Beta 2.813 Golem Relations

[x4000]

New beta build! https://wiki.arcengames.com/index.php?title=AI_War_2:Finalizing_Multiplayer#Beta_2.813_Golem_Relations

You need to use the current_beta build on Steam or GOG to see it.  Assuming that all seems sane with this build, this is the end of the current beta period.

What's new in this one?  There are a few bugfixes and QoL improvements (thanks to donblas for several of those).  There's a new anti-spy system and some improved spy balance, courtesy of CRCGamer.

The Arks and Golems have all been made cheaper in AIP to capture, cost WAY more energy to run (they were stupidly undercosted in energy), and no longer come with any ships when you capture them.  You just get them for themselves, not for the fleet they're toting along.  Thanks to Strategic Sage for the suggestion about the energy costs, as well as a raft of related items.

Existing savegames that would be thrown into negative energy by balance changes now automatically get a free energy handicap that keeps that from happening, which gives us a freer hand to make large energy usage changes like this without breaking anyone's campaign.

You get one more choice again from the TSS, bringing that back into middle-balance. The Reprocessors by CRZgatecrusher has been updated to the latest code standard, and Civilian Industry has been updated to have better late game performance by ArnaudB.

I put in a ton of fixes to multiplayer, and this time I think all the last of the ghosts are gone.  Thanks to Bummeri, greyhoundgames, KaleR, and Jusa for the great reports in that area.

There's some new stuff I'm planning for post-DLC2 with alternative game modes, but it will have to wait a few weeks at the moment.  You can read the current iteration of that design here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PkSQoFIYZDN42jaYvjQ_pLGGWYJrYq4mfhFZvfJjNyk/  It's open for public comment.

For the next couple of weeks, I intend to focus just on bugfixing, MP, and DLC2 icons and art.  Then on to game modes, etc, after DLC2.

[carldong]

Is it reinventing the Scout mechanic from AIWC?

[tadrinth]

Scouts in AIWC served a dual role of revealing new planets (exploration) and giving persistent vision by being stationed on a particular planet (picketing).  Spies fulfill the picketing role, but are less critical since logistics and military stations provide vision on adjacent planets (and can be hacked to provide more hops of vision).  You have to clear out special anti-spy structures in order to safely picket some system.

Exploration is still triggered automatically whenever you take AI systems.

[carldong]

Scouts in AIWC served a dual role of revealing new planets (exploration) and giving persistent vision by being stationed on a particular planet (picketing).  Spies fulfill the picketing role, but are less critical since logistics and military stations provide vision on adjacent planets (and can be hacked to provide more hops of vision).  You have to clear out special anti-spy structures in order to safely picket some system.

Exploration is still triggered automatically whenever you take AI systems.

Oh, I see. I thought only Logistical stations provide vision. I guess that was an ancient version.