New Distant Worlds Update v1.9.0.13

[Gerry Edwards]

Hello Everyone,

There is a new official update for Distant Worlds Shadows available for download here or through your updater. Below is the change list.

Version 1.9.0.13 – December 19th. 2013
Change History:

CRASH FIXES
• fixed crash when exiting game that uses custom theme with extra races (message says: missing race images)
o reduced chance of thread abort exceptions occurring
o fixed rare crash with freighters
o fixed crash when lock computer (Ctrl-Alt-Del) while playing DW (graphics device lost)

BUG FIXES
• hyperdeny components now working properly for ships (not just bases)
o fixed bug where some failed intercepted intelligence missions were not counting towards victory conditions
o fixed bug where characters were not being properly transferred to troop transports from Troops tab of Colonies screen
o fixed bug where pirate facilities would sometimes not be removed from colonies when pirate faction wiped out
o fixed bug where hyperdeny components not being used on bases defending against attack
o fixed bug where captured and gifted ships would sometimes be attacked when not an enemy
o fixed bug where invading troops disappear when planet bombarded to extinction
o fixed bug where defending troops dropped at rebelling colonies would sometimes join invaders if they were victorious (i.e. rebels or invaders conquered colony)
o fixed bug where troop generals participating in successful clearance attacks against pirate facilities at your colonies would get event history message indicating that the battle was lost, when it was actually won
o fixed bug where displayed cashflow was not including facility maintenance
o fixed bug where freighters would sometimes attempt to dock at mining stations that did not yet have docking bays

OTHER
• improved freighter network for transporting resources
• AI now more willing to build more freighters when necessary
o pirates now more careful about honoring protection arrangements
o improved willingness of passenger ships to perform tourism missions
o Retrofit button in Ships and Bases screen now enabled for bases not at colonies

• RESOURCES AND FREIGHTERS
o improved freighter resource transport network, especially for construction resource shortages
o added option to disable construction resource shortage messages
o the random allotment of startup luxury resources at your colonies now exclude super-luxury resources (Loros Fruit, Zentabia Fluid, Korabbian Spice) (alleviates cashflow swings when these run out)

• TROOPS AND INVASIONS
o fixed problems where troops were sometimes being recruited incorrectly (e.g. clone troops)
o improved garrison levels of troops at colonies, especially when empire is in low- or negative-cashflow situations
o colony populations now defend better against invasions - their defend strength has been doubled

• FLEETS AND SHIPS
o improved fleet response to enemy threats in other systems (i.e. non-automated fleets follow their posture settings to engage enemies in other systems)
o fleets in battle now tolerate lower fuel levels (i.e will wait longer before refuelling)
o ensure that automated fleets load troops when space available
o changed ship behavior so that if already hyperjumping away (for whatever reason) then they will not reassign an Escape mission (i.e. they are already 'escaping')
o further improved boarding and capture so that ships and fighters no longer fire at a target once you already have overwhelming boarding parties onboard the target
o exploration ships now check for uninvestigated ruins or galaxy locations once they have explored the entire galaxy

• DIFFICULTY LEVELS
o Game difficulty has been increased on higher levels in the following ways:
o more defending troops at colonies, especially larger colonies
o buying tech from other empires is more expensive for the player
o selling tech to other empires is less lucrative for the player
o relationship thresholds for buying tech from other empires is higher for player (i.e. other empire has to like you more)
o non-player empires build more exploration and construction ships when they are able
o overall difficulty factors have been increased (i.e. each difficulty setting above normal is now harder)

• RESEARCH AND SHIP DESIGN
o Ship Design editor now warns when Resort Base designs are missing passenger components or are too big to build
o AI-designed spaceports and defensive bases now properly use area weapons when specified in design templates
o lessened chance of critical research success or failure for larger/longer research projects

• GAME PERFORMANCE AND DISPLAY
o improved game performance, especially in late-game with large galaxies
o improved rendering performance, especially when zoomed out to sector- or galaxy-level
o improved appearance of stars in mainview

[Hawawaa]

Thanks for continuing to update the game. [:)]

[Tampa_Gamer]

Agreed - very nice early Christmas present, a non-beta version to start a fresh game with.

[HectorOfTroy]

Does this mean I can't play my 19012 game?

[Zazen]

Hey, Gerry, could you please update the download in the members section? The in-game updater doesn't work for me, I have to do the updates manually like the beta. The members download is still the 1.9.0.12 beta version. Thanks!

[tjhkkr]

Thank you; this will round out my vacation! [8D]

[Erik Rutins]

1.9.0.12 games should be compatible with 1.9.0.13, so you should be able to continue them.

You can download 1.9.0.13 directly from our FTP using this link:

ftp://ftp.matrixgames.com/pub/DistantWo ... e19013.zip

Or from the Distant Worlds Shadows Downloads section here:

http://www.matrixgames.com/products/466/downloads/

[Mad Igor]

what the difference between 12 and 13 ?

[Buio]

ORIGINAL: Mad Igor
what the difference between 12 and 13 ?

Difference between patch notes (what's new in 13 from 12)

Code: Select all

CRASH FIXES
 fixed crash when exiting game that uses custom theme with extra races (message says: missing race images)
 
 BUG FIXES
 hyperdeny components now working properly for ships (not just bases)
 
 OTHER
 improved freighter network for transporting resources
 AI now more willing tbuild more freighters when necessary
 

[Larsenex]

Sweet! Great Job and Merry Christmas to all of you!

Thank you for making a great game even better!

[arkhometha]

Great! Thanks for the Update and merry Christmas!

[Max 86]

-improved freighter network for transporting resources
-AI now more willing to build more freighters when necessary

nice! hope you guys were able to make some serious headway in that area.

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Gerry Edwards
• DIFFICULTY LEVELS
o buying tech from other empires is more expensive for the player
o selling tech to other empires is less lucrative for the player

A great update, thanks. I still suggest the above needs far more significant change. The image below is from 2116 ... $5M spare credits on Extreme.

[jkile]

Is this a viable parch now???? Because I had a heck of a time last couple of days, when I downloaded beta; my Kasperrky virus program said there was a trogen attached and had to go thru. H...... to get a workable game for mods I found earlier. Is it better to use download in members area for this????

JMK

PS: I am asking my question about patch 1.9.0.13; not in above post.

[Icemania]

And now $12M in spare cash I can't spend in 2119. Sigh. Completely and utterly broken still. Time to restart without allowing technology selling like usual.

[ASHBERY76]

ORIGINAL: Icemania

And now $12M in spare cash I can't spend in 2119. Sigh. Completely and utterly broken still. Time to restart without allowing technology selling like usual.

I can never understand why the game has such a overblown high money value which is very hard to scale.You play Civ,EU,etc you never get over a 1000 gold in most games.

[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: HectorOfTroy

Does this mean I can't play my 19012 game?

no...it's gone forever like the wind and the rain, now you see it and now you don't.[:D] Actually you may still be able to find the save file but new versions of patches usually ruin them and cause you problems.

[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: Icemania

And now $12M in spare cash I can't spend in 2119. Sigh. Completely and utterly broken still. Time to restart without allowing technology selling like usual.

You shouldn't allow it anyways it's been an exploit ever since the game released. To use technology selling is just looking for ways to cheat the ai or exploit it.

[Buio]

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore
You shouldn't allow it anyways it's been an exploit ever since the game released. To use technology selling is just looking for ways to cheat the ai or exploit it.

Yeah, there is a checkbox to disallow it in 1.9.0.11+

"- added an option in game setup to turn off Tech Trading between empires (Victory Conditions step)"

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore

ORIGINAL: Icemania

And now $12M in spare cash I can't spend in 2119. Sigh. Completely and utterly broken still. Time to restart without allowing technology selling like usual.

You shouldn't allow it anyways it's been an exploit ever since the game released. To use technology selling is just looking for ways to cheat the ai or exploit it.

I always play without technology selling but wanted to test the supposed changes.

The point is that it's part of the game and broken. I have never liked the idea that we have to ignore (numerous) features of the game because they are broken. It's about time it was fixed.

Solution: Reduce the prices by 5-10. Implement AI routines to technology trade/buy/sell to each other.