CHANGES AND ADDITIONS [ALL VERSIONS]

• Oceanic regions containing ruins have their name displayed.
  
• Slightly reduced the odds of having the Inferno Outgame view at start.
  
• Trying to execute an army interaction with an unmet empire will no longer
• show the actions interaction panel (Attack, Siege, etc), the army will move towards it's target's position when possible instead.
  
• Units can now regenerate health on their cities and districts, regardless of terrain type.
  
• Increased Science output in ruin exploitation from +2 to +3; reduced all the search ruin Science drop.
  
• Network messages that weight more than 1MB are now splitted into smaller chunks and reassembled on receipt.

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS [INFERNO]

• The duration of the Dust Eclipse should be a slightly longer, so the player can try different Confluxes.
  
• Added a method (middle-click) to automatically skip the confirmation message when buying a Volcanoformer.
  
• Added a damage icon due to lava rivers on path points and a popup notification when lava river damage is received.
  
• Stockpiles obtained through Siege Engineering are not Industry Stockpiles anymore, but are now their own stockpiles (Rubble Stockpiles).
  
• Changed Nourishing Conflux health regen bonuses values from 0.3->0.15(non-Kapaku) and 0.5->0.25(Kapaku).
  
• Necrophages Stockpiles will now spawn 2 Battleborns and fights will yield twice the regular amount of corpses during Dust Eclipse.
  
• Increased effects of the Dust Eclipse for Forgotten factions.
  
• Added Flamewalker capacity to Guardians.
  
• Increased Golem Camp production cost from 250 to 400.
  
• New Lithophage book gives +10 Food and +1 Food per pop.
  
• Reduced Health Regen Pendant cost from 5 to 3, it's now hero only and works on volcanic terrain.
  
• New level 1 Volcanology will give +1 Science and new level 2 Volcanology will give +1 Dust on volcanic terrain.
  
• Kapaku quest reward Slavery Ring now costs 200 Dust, 5 Palladian and 5 Adamantian to equip.
  
• Improved the way volcanoformation is rendered on the map.
  World Tint effect from the Dust Eclipse is lighter.

FIXES [ALL VERSIONS]

• Fixed an issue where converted villages were costing twice their normal upkeep value.
  
• Fixed an issue where the number of Next Spawn turns of a converted village are reset on load.
  
• Fixed an issue where removing an accessory from a unit design will cause
• the armory to display all obsolete designs of the accessory.
  
• Fixed an issue where several accessories can be equipped multiple times by the same unit or hero.
  
• Fixed an issue where Roving clans can win by Economy victory after being defeated.
  
• Fixed an issue where no information is displayed when hovering the combat strength ratio bar.
  
• Fixed an issue where the combat strength ratio bar is not modified based on the city's fortification during an assault.
  
• Fixed an issue where the battle results notification is displayed twice after assaulting a defenseless city.
  
• Fixed an issue where Faction icon of a defeated Empire is no longer displayed in Combat Notification upon reopening the notification.
  
• Fixed an issue where huge size map option forces the world shape to default to two continents.
  
• Fixed an issue with the "United Empires" achievement. It will now be given ONLY to players that win indirectly by being allied with the match victor (not if they win themselves while being allied with someone).
  
• Fixed an issue where, in Inferno-themed Outgame view, the Geomancer model does not perform a proper mounting animation when mounting the Golem Mount.
  
• Fixed several text issues.

FIXES [INFERNO]

• Fixed an issue where Kapaku video intro cutscene does not play audio on Mac platform.
  
• Fixed an issue where the battle soundtrack continues to play after a Manual Combat concludes during Dust Eclipse.
  
• Fixed an issue where Strategic Deposits are not exploited if a Golem Camp is built over them before researching the Exploitation Technology.
  
• Fixed an issue where the player obtains no reward when searching "Eclipsed" Temples
  
• Fixed an issue where Nourishing Conflux regenerates more life than the tooltip states for the Kapaku Faction or when playing with a Non-Kapaku major faction.
  
• Fixed an issue where Nourishing Conflux regeneration bonus is inconsistent with all other regen bonuses and does not stack with other regen bonuses.
  
• Fixed an issue where Necrophages AIs do not make use of Recycled Stockpiles during Dust Eclipse.
  
• Fixed an issue where Lava Flow Rivers exploited by cities and their districts damage own units.
  
• Fixed an issue where underwater volcanic regions could be generated on maps, preventing Health regen.
  
• Fixed an issue where Volcanoformer Selection Range is not visible on elevated terrain due to fog of war.
  
• Fixed an issue where Kapaku militia and settler unit walk animation speeds are not consistent.
  
• Fixed an issue where Kapaku face tattoos do not display the faction specific color for Geomancers, Golem Riders and Heroes.
  
• Fixed an issue where vertical lines are displayed on the map's tiles during Dust Eclipse when having Quality Level set on "Fast".
  
• Fixed an issue where faction starting region can be uninhabitable.
  
• Fixed an issue where non-Kapaku AIs are put in disadvantage when they place their cities on volcanic regions.
  
• Fixed an issue where the player is able to place multiple Volcanoformers on the same tile.
  
• Fixed an issue where "Eclipsed" temple VFX is not removed after an interaction if the "Archeology" technology is researched.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Productive Worker from the Golem Camp's Population Bonus is granted second turn after the Camp is built.
  
• Fixed an issue where unit designs could be deleted if units using them are garrisoned in a camp.
  
• Fixed an issue with the Beetlejuiced achievement. It will now be given even on a counter attack.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Retrofit button text overlaps with the price for units garrisoned in Golem Camps.
  
• Fixed an issue where Volcanoformer Stock value overlaps on top of Treasury and Influence when using Big Screen UI option.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "Patriotic propaganda" deed technology unlock and "Inner peace" Kapaku technology reward overlap in the research screen.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "no health regen" tooltip information text is out of bounds when a non-Kapaku player hovers Volcanic Terrain.
  
• Fixed an issue where Volcanoformer's Dial and Range Wave have the player's colors when placed by an Privateer Army.
  
• Fixed an issue where Kapaku Faction is selected automatically when selecting then disabling Custom Factions in New Game while having Inferno Expansion disabled.
  
• Fixed an issue where Volcanic Regions option are not disabled in Advanced World Generation Settings when Inferno Expansion is disabled.
  
• Fixed an issue where Health Regeneration icon from Watchtower is displayed on non-Kapaku units while standing on Volcanic Terrain.
  
• Fixed an issue where Portable Forge capacity lacks visual feedback on unit when active.
  
• Fixed an issue where the second part of alternative Kapaku quest "1. Arrival" cannot be completed when requirements are met.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Kapaku Chapter 8 has not the "final quest" tag.

FIXES [TEMPEST]

• Fixed an issue where the player can pillage his own regional buildings while having Black Spot.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "Dust Focal" naval equipment does not deal damage on counter attack.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "Satchel Charges" naval equipment does not have audio effects.
  
• Fixed an issue where ships equipped with "Mouth of Fotios" do not display animations, visual or audio effects when attacking.
  
• Fixed an issue where ships equipped with "Breath of Atmos" do not display visual or audio effects when attacking.
  
• Fixed an issue where ships do not display animations, visual and audio effects when applying the "Galvanization" morale bonus.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "Auto-Heal" capacity received from "Palliative Prow" does not work against Fomorian units and transport ships.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Fomorian units do not have audio effects if they are destroyed.
  
• Fixed an issue where weather status effects are displayed inside unit panels only during the first battle turn.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "To Jail the Jailors" Morgawr Chapter 2 Step 2 cannot be completed if the objective fortresses are already controlled (this requires a new save file).
  
• Fixed an issue where the "Things from the Deep" naval quest fails if the host saves/loads the session.
  
• Fixed an issue where encounter notifications of the Morgawrs and Vaulters use the same jingle sound effect.

FIXES [SHIFTERS]

• Fixed an issue where the player is able to build Strategic Intensifier over a Strategic Deposit which cannot be exploited yet.

FIXES [THE LOST TALES]

• Fixed an issue where "Industrial Might" Urces quest can be triggered before Era 3.
  
• Fixed an issue where "Crystalline Caverns" Silics quest is not properly updating when a new extractor is built.

FIXES [SHADOWS]

• Fixed an issue where shadow particles are displayed in Main Menu after playing as Forgotten.
  
• Fixed an issue where Forgotten with the conversion trait cannot complete Chapter 5 step 1 if they convert all the villages in their regions.

Hey guys and gals,

We still don't have a Gamescom booth this year, but as Endless Space 2's Hissho would rightfully point out, you don't mess with tradition, so we're organizing another Beer2Gether at a venue near Gamescom! From 7pm until late, get ready to spend an evening of merriment and revelry with us!

A few more people will be coming this year. It'll be 7 members of the Amplicrew, so if you're looking to meet He-Who-Shall-Be-Blamed Ato, She-Who-Keeps-Clocks-Ticking Natco, Frontrunner for best Horatio haircut Frogsquadron, or any of the cool people at the top (we have some new faces, and they're eager to meet you!), and you're at Gamescom, here's your chance!

As usual, we'll be joined by a bunch of our favorite community members, the VIPs, and also word is that some talented cosplayers will be joining us for our celebration, as the delegation for the Hissho empire. I hear they're here to negotiate something with a Yuusho representative whom you might have seen before...

Speaking of the Hissho, we'll have a trove of themed goodies, here's a hint below:




If you want to join us, simply fill out this form and we'll contact you closer to the date with more info!

Let us know in the comments if you plan on attending!

CHANGE [ALL VERSIONS]

• AI empires should privilege tiles which give 6 neighbours when colonizing (less city centers near borders).

CHANGE [INFERNO]

• Increased the Resource Cost Cap for Volcanoformers from 16 at 7 to 998 at 498.

FIXES [ALL VERSIONS]

• Fixed an issue where the game does not automatically select the last played major faction in New Game screen if the faction is from any expansion.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Cultists faction questline cannot be completed on custom factions without the conversion trait.
  
• Fixed an issue where assimilated Minor Faction slot goes out of bounds when using Big Screen User Interface option.
  
• Fixed an issue where starting a siege with a privateer army is not reducing the city fortification.
  
• Fixed an issue where units do not receive deployment priority before automatic deployment.
  
• Fixed an issue where, if a player does not exit the defeat screen, the session will not continue for the other players in a MP session.
  
• Fixed an issue where, if the player equips an accessory of a certain type on an unit in the Unit design screen, then all other, better accessories of the same type and made of the same material disappear from the forge.
  
• Fixed an issue where roads do not reduce army movement cost when constructing trade routes, under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed an issue where automated governors queue constructions on top of the queue when wonders are being built.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "Ice in the veins" infantry hero skill does not remove winter penalties to unit attributes.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "Cold Operator" hero skill does not remove all penalties applied during winter.
  
• Fixed several text issues.

FIXES [INFERNO]

• Fixed an issue where a performance drop is encountered when performing transition between 3D-map and 2D-map during Dust Eclipse.
  
• Fixed an issue where the FIDSI stats from the Golem Camp's FIDSI panel are not updated when effects of the exploited tiles change.
  
• Fixed an issue where Golem Camp does not display the Strategic Resource ouput in the FIDSI panel.
  
• Fixed an issue where Confluxe buffs are visible in main menu screen.
  
• Fixed an issue where Dust Eclipse Confluxe icon is covered by the city model in 2D map when it's spawned on any city.
  
• Fixed an issue where the player cannot place "Volcanoform Devices" on Ardent Mages' banners.
  
• Fixed an issue where the "2. Otherskins" Kapaku faction quest completes before meeting the quest's whole requirement.
  
• Fixed an issue where the lava lights from Kapaku themed main menu turn off at random times.
  
• Fixed an issue where Kapaku Faction Hero Quest Reward tooltip from "4.Preparations", step 2, displays null values if prerequisites are met prior to gaining the quest.
  
• Fixed an issue where two Industry Stockpile inputs appear in the Marketplace if the player obtained one Stockpile from Siege Engineering.
  
• Fixed an issue where the duration of the first Dust Eclipse is too short on Fast Game Speed.
  
• Fixed an issue where active volcano peak textures slightly spill out of boundaries.
  
• Fixed an issue where Volcanic Leecher improvement could be constructed on regions that have no strategic resources.

FIXES [TEMPEST]

• Fixed an issue where the "Yellow bathysphere, yellow bathysphere...", step 2, triggers if the step 1 of the quest fails.
  
• Fixed an issue where armies using auto-explore do not dive sunken ruins.
  
• Fixed an issue where Transport Ships are not affected by vision reduction received from winter effects.
  
• Fixed an issue where "Dust Focal" does not deal damage on counter attack.
  
• Fixed an issue where Artillery units affected by "Cat's Paw" keep doing siege damage to the city its capture.

FIXES [SHIFTERS]

• Fixed an issue where the counter of the chapter 2, step 2, of Allayi faction quest displays "-1" as the required number of turns for its completion.
  
• Fixed an issue where searching ruins on the first summer with the Allayi is not giving orbs.

Visit the free weekend websiteto see collective hours played and which stretch goals have been unlocked!

Let’s face it, it’s just too hot to go outside. So why bother melting in record high temps when you have the perfect excuse to stay inside and kick ice on some super cool Amplitude games?

That’s right, we’re offering up ALL of our games to play for FREE on Steam this weekend :

• Start: Thursday at 8:00 PST / 16:00 BST / 17:00 CEST
  
• End: Monday at 10 AM PST / 18:00 BST / 17:00 CEST

Whether you’re a returning player eager to try another of our games, or an adventurer completely new to the Endless universe, we’ve got something for you...

FREE WEEKEND STRETCH GOALS

What’s that you’re saying? You already have everything? Well, first off, high five! Such a discerning customer... However, we’ve got something special there for you too. On our free weekend website, we’ll be putting up Stretch Goals that will be unlocked based on the total number of hours played by our community, across all of our games.

Last year, 240,000 participated in the Endless Space 2 free weekend, unlocking all six reward tiers in the process. This year, we're back with another Community Challenge!

Simply play Endless Legend, Dungeon of the Endless, or Endless Space 2 and reach 1 million hours of collective playtime to help the community unlock all the rewards, which include a Cravers Prime skin that was only available during Early Access, and as stretch goals, 6 additional fleet skins to unlock for ES2!


Have a nice (free) weekend! :)

- the Amplitude team

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS [ALL VERSIONS]

• The game now supports Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters (modding only).
• Changed the way movie subtitles are handled (they can now be modded).
• Prioritized factions with special needs when choosing spawn positions to give them more chances of a good spawn (PC only for now, will be fixed for Mac version in the next build).
• Increased the priority of faction specific military technologies for all major factions.
• Cities traded with the cultists are destroyed immediately as they do when conquered by force in order to avoid Cultist empires with multiple cities.
• Break down trait based FIDSI output in tile tooltip for cases where a faction has multiple traits affecting the same currency output.
• Changed savegame and map file extensions to prevent antivirus and firewall software from blocking their usage.
• Added a notification when playing a new faction for the first time (Kapaku only, for now).

ADDITIONS [INFERNO]

• Added Volcanic terrain with 6 variations: Basalt Plains, Scorched Wilds, Barren Soil, Lava Swirls, Ash Drifts and Badlands.
  
• Added a new river type: Lava Flow, impacting armies on the map and in battle.
  
• Added 4 new Anomalies: Lava Chimneys, Lava Geyser, Fumarole and Caldera Lake.
  
• Added Dust Eclipse phenomenon, activating a brand new trait per faction for all major factions.
  A Dust Eclipse sweeps Auriga, disrupting the natural order, and empowering all races.
  • Wild Walkers: Dust Divination.
    With greatly heightened senses during Dust Eclipses, Wild Walkers are carefully attuned to Auriga's other inhabitants, granting them the capacity to meet the enemy head-on.
    
  • Broken Lords: Sould Burn.
    With Dust already writhing beneath their great suits of armor, it is no surprise that Dust Eclipses can have such great impacts on the Broken Lords' armies.
    
  • Vaulters/Mezari: Teleportation Finesse.
    Powerful currents of Dust in the air during Dust Eclipses greatly enhance the accuracy of Vaulter teleportation, allowing more target destinations.
    
  • Necrophages: Rising Dead.
    When Dust Eclipses descend on Auriga, animating forces bring to life some of corpses of the Necrophages' great heaps of flesh, creating not-so-fresh recruits.
    
  • Ardent Mages: Rising Fire.
    Building off pain rituals, during Dust Eclipses injured Ardent Mages find themselves driven into violent rages that make them extra dangerous fighters.
    
  • Roving Clans: Setseke Infusion.
    Setsekes, the giant scarabs that underpin the Clans culture, become invigorated during Dust Eclipses leading to even greater reverence for their powers.
    
  • Drakken: Mystical Words.
    With the general confusion and bouts of arcane mysticism that Dust Eclipses bring, unruffled Drakken diplomats are more effective during negotiations at this time.
    
  • Cultists: Worshippers Frenzy.
    Leveraging the feelings of fanaticism that Dust Eclipses instill in Auriga's lesser races, Cultists preach that they are a sign from the Queen.
    
  • Forgotten: Dust Opportunists.
    Taking advantage of Dust's magical propensity to literally drift out of imperial coffers during Eclipses, infiltrated Forgotten spies can potentially steal small fortunes during the long twilight night.
    
  • Allayi: Call of Auriga.
    Responding to Auriga's apparent distress, the Allayi are moved to great feats of endurance during Dust Eclipses.
    
  • Morgawr: Riders of the Wild Winds.
    As natural seafarers, the Morgawr are the only faction able to take advantage of the high winds and rough seas that characterise the oceans during Dust Eclipses.
    
  • Kapaku: Shaman's Knowledge.
    Already well-attuned to earthen energies, Kapaku shamans gain near supernatural powers of insight at times of Dust Eclipse.
  
  
  
• Added Confluxes on the world map, granting temporary boosts to armies collecting them.
• Added a new Major Faction: the Kapaku.
  The Kapaku are a new race uniquely suited to the Volcanic Terrain, able to thrive off it where other races would struggle, and their symbiotic relationships with their golems allows them to exploit more resources more efficiently, fueling their machinery to turn Auriga into a new Volcanic Paradise. 
  
• Added a new trait: Volcanoformation.
• Added a new army action, unlocked by the Volcanoformation: Volcanoform, allowing to use Volcanoforming devices and change any terrain into a volcanic one.
  
• Added a new trait: Stargazers.
  Auriga's pattern of Dust Eclipses was well understood by the Concrete Endless, predicated on the chaotic interaction of moons.
  
• Added a new technology: Siege Engineering.
  Provides an Industry stockpile generated by dealing siege damage to enemy city fortifications.
  
• Added a new extension type: Golem Camp.
  Populated by indefatigable golem workers, these camps enable cities to create boroughs entirely separated from their parent metropolis.
  
• Added 3 new volcanic Technologies unlocking 3 new city Improvements and items.
  
• Added ground effect Dust Blizzard impacting armies on the map and in battle.
  
• Added 2 Inferno in-game soundtracks.  

FIXES [ALL VERSIONS]

• Fixed an issue where a desync occurs when ending the turn after a player joined a multiplayer session.
• Fixed an issue that limited the number of lobbies returned by Steam, thus making the game appear to have a lot less open lobbies than it should.
• Fixed an issue where a skippable assert is generated when the ship in chapter five takes off if the screen is not centered on the ship.
• Fixed an issue where, under some circonstances, when all players press ready and the host launches the session, the host will enter the loading screens and the game will hang there, without the rest of the players loading in the session.
• Fixed an issue where the Advanced extraction can be built in regions with no luxury resources.
• Fixed an issue where nearby armies are not called as reinforcements whenever a converted village without garrison is attacked.
• Fixed an issue where units garrisoned in converted minor faction villages cannot participate in battles as reinforcements.
• Fixed an issue where Roving Clans can win by economy victory after being wiped out from the game.
• Fixed an issue where Ardent Mages Custom factions which do not have the Arcana of Materializing tech cannot complete chapter 6 of the faction quest.
• Fixed an issue where the Chapter 6 step 1 of the Drakken faction quest cannot be completed by Drakken custom factions with the "Weapons of the enemy" trait.
• Fixed an issue where the Drakken chapter 6.1 "Correcting the course" cannot be completed by custom factions with the "Make trade not war" trait.
• Fixed an issue where the AI Empire is eliminated in the next turn if all the units and cities are captured or destroyed.
• Fixed an issue where the AI builds ships on "closed" waters with no exit to the World Ocean.
• Fixed an issue where city siege breaks when any army belonging to the besieging player moves through or leaves the siege area.
• Fixed an issue where the player is not informed how to unlock the Heroes category from Marketplace when hovering the locked tab.
• Fixed an issue where the "Games2Gether" main menu button redirects the user to the wrong site.
• Fixed an issue where the "Stimulated" Achievement triggers after 6 luxury boosters are active at the same time.
• Fixed several text issues.

FIXES [TEMPEST]

• Fixed an issue where a skippable assert is generated and the game remains stuck if the user attacks a frozen Fortress.
• Fixed an issue where the "Morgawr" army pathfinding tries to attack a village from the water.
• Fixed an issue where the Fortresses quest icon is displayed only for the host in a multiplayer session.
• Fixed an issue where Fomorian ships have no banner icon displayed.
• Fixed an issue where ungarrisoned fortresses become captured even if successfully defended by reinforcements.
• Fixed an issue where fortresses become captured if the garrisoned units are killed even if successfully defended by reinforcements.
• Fixed an issue where naval ships can be constructed on lakes if the city is adjacent to ocean tiles.
• Fixed an issue where Morgawr starting spawn can be set inside land and next to a lake.
• Fixed an issue where the "Transport ship slayer" capacity stated an increase of attack versus transport ships.
• Fixed an issue where Pikou's Blade weapon model does not display properly in combat.
• Fixed an issue where Baleshark's Tooth Shield model does not display properly in combat.
• Fixed an issue where users are not informed about the relationship state required to perform the "Coastal bombardment" action.

FIXES [SHIFTERS]

• Fixed an issue where the fourth chapter of the Allayi faction questline cannot be completed by custom factions with the pitiless trait.
• Fixed an issue where the number of turns required to complete Allayi chapter 2 step 2 is inconsistent with its objective.
• Fixed an issue where Shift button overlaps with "Assign / Unassign Hero" button when playing as Allayi.

FIXES [SHADOWS]

• Fixed an issue where the Forgotten AI overstates the value of a technology.
• Fixed an issue where the Forgotten AI heavily undervalues tech stealing.

FIXES [GUARDIANS]

• Fixed an issue where the host receives the unit reward from “Wings of Ruin” quest if the client completes it.

Hey everyone, Endless Legend Inferno is coming to Steam this Thursday, August 2nd! We’re very proud to be collaborating with NGD Studios to bring a new life to a game that is so loved by our community. In case you’ve missed the big announcements, check out our previous blog posts, or better yet, read on as we will be showcasing some of the new stuff bit by bit.


DUST ECLIPSE OVERVIEW

The arrival of the Kapaku is marked by a strange new phenomenon in Auriga’s atmosphere. How are these two events connected, and what exactly are these “Dust Eclipses” that sweep the land?


Overall Rationale
Dust Eclipses are short periods of intense Dust activity over Auriga, but they are not as simple as just a new season. Instead of imposing restrictions on the players, we want to create new opportunities. New objectives are added to the map, rewarding players for being proactive, and new abilities are introduced to the existing factions, reinforcing lore and opening new strategies.

Dust Eclipses are not a new season, rather they are “breaks” during regular summers where new forces come into play. Effects that check for summer will still work during Eclipses, and likewise effects that only work during winter will remain disabled.

Dust Storms
Sub-Rationale
We have seen lots of talk among the community about adding Weather Effects on Land. However, there are so many layers of information already that adding a complex weather system like Tempest did would make the game too overwhelming. However, we want to try and meet these expectations halfway by introducing a temporary element to make “unmodified” terrain more interesting during the Eclipses.

Feature Overview
Dust Storms are mechanically similar to maritime Fog, swirling clouds of loose topsoil that hang in mid-air due to Dust saturation. They spawn with the onset of the Eclipse, and can cover any terrain that has no intrinsic map properties – That is to say, terrain that has no special Decals on the 2D Map.

Like Fog, Dust Storms block vision and grant Stealth to units standing in them. While in battle, units standing in a Dust Storm have increased Defense against ranged attacks, but also suffer an Attack reduction for melee attacks. With careful maneuvering, both sides of this effect can be used to the player’s advantage!




Map Boosts
Sub-Rationale
While trying to implement weather on land, we realized that placing static points of interest forced players to make awkward movement choices or force them to end their turn early in order to capitalize on the effects. So we decided to make a system where you can carry the effect with you.

Map boosts spawn in a pattern similar to Pearls, and provide an XP Boost and a buff to the army that picks it up. This buff stays on the units for the whole Eclipse. Rather than limiting movement, these effects reward players for moving quickly before their enemies can capture the effects for themselves.

Feature Overview
The Eclipse creates small swirls of “Dust Magic” across Auriga. At the start of an Eclipse, these “Confluxes” are selected randomly and the Boosts are spawned on the map. Armies that move over a Map Boost collect the effect for themselves, and become empowered with different abilities depending on the type of boost.

Confluxes have two effects, one that affects the army as it moves through the map and one that affects their combat prowess. There are different boosts that spawn on different types of terrain:

• Nourishing Confluxes reduce Army Upkeep, and increase Health Regeneration.
• Empowering Confluxes give Crushing, and increase Attack of units.
• Swift Confluxes give +2 Movement, and increase Initiative.

Once acquired, boosts last for the remaining duration of the Eclipse.
Once the Eclipse ends, all effects on units, as well as boosts and spawn points on the map, are removed.

Once a conflux is picked up, the affected army carries a particle effect with them to indicate they are affected by the Boost. When splitting or merging armies, each unit is affected by the boost individually, and the Boost Effect particle will be displayed on the army pawn if at least one unit is affected by it. While in combat, the boost can be seen in each affected unit’s status.

Temple Searches
Sub-Rationale
The peculiar effects of the Eclipse seem to coalesce on the ancient Temples of Auriga. As an additional objective to pursue, Temples can be searched during Eclipses to gain bonus Bonus XP on the Army performing the search as well as a random reward from a curated droplist – again, regarding whoever gets to perform the search first.

Feature Overview
Highlighting the relationship between the Endless and the Eclipse, Temples become riddled with Dust during eclipses. During this time, players can investigate these ruins (Marked with a special effect on the map) to dispel these disturbances and collect bonus loot in the process. As each Eclipse begins, Temples become active again, allowing players to search them each time around.





Faction Effects
Sub-Rationale
We wanted to give each faction something new and unique to them, and using the influence of the Dust Eclipse allows us to dive further into their lore and gameplay options. Whether something new or an improvement to an existing ability, the Dust Eclipse brings new possibilities to all factions!

Feature Overview
For each existing faction in Endless Legend, we are adding a new power that becomes available only during the Dust Eclipse. Again, our intention is to force all factions out of passive play patterns and out into the map, so as much as possible we want to give Eclipse Effects that reward proactive gameplay.

Eclipse Effects are bound to the Faction Affinity, and as such are available to custom factions created with that faction’s affinity.

Wild Walkers have their senses heightened by the Eclipse, enhancing their bonds to Auriga to such extent that they have Global Sharing and reduced Movement Cost on Forests. This allows them to anticipate their enemy’s movements, and gives them the added mobility to react swiftly and meet them head on.

Broken Lords, uniquely attuned to shifting of Dust in Auriga, are able to harness the Eclipse’s power to increase the power of their armies, but at a great cost. Their units and heroes gain a new army action, similar to the Allayi Forced Shift, granting them a new capacity for a turn. This Consuming Fire increases the Damage of units by 30%, but causes the unit to take 10% of its maximum health as damage at the start of each combat turn.

Vaulters / Mezari can harness the power of the Eclipse to increase the accuracy of their Teleport. While the Holy Resource Boost is active During an Eclipse, units can be transported directly to a Vaulter or Mezari Hero’s Army – anywhere on the map. Instant reinforcements!

Necrophages will notice something some of the components of their Recycled Stockpiles are not as dead as they seem, receiving bonus Battleborns from Stockpiles. These not-so-fresh recruits receive all the applicable bonuses from buildings on the city, and make excellent last-minute defenses while the main army is away from the colony.

Ardent Mages, already uniquely attuned to Dust Magic, discover new depths to the power given to them through Ardent Fire. During an Eclipse, Ardent Fire provides bonus Damage as well as Attack, making their units even more dangerous while on low life.

Roving Clans may not be as fond of battle as other factions, but that doesn’t mean they are unable to take advantage of the unique opportunities of the Eclipse. Their Setsekes find the Dust-rich atmosphere invigorating, gaining massive stat boosts to Speed, Attack and Damage when packed up and on the move. Even while unpacked, their good spirits are infectious, providing cities a life regeneration area around them, similar to the effect found on Watchtowers.

Drakken Diplomats are able to take advantage of the general confusion and bouts of arcane mysticism the Eclipses bring to the other factions, and as such there are able to lean on others more easily, having Reduced Influence Cost for all Diplomatic Actions – Even Forced Truces and Alliances.

Cultists, on the other hand, spur the feelings of zealousness and fanaticisms that the Eclipses instill in Minor Factions as a sign from the Queen, giving all Minor Faction Units a Stat Boost based on City Level. This effect is similar to Unleash Potential, but multiplied by the City Center level of their Capital.

Forgotten can leverage the liquidity of Dust during an Eclipse to perform a unique Infiltration Action, Dust Opportunist steals directly from the coffers of the infiltrated faction. This action steals a small flat amount of Dust and a small Percentage amount of Dust from the target, meaning that it can bankrupt poor factions or produce large amounts of Dust by stealing from rich ones.

Allayi see this unnatural turn of events as a clear sign of Auriga’s last dying throes, and in this Time of Need they move swiftly to save her. All armies under their control gain increased Movement during an Eclipse, as well as an additional action point.

Morgawr are the only faction able to take advantage of the rough seas created by the Eclipse’s influence. As Riders of Wild Winds, they gain massive Embarked movement during an Eclipse.

The Kapaku, although strangers to Auriga, have a very keen sense of earthen energies. During Eclipses, they are able to sense the locations of Map Boosts in their settled regions and their neighbors’, and they receive increased effects from the Boosts they collect.

We hope you have enjoyed this first look at the Dust Eclipse. Tomorrow, we’ll look at the new Volcanic Terrain!