Version 1.503 delayed until tomorrow (9/25).

[x4000]

These are the release notes so far: http://arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The_Last_Federation_Post-1.0_Release_Notes#Version_1.503

I really wanted to get this out tonight, because there's some really important stuff in here, particularly relating to Invasion mode.  And there are a number of really good bugfixes, and the way that you can now place attack beacons in Betrayal mode is a Big Deal for that mode.

That said, it's the "General Technology/Building Balance Updates" section that is holding it up.  This is something for the base game, but it also affects the expansion modes.  The idea is to make for a more balanced progression, and not to have late-game insanity with super high multipliers and thus certain races always rolling over others in that time, etc.  Or getting into such stalemates with Crystal Cities or what have you.  Some of you have been saying that we needed to switch from multiplicative math to additive math there for a while, and I've finally decided to do that.

The impetus for that was me trying to get Invasion mode balanced such that you could survive in the early game against the Obscura, but wouldn't just roll them in the late game.  I couldn't do it: you'd basically either die young or really tromp them later.  Earlier versions where the Obscura were super strong but more defensive didn't have that issue, so hence why it just came up in the last day.  Anyway, by switching to an additive model instead of multiplicative, not only does that mean that it can solve some base-game late-game balance issues, but it also makes invasion mode balance-able at all.

So that's great!  And I have pretty much most of that working already, in terms of the switch to additive.  But of course, being that big of a balance shift... well, it's really really different, and I'm having to hand-tune the balance and do a lot of observer-mode runs in order to get results that make sense in the base game, and then tune the obscura for invasion mode after that.  All well and good, and it's proceeding well.  But it's more than one day's work, and I didn't want to release even a beta tonight that would leave you with a bad taste.

So tomorrow night it is, instead, and I think you'll really like what you see when you get it.  Sorry about holding up some of those bugfixes and the attack beacons in the meantime, though -- I meant to have those out today, and that just didn't work out.

Cheers!
Chris

[x4000]

Well, this is taking longer than I expected, go figure.  I have the science and manufacturing stuff completely balanced, at least to my satisfaction that it is release-worthy.  I'm really proud of the changes with both of these, because the science is much more sensible and has a better flow, and the manufacturing is soooo much clearer now, including better centralized views of ship construction rates, etc. 

The purpose of science labs and manufacturing outposts is way more clear and definitive now, too.  They always had a purpose, but it's now a lot more... tangible, I guess you could say.  Before they gave you a bonus, but it was a little more slight and it was something you could get other ways and it was not super obvious the difference unless you looked.  Now it's really blindingly obvious what is happening, and the results are immediate and clear, and I like that.

The ground troop stuff and the ship strength stuff is what I'm embroiled in now.  My initial translation of all the multiplicative stuff to first-pass additive functionality was done last night, so I thought that I'd have a quicker run through these changes than I have.  But I've wound up adding extra internal mechanics to help the races be more individualized and act properly, and to keep things balanced, and to have a proper flow throughout the game arc, etc, etc.  There are a few new technologies in there, for instance, relating to manufacturing.

So that refinement process has been like 90% of the work, as it turns out, whereas that work I had done with just the initial conversion was only 10%.  Last night I was estimating the conversion as being closer to 75% of the work, and so you can see the difference.

As part of the ground and ship strength stuff, you'll also be really ecstatic to hear that they will be getting the breakouts of where their powers come from, like the manufacturing and science have had for a long time.  That was a really needed feature in general, and it's also something that I just frankly can't really do my balance and testing work without having, now.  Sometimes I get a strangely high number and I can't tell why without seeing all the components of what is in there.  I guess you can relate, eh?

Anyway, if today is any indication, I will be done with this sometime tomorrow.  I feel like it's an incredibly better game with these changes, so it should be worth the wait.  Thanks for your patience!

[Misery]

So, you're changing how the outposts work, then?

[x4000]

So, you're changing how the outposts work, then?

To some extent. It's the same premise, but since everything is additive rather than multiplicative, these had to change to match. In the process of changing them, they became easier to understand. And the balance of everything is different because of the just frankly incompatible nature's of the two models. I have spent a lot of time running observer simulations against the old version of the game and the new in work version to make sure that things don't get too out of bounds in the early and the middle game. And then the late game is of course intentionally very deviant because that was the thing that needed fixing.

By the way, I apologize for not getting to your email today. I did get it, I've just been swamped with this one issue. It sounds like you're right on the right track with the Mothership from what you wrote, but I didn't have time to fire it up yet. I won't normally be this distracted, I'm just trying to get the next release actually  out the door as soon as I can without sacrificing quality.

[Misery]

Hah, that's fine.  I'd already figured that was likely the case.  I'll wait though before I make any further changes to that ship.  Though I think that particular pattern is pretty much done.  And cruel.  Havent quite decided what to do with the Mite yet.  Which is the last of the expansion ships, if I recall correctly?

[x4000]

Yep, the Mite is the only other expansion ship!

[Misery]

Do you still want me to make up additional patterns for the Mothership?  Or is it going to just be the one?  Considering what it does and all...  Though having multiple could still be a neat idea too.

[x4000]

From the sound of things, that one only needs a single pattern, heh.