Alpha EXPERIMENTAL 8.0 - Release Candidate 2

Update: Hotfix (Build 1694)

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: Broken terrain on clients: deactivated transfer of stamp database to clients
- Fixed: Added medium armor to starter equipment in Shadow of Startlight scenario

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Hi Galactic Survivalists!

Alpha 8.0 public version is only a few days away - so let’s not waste time and directly dive into the Release Candidate 2, shall we? :)

Please note that we made some additional changes, especially to the soldier AI for the Zirax. Please have a close look at those and report back your observations in the feedback thread over here: https://empyriononline.com/threads/alpha-8-0-exp-zirax-soldier-ai-update.38082/

As usual, for a proper testing procedure and bug reporting, we recommend the following preparations and workflows:

1. Go to your steam library and VERIFY your game files!
Steam > Library > Right-click Empyrion in the list > Properties > Local Files > Verify Locale Data

2. Make sure you are NOT using a custom config!
Go to this folder and check if only three files are there: Config_Example.ecf, EGroupsConfig.ecf and TraderNPCConfig.ecf: ..Empyrion - Galactic SurvivalContentConfiguration
Remove or delete any other file as long as testing with the release candidates!

3. Avoid resuming any pre-Release Candidate savegame!
There is a chance that changes we made do not translate to older savegames. Especially for bugs concerning terrain, loot and other playfield configs.
Best practice: if you run into an issue with a savegame that was started BEFORE a RC has been released, please re-test the issue in a fresh new RC savegame again!

4. Additional Routine: Delete the GAME CACHE when trying to reproduce a bug!
The game cache saves some presets and may be source of a false positive reports or even be part of the problem. To make sure we have all the infos, please check the following folder when trying to reproduce a but and make a note in your report if the bug still happens AFTER clearing the cache: ..Empyrion - Galactic SurvivalSavesCache

5. When running into a ‘Continue or Quit’ (CoQ) message,
5a. Please go to the LOGS folder ( ...Empyrion - Galactic SurvivalLogs ) , then find the folder with the HIGHEST number, pick the most recent .log file and attach the logs to your report!
5b. Add a description of what you did the last minute BEFORE the CoQ happens. Sometimes a Screenshot sent in with the CoQ is helpful as well!
5c. If you are playing on a server, do the same, but we might also need the full LOG files form the server.

Most important threads for now:

Bug Reports: Alpha 8 EXP Release Candidate 2
https://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-alpha-8-0-release-candidate-2.38083/

Bug Reports: Solar System Generator
https://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-solar-system-generator.37387/

Bug Reports: Controller and Keymapping https://empyriononline.com/threads/bug-reports-controller-and-keymapping.37450/

All feature discussion threads pinned: https://empyriononline.com/forums/experimental-features-discussion.35/

Thanks a lot for all your dedicated help! :)

Empyrion Dev Team

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CHANGELOG: Alpha Experimental 8.0.7 (Build 1692)

Updated Zirax Behavior:
- calm: wanders with random idle animations (new use of layers in animation system)
- alerted: attacks player with random movement between shots (aim transition)
- hit reaction: 4 hit animations (also uses animation layer)
- search action: uses approximate target position. It is used for example when the Zirax heard you but did not see you. He will know where you are only approximately and search for you there.
- better target selection
- different idle animations when alerted and when calm
Feedback Thread: https://empyriononline.com/threads/alpha-8-0-exp-zirax-soldier-ai-update.38082/


You will see, the Zirax behaves now much more naturally

Surface Wipe Options for MP:
- Added surface wipe options for MP
- Ingame console command: wipe 'playfield name' <options>
> Options: deposit, terrain, poi, player, all
> You can have multiple options with a space separated.

Example:
'wipe Akua terrain deposit'
- This will wipe all terrain except around POIs and player structures (Bases) and all resource deposits.
- You can also use the EAH tool and configure your wipes in the Timetable.
- The set wipe process will be executed as soon as the playfield loads the next time.

Gameplay:
- Added Camera Shake to some handheld weapons and some turrets

When shooting eg a rocket launcher, you will now notice a camera shake

- Added slight Camera Shake to Escape Pod > do you think it feels good?
- CameraShake is exported to Config.ecf
- Exiting a ship: less sensitive to rotation of the ship in order to allow the player to get easier out.
- Added more checks to have better exit positions for cockpits in HV/SV
- Exposed "Return Factor" in block info (eg Multitool, Survival Tool)
- Changed: Deposit size Map/HUD display changed to an indication of size and remaining ore

Very Small: Radius < 4 = ca. 160 ores
Small: Radius < 7 = ca. 850 ores
Medium: Radius < 10 = ca. 2500 ores
Large: Radius < 13 = ca. 5500 ores
Very Large: Radius > 13

- Added 110 additional unlock points
- Now showing SV and HV Constructor Template Icons separately in Tech Tree
- Disabled "Depth-of-View" when zooming with weapons
- Show "Planet Size" on "New Game" and "Choose Starter Planet" windows

Planet Generation:
- Better randomized ground shape of base terrain > now the base terrain will vary much more

- Renamed several biome names to reduce complexity
- StampDatabase files are now copied into the save game and transferred from the server to clients so that changes to the original DB do not break savegames
- Stamp database is now loaded on generation of planets and not on startup to prepare putting it into the savegame folder
- Updated/added stamps

Updated Scenarios to A8:
- Updated Shadows of Starlight scenario
- Updated Dawn Of Galaxy scenario
- Updated Invader vs Defender Scenario
> Please test and check if everything still works

Additions:
- Added DesertMoon


- Updated Barren and Alien playfields
- Added new model for XXL thruster jet

Optimizations:
- Reduced global density of deco to have better performance

Visuals:
- Stars now visible in daytime with low Atmospheric Density (eg Moon playfields)


> if AtmosphereDensity < 1.2, stars will be visible during day (the lower the density the stronger the visibility of the stars)

- Using new Tooltip Style for Tech Tree and Block Shape Selection tooltips
- Updated sun flares on moon playfields
- Slightly reduced size of Terrain Placeables (Portable Constructor, Heater, O2 Generator) and colored them all grey
- Removed 3d model of scopes from Shotguns (since the scope is inactive for these weapons)
- Updated several preview icons.

POI Update:
- Added new Orbital Vessel "Rados OPV: Cruiser" (model: ojimaflip, modified by: fractalite)
- Updated AdvSpaceport POI: added TurretRobotNew
- Updated Crashed Ships (Swapped Personal Container with Cargoboxes)
- Unknown Artifact Armed (Floating Base) updated (by Faith)
- Changed some of the story-relevant POI to Alien Admin Core so they do not get destroyed or captured by accident (All defense and turrets devices are set to remain "destructible")
>> Please feedback on that change. Thx!

Playfield.yaml Changes:
- Adapted MaxHeigt of SpecialEffectsLocal > it is now relative to terrain surface and not absolute anymore (please adapt your playfields accordingly)
- Removed parameters from static.yamls: FogIntensity and FogStartDistance (since they have no functionality)
- Asteroid Fields must now be defined first in space_dynamic.yaml (please adapt your yaml accordingly)
- Removed comments from static.yamls
- Added better comments to static ExamplePlanet playfield
- Correct display of GravityMinMax in playfield_dynamic.yamls (first lower value, then higher value)

Console Cmd Update:
- Added parameter to console command 'map fow' to permanently uncover map
- Added shortcuts for console cmd setposition and changemode
- Console command aimanager : improve the console command "aim adb" to spawn a drone base

PDA Update:
- Added Robinson Protocol COOP mission for small groups (to be found in the Faction Mission tab in the PDA > F1).
Please note that, as Faction Missions progress do not save between sessions and there is a Leader and Supporters-mechanic, the Story-Mission has been split into digestible chunks. The current downside: For now you need to manually activate the follow-up chapters.
>> This is a test, so please have a closer look if everything works, both the mechanic, but also the 'size' of the story chunks. Thanks a lot!
- Added preview pics to Biologists Guide to allow identification of collectibles and plants + changed internal plant names to display names
- Moved some info-messages to more appropriate timings

Empyriopedia Update:
- Added Chapter 'Faction Report'
- Added Info about UCH to 'Faction Report' (Others will stay unrevealed for now; will be updated in future versions)
- Renamed "Knowledgebase" into "Empyriopedia"

Status Effect Update:
- OpenWound: significantly reduced Temperature Loss to -1 per 20 seconds
- Infected Wound: reduced Temperature Loss, slightly reduced health loss
- BadTrip: reduced Temperature loss
- All Status Effects: adjusted/reduced health loss to reduce chances to die from health loss from full health, before Status Effect even progresses to next stage, especially for multi-trigger Status Effects (Consistency change) >> Please retest! Thx to everyone for the recommends!

Other Changes:
- Displaying additional loading information now in an extra line
- Trader.ecf: Swapped Kavae Coffee with Hot Beverage
- Added Iron Asteroid to starter orbits
- Updated EAC to release 18-04-18
- Removed Target Temperature display from Mobile AirCon
- Added new weather: BmFogRadiationPurple for special radiated biome on starter planet
- More diverse weather on lava planets

SSG Update:
- Added solar system config editor/generator

Controller Update:
- Adjusted sensitivity curve for analog gamepad input to make speed increase more gradual.
- Lowered max soft cursor speed a bit to make the acceleration a little less drastic.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed: AI Vessels do not have colliders sometimes
- Fixed: Weather effect could stay after respawning in different location
- Fixed: After changing playfields the weather is not displayed in the HUD or showing visually until a reload is done
- Fixed: Problem that sometimes POIs were spawning inside asteroids in space playfields (Important: Asteroid Fields must now be defined first in space_dynamic.yaml)
- Fixed: NPC with several Status-Effect chances can trigger multiple of them when attacking player
- Fixed: Pressing left shift will dig out terrain when placing a survival tent
- Fixed: Problem that randomly selected start planet was not really random in random generated survival games
- Fixed: Problem that Berry Bush "exploded" when being harvested
- Fixed: SP/MP: Meteorites drop although deposits are not touched
- Fixed: Items vanish from quickbar after split and move
- Fixed: Respawn in CloneChamber in HV gets player stuck in the roof above the clone chamber
- Fixed: Exception when opening the starmap with a user created scenario.
- Fixed: Warp lines sometimes missing in sector map.
- Fixed: Problem that sometimes starter biome was below water level
- Fixed: Exception in dedicated server when a player connected before a playfield server was started up fully
- Fixed: Firing a Drill- or Multitool-turret on a HV in SPACE results in the wrong info message
- Fixed: Terrain collectables & rocks deco disappearing after being picked up
- Fixed: Only voxel deposits spawned and no other resource deposits
- Fixed: Constructor: queued item changes mini-icon to the item last hovered over
- Fixed: PDA description not showing on first click
- Fixed: BP Factory: Shift-Click move broken when switching to player inventory and back.
- Fixed: No drone wrecks after the destruction of the drones
- Fixed: Duplicate Resource Names in MP Startscreen
- Fixed: Problem that new DroneSpawner block did not work
- Fixed: Exception when opening the tech tree Misc, tools or weapons.
- Fixed: Problem with Console command aimanager when command "aim asf X" is typed without a drone base
- Fixed: Controller D pad left & right binds resetting with every reload of the game.
- Fixed: Input config versioning issue that was making it necessary to manually reset to defaults when version changed.
- Fixed: Problem that Base was under terrain in Creative mode Akua-Omicron
- Fixed: Exception if teleporting in orbit with shift+rmb
- Possible fix: Cannot close Console and Debug options with click on the X
- Fixed: Scaling problem with Alien Thorn plant
- Fixed: AIPV vessels should use their BP Spawn Name instead of their filename
- Fixed: Bug in side texture calculation for splat maps

EAH Tool Update:
Patch notes - 1.41.0.8
Please make sure to change the Version to Alpha 8 in the Config! Remember to stop the server, start the tool and then start the server to apply the Update
This Version will be available over steam with the Alpha 8.0 Version
- Added: Player file changes
- Added: Removed POI-List and functions
- Added: New Timetable entries: Wipe Deposit; Wipe Ground; Wipe POI; Wipe Player structures; Wipe all;
- Added: Slave tool loads origins from master
- Added: Config: Discord:Token Changed Password to Token
- Added: Config: Wipe Savegame
- Fixed: Connection issues
- Fixed: Discord issues- Fixed: Gameoptions.yaml saving wrong/missing parameter- Fixed: Master Slave connection broken when player has Alpha 6 or lower game version.
- Fixed: Fixed dedicated.yaml GameSubMode empty (from last HotFix)