Jun 5, 2017

Alpha Experimental 6.0 - Release Candidate 4.3

Empyrion - Galactic Survival - EmpyrionGame

Hi Galactic Survivalists,

The countdown is running….only 2 days left until the public release of Alpha 6.0. Our coffee intake now reached a dangerous level but we are confident that we can handle it another 48h :)

We just released the last official patch in the Experimental cycle (maybe tomorrow we will have another minor hotfix).

Please continue to report any issue or bug in the RC4 bug thread: http://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-alpha-experimental-6-0-release-candidate-4.11376

Today, we were excited to see that even PC Gamer announced the release of Alpha 6.0 in a short article: http://www.pcgamer.com/empyrions-alpha-60-update-fattens-up-the-galactic-survival-game/

Please spread the word and tell your friends about the upcoming release! Together we can make it a special day.

Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team

---------------------------

Changelog: Alpha Experimental 6.0.18 (Build 1072)

Updated Ambient Sounds:
- Added new ambient sound for space playfields as well as Akua + Omicron:
https://soundcloud.com/empyrion-game/orbiting-by-rich-douglas
> Rich Douglas

- Added new ambient sounds:
https://soundcloud.com/empyrion-game/eden
https://soundcloud.com/empyrion-game/encryptor
https://soundcloud.com/empyrion-game/stellar-grasp
https://soundcloud.com/empyrion-game/the-first-hours
> Alexzander Jordon

Overall, all ambient sounds that got tagged by YouTube before are now replaced. As a consequence, you are now able to upload your videos to YT and you can monetize them without problems (even when enabling the music)

Changes:
- Player backpack now de-spawns immediately when it is empty + increased de-spawn timer for backpack from 15min to 25min when not empty
- Difficulty Setting: fast constructor speed is now faster (2x instead of 1.4x)
- Added Explosive Block 2 with more damage and larger radius
- Trigger Plate and Explosive Blocks are now airtight
- Improved general list behavior: avoiding double positioning
- Added better color + emissive to Alien Container (Ultra Rare) to distinguish it better
- Showing "Teleporting..." now on teleport effect + removed small preview pic
- Updated stock prefab CV Tier 5
- Updated PDA
- Updated wreckage POIs.
- Updated PDA: thanks to Ranger for proofreading
- Renamed Akua orbit playfield for consistency
- Release preparations: Removed Example1 scenario
- Added more loot to Taipane Instance

GUI Polishing:
- Separated Meteorite Resource Lists into Depletion and Random Meteorites
- Added Resource Asteroid List in Space Playfields (Map and Sector Map windows)
- Added Space Asteroid Resources info to Space Playfield Selection (New Game and Choose Starter windows)
- Added "Background Darkening" to Misc Options
- Adjusted Positioning of Fuel and Oxygen Tank Windows
- Adjusted size of "Power Left" info in Ship Stats

POI Update:
- Added new TS to Skillon: thanks to Dinkelsen
- Updated TSP Ningues / Zeyhines: thanks to Frigidman
- Updated TSO Akua: thanks to Dinkelsen
- Updated Xenu drone base: thanks to rainyday
- Updated Epsilon Faction POIs (+ drone base): thanks to Pantera

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Freezing in space although protection is perfect
- Fixed: MP: Deactivating Vessel per Y button leads to instant-perish-drop/spoil of food in fridges
- Fixed: Exception while HV shooting
- Fixed: Problem that a lot of resources were spawned at the same time if a dormant playfield was loaded again
- Fixed: Problem that trapdoors could be activated via F key
- Fixed: Game crash after lot of asteroids / meteorites have spawned
- Fixed: Spamming exception if SV components got destroyed
- Fixed: When clicking 'Fresh Start' and teleporting to another playfield, the player most often is not set to the right structure (MP)
- Fixed: Sectors list shows every planet with same temperature + radiation
- Fixed: Statistics page: O2 Stations are labeled as O2 tanks
- Fixed: Gaps in lists in certain uses cases

Jun 5, 2017

Alpha Experimental 6.0 - Release Candidate 4.3

Empyrion - Galactic Survival - EmpyrionGame

Jun 3, 2017

Alpha Experimental 6.0 - Release Candidate 4.2

Empyrion - Galactic Survival - EmpyrionGame

Hi Galactic Survivalists,

Only 4 days left before Alpha 6.0 hits the road. We are working around the clock to get everything ready for the big day.

We just released Alpha Experimental 6.0 - RC 4.2 with more tweaks and bug fixes. Most likely, there will be only one more update before public release.

Please continue to report any issue or bug in the RC4 bug thread: http://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-alpha-experimental-6-0-release-candidate-4.11376

Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team

P.S. We added some screenshots from videos that did not make it into the trailer

---------------------------

Changelog: Alpha Experimental 6.0.17 (Build 1067)

Visuals / Sounds:
- Added new background image for main menu and slightly updated logo

We would like to thank "Karissa Cole/ex-astris1701" from Devianart who allowed us to use this awesome background image for Empyrion (http://ex-astris1701.deviantart.com/art/Permanently-Baffled-269262105)

- Added new sound track for main menu
https://soundcloud.com/empyrion-game/empyrion-galactic-survival-main-menu
This soundtrack was composed by Rich Douglas (http://www.richdouglas.net) - stay tuned for more great stuff by him :)

GUI Polishing:
- Improved general list behaviour: selected item is always in visible area
- Tweaked Control Panel, PDA, Factions, Tech Tree, Blueprints, Marketplace and Registry Windows
- Added some more overlay icons / logos: Thanks to Kieve and Frigidman
- Adjusted Chat Window text size

Changes:
- Added impact of temperature / radiation to difficulty setting (Low, Normal, High, Off)
- Tweaked EVA Boost: now 1 boost is enough to go into space (but higher penalty)
- Reduced drop probability of EVA boost
- Added reception table thin
- Added more destroyed blocks
- Removed cockpits and passenger seats from crashed CVs to avoid problems when a player uses them
- Updated PDA + added preview pics.
- Updated Havoc POI
- Updated Ghost + Xenu faction POI: thanks to Rainyday und Frigidman
- Less jittery movement when some NPCs walk
- Ventilators can no longer be signal-controlled (in order to avoid significant O2 loss)
- Reduced intensity of player light
- Added regenerate timer to 180 for voxel asteroids in Default MP setting
- Added warning to ventilator that you should not deactivate it manually
- Temporarily removed Marker Block 3 from Item Menu until it becomes functional

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Drone base cutout area leaving a gap of 1 block.
- Fixed: Using Registry > CP > Main tab > Manage tabs for fuel/o2/ammo allows to remote-fill from remote
- Fixed: Drones keep shooting at Personal drone in MP
- Fixed: When your Personal drone is at the range limit & destroyed the distorted view still appears for the player.
- Fixed: MP: If Personal drone is destroyed, POI keeps shooting at position and you can not deploy drone again
- Fixed: You can access container/devices through walls with third person view
- Fixed: The drop down list in 'Configure signal' for on & off & lock & unlock can overlap the Select Circuit text.
- Fixed: Standing on or in any vessel & pressing Y to power down vessels can hover with no power (only fix for MP)
- Fixed: Problem that configurable trigger area of entity spawner was not working correctly
- Fixed: Corpses of dead enemies block movement
- Fixed: Drone Base Akua: Defense drones are not replaced
- Fixed: Destroying the core on the DSE front wreckage results in the entire front section also being destroyed.
- Fixed: Chat stream overlays "Symbols" checkbox in Texture Tool
- Fixed: Mouse over while sitting in cockpit does not show tooltips for toolbar items
- Fixed Difficulty Preset defaulting to "Custom" instead of "Medium" when set to Default settings
- Fixed: Alien / - Admin Core do not respect Lock Codes for boxes
- Fixed: Large / Adv. Constructor show templates to be indirectly craft-able even if they are not (according to available resources)
- Possibly Fixed: Problems with some blueprints (corrupt / crash)
- Fixed: Armor Locker missing a BACK button when accessed via CP
- Fixed: Exception in Control Panel when selecting 'Devices' tab
- Fixed: Some buttons being too dark when disabled
- Fixed: PDA Tasks not shown on HUD: Default visibility set to OFF
- Fixed: Can not complete tasks/actions manually
- Fixed: Playfield Description problems
- Fixed: Sometimes drone base is spawned under the Escape pods landing area.
- Fixed: Removing an Entity Spawner block with MT returns a Player Spawner block
- Fixed: Small vessel Control panel has the 'Turrets' switch in the main tab.
- Fixed: In the sector list the temps being shown are for your current playfield instead of the playfield you have highlighted
- Fixed: Ship Stats panel garbled/positioning problems
- Fixed: Tech tree Disabled Color (Level Header)
- Fixed: Sector map list should be centered to top and not middle
- Fixed: Font size in the LCD panel goes back to 7 when exiting & reentering the LCD panel editing window
- Fixed: Constructors aren't being counted in the statistics tab of all Vessels & BA.
- Fixed: Size problem with some destroyed blocks.
- Fixed: LOD distance of Pumpkins is too low.
- Fixed: Options -> Misc -> 'Units of Temperature', seems to be missing its explanation/hint text

Jun 3, 2017

Alpha Experimental 6.0 - Release Candidate 4.2

Empyrion - Galactic Survival - EmpyrionGame

---------------------------

Changelog: Alpha Experimental 6.0.17 (Build 1067)

Visuals / Sounds:
- Added new background image for main menu and slightly updated logo

Jun 1, 2017

Alpha Experimental 6.0 - Release Candidate 4.1

Empyrion - Galactic Survival - EmpyrionGame

Hi Galactic Survivalists,

We are getting closer and closer to the public release….for those of you who have missed the release announcement:

Alpha 6.0 will be released on June 7, 2017.

But before that, there is still some work to do. We just released another update with more bug fixes, tweaks, changes and more polishing. Expect to have at least 2 more updates before the public release.

Please report any issue or bug in the RC4 bug thread: http://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-alpha-experimental-6-0-release-candidate-4.11376

Last but not least, here is again the link to our official Alpha 6.0 Launch Trailer:
https://youtu.be/61c1_iA2Ce0

We are very excited (and a bit nervous) to push Alpha 6.0 to the public branch next week.

Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team

---------------------------

Changelog: Alpha Experimental 6.0.16 (Build 1062)

Changes:
- Added durability reduction to Difficulty Settings (Off, Slow, Normal, Fast) - SP and MP (via dedicated.yaml)
- Regeneration time of Voxel asteroids will now start as soon as a player starts to dig an asteroid
- A player can now start regeneration several time. In addition, we set the 'no player' distance for regeneration to 200m
- Saving faction to any core persistent (=> admin/alien core do not overwrite faction any more)
- Deactivated Planet Vessel delay if a player is approaching PV base so that PV will attack player
- Triceratops now gives more meat but is harder to kill (more HP)
- Alien/Admin POIs don't consume fuel/O2 and always have enough fuel/O2
- Improved algorithm to spawn wreckage POIs to ensure they get spawned even if a lot of mountains are around 0/0
- Increased output from harvesting certain grow-able plants + adapted templates
- Added Oxygen Generator instead of Oxygen Station to start equipment in default MP setting

Visuals and Sounds:
- Added default preview pics to MP Choosing Starter Planet. Before, a fixed default preview picture was shown - now it depends on the planet type (desert, temperate, barren, lava etc) which preview pic will be shown
- Added offset to trader block so trader stands at border
- Added mohawk and crewcut hair style
- Added Stubble Beard
- Tweaked Cockpit 03 (lowered front part)
- Added more destroyed hull blocks
- Tweaked removal distance of deco+grass around POI (reduced from 20m to 8m, before it was 6m)

GUI Polishing:
- Adjustments to Tech Tree Window, Factions Window, Blueprint Window, PDA Window, Marketplace Window and Registry Window
- Main Menu window tweaks (Adjustment to Tab Alignment in options window)
- Updated scenarios
- Added regenerate to voxel asteroids in example playfield.yaml

POI Update:
- Xenu Faction POI update -> Contributors: rainyday
- Ghost Rider Faction POI update -> Contributors: Frigidman

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Lagshot regression that player could get splash damage
- Fixed: Problem that player was not able to exit cockpit/passenger seat when the ship got stuck
- Fixed: BA showing message "There is a docked ship in your ship..."
- Fixed: Mounted weapons (such as SV rocket launcher) do not shoot reliable if moving the mouse
- Fixed: Problem that mounted weapons (such as SV rocket launcher) destroy own vessel if shot when moving fast
- Fixed: Trees/Deco regrow in bases in special case (MP)
- Fixed: Sometimes the starter wreckage POI is spawned on other side of planet
- Fixed: Adding the line AllowCV: False into a playfield.yaml doesn't stop you from using a CV starter block to make a CV.
- Fixed: Digging exploit + COQ with autominers involved
- Fixed: Weather is not always 100% sync in MP
- Fixed: If o2 is not fully loaded to tanks, o2 station will not fill suit (but o2 is lost)
- Fixed: Open control panel in a docked HV will allow access to CV control panel instead
- Fixed: While being in a CV, SV or HV cockpit, you can access other control panels.
- Fixed: Random exception when teleporting in MP via portal
- Fixed: Using the "fill all" option for ammo, you can stack the ammo into huge stacks, over the stacking limit.
- Possibly fixed: MP: When deleting a motion sensor in interactive mode then trying to leave interactive mode results in a CoQ
- Fixed: NPC Trader does not respect item slot amount
- Fixed: New Game menu: Selecting a workshop subscribed scenario throws CoQ
- Fixed: Autogroup is creating strange entries to the "Add to group" list
- Fixed: Troop Transport does not stop landing troops even if player is far away
- Fixed: "Neutral" faction standard use case having orange asteroids
- Fixed: Offset position after exit of instance while flying
- Fixed: SP Mission "No Man On The Moon" could not be fulfilled (wrong group name)
- Fixed: Tutorial find fuel tank may trigger a CoQ
- Fixed: Mountains on Omicron have dark areas in distance
- Fixed: Problem with strange white dots in hair sometimes
- Fixed: Destroyed blocks Cylinder End A & B have a texture & the letter A on them already
- Fixed: MP: Client not in sync with server for growing plants status after warp jump
- Fixed: Spawning a fresh blueprint leads to the name tag shown in RED in MP
- Fixed: MP: PVs are "Ghosts" as you can not stand on them and fall through it when working on them
- Fixed: Sitting on a Motorbike or Open cockpit reduces the radiation level when in a radiated area.
- Fixed: Error with preview pic upload for scenarios
- Fixed: Video Options positioning problem in different aspect ratios
- Fixed: Portal not switching to blue after reopening again
- Fixed: Orbit map shows wrong offset
- Fixed: Looking at a growing pumpkin shows PumpkinStage3NoFruit

Jun 1, 2017

Alpha Experimental 6.0 - Release Candidate 4.1

Empyrion - Galactic Survival - EmpyrionGame

May 29, 2017

Teaser: Alpha EXPERIMENTAL 6.0 - Release Candidate 4

Empyrion - Galactic Survival - EmpyrionGame

Hi Galactic Survivalists!

Welcome to the next Alpha 6.0 Experimental update!

Please note that Release Candidate 4 will not be the final version, because recent feedback indicates that we still need to smash more bugs before we can go public. However, until early next week, we will roll out smaller incremental updates in a higher frequency to iron out as many issues as we can - so you do not need to run into them for a full week or more. ;-)

Said that, public release is within reach....expect “Alpha 6.0” to hit your game next week! The exact release date will be announced in a separate Blog Post very soon.

Until then, maybe check out the revamped NPC faction POIs, try the Tutorial, the updated Scenarios or just have a look if your monitor aspect ratio is now fully supported!

Any feedback is welcome! :)

As always: please report any issue or bug over here to help us speed up the pre-release work: http://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-alpha-experimental-6-0-release-candidate-4.11376

Thanks a lot in advance!

Cheers,
Empyrion Dev Team

P.S. Regarding Workshop Scenarios, we wanted to remind you about the following:
- Please add a file named preview.jpg with the dimensions of max 1280*720 pixel in your Scenario main folder
- Please hide all unfinished or work-in-progress scenarios
For more details, please read: http://empyriononline.com/threads/r...-mp-customization-scenario.11204/#post-127120

---------------------------

Changelog: Alpha Experimental 6.0.15 (Build 1056)

Regeneration Update:
- Now supporting regeneration of voxel asteroids in space
- For testing: Added regenerate after 2min to voxel asteroids in space (in MP default setting)
- Tweaked regeneration timer of POI in Default MP setting (now 720 min)
- Removed regeneration of POIs in SP default setting

Changes:
- Player does not die any more when passenger seat or turret is destroyed he was in (instead player will be ejected)
- Slightly increased flying altitude of planet vessels (via playfield.yaml)
- Random distribution: Ensure no Poi driven resources are placed beyond polar barriers
- Planet difficulty (as defined in playfield.yaml) has no impact on xp gains anymore
- Adapted exit positions on some SV cockpits.
- Added new beards: moustache, goatee

- Reduced RoF of laser space drones
- Slightly increased radius around bounding box of POI around which deco is removed to avoid branches of trees clipping into buildings
- Tweaked particle effect of spider and alien bug
- Slower durability reduction on player armors.
- Added more text in description of playfields (WIP)
- Updated description for starting planets on MP default setting.
- Avoid spawning NPCs high in mountains on Desert.
- Tweaked color of fiber plant.
- Upgraded Unity to 5.6.1p1

POI Update:
- Added "HAVOC Rescue Modul" by jmcburn

- Epsilon Faction POI update -> Contributors: Pantera, Fractalite
- Ghost Faction POI update -> Contributors: Fractalite
- Xenu Faction POI update -> Contributors: rainyday, Fractalite
- Rados Faction POI update -> Contributors: LiftPizzas, Frigidman
A big thanks to all creators for their help!

Visuals / Sounds:
- Added possibility to tag all neutral POIs so that they have white HUD marker (new yaml property: MapMarker)

- HUD markers: Red for living enemies, white for dead ones (does not yet apply to Radar-Map)
- Tweaked textures on Akua trees to match visuals from A5.5
- Added better model for promethium stone
- Music now starts after the player is spawned
- Added “mute” audio track to have possibility of a playfield without any background music
- Tweaked attack animation of spiders
- Improved hit animation on several NPCs
- Added more loading screenshots
- Updated preview pic for scenario.

GUI Update / Polishing:
- Now supporting all Resolutions/Aspect Ratios with the New UI: let us know if you still find windows that have overlapping elements in eg 5:4 resolution
- Show "Threshold" Meteorites on Map Window with (D) suffix > "D" like depletion
- Added Resource Info to MP Starter Select Window
- Added Resource and Meteorite Type list to Selected Planet in Sector Map Window
- Tweaked more windows: New Game Menu, Control Panel, Trader NPC Window
- Tweaked Entity Spawner configuration
- Adapted description of starter planets
- Removed Armor Locker Hint from Player Window
- Removed "Origin:" Label in Choose Starter Planet window (now you must add it to Description)
- Adjusted Transparency of several popup windows
- Added Tooltips for Difficulty Settings
- Swapped Signal Logic and Statistics tab positioning in Control Panel
- Lerp fuel / oxygen only when refilling and not when going into ship 1 and then into ship 2
- Allow only integer (no float) for coordinates in map marker popup in starmap

Console Command Update:
- Improved teleport console cmd by adding possibility to teleport to an entity.
- Add ai on/off console command
- Added shortcut for console cmd debugmenu: dm
- "ents" console cmd: showing regenerate time in minutes now

Updated Scenario Invader vs Defender:
- Implemented Solo Mission PDA for all Escape Pod starts
- Implemented first Faction Mission: Alien Ship
- Other tweaks

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Grass / Decoration does not get removed from POIs in Multiplayer
- Fixed: Some NPCs / Predators do not hit you
- Fixed: HV Drill & Minigun Turrets barrel's are partly missing.
- Fixed: FILL ALL does not work with items in toolbar anymore
- Fixed: Motion sensor refuses working when player leaves range with logout or teleport
- Fixed: Problem that you could walk through colliders of blocks after playfield change in MP
- Fixed: Continuous falling through terrain after playfield change in MP
- Fixed: If someone is in cockpit its not possible to fly through hangar door of a CV
- Fixed: Re-entry effect broken / offset
- Fixed: Using the multitool in 3rd person with ALT view mode results in the beam being in the avatars face.
- Fixed: Some issues with regeneration in MP
- Fixed: Hover booster's collision box when placed under a HV prevents the HV from landing flat.
- Fixed: Exception when opening PDA as client in peer2peer
- Fixed: Mechanoids can clip their weapons through wall and fire through blocks this way
- Fixed: AntiGrief distance: Terrain can be destroyed by explosive weapons (FIX for MP)
- Fixed: Map Markers set with "remove on approach" ticked does not remove from the Markers list.
- Fixed: SV Rocket launcher do not shoot if moving the mouse in cockpit / gatling gun hit itself
- Fixed: Landing with a SV on a platform can lead to stuck in it if you exit
- Fixed: If you die due fall damage you get error in MP
- Fixed: Fresh start in an instance causes glitches
- Fixed: Initial Delay meteorites spawn randomly wrong
- Fixed: Backpack is not displayed in the radar map
- Fixed: Exception when opening PDA as client in peer2peer
- Fixed: Setting MaxAllowedSizeClass to 0 prevents anything from being built.
- Fixed: Signal Logic circuits: Scrolling lists issues
- Fixed: Portal to instance corrupt - red and teleports with offset
- Fixed: Device list shows irregularities in line spacing
- Fixed: Spawning the ship attached leads to error
- Fixed: Problem that message “Freighter has been spotted” appeared on planets
- Fixed: Blueprint factory blueprint name will change when selecting another blueprint in the library.
- Fixed: Error when opening the Blueprint window in a creative MP game
- Fixed: Quick Access bar info window can be seen while the game is still loading
- Fixed: Origin for default one (=0) is displayed wrong at new start for MP
- Fixed: Double sounds when opening menu windows
- Fixed: Background Music missing in several playfields
- Fixed: Issue with ingame music switching off in certain situations.
- Fixed: New 'New Game' menu: Buttons overlap text in 16:10 aspect ratio
- Fixed: UI Label Positioning
- Fixed: Problem that jetpack was appearing on gender switching in Player Setup window
- Fixed: Disassembling Alien Honey yields Akua Berry Sprouts
- Fixed: Trying to drag the scrollbar of the entity spawner leads to closing the dropdown
- Fixed scrollbar visibility on New Game and Starter Select windows
- Fixed: New Game menu Difficulty & Start location elements overlapping when switching between Survival & Creative Mode.
- Fixed: Entity Id is not transferred to mod correctly in certain uses cases
- Fixed: Problem with sub-emitters error on drill mode: Terrain Removal.
- Fixed: Reinstated 'Dangerous Space' Solo Mission has minor errors.
- Fixed: In-game messages are not visible when full screen menu is open
- Fixed: Entity spawner configuration shows up in Control Panel on first open
- Fixed: Map rotates and zooms even if your mouse is not in window
- Fixed: Scrolling of World/Sector Map Description panels
- Fixed "Deposits:" Label Color in Map
- Fixed: Localization of Armor Name in Armor Locker and Player Windows