Today is the 15th anniversary of the first public release of Transcendence (version 0.7). To celebrate we're doing a special 50% off promotion!
Thanks to all of you who have supported and contributed to the community over this last decade and a half!
For Your Consideration in the Labor of Love Category
1.8 Beta 3
I've updated the NEXT branch to 1.8 Beta 3. This version fixes various bugs and adds a few minor changes:
Sung slave camps have been improved to increase the chance that slave quarters survive.
Acid-filled containers no longer damage cargo items; instead, they damage armor.
Mining cargo hold keeps track of asteroids not yet mined.
New images for fuel depots and armor dealers.
The complete list of fixes is here: https://ministry.kronosaur.com/program.hexm?id=1&status=closed&tag=102
1.8 Beta 2
The next branch has now been updated to 1.8 Beta 2. This build has bug fixes and minor enhancements. The full list of fixes is here: https://ministry.kronosaur.com/program.hexm?id=1&status=closed&tag=101
Meanwhile, I'm slowly making progress of Part II, the post-Heretic adventure. There's a lot of work left to do, but I'm very excited about it. I'm planning on releasing it by the end of the year.
1.8 Beta 1
We've been working on updates to the game and we'd love you to try them out. You can access 1.8 Beta 1 in the next beta branch.
This release has the following features:
You can buy new ships at dry docks and Commonwealth fortresses. There are 5 new playable ship classes, including the EI200 freighter (with 500 tons of cargo) and the Minotaur-class (a military-grade corvette).
The trading mechanics have been revamped. Now prices vary from system to system according to production and consumption rules.
Ship armor has been re-balanced and now affects maximum speed. If you choose lighter armor, you can increase the speed of your ship; heavier armor slows it down.
There are dozens of other minor changes, including new graphics, game balance changes, UI improvements, and lots of API changes for mods.
1.7 Released!
The latest release, in development for over a year, contains major user interface, gameplay, and graphical improvements:
Benedict & Fiona: After Fiona is attacked and injured by Penitents, you'll help Benedict to uncover the mysterious reasons behind the attack. But the trail leads to a secret at the heart of the Sister of Domina, and shifting alliances threaten to leave you with no one left to turn to.
Full support for maneuvering and firing with the mouse. We've also added a user interface for re-mapping keys and mouse buttons.
Improved interfaces for stargate network, commodities exchange, and many others.
Beautiful new weapon and explosion effects.
Four new music tracks, including victory tracks for the Battle Arena Maximus.
Workshop support!
Read more at the Multiverse and let me know what you think here.
2016 Annual Report
Every year around this time I write about what we've accomplished in the previous year and what to look forward to in the coming one.
Here's the annual report for 2016: https://multiverse.kronosaur.com/news.hexm?id=1765
Happy New Year!
1.7 Pre-Release Version Available
Version 1.7 Alpha 2 is now available on Steam! Go to the Beta tab under the game properties to opt-in to the development release.
1.7 is designed to support Part II, but also to improve the core game experience based on feedback from Steam players. We've added the following new features:
Workshop integration: This pre-release version supports Steam Workshop, allowing you to download mods created by the community. See the Workshop tab for more information.
Mouse controls: You can now fly your ship with the mouse! Try it out and see if it gives you better control.
Keyboard mapping UI: Although it's possible to re-map key controls by editing the Settings.xml file, it's much better to provide a friendly user interface for it. Version 1.7 let's you configure keys to whatever you desire.
Improved galactic map. Check out the new galactic map interface. In addition to incorporating beautiful star graphics, it also lets you see the stations you encountered in previous systems. This makes it easier to remember what you've encountered before.
Improved weapon balance. Thanks to lots of feedback from the forums, we've rebalanced many weapons in the game. In addition, most weapon effects have been overhauled.
Although 1.7 is technically compatible with 1.6 save game file, we recommend that you start a new game because not all features will be available to old save files.
For more details on the changes, please consult the Multiverse:
