors.
The new jump effect provides a more persistent visual presentation during the jump process. Rather than the fade out to white with the screen freezing entirely for several seconds, that time is now handled with the jump tunnel continuing to spiral/animate. The faster the system, the smoother the animation will play as some loading operations force brief hesitations at various points, so it can't be completely smooth and may have more pronounced staging/pausing on slower systems. But the new system should provide a better overall effect than a frozen screen. Longer distance jumps will provide longer animation sequences. The 'hidefade.txt' modification option is still available with this new rendering approach, but the effect is slightly different in that the warp tunnel will fade out to black as before, but a subtle streaking star effect will still be visible during the jump process. To remove all tunnel effects, the 'ships\warpparticles.png' custom image option can be utilized to import a completely blank texture as desired. The image option can also be used to apply a unique visual tunnel effect with a separate dedicated texture surface (without the spiraling tunnel during the later stages of the jump cycle). For anyone interested in using the original fade to white effect, a value of '2' can be used in the first line. A new option has also been added to the 'hidefade.txt' option that allows for variable brightness of the warp tunnel effect. Add or edit the second line to include a percentage of how bright to render the effect. The default value is 70.
By request, reverse afterburner capability has been added for axis control input when the full range throttle mode and axis afterburner mode are both active. This option will be enabled automatically when the full range throttle mode is enabled via the checkbox in the axis configuration menu or when it is enabled manually (default right shift key). The bottom 10% or so of the throttle axis range will then engage the afterburner in reverse while above the top 90% will engage the forward afterburner as before. Also by request, forward and reverse afterburner control will both remain active for the throttle axis even when the IDS is turned off. This way, the afterburner is accessible at all times in both directions in any inertial mode on the throttle axis control. This includes the throttle axis also being mapped for forward/reverse inertial thruster control.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0828...
- 'Map Modes' heading in navigation console changed to 'Map Displays' for clarity.
- Performance improvements associated with planetary terrain generation and placement.
- Shader effect that could potentially cause a tiling mismatch at lower terrain detail settings fixed.
- By request, fuel recovery near stars with a converter is now variable, providing a higher rate of fuel recovery the closer the player is to a star.
- New low sample rate rendering option added to the reflection system for the 'High' Effects Detail setting.
- Mining focal point expanded to support a larger material recovery field for very small asteroids.
- Docking indicators on compass updated for alignment with center-line docking angles.
- Mining beam focal point between cockpit view and external views better calibrated.
- Instructions updated to include information about medals/achievements.
- 'High' Effects Detail setting now default for a new installation.
- 'High' Shadow Detail setting now default for a new installation.
Notes:
The 'free fuel' option with the fuel converter has been expanded in this update to provide a faster potential recovery rate based on proximity to a star. Compared to the old rate, up to over 500% more fuel can be recovered in the same timeframe at close range (about 10-12K) or around 200-400% more at a greater distance (about 15-20K).
The 'High' Effects Detail setting now includes the new reflection effects at a lower sampling rate. This should allow slower systems to render the effects with significantly better performance when the 'High' setting is selected. The 'High' setting is also now the default value for a new installation of the game (when the 'sw.cfg' settings file doesn't already exist). Likewise, the new default value for Shadow Detail is also now 'High'.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0818...
- By request, mouse wheel now controls SY sector level in Navigation console Slide Mode.
- 'Center' button in Navigation console can now center to selected nav point if it is outside the current sector.
- Specialized mining beams now report/behave the same when installed on a terrain walker as when installed on a spacecraft.
- Optional single key and button control support for maximum energy bias selection added.
- 'Control Type' in Options menu renamed to 'Flight Control Type' for clarity.
- Option to select a custom level of plants in single player added.
- Improvements to reflection rendering system.
- Minor fixes for navigation console systems.
Notes:
By request, an option to select a level of plants on planets that have them in single player is available via a custom file option (plantsettings.txt). The file needs to be created and placed in the game's install folder and the first line tells the game how many plant entity indexes to include for each primary placement zone. The value specified in this file will override any settings selected in the Options menu (default values range from 8 to 24 for Low, Medium, and High/Very High terrain detail settings), so you can control plant count independently with this option. Available range is 4-200. There can be a significant performance impact for higher values.
The 'Center' button in the navigation console can now center the map to the selected nav point when clicked. This option will let you reset the map to the nav point even if it is far away without having to manually reselect sector coordinate locations on the quadrant map to find it again. If the map is already centered on the nav point, then clicking the button again will center the map back to your ship's current sector location. This way, you can also toggle between the two locations.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0808...
- Revised optional terrain shaders for added detail on planet surfaces.
- Green circle added to nav map around in-sector planets to indicate safe jump zone.
- Introduction/title sequence updated for more consistent timing/pace on a wider range of system configurations.
- 'Select Mode' indicator added to HUD when mouse flight control mode is disabled and ALT/select mode is enabled.
- Ability to set custom axis and button inputs to control the mouse pointer added to the Menu/Console Control options.
- Station command module hangars now have dedicated shield arrays for each entrance and placement moved to outer edge.
- Upper menu bar on HUD revised to include text labels on available buttons, reduce visual clutter, and display simplified icons.
- Global flight lead transfer system implemented, allowing the flight lead role to automatically transfer to another player if first was destroyed.
- Mining system could occasionally place material recovered from a planet in a new cargo bay rather than combining with existing matching materials, now fixed.
- Plant sample recovery and item lost on planet surface contract acceptance now permitted if player has terrain walker installed (no longer requires mining/tractor beam to be installed on ship).
- Contrast for Game Options, Axis Configuration, Key/Button Configuration, Training, and other menus increased for sharper appearance and improved visibility for buttons, sliders, and text.
- Navigation map system revised to fully incorporate 3D structures in rendering for improved icon alignment, rendering of map log locations, and small object signals (probes and sensor arrays) in the 3D mode.
- 'Right Click to Set Nav Marker at Position' notification now displayed whenever a detected object is highlighted on the navigation map with the mouse pointer.
- New optional reflection/environment mapping effects applied to cockpits, ships, stations, and cities when 'Effects Detail' is set to 'Very High'.
- 3D/DIR radar display accent graphics simplified and spaced further away from center for improved clarity and sphere edge legibility.
- Console menus revised to better align with upper HUD menu bar in style and appearance, reduce visual clutter, and improve clarity.
- UI text coloring updated to better distinguish between clickable button options and displays/readouts (blue vs other colors).
- Work around for 'Error 3002' that could occur on systems with damaged, missing, or altered default Windows audio codecs.
- Option to set the Y position location in Navigation console by holding the Alt key and scrolling the mouse wheel added.
- Click ranges updated on upper HUD menu bar for improved calibration along with resized highlight indicators to match.
- Improvements to AI behavior when hired as ships in single player and player faction is later changed to independent.
- By player request, contract linking in multiplayer now requires manual acceptance (default F4 key) to activate link.
- Improvements to secondary city docking point placement and activation systems when built near a planet's main trade city.
- On rare occasion, a locked target's status display object could leave behind another floating structure, now fixed.
- Improvements to handling contract cancelling between flight lead player and linked players (objective alignment).
- HUD shield array indicators moved to inside gunsight ring and now also change size based on status (HUD mode 2).
- 3D map mode now supports setting the X, Y, and Z coordinate positions, allowing nav point selection in full 3D.
- New placement indicator and directional lines added to 3D map mode for nav point visual placement reference.
- Cockpit lights and background displays can now flicker when ship's hull is hit directly by weapon fire.
- Navigation map grid background revised for a simpler appearance and improved icon visibility/contrast.
- Performance improved for initial heightmap data loading system when travelling from sector to sector.
- Improvements to multiplayer movement prediction and formation systems for low framerate conditions.
- Eagle civilian frame updated to correct small section on hull that lacked complete normal mapping.
- Several new images for 'tips' to better align with recent UI/console and other graphics changes.
- Option to map a custom dedicated key or button to toggle mouse flight/selection control added.
- New frame timing system to help reduce possible flickering in VR on lower performance systems.
- Training and instructions updated to accommodate UI, console, and control option changes.
- Various structures resized slightly to better accommodate overall VR environment scaling.
- Most navigation map icons updated for higher resolution and improved scaling/visibility.
- Added ability to scale cockpit structure and holographic displays for VR (vrsetup.txt).
- Improved navigation map animation when scrolling using directional arrows and zooming.
- Directional marker rings added to 3D radar sphere for improved orientation reference.
- 'Zoom Map' button renamed to 'Enlarge Map' to distinguish from other zoom options.
- Most wireframe hologram icons/graphics replaced with solid transparent versions.
- Subtle brackets added to highlight gunsight readout bar graphs in HUD mode 2.
- Default save data folder location moved to \Documents\EvochronLegacy.
- Both HUD gunsights revised for a more simple single 'ring' look.
- Updated target missile lock indicators for stronger visual cue.
- Ship targeting indicators revised to reduce visual clutter.
- Increased visible rain in weather effects.
- OCRS now enables only in HUD mode 2.
Notes:
This update introduces several significant additions/advances to certain graphics elements of the game designed to work with the recently added 'Very High' detail mode and overall expanded range of available settings in the 'Effects Detail' and 'Terrain Detail' options. As a result, some players may want to change detail settings to different levels after installing this update in order to return to desired performance levels. And to accommodate that transition, the original shaders, techniques, and detail levels have been preserved in this update to provide the option for restoring the older graphics systems/modes as may be desired. The older systems have just been moved to different detail settings in the Options menu. Also, the default settings the game applies the first time it is installed and launched are the same as before to keep the same performance, leaving the higher settings optional for players with higher performance systems. The system requirements remain the same, there are now just higher limits to the upper detail settings for more powerful systems. And as such, there is now a wider range of available setting options ranging from what was available before to what are now higher levels of details/effects.
The new optional terrain shaders now provide significantly more texture detail in higher modes, particularly at closer distances. There can be a performance impact to render the added detail, so for those running the game on older/slower systems that may have difficulty with the added shader instructions, the 'Low' and 'Medium' detail modes will provide the original shader system that removes the new detail effects for the same level of performance as before. 'Low' is equivalent to the original 'Low'/'Medium' texture detail level and 'Medium' is equivalent to the original 'High'/'Very High' texture detail level. The new 'High' and 'Very High' detail settings now apply the new terrain shader system at different detail levels. Also, for multiplayer the game will retain the shader mode you select with the 'Terrain Detail' level and will only adjust the mesh detail aspect of the setting when connecting to a server with a different setting. So if you select the new shader mode with either the 'High' or 'Very High' level, the game will keep that while you play and simply adjust the mesh detail to match so all players in the game will have the same terrain structures. And if you select the original shader mode with either the 'Low' or 'Medium' level, that shader mode too will be kept and only the mesh detail adjusted to align terrain structures for players.
The goals of the HUD and user interface changes/additions are primarily to reduce visual 'noise', increase visible contrast for buttons/highlighting, provide improved distinction for active modes/options in relation to other buttons, simplify selection, and add labels to previously unlabeled options. Overall, the changes are designed to provide a cleaner and simpler presentation both visually and functionally.
The 3D map mode now supports selecting the X, Y, and Z coordinate positions, which allows the player to move the map around to gauge the selected nav point in reference to other objects in the sector. This can be done in place of using the regular 2D flip map mode or in addition to it whenever the player might want to view the space around the selected nav point in 3D.
The range of available effects has been expanded for the 'Effects Detail' option. Players can now set it to 'Low' to disable additional effects for added performance or 'Very High' to enabled new effects not previously available. 'Low' will now also disable dynamic cube mapping for planetary water and 'Very High' will enable new reflection/environment mapping and lighting effects. You can still optionally enable or disable the cube mapping for water effects in an external configuration file, so if you've specified a value it will still apply regardless of the effects detail level so you can still control the setting independently, if desired. The performance requirement for the 'Very High' detail setting can be significant, especially on older/slower systems, so it is recommended for players using more powerful systems capable of handling the additional camera renders, memory overhead, and shader instructions. The new reflection effects can also be modified via the specular.txt file option, details available in the updated customizing kit. For those interested in retaining the original rendering system and/or level of performance, the 'Effects Detail' can be set to 'High' rather than 'Very High' and the original system will be used instead of the new one.
A page is available on the game's official website that provides a few comparison images and work-in-progress videos to show some of the changes and improvements: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/uiconsoles.htm
The revisions to the experimental VR system include some scaling adjustments/alignments along with optional cockpit scaling and minimum camera range setting. For cockpit scaling, the value should generally be high enough to avoid clipping at close range (ie 0.8 ), but can be adjusted in conjunction with the minimum camera range setting (default value is 1.0) for a wider array of available sizes. As a result of the scaling changes, the new default values for 'EyeDistanc' and 'HeadMScale' are now 2.0, so any vrsetup.txt file that may be in place will need these values changed to align with the new defaults (you can continue to use old values, such as 3.4, the cockpit and other structures may just appear smaller than before). A new default value has also been applied for the VRFrameTimer option. It is now set to 0 to activate the new dynamic timing system that should help reduce/eliminate possible flickering on lower performance systems. You can optionally still select a value above 0 to apply a static time delay value if you find one that works best overall with your system configuration. The download link for the latest current sample vrsetup.txt file is available here: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkit/vrsetup.txt
By request, contracts in multiplayer now require players to accept the link rather than automatically being linked in. This way, a player accepting a contract won't automatically be subject to other players of the same faction doing other things in the same sector that could effect their current activity. Once a player accepts a contract, it is locked in and only players who are of the same faction and in the same sector who accept the link within about 10 seconds (using the trade link key or button) will join the player who accepted the contract. Otherwise, the accepting player will be able to complete the objective on their own and no other contract links can be accepted or interfere with the original player in the same sector until they cancel or finish the objective. If one or more players misses the opportunity to link into a contract, the player who accepted it can immediately cancel it before departing the station/hangar, then reselect it from the list. The contract will not be lost in the queue and is kept/preserved for reselecting as needed without penalty. To retain previous functionality, an option to automatically link in to allied contracts in the same sector is also available in the contract selection menu (docked or undocked). Simply click on 'Auto-Link To Local Contracts' to enable.
The new global flight lead transfer system now allows a multiplayer contract with multiple players to continue without failing it for all linked players even if the flight lead player is destroyed. The multiplayer system will automatically transfer flight lead authority to the next player in the linked group so that the objective can still be completed. At least one player must survive until the objective is finished or cancelled for payment to be received and only the surviving player(s) will receive the payment upon completion. If an objective can no longer be completed after the flight lead has been destroyed (because that player had the required equipment, material, or location), then the contract will need to be manually cancelled by the other player(s) or if possible, completed by another player acquiring or meeting the requirements with the contract still active.
The default save data folder location has been moved to \Documents\EvochronLegacy (user folder location being \Users\[username]\Documents\EvochronLegacy). The game will create the new folder and copy any save game, template, and setting files from the original \sw3dg\EvochronLegacy folder to the new location the next time you start the game (you can keep the old files in place as an original backup or move/remove them as desired). This change doesn't impact install folder locations and files, so any custom files/folders in the install folder will remain and continue to function as before. This change is only for the save data folder where save games, engineering templates, ship templates, and game settings are kept. If you'd like to retain the original save data folder location, you can place this file in the game's install folder (right click on this link to Save As): https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkit/savedir.txt (and if needed, replace the 'c:' in the file with the letter drive for the existing location of the \sw3dg\EvochronLegacy folder) Also, the game will default to the original \sw3dg\EvochronLegacy folder location if the new location can't be created or found for some reason.
The ability to set custom axis and button inputs to control the mouse pointer has been added to the Menu/Console Control options. You no longer need to edit the external text file to select custom values for these options, you can simply select them directly in the menu and then test them while the game is running. Simply click on the menu option to change the assigned axis or button input. Left click will increase the selected axis or button, right click will decrease the selected axis or button. Options to invert the axis input are also available as is the option to change the assigned device. This way, you can quickly select a custom input profile for whatever device you might want to use to control the mouse pointer in menus or consoles.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0788...
- Civilian ship textures updated for more vivid coloring.
- Asteroid normal mapping updated for improved detail and light response.
- Shaders adjusted to reduce upper contrast levels under bright light conditions.
- 'Very High' option added for Effects Detail to expand available/selectable range.
- 'Very High' option added for Terrain Detail to provide optional higher texture detail for planets.
- 'Very High' texture detail mode added to provide double detail level above 'High' for certain objects.
- OCRS now automatically deactivates when any console is open and also automatically activates when console is closed.
- Internal client value bypass system added for rare angle lock condition (provides improved rotational behavior at certain angles).
- New distant object rendering system added to provide colored points of light for in-system objects when they are far away.
- Windshield blast shield lighting updated to retain consistent illumination level during entire startup procedure.
- Quest and waypoint radar blips sometimes appearing outside of central radar display frame in mode 2 fixed.
- Slight delay added to player-to-player linked jump system in multiplayer for improved arrival alignment.
- 'Rename Pilot' option in Pilot Manager changed to 'Modify Pilot' to better indicate additional options.
- Revised high speed planet entry burning effect added, including ability to apply to multiple ships.
- Indicated FVL velocity of target would sometimes mismatch by a small margin in multiplayer, fixed.
- Revised multiplayer object interpolation and prediction system implemented for smoother movement.
- Object targeting system would sometimes auto-bypass if a ship wasn't nearby in range, now fixed.
- Hull atmospheric descent flaring now displays only when hull is directly effected by friction.
- Experimental VR system updated for improved movement response performance and reduced judder.
- Atmospheric friction hull damage level that applies once shields are critical reduced by 50%.
- Move option added when the borderless reduced windowed mode is active (via swscreen.txt).
- Smooth rotation system added for panning orbit camera controls in external view modes.
- Improvements to gun turret speed offset system applied to particle cannon shots.
- Multiplayer text chat color option for blue tones updated for higher blue level.
- Improvements to AI ship affiliation distribution when arriving in new systems.
- Field of view and aspect ratio sliders added to Resolution drop down menu.
- 3D server program updated to accommodate required display module changes.
- Improvements to autopilot waypoint proximity based velocity selection.
- Subtle particle/streak effect added to jump drive sequence.
- Minor fixes.
Notes:
The new 'Very High' texture detail mode provides double the texture resolution of the 'High' mode for flyable civilian and military ships, asteroids, and the interior hangar/docking collar. The additional memory requirement is significant for this mode, so a video card with at least 2GB of dedicated video memory is advised for this option. The additional texture content increases the download size and install size by about 40-50 MB. For anyone developing custom texture files for the game, new 'veryhigh' texture filename indexes have also been added for the new optional detail level (in addition to the original 'low', 'medium', and 'high' levels). You can copy any 'high' texture file sets to include 'veryhigh' files to keep the maximum detail level the same when players switch to the 'Very High' texture detail mode, or optionally provide textures at a higher detail level. More details are available in the revised customizing kit.
To facilitate higher speed atmospheric dogfighting and travel, the damage level of atmospheric friction has been reduced by about 50%. This allows for significantly faster travel speeds in thicker atmosphere (ie lower altitude) conditions, allowing players who have been interested in dogfighting each other (particularly on private servers and LAN) to fly faster for evasion and wider turns. Other gameplay modes can also benefit from the faster travel speeds for quicker descents and escape. Short bursts of speeds up to 4000 or more can be achieved with energy shifted to shields and careful array augmenting.
When the borderless reduced windowed mode is activated with the swscreen.txt option, an icon ('+' symbol) will appear in-game in the upper right corner of the screen when the Alt key is held down. Click and hold on the icon with the mouse pointer to move the game's window frame around on the screen. This option, much like the reduced window mode itself, is somewhat experimental, but should be able to provide a way to move the game's window around while it is running on most system configurations.
You can now adjust the field of view and aspect ratio from within the game via the new sliders that appear at the bottom of the Resolution drop down menu. You can optionally reset the sliders to default value by right clicking on the slider bar for the option you want to reset.
The 3D (GPU enabled) server program has been updated to align with required changes to the display module for various VR and related functions. This will allow the 3D server program to run at the same time as the client on the same system, for those interested in running it that way. The old version of the 3D server program will cause the client to display an error message when attempting to launch it, but only if run on the same system at the same time. No changes have been made to the 2D server program as the updates were only necessary for the GPU enabled version. As with any server update, if you install this version, be sure to back up your text8.dat, factionmap.txt, and universemulti.txt files before installing it to retain your server settings, territory map status, and build modules.
The experimental/unsupported VR system has received revisions in attempts to improve movement response and also reduce judder. However, the framerate rendering performance is still very much system dependent. Evochron does not automatically reduce detail levels when the VR system is active. So if you select 'High' or 'Very High' settings, they will apply the same in VR as they do in standard display modes. If added performance is desired, simply change detail levels manually to try and achieve the level of framerate you prefer with the level of performance your system can deliver. That said though, the changes in this update should dramatically improve the VR experience in the game. Also, the vrsetup.txt file option for custom settings has been updated, here is the download link to the latest current sample file with the required options: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkit/vrsetup.txt
A smoother rotation system has been added for orbit panning camera controls in external view modes that utilize those options. This helps soften the start and stop movement of those camera controls. The tapering level can also be customized via an external text file (create a file named 'vieworbitrate.txt' in the install folder and enter a value in the first line). The default rotation rate level is 0.1.
The new distant object rendering system will render points of light out in the distance for planets, moons, nebula clouds, and stars that are close enough to be in the same system, but far enough away to not be rendered by the primary entity system. The distant object system will take over when objects reach that distance so there is still a visual cue among the background stars that an object is there even when it is several sectors away. And they are also rendered with a more pronounced glow effect to help make them a little more obvious. The coloring for each point will match the reflective/atmospheric properties of the object (such as planets) or the emissive properties of the object (such as stars). Even though you will now be able to see these objects at much greater distance, as the pilot, you'll still need to learn how to distinguish what is a fairly nearby planet or star object versus something that is much farther out in the background (likely much larger) and is fixed/static rather than a closer entity being rendered by the new system. One way to gauge this is to observe if/how a point of light moves or doesn't move when you move since at some distances and angles, their appearance can line up pretty closely with other points in the background. So learning to distinguish between such points can be a useful thing to practice.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0728...
- Flight control system updated to provide improved key/button rotation control during active jump drive sequences.
- Set velocity level system updated to remain at selected value when engine damage occurs while using a non-axis (mouse or keyboard) flight control.
- AI ships will now usually no longer hover near city docking ports for delayed docking or waiting, they will now generally dock immediately with no holding patterns.
- Planetary atmospheric density calculation updated to provide more accurate/consistent gravitational pull levels across various speed ranges that are subject to lift offset by ship.
- Under some conditions, recovering cargo from a container with multiple materials could result in lost or mismatched sorted/counted units left behind, now fixed.
- By request, selected firing mode now retains particle weapon setting above maximum particle cannon velocity (no longer defaults to beam).
- Terrain walkers piloted by other players in multiplayer could appear misaligned on the surface of moons, now fixed.
- GPU enabled version of server program updated to provide option to disable menu controls (Alt-C once connected).
- Planet ring particles could sometimes be left behind in view at certain departure angles, now fixed.
- Debris explosion system updated to better account for timer limitation issues on some systems.
- Improved terrain walker Heads-Up-Display reaction and recovery behavior to EMP missiles.
- Inbound missile pointer indicators on HUD better aligned with gunsight 3D spacing.
- Improved lightning effect in planet atmospheres, gas giants, and nebula clouds.
- Improvements to missile contrail behavior with offset movement system.
- Optional control profile added for Thrustmaster T.16000M joystick.
- Custom radio chatter volume option added to customizing options.
- Improved blip indicator alignment in 2D overhead radar mode.
- Faster mixed material/quantity recovery from containers.
- Radio chatter frequency and volume reduced.
Notes:
As with any server update, if you install the updated version, be sure to back up your text8.dat, factionmap.txt, and universemulti.txt files before installing it to retain your server settings, territory map status, and build modules since the installer will restore default files.
A new custom radio chatter volume option has been added to the customizing options. To set a custom volume level for radio chatter, create a file named 'chattervolume.txt' in the game's install folder and in the first line, enter the volume offset factor you want. The default volume level is a factor of 0.35. The volume level factor will be multiplied by the global volume level set in the game. So if you set the in-game volume level to 100%, radio chatter will play at 35% volume by default or at the level you select in the file. Set to 1.0 for 100% volume or you can silence radio chatter by setting the value to 0. The radio chatter volume level will not impact the radio directives sent directly to the player by the station's dockmaster nor radio communication to the player from other ships. Only traffic/docking chatter to/from other ships and other general chatter sequences are effected.
Four training videos are also now available on YouTube, here are links to each:
Navigation Console: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJK85clxFhQ
Build Console: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IdWHDf-5Nc
Ship Control and Physics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcrX8MFGmWc
Space Combat, Weapon Systems, and Target Tracking Systems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd7VdKMVEGM