v2.6.0 Changes List

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Population Transfer

I've added the option to transfer one of your populations to any known 'alien race', which is effectively any race you have detected, either player or NPR. This is a player option, not SM.

On the Governor/Misc tab of the Economics window, there is a dropdown to select the target race and a button to activate, followed by an 'are you sure' warning.

Only the surface population will be transferred, with any orbital habitats remaining with the current race. Shipyards will be transferred. The status of the transferred population will be 'Imperial Population'.

When the population is transferred, the following will happen:

• Research projects will be cancelled and the research queue cleared.
• Industrial projects will be cancelled and the queue cleared.
• Any shipyard tasks will be cancelled
• Ground unit training will be cancelled and the queue cleared.
• Supply and Demand requests will be cancelled
• The population will be removed from any sector assignment
• Naval Admin Commands at that population will be deleted.
• Any associated alien population records will be deleted.
• Any races with a current contact on the population will be informed of the transfer
• Any contacts for that population will be deleted
• Any movement orders targeting that population will be cancelled.
• Any assignment to that population will be removed from fleets.
• Any commander assignments involving the population (governor, academy) will be removed.
• Any ground units at the population will be deleted.
• Any inbound missiles will be deleted
• POWs of the new race will be added to the academy pool.
• If necessary, the capital of the transferring race will be reassigned.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Research Project Display Update

I've added two read-only display options to the Research tab. They are visible on the bottom right.

The Population and Empire options change the view between projects at the currently selected population, or all projects in the Empire. Those at different populations have an (E) prefix. In the Empire view, you cannot interact with projects at other populations.



The Normal and Project Only options change between a 'normal' view, which is the standard UI and a read-only list of projects using the whole tab and hiding most of the UI - useful for when you have a lot of projects.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

More Granular Beam Fire Controls

I've changed beam fire control design to have much more granular size options for modifying range and tracking speed.

There are now generated numbers from 0.1x to 4x in 0.01 increments, rather than the current method of using tech systems.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Contact Updates in Alien-Controlled Space

The Neutral, Friendly and Allied Contact Update events have been split into two types.

• A 'Neutral Contact Update - AC' is reported when a contact is updated in a system which has been flagged by the detecting race as controlled by the detected race.
• A 'Neutral Contact Update' is reported when a contact is updated in any other system.

This is to allow hiding of less important contact update events if desired, to prevent too many events being reported

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Minimum Refuel Orders

I've added two new orders.

• Refuel to Minimum from Stationary Tankers
• Refuel Stationary Fleet to Minimum

These orders function in exactly the same way as the existing 'Refuel from Stationary Tankers' and 'Refuel Stationary Fleet', except that instead of using max fuel capacity for the ships being refueled, the minimum fuel level of their parent class is used.

For example, assume a ship has current fuel of 100k litres, fuel capacity of 1m litres and its parent class has a minimum fuel of 250k. A tanker ordered to 'Refuel Stationary Fleet' will add 900k litres, while a tanker ordered to 'Refuel Stationary Fleet to Minimum' will add 150k litres.

For the existing orders listed below, the Max Item textbox will appear. If a value above zero is entered in this box, the order will fuel each of the ships in the target fleet to that specified amount. So if a 'Refuel Stationary Fleet' order is given with Max Items set to 200k, every ship in the fleet will be given sufficient fuel to take their fuel amount to 200k (assuming the tanker has enough). For example, a ship with 50k in its tanks would receive 150k.

• Refuel Stationary Fleet
• Refuel from Colony
• Refuel from Refuelling Hub
• Refuel from Stationary Tankers

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Maximum Geological Survey Radius

Currently, Fleets with standing orders to conduct geological surveys will only consider bodies within ten billion kilometres. This is from their current location (if they have no existing orders), from the last location in their orders list, or from the last surveyed body if they have a standing order to survey multiple bodies.

For v2.6, this range can be changed. There is a new text entry field in the Misc tab of the Fleet tab of the Naval Organization window called Maximum Geological Survey Radius, where the range can be set. A 0 value will be ignored and the default 10b km used instead.

The radius could be increased for very large systems, or used to restrict surveys to a small area - for example, a gas giant and its moons - if the system contains hostile forces.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Galactic Map Screenshot

I've finally got tired of piecing together multiple screenshots to create the full galactic map. Therefore, I've added an option to create a single screenshot of the entire galactic map with a button press, even if the map is much larger than can be displayed on the screen.

For example, here is the view of the galactic map from my current campaign, just before the screenshot button is pressed. You don't have to set it in a particular location as the code will handle it.



After pressing the Screenshot button on the sidebar (top left), you get a dialog box asking for file name and save location. When you press Save, it creates the screenshot below (you will need the horizontal scrollbar at the bottom of this post to see it all).

Here is the image at 30% size.



Here is the image at full size.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Flag Status Options

I've added a new option at the bottom of the display tab on the Galactic Map called Flag Status. It is a dropdown menu that contains "Default View", the name of the viewing race and the names of all known alien races.

Default is the current situation, where a flag is displayed if the viewing race has specified a system as controlled by an alien race and no flag is displayed for no control, or viewing race control.

Selecting the viewing race option will remove all alien control flags and instead display the viewing race flag for all non-alien systems.

Selecting an alien race will use the flag of that race to highlight all systems where that race has been detected, based on the tactical intelligence data for that race. Note this is NOT every system the alien race has explored, but every system in which you have detected them. Patrols or buoys, etc, will improve this intel.

This concept of this new function is to understand the true extent of known alien exploration, without having to check TacIntel, and how that view matches your own estimates of where control lies.

Here is an area of my current campaign with the default view, with my own race selected and with four different alien races selected

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Boarding Swarm No Longer Possible

I've removed the ability to board swarm ships.

This is for two main reasons. Firstly, they are living creatures so there isn't anything to board - no rooms or corridors, etc. - and nothing a human or alien crew could control once on board. Secondly, there is no Swarm 'crew' so any boarding is instantly successful, even if a single marine makes it on board. There is a third consideration as well, which is that easy boarding also means easy access to higher tech.

I could have added 'crew' instead of removing the ability to board, but that didn't seem to fit in with the flavour of the swarm.

In terms of mechanics, you won't have an 'Attempt Boarding Action' move order when you select a swarm contact. I also fixed a bug where you could attempt to board non-ship contacts.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Converting Alien Components

If you have alien ship components in the stockpile list at a population that exactly match your own components, you can modify them for your own use without them being classed as 'Alien Tech'

For example, assume you have a 15cm Near Ultraviolet Laser with capacitor recharge rate 3 and you salvage an alien laser component (or find one in ruins) with exactly the same background technology. This will be highlighted in orange on the list of components in the stockpile and a 'Modify for Use' button will appear when you click on it.

Clicking the button will replace the alien component in the stockpile with your own matching component, so you can use it for shipbuilding as if you produced it in construction factories.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Researching Alien Components

If you have alien ship components in a population stockpile list that do not match any of your own components, but use only background techs that you have already researched, you can flag those component for research.

Any such components will be highlighted in blue on the list of components in the stockpile. A description of the component and a 'Research Comp' button will appear when you click on it.

Clicking the button will create a research project for that component that can be researched in the normal way. Once that project is complete, you will be able to use the components in the stockpile and produce more. Once researched, you can rename the component, which will also change the name of the component when you view it in alien ships.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Researching Alien Missiles

If you have alien missiles in an population stockpile list, you can flag those missiles for research. Completion of the research will allow you to load those missiles, although not to build them.

Any such components will be highlighted in blue on the list of missiles in the stockpile. A brief description of the missile and a 'Research Missile' button will appear when you click on it.

Clicking the button will create a research project for the missile that can be researched in the normal way. Once that project is complete, you will be able to see full details of the missile and load the stockpiled missiles on to ships. You will not be able to build the missile, as it may contain more advanced components than your race is able to produce. Once researched, you can rename the missile, which will also change the name of the missile when you view it on alien ships.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Galactic Map Current Contacts

This is an update to the Flag Status change (see above)
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13463.msg171414#msg171414

In addition to displaying alien flags in systems where the selected alien race has been detected, the map will also show alien ship icons wherever there is a current contact (including populations) of the selected alien race. This can be adjusted using radio buttons to also show contacts less than one day, one week, or one month old.

This new view is intended to provide a strategic overview of the activity of a given alien race. For example, below the selected alien race is the Followers of Zharov. The flags show systems where they have been detected at any point in history, while the ship icons show systems where ships or populations are currently in contact with the Empire of Japan.

Clicking on an individual system and selecting the contacts tab will show the individual contacts. The contact treeview will now retain the open/close state for each race as you move between systems.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Penalties for Undermanned Ships

In v2.5.1, the only penalty for being undermanned is an impact on morale once the current crew drops below half of the standard class crew. Morale is also affected by other factors, such as ships exceeding their deployment time. However, as morale affects chances to hit, maintenance failures, fire control delays, fleet training and surveying, it is only a factor for military vessels.

For v2.6, under-manning will have separate, specific consequences beyond its impact on morale, which are listed below. Note that the direct under-manning penalties begin as soon as the crew drops below the normal manning level (rather than less than 50% for the morale impact).

• The rate at which shore leave reduces deployment time (normally 10 x time elapsed) will be reduced if the crew is not at full strength. This modifier is equal to Current Crew / Class Crew.
• The time required for ships to load/unload cargo, colonists or ground forces is increased if the crew is not at full strength. This modifier is equal to Class Crew / Current Crew.
• The ‘production rate’ of the following modules is modified on ships with less than full crews by Current Crew / Class Crew:
  • Geological and Gravitational Survey Sensors
  • Sorium Harvesters
  • Orbital Mining Modules
  • Maintenance Module
  • Salvage Modules
  • Terraforming Modules
  • Jump Gate Stabilization Modules.

There is an existing order called Add Replacement Crew. This can be used at any colony with a population of at least one million. Currently, this order uses crew from the Academy pool to provide replacements. For v2.6, it will not reduce the pool if the class requiring replacements has the Conscript flag set.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Captured Ship Penalties

Currently, when a ship is captured it suffers the same penalty as a ship leaving overhaul early. This 'overhaul penalty starts' at 99% and gradually reduces to zero over one month. It affects engine power, shield strength, chance to hit and crew grade. However, after a month the captured ship is effectively fully functional.

For v2.6, I have added the following additional penalties:

• The time deployed for the captured ship is set to double the max deployment for the class. So if a ship with a 12 month deployment time is captured, the deployment clock on the captured ship will be set to 24 months
• The current crew is set to 1, which will trigger immediate penalties for being severely undermanned. This is to simulate that even if a prize crew is added, it will be completely unfamiliar with the ship.
• If the ship is military, morale is set to 25%, as the crew and deployment penalties would result in this number anyway.

The 'Add Replacement Crew' order (see previous post) will appear in the potential orders list if a ship has less than the standard crew and the destination is a colony with a population of at least one million.

Due to the deployment penalty, even after the ship is fully manned, it will still need to spend time at a colony undergoing 'shore leave', which simulates the time required for the new crew to learn how to operate the ship. Unless the crew is replenished first, shore leave will be ineffective due to the penalty for being under-manned. In practice, this means the captured ship has to be taken to a population of one million to eventually become fully effective, rather than a recreational facility or the 50k population required for shore leave.