Unending Galaxy 1.1.5 Released !

EsKa

Snap1645Unending Galaxy 1.1.5 has just been released !

This release is a major improvement over the last official 1.1.0.6 version. Beside fixing many issues detected by our users on the forums (thank you all for your help), it improves the user interface, makes managers more useful, adds new graphical settings and many other requested features.

Also included in the Deluxe Edition are two new maps, a whole new powerful and playable faction, the Ceridan Empire, and a new ‘colonization type’ scenario. It also unlocks a new special chain of events that will cause the Ceridans to appear in your galaxy.

All the new versions are available on the download page. For those who already own the game, your favorite store should get the new version shortly depending on how long it takes to upload everything. Additional details, including full changelog are available below.

ceridaninvaderCeridan Empire

Ceridans are a complete faction with its own economy, stations, factories, tradings goods and ships. They do, however, use standard weaponry. All Ceridan docks are armed, factories included. Their ships are amongst the best in the galaxy, however they don’t use carriers, meaning that Ceridan military fleets are probably a bit easier to overwhelm than others.

But what really makes them unique is that, contrary to the other factions, the Ceridans won’t be present in the galaxy when you start a new game. Depending on how the galaxy is generated and what is going to happen, they may appear on their own (rarely), by your actions or not at all. It’s probably easy to guess how to make it happen if you already know the game well.

The Ceridan tech group is playable and a scenario has been added so you can try out the faction yourself.

New Maps

As detailed in the previous devlog, the deluxe edition features two new hand crafted maps. They may not be extremely well balanced yet, or missing the level of detail that has been put into Imperium, but I see no reason why I would need to delay the release any longer.

Besieged MapBesieged

It’s a large symmetrical map. The Draths are besieged by the other factions which are themselves besieged by the AI Core. All in all, it’s a fairly classic map. It will synergize well with a planned feature, namely the ability to play as a specific faction.

Snap1629Ore Belt

This is a medium sized map. The twist is that most asteroids are located in the pirate controlled nebulae. As such, securing your ore supply may be a tad difficult. Also, the central solar system is home to the Swarm, another potential problem if left unchecked for too long. I found it to be quite a fun map to play on so far.

Snap1635Other Major Changes

To accommodate maps like Ore Belt where faction will end up with a lot of factories pirate sectors, the military AI has been modified. It should be able to defend endangered assets in foreign sectors. It hasn’t been extensively tested as it’s part of a much larger military overhaul that will happen in version 1.2 and onward. The building manager has also been slightly improved and will favor building your tech group’s factories over generic ones when it has the choice between the two. It also focuses way more (probably a bit too much) on getting ship part production going. Those improvements are both for you and the computer controlled factions.

The way you navigate the galactic map has been slightly changed so it synergize better with the sector info panel. From now on, a single click will select a sector, a second click will make you zoom in.

A new, somewhat rare ore, titanium, (which is the heart of the Ceridan economy) makes its apparition too.

Savegame and Mod Compatibility

Mods made for previous 1.1x version are compatible with 1.1.5. Savegames, however, aren’t directly compatible. It is possible to import an old savegame like this:

  1. Install 1.1.5 over the previous version of your game.
  2. Try loading the savegame
  3. At the end of the loading screen an error message will popup, ignore it
  4. Game should be still running but without the bottom bar, press escape immediately.
  5. Save the game in a new slot
  6. Exit the game completely
  7. Relaunch the game as usual and load the savegame you just created

Understand that I cannot guarantee that this method will work well or even at all. And please, do not post bug reports about games running on such savegames, thank you.

Full Changelog

AI

  •  Faction AI can send military defense ships in foreign/pirate territory if it has assets there
  • Building AI will favor docks from main tech group when it has the choice between several docks
  • Building AI put a much higher focus on building ship part factories (until it reach a decent ratio)

Content Patch [Deluxe Edition]

  • Added Ceridan faction and playable tech group (unique ships, buildings, wares)
  • Added “Besieged” large symetrical map
  • Added “Ore Belt” medium map
  • New, rare, titanium ore
  • Added “Ceridan Invasion” special event
  • Added Ceridan starting scenario

Gameplay

  • Siraks and SPQR can no longer build capital type colonies on rocky and acid planets
  • Added high risk / reward mission to destroy Swarm Hives
  • Minor changes to some colony imports/exports
  • Minor price changes for various goods
  • Swarm spores “gun slot” reduced from 2 to 1; HP from 3000 to 2500
  • SPQR event “window” larger (can happen sooner/later in the game)
  • Can no longer build balanced colonies on volcanic worlds
  • Slightly increased power generation of the Man-o-War

Game Settings

  • Added 90 FPS setting
  • Added ability to enable/disable menu antialiasing
  • Added ability to set the nebulae transparency level (for those who find them too colorful)

Graphics

  • Added some pilot portraits variations to niliths, siraks, humans
  • Made AI Core carrier and battleship slightly bigger
  • Replaced computer plant by better looking building
  • Added volume to pirate bases and other buildings
  • Replaced a few AI Core buildings
  • Nilith shipyard, power plant, military and trade stations are pulsating

Modding Tools [Deluxe Edition]

  • Map Editor : Added visual indication of nebulae and solar systems when appropriate paint modes selected
  • Map Editor : Easier to know which solar system names have already been used on map (star in front of name)

Performances / Code Stuff

  • Upgraded graphic library
  • Misc small code changes & improvements
  • Smoother movement in higher refresh rate
  • Improved list management in Sector Info Panel
  • Slight changes to savegame format

User Interface

  • Made the “dark” sectors on the galactic map clickable to make exploration of new sectors easier
  • Added “My Assets” filter to Sector Info Panel
  • Drag and dropping weapons and shields works in ship equipment type menus
  • Increased Dock Scanner menu width
  • Galactic Map : One click to select a sector, 2 clicks to enter a sector
  • Galactic Map : Sector Info panel tied to selected sector when map open so you can move the mouse without canceling current selection
  • Galactic Map : Top right info popup still tied to the sector your mouse is over, made visible even if sector info panel is open
  • Galactic Map : “My Assets” filter made more useful: lone ships are easier to locate, added numerical value.
  • Resized save/load menu
  • Made bounties in bounty board easier to read

Bug Fixes

  • Falling Letters / Matrix bug (hopefully)
  • Take control button doesn’t work in asset list
  • Incorrect thread timings
  • Small display issue with popup on galactic map
  • Closing the game with empire manager open and money management selected could cause a problem
  • Nilith primary planet type should be oceanic
  • Couple of small design mistakes in Imperium and Hiveworld maps
  • Couple of error messages in map editor
  • Spaceflies (and potentially other neutral objects) registering as “foes” to AI Core and Swarm
  • Given enough time and resources, swarm queens could bypass their hangar limits
  • 2 mouse cursors visible when some menus are open
  • Buying equipment in a dock with said equipment in cargo bays lead to buying the wrong amount of equipment
  •  Moving cargo around causes the profit/loss indicator to go bonkers
  • Access violation under specific case in trade menu
  • Wrong font on Shipyard’s buy button
  • Stats not always showing properly when a game ends
  • Sector Info panel  and Galactic map showing data that should be hidden by fog of war
  • Animation frames could appear in the wrong order
  • Game Editor – potential crash when refreshing database
  • Potential crash in alien name generator
  • Finite resource button not working as expected
  • Incorrect framerate when capping fps
  • Selecting a fleet and then a single ship would not deselect the fleet
  • Order to build a trade station can fail
  • Exception if a faction has no military ship to assign to an attack fleet
  • Problem that may cause a faction to not build a specific mine it needs
  • Exception related to asteroid deletion
  • Some accepted missions wouldn’t be listed in the mission tab of the empire manager
  • Special events couldn’t occur while a plotline is active
  • Player owned sector can be marked as hostile on the galactic map popup
  • Changing faction using the cheat menu wouldn’t stick across savegames
  • Starting a new session wouldn’t reset changes made to CPU factions’ traits and behaviors during previous game.