DW2 Beta Update - 1.0.3.7 (How to Access and Change List)

[Scotias]

Changes in 1.0.3.7:

- further adjustments to some map overlays to improve performance (long range scanners, exploration, diplomacy)

Please don't say that this was intended... you can't play with Exploration ON (at least I can't)

I came here for the same reason - the halos around systems on the exploration view are way over the top, i can barely see whats in the system at a glance like i could before. I would say i spend majority of the time in and out of exploration tab in my games so its very annoying. I manually control my exploration ships, so maybe it bothers me more than some who are happy to auto explore. What was wrong with the old display of systems explored status?

I would just turn them off but every time I click the map in exploration mode they come back on, or if I come out of the tab and back in. I'd settle for being able to disable it coming on by itself every time but ideally please reduce how solid the halos are or provide a slider in options to adjust. I seriously doubt anyone prefers the way they are now and how it pops on by itself?

Thanks for the newest patch regardless, I'm glad to see the game performance getting so much better for folks - I check the forums daily just to see what changes have come / people have noticed ( mostly a lurker ).

[rxnnxs]

The reason was, that in 1.0.3.6 the Long Range Sensors had a Halo that was not viewable.
I made a video where it was really hard to see at all.
Now I was really interested in how it will look at my pc..
And it looks like on your screenshots.
I made a video so there is the proof there is not transluceny at all. See attachment Somehow this has been taken out, surely not on purpose.
Thanks for the try!
In an older thread HERE! I have TWO videos where you can (NOT?) see the old translucency.

Well, you know.. when you zoom in the nebulaes, it goes up.. nothing has changed there.
The GPU has there a hard time. And on my homeworld, the first raise in usage level is shown, then the look into a gascloud where it goes up really high.
Please look at the picture for details

1037b.gif (29.58 KiB) Viewed 1233 times

[eddieballgame]

Sad to see GOG (which I like) get preference over Matrix purchasers per beta patches.
Yes, I can install the Steam version, but why do I want 2 versions taking up needless hd space.
I purchase Slitherine & Matrix games from them for a reason.
Oh well, hopefully the last beta will become official sooner than later.

[Erik Rutins]

Changes in 1.0.3.7:
- further adjustments to some map overlays to improve performance (long range scanners, exploration, diplomacy)

Please don't say that this was intended... you can't play with Exploration ON (at least I can't)

It was necessary. The previous overlays were causing big performance issues on some systems. While trying to fix this, we found a much bigger issue with the engine and the shaders which could not be quickly or easily fixed. We decided to go with these updated overlays which perform much better than the old ones. Once the unexpected engine shader issue is fixed in the future, their look will be improved, but fixing the performance issues was the top priority.

[Erik Rutins]

Sad to see GOG (which I like) get preference over Matrix purchasers per beta patches.
Yes, I can install the Steam version, but why do I want 2 versions taking up needless hd space.
I purchase Slitherine & Matrix games from them for a reason.
Oh well, hopefully the last beta will become official sooner than later.

I really regret that it was necessary, but we had to do this to be able to keep up the pace of the betas while maintaining the ability of our Ops team to also work on other titles and projects. Since we give each Matrix customer a free Steam key it was a less than ideal but "good enough" solution for now. When the pace slows down, we will have public betas here as always. First time in Matrix history that we haven't been able to do that here as well and hopefully the last.

[Cubano]

Changes in 1.0.3.7:
- further adjustments to some map overlays to improve performance (long range scanners, exploration, diplomacy)

Please don't say that this was intended... you can't play with Exploration ON (at least I can't)

It was necessary. The previous overlays were causing big performance issues on some systems. While trying to fix this, we found a much bigger issue with the engine and the shaders which could not be quickly or easily fixed. We decided to go with these updated overlays which perform much better than the old ones. Once the unexpected engine shader issue is fixed in the future, their look will be improved, but fixing the performance issues was the top priority.

Understood. But it would be a good idea to note that in the patch notes.

[rxnnxs]

Changes in 1.0.3.7:
- further adjustments to some map overlays to improve performance (long range scanners, exploration, diplomacy)

Please don't say that this was intended... you can't play with Exploration ON (at least I can't)

It was necessary. The previous overlays were causing big performance issues on some systems. While trying to fix this, we found a much bigger issue with the engine and the shaders which could not be quickly or easily fixed. We decided to go with these updated overlays which perform much better than the old ones. Once the unexpected engine shader issue is fixed in the future, their look will be improved, but fixing the performance issues was the top priority.

Thanks for the info - it is good to know that the overlays were causing huge performance issues.
But you really should think about reducing at the same time in the patch the fog that is shown in the gas clouds.
There are dozens of layers of gas coulds, that is really really a performance breaker, it will for sure lock many systems just when accidentally looking into such a gas cloud!
It is much more affecting the performance/stability than any other visual thing - in my eyes and on my pc.

When I look into the gas clouds, my not really underpowered GPU has problems and throttles down. Reason:
Power and VRel!

perfcap.jpg (21.97 KiB) Viewed 1071 times

It is idling here because I alt-tabbed out.

Even both in many cases.

perfcapreason.jpg (2.73 KiB) Viewed 1071 times

In any way, it would be really good to make it able to limit the gas clouds to a minimum and also to make them static and in a very simplicistic way. The main goal should be, like you said, to make the game playable.

And a second wish that many have is: put the explored regions layer onto a key. And let the player decide when those regions are shown or not.
Right now it is shown when you open the exploration tab. This should be disabled. via the exploration switch in the right bottom corner and hopefully via a selectable key, it can then be switched on an off.
While hovering over the ships, the circle, indicatin where the ships are, should of course still work.

[Thineboot]

Changes in 1.0.3.7:
- further adjustments to some map overlays to improve performance (long range scanners, exploration, diplomacy)

Please don't say that this was intended... you can't play with Exploration ON (at least I can't)

It was necessary. The previous overlays were causing big performance issues on some systems. While trying to fix this, we found a much bigger issue with the engine and the shaders which could not be quickly or easily fixed. We decided to go with these updated overlays which perform much better than the old ones. Once the unexpected engine shader issue is fixed in the future, their look will be improved, but fixing the performance issues was the top priority.

For performance reasons, that's totally understandable (for now).

Could you make it look something like that? A halo or something similar? Obviously it could shrink as no system is that big but I just combined two of the existing visualizations. And please think of adding the lowest exploration value within a system to the badge. That won't affect performance but make live much easier.

[Cubano]

And a second wish that many have is: put the explored regions layer onto a key. And let the player decide when those regions are shown or not.
Right now it is shown when you open the exploration tab. This should be disabled. via the exploration switch in the right bottom corner and hopefully via a selectable key, it can then be switched on an off.
While hovering over the ships, the circle, indicatin where the ships are, should of course still work.

The auto display of the overlays when navigating to the main tabs (exploration, construction, diplomacy, etc.) should be optional via settings, preferably on a per tab basis.

[SirHoraceHarkness]

Could you make it look something like that? A halo or something similar? Obviously it could shrink as no system is that big but I just combined two of the existing visualizations. And please think of adding the lowest exploration value within a system to the badge. That won't affect performance but make live much easier.

I totally agree. A halo instead of a completely filled area would certainly increase visibility and hopefully be less stressful on lower end hardware.

[Erik Rutins]

1.0.3.7 is now available as an official update. We'll have a new beta update later this week.