[2019] Alpha EXPERIMENTAL 10 - Part II

The new volumetric lights on CV spotlights


Update: May 23, 2019 (Build 2470)
- Fixed: Problem that "Default Base Attack" scenario was not correctly uploaded to Steam
- Fixed: Force Fields did not work anymore: either always on or always off (eg doors, hangar doors, forcefield devices etc)
- Fixed: Not possible to interact with OxygenStation (BA,CV) - no collision
- Fixed: Auto Miners did not show their beam while mining anymore

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Hi Galactic Survivalists!

We just released Part II of Alpha EXPERIMENTAL 10. Thanks to your dedicated feedback, we already improved a lot of the new features and added a heap of new bug fixes!

Said that, the update also includes a few new features and feature refinements, as you can see from the changelog below.

Among others, we improved the “fixed” drill mode of the Hover Vessel by adding a fine-grained directional steering to the previously fully-locked mode. You can now use W/A/S/D and the arrow keys to precisely navigate your vessel while drilling. In addition, when pressing LMB in fixed mode, your drills will remain active until you press LMB again. Thus, you can now concentrate on moving the vessel (which is slower with fixed-mode activated) and aiming its fixed drills on the target area without the need to hold LMB all the time in order to keep the drills running! Remember the fixed drill mode is activated for HVs that have a drill module with SHIFT-O.

Alpha 10 EXP Part II also adds a completely new scenario, designed around the new “Base Attack” system you already got to know in the first Alpha 10 EXP iteration in standard survival (default-random scenario). But unlike the default-random survival scenario, the Base Attack Scenario will have you starting directly in a contested base. Take your time - but not too long - to familiarize yourself with the compound and ramp up the defences. Waves of drones and troops will come for you! This is a test case not only for the base attack system itself and how it can be scaled as well as an offer for you to easily drop in a COOP game with some friends and have, but also adds the first (code-side) iteration of the redesigned PDA tech - adding more setting and management options by offering C# as an additional PDA scripting language.

If you are a mission designer and are capable of using C#, keep an eye on the latter. We will release more info about that particular topic in the next weeks!

As always with a major EXP update, we worked in some of your feedback, eg., rebalancing, a missing corridor roof block shape, updated base attack rules and more.

There are of course more topics that your feedback encompassed, like balancing of shields, renaming of block shapes, so you can easily set up your own favorite block shape menu and more. Those will be subject of the upcoming EXP phases, so please do not stop giving feedback on those as well! :)

Please find all the changes and additions in the changelog below and do not forget to drop your feedback in our dedicated EXP feedback forum: https://empyriononline.com/forums/experimental-features-discussion.35/

Please keep reporting remaining bugs in our bug forum and please revisit your reported issues if they are already fixed: https://empyriononline.com/forums/bugs.34/

Thanks a lot in advance - and keep on having fun with Alpha EXP 10!

Yours,

Emp Dev Team

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CHANGELOG: Alpha EXPERIMENTAL 10.1 (Build 2468)

Increased Texture Resolution:
- Thanks to Unity 2018.3, we are now able to use ‘Texture Streaming’
We increased the resolution of all textures for our 3d models because we are now able to use Unity's texture streaming



Improved HV Drilling:
- Improved drill mode for HVs

> you can now dig very nice straight tunnels with your HV

> when your HV is in the fixed mode (SHIFT+O), you can now use W/A/S/D and the arrow keys to precisely navigate

> in fixed mode, pressing LMB will enable auto mode of your drills so you do not need to keep LMB pressed

- Added large drill module for HVs

How do you like this new large drill? (we did not yet add it to the tech tree or as a template for constructors - we first wanted to get your feedback about it)

Base Attack Scenario:
- We added a first iteration of a pure base attack scenario
- You will start in a base on a planet that is under attack. The Zirax launch waves of base attacks
- Your goal is to survive as long as possible
- The base attack scenario is intended for SP or COOP



Updated Base Attack in Survival:
- Allow also NPC bases that were captured by the player to be attacked subsequently by Zirax
- Zirax hacking now takes twice as long
- Zirax demolition tool is now half as effective against shields
- Increased HP of Troop Transport

Volumetric Lights for Spotlights:
- We added the volumetric lights now also to other spotlights (eg vessel spotlights or base lights when used in spotlight mode)


Updated Epic Weapons:
- Epic Sniper: does not use laser projectile anymore (uses again standard ammo)
- Epic Laser: now uses blue laser tracer
- Epic Pulse Rifle: now uses green laser tracer
- Assault Rifle (Epic): Increased DMG, Increased Reload Time
- EM Pulse Rifle (Epic): Renamed from Pulse Rifle (Epic), Increased DMG, Increased Reload Time, Small DMG to shields
- Laser Minigun (Epic): Small DMG to shields
- Heavy Sniper Rifle (Epic): Renamed from Epic Sniper Rifle; Significantly increased DMG; Increased Reload Time; Now uses Railgun Bullet; Small damage to HS and CS blocks
- Sniper, Sniper T2: Increased DMG
- Plasma Rifle (Epic); Renamed from Epic Laser Rifle; Increased DMG, Increased DMG vs. Shields; Increased Reload Time
- All Epic weapons: adjusted Rate of Fire

Balancing:
- Rebalanced hitpoints for Boarding Ramps (based on exposed area by 100HP/block)
- Tweaked HV Drills

Other Changes:
- Exported several models into own asset bundle to reduce size of main asset bundle
- Added left/right variants of new armored doors
- PdaScript is now persistent ie it saves its state
- Removed Recoil from Salvage Mode of Survival Tool
- Separated shield generator for SV and HV
- Slightly updated setting for Temperate2 starter planet (start equipment, distribution of POIs etc)
- Muzzle flare less bright on handheld drillers
- Added message when hitting not destructible terrain with the drill
- Updated model of Water Generator

Block Shapes:
- Added missing block corridor shape: WallInteriorCornerOuterRoof
> now you can build a complete room with these corridor shapes
- Improved texture mapping for several block shapes

Optimizations:
- We optimized the spawning of NPCs on planets, which should result in a smoother experience (ie less stuttering) when flying over the planet

Modding:
- Scripts console command is not executed as client with active EAC any more to avoid cheating
- Exporting now "ChildBlocks" to Config.ecf (so you can remove blocks from block groups such as deco block group)
- Added better description for PDA script cmd

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Problem that when core was removed because of SI you could not place another core because of wrong block statistics calculation
- Fixed: When mining with a HV it can get repositioned back above ground
- Fixed: [MP] Shield will temporarily deactivate when changing playfields with SV or CV
- Fixed: SI causing a collapse when using line-plane building
- Fixed: Drilling visualization becomes visible on survival tool when dropped on the ground
- Fixed: When drilling a ore deposit with or without a personal drone the drill can stop drilling until the the cursor is moved again
- Fixed: Concrete & wood stairs are missing other shape selections
- Fixed: Shields stop recharging from 0% until exiting & reloading into the save after being disabled by damage
- Fixed: Some shapes when upgraded by the multitool do not maintain there original shape & get changed to another shape
- Fixed: Grass in wind motion too fast
- Fixed: Space plasma drones can take shields down to 0% with 1 or 2 shots
- Fixed: Exploit - Logistic POI access
- Fixed: Shooting at NPC Commander removes POI completely
- Fixed: Truss blocks when picked up from SI drops are not put into the correct Truss block groups
- Fixed: Screen resolutions may appear repeatedly in video options menu
- Fixed: Underwater area grants clear view if player is on the brink of the transition zone
- Fixed: Water plane sometimes appearing as 'Container'
- Fixed: PdaScript map markers not appearing in co-op mode.
- Fixed: SI collapse reveals NPC or Player Spawner preview (green or red dummy character)
- Fixed: Drill attachment laser showed briefly particle effect on placement
- Fixed: rocket hitting own BA getting stuck
- Fixed: Texture stretching on Rocket Turrets + more exact colliders
- Fixed: Mesh issues with new oxygen station
- Fixed: Difficult to interact with Human Trader (collider was too small)
- Fixed: Exception spam with sub-emitters when using HV Drill Turret
- Fixed: Local Coop server connection problems
- Fixed: Shield-Multiplier issue for handheld Rocket and Plasma Launchers in Config
- Fixed: Space map radar lines showing in sector map.
- Fixed: Exception when opening sector map.
- Fixed: Sometimes planet objects showing up in sector map.
- Fixed: UV issue on QuarterRoundV2 shape
- Fixed: LOD jumping of some asteroids
- Fixed: T3 fuel tank gets tilted slightly when orientated to be flat on a surface
- Fixed: In the vessels part of the Robinson Protocol changed Hover Thrusters to Ground Repulsor Engine
- Fixed: Damage state of Radar (Deco) had no textures
- Fixed: Health bar indicator for Asteroid Resource + removed level label
- Fixed: Issue with billboards after changing textures & playfields
- Fixed: Old mechanical drill was still purchasable from trader
- Fixed: Locked sector HUD element is now orange again
- Fixed: Several internal exceptions