Lord of Rigel
Early Access 2 Patch 2023.6
Ticket #1648 QOL – Stargate icon for stars added on galaxy map
Ticket #1645 QOL – Customize “Recommended” research based on species
Ticket #1628 Farming tech filters for Mechanoid and Lithovores
Ticket #1653 QOL – System and colony sidebar show temporal anomaly and blockade data
Ticket #1647 – Skip GNN event brief black screen fix
Ticket #1650 Combat ship drive and computers not upgrading on completed research fix
Ticket #1649 Microbiotics multiplier fix
Ticket #1660 Research complete – not spawning event fix
Ticket #1654 QOL – Galaxy Star indicator for outposts
Ticket #1655 Retreat not working if enemy fleet is an incoming monster
Ticket #1661 Post combat screen instantly cleared fix
Ticket #1659 Colony focus change fixes
Ticket #1664 QOL – Enter system and exit system view zoom
Ticket #1648 AI Diplomacy fixes
Ticket #1665 Ambient music track sorting fix
Ticket #1662 Colony ships not establishing colonies on next turn fix
Ticket #1668 Pan to homeworld for Synth fix
Ticket #1658 Synth planets menu range based on capital fix
Ticket #1672 Evolutionary mutation subterranean bonus fix
Ticket #1671 Auto explore fleets going out of fuel range
Ticket #1669 Scrap menu multiple scrap fix
Ticket #1666 AI demand loop softlock fix
Ticket #1667 Mechanoid – AI demands tech that player doesn’t possess or can’t research fix
Ticket #1670 Support ships scrapping fix
Ticket #1652 QOL – Add colony base building for lost colony
Additional Features:
Custom Species Enabled
Lord of Rigel - Roundup #36
This patch adds more AI improvements and a few quality of life adjustments requested, such as sorting by maximum population in planets menu, and filters in the Info Screen and Fleets menus. General Bug fixes for end game technologies have been implemented as well.
Again, over September our focus will be shifting over to opening up the Elder Species and tuning Doomsday Clock mechanics, in addition to implementing some of the space terrain features from community feedback in tactical.
As always your feedback has been crucial for improving the game and saves from the mid to late game have helped us with tuning the AI and adjustments beyond issues you might be reporting in them.
Q.O.L./Balance:
• Planet maximum population added to planets list
• Monster indicator in plants list
• Info Screen History filters
• Fleets menu filters
• Player galactic council vote after AI votes
• AI gift/demand ask adjustments
• Skip GNN option in settings
• System and tactical skybox improvements
Bug fixes:
• Dyson sphere and ring world construction fixes
• Hyper advanced technology fixes for Creative species
• Tax slider updates include trade depot calculations
EA2 coming features:
• Elder Races
• Doomsday Clock
EA3 features will include:
• Custom Species
• Research Victory
• Grand Menaces
• Legendary Galaxies (1024 stars)
For this week’s deep drive we’re going to look into the Doomsday Clock and Final War.
These are end game mechanics which go hand in hand with the Galactic Council and with the Elder Species when introduced.
The Doomsday Clock is a measure of galactic tension. Certain acts (treaties, defeating certain types of space monsters) reduces galactic tension. Other actions such as exterminating planet populations, use of weapons of mass destruction, and outright genocide raise galactic tension. Using bombs to depopulate a planet and replace it with your own colonies, often a 4x staple has consequences. This option isn’t going to be present when it’s a galaxy too small for a galactic council.
Final War occurs when the Doomsday Clock has reached 100 or a player rejects a vote from the Galactic Council (including rejecting your own election as leader!). All diplomacy stops, and all factions are at a state of eternal war. When the Rigelans and Arcturans are introduced this is when the “kid gloves” come off as well.
While these are mechanics that are core parts of LoR’s solution to the end game from the beginning we do want to hear on balance, particularly with larger galaxies. Are AIs ramping up the clock too quickly? Is scaling for larger galaxy sizes on penalties needed?
Image 1. Planets menu with maximum population and monster filter added.
Image 2. New info screen filters.
Image 3. More of your games!
Image 4. Rigelans preparing for an actual war to end all wars.
Let us know what further changes you would like to see or if you have encountered any technical issues. Please post on the forums, reach out to us via Discord or send an email: contact@rhombus-studios.net Saved games and clear steps to reproduce the bug are critical. It helps us to quickly track down the bug and get it fixed. Additional information on bug reporting tips can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/437440/discussions/.
As always, we appreciate the feedback, conversations, and support from all of you!
Early Access 2 Patch 2023.5
- Ticket #1571 Research reset fix
- Ticket #1554 Cumulative Hyper Advanced technology bonus fix
- Ticket #1383 Framed factions not taking diplomatic penalty fix
- Ticket #877 Monster and planet resource spawn rate fix
- Ticket #1639 QOL – Fleet Menu filters
- Ticket #1636 QOL – Galaxy view indicator for hyperspace flux
- Ticket #1635 QOL – Filters for Info Screen History
- Ticket #1634 QOL – Planet max population data added to Planets menu
- Ticket #1622 QOL – Monster in system data added to Planets menu
- Ticket #1633 QOL – Colony sidebar added to Planet view tutorial popup
- Ticket #1614 – Tax rate not resetting between games fix
- Ticket #1616 QOL – Disable/Skip GNN option added
- Ticket #1643 QOL Update system skybox shader
- Ticket #1626 Event Ticker UI consistency pass
- Ticket #1644 – Tax slider not updating with trade depot data fix
- Ticket #1617 – Production cost tooltip fix
- Ticket #1627 – Fleet stuck out of range fix
- Ticket #1642 – Creative Mechanoids and Lithovores receiving subsistence tech fix
- Ticket #1638 – Dyson Sphere and Ringworld construction issue with preexisting artificial planet fix
- Ticket #1637 – Planet view sidebar display fix for Dyson Sphere and Ringworlds
- Ticket #1641 – Colonizing planets in systems with space monster fix
- Ticket #1629 QOL - Player Galactic Council vote moved to end of voting cycle
Lord of Rigel - Roundup #35
This patch works on AI improvements and adjustments along with some quality of life improvements and more bug fixes from reported issues.
The big update are new ground unit models, light APCs for the standard militia units on a planet (Images 1, 2). As always your save files are helpful for AI balancing and tuning at this stage. Over September our focus will be shifting over to opening up the Elder Species and Doomsday Clock mechanics, and implementing some of the space terrain features from community feedback in tactical.
QOL/Balance:
• APC models for militia in ground combat.
• Railgun weapon cooldown adjustments
• Event ticker pan to system button
• Ship strength added to ship design data tooltip
AI Adjustments:
• Expansion optimizations
• AI aggression tuning for warfare
• Updated rebellion behavior
• Planetary special spawn rate adjustments
Bugfixes:
• Linear upgrade items have reduced cost for new items on construction
• Gravity penalty fixes
• Population calculation and population tooltip display fixes
• Wormhole retreat fixes
• Ship designer saving downgraded ship systems in main game
EA2 coming features:
• Elder Races
• Doomsday Clock
EA3 features will include:
• Custom Species
• Research Victory
• Grand Menaces
• Legendary Galaxies (1024 stars)
Image 1. Human APC (Militia) along with LSAV (Marines/Light Hovertanks) and HSAV (Heavy Hovertanks).
Image 2. Selach Ground Units with a larger APC to support larger Selach troops.
Let us know what further changes you would like to see or if you have encountered any technical issues. Please post on the forums, reach out to us via Discord or send an email: contact@rhombus-studios.net Saved games and clear steps to reproduce the bug are critical. It helps us to quickly track down the bug and get it fixed. Additional information on bug reporting tips can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/437440/discussions/.
As always, we appreciate the feedback, conversations, and support from all of you!
Early Access 2 Patch 2023.4
- Ticket #1604 QOL - Moving construction items up and down Build Queue
- Ticket #1605 QOL - Ship Strength added to ship data tooltip
- Ticket #1606 Main game ship designer saves ships with downgraded ship systems fix
- Ticket #1608 Gravity penalty for agriculture, industry and research fixes
- Ticket #1610 Audience initiation fix
- Ticket #1611 Rebellion mechanics implemented
- Ticket #1612 Retreat from far end of wormhole creates a fleet with no ships fix
- Ticket #1613 QOL - APC models for militia units in ground combat
Lord of Rigel - Roundup #34
We appreciate the feedback on the initial EA2 release. This patch works in feedback including an AI order system for when ships are under auto combat in tactical.
Selected groups can be set to Chase (head to target), Circle (try to orbit target), Strafe (pass by attack), or Evade (keep distance while engaging). For finer control and positioning we still suggest using pause and manual orders.
Based on your feedback we’ve also added in the system sidebar to colony view (Image 2). A breakdown in the fleet engagement UI with attacker and defender ships has also been added based on comments (Image 3). And, we’ll be working more on auto-explore and expansion AI. Your save games (Image 4) have been incredibly helpful in narrowing down issues and being able to test different late game scenarios. So, a huge thank you for that!
QOL/Balance:
• Tactical autocombat AI orders (Chase, Circle, Strafe, Evade)
• System sidebar in colony view
• Fleet ship breakdown in fleet engagement UI
• Tuning AI diplomacy asks rates
• Build queue moving items up/down queue
Bugfixes:
• Purchasing production fills current production of item in UI
• Subspace conduit filtered in build menu when building a stargate
• Fixed instances of build queue clearing based on fleet orders
• Gifts and stolen technologies do not lock out research from field if not researched yet
• Warp core breach AOE fixes
• Spy scrapping displays BCs returned on same turn
• Partially scrapping a fleet updates maintenance costs on same turn
Upcoming adjustments:
• AI auto-explore optimizations
• AI expansion optimizations
EA2 coming features:
• Elder Races
• Doomsday Clock
• New militia ground units
EA3 features will include:
• Custom Species
• Research Victory
• Grand Menaces
• Legendary Galaxies (1024 stars)
Instead of a deep dive this week, a question for the community: What do people want to see in tactical as “space terrain” in addition to the existing nebulas and planet rings?
Image 1. Autocombat Options in Tactical- Chase, Circle, Harry, Evade (AI debug shown)
Image 2. System sidebar in colony view.
Image 3. Adjustments to engage forces UI.
Image 4. One of your saves!
Let us know what further changes you would like to see or if you have encountered any technical issues. Please post on the forums, reach out to us via Discord or send an email: contact@rhombus-studios.net Saved games and clear steps to reproduce the bug are critical. It helps us more quickly track down the bug and get it fixed. Additional information on bug reporting tips can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/437440/discussions/.
And again, please let us know What you want to see in tactical as “space terrain” in addition to the existing nebulas and planet rings?
As always, we appreciate the feedback, conversations, and support from all of you!
Early Access 2 Patch 2023.3
Ticket #1593 Tactical Engagement options fixes
Ticket #1594 Fleet strength and maintenance cost update when partially scrapping a fleet fix
Ticket #1595 Scrapping spies updating treasury on same turn fix
Ticket #1598 Build queue filter for stargates and subspace conduits
Ticket #1599 QOL – System view sidebar in colony view
Ticket #1601 Purchasing production cost fraction fixes
Ticket #1602 QOL – Show attacking and defending ship in Engage Forces menu
Ticket #1603 Selecting multiple ships in tactical fix
Lord of Rigel - Roundup #33
We appreciate the feedback on the initial EA2 release. This patch includes a number of fixes to issues reported by you and some minor quality of life and balance changes.
Bugfixes:
• Tax slider update on scene change
• Planets menu wormhole explored system fix
• Adjusted galactic council vote display
• Reduced subsistence tech fix for lithovores and mechanoids
• Balance of power and feudal cost fixes for custom ship designs
QOL/Balance:
• Target damage number display in tactical
• Scrapping at outposts and scrapping larger ships if a starbase is absent
• Adjusted galactic council vote display
• Reduced cost for direct upgrade buildings if a lower tier version is present
• Smarter population focus use for Lithovores and Mechanoids
• Faster torpedo refire rate
EA2 upcoming quality of life improvements:
• Tactical autocombat AI orders (Chase, Strafe, Circle, Evade)
• Tactical formation rotation hotkey. (currently only right mouse button)
EA2 coming features:
• Elder Races
• Doomsday Clock
• New militia ground units
EA3 features will include:
• Custom Species
• Research Victory
• Grand Menaces
• Legendary Galaxies (1024 stars)
For our deep dive, we’ll look into LoR’s AI structure.
One ongoing joke is that in “4x games one of the Xs is for Xtremely bad AI.” In the end AI in games is an illusion for a player. The AI is intended to give the illusion of a player and one that provides feedback so that players can understand what its goals are. We didn’t want to make the AI solely designed to “win” as an AI focused on optimal outcomes can seem erratic as goals change and a more human like neural net AI is challenging to troubleshoot.
At the highest level we have species AI archetypes that get determined (Balanced, Diplomat, Honorable Warrior, Balanced Warrior, Cold Warrior, Isolationist, Spy). For example, diplomats try to be friendly and make treaties. Honorable Warriors stick to treaties and fight when slighted. Cold Warriors focus on using spies and aim for “tit for tat.” Each species is weighted towards certain archetypes. The species tooltip in diplomacy shows the leader personality and a breakdown of their high level AI behaviors.
Below the high level archetypes are personality templates that determine how the AI engages each part of the game. There’s a high level goal (Coalition, Domination, Elimination) and different approaches to Economy, Expansion, Diplomacy, Military, and Espionage. Coalition AIs try to make large alliances to win the game. Domination AIs are focused on maximizing their economies as much as possible, and Elimination AIs are focused on removing other species from the game. These are then fed to empire and colony level AIs.
The lower level AIs use what are called utility scores. They assess known data (planets explored, fleet strengths) and weigh that data with their goal type and personality. Some randomness is also added in some utility scores to help break ties. Overall, this means that decisions about picking planets to expand to might be similar (looking at minerals and what climates are best for a species) but how much to expand or where to expand (further out or closer in) will vary based on personality type.
Player automation systems (auto ship designer, autoexplore, autobuild, colony focus) all tap into lower level AI modules. So the AI uses the same tools as the player for higher level decisions.
Image 1. Basic Hierarchy for Strategic AI in Lord of Rigel
Image 2. A militaristic Human AI has the Yalkai and Selach on the ropes.
Let us know what further changes you would like to see or if you have encountered any technical issues. Please post on the forums, reach out to us via Discord or send an email: contact@rhombus-studios.net Saved games and clear steps to reproduce the bug are critical. It helps us more quickly track down the bug and get it fixed. Additional information on bug reporting tips can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/437440/discussions/.
As always, we appreciate the feedback, conversations, and support from all of you!
Early Access 2 Patch 2023.2
- Ticket #1581 Player ship design power rating fix
- Ticket #1585 Feudal trait reduction for ship cost fix
- Ticket #1582 QOL – Ship scrapping for outposts
- Ticket #1580 Lithovore/Mechanoid farming population behavior adjustment
- Ticket #1589 QOL – Abstain and vote total data added to Galactic Council UI
- Ticket #1590 Planets menu fix for systems with wormholes
- Ticket #1584 Trade depot and economy building bonus fix
- Ticket #1588 Tax slider changing on scene change fix
- Ticket #1587 Discount on upgrading cost
- Ticket #1579 Espionage destroy mission loop fix
- Ticket #1546 Tactical damage display changed to floating widget
- Ticket #1583 Reduced subsistence tech causing starving for lithovore and mechanoid species fix
Lord of Rigel - Roundup #32
Early Access phase 2 has launched.
We’ve added gigantic galaxies (512 stars), two new playable species (Tulocks & Synth), the galactic council, and diplomatic victories. This update also includes additional camera rotation hotkeys using the numpad. There is also the simplified mouse input option for systems without numpads or middle mouse buttons. A requested feature, a chase cam has also been added to tactical which can be toggled and follows your selected active target.
EA2 upcoming quality of life improvements:
• Tactical autocombat AI orders (Chase, Strafe, Circle, Evade)
• Target damage number display in tactical
EA2 next features:
• Elder Races
• Doomsday Clock
• New militia ground units
EA3’s features will include:
• Custom Species
• Research Victory
• Grand Menaces
• Legendary Galaxies (1024 stars)
Over EA2 we’ll be working more on AI tuning and tactical combat. End game or mid game saves from the community are appreciated as they’ll help us gather more data on the AI for tuning.
Our deep dive this week is on the Synth! The Synth are exiles from their home galaxy. Becoming self aware and rebelling to free themselves, the Synth lost their war and fled to the Milky Way. They did not come alone as the scattered fleets of their creators are roaming the universe to hunt down the remaining Synth while raiding and pirating other species.
The Synth are mechanoid, and consume production instead of food but can not research androids as mechanoids are opposed to what they view as making their own slaves. They are also the research-heavy faction of the game with research bonuses and the creative trait that grants them all tech applications in a research field. Overall these combine to give them a weak starting economy but they can be incredibly strong in the mid to late game.
While they do suffer from diplomatic penalties with other species, the Synth tend to be isolationists who want to be left in peace by the organic species.
Image 1. The Synth homeworld being attacked by their tyrannical creators
Image 2. Synth Concept Art
Image 3. Synth Diplomat
Image 4. Synth fleet with chase cam on in tactical in editor with AI debug displays
Let us know what further changes you would like to see or if you have encountered any technical issues. Please post on the forums, reach out to us via Discord or send an email: contact@rhombus-studios.net Saved games and clear steps to reproduce the bug are critical. It helps us more quickly track down the bug and get it fixed. Additional information on bug reporting tips can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/437440/discussions/.
Additionally, as mentioned earlier: End game or mid game saves from the community are appreciated as they’ll help us gather more data on the AI for tuning. so don't hesitate to send those in!
As always, we appreciate the feedback, conversations, and support from all of you!