TLF Version 1.604 Released (A Dangerous Surplus)

[x4000]

Original: http://arcengames.com/tlf-version-1-604-released-a-dangerous-surplus/

Version 1.604 is yet more refinement.

The big thing here is how races handling mining of resources, and new racial actions that they can take when they build up an excess of resources.  The details of it are here, and it definitely adds a new element to the game.

There are also a number of bugfixes and balance tweaks, including a major performance improvement for very-lategame savegames in particular.  In one particular save we had from Acenoid, super-fast-forward and regular speed were pretty much identical -- wow, that's terrible.  Now the super fast forward speed acts like you'd expect.  There may be some bugs relating from the fix to this, as it was a fairly major colonoscopy... but definitely worth it.

There are also a variety of really good fixes in here, but those are the highlights.

 

Let us know how things are looking, if you have suggestions or bug reports, etc!

More to come soon. Enjoy!

This is a standard update that you can download through the in-game updater, or if you have Steam it will automatically update it for you. To force Steam to download it faster, just restart Steam and it will do so.

[DrFranknfurter]

Looking forward to trying the changes over the weekend. Question: Will the hydral in Betrayal mode have access to those new special resource projects? (Not sure if they should for balance reasons but thematically why can the other races do it but you can't? will have to play later to see if they can).

Also, it's very nice to see the Mantis 'my view' with everything going blue then green as it's changed. If anyone lurks on the forums know that Arcen will fix any bug that's bugging you very quickly indeed if you point it out to them on mantis. (as well as including completely new features at the same time, kudos. NB Kudos meaning acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement and not Kudos the cereal bar... which I've never actually seen... but I'm sure you deserve something a little more extravagant as a treat... like hot chocolate fudge cake... or a kitten*)

*As a pet that makes you smile... not a food product

[x4000]

Looking forward to trying the changes over the weekend. Question: Will the hydral in Betrayal mode have access to those new special resource projects? (Not sure if they should for balance reasons but thematically why can the other races do it but you can't? will have to play later to see if they can).

Thanks!  And no, the Hydral can't do those special resource projects -- but there are other uses for the resources that you have that the other races don't.  Basically you and they use resources differently.  None of the normal race actions are available to the Hydral at all, mainly because they require a network of intelligent beings to carry them out.  All you have is mindless robot servants, is the rationale.  Of course, on the flip side, those other governments have some other problems (free will and all) that you don't, heh.

Also, it's very nice to see the Mantis 'my view' with everything going blue then green as it's changed. If anyone lurks on the forums know that Arcen will fix any bug that's bugging you very quickly indeed if you point it out to them on mantis. (as well as including completely new features at the same time, kudos. NB Kudos meaning acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement and not Kudos the cereal bar... which I've never actually seen... but I'm sure you deserve something a little more extravagant as a treat... like hot chocolate fudge cake... or a kitten*)

*As a pet that makes you smile... not a food product

Thank you very much!

[DrFranknfurter]

...Hydral can't do those special resource projects -- but there are other uses for the resources that you have that the other races don't.  Basically you and they use resources differently.  None of the normal race actions are available to the Hydral at all, mainly because they require a network of intelligent beings to carry them out.  All you have is mindless robot servants, is the rationale.  Of course, on the flip side, those other governments have some other problems (free will and all) that you don't, heh.

Talking about using resources differently during betrayal mode. Should you still be able to sell lots of resources off for profit? Feels a little like an exploit considering the number of uses for credits, the modest to large income and the few available early game sinks for certain resources. I'm not exactly sure it'd be a bad thing for you to be encouraged to use-up those resources in the same way the other planetary powers do to boost things like birth rates rather than doing RCI improving dispatches. Just my idle thoughts.

*OR* ...and I really like this idea that's just sprung to mind:
Have RCI dispatches during betrayal mode use up resources! (or even in general, but that's probably a major shift, but something to consider as a possible nerf to dispatches (if one is required) now that death rates are fixed and tanking the enemy medical will actually kill them.

Lastly, you're welcome for the praise, sometimes it is deserved. Which funnily enough comes from deservire ‘serve well or zealously’. I'd say daily updates is serving the community well and zealously.

[Fleet Unity]

Most of the resources you earn is used in something like armada construction ect and selling them does not get you that many credits they are better used to make another race like you more or used in your own building construction. But not being able to sell them if you need some extra credits to me seems pretty harsh but maybe that's just me I rarely sell resources but I got to admit I would not like it if you did not have the option to sell them if you needed the extra credits.

[DrFranknfurter]

Yeah, I agree that removing options is harsh. But I put a mantis suggestion up for my dispatch resources idea. I found that not all buildings were equally useful. Many that were used Cesium while armada construction only uses 3 resources (if my memory serves me... mostly Xenotime) leaving excess uranium once you've maxed the armada count which could be sold freely. Anyway my mantis was as follows if you're interested:
(*Edit* for 5 fleets, 12500 Terbium and Uranium, 90x5x500 = 22500 Xenotime to max them, with much much more Xenotime to heal the fleets)
"In Betrayal mode I found it was rather easy to increase my own RCI levels to ridiculous levels through dispatches. I suggest limiting such activities by linking RCI dispatches to resource expenditure.
Perhaps have something like this:
Dispatch to improve x,
drop down for resource to use.
Dispatch costs y resources per month.

Scale the cost with:
1. Planet population (Cheaper for planets at 10M, very expensive for >1T pop)
2. Current RCI value ( e.g. |RCI/100|^2*baseCost)

Make it easier to improve small colonies than a giant city-sprawl. Also make it harder to get huge planet-compatibility ratings but easy to fix tiny negatives before they become massive problems. It'd also make it much harder to really really tank enemy worlds without significant effort and planning, but still allow getting to -100 to -300 with a little work (Or +100 to +300 on your worlds)."

[Fleet Unity]

Yes that sound interesting use for resources if it was implemented and you would rarely want to sell them then as you would need them to do any of your planet dispatch missions and it would limit you to how long you can do it. But what I meant was that removing the option to sell resources for some extra credits if you needed them may not be the best idea but like I said it may just be me.

[DrFranknfurter]

I agree that removing a resource sink (selling for credits) would be really bad, I just think in Betrayal mode you could use another competing resource sink - you have buildings, armadas and selling them currently. Hence the idea. I think I'd be less tempted to treat any excess as free credits if I was trading the capability to degrade my enemy or buff my worlds for a temporary gain.

[Fleet Unity]

I agree that removing a resource sink (selling for credits) would be really bad, I just think in Betrayal mode you could use another competing resource sink - you have buildings, armadas and selling them currently. Hence the idea. I think I'd be less tempted to treat any excess as free credits if I was trading the capability to degrade my enemy or buff my worlds for a temporary gain.

I see what you mean also even selling 10,000 only gives you 5,000 credits so it almost useless to sell that many as 10,000 could really help your relations with another race. What I mean is your idea is a good one on a new way to use resources but like I said not being able to sell them if you want may be to much, but that is just my opinion.

[DrFranknfurter]

I see what you mean also even selling 10,000 only gives you 5,000 credits so it almost useless to sell that many as 10,000 could really help your relations with another race. What I mean is your idea is a good one on a new way to use resources but like I said not being able to sell them if you want may be to much, but that is just my opinion.

I agree, but in betrayal mode eventually you're going to kill everyone... *Mwahahaha!...*

*coughs and sucks a honey and lemon locket*

...so yes. I don't mind selling lots of resources to afford a big fleet to bomb the annoying Thoraxians from orbit. Definitely a useful feature being able to sell those resources when you really need a few thousand credits this minute. (and have all but 1 world generating resources for you).

[Fleet Unity]

I see what you mean also even selling 10,000 only gives you 5,000 credits so it almost useless to sell that many as 10,000 could really help your relations with another race. What I mean is your idea is a good one on a new way to use resources but like I said not being able to sell them if you want may be to much, but that is just my opinion.

I agree, but in betrayal mode eventually you're going to kill everyone... *Mwahahaha!...*

*coughs and sucks a honey and lemon locket*

...so yes. I don't mind selling lots of resources to afford a big fleet to bomb the annoying Thoraxians from orbit. Definitely a useful feature being able to sell those resources when you really need a few thousand credits this minute. (and have all but 1 world generating resources for you).

True you are going to destroy every race after awhile sometimes I do forget that, off topic but one time I had the Burlust send over 18 ships at my planet at the start of the game after they became space faring after i defeated the first 18 there was still 18 more ships to destroy! It may have to been with a duel I just did with their leader not sure.

Edit: even though you do have to wipe out the other races sooner or later making them all angry at you at the start is not a good idea unless you want to lose really fast

[Fleet Unity]

Your world does generate resource for you true but if selling resources is changed I hope you can at least sell them some time like no more than one set every 6 in game months or 1 year in game or something like that, I am not saying this is a good idea or that I would even like resources selling changed but what I mean is if it is changed I hope you at least have the option to sell some if you want to, as credits can be hard to come by and without the Anti federation missions to help gain credits as your options to get more money in betrayal mode is very limited now. Like I said before I rarely sell resources but I would like to at least have some form of option to sell them if I wanted to. My main point is I would not like seeing resource selling changed at all but if it is I just hope you have an option to sell them in betrayal mode if you wanted even if it was limited.

Also adding more ways to use your resources is a good idea it would give you more options to use them and you would rarely want to sell them for credits only if you really needed more in an emergency.

[Fleet Unity]

Its also amazing how each game start is very different from one another. One game the planet I got had very low resource income for armada building, buildings, ect, Then one time a planet had a lot of one resource income monthly but very low on any other type, one time its was mixed to low and some high, ect. The same goes for other races planets you never know what you will get it can make the game easier at times or harder and this does not include the setting you chose to start with ect. Some time in one game a race that is usually not powerful gets very powerful ect. Also if you have more resources it seems your planet gets attacked more I do not think they ever raid your resource stores but they surely want the planet more and seem to attack more but this may not have anything to do with it I know the Burlusts and the Thoraxians love to attack your planet or other races planets more often, I know this is how they are and when you have them both in play it can make it hard to keep up your armadas to protect your planet or other races planets as they love to attack and capture planets more so that any other race of course this is what makes these two races challenging to deal with.

[Misery]

I dont mean to be an absolute pest here, but have you had a chance to have a look at the Burlust problem?  I'm fairly sure I explained it in a recent email, er, at least I think so.  It was rather preventing me from making progress working on that...

I havent really done much of anything computerish aside from a bit of random gaming over the weekend anyway (because pain), but I thought I'd dive back into it later tonight if it can be made to work.  No rush though.  Just thought I'd ask.


As for the update, yeah, that new mechanic sure had an effect... the whole solar system exploded into a variety of actions from heavy overload of materials.  Not that most of them chose to do things that were particularly useful to me, of course...

[x4000]

I dont mean to be an absolute pest here, but have you had a chance to have a look at the Burlust problem?  I'm fairly sure I explained it in a recent email, er, at least I think so.  It was rather preventing me from making progress working on that...

I havent really done much of anything computerish aside from a bit of random gaming over the weekend anyway (because pain), but I thought I'd dive back into it later tonight if it can be made to work.  No rush though.  Just thought I'd ask.

Sorry about that, I missed your note here until just now.  I'll try to get that looked at tomorrow.  I've just put it at the top of my to-do list.

I have a livecast on AIGameDev.com in about an hour that I have to prep for, and then a few other things also going on this afternoon that kind of book me up for today.