Release notes:
http://arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The_Last_Federation_Alpha_Release_Notes#Alpha_Version_.813Restart steam to force a quicker update if you like.
Another biggie in terms of its impact on how you play the game.
1. A big missing component to the solar map was how to defend outposts once you capture them, and that stymied all sorts of things.
2. Another thing was that you could shoot yourself in the foot with overlong dispatch missions, and not even realize that they weren't supposed to be something you actually do. Another was that unless you were really expert at building up both science and manufacturing outposts (which we already established was next to impossible) or getting just the right tech upgrades (which could be a major problem depending on your allies, or the fact that some of those are deeper into the tech tree anyway, etc), then it was very hard to get the numbers of months down sufficiently on the research and property development dispatches.
The solution to both 1 and 2 above turns out to be: goons. Which is something I've wanted to have in the game for thematic reasons for a long while anyway, but these really are the perfect solution to all of the above problems, so I'm really tickled that it fits together so well. You now have security goons, scientist goons, and construction worker goons. Keith is the one who named them goons, but anyhow; they're mercenaries that you contract to help you with areas that should be pretty obvious from their names.
3. There are some other minor balance updates to the solar map, but the main thing is above. That said, non-spacefaring races should emerge much healthier now, heh.
4. Combat-wise, the last version was already looking really good in the main, people seem to be agreed. But there were some notable lapses with a few specific enemies or abilities, and some things that were problematic (too easy or too hard) in particular on higher difficulties. Those should all be dealt with now.
5. Combat-interface-wise, the big thing here is the expanded interface that now lets you choose your attack modes in a way more friendly fashion. It's just way more natural (and attractive) this way, and if you saw the video from earlier today then you've already seen this in action. Most expert players will wind up using the hotkeys anyhow, but this does still help.
Caveats:1. All of the Operational abilities are still having their ships slaved to your attacks, and I don't intend for that to remain the case.
2. If you are running into specific mission types that are un-fun slow in the new combat model, then please send us saves. I tested (for instance) dropping off spacefaring tech, and it was a tense 60-second excursion or so.
3. I think I have a pretty good handle on making the combat tactical now, and honestly I think we are pretty much there already, in the main. There are some overall structure-of-special-abilities changes that I am planning that will make those a lot more relevant as well as safer to use as well as making it actually valuable to have more abilities than just the three in your currently-equipped lineup. Those things I think will add a lot, as will an expanded roster of abilities and enemies in general, and in particular some turrets with some new firing patterns, etc. But honestly that is just content development aside from the basic changes to the special abilities concept, so it's a matter of having more of a good thing rather than trying to find a good thing, if that makes any sense. I'm liking where we're at with this, in other words; but if anyone feels differently, please speak up and let me know what you think and (as well as you can) why and what you would want done about it. I can't promise to actually do that of course, but I want to know these sorts of things sooner than later, as I'm hoping that I can make as many people as possible happy with the combat while at the same time homing in on what my current vision for this has become.
Enjoy!
