Prerelease 3.100 (Transport balance, AI reinforcement nerf, AI home planet nerf)

[x4000]

The latest beta is available via the Updates window in version 3.060 or greater of the game.  Just open the game and you can quickly download the prerelease through the updates tab.  If you don't yet have 3.060 or greater, you can download 3.060 here.  This prerelease version is compatible with any vendor's version of the game -- Steam, Impulse, whatever.

Note:  If you have bug reports related to this release, please log them in the bug reports subforum with one bug per topic.  It makes things infinitely easier for us.  Thanks!

Looking for a Patch That Can Be Manually-Installed?
Because of the time involved in creating multiple versions of each patch, we only create manually-installable patches for official versions of the game, not each beta prerelease.  But you can easily create your own manually-installable beta patch!  Please note that current betas can only be successfully applied to version 3.060 of the game or later (if you later wish to revert to the official version for any reason, you can download the full raw files from the above link to do so).

To create your own manual beta patch, simply download these two files:
1. Current Beta Director Xml File.
2. Current Beta Zip File.

If you try to open that zip file, it will say it's corrupt -- that's okay, it's not really a zip file.  Finally, create a new zip file on your computer, and put both the director and the fake-zip-file inside it.  Call your outer zip file something that starts with Beta and ends with an extension of .zip.  Beta.zip will work just fine, or you can name it after the specific version number if you want to hang onto it.  And that's it!  Now you have your very own manually-installable package of the AI War beta version of your choice, which you can install by simply selecting via your Updates window in the game.  Please note that "Beta" in the filename is case-sensitive.

What's new since 3.098:
(Cumulative release notes since 3.060 are attached at the bottom)

-------------------

-When player ships (not AI or minor faction ships) go too far from the a planet's center, they now start slowing down.  This happens when the ships get beyond the range of their energy sources by too far, and prevents them leading AI ships on wild goose chases by too far, whcih was exploitative especially with transports.

-AI planets no longer get extra reinforcement ship cap from wormhole guard posts.  This makes the practice of "neutering" AI planets once again effective for players.

-Previously, AI home planets always had a ship cap of 2500 no matter what players did to try to neuter those home planets, etc.  That is now still true for difficulty 9 and higher, but the min ship cap has been reduced for other difficulties.  It is now: 1800 for diff 8+, 1400 for diff 7+, 1000 for diff 6+, 500 for diff 4+.  This should make the end of the game less of a grind.

-The attrition rate to transports has been reduced to 35% from 45%, given the other changes above that affect transports in a negative way.

Updates in 3.100:

-Starships can now be carried in transports like any other ship.

[keith.lamothe]

Whoa, didn't see that release coming

[ShadowOTE]

Could be interesting to see how this affects knowledge raiding. I have a feeling people are going to be using more science labs per transport

[Doddler]

Nice changes.  

Although, wouldn't the changes makes it really hard to greet Mining Golems (and in some cases, marauders)?.

[x4000]

Whoa, didn't see that release coming

Yeah, a few things I wanted to do real quick this morning.

Could be interesting to see how this affects knowledge raiding. I have a feeling people are going to be using more science labs per transport

Yes, for sure.  Even so, those AI starships will be catching up!

Nice changes.  

Although, wouldn't the changes makes it really hard to greet Mining Golems (and in some cases, marauders)?.

Yeah, you'll have to wait for them to come to you to an increasing degree, that is true.  The ranges for slowdown are as follows:

>=60,000 = 16 speed cap
>=80,000 = 8 speed cap
>=160,000 = 1 speed cap

Normally, all AI ships are all well within the 60,000.  That's also what the minimap shows.
Human scouts' retreat radius is 80,000.
Marauders and resistance fighters both spawn at 160,000 and come inward.
I currently calculate that the mining golem starts at 648,000.

So, yeah, you'll have a much harder time striking the mining golem early, but odds are that you are spending a lot of time getting ready for him and getting to the planet he is on with sufficient forces to not only not die from the AI ships there, but to take him out.  It changes the strategies with the mining golem to a fair degree, but in my opinion it's likely to be more fun to play it that way, anyway.

[x4000]

Updates in 3.100:

-Starships can now be carried in transports like any other ship.

[keith.lamothe]

And thus began the era of the Dread-Ride

[x4000]

Hehe.

[SmileyFace]

-When player ships (not AI or minor faction ships) go too far from the a planet's center, they now start slowing down.  This happens when the ships get beyond the range of their energy sources by too far, and prevents them leading AI ships on wild goose chases by too far, whcih was exploitative especially with transports.

-AI planets no longer get extra reinforcement ship cap from wormhole guard posts.  This makes the practice of "neutering" AI planets once again effective for players.

-Previously, AI home planets always had a ship cap of 2500 no matter what players did to try to neuter those home planets, etc.  That is now still true for difficulty 9 and higher, but the min ship cap has been reduced for other difficulties.  It is now: 1800 for diff 8+, 1400 for diff 7+, 1000 for diff 6+, 500 for diff 4+.  This should make the end of the game less of a grind.

... Wow, for a moment there I was speechless. These changes are incredible! I was thinking about how exploitable transports are and then: improved! The cheapness of invisible, invincible, undocumented wormhole guard posts: improved! The end game home world grind: improved!

Is there any way I can pay more money for AI War or something because this level of post-release support is phenomenal. I've never seen anything close.

[quickstix]

Out of interest, how far do Scouts fly away from the planet's centre when they arrive at their planetary destination?

[keith.lamothe]

because this level of post-release support is phenomenal. I've never seen anything close.

I was really amazed by that when I first found the game too, one of the reasons I stuck around the forum

Is there any way I can pay more money for AI War or something

Well, since you ask, there is a donate link on the Arcen website (somewhere).  There's also Tidalis, the game we just started the beta for.  But the main thing folks can do to help is to spread the word.  Word-of-mouth is the main way the customer base spreads, for us.  Some more details at http://arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,985.0.html.

Anyway, glad you like it

[keith.lamothe]

Out of interest, how far do Scouts fly away from the planet's centre when they arrive at their planetary destination?

It was in a big list of info, but I think that's what Chris meant when he said

Human scouts' retreat radius is 80,000.

[x4000]

Thanks very much, it really means a lot to us. We try very hard to make sure and provide excellent support for AI War while still pursuing other projects, and it means a lot for that to be recognized!

The best way to help us is always (of course) to spread the word, as having more people converted to fans is worth so much to us in the long term, and is what will really keep the company alive over the long haul.  Some other players have done things like buying extra copies for hosting LAN parties with friends, or things like giving the game as a gift to friends.  There are mentions of that sort of thing peppered throughout the forums from since last August or so.  That sort of thing is neither expected nor required (really), but I'm really touched that people feel that strongly about AI War and Arcen.

We also did set up a donations page, which I've never mentioned on the forums before and just left quietly there on the sidebar of the main site, because a very few folks wanted to be able to support Arcen in a more substantial way short of just buying mass quantities of the game or something.  I was really surprised that one guy actually donated a whopping $1000, which I think must be some sort of record in the indie arena.  As the donations page itself notes, we are not seeking donations and nor are we in particular need of them at the moment (though every bit helps), and honestly I hope we never get to the point where we have to rely on donations to survive.  But for those who do want to give something extra, the donations link is the way in which Arcen gets the highest amount of the money (all but 3.5% with that, versus all but 8.5% on our normal site, or a typical all but 30% to 50% on other sites).

Anyway, my writing about it in that much depth probably makes it seem like I'm soliciting, which I'm not.  Unless things really tank with Tidalis, we're doing okay as a company, and with any luck will be able to hire Keith fulltime in the next 4-6 months.  That will be a cool day.  Best thing we need is for coverage and excitement about our games and our company, and we think our products and support will be enough for us to make it on indefinitely.  The donations thing is just there because some people don't have time or inclination for the other path, and specifically asked for it, to my continual surprise.

In short, thanks for the support, all. It really means a lot, and you guys have already helped to make this game and this company what it is.

[x4000]

Out of interest, how far do Scouts fly away from the planet's centre when they arrive at their planetary destination?

It was in a big list of info, but I think that's what Chris meant when he said

Human scouts' retreat radius is 80,000.

Yep.

[quickstix]

Buh, my bad. Yep, definitely time for bed over here.

Thanks for that. I'll just need to plan a little ahead of time if I want to start moving them again.