Astra Exodus - v1.00.06 Update

[AlbertoC]

Hi everyone!

We are releasing a new patch for Astra Exodus, updating the game to version 1.00.06.

Update 1.00.06 mostly focuses on fixes and both performance and quality-of-life improvements. Once again, thanks to everyone who provided their feedback to us, so that we could keep improving the game. Atomic Kaiser in the meantime will continue to work on their plans to further improve the game... stay tuned!

Version 1.00.06 Changes

+ Reduced the default difficulty to Captain and the difficulty to get bonus plaques to General
+ Fixed a significant bug in which the AI retrofiting starships disabled the end turn button
+ Made sure the AI gets a bit angry with constant demands, even if it accepts them due to high relations or threat. There are new modifiers for this.
+ Added the current selected Operative mission description to the corresponding panel
+ Now the file saves are ordered by date and time in the load game main panel
+ Added your/theirs to the tech being requested/granted in the audience screen to highlight who gets what
+ Improve the description/stats of the specialization picks so it's clear what you get
+ Improved english localization campaign messages and heroes
+ Removed the file extension in the name of a file save within the load game panel
+ Improved the visibility of of the board button in the colonists
+ Increased the upkeep/fee of the Ancient hero skill
+ Made sure to update heroes stats and skills as soon as they gain a level
+ Added the timestamp to the load screen of file saves
+ Improved performance by delaying loading audio files until they are absolutely necessary and added audio cue to the selected fleet panel
+ Improved load performance of graphic files from the hard drive
+ Added missing sound effects for troops in battle
+ Improved overall space battles performance, thanks to audio improvements
+ Strike craft now spawn further away from the carrier starship
+ Made sure assault starships(specially strikecraft) get the correct heading when you speed up the battle.
+ Improve significantly the initial game's startup time
+ Parametrize the Creative trait to set the number of techs available per level
+ Reduced minimum material efficiency to 20% to make mining more important
+ Pollution installations/techs affect morale instead for factions with the plantoids trait
+ Lowered the megafauna and native population peculiarity bonus to 6 food
+ Improved DataNet UI feedback on failed operative missions
+ Fixed a rare hero bug in which an operative is able to sabotage fleets of ships
+ Added an option to flip the mouse zoom scrollwheel direction
+ Fixed a bug in which support module space specialization picks were not working correctly

[Carlo One]

Just wanted to note my appreciation for the continued bugfixes, improvements and updates, that kind of support is why I bought the game shortly after release. It now seems to be in pretty good shape, may need to start a campaign soon.

[eddieballgame]

Another excellent changelog, soon to be tested.

[JosEPhII]

Started with Sandbox Captain level time Victory 650 turns, Human, Pre warp, Barred Spiral large galaxy. 259 turns in I finally meet 1st AI. It has 1 planet with 2 colonists. It does not even have xenofarm or xenomine researched. It's brain dead. Please fix the AI for sandbox, Please! This mode "sandbox" is probably where I will play the most. Campaigns for me are a once or twice play thru before they become somewhat predictable. Hopefully this game will prove to be a bit better in this regards. But...sandbox is really hurting for some AI attention.

Also organics (especially organics) and in general all resources always run at a deficit. Always consuming more than produced.

Constantly having to run Streamlined trading or the one for 15 research points.

Where is terraforming tech for Swamp or Tundra?

Need a Dismiss button for Leaders when they 1st appear if they do not fit your scheme.

Over all the sandbox mode only gets a grade of C- atm. Hopefully you will address it obvious short comings.

I eventually hope to Mod this game. I'm a modder on the Civ IV BtS Caveman2Cosmos mod Team, and if this game is as friendly to modding as Civ IV BtS, then I will enjoy this game even more.

[JosEPhII]

After starting 3 games in Sandbox the last 2 stop allowing the Game to be Saved. Is there a Limit to the Number of saves the game will hold? Edit: It would seem that there is! This needs to be posted.

To progress on turns I have to click settings click Resume and then see if the turn will advance. Sometimes yes sometimes No. If No then I have to go thru All Advice screens, especially the Government screen. Then go back to Settings click Resume (Save is still "greyed out") and see it End Turn will activate.

This is becoming rather frustrating. I need some answers.

TerranRepublic_Sandbox_Average_T296.7z

Save game that will not save anymore.

(20.31 KiB) Downloaded 149 times

[anguille]

Was going to buy it for Easter but now i'd rather wait until there is at least an AI in the game. What are you working on now?

[JosEPhII]

Was going to buy it for Easter but now i'd rather wait until there is at least an AI in the game. What are you working on now?

Hey anguille! Long time my friend since we last talked.

It 's got one. It's just that my 1st sandbox game was set on low difficulty. As I Increased to Captain and then Commander (avg and the "prince") it got better. I did find a bug that The Dev is working on from my posted save game. Been discussing it with him on Discord.

I have not played the campaign side yet though as I prefer sandbox for almost all 4X games I play.

I'm a modder for Caveman2Cosmos the biggest Mod ever made for Civ IV BtS. We are getting close to 500K d/ls since the Mod started 11 years ago. I've been on the team since 2016.

I might start modding this one too as a pet project. I've been retired now for 8 yrs so I have more time on my hands these days...sometimes! lol

[anguille]

Hi JosEPhII,

I always read your posts when i see them. Glad you are doing ok. I am still far from retirement, and, with 4 kids, don't have as much time for gaming as i would like to.

So you'd say there is some challenge in Astra Exodus? To what game would you compare it?

Campaigns are nice but you usually play them once, so yes, AI in sandbox is crucial for a game to last.

PS: apart from Slitherine, where are you mostly active these days (postingwise)? Do you still play Master of Orion and if yes, which one? My kids just love the latest one and keep on playing it.

[JosEPhII]

Posting wise is still the Civfanatic forums and the Civ IV BtS forum under Caveman2Cosmos Mod https://forums.civfanatics.com/forums/c ... osmos.449/

This game Astra is a combination remake of MoO2 and with added parts from other 4X sci fi games and a few twists. It's not an overly complicated game. But a kind of fun take on some old favorites.

I still play MoO2. MoOIII, and the New Master of Orion. Actually I always have all 4 on any of my computers. I also like Banished a lot. But their forum is really not active any more.

I have several Steam games that I play, like Stellaris. The one that I have spent the most time on though is Empyrion: Galactic Survival. But since my main comp is in the shop indefinitely because of this dad gummed pandemic, I can not play it now. On this computer the Graphics card is too old. I have an ATI RX 570 with 8GB DDR 5 in my Main comp. but this comp only has a GTX 760 Ti Oem with 2 GB DDR5. I can play it but at only around 35-45 Fps. So in a big fight it can get a bit laggy.

I too have 4 kids but all grown up. 3 are married and now I have 7 grand kids. Youngest son just has not found the right woman yet. He wants a family but he 's not to enthused with today's young woman's attitudes about families and marriage. Star trek ideology that has been infused into today's society, ideology, and in real life has Not helped with today's life styles.

One last note, this Dev is working on a major update. It is supposed to be out in a month or so.....if things hold up for him. Single DEV working after hours after his day job is over type thing.

Good posting with you again.

[anguille]

I still play MoO2. MoOIII, and the New Master of Orion. Actually I always have all 4 on any of my computers. I also like Banished a lot. But their forum is really not active any more.

I also have the 4 on any of my computers....

What can we expect in the next update?

[Baron Wombat]

What does the "Board" button do?

[Baron Wombat]

Correction: what does the "Board" button for civilians do? Can population be migrated to other planets?

[JosEPhII]

I still play MoO2. MoOIII, and the New Master of Orion. Actually I always have all 4 on any of my computers. I also like Banished a lot. But their forum is really not active any more.

I also have the 4 on any of my computers....

What can we expect in the next update?

Atomic Kaiser did not go into details of this "big update" just that he's working hard on it to get it out relatively soon.

Correction: what does the "Board" button for civilians do? Can population be migrated to other planets?

Yes you can transfer colonists. accidentally sent one to an outpost! I had not noticed the "board" button and must have clicked on it when I was reassigning colonist to different jobs. Any way as I check an Outpost this colonist showed up as assigned to it. It took a bit to get it back to a colony. As I had not read in the manual on how to move colonists from planets to planets.

[Baron Wombat]

How did you get it back? The original colony or a different one? Thanks.

[JosEPhII]

I clicked on it I think, (I might have drag and dropped) and then clicked on the colony. Suggestion play around with it and see how it works for you.

[Baron Wombat]

I played around with it last night. They just disappeared. I have a couple of outposts...not there. Couldn't find them anywhere.

[Baron Wombat]

What are the effects of blockade?

If someone is doing it to me how do I make it stop? If I want to do it to someone else where is the order?

[JosEPhII]

@Atomic Kaiser,
Hello, how is the update progressing? Did the save game help?

[AtomicKaiser]

How did you get it back? The original colony or a different one? Thanks.

To land either population or troops, simply select the ones you want to give the order to in the selected fleed side planet and right click the target planet.

What are the effects of blockade?

If someone is doing it to me how do I make it stop? If I want to do it to someone else where is the order?

A blockade prevents the colony from producing projects and sharing resources. To do it you only need to send a fleet of warships to an unescorted(no defense fleet) enemy starystem.

@Atomic Kaiser,
Hello, how is the update progressing? Did the save game help?

It is going pretty well! Sorry for not replying here before, frankly I check mostly the main steam and the slitherine support forums.
We are publishing a new dev diary on modding next week and we should news on the new massive update a bit after that.
We'll probably do an open beta for that one. The save game did help, I think I have that one fixed in the upcoming version.

[anguille]

When can we expect the next update? Just bought the game but want to wait until the next patch before trying it out. Thanks