Version 1.26 released

This version brings a big feature for non English speakers (over the years many people reported they would want to play the game, but they can’t since they don’t speak English). So, localization to different languages is here. It’s an early attempt on translation, so it’s incomplete and might have minor issues, still, it works. Next, a new technology and project to deal with Space borne creatures. There are also traditional interface improvements and fixes.

Call to translators: If you wanted to help improve the quality of translations/or translate to a different language, hop on our Discord and shout!

– [feature] Localization (Options/Gameplay), you can now select a language. Note that it’s a first attempt ant those localization might be incomplete and/or of low quality (also manual is not translated yet).
– [feature] Space borne inhibitor: Tech which unlocks a new project “Space Borne Inhibitor”, it makes Space Borne creatures attacks less frequent and weaker.
– [feature] Can set FPS limit in Options.

– [misc] Localized to DE, FR, ES, PL, RU. Note that all those are incomplete (for example manual is not localized yet). Yet those should be enough to play the game without the knowledge of English.

– [interface] Scroller on the list of projects screen (previously it was not needed because all projects fit).
– [interface] Input edit box (save filenames, rename things, etc) improved (more characters allowed, can move cursor by cursor keys).

– [fix] Possible courtier name “Martin Martin”.
– [fix] Online achievements on GOG not triggering properly.
– [fix] Zoom speed settings were ignored (apparently, no one needed to use it, so no one reported a bug over all those years… Just stumbled on it by a chance).
– [fix] Spelling fixes.

Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

Version 1.25 released

This version introduces individual courtiers visits. Now courtiers can pop up during an audience (usually in bulk, several at once) with various issues. In practice, this means you have an incentive to banish (for free as an audience option) various courtiers which makes the Imperial Court more dynamic. There is also another big feature I was working on. This build is localization ready (in a crude state, not everything is ready, also disabled by default), so very soon, you should be able to play the game in your preferred language. There are also several bug fixes, small balance adjustments.

Translators needed: If you wanted to help translating the game, drop by our Discord and shout that you want to be a translator.

– [feature] Individual courtiers can appear on audiences with personal issues (gets corrupted, lose competence, lose charisma, is incompetent and should be fired, etc).
– [feature] Experimental feature (need to be enabled via options): Change language (note: no locale files have been added yet, therefore in this version it’s not functioning!). In theory, if you really can’t wait, you could just drop the master file into some auto translator and add your language, it should work (instructions are included in data/locale/ folder). Note: If you wanted to help translating the game, drop by Discord and shout you want to be translator.

– [balance] Ship hulls rebalance (several ship hulls made stronger, removed 1 Command Bridge from the Emperor’s Fist).
– [balance] Different Banish from the court cost depending on courtier’s rank (lowest rank is the cheapest to get rid of).

– [interface] Difficulty level displayed on Victory tab and on save files list.

– [fix] Could appoint a courtier as both Diplomat and Advisor when promoted in a certain order.
– [fix] Mechatrons icons do not disappear after they are eradicated.
– [fix] Rebel status of minor houses was not cleared up properly upon end of rebellion (which causes problems if the said minor house was elevated to a Great House). Also added auto fixing saves that have this bug.
– [fix] Small fixes to audience events (illogical outcome of some options).

Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

Version 1.24 released

This version is a bag of various improvements. New ministry events, rebalance of military, a lot of spelling fixes, budget effect adjustments. Mostly small stuff based on your feedback from the forums and Discord.

– [feature] Budget (Fleet) grants extra recruits from Space Academy.

– [balance] Modernizations: “Crew reduction” and “Economic construction” greatly increased efficiency.
– [balance] Ship hulls that have less/more crew required effect have the impact increased from 25% to 33%.
– [balance] Aliens Scanners adjusted (they seemed to have too high numbers, especially on high difficulty levels, now the value is more flat).
– [balance] Cost (Focus points) of firing officers reduced.

– [content] New ministry audience events. Note that those are in editable .lua files, so you can create your own ministry events from now on if you are into modding.

– [fix] In rare cases a non explored planet could have been set as a target for conquest. No longer allowed.
– [fix] A lot of spelling fixes.

Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

Version 1.23 released

This version has several balance tweaks (mostly related to the expansion but not only), interface improvements (clarification how things work) and manual improvements (more topics covered). In addition, Fighters get an interesting change, now those can target ships with shield up, but at a penalty, so Fighters became more valuable now. Next, I was playing with Communication Towers mechanic, got a new idea for it but I’m not sure it would be better, so for now I put it as an optional extra rule which you can enable if you wish. The last thing is improvement of safe mode (which you run where you encounter problems), to address some rare issue with some GFX cards.

– [feature] Fighters can target ships with shields up (but as the last resort since half of the bombs will bounce off and miss if shields are operational). This makes Fighters and Heavy Fighters more useful since they can always find a valid target for a bomb run.
– [feature] Extra rule (must be enabled on game start) “Alternative communication towers mechanic”. It alters communication towers mechanic, those become much cheaper (including upkeep) but you have to place those adjacent to each other.

– [interface] Adminstrative pts tooltip show how much total you get per turn.
– [interface] Improved legislation pts tooltip.
– [interface] Improved political marriage tooltip (arranged marriage sources explained).
– [interface] Improved megalopolis tooltip.
– [interface] Improved planetary battle report a bit.
– [interface] Added range of starbase to “build starbase” button tooltip.
– [interface] Starmap Base map mode shows also range markers.
– [interface] Main menu news notice box beautified.

– [misc] If safe mode is enabled the game limits frame rate to 30 FPS (to prevent potential CPU/GPU overheat).
– [misc] There is a delay of 1/10 of a second between pressing End Turn multiple times (to prevent overheat on some machines, plus it partially prevents accidentally holding ENTER key). The delay is disabled when in Tester Mode.
– [misc] Auto limit FPS (for a few seconds) when running the Game Mode first time (like after New Game or loading from a save) to prevent “underheat” on some GPUs.
– [misc] Removed “Purchase expansion” button if expansion is present.
– [misc] Hawk Eye and Combat Recon ship hulls had data link bonus but no Data Link itself (illogical).
– [misc] Other small changes.

– [balance] Base Rebel points growth +5.
– [balance] Ships manufacturing cost increases/decreases with difficulty level.

– [expansion] if Expansion #1 active Base Rebel points growth +5 (to offset Propaganda Tradition gain).
– [expansion] Industrial Mongers tradition: +25% Food processing efficiency bonus per level (previously +50%).
– [expansion] Intrigue increases each audience a bit (affected by difficulty level).
– [expansion] Star Knights regular operations (and Master of the Order) event options made weaker and more expensive in terms of Intrigue.

– [manual] Chapter #3 added Secrets, Favors, Great Council, Banquet, better explanation of Political Marriage.
– [manual] Chapter #5 added Centralization, Stability.

– [fix] Create dynasty screen showed uniform of the Emperor as if this was a vassal house.
– [fix] Small cosmetic fixes.

Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!

Version 1.22 released

This is a minor version, the first one that supports the upcoming “Old Dynasties” expansion (which is out tomorrow!), so mostly small technical changes. But it also has two nice features. First, new random events were added, those were originally planned for the expansion, but since I got more new events than I planned, I decided to move some to the base game instead. Second, a kind of modding was added. Now audience events can be written in a simple scripting language, so you can add your own if you wish!

BTW, this version incorrectly says “the expansion can be purchased” instead of “wishlisted”, but it will “fix” itself tomorrow when the expansion is out 🙂

– [feature] This version allows writing your own events (modding), since events system was exposed to LUA (a simple scripting language). In “data/content/” folder you have various files you can edit (note that those will break saves compatibility in most cases) and documentation (most effects are described, with parameters). There are also hints which allow you to disable hardcoded events, etc (for easier testing of new events). Overall, it’s a bit crude, and I would recommend to wait for future version before using it (it might be improved/extended), but overall it works.

– [content] New random audience events (mostly for early game).

The expansion can be wishlisted/purchased here (Steam/GOG):

“Old Dynasties” expansion on GOG

Reminders
You can follow my Steam Developer Page if you wish to be notified each time a new game or expansions is being released.

Also, if you have a moment to leave a Steam review of the game it would be appreciated. It makes a big difference to an indie developer like me. Thanks!