Yarlen Yarlen

Sins of a Solar Empire v1.04 Final Change Log

▼

Sins of a Solar Empire v1.04 Final Change Log

from Sins Forums

As we get ready to release version 1.04, we figured it was time to post an updated change log. :)

Please note that save games and replays from v1.03 and earlier will not work with v1.04!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gameplay / Balance:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Market value changes:
 -Ratio of buy/sell is now 2:1 instead of 3:1.
 -Min price now 200 instead of 80.
 -Boom/crashes now last ~twice as long.

-Multiple instances of the Embargo planet debuff from the same player no longer stack.

-Capital ships
 -All non-Colony capital ship top speeds increased from 500 to 525.
 -All Colony capital ship top speeds increased from 400 to 475.

-Siege Frigates:
 -Build costs decreased by ~15%.

-Javelis, Illuminator, Assailant:
 -Linear acceleration decreased from 200 to 150.
 -Top speed decreased from 800 to 500.
 -Range decreased from 130% to 115% of 1.02 ranges.

-Illuminator:
 -Hull points increased from 520 to 620.
 -Shield points increased from 450 to 550.
 -Attack type changed from CAPITALSHIP to ANTIMEDIUM.
 -Front bank damage increased from 33.8 to 58.5.
 -Side banks damage decreased from 33.8 to 30.3.

-Defense Vessel:
 -Reduced cooldown by 45%, damage reduced proportionally to maintain DPS.
 -Fleet supply increased from 3 to 4.
 -Now properly benefits from Advent laser research topics.

-Attack types
 -AntiVeryLight chance to hit bombers decreased from 85% to 75%.
 -AntiVeryLight damage vs Light armor decreased from 100% to 75%.

-Carriers
 -Slight cost reductions for all carrier cruisers

-Returning Armada and General Fleet Spawning
 -No longer possible to spawn ships past fleet point limit.
 -Ship slot count updated after each spawn to prevent RA exploit (clicking multiple abilities at same time).
 -Increased level 1 RA cooldown by 120 secs and level 2 RA cooldown by 60 secs

-Map Balance of Power fixed to have less Heavies and populated desert worlds.

-Stilakus Subverter's Distortion Field ability will no longer cause it to micro phase jump towards targets travelling to other planets.
-Fix for problem where after playing Sins for 100000 seconds (27.7 hours) damage and various other systems wouldn't update correctly.
-Fix for strike craft squads being able to launch when they should be grounded.
-Phasic Barrier now toggles off more consistently when it's 'autocast off' conditions are satisfied.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
AI:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Fixed minor bug in Unfair AI not behaving quite correctly.
-Fix bug where AI would retreat from his homeworld or last planet.
-AI is less likely to gang up on the leading player in Easy or Normal.
-Autocast logic for hull point restoring abilities no longer consider structures under construction as damaged.
-Fix for ships not auto-attacking after breaking alliances.
-Fix for AI difficulty settings not behaving correctly.
-Misc tweaks.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Networking / Multiplayer:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Fixed minor bug in ico-join game screen where fleet size display was incorrect.
-Improved in-game chat text entry:
 -Escape no longer clears the chat buffer when closing the window.
 -Sending whispers is remembered (don't have to retype the whisper when sending again).
 -Sending to allies is remembered (don't have to retype /a when sending again).
-Chat string and colors changed.
-Fixed bug where joining a multiplayer game in a slot that was previously held by an AI player would have the AI still be enabled when you started the game.
-When a human player drops and an AI replaces him, the AI now has his happiness set to the required amount for existing alliances so he doesn't drop them all instantly.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
UserInterface / HUD:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Fix map names for Backstab and Balance of power.
-Fixed bug where fleet pip clouds would not show up when loading a saved game.
-Fixed string label for IDS_COHESIONRANGE_FAR_NAME and IDS_COHESIONRANGE_FAR_DESCRIPTION.
-Changed artifacts researched stat to be "artifact discoveries"
-Tweaked some ability descriptions to improve their clarity.
-'Unit under attack' events are now suppressed for trade and refinery ships.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modding:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Entity name lookup is now case insensitve.
-New options to enable error messages. This can be turned on by modders in the user.setting file to simplify tracking down errors instead of mysteriously crashing.
-Fix num particles in the user.setting file not actually increasing and added user control over the number of particle simulations since this is another main limiter for those with uber computers who want to push things.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Misc:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Fix for saved games not respecting custom game options.

162,703 views 119 replies
Reply #76 from Sins Forums Top
Wow Innociv that's interesting point. I wonder if that's why they changed antiverylight damage to do less vs light, in order to buff bombers. Which makes it stupid as hell because now you cant use fighters vs lrms and you cant use flak as well as before, so to counter lrms I have to tech to HC? WTF? It makes very little sense. And now u will probably have a better chance of using bombers vs flak. Any scenario where bombers counter flak is a retarded one! Why would you make bombers effective vs Flak? The whole counter system is still making little sense. I liked flak vs lrm thou, and same for fighter vs lrm/siege.There's something about this post that doesn't make sense. Oh right, Fighters don't do AntiVeryLight. They do AntiLight, so how are these changes making Fighters worse against LRMs? In fact, Fighters are better against LRMs because (1) LRMs are slower, (2) Carriers are cheaper, and (3) Flaks are 25% worse against LRMs. So, basically, I don't understand your conclusion at all. And bombers are only slightly safer against Flak, but Flak's counter is still basic Light Frigates. Strikecraft are not and never will be a counter to Flaks--that would be about as counterintuitive as it gets. If I'm wrong that Fighters do AntiLight, then I preemptively eat my words, but I'm pretty sure the only thing that does AntiVeryLight is Flak...
End of quote

I hate to say this again because i've said it so many times.. But to inform everyone else here. And, I encourage you to try it for yourself.

Actually I suggested they should make bombers better against Flak. Why?
Well if you'd do the math yourself, test it ingame yourself, you'd see that 10 flaks will stop around 60 or 70 bomber squadrans.

Not only this, but flaks cost 1/2-1/3rd as much as carriers.

This is essentially a counter-to-cost ratio of more than 15:1.

This would be like 1 LRM killing more than 10 light frigs.
But no, 1 LRM kills 3-4 light frigs. A good ratio, a medium counter.

Flaks vs. Bombers has been such an extremely hard counter. It's insane.

Now THE ARGUEMENT IS that carriers can regenerate their bombers, and be at a safe distance. Sure, this is a good arguement for them to not be TOO powerful. They can sit at the edge of a gravwell and easily run. But this doesn't help when someones going to follow your running all the way to your homeworld and beat you with just having a few flaks supporting their hc's or lrms since you WASTED all that money on carriers.
AND a very valid counter argument to that is that carriers are the only unit that gets their damage completely negated without seconds by a cheap unit.
What would it be like if you had your LRMS, and after they took 5% damage their weapons jammed and they could no longer shoot for 150 seconds? Yeah, LRMS would suck then, especially if they got hit with an aoe damage ability from a cap, or malice. Oh yeah, that's just what happens to Bombers.

And it's not like Flak are overpowered. Flak, light frigs, HC's, caps, everything but Carriers and LRMS are well balanced. Though, LRMS are better balanced now.


Now you didn't understand why I said fighters would be worse now.. That's understandable, it takes unconventional thinking.
They'll be worse now because not everyone uses all but one unit. In fact, mixed fleets ARE best, which is a very nice thing about this game that you really do benefit from using at least 2, preferably 3, different ships.
So, people often use flaks, especially against LRMS.
Now that it will take like 1 flak per 2.5 lrms instead of per 3.5 lrms, this means people will build MORE flaks to counter lrm spam.
Before you didn't need so many, so you could afford to make some lrms of your own to push against them better, or use it for teching up to hc's why they waste so much on lrms that you more easily killed iwth flak.

So before when you made, say, 20 flaks to kill 50 lrms, now you're going to make say 25 flaks.(this isn't even to 3.5:1 or 2.5:1, but of course you need to overkill so you don't lose as many ships!)

Now, the damage to fighters is unchanged, but the amount of flaks you'll see will increase. So if someone is using 5 more flaks per 20, that is a 25% increase in damage.

If you touch LRMS, someone will start making flaks to counter them. So you have no chance of using fighters to counter their own lrms.

Even if you don't, once they see you making carriers they'll make flaks. For the cost of a carrier you can make 1 flak and 2 light frigs. 1 flak and 2 light frigs EASILY kills a carrier, and those flak will kill the LRMS you would make to kill the light frigs.



Also the change to making bombers more resistant was important because flak+heavy cruisers+support cruisers is an extremely powerful combination.. overpowered since bombers can't counter it.
Bombers are the only real counter to HC's, but flak kills the mtoo easy.
Sadly.. 30% boost isn't enough. They need increased hull and faster build time, less AM cost for regening them.

It's a step in the right direction though. I'm just saying, you people saying "omg bombers being made better against flak?!" are just wrong. Flaks killing them 15:1 is ridiculous any way you put it. It needed to be improved, and IMO needs more improvements, as I noted.



Also notable is that HC rush is probably made far better now, as if it wasn't good enough before, as a by product of LRMs and flak being less effective. Need to play more to see if this is true though.
Reply #77 from Sins Forums Top
Oh and also to note, while the counter-to-cost of flaks:bombers was over 15:1, since fighters die more than twice as fast(as of 1.02 and 1.03. Now bombers die less easier, but i'm comparing based on 1.02/1.03) you can figure how good of a counter they where to fighters.

Oh and it's not like I'm saying flak should only kill bombers 3.5:1 or so, more in line with other countering.
It's just 15:1, even 10:1, is ridiculous. :)

The counter-to-cost ratio should be closer to 7:1 or so. I think that's perfectly fair.. half as good a counter as the other counters in the game, but they have that huge range, speed, can replenish.
CursorFX - Customize your Windows cursor
Reply #78 from Sins Forums Top
-Siege Frigates:-Build costs decreased by ~15%.As I was updating my ship chart, I noticed this was not applied to Advent.
End of quote


Kru,

Advent siege unit supply cost was reduced by 1. From 15-->14. Not sure how useful that can be.
Reply #79 from Sins Forums Top
-Siege Frigates:-Build costs decreased by ~15%.As I was updating my ship chart, I noticed this was not applied to Advent.Kru,Advent siege unit supply cost was reduced by 1. From 15-->14. Not sure how useful that can be.
End of quote


If you build 4, then you get an extra LRM. If you build 5, an extra light frigate.

I think this looks great. I was especailly excited to see that carriers cost a little less. Having more carriers is as effective as making them more powerful. For example, seige frigates are now 15% more powerful. If I have 3000 credits, I get more boom for my buck with seige frigates.
Reply #80 from Sins Forums Top
So, has the AI been made less hideously retarded or does it still run from every fight if it has less capital ships then you.
Reply #81 from Sins Forums Top
Great but what about the Novalith? It's still ridiculously overpowered compared to the other two superweapons.
Reply #82 from Stardock Forums Top
I really like 1.04, feels a lot better than 1.03 did.

I do see what some people are saying about the Advent early game. TEC can quickly get up to LRM and trade ports while the Advent cant. Although they are supposed to be more culture based, I'm not sure that shield mitigation and shield tanking offsets this. Then again, combining some of the awsome Advent abilities if you can get two or more cap ships out quick enough can turn just about any rush.

It does appear to depend on the size of the map though.
Reply #83 from Sins Forums Top
Nice update and full of promise. Personally, i have not loaded it up yet, and will not until the new 1.04 mod tools are released. Any ETA on this? Puts a severe crunch on people who uses mods.

Besides last planet or home world.

Any improvement on Chicken AI?

In 1.03 to hunt down and kill a fleet, it will usually flee about 4 times from planet to planet.

Be really really nice if they add a code variable into the GameInfo files that allows us to Mod the force ratio in determining the criteria for fleeing. This will solve alot of problems people have.

I dont mind it fleeing if i outgun it 4 to 1, but when its nearly equal or 3 to 2, it still runs, makes it a bit agrivating.

Reply #84 from Sins Forums Top
I have a question for all you veterens, Fleet logistics seem a bit flawed.You have a large fleet lets say and your upkeep is 56% or whatever. your fleet is destroyed or a good portion, now you have 1200 extra fleet supplybut you are still paying 56% upkeep. whats up with that. I think they should make the upkeep based on your fleet supply not your max supply. The current system is fine if u are winning. is there anyway to sell back your logistics so u have more income when times are tough?
Reply #86 from Sins Forums Top
I'm so glad they updated the part: -Fix for problem where after playing Sins for 100000 seconds (27.7 hours) damage and various other systems wouldn't update correctly. It was killing me.
Reply #87 from Sins Forums Top
Do planet texture mods work in 1.04? I tried playing after installing 1.04 and all of my planets and starts are transparent (I can see right through them). Is there anything that I need to do to fix this?
Reply #88 from Sins Forums Top
Please IC, if you're going to nerf something have the patch notes reflect it.

Let this be the last stealth-nerf in Sins. You guys aren't the EVE Online devs. :P
Reply #89 from Sins Forums Top
This is crap. This game is crap. Every time you update the game, I suddenly suck at it. That's your fault and you need to fix it.

Kidding. I'm glad this game continues to evolve. I'm especially glad the Illuminators have a point now. I'll take them of of my personal mod now. Thanks!
Reply #92 from Sins Forums Top
YEAH!!!! Kudos!
Reply #93 from Sins Forums Top
I agree with the last statement above, yes it should be slow to start off. As the game progresses it should be much easier with friggin 10 planets and you still nickel and dime like you did in the beginning. Thats the only issue I really have with this game. Also, I believe you should be able to put more stuff in your orbit. It's a friggin planet, not a warehouse.
Reply #94 from Sins Forums Top
I have a question for all you veterens, Fleet logistics seem a bit flawed.You have a large fleet lets say and your upkeep is 56% or whatever. your fleet is destroyed or a good portion, now you have 1200 extra fleet supplybut you are still paying 56% upkeep. whats up with that. I think they should make the upkeep based on your fleet supply not your max supply. The current system is fine if u are winning. is there anyway to sell back your logistics so u have more income when times are tough?
End of quote


I agree, fleet upkeep should be based on your currently used supply rather than just what's researched... or perhaps half and half if this was intended to stop people from researching too high into logistics.
Reply #95 from Sins Forums Top
I really like the changes to this over 1.03, and impressed with how quickly the patch came out, I was figuring 1.04 would be at least 2 months or more down the road from 1.03, truly outstanding support :D
Reply #96 from Sins Forums Top
if this was intended to stop people from researching too high into logistics.
End of quote


I would think that the high cost of researching each level of logistics is what keeps players from going too high. I concur that having to pay for a fleet you do not have is silly.

Anyone know when the 1.04 Mod Tools are coming?

Reply #97 from Sins Forums Top
Now of course, if a player has to build more flak frigates, that's less LRMs that they can build.
Reply #98 from Sins Forums Top
I agree with the last statement above, yes it should be slow to start off. As the game progresses it should be much easier with friggin 10 planets and you still nickel and dime like you did in the beginning. Thats the only issue I really have with this game. Also, I believe you should be able to put more stuff in your orbit. It's a friggin planet, not a warehouse.
End of quote





Frankly i agree with this... but I've also said for a long time at the last fleet logistic upgrade you should be able to build 100's of 1000's of ships.... and dont you whiners with no jobs tell me about how your computer cant handle that many 3d objects... buy something made in this decade..


When i design a Universe for my buddies and i to play i want it to be realistic.. so i put 30 or 40 stars in.... with that much space to cover.. your puny 16 capital ship max and 3000 logistic points.. is not nearly enough for the kinds of armadas A true emperor like me needs..


I see all the small fries saying how this is great and that is great.... they are mere tacticians in the larger game of strategy... someone put them on the bridge of a battleship or a cruiser so they can get killed please :-D - End rant


Reply #99 from Sins Forums Top
you should be able to build 100's of 1000's of ships.... and dont you whiners with no jobs tell me about how your computer cant handle that many 3d objects... buy something made in this decade.
End of quote


I'd love to see any personal pc costing less than a couple grand handling hundreds of thousands of units in Sins without crashing. (Honestly I'd love to see any pc capable of doing that without locking up)

I have a two month old dual core 2.2 ghz machine with 2 gigs of ram and 512mb nivida PCI-EX card and I still experienced significant slow down during a single player test of my mod concept that upped the maximum # of fighters for carriers from one to four. Now if just a quadruple # of fighters in a large fleet vs. fleet conflict can cause serious lag hundreds of thousands of ships would be well, unplayable; and probably desynchronize the game if networked.

Now doubling it, ormaybe tripling the unit cap for insanely huge maps makes some sense, but making it virtually unlimited really just isn't practical, and the higher unit cap would make things densely packed on smaller maps.

Perhaps making the unit cap somewhat dynamic would be a good solution? For every planet beyond x number (the rough number of planets in a medium sized map the unit cap increases by 1% to 5% beyond what it is currently. This would represent the concept of owning more worlds allows you to support a larger fleet without imbalancing smaller maps and make the larger ones more exciting.
Reply #100 from Sins Forums Top
I'd love to see any personal pc costing less than a couple grand handling hundreds of thousands of units in Sins without crashing. (Honestly I'd love to see any pc capable of doing that without locking up)
End of quote


The graphical developement of Sins is very good compared to other RTS games. A system with a market value of approx. $800 will meet the recommended system requirements, with which you are able to play flawless at full +2000 fleet cap.

If your system investement was greater than that market value and you have graphic problems with this game, than you did something wrong when setting up your system. There are hundrets of possible mistakes you can make.

In that case you are better off buying a pre-configured system from Dell or Alienware.