Evochron Legacy
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0718...
- Damage state system added for installed equipment (see notes).
- Quadrant location icon no longer remains visible in 3D and slide map modes.
- Ability to use the ship formation system to approach targeted objects added.
- Contracts enabled for ALC/FDN players at IND cities when no station is present in the sector.
- Set speed selection for autopilot formation system updated for smoother behavior at closer ranges.
- Optional OCRS (Off-Center Readout System) added to HUD for off-center pilot rotations/views (see notes).
- Axis precision for Mouse Look mode can now to scale up to the current display resolution for smoother control.
- Engine damage now impacts its percentage of operational functionality based on damage level, rather than only set speed.
- New contract type added for players with installed repair beams to provide on site repairs of stranded ships with heavy damage.
- Minor fixes and improvements to the recent contract acceptance and management system for opposing factions in the same sector.
- Reinforcements can now be placed at waypoints in disputed regions upon arrival (rather than delayed) for larger scale battles.
- Waypoint marker now renders on terrain walker HUD if another player accepts a contract and/or if player transfers from ship to terrain walker.
- In high econ/tech systems (above about 85), AI ships can now use high end missiles, including disruptors and Leech EMP.
- Initial planet and city inventory configurations/updates better linked to latest regional econ/tech levels.
- Improvements to AI decision making in combat, particularly when/where engaging capital ships with weapons.
- Hostile ships destroyed count notifications added to message log for player-to-player arranged contracts.
- Military contracts in war zones from carriers now better aligned with parameters for station contracts.
- Improved contract pool updates for combat objectives in multiplayer when station conditions change.
- Contract pay value for patrol objectives increased from 50% to 110% for each additional waypoint.
- Improved synchronizing between players for intercept meteor and destroy asteroid contracts.
- Residual MDTS lock state that could occur when switching views now disables as expected.
- Minor visual artifacts that could occur with mining/repair beams on other ships fixed.
- Waypoint total now included with each 'objectives completed' message log notification.
- Attack smuggler contract now more likely in systems supporting the objective type.
- Asteroid cave detail texture aligned with new structure also applied to moons.
- MDTS tracking behavior improved for smoother indicator movement.
- Effective range of repair beam increased to about 180 meters.
- Minor UI click range improvements.
Notes:
By request, installed equipment items can now be damaged in battle, rather than only having the potential of being destroyed. They can now also be repaired at a station or by a repair system (if undamaged itself), much like the subsystems on the ship. If an equipment item is damaged, it won't be able to function (a 'not installed' message will appear when trying to activate an equipment device that requires manual control), but it can still be restored through repair. Previously, there was only a chance of it being destroyed, which required replacing it. There is still a chance of equipment items being destroyed, but it is now much more likely that they will initially just be damaged with the possibility of repair. Damaged equipment items will be considered repairable, but not sellable or useable. So you won't be able to sell, store or transfer a damaged equipment item until it is repaired. Likewise, all equipment items will be sold to the player undamaged.
A dedicated OCRS (Off-Center Readout System) has been added to the helmet visor HUD system. The OCRS will display your ship's velocity (all six readouts), hull damage status, weapon energy status, compass heading, and pitch any time your head rotation is beyond about 30 degrees yaw or 20 degrees pitch from center. With this new system, you can look around (including rear and above camera views) and remain aware of the various readouts that would otherwise only be available when you look directly forward. The only conditions for this system are that the OCRS mode is enabled and the HUD must be turned on. You can optionally turn the system off and on using the new default Alt-H key combination.
Reinforcements can now be present at a waypoint in disputed regions upon arrival. Previously, they could arrive, but would often be delayed. Allowing reinforcements to join in at the beginning of a battle allows for larger scale battles involving more ships of each faction type. This also provides a little more balanced gameplay in regions where such conditions should apply. The same difficulty conditions will still apply in regions where the opposing faction has majority control.
If the engine subsystem sustains damage, it will now operate intermittently based on the percentage of damage, rather than only impacting the available set speed range. This is a fairly significant change to the damage state behavior, but one that provides a more realistic sense of engine damage rather than just linearly capping set speed.
Edit: Quick update to fix a reported bug, version number changed to 1.0718.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0578...
- Target pointer moved to outer gunsight rim.
- Moon texturing updated for improve detail.
- Dedicated texture set added for Earth's moon.
- Particle cannon impact effects added for moon surfaces.
- Ability to enable terrain walker on the surface of moons added by player request.
- Mining options on moons significantly expanded for more variety and abundance of materials.
- Target pointer textures updated and default scaling set to 110 to accommodate new pointer location.
- Improved AI targeting for station weapon turrets and ships firing missiles at players with an active gun turret.
- Improved AI behavior when IND players are close to ALC and/or FDN players/ships to eliminate unprovoked attacks.
- In gun turret mode, target hull and shield status will now only be displayed when in range to avoid incorrect values.
- Drop down menu option added to control device selection system (top middle of axis and key/button configuration menus).
- 'AUTOLEVEL' text indicator added to HUD to let player know when the flight control computer is actively levelling the ship automatically (over terrain, water, etc).
- Contract restriction system that would prevent players of opposing factions from accepting in-sector contracts removed by request.
- Mouse wheel zoom, right click snap zoom, and left click nav point selection options for offset SY sector locations expanded.
- Allied player ship blips on nav map could occasionally be duplicated (spanning two locations) in multiplayer, fixed.
- Improved trade link activation if two players send trade link request at about the same time in multiplayer.
- Sensor and ship blips on nav map better aligned with 3D map structure and its object icon placement system.
- Drop down menus added to Global Deadzone setting options (for both joystick/gamepad and mouse modes).
- Axis configuration menu restructured in various places for improved spacing and mouse click ranges.
- Improvements to physics and collisions for conflicting gravity fields between stars and moons.
- Exhaust flares would remain when autopilot reached max cruise speed, now correctly disable.
- Both cockpits updated to adjust seats so headrests are better aligned with pilot viewpoint.
- New customizing options added for the AVL (Absolute Velocity Level) indicator (see notes).
- Inventory console no longer shows lowest sell price for cannons when one isn't loaded.
- Selected sector location indicator added to nav console in nav map mode (lower left).
- New option for global custom values added for civilian engine types (see notes).
- Server programs updated to allow for twice the packet update rate (see notes).
- Ship pathway tracking indicators added to ship's Heads-Up-Display (see notes).
- Improved update performance for AI ships in multiplayer for smoother movement.
- Target range and faction indicators added to gun turret's Heads-Up-Display.
- Faster initial loading of save game list for Pilot Manager menu.
- Performance improvements for high station/city module levels.
- Performance improvements for close proximity to planets.
Notes:
The tapering and alignment cap values for the AVL indicator can now be customized. Use a filename 'avlsettings.txt' created and placed in the game's install folder and use line one for the tapering value (default value is 10.0) and line two for the alignment cap (default value is 0.0018). This can change the behavior of the AVL indicator to be less responsive so it is less prone to momentary variations by making the indicator slower to respond to rapid changes in distance over time measurements, which can better accommodate possible significant intermittent performance fluctuations on some systems.
Pathway tracking indicators have been added to the Heads-Up-Display in mode 2. These indicators provide short term tracking of a ship's direction and speed to provide pilots with a better visual reference for the movement of ships around them. The new indicators are optional and can also be changed. By default the indicators will be enabled, you can deactivate them in the Options > 3D Cockpit selection menu by unchecking the box next to 'HUD Ship Pathways'. The setting for these indicators is kept in a file named hudpathways.txt in the save data folder and it will be created the next time you launch the game after installing this update. After the file has been created by the game, you can also optionally open the hudpathways.txt file in the save data folder to change the zdepth mode of the indicators. Mode 0 will not render the indicators at all, mode 1 will render the indicators with zdepth at distance, and mode 2 will render the indicators without zdepth consideration (making them visible through cockpit structures as with other HUD indicators, mode 2 is the default mode). The second line in the file will set the scale factor in case you want to make the indicators larger or smaller (1.0 is the default value). You can also optionally change the textures used for the indicators, see the customizing kit for details.
A new system has been added for custom engine outlet placement values for civilian spacecraft. The filename is 'enginesciv.txt' and the file needs to be placed in the custom \ships folder for its values to apply. Custom outlet placement values can be entered for each civilian engine type, providing a way to specify global values for each engine type not bound to a specific civilian ship type. More details and a sample file are provided in the updated customizing kit. The 'EvochronLegacyTEUtility.exe' viewing utility in the customizing kit has also been updated to support this new option.
The server programs have been updated to allow for a 50ms update speed, half the previous minimum. This can provide a faster update speed for smoother ship movement. However, to minimize potential bandwidth overload problems, this option is only recommended for LAN or very fast and close proximity internet connections and/or with only a few players. The option can only be specified in the text8.dat configuration file. There are no other significant changes to the server programs, so this is only an optional update if you want to have the setting available (LAN groups that were/are interested in the option). 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.
For players with a rather long list of save games, the initial loading phase to populate the list in the pilot manager menu has been improved significantly. During local testing, it would take about 8 seconds on average to generate the list of profiles with 12 save games. After the improvements, the load time was reduced to a little over 3 seconds, more than twice the speed.
Some players are using a number of different control devices (sticks, throttles, rudder pedals, control panels, etc) spanning several different USB ports. This can create a significant list of devices from which to select each one when binding controls. Using the left and right selection arrows at the top of the axis and button configurations menus can require a lot of clicking to toggle through them all to get to a desired device. So a new drop down menu has been added to the device selection system, allowing the player to select a specific device quickly with just two clicks, rather than have to keep clicking on the arrow buttons to toggle through them all.
Updates will likely progress at a slower pace at this point as this update largely completes the request and to-do list I've been working on since the game launched. So with the list reaching a point of being fulfilled along with some recent real life things (which may also keep me away from a computer periodically over the coming weeks/months), I'm now looking toward what things to possibly work on in the future for the game. Such things might or might not be larger in scale and/or involve significantly more time and coding work. If you have comments on things you'd like to see implemented that are within the space flight simulation and combat focus of the game, please send your feedback to me via e-mail (starwraith.com > contact). I'm also considering starting to write a strategy guide and/or create tutorial videos that include the game's recently expanded features/options and changes, if time permits. So if there are also specific topics or details you'd like to see included in one of those, I'd welcome your input.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0528...
- Customizing options added for target direction pointer.
- Target direction pointer relocated to edge of inner gunsight rim for improved legibility.
- Internal font creation/coloring optimized to use fewer indexes and provide faster loading.
- Forward/reverse inertial thruster output now displayed at engine outlets in external view modes.
- Space station radio chatter voice selection now set to a fixed value based on location (player request).
- New green highlight lines added to quadrant map to better indicate player's current sector location visually.
- Server programs updated to improve behavior with large 'chatlogfull' file save delays potentially causing player drops (optional update).
- New bar graph indicators added to outer gunsight rim for weapon energy, hull damage, set velocity, forward velocity, gravity, and altitude.
- Server programs updated to accept default 'Dedicated1' as a server name if using private mode for LAN/direct IP hosting (also an optional update).
- Cargo, equipment, and missiles that can't be transferred to a newly built replacement ship is/are now automatically sold for credits rather than discarded.
- When fuel is sold during item transfers to a newly built replacement ship, the event is now displayed in the message log along with the credits received.
- MDTS system updated to auto-lock weapon aiming almost instantly when a target initially reaches range, eliminating the previous momentary delay.
- Automatic repair and restore system for sw.cfg settings file implemented to attempt to recover a lost or damaged file due to external interference.
- Optional digital readouts (enabled through hudtext.dat) now display in both HUD modes 1 and 2.
- 'INERTIAL', 'IDS X', and 'IDS OFF' labels moved to 'text.dat' file for optional customizing.
- Several minor UI improvements (click ranges and mouse over sound prompts where needed).
- Screen resolution list in Options menu updated to better sort from lowest to highest.
- Quest marker not appearing in nav map rear view mode under certain conditions fixed.
- Destination jump/nav waypoint (yellow marker) is now displayed on quadrant map.
- Nav Map/Quadrant map toggle button added to zoomed map mode.
- Highlight bars added to multiplayer public server list.
- Compass tape given brighter band for better contrast.
Notes:
Servers that had the setting for saving the full chatlog enabled could run into long delays when trying to save large full chatlog files (particularly if the system running the server program had a slow hard drive). This could happen if the server programs were left for long periods of time without occasional moving/backing up of the full chatlog file(s). The long delay during the save operation could result in players getting dropped. The new server programs can now contend with this condition and better handle long save operation delays without dropping players. It is still recommended that you back up any chatlogfull.txt file periodically to prevent long save delays from impacting gameplay status for connected players.
The target direction pointer has some new formatting and options to accommodate its move to the inner gunsight ring. The pointer is now smaller than before, so it uses a larger arrow pointer relative to the image size as a result. So any custom target pointer images will need to be updated for the new format and placement system. The size of the pointer itself will need to be about twice the size, unless a much smaller pointer is desired. The customizing kit has also been updated with new images to show how the pointer textures should look for the new formatting. The target direction pointer can also now be customized further, beyond just its textures. And these new options will allow you to continue to use the old format, if desired. Just keep in mind that doing so will render the target pointer along the outer gunsight ring on top of the new bar graphs. The texture surface can be scaled as well as the 3D surface it is rendered to. To specify custom scaling values, use a file named 'targetpointer.txt' in a custom \hud folder and include these values in each line:
- 1st value sets the texture UV X scale (default value is 1.0, use 0.5 to use an old format texture image)
- 2nd value sets the texture UV Y scale (default value is 1.0, use 0.5 to use an old format texture image)
- 3rd value sets the texture UV X offset scale (default value is 0, use 0.25 to use an old format texture image)
- 4th value sets the texture UV Y offset scale (default value is 0, use 0.1 to use an old format texture image)
- 5th value sets the scaling percentage for the 3D surface (default value is 40.0)
This build introduces new bar graphs on the rim of the gunsight. These bar graphs provide optional quick visual cues for their respective values. Each bar graph starts from the center of the line that is drawn from the digital readout it corresponds with. So each bar graph starts at its zero value at the center of each corner of the gunsight. Included for gravity and altitude are bar graphs indicating the rate of change with 5 lines used for center, so more lines indicate an increasing rate of change and fewer lines indicate a decreasing rate of change.
The new bar graphs can also be customized or disabled. The bar graphs use a circular format designed to fill in the gunsight, so the placement options for them are based on angles and distance from center. The distance from center value simply sets how far away the circular placement pattern will be for the bar graphs. The starting angle for upper bar graph sets how far above and below the center line to place the upper bar graphs. The lower angle sets where to start the lower bar graphs. All angular distances start from 0 for the horizontal center line of the gunsight. The step distance values tell the game how far apart to space each line in the bar graph, also in angle values. The character index tells the game which character to use for each line in the bar graph. The bar size values tell the game how large to make each bar indicator. The default 12113 value is for a '-' symbol. Characters start from index value 12100 (blank space) and increase from there using the character layout in the bitmap font image. The color mode will render the bar graphs in either standard white/blue with the default 1 value, or green with yellow medium and red low levels when the value is set to 0. To specify custom placement values, use a file named 'hudbargraphs.txt' in a custom \hud folder and include these values in each line:
- 1st value sets the distance from the center of the gunsight (default value is 2.31)
- 2nd value sets the starting angle for the upper bar graphs (default value is 42.5)
- 3rd value sets the starting angle for the lower bar graphs (default value is 48.5)
- 4th value sets the step distance for the upper bar graphs (default value is -1.5)
- 5th value sets the step distance for the lower bar graphs (default value is 1.5)
- 6th value sets the bar X size (default value is 225.0)
- 7th value sets the bar Y size (default value is 50.0)
- 8th value sets the character index to use for the bar graphs (default value is 12113)
- 9th value sets the color mode to use for the bar graphs (blue/white or green with mixed coloring, default value is 1)
- 10th value sets the offset width parameter (longer width for minimum and maximum lines, default value is 1)
Since some users reported problems with the automatic DPI detection and scaling system capping their mouse pointer limits (seemed to be related to using a desktop resolution that was far below what an attached monitor was capable of), the original system has been removed and replaced by one that merely switches to full screen exclusive. This won't provide the maximum potential image quality the display may be capable of, but should now allow for 1:1 mouse limit alignment under such conditions. You can still manually select a desired resolution if you want to try a different setting.
Both the customizing kit and the custom cockpit viewer program have had their version numbers changed to align with the minimum client build they support. The latest updates to both are available on the customizing page here: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkit/readme.htm
Edit: For Steam, a small update has been applied to provide a redundant achievement check upon loading a profile in case a past achievement award is missed on the Steam side of things for some reason.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0518...
- Build menu 3D panning mode now persistent once activated.
- 'Unlock Build Point' button option added to build console.
- Build menu build point locking can now also be reset when toggling between Cockpit View and Overhead View.
- Internal work around coded to solve potential issue with connection delay that could freeze the game when trying to connect to a server.
- HAT/POV control system updated to support a dedicated control mode on one device with additional key/button HAT/POV mapping(s) on another device simultaneously.
- Build menu 3D panning mode now supports vertical placement of build point (lock X and Z build point first, then activate 3D panning mode, then left click again to lock Y position).
- Axis configuration, engineering lab, weapon lab, and shipyard indicator/slider bars moved to 'chatslider' image set for improved image quality (customizing kit updated to accommodate changes).
- New auto-matching system added to engineering lab to support combining two separate cargo or hangar bays to meet build array requirements (see notes for details).
- Display detection system updated to detect if an overscaled DPI setting is being forced by Windows to automatically enable full screen mode as may be needed.
- Menu buttons and scroll bars updated for a simpler, cleaner, and less gradient color appearance (also better aligns with the new HUD/gunsight elements).
- Single player fleet ships would sometimes remain near station entrances until player jumped away, now follow last order more consistently.
- Experimental VR system now set to disable the multi-threaded frame update system by default to accommodate forced changes in SteamVR.
- Server programs updated to better contend with operating system timers that are out of expected range (optional update).
- Fleet command menu updated to space ship selection buttons further apart for less crowding and broader click ranges.
- Ship status and target status cockpit displays updated for brighter lines between readouts for clearer divisions.
- Deploy module placement system updated to align better with build point indicator while in planet atmospheres.
- Three digit single player fleet ship identifier characters updated to better align with latest frame names.
- By request, screen modes renamed to 'Optimized (FullWindow)' and 'Locked (FullScreen)' for clarity.
- Single player fleet ships would occasionally not follow order to mine nearby asteroids, now fixed.
- City module persistent dependency system updated to align with space station module dependency.
- Improvements to ice particle behavior in planet rings while in external view modes.
- Improved error handling when custom music files are improperly sequenced/misnamed.
- Improved small spacecraft collision detection around station command modules.
- Single player fleet formation system updated for smoother flight behavior.
- New text message alert added for low fuel notification (<25 units).
- City weapon turret movement updated for smoother motion.
- Engine thruster effect direction reversed when needed.
- Several minor fixes and UI improvements.
Notes:
There are some significant changes and additions to the build mode/UI in this update. The build system is no longer limited to only the X and Z position locked to the vertical placement of the player's ship. Y can now also be changed without the player having to move their ship up or down. The new two stage build point locking option lets you set the X and Z position first, then the Y position. To use this option, you can lock the X and Z position in the overhead view mode first, then engage the 3D view mode (hold the right mouse button and move the pointer around). At that point, release the right mouse button when you have the view you want, then you can move the mouse pointer up and down to set the Y vertical placement point. Once you have the build point indicator in the position you want, left click again to lock in the Y placement point. From there, you can go ahead and activate a build operation. The build console will display '< Build Point Locked XZ >' when the two initial placement values are locked or '< Build Point Locked XYZ >' when all three placement values are locked. If you need to reset things to start over at any point, you can click the new 'Reset Build Point' button or simply click on ‘Cockpit View’, then ‘Overhead View’ again and all variables will be reset so you can start over. You can also open and close the build console to do the same thing. The 3D panning view mode also now remains persistent. So once you right click and move the panning 3D view, it will remain active even if you release the right mouse button. When the 3D panning view is active, you can reposition the mouse pointer and continue to pan the view around by holding the right mouse button. This way, you can set and reset the view as may be desired with losing the current view angle.
The experimental VR system is now set to disable the multi-threaded frame update system by default to accommodate changes in SteamVR, which removed support for the system anyway to utilize their own internal 'wait screen'. With the multi-threaded system now disabled, the SteamVR wait screen will appear any time there is the slightest pause in the game... during loading, menu transitions, or any other time where frame data is not being fed to the compositor. It's not an ideal approach, but seems to now be required with the changes in SteamVR that now disable the multi-threading system. There appears to be no way to enable the option, so this is a forced requirement of SteamVR for the time being. I'll be watching for future changes in SteamVR should other, better options become available that we can utilize in the game.
The display detection system has been updated to detect if an overscaled DPI setting is being forced by Windows. Previously, if a DPI setting was applied that was offset from a 1:1 pixel ratio (above 100% in the Windows display settings menu), it could have forced the game to work within a lower output resolution. For example, a 1920X1080 monitor with a 125% DPI scaling value applied in Windows 10 could force a rendering output condition of around 1536X864, which would render in significantly lower detail, resulting in potential legibility and image quality issues. The new system detects if the game is being forced to operate in suboptimal output resolution conditions and can now automatically apply the 'Locked' screen mode to keep the pixel ratio at 1:1 and final output resolution aligned with the best the monitor can provide. The only condition is that the selected resolution mode in the game's Options menu be set to 'Optimized'. Then if a 'Locked' screen mode isn't already active, the game can optionally activate it as needed for maximum image quality.
City module before and after build dependency conditions now align with space station modules by request and for consistency. This addition will also help resolve issues where some city weapon turrets may not have been active because of undetected/distant dependent modules. Weapon turrets under such conditions should now be active if they have required power and storage modules in range.
The new auto-matching system for the engineering lab will combine units of a matching material from two different cargo bays or two different hangar bays to meet a build array slot requirement (to address the previous 1:1 array slot-to-cargo/hangar bay requirement). This removes the requirement to consolidate or split two separate cargo or hangar bays and also helps with players flying military ships that only have one cargo bay, making it difficult for them to consolidate or split two separate bays of the same material. The game can now do that for them as long as the required material is in two cargo bays (civilian ship) or two hangar bays (any ship).
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0488...
- New font to provide better legibility, improved numeric/letter distinguishing, and dedicated lower case character set.
- Displayed button values in configuration menu now use numerical range (starting at 1) rather than index range (starting at 0).
- HUD gunsight, target indicators, and pitch ladder updated for finer details, reduced color saturation, and a cleaner/simpler appearance.
- Button images updated to reduce width of highlight bars at edges and vertical shading aligned for a thinner and more consistent appearance with scroll bars and indicator bars.
- Ship and object collision alert system added, providing a warning when the ship's vector may impact an asteroid, planet, moon, station/city, cargo container, shipwreck, or certain other structures.
- New item restoration system for multiplayer added to recover lost items stored in a destroyed command module, even if significant time has passed, if replacement command module is built.
- By player request, initial close proximity build module binding restrictions/dependencies added to cities to align with space station build module behavior.
- Quadrant Territory and Economy map labels moved to text lines for easier editing and 'Neutral' territory category added for 'IND' affiliation.
- Space station shield, power supply, and weapon turret modules now require retaining their dependent modules in range in order to function.
- Spacecraft landing gear could remain temporarily visible on another player after they engaged a terrain walker, now fixed.
- Potential cause for a very rare runtime error message when client terrain detail setting is mismatched from server fixed.
- Physics adjustments to player ship after cargo changes may not have correctly applied after build operation, now fixed.
- New cargo delivery point path indicator added to HUD (to help guide player to delivery point below receiving ship).
- Command module now counts as 2 power supply modules for dependency credit and has extended energy coverage (1000).
- Docking fee notice could display incorrectly in single player for a newly constructed command module, now fixed.
- 'IND' built weapon turrets will no longer automatically attack ALC or FDN ships without them attacking first.
- New cockpit strut structures added to military and civilian cockpits for a more detailed appearance.
- Instructions updated to include new images that align with recent graphics changes and improvements.
- HAT/POV control mode changed to provide drop down selection menu rather than left/right toggle.
- New 'Rev Y' reverse vertical mode added to Pan, Strafe, and Snap View HAT/POV control options.
- Weapon lab missile stats updated to better align with standard missile stats for comparison.
- In weapon lab, more missile casing armor now adds hull strength for higher speed rating.
- Server programs updated to enforce build dependency changes server side in multiplayer.
- New subtle animation effect added to landing/docking and cargo delivery indicators.
- By request, music tracks from previous titles in the series added for more variety.
- Base yield level for custom missiles in weapon lab increased by about 100 points.
- Player request for an option to auto-save entire message log to text file added.
- Station under attack alerts could sometimes display incorrect player, now fixed.
- Target scanners can now display material levels near planet terrain surfaces.
- Planets can now vary high and low levels of materials across their surfaces.
- Improved UI alignment and support for 5:4 resolution ratios (ie 1280X1024).
- City command module sector build limit changed to four.
- Several minor fixes and UI improvements.
Notes:
The new multiplayer lost item restoration system will now recover items stored in a station hangar for a command module that is destroyed by another player while the storing player is offline or in another sector, even if time has passed as long as a replacement command module is built in the same sector and the items continue to be displayed in the 'Hangar Details' list. This way, you can effectively recover lost items from a destroyed command module by simply rebuilding it at the same location, even if significant time has passed. The system will also allow recovery of items stored in an old command module built while playing on a different server by building a new command module in the same location while playing on a new server. You can also change the name of the station, which doesn't have to match the original. The sector location simply has to be the same. Single player and multiplayer self-destructing lost item conditions will still apply, so if you destroy your own command module, the items will continue to be lost. This exception for item restoration is specifically for multiplayer to accommodate a player request since that environment is more prone to lost/destroyed station command modules.
The new text font is now in place and is designed to primarily address three requests/issues. First, the new font moves away from the 'all caps' structure of the old font, providing a more distinguishable lower case character set. The new font also provides new numerical characters that are designed to be more distinguishable from similar letter characters (5 and S for example), making it is easier to tell the difference. The third objective is to provide a more legible character set overall, making finer text details easier to read on various displays and indicators that use them. The characters are more consistent in their structures (line width/height and overall horizontal/vertical size) and spacing in between characters/lines has also been increased to reduce the reported crammed/cluttered appearance of the old font.
Space station shield, power supply, and weapon turret modules now require retaining their dependent modules in range in order to function. If they lose a link to a required module, they will lose power (their lights will visibly turn off) and will become ineffective. This change may have some side effects, including any partially built stations possibly needing dependent modules to be built in order to expand/activate their functionality. City modules only have dependency requirements upon building. Once built, they can sustain themselves from the resources of the planet.
Materials that can be mined from planet surfaces now vary randomly, creating 'pockets' of higher, mixed, and lower value materials that can be recovered. Players that equip their spacecraft with a target scanner can see the percentages of each material when they fly at a low enough altitude (similar to how the contents of an asteroid can be viewed when targeted). The scan is done directly below the player's ship, so they can fly over the spot they are scanning to retrieve the materials in the indicated percentages. Scanning results are displayed on the lower right section of the HUD. Required altitude is currently around 500, so players will generally need to fly a 'nap of the earth' style low altitude pattern to perform faster scans.
The customizing kit has been updated with the new landing/docking indicator texture information.
An option to save the entire message log to a text file is now available. To enable the option, include a blank text file named 'messagelogsave.txt' in the game's install folder (Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Evochron Legacy for Steam or \sw3dg\EvochronLegacy for the direct download version). The game will then automatically save all lines in the message out to a text file in the save data folder (default location is c:\sw3dg\EvochronLegacy) every time you save or quick save your profile. Each saved message log will carry the format 'messagelog[timestamp].txt' (where [timestamp] is a unique timer integer). To disable the option, simply move or remove the 'messagelogsave.txt' file.
Edit: Update 1.0488, a small hotfix has been uploaded to correct a potential issue for items stored in hangars in multiplayer. Anything in the 'hangar details' list should now be retrievable in multiplayer, rather than possibly intermittently depending on how a player travels.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0428...
- HUD docking/landing tunnel behavior near planet cities improved.
- Glass effect on civilian cockpits made glossy to better align with military spacecraft.
- AI traffic patterns updated to increase frequency of routes to main cities on planet surfaces.
- AI traffic patterns updated to be more varied and responsive with movement/activities in sector.
- Ability to consolidate and transfer matching commodity cargo in open space added (hold Alt key and left/right click).
- Option to adjust throttle level with mouse wheel at 10X added for mouse flight control modes (hold Alt key, then adjust mouse wheel).
- Save data output option updated to include vertical velocity, horizontal velocity, control input, and thruster output values (see customizing kit for details).
- Residual shield benefit could still be applied to certain station modules after a shield module was destroyed, now fixed.
- Default basic axis configuration for mouse pointer control updated to better distinguish between joysticks and gamepads.
- Default basic axis configuration for flight control updated to better distinguish between joysticks and gamepads.
- Location data received from NPC/AI pilots in ship-to-ship trades now automatically stored in map log.
- Improved city docking tractor beam holding system to prevent slow reduction in altitude while docked.
- Player's ship no longer has to be absolutely still to quick save while inside a carrier hangar.
- Docking zone indicator in stations and at cities scaled 2X for improved legibility.
- Nav map database updated to correct misplaced icon listing for an uncharted planet.
- Sensor range for target scanner (2500) now displayed with item description.
- Verification step added for right click deleting map log entry.
- Verification step added for jettisoning cargo.
- New option to rename map log entries added.
Notes:
The game can now better detect certain control device conditions for a basic default axis configuration. Pitch and yaw are now configured uniquely for the first two axis channels depending on the class of device, whether joystick or gamepad. The new system also includes the addition of roll control to axis channel 3 while throttle remains unbound, leaving it controlled by keyboard/mouse options and open to mapping by the player as may be desired. This will help set basic default axis mappings for joystick users and gamepad users, particularly for the mouse pointer control mode (when the player wants to use their flight control device to control the mouse pointer). But it also works for a default setup the first time the game is launched. The player can still select a preferred alternate device control profile in the Axis Configuration menu, manually map controls as desired, or activate a non-controller flight mode as well. The changes in this update simply provide a default basic axis configuration that's better relevant for the preferred device being used (the top listed device in Windows). If you've already mapped controls, these changes won't effect any existing control configuration since they only apply if the configuration files don't exist and the game is creating them for the first time based on what it detects.
You can now consolidate and transfer commodity cargo while in open space, you no longer have to dock at a station to move things around. Simply hold the Alt key as you would when docked earlier, then left or right click on the matching commodity types you want to consolidate/transfer.
New verification steps have been added by player request to the map log entry deletion and cargo jettison option. These options now require two clicks to complete and a text prompt will be displayed after the first click to verify if you want to complete the action. The relevant button will also change color to red before the second click as an additional alert and in the case of map log entries, to verify which entry is ready to be deleted.
If you receive location information for discovered planets or cargo containers from NPC/AI pilots in ship-to-ship trades, the information is now automatically stored in the map log. If you want to delete this information, simply open the map log and right click on the entry you want to remove twice.
The new rename map log entry option lets you change the name of an entry while viewing the log. Simply click on the 'Rename Entry' button, then click on the entry you want to rename. The naming prompt with then be filled in with the original entry name and you can use backspace to remove characters and change the listing as desired. Press enter when finished.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0418...
- Station attack alerts in multiplayer now include name of attacking player in message log.
- Dedicated contract objectives added for terrain walkers (survey, plant sample, and lost item recovery).
- 3D item description icon for terrain walker now constructed from modules in memory for optimal loading performance.
- Server programs updated to display station attack alerts in message log (including new addition of the name of attacking player).
- Smoothing now standard across all texture detail modes for softer light reflections and higher detail appearance.
- Particle cannon weapon range and damage level tapering updated to align better with indicated MDTS range value.
- Scenarios that could result in parts of a nebula cloud or planet ring being left behind during training fixed.
- Radar display mode 1 horizon plane separated from base texture image and is now a fully 3D rendered surface.
- Energy score displayed in shipyard now includes higher base capacitor level for military ships in value.
- Target MFD detail mode ship orientation tracking indicator also updated to render as a full 3D surface.
- HUD target direction indicators updated in VR to remain locked to a fixed orientation (player request).
- Issue that could cause faction ID mismatches in cooperative delivery contract in multiplayer fixed.
- Default VR depth scaling and head movement scaling adjusted based on player feedback (see notes).
- Collision system added to plant structures, including potential damage for higher speed impacts.
- Pitch ladder depth reduced to better align with gunsight depth and render ahead of lens flares.
- Compass cylinder 3D position updated to better align with menu frame in experimental VR mode.
- Waypoint placement updated to better account for potential planetary defense ring conditions.
- 25% pay bonus notification line moved to below contract pay line to avoid overlapping.
- 25% pay bonus notification added to relevant planet side missions in war zones.
- Radar range and mode controls enabled for terrain walkers.
- New mesh structure and texture for terrain walker cockpit.
- New mesh structure and texture for jump gate object.
Notes:
The server programs will now display attack alerts in the message log. The name of the attacking player will also be displayed (and recorded in the server message log). When an alert is logged, it will display the sector location of the attack, the faction of the attacking player in brackets, the name of the attacking player, and finally the faction of the module being attacked in parenthesis.
For radar display mode 1 and target orientation indicator, the new horizon plane 3D surface also has a new additional dedicated index for its texture. The filename is 'ccpitblue1c.png' and details are included in the customizing kit. The horizon plane has been made into a full 3D rendered surface to better align with the 3D sphere in the experimental VR mode.
The new default values for the experimental VR system are 3.4 for 'EyeDistanc', 3.4 for 'HeadMScale', and 0.4 for 'VRUIScale'. So if you want to adjust those further, simply make changes to any vrsetup.txt file you may have in place. And if you want to restore the original values for any reason, they are 1.0, 1.0, and 0.5 respectively.
Particle cannons now have an increase of at least about 80 meters to their range. This helps them better align with their indicated MDTS locking ranges. Some custom weapons may have over an 80 meter increase, depending on their previous MDTS locking range values. So overall, particle cannons can now shoot a little farther and should better line up with their locking ranges. They can also now shoot a little past their MDTS locking distance, but not by much and their damage effectiveness can deplete when over the MDTS limit.
Since smoothing is now standard across all texture detail modes, the 'High + Smoothing' option has been removed from the Options menu. More objects in the game now also have smoothing applied for a more unified appearance between various structures in the game. A new 'Surface Smoothing' option has been added to the texture detail menu that will still allow you to turn smoothing on or off as may be desired.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0408...
- Ability to import a custom global asteroid mesh added (see customizing kit for details).
- Ability to import custom station/city module meshes added (single player only, see customizing kit for details).
- Military cockpit design updated to move upper canopy strut lower (below compass and console menu) and to add side struts.
- By player request, AI traffic and guidance systems updated to allow hostile ships to more frequently arrive near player in disputed and hostile systems.
- Rate of potential non-contract battle scenarios in disputed systems increased (including friendly and hostile ships jumping in for reinforcements).
- Low light visibility mode updated to additionally apply illumination to asteroids and metallic structures rather than terrain only.
- Fix for an issue where terrain walker step sounds could align with music volume rather than effects volume after switching views.
- Dedicated HAT control modes for game control devices now align with indicated device ID in configuration menu.
- New black hole effect (layered swirling accretion disk with dark center) and extended gravity field.
- Directive 88 in custom quests now clears any quest object left behind automatically.
- Altimeter updated to align with navigation distance scale factor.
- Dedicated sound option for disruptor effect added (s4c.wav).
- Heat alert indicator updated to be more visible.
- Aurora borealis effect added by player request.
- Lighting effects and visibility improved.
- Collision system added to jump gates.
- Improved MFD transition effect.
Notes:
The new aurora borealis system is designed to render with unique colors based on atmosphere type and provides an animated movement effect. If you would like to try your own custom textures for the effect, see the customizing kit for details.
For those interested in using over-sized DPI scaling values in Windows 10 (over 100% in display properties) rather than an aligned 1:1 pixel scaling (100%), one of the 'Locked (FS)' screen modes is recommended. When using the default 'Optimized' full screen window mode, the game will attempt to submit/adapt to an over-sized scaling level, which can look strange (blurry, low detail, etc) on some configurations. Using a locked screen mode will force the game to use a 1:1 scaling factor, even if the desktop scaling level is set to something else in Windows 10. As a result of the benefit of using locked screen modes with over-sized scaling conditions, the locked screen modes are no longer highlighted in red in this build.
To retain the original large value altitude readout scale level, simply create a text file name altitudemode.txt and place it in the \hud folder (you'll need to create one if you haven't already) within the game's install folder.
Edit 10-11-2016: Quick patch uploaded which should help correct the 'runtime error 118' a few players have reported. If anyone encounters such an error at this point, please e-mail me the sw.cfg file from the game's save data folder (default location is c:\sw3dg\EvochronLegacy and sent to the address at starwraith.com > contact) so I can investigate it further. So far, tests have come back positive that this update should resolve the error.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0388...
- Jump caster deployable option added (see notes).
- More customizing options added for menu graphics (customizing page updated).
- Tractor beam type mounted on ship now transfers to terrain walker so players can select which materials to mine with the walker as well.
- Space station module build point allowed to be one position step closer for production and storage modules connecting to smaller module types.
- Planet terrain impact damage now possible at higher cruise speeds (no longer requires engaging jump drive to overpower shield resistance).
- Moon impact damage now possible using consistent conditional parameters as planet collisions with the new impact damage system.
- Asteroid and asteroid cave impact damage behavior aligned with new collision impact damage system for planets and moons.
- AI system updated to allow hostile ships to travel closer to planet terrain while in pursuit of player or other ships.
- 25% pay bonus now applies to combat contracts accepted planet side (with waypoint(s) in atmosphere).
- Rare issue that could cause capital ships to appear at wide vertical angles after respawning fixed.
- Specular level on cockpits raised slightly to better align with other shiny metallic surfaces.
- Minimum water retrieval elevation reduced for closer proximity requirement to water source.
- By player request, shield module stacking recharge rate set to 70% per additional module.
- Vertical displacement that could occur when jumping near station command modules fixed.
- Increased AI travel paths near/around stations in multiplayer.
- A few minor fixes.
Notes:
Sometimes a fairly difficult and potentially controversial feature/option gets considered and eventually implemented. The new 'jump caster' deployable is one such option added to this update. I have been considering such an option for years (since Renegades in 2007) and a recent surge of requests and feedback have pushed it from concept to reality. So far in testing, it has been providing what requesting players have asked for while also addressing the concerns of others.
Here are some details. Feedback over the last near decade has kept this option from being implemented until now. Fears of reducing the scope/size of the game's universe and providing persistent short cuts have been two of the biggest concerns. Once building jump gates to anywhere is available, it's inevitable that they will eventually be sprinkled throughout the game's universe. This makes getting anywhere very easy, too easy by many accounts. The unique and hard to find locations suddenly have a marker and a quick route to get to them, likely through the efforts of someone else the player never met or worked with (never shared gameplay with). So if placing static permanent jump gates were implemented, it would have meant that player A could skip huge portions of the game's exploration process just by using a gate player B built long before. Combined, the potential scope reduction, long term risk/challenge reduction, spoilers, no effort persistent shortcutting, desire for discovery exclusivity, and more have all resulted in keeping the idea from being implemented in the past. But I do listen and try to work out solutions to such things if there is enough interest and constructive feedback indicating it's worth re-re-re-evaluating.
After careful consideration, I've decided to make the move in the direction of providing a way to travel very long distances without requiring a traditional static jump gate, including travel to remote uncharted systems. But it's been implemented in a way that does not provide a permanent short cut (generally the most strongly voiced concern). This way, a player can establish a jump point to where they want to go if they know the destination. That is, if they travel to an uncharted region of space and find a system there, they can store the location in their map log and then later return to it using the new device without having to spend hours making short range jumps to get there. Since the device is temporary, it also doesn't leave behind a shortcut for others to exploit. This allows players a way to still keep their discoveries fairly exclusive while making them much more accessible and available to utilize for trade, storage, and construction. And if they want another player to join them at the distant location in multiplayer, they can meet up in a particular sector and then build a route that both of them can use (they can share the new 'jump caster' just like they can share other deployables). So from both a solo and cooperative standpoint, it made the most sense to provide a new deployable way for setting up a temporary jump route to try and meet as many of the requested objectives and concerns as reasonably possible.
In short, the 'jump caster' is a new deployable device that lets you construct a temporary jump gate. When preparing to deploy it, you can enter the destination coordinates for where you want the caster to take you (done in the navigation console prior to building the jump caster, which also allows for easy map log entry retrieval). The jump caster links to your ship's navigation console to retrieve the selected destination coordinates and will target that destination when you build it. Building the jump caster requires 50 units of metal ore to build and can travel up to 1000 sectors away. The ore requirement is low enough to allow players to be able to build multiple devices in sequence should a destination require more than one caster to reach. Once deployed, the player can fly through the caster to travel to the selected destination as though travelling through a traditional jump gate. Once the device is used (or not linked to a player in multiplayer, as with other deployables), it self-scuttles. There is a modest level of resource investment required to use them, but the trade off is very quick access to wherever you might want to go in the quadrant.
The new collision system provides a more realistic impact response when running into planets, moons, asteroids, and caves (shield-to-shield and shield-to-hull collisions remain unchanged). It is now possible to ram nose first into a planet or moon and destroy your ship (without the previous requirement of overpowering your shield resistance using the jump drive). Damage is also variable, causing more severe hull damage the faster you go. Speeds around 1000 or less are generally safe, above will generally encounter damage. The new system also takes the angle of impact into account, so skimming terrain with fairly level pitch generally won't cause damage, but nose diving into it can.
Evochron Legacy Update 1.0348...
- AI traffic patterns updated to appear near and fly more consistently around stations.
- Engineer crew member can now perform emergency repairs to damaged ship subsystems slowly even if no repair device is installed.
- Spawn placement system updated to prevent rare potential mismatch when renaming a profile (causing a displaced spawn point).
- Territory quadrant map indicator colors changed to consistently align with text readouts (green = allied, red = enemy).
- New neutral faction affiliation option added (indicated by IND/Independent) for players, see notes for details.
- Build system updated to allow 'IND' stations to be constructed that allow any player to dock at.
- Default station module data stored to fixed template for possible future functionality.
- 'IMG' faction label renamed to 'IND' to support new independent faction option.
- Terrain texturing changed for improved detail appearance at higher altitudes.
- Improvements to depth appearance and rendering for experimental VR system.
- Head movement factor value option added to vrsetup.txt VR file options.
- Several minor UI fixes for a few click ranges and indicators.
- Performance improvements for planets with plants and animals.
- Passenger transport objective added to single player mode.
- Minor fixes.
Notes:
The new neutral faction option (IND) provides players interested primarily in exploration, trading, racing, recovery, delivery, mining, and/or other miscellaneous non-combat objectives a way to perform those activities in any ALC or FDN controlled region of the game's universe without the risk of attack. This largely provides the requested independent/neutral, non-combat, open trading, all sector access way to play the game. When the IND faction is selected by the player, all other ALC/FDN ships will switch to a neutral threat level (yellow) and all stations will be available to the player for docking. The restriction for the IND faction is that no combat contracts in civilian space will be offered to the player. Players flying with the IND faction tag are limited to non-combat contract objectives in ALC/FDN space, but are free to dock, design weapons, craft equipment, design/buy/sell ships, store ships/items, accept non-combat contracts, and trade at any faction's station. IND players can still participate in war zone battles against Vonari. All non-war zone territory regions will be marked yellow on the quadrant map for an IND player, indicating all regions are available to the player to fly in as a neutral ship. This new faction option may be changed/expanded later on depending on player interest/feedback as it is an initial effort to provide some of the features and options that have been requested in recent months (in this case, namely a neutral, largely peaceful/non-combat option with docking access to the entire quadrant).
Players can also now build stations with the 'IND' faction tag, resulting in a neutral station that allows any player to dock. However, docking fees may apply to a neutral/IND player docking at an ALC or FDN affiliated station as well as an ALC or FDN player docking at a neutral/IND station. Docking fees will not apply when docking at a station of the same faction affiliation (IND = IND, ALC = ALC, or FDN = FDN). Docking fees will also not apply until the player has progressed from the earlier stages of the game and has a significant number of credits. Docking fees will also not apply in war zones.
The quadrant map territory indicator colors are now aligned with the player's selected faction affiliation (matching the text readouts). So regardless of ALC or FDN faction affiliation, friendly regions will be green, hostile will be red. No longer are the indicators always green for ALC and red for FDN. As mentioned above, independent ('IND') players will see yellow in all human regions.
For those trying out the experimental VR system, a new default value of 1.0 has been applied to the 'EyeDistanc' value. Any VRSETUP.TXT file that may be in place will need to account for this change going forward. This change aligns that distance factor with the changes in this build to improve the 3D appearance and depth effects in VR. A new head movement scaling factor has also been added as an option to the file. This option lets you change the rate of relative head movement. You can reduce the response by using values less than 1.0 or increase it to 2X with a value of 2.0. The default value is 1.0. The latest sample file is available here: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkit/vrsetup.txt
The changes to the VR system represent the last of the remaining technical issues/objectives to sort out in terms of depth/rendering and functionality. I now plan on looking into trying to optimize performance further for a default VR configuration. I would appreciate your feedback (please send result via starwraith.com > contact) for those trying out the experimental VR system as to the exact system specs you are using (video card make and model, driver version, CPU make/model and clock speed, bus speed, system memory, etc) and what performance results you are achieving.