May 6, 2024

Dev Journal 2: Gameplay Trailer Breakdown

Sins of a Solar Empire II - [SD] redskittlesonly

We thought it might be helpful to point out some details in our gameplay trailer that illustrate some key differences between Sins 2, Sins: Rebellion, and other strategy games (especially of this scale).

You can view the full video below:

The Planner

This scene shows how planets orbit and phase lanes change. The speed is accelerated to exaggerate the feature but it actually occurs very slowly giving players time to plan their defensive and offensive strategies.

Planets close to the star tend to orbit faster than planets further from the star. On this particular map it takes about 1 hour for the innermost planet to orbit and 3 hours for the outermost. This may seem slow, however the network of interactions of planets moving at slightly different speeds and positions makes for very interesting map changes without descending into chaos. Defensible trench lines still exist, but they slowly change.

The blue bar just below the top bar is showing that the author of the video is using the ability to scrub into the future to see where planets and phase lanes will be up to an hour in the future. This enables players to plan far ahead.

The little blue arcs next to each planet indicate the direction and speed of the planet orbits. Most planets move in the same direction just like in real solar systems. This is called 'prograde'.

However, note that some planets in the video move in a retrograde direction - this opens up some really cool strategies.

The Mobilizer

The aggressor in this video is the red Vasari player. The scene shows the new look of the War Year 35 designs of the Vasari and two of their new units which I admit are difficult to see. We'll make them more obvious in the future.

Near the left wing of the titan is the new "Kortovas Oppressor" which is a heavily armored cruiser. It features a number of actuating turrets designed to engage multiple light targets from multiple directions, making it useful to drive into a horde of less armored frigates. It also has point defense to help counter missiles that are designed to penetrate its armor.

Near the right wing of the titan are a few "Jusotra Fabricator" cruisers. The Vasari are a very mobile race so the new Fabricators allow them to construct corvettes and frigates while moving with the fleet. Fabricators also collect combat debris for resources to fuel their construction abilities. Finally, they also operate as mobile retrofit bays which allows players to customize their capital ships and titans on the fly (instead of having to return back to a planet with the appropriate structure). This is a brand new and very important feature. I'll dive into more detail at another time.

The Defender

This shows the TEC defender who is preparing for a potential attack from the red Vasari player. There is a lot to unpack here so I'll just hit a few points.

First, it shows the TEC ships in War Year 35. There is a mix of new units and refinements of the Sins: Rebellion units. The refinements reflect how the units needed to adapt to the deeper combat model and new strategic factors. I'll just point out a few examples.

The Kol has swapped out its single fixed gauss cannon for two giant dual gauss turrets (one on top, one on bottom). These can rotate to engage targets as the Kol moves into an optimal position or to engage units trying to get around him. However, as heavy hitting weapons, they rotate slowly and are unable to track fast moving targets, leaving him vulnerable to certain ships. With fully simulated turrets it's very important to consider your position and firing arcs, and to take advantage of your enemy's limitations.

We can also see a few new units (Harcka Cruisers, Retrofit Bays, Autocannon Defense Platforms) and a variety of refined familiar units. The familiar units have been substantially updated for integration into the new tactical gameplay; and a number of them have radically new strategic functions as well. I'll speak a bit more about that in a later scene.

The blue and yellow coloring reflects the ability of the player to choose his primary and secondary hull colors before beginning the match. Players who prefer less color paint on their ships can select the 'minimal color' option when they choose their logo and portrait. This is closer to the Sins: Rebellion style.

The Influencer

Sins 2 introduces a new currency called "Influence". Influence allows players to convince minor factions into doing your bidding.

At the beginning of the game a random selection of minor factions populate the galaxy. The number is dependent on the map size. At first you have no idea which ones they are, but you can either scout to find them or pay Influence to informants to reveal one minor faction at a time.

You generate Influence in different ways but the primary method is through culture. Once you've accumulated enough, you can use it to increase your Influence level with a minor faction, giving you access to better offerings. These could include anything from special items, reinforcement fleets, or even gambling.

In the video you can see the player has 1 level with the Viturak faction and 4 levels with the Aluxian faction. As they move the mouse cursor they are evaluating what minor faction offering they want to spend Influence on.

There is a lot more to minor factions such as auctions, markets, destruction, and more but I'll cover those at another time.

The Empire Builder

This scene shows the player building some structures, building a ship, zooming out to see the empire, and some other unique features I'll describe momentarily.

The first goal here is to show new players the scale of Sins 2. You can build stuff at a planet and then you zoom out to see an entire empire of planets to build at.

Now let's dive into some new stuff. We mentioned earlier there are structures with radically new functions tied to new strategic systems. Much of this new functionality isn't demonstrated in the video whatsoever but I'll summarize nonetheless.

First, the Retrofit Bay (far left). This is used by the TEC to customize their ships by building items on them. You can queue these up to be built at any time, but they will construct really slowly unless you are in the gravity well of a Retrofit Bay. Retrofit Bay’s also serve as repair stations with research upgrades. More on items shortly.

The transparent structure being built is the Tradeport. While having a Tradeport is nothing new relative to Sins: Rebellion, its function is quite different. All races now have a unique Empire System. The TEC's Empire System is 'Trade' which leans heavily into their lore and is quite different than Sins: Rebellion. The other two races cannot use this and have their own exclusive Empire Systems.

Each planet type is good at producing / exporting something. For example, you can get a lot of metal from a volcanic planet and unlock metal trade capacity by building Tradeports there. However, your overall trade throughput is limited by export points, which are acquired through various means such as specialized planet items like warehouses. You can dynamically allocate these export points between your traded resources at any time in a specialized window. As a result, the TEC has an extremely flexible economy.

There are a lot of neat strategies that emerge from this, but our favorite is to build a metal trade network and then kill off the minor faction metal market so other players are deprived of that flexibility without harming our own. Economic warfare is very much part of Sins 2.

One downside of trade is that your trade ships are vulnerable to attack, but you can research 'trade escorts' that autonomously protect your tradelines and don't affect your fleet supply.

Moving on from trade, in the upper right is a refinery which by War Year 35 the TEC has converted into an Exotic Refinery. I'll discuss the new Exotic system below.

Next there some some ship factories for use with the new Sins 2 Garrison system that is unique to the TEC Loyalist sub-faction. This feature will be discussed at another time but if you want to turtle, this is the ultimate new toy - and with orbiting gravity wells, it can also be used creatively as an incredible offensive tool.

The scene then transitions to the shot of a Marza exiting the factory. We showed this because in Sins: Rebellion a million players asked us to make the ships literally come 'out' of the factory. Sins 2 now does this so please stop asking. (tongue)

After the zoom out, the player clicks a button to open the Fleet Supply window. This window demonstrates two things: a.) a massive quality of life improvement and b.) a distinguishing new gameplay feature.

The quality of life improvement is the ability to manage the ability upgrades, autocast state, and check the status of every capital ship, titan, and starbase in your empire all in one place. No need to hunt them all down or lose where they are.

More importantly the right side buttons show all the custom items that each ship has retrofitted. Items are used to provide new functionality to each ship and opens up new tactical options or plug gaps in your fleet composition. They can be purchased by selecting each ship one-by-one in the main view, but this screen makes it easier to do it holistically. Some of the titan and starbase items will even change the appearance of the unit reflecting their new powers.

There is a similar system for managing planets as well including both orbital development and the new surface development. This customization of planets is much deeper and a very important part of your empire building. More details at another time.

The final section of this scene shows the Exotics window. Exotics are new rare resources that are used to build the most powerful units, items, and research subjects. At the beginning of the game you can find them by excavating your planets or by capturing them from the new derelicts you find at random gravity wells. Eventually, these sources will run dry and you'll want to build Exotic Refineries to produce them on a reliable, on-demand schedule. Their build time is extremely slow, so it's worth building a few refineries to have multiple exotics building in parallel.

The Backstabber

Next, the Vasari player has moved his fleet to a retrograde asteroid. Using the Future Orbit tool (see above) he saw that it was going to fly behind one of blue's important planets at a specific time. Blue has no recent intel on the asteroid as it only just became connected to his territory. When the phase lane connection is made, red phase jumps in from behind and bombs the crap out of blue's planet. The possibility of this scenario is completely unique to Sins 2.

The Body Blocker

This scene illustrates a cool event that occurred in a developer game and is unique to Sins 2. Yellow's fleet showed up at blue's home planet before blue could get his main fleet back to defend. However, yellow couldn't finish off blue without taking out the starbase that was providing a shield around the planet.

The best way to take out a starbase as TEC is to use the Ogrov torpedo cruisers (think space catapults). Blue needed to buy just a little more time for his main fleet to return and luckily he had his titan nearby. As yellow's Ogrovs fired at the starbase, blue moved his titan to 'body block' the massive torpedoes to protect the starbase (and indirectly saving the planet) while firing at the Ogrovs at the same time.

Unlike Sins: Rebellion, Sins 2 missiles and torpedoes are fully simulated (not just effects), and just one part of a much deeper combat model that allows for a lot of really fun and creative tactics.

The Missile Screen

A group of vulnerable yellow ships are being torn to pieces by enemy missiles. Yellow then places a wall of Garda flak frigates in front of the vulnerable ships using a 'wide' formation to get maximum coverage. They proceed to start picking off all the incoming missiles rendering the enemy long range cruisers useless.

If you watch the close up you can see how fast the four point defense turrets rotate and fire to take the missiles down. This is a nice contrast to the big slow gauss turrets I spoke about earlier.

The Sins 2 Garda not only has tighter integration with the combat model with its simulated flak turrets, but it can also be upgraded to have a light autocannon turret to help deal with corvettes.

In the previous scene blue's titan could have purchased a custom item to add point defense guns. These would have helped him handle at least a few of those torpedoes (although they are much tougher to take down than missiles) without having to take as much hull damage.

The Last Stand

The red Vasari fleet has finally arrived at the blue TEC player's home planet. As blue brings his fleet around the planet you can see a battle already raging in the distance. Blue finally brings his fleet into range and engages red in a small/medium sized battle, destroys him, and even takes down his titan.

Sins 2 combat offers all the pew-pew you could ask for: dynamic lighting, more weapons fire, customizable units, deeper combat mechanics, and more. Best of all, combat runs super smooth - that's the benefit of a 64-bit engine that can use every CPU core you have.

Sins 2 provides players with new and exciting gameplay moments and experiences that they can't get anywhere else, including Sins: Rebellion, and it does this without ruining a winning formula. This trailer break-down is only the surface of the detail of what makes Sins 2 unique. We'll be diving into more detail over the next few months.

For more gameplay information, check out our Steam page:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1575940/

May 6, 2024

《下一站江湖Ⅱ》正式版第十一次更新公告（版本号：1.1.12(10)）

下一站江湖Ⅱ - 下一站江湖Ⅱ

《下一站江湖Ⅱ》将于5月7日更新客户端（各位大侠退出游戏重启更新即可），将修复一批重要BUG！

【未来更新计划】

1.最近接到个别大侠报告推理过程中解密卡住！我们对相关账号进行了验证，都无法复现处理；急！特在这里恳请遇见该问题大侠们将对应云存档发至官方邮箱3681313015@qq.com，如果确定并解决，我们将在本周临时更新！

2.收到了不少外网反馈，除本次的更新以及紧急的临时加更外，我们计划这个月开始将在每周末（周五或者周六）的时间固定更新优化与修复！我们计划在本周内完成百分之95以上的BUG修复，然后将集中全力给大家做内容优化、及新内容新玩法！

3.预计下次更新时间：5.10号或者5.11号晚上

【5-6月新增内容前瞻】

一定要在本周改完大部分BUG，我们要尽快给大家优化版本了哭！

1.将在本周末的更新里，放出手柄适配第一期

2.我们已经开始着手优化大家吐槽的背包选择、地图传送、人物图标展示、道具说明指引等众多问题，争取在第一个资料片或者尽快更新给大家

3.我们已开始着手调整所有产出，除极个别玩法外，取消随机池的概念；未来，我们游戏的接近5万种道具，都将有固定的产出方向！满足大家对大地图进一步探索与冒险的追求：比如XX道具，会有描述，据说在西南毒谷附近的野狼群里，有猎人曾看到过！

4.我们将进一步新增大量武学功法，同时调整所有武学的对应产出！让武学的产出回到最有江湖味道的方式中去：比如张无忌式的奇遇、比如江湖霸图带来的门派差异化、比如藏在某些画卷时刻里需要对应身份解锁的奇功绝艺等等）

5.收到大量道友反馈，我们将增加词条的同一性（即同一装备上的同类词条，只能生效其中一个），防止数值膨胀导致的武学养成缺失

6.我们将取消经脉里武学洗练的随机玩法：需要大家去收集不同的天才地宝、时辰绝地、武学经脉等来激活对应词条，而不是靠修改器或者SL大法，进一步增加开放世界乐趣

7.我们将在后续的资料片中，连续补充完整玩法的门派（江湖霸图第一期是5个，门派包括前期的剧情RPG养成和成为掌门后的总舵建设、分坛扩张、经营贸易、多角色混战等，分期增加）、更多的身份线（目前最近的是千金线、书生线）、以及每一期都带来的遍布大世界的诸多全新奇遇！我们希望，在最短的时间内，填充满整个大世界

8.大家一直吐槽的游墙功和三段跳的问题我们准备等最新的第三层轻功放出来后大家体验后再决定如何优化，预计在六月，大家敬请期待！（因为游墙功、三段跳代表着空中借力次数，它们的下一代可以参考云龙九现、飞龙大九式这种！如果到时候大家觉得还是不行，我们一起看看如何优化的更好。目前大家的相关意见我们已经收录）

9.我们计划大规模减少游戏内的委托任务数量，超大幅度提升对应任务的奖励

10.正在头痛如何调整新手，正在到处看外网的各位大侠的反馈

11.还有更多的上百条确定优化已放入我们对外同步的优化建议进度表，大家监督！

【本次更新时间】

Steam、蒸汽平台版本预计将于5月7日下午或晚上更新

（感谢各位大侠的理解，我们会尽量提前完成更新）

【重要感谢】

今年内，此刻起：我们商店首页展示规划中的所有玩法DLC（比如江湖霸图、MOD编辑器）、身份线DLC（比如千金线、书生线）全部免费更新！（我们未来会做一些纯外观的恰饭DLC收费。但是我们会把承诺送给购买了首发DLC的玩家的两个限定免费外观DLC做好发布后才会考虑这事儿）

【攻略查询、BUG及优化提交】

白天都在跑版本，群里或者外网很多消息可能看不到

1.各位大侠可以前往《下一站江湖Ⅱ》官网，点击右上角提交优化建议和BUG，同时也可以查询反馈进度:

下一站江湖Ⅱ官网:

http://jh.inmotiongame.com

（很多需要攻略交流的大侠也可以点击这里，右上角进入官方攻略交流专区）

2.也可以直接进入BUG及优化进度表直接查询：（我们所有BUG的修复顺序是按照大侠们提交给我们的相同BUG条数多少来排序的，因为人手有限，还望大家见谅!但一定会清理完）

BUG修复进度表：

http://jh.inmotiongame.com/portal/index/buglist

优化更新进度表：

http://jh.inmotiongame.com/portal/index/proposelist

【海外专区】

特别感谢海外大侠的支持，因此我们特地为海外玩家增设了discord，欢迎各位海外玩家加入discord进行讨论、查询攻略，欢迎各位海外大侠提出宝贵意见和建议

Discord:https://discord.gg/BxwHtEhh

【重要补充】

1.支线百废待兴4 进入神兵山庄（已修复）：触发主角对话去神兵山庄，（老档）卡这里的玩家直接进去找到顾池渊（1110，615）也可以继续完成任务

2.委托任务中的NPC是会死亡的，接了委托久了不去做，NPC死亡会导致任务失败；建议接了委托任务的大侠尽快前去完成！

3.之前没有接取到身世之谜三任务的玩家在淮陵263,654可正常接取；

4.幻梦之影任务有部分场景有高度限制，建议玩家最好轻功学全以后再做这系列任务

5.有遇见视角及人物歪斜问题的大侠，关闭360等软件即可修复。

6.当前大家报告的BUG以奇遇支线为主，细节问题较多：因为我们的奇遇任务不是类似“通马桶类”的常规模板任务（比如大家吐槽较多的悬赏及委托），每一个奇遇都是全新设计、独立脚本完成，而且数量庞大，需要单独一个个处理；因此解决起来速度较慢，还望各位大侠理解！我们目前正全力赶工，一定会在最快的时间内修复完成！

7.指引优化，显示了生活技能制造点的图标

8.操作优化，右键单击物品即可使用

9.打造指引优化，只要有材料，鼠标挪上去可以直接看；没材料话，去打造界面在打造需求材料那里悬浮鼠标也可以看到

10.提示优化，增加配方“已学习”标签

【邮件修改老档提醒】

1.我们已于之前的更新修复了不少BUG，其中部分修复只能对更新后的版本生效：比如无心地宫BUG等等！因此遇到对应BUG但又舍不得删档重新来过的大侠们可以联系我们客服邮箱3681313015@qq.com由我们手动帮你处��！请在邮件里详细描述所需修复的问题，提供云存档账号密码，如果能修复是否能覆盖云存档等

2.由于最近更新版本较多，请各位大侠一定确定云存档的版本与我们最新一致！比如发布最新版本后，大侠在更新后确定版本号与公告无误的情况下上传对应云存档！再邮件发送我们！

【本次更新内容】

1.修复侠云录无法重置继续打榜的问题。请各位大侠注意：卡在地榜无法挑战的大侠再去重置修复，正常挑战到地榜天榜的大侠请勿重置

2.修复捕快身份无法正常晋升的问题。

3.修复捕快身份能够异常突破瓶颈的问题。

4.修复京谕珠无法获得的问题。

5.修复百晓生异常失踪的问题。

6.修复险途崎岖无法完成的问题。（老档无效，需要联系我们客服邮箱我们手动帮大侠解决3681313015@qq.com）

7.修复了部分情况下道德值过低会被捕快追杀并卡死的问题。

8.修复孔夫子会卡在水面上的问题。

9.修复了奇遇焕然一新无法完成的问题。（需打听云鹤村高手的传闻，阅读后方可完成）

10.修复了覆灭穆特任务无法完成的问题。（老档需前往穆特前线完成任务即可）

11.修复了无妄之灾任务选择奖励时获得的物品不正确的问题。

12.修复了选择归隐田园结局后还会继续接取到主线任务的问题。

13.伐木之斧奇遇和需要云母的奇遇是两个不同的奇遇任务，为避免混淆，伐木之斧任务已更名为《失踪丈夫》

14.修复了成就击败伯子越不能领取的问题。

15.修复了好感值通过门派加成后超过限制的问题。

【最近遇见个别玩家报告存档丢失】

1.是否没有更新到最新版？有些大侠能看到存档但是点击无效，需要更新到最新的版本才行！

2.之前为了解决某些安全软件权限导致的蓝屏、启动等问题，我们将存档目录做了一次移动，如果发现存档没有跟着官方的更新自动转移的玩家，可以前往之前目录看看存档是否还在：（如若不行，还请联系官方客服邮箱3681313015@qq.com说明情况，万分感谢。请详细描述需修复的问题，��供云存档账号密码，如果能修复是否能覆盖云存档）

转移前的存档目录：

转移后的存档目录：

白玉京工作室拜上