Version 2.918 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- New 'Zero Throttle' key and button remappable control option added to configuration menu.
- A very rare scenario with targeting could cause mouse point flight control to disable, now fixed.
- Also very rare, certain exit and restart conditions might allow player names to carry over into other multiplayer sessions temporarily, now fixed.
- Viewing multiplayer status list could cause radar direction indicator to disappear under certain conditions, now fixed.
- Deleting entries in the flight log would often result in remaining blank lines, now fixed.

Version 2.918 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- New 'Zero Throttle' key and button remappable control option added to configuration menu.
- A very rare scenario with targeting could cause mouse point flight control to disable, now fixed.
- Also very rare, certain exit and restart conditions might allow player names to carry over into other multiplayer sessions temporarily, now fixed.
- Viewing multiplayer status list could cause radar direction indicator to disappear under certain conditions, now fixed.
- Deleting entries in the flight log would often result in remaining blank lines, now fixed.

Version 2.908 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- Loading data performance for item descriptions in inventory console improved.
- Passenger transport range based pay limit increased, providing higher potential pay for longer distances.
- Passenger transport rate of pay decrease reduced, giving more time to reach required destination.
- Asteroids could sometimes incorrectly appear at the borders of certain sectors, now fixed.
- Option to select full negative and positive range of motion for throttle control added.

For the new throttle control option an additional checkbox has been added to the axis configuration menu labeled 'Full Range'. When enabled, the option will allow the player to use their throttle control axis for both forward and reverse levels with center being zero throttle. This should be a useful option for gamepad users who can only use thumbsticks that auto center themselves as well as for any joystick users who might want to have full range throttle control without having to use the reverse throttle toggle option.

By default, the game provides a small auto-center region to help accommodate slight imprecision in a device, making it a little easier to set throttle to zero at/near the center of the axis range. As an option, the game also supports using a custom file to specify a wider center zone for devices that may have additional unwanted imprecision near center. To use this option, create a file in the save data folder (c:\sw3dg\EvochronMercenary by default) named throttlecenter.txt and in the first line enter a value from 0 to 900. A roughly 10% deadzone would use a value of 100, a 50% deadzone would use a value of 500.

Version 2.908 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- Loading data performance for item descriptions in inventory console improved.
- Passenger transport range based pay limit increased, providing higher potential pay for longer distances.
- Passenger transport rate of pay decrease reduced, giving more time to reach required destination.
- Asteroids could sometimes incorrectly appear at the borders of certain sectors, now fixed.
- Option to select full negative and positive range of motion for throttle control added.

For the new throttle control option an additional checkbox has been added to the axis configuration menu labeled 'Full Range'. When enabled, the option will allow the player to use their throttle control axis for both forward and reverse levels with center being zero throttle. This should be a useful option for gamepad users who can only use thumbsticks that auto center themselves as well as for any joystick users who might want to have full range throttle control without having to use the reverse throttle toggle option.

By default, the game provides a small auto-center region to help accommodate slight imprecision in a device, making it a little easier to set throttle to zero at/near the center of the axis range. As an option, the game also supports using a custom file to specify a wider center zone for devices that may have additional unwanted imprecision near center. To use this option, create a file in the save data folder (c:\sw3dg\EvochronMercenary by default) named throttlecenter.txt and in the first line enter a value from 0 to 900. A roughly 10% deadzone would use a value of 100, a 50% deadzone would use a value of 500.

Version 2.888 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- Digital compass readout added below tape compass readout.
- Planetary water shader effect now fades in smoothly as player descends into atmospheres.
- TrackIR system updated to prevent DLL error message dialogue when no TrackIR software is present.
- Support for mapping throttle and inertial forward/reverse thrusters to the same axis channel added.
- Fleet system now displays 'fleet ship left' message when hired AI ship departs group due to friendly fire.
- HUD pitch ladder now smoother and more accurate for planetary atmospheric flight.
- 'Mouse Point Rev Y' and 'Mouse Point Roll X Rev Y' flight control modes added.
- 3D radar sphere updated with thinner lines for improved legibility.
- 'Inactive' crew member loyalty and skill values are now locked.


Edit 12-28-2014:

A quick fix patch has been made available for this build. The update fixes an issue where a 'limb error' could appear when one player tried to connect to another as a gun turret operator in multiplayer. The update is now live on Steam.

Version 2.888 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- Digital compass readout added below tape compass readout.
- Planetary water shader effect now fades in smoothly as player descends into atmospheres.
- TrackIR system updated to prevent DLL error message dialogue when no TrackIR software is present.
- Support for mapping throttle and inertial forward/reverse thrusters to the same axis channel added.
- Fleet system now displays 'fleet ship left' message when hired AI ship departs group due to friendly fire.
- HUD pitch ladder now smoother and more accurate for planetary atmospheric flight.
- 'Mouse Point Rev Y' and 'Mouse Point Roll X Rev Y' flight control modes added.
- 3D radar sphere updated with thinner lines for improved legibility.
- 'Inactive' crew member loyalty and skill values are now locked.


Edit 12-28-2014:

A quick fix patch has been made available for this build. The update fixes an issue where a 'limb error' could appear when one player tried to connect to another as a gun turret operator in multiplayer. The update is now live on Steam.

Version 2.878 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- Current selected device now displayed in individual axis channel control mapping menu.
- Individual axis channels can now be mapped across multiple devices (previously required the complete binding process).
- Crew members are now kept with the player in an 'inactive' status when they pilot ships that lack the capacity to use them.
- Ship rescue distress call time limit doubled and cargo delivery distress call time limit increased by about 50%.
- Option to move a selected crew member to the top of the list in the crew management console added.
- Updated button input binding system to better accommodate button 32 on certain devices.
- Clearing individual axis channels now limited to selected device only.


To access the option to move a crew member to the top of the list, hold the Alt key in the crew management console.

The server program has also been updated for this version to accommodate the new distress call time limit increases. Server operators will need to update to the new server build to allow for the longer time limits in multiplayer, otherwise the old limits will apply.

Version 2.878 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- Current selected device now displayed in individual axis channel control mapping menu.
- Individual axis channels can now be mapped across multiple devices (previously required the complete binding process).
- Crew members are now kept with the player in an 'inactive' status when they pilot ships that lack the capacity to use them.
- Ship rescue distress call time limit doubled and cargo delivery distress call time limit increased by about 50%.
- Option to move a selected crew member to the top of the list in the crew management console added.
- Updated button input binding system to better accommodate button 32 on certain devices.
- Clearing individual axis channels now limited to selected device only.


To access the option to move a crew member to the top of the list, hold the Alt key in the crew management console.

The server program has also been updated for this version to accommodate the new distress call time limit increases. Server operators will need to update to the new server build to allow for the longer time limits in multiplayer, otherwise the old limits will apply.

Version 2.848 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- New scaling option added to modification options for 3D radar.
- Positioning of 3D radar and target object display updated for improved positioning and more modification flexibility.
- Several container locations repositioned to be more accessible, more now also allowed to orbit planets as debris.
- Option to lock the mouse pointer to the display field during gameplay added to Options menu.
- Water shader updated to prevent certain indicators from casting a reflection.


Changes to the 3D radar and target display may impact some cockpit mods using non-default placement values in the gauges.txt file. So some mods may need to update some of the position values. While testing, I discovered that some cockpit mods used old gauges.txt files that also lacked shadow placement values for the chase view mode. So for a few of them, I've updated the gauges files myself to provide proper alignment for the radar and target display as well as including shadow placement values that they lacked before. The new values for the 'SilicuMax' and 'Perch' cockpits are available in the customizing forum here:
SilicuMax: http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=10093&page=3#pid170374
Perch: http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=9243&page=4#pid170373

The new Mouse Lock option can be optionally bypassed in the exit menu while the game is paused as well as during gameplay by toggling the mouse flight-to-selection control lock mode (press both Alt keys to toggle on or off).

For more update information and details, the game's official news page is here: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronmercenary/about.htm

Version 2.848 is now live and includes the following improvements:

- New scaling option added to modification options for 3D radar.
- Positioning of 3D radar and target object display updated for improved positioning and more modification flexibility.
- Several container locations repositioned to be more accessible, more now also allowed to orbit planets as debris.
- Option to lock the mouse pointer to the display field during gameplay added to Options menu.
- Water shader updated to prevent certain indicators from casting a reflection.


Changes to the 3D radar and target display may impact some cockpit mods using non-default placement values in the gauges.txt file. So some mods may need to update some of the position values. While testing, I discovered that some cockpit mods used old gauges.txt files that also lacked shadow placement values for the chase view mode. So for a few of them, I've updated the gauges files myself to provide proper alignment for the radar and target display as well as including shadow placement values that they lacked before. The new values for the 'SilicuMax' and 'Perch' cockpits are available in the customizing forum here:
SilicuMax: http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=10093&page=3#pid170374
Perch: http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=9243&page=4#pid170373

The new Mouse Lock option can be optionally bypassed in the exit menu while the game is paused as well as during gameplay by toggling the mouse flight-to-selection control lock mode (press both Alt keys to toggle on or off).

For more update information and details, the game's official news page is here: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronmercenary/about.htm