Hello Galactic Survivalists!

Welcome to update 1.18! 

This version has a focus on a major rework of the status effect system, aimed at reducing stress during combat by minimizing overlapping or identical effects (stacking), but also to improve readability and better clarity  in many text areas within and around the PDA, missions and info given throughout the game. To fulfil that goal, we made several small and large updates to descriptive texts, clearer naming conventions, and a few updates to some game areas. More to come in future updates. Last, butt not least, Update 1.18 adds optimizations to the game code regarding AI pathfinding are also included, along with increased ID numbers for loot configuration and much more.

Just check out the complete overview below, test the new features and changes thoroughly, and then send us your feedback on our forum!

We hope you have fun testing!

Changelog: v1.18 Build 5083

Changes - All scenarios

(Default Random, Testing Grounds, Rise of the Dark Faction (for DLC owners))

Function/Feature Updates

• Optimized NPC pathfinding by shifting the system to a multi-threaded architecture to improve AI movement when under heavy load.

• Loot containers in the Containers.ecf can now have an upper limit of 9999 (before it was 1023).

• Blueprint YAML export ( bpyaml console cmd): added additional export contents: header fields in export (GroupName, Tags, flags, orientation, camera, RL containers), TextureRot, Density, SnapPoints, BPPSnapMatchTable, ShortcutNames, BlockGroupInfo;

• Blueprint YAML export ( bpyaml console cmd): added more contents to export: signalSources, signalReceivers, logicCircuits via NbtCollection/NBTYaml) 

• Warp Route Planner: added additional checks to prevent players from getting hidden stars on their nav bookmark list.

Balancing: Status Effects 

• Full rework of all harmful status effects in terms of logic, effects, connections and setup

• Created a new logic with least amount of stacking of SEs (both in numbers and their effects)

• Created a new progression with specific silo-cascades for each effect groups & sources (walking speed, health, food, health-thresholds, food-thresholds, stamina ect)

• Remove high-tier Status Effects given by enemies in combat (reduced to starter-level SEs in order to contribute to the aforementioned)

• Check all details: https://empyriononline.com/threads/v1-18-status-effects.103122/

• Note: This is a work in progress in terms of final balancing and missing/not-yet-final new icons.

Status Effect related changes and balancing

• Items that rise/lower body temperature cannot rise/lower beyond a limit. Lower limit/upper limit = 10/45°. Consuming items that provide a negative/positive temperature buff can still be consumed beyond that point but will not attribute any further temperature change.

• The consumption-triggered body temperature effects are not instant anymore but now apply over time per second. They can be stack when consuming items repeatedly (duration of the effect increases). It is possible to cancel out a stacked temperature buff by consuming any item with the opposite effect or take a shower. (eg temperature increase stacked > drink a water or beer to remove the temperature heat stack. And vice-versa.).

• For all temperature-changing items: temperature maximum change per item consumption is now shown in the items hover card. Note that this is an "up to", means: it can be lower or even blocked due to environmental and other effects in its regular timeout. Stacked effects will of course attribute higher changes until regular timeout.

• Removed Indigestion chance from any consumable considered ‘processed’ in a way (cooked, fried, baked etc).

• AntiToxic Pills can now heal Intoxication directly.

• Showers now remove Dermal Parasites

• Changed debuff BadTrip to Hangover when consuming Milk

Balancing: Gameplay adjustments 

• Large & small grid building blocks are easier to carry in Inventory

• Starter RockResources are faster do dig

• On death, don’t drop SurvivalTool anymore

• PromethiumStone hitpoints reduced to 100

• Kitchencounter, Bathroomcounter can be (un)locked

Itemmenu / inventory info cleanup

• Block names are now more descriptive of their structure type

• Many Block and Item tooltips adjusted (Layout, clarity, length, gameplay info)

• Localisation changes to some UI elements (Buttons, descriptions…)

• Improved display options for small blocks

Textwork / PDA / Missions 

• (PDA) Added timers before story warning chapters & fixed typos

• Building tutorials now uses fitting block names

• Layout smoothing for Testing ground chapters 

Prefabs

• Fixed doors on BAO_UCHTradeStation.epb

• Fixed npc spawners missing faction on predators on BA_CrashedCV_4Desert.epb

Changes: Default Random + TestingGrounds scenarios

(Default Random, Testing Grounds, Dark Faction)

Playfields: Akua rework pass 

• Playfield is now randomized by seed

• Biome deco and colour pass

• Added ‘gameplay hint’ POI nests and broken HV at crash site

• Added some basic exploration-focussed POI, another crashed vessel

• Creature types, densities and placement reworked - A little bit more dangerous

• Added tiny SSOR Promethium deposit

• Mission materials should be a little bit easier to find (Eggs in Dustbowl biome, Butterflies more on open terrain & at progenitor POI, more TechRuins with hostile robots), Carbon deposit closer to Crashsite

• More pistol ammo when starting out

PDA 

• Layout and many texts reworked

• Triggers for some info messages tweaked, so that they display closer to the ‘issue’

• Story warning Dialog popups moved closer to POI, to prevent loss of control while driving

Misc:

• Split Default MP complete away from Single Player (Configs, Prefabs, Playfields, Localization, RandomPresets), using v1.17 as base

• Split IvD complete away from Single Player (Configs, Prefabs, Playfields, Localization, RandomPresets), using v1.17 as base

Fixes - All scenarios

• Fixed fracture status effects do not cure after using medkit wearing epic armor

• Fixed: Thalassor Gate was at the wrong position (applies to Testing Grounds only!)

• BP Yaml export: fixed possible problems with obfuscation by marking yaml classes to not get obfuscated

EAH

• Fixed Autominer and Set Blueprint worked with old fixed IDs 

• Autominer setting asks for Dev Name fuel now