Changes as of February 26, 2016
Campaign
Procurement missions:
Now count for raising local suspicion (if appropriate) and getting trade experience
Adjusted dialog text for illegal deliveries
Increased Volturnian Lobster production at Volturn. A lot. Can actually be bought in reasonable quantities.
Updated ships the player can restart in: now Lasher, Wayfarer, Centurion, and Wolf
Combat
Ship AI
Cautious - more likely to move in; will always move in when assisting in a flanking maneuver and behind target
Deployment dialog: pressing "All" now cycles between selecting all non-civilian, all, and none
Modding
CombatFleetManagerAPI:
boolean isSuppressDeploymentMessages();
void setSuppressDeploymentMessages(boolean suppressDeploymentMessages);
WeaponAPI
void setMaxAmmo(int maxAmmo);
CombatEngineAPI
CombatNebulaAPI getNebula();
CombatNebulaAPI
int getTilesWide();
int getTilesHigh();
float getTileSizeInPixels();
boolean tileHasNebula(int cellX, int cellY);
boolean locationHasNebula(float x, float y);
int getLeftOf();
int getBelow();
int getRightOf();
int getAbove();
void setHasNebula(int cellX, int cellY, float brightness);
Bugfixing
Fixed memory leak caused by interacting w/ a market, opening any screen, getting a tooltip to display, pressing escape to exit, and then reloading the save
Fixed bug that caused trade disruptions to end early
Changes as of February 22, 2016
Campaign:
Patrols
Will not keep being aggressive if the player turns their transponder on and turns out to be hostile and stronger
Will no longer be concerned with transponder status in deep hyperspace/not near their source system
Removed reputation penalty for escaping w/o dealing major damage
Added "cargo scan" patrols may perform when the player's transponder is on
Chance to happen if player has been doing smuggling at patrol's source market
Instant (i.e. no progress bar/interruption)
Only happens near said market
Standard reputation loss/surrender contraband if contraband found
Reputation loss if patrol judges cargo to be likely destined for black market, even if it's otherwise legal
Higher chance if player was doing a lot of smuggling at market
Higher chance if player has more cargo
Also happens for "transponder off" cargo scans
Prevents getting into market until resolved or patrol involved loses track of the player
Not done more than once a month or so per market
Free ports don't do this
Factions that allow transponder-off trade *do* do this
Adjusted market smuggling "suspicion level"; now depends on ratio of legal to illegal and so can't be reduced to 0 purely by legitimate sales
Also depends on market size compared to amount of goods sold
Removed smuggling investigations
Redid campaign starting options
Four "career" choices, choice of 1 of 2 ships per career (with some overlap)
Different starting bonuses (more balanced against each other), pick 1 of 2 per career
Possible to start non-hostile with pirates
Increased starting credits to 5000
Independent faction no longer offers commissions or engages in faction hostilities
Military market access doesn't require commission, just reputation
Player fleet able to interact with objects immediately after battle, i.e. now possible to escape through a jump-point after retreating from battle w/o always being re-engaged by enemy fleet
Improved fleet AI performance by ~50%, should be something like a 10-15% overall performance improvement in campaign
Fleets will no longer use emergency burn while only trying to maintain contact with another fleet (i.e. hanging around but not attacking)
Fleets will try to avoid storms while traveling through hyperspace
Trade disruption events: doubled duration (to make easier to take advantage of), reduced probability
Procurement missions:
Missions you find out about are more likely to be close to your current capacity to carry cargo
Added wider range of quantities
Increased low-end and reduced high-end profit margins
Fighting pirates that occasionally attempt to take your cargo will no longer ruin your reputation with the pirates, though it will still result in a slight penalty
Food shortage event: made more profitable
Asteroid belts/fields now also help conceal stationary fleets, like other ring systems
Trade fleets and fleets with only civilian ships will not longer try to "maintain contact" with a stronger enemy
People that are important to talk to (i.e. target of delivery mission) are now marked in the comm directory
Captain tooltip now shows "none" when the player or officer has no combat skills
Fleets that are standing down will no longer join nearby battles unless friendly nearby standing down fleets are involved
Person bounties:
Much more likely to spawn from non-hostile factions, less likely from hostile factions
Player fleet being destroyed reduces current bounty level by 1 (it goes from 0 to 10) and resets progress to next bounty level (requires 3 successful completions per level)
Intel screen prices are now updated when the player both enters and leaves the market (previously, only updated on entering)
Removed a lot of intel messages from map view (e.g. bounty payments and other messages where positional information isn't important)
Widgets in the lower-left logistics display now highlight on mouseover to indicate that they can be interacted with (i.e. to show tooltips)
Miscellaneous
Rewrote game launcher in OpenGL (was in Swing)
Improves compatibility for certain versions of OS X and Linux
Allows downgrade to the more stable Java 7
"legacyLauncher" option in settings.json to use old launcher
Downgraded to Java 7 (more stable)
Hull mods
Hardened Shields now reduces the chance for shields to be pierced by Ion Beams and other similar weapons
Blast Doors hullmod now reduces CR loss from hull damage by 75%
Insulated Engine Assembly now also reduces sensor profile by half
Combat
Atropos torpedo:
Increased OP cost for single-shot version from 2 to 3
Increased speed to 500 (from 250), reduced flight time (range is around 1200 su)
Increased maneuverability, a lot - somewhat avoidable by frigates, easily hits anything larger
Added large yellow engine glow to make more visible
Essentially, more expensive and much more damaging, but shorter ranged, version of the Harpoon
High Intensity Laser:
Damage type changed to "high explosive"
Dps and flux/second doubled to 500
OP cost increased to 20 (from 16)
LR PD Laser: range increased to 800, flux/second increased to 100
Burst PD, Heavy Burst: charges increased to 3 and 5 respectively
Reaper torpedo: added 5 second refire delay (only comes into play w/ Missile Specialization's +1 ammo)
Heron: will now act both as a carrier and a combat ship, meaning it will engage enemy ships but also be assigned to the "carrier" task as appropriate
Astral's PD drones: now use PD Laser instead of LR PD Laser
Improved choice of task created on right-click. In order of precedence:
When the selection is a lone ship of any type, will create a "capture"
When all ships selected are civilian, will create a "rally civilian" on waypoints/non-enemy objectives
Will create "assault" on enemy battle objectives and "rally" on friendly ones
"Rally strike force" or "rally task force" on any waypoint, depending on whether selection is all bombers or not
Ship AI:
Now aware of potential reinforcements coming when facing a bigger target; won't engage as recklessly (unless aggressive personality)
Modding
PD AI will no longer attempt to fire at missions with collisionClass "NONE"
AI specified in a phase cloak's .system file will now be used when the system is a right-click phase cloak
Added "minRefireDelay" to settings.json; allows weapons to go above 20 shots/second
Added "xpGainMult" to settings.json; affects player and officer XP gain
Added "nosell" tag for commodities, commodities with this tag will not show up on submarkets
MissileAPI: added methods to control number of times missiles can shrug off EMP arc hits
void setEmpResistance(int empResistance);
int getEmpResistance();
void decrEMPResistance();
ShipEngineControllerAPI:
void setFlameLevel(EngineSlotAPI slot, float level);
ValueShifterAPI getExtendLengthFraction();
ValueShifterAPI getExtendWidthFraction();
ValueShifterAPI getExtendGlowFraction();
Added "nomap" tag to reports.csv; prevents message from being shown on map
Bugfixing
Fixed bug where only the damage type modifier was not being applied to beams for the armor damage reduction calculation only
Fixed bug where combat music would keep playing after coming back to the encounter dialog
Fixed bug where player could get into a market while being pursued by a patrol by turning their transponder on
Fixed issue with weapons not having the proper chance to be looted when helping out allies in a battle
Fixed issue where nearby patrols would not join up with a patrol doing a transponder-off inspection if the player was friendly to the faction
Fixed issue where patrols trying to intercept the player for having the transponder off would keep trying to intercept regardless of strength after open hostilities start
Changes as of February 01, 2016
Campaign
Faction commission and hostilities changes
Removed monthly reputation drops for being hostile to a non-enemy or non-hostile to an enemy
Battles against a non-enemy of the commission faction will:
Reduce your reputation with the commission faction
Increase probability of hostilities between commission faction and non-enemy
If you're holding a faction commission, hostilities automatically set your reputation to "hostile" with the other faction
Given 10 day warning before hostilities break out
Reputation partially restored (to previous level - 20) once an armistice is reached
Added list of destinations to tooltips for jump points leading in-system
Added view panning, right-click to toggle
Redid the layout of the intel tab
More space devoted to message detail for easier reading, bigger minimap
Bigger main intel map
More vertical space for filter
Makes better use of higher resolutions
Player fleet will now "hold station"/"orbit" when stopping inside moving terrain, near a planet, or near a jump-point
AI fleet commanders now always take the largest combat ship for their flagship, if one is available
Smuggling investigation bribes capped at 100k credits
Phaeton: reduced fuel capacity to 700
Conservation efforts have been successful and a small number of Buffalo Mk.II's have been spotted in the wild
Accidents now occur when ships are at 0% CR (and only affect those ships) instead of happening when your fleet is out of supplies
Emergency Burn:
Now requires all ships to have enough CR to use
Having any mothballed ships in the fleet prevents the use of EB
Added "value per unit" breakdown to transaction widget in trade screen
"Timid" officers no longer show up in AI fleets; replaced with "Cautious"
Ships and weapons
Added new "Synergy" mount type, fits energy and missile weapons
Added new "Composite" mount type, fits ballistic and missile weapons
Aurora: changed front hardpoints to "Synergy" type; large hardpoint is now medium
Added new medium energy weapon: Ion Pulser
Added new medium energy weapon: Ion Beam
Tachyon Lance:
Reduced OP cost to 25
Reduced cooldown to 4 seconds
EMP arcs have a chance to bypass shields based on target's hard flux level
Phase Lance: removed EMP damage component
Added Harbinger-class destroyer (system: Entropy Amplifier)
Added Centurion-class frigate (system: Damper Field)
Added Scarab-class frigate (system: Temporal Shell)
Added Wayfarer-class frigate (combat freighter, system: Flare Launcher)
Afflictor: new ship system, "Quantum Disruptor"
Doom:
Changed medium missile hardpoints to "synergy"
New ship system, "Interdictor Array"
Brawler: replaced ship system with Damper Field, significantly reduced flux stats
Wolf (D) variants now have Degraded Engines hullmod
Added a converted version of the Mudskipper to pirate fleets
Luddic Path ships now have built-in "Ill-Advised Modifications" hullmod that gives a small chance of critical weapon malfunctions
Afflictor: changed energy turret to have 360 degree coverage
Afflictor, Shade: increased armor to 350 (from 250 & 300 respectively), increased deployment recovery costs
All phase ships: increased CR to deploy and CR recovery rate
Hyperion: updated sprite
XIV variants: some adjustments to bring the bonuses in line with each other
Added "weapon slot cover" graphics for empty weapon slots
EMP ship system now disarms warheads of any missiles it hits
Combat
Phase cloak changes:
Phased ships will experience time at 3x the normal rate
Phase cloak now has a 2 second cooldown. Phase coil animation indicates cooldown progress.
Missiles will no longer track phased targets, but will resume tracking when they unphase
This change is made in the missile AI, so any mods providing missile AI are not affected
AI will try to "suppress" phased phase ships by firing a small number of weapons at them
Will continue firing at an overall rate that avoids excessive flux buildup
After peak time runs out, phase ships lose CR at an increased rate; "Delicate Machinery" built-in hullmod on all phase ships
Slightly smoother view panning
Critical malfunctions will continue to apply damage when the malfunctioning ship is down to just 1 functional engine or weapon, but will still be able to be repaired
Phase skimmer: removed flux cost
Burn Drive: now disables venting while active
High Energy Focus
Removed downside (increased damage to own weapons/engines)
Now has 3 charges, regenerating a 1/20 seconds
Each charge lasts 3 seconds
Ion Cannon: reduced range to 500 (from 600)
Shields and phase cloak are now disabled when combat readiness is at 0 (prevents unwinnable standoffs)
Ship AI
Improved choice re: direction when backing off from an enemy
More aggressive venting; does not always back off while venting
Aggressive officers may choose to stay at the very edge of the safe range while venting
Cautious officers always back off while venting
Improved behavior for detecting when it's safe to lower shields; analyzes statistics/trends to see if current behavior is working
Improved fortress shield handling; no longer as twitchy
Cautious officers now move in for an attack more often
Hard flux levels making a ship back off now depends on officer personality and enemy ship size
A cautious officer facing a larger ship will back off almost immediately
An aggressive one may press the attack longer
Aggressive officers now not suicidal when facing larger combat ships
Improved detection of guided missile overkill
Improved AI governing phase cloak use
Adjusted escort behavior to reflect captain personality more
Improved escort behavior overall; fixed bug where it wasn't properly avoiding getting in front of the ship being escorted
Added travel drive auto-shutoff when there's a collision danger while burning in
Added short "arming" time for torpedoes; will bounce instead of exploding if fired at point-blank range
Increased range of "avoid" order to be just outside of peak-time-ticking-down range
Increased engine hitpoints for ships larger than frigates
Modding
Probability of random hostilities goes down as number of factions goes up; overall number of hostilities increases roughly linearly instead of quadratically
ShipAPI
void setAlly(boolean ally);
void setJitterUnder(Color color, float intensity, int copies, float range);
SpriteAPI getSmallTurretCover();
SpriteAPI getSmallHardpointCover();
SpriteAPI getMediumTurretCover();
SpriteAPI getMediumHardpointCover();
SpriteAPI getLargeTurretCover();
SpriteAPI getLargeHardpointCover();
void setOverloadColor(Color color);
void resetOverloadColor();
Color getOverloadColor();
ShieldAPI
float getUnfoldTime()
CombatFleetManagerAPI
List<FleetMemberAPI> getDisabledCopy();
List<FleetMemberAPI> getDestroyedCopy();
List<FleetMemberAPI> getRetreatedCopy();
String getId(); // returns UUID for this instance of a ship
MutableShipStatsAPI
MutableStat getTimeMult();
FactionAPI
String getPersonNamePrefix();
Added settings to settings.json that change the minimap size and allow minimap scrolling (using right-click and drag)
"intelMapSectorWidth", "intelMapSectorHeight", "intelMapSectorVisibleWidth", "intelMapSectorVisibleHeight"
Added "noVent" column to ship_systems.csv
CombatEngineAPI
MutableStat getTimeMult();
ShipSystemAPI
float getChargeUpDur();
float getChargeDownDur();
float getChargeActiveDur();
Added ShipSystemSpecAPI
Removed willTradeWhenHostile .faction custom (it wasn't doing anything anyway)
Added "economyEnabled":true to settings.json. If off, will still load markets but won't do any supply/demand processing etc
SpriteAPI
Color getAverageColor(); // returns average of all non-fully-transparent pixels
Added optional coversColor to .ship files (string, "255,255,255,255" format) and to .skin files (json array, [255,255,255,255] format)
FluxTrackerAPI
void beginOverloadWithTotalBaseDuration(float totalDur);
boolean showFloaty();
float getFloatySize();
void playOverloadSound();
void showOverloadFloatyIfNeeded();
void showOverloadFloatyIfNeeded(String text, Color color, float fontSizeBonus);
ShipEngineControllerAPI
void forceFlameout();
Added "impact" to mirv spec to control warhead impact
MissileAPI
boolean isArmed()
Added optional "armingTime" to missile .proj files
Fixed bug where integer comparison wasn't working in rules.csv
ShipAPI.setJitter: added "Object source" parameter; allows multiple jitter effects from different sources to be interpolated
Added ShipSystemStatsScriptAdvanced interface:
boolean isUsable(ShipSystemAPI system, ShipAPI ship);
String getInfoText(ShipSystemAPI system, ShipAPI ship);
CombatEngineAPI.maintainStatusForPlayerShip() no longer needs to be called while the game is paused
Fixed missile-missile collision bug which affected which missile would be "hit"
Bugfixing
Fixed bug with initial deserter bounty message showing lower reward
Player tooltip on fleet screen no longer shows (maximum) when they're level 20
Tooltip for officer bar at level 20 shows "Maximum level reached" instead of progress to next level
Fixed bug where capital-ship weapons still required market size 6 to spawn
Fixed bug where on respawning, officers that could level up would no longer be able to level up
Fixed bug with some procurement missions requiring an extra unit of the commodity in your cargo hold to complete
No more reputation drop for not being hostile to the Knights Of Ludd when accepting a Tri-Tachyon commission
Mirv submunitions now properly gain bonuses from player skills and other modifiers
Procurement missions now show flag of faction offering mission instead of flag of faction of market where mission was accepted
Inactive gate names now properly do not scale with zoom level
Fixed issue with mothballed ships having a sensor profile of zero
Fighters should no longer have a chance to drop their weapons as salvage
Buffalo (A) now properly loses "Civilian-grade Hull" mod
Fixed issue where fighter wings would show "Not enough crew" overlay when at zero CR
Fixed rare issue where having a savefile from a few versions ago would crash the load game dialog
Fixed bug where having allied carriers deployed could cause your lost fighter wings to be unrecoverable
Fixed issue where deploying a ship under officer control and transferring command to it would give the officer XP for the time you spent piloting the ship
Phase ships now properly show "Overload!" floaty and play sound when overloading
Fixed some issues with weapon groups not properly updating after critical weapon malfunctions
Fixed bug where binding zoom in/out to a keyboard key would cause using these to cancel a video feed from another ship
Fixed autofire issue where it would try to fire weapons it didn't have enough flux to fire
Fixed bug that caused damage floating text in combat to sometimes not be displayed
Fixed bug where a faction could occasionally declare hostilities with itself
Fixed being able to deploy undeployable ships by selecting the control group