This release mainly improves the AI in skirmish situations. The improved AI is accessible by selecting the "Hard AI" option in the Skirmish modifiers. This feature is very much a "work in progress". More tweaking and extra rules will be added over the next couple of releases, but I thought it would be useful to existing players and especially to get any feedback on whether it is still too easy or too hard.
Over the next week I will work through a number of smaller, mainly cosmetic issues, while building up a plan for the AI and campaign missions. Any comments on these topics are very welcome!
Updated 22 Feb: It should also be pointed out that the AI (old or new) does not cheat. There are no buffs or secret information. All the AI enemies have no more information than the Player would have in the same situation, and the same equipment.
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Current Version: 0.9.24 (20th February 2016)
Known Issues:
* Steam Overlay can sometimes cause some Macs to hang on startup - need to disable Overlay
Immediate Roadmap:
* Cosmetic issues outstanding
* Look again at the tutorial & campaign
* Balance/AI & Skirmish fixes & additions.
* Suggestions/feedback?
* Display component stats on tooltip? Multi-monitor support? Neutral system?
* Performance enhancements - client & server?
0.9.23 (3rd February 2016) -> 0.9.24 (20th February 2016)
* Hard AI skirmish modifier
- clusters most enemies at start
- better rangefinding despite loadout changes (enemies dynamically calculate range)
- enemies will no longer "overkill" - if a target is likely to be destroyed by other enemy ships this turn, then target something else
- enemies should opportunistically target weak player ships/drones
- command ships (cruisers, corvettes & frigates) will try to organise other ships/drones to surround dangerous targets
- command ships will suppress the use of active sensors among other ships if they think there are enough sensors
- command ships will detect if an enemy has disappeared and try to regain detection
- stations have AI systems and can act like ships
- special firing rules for usurpers and painters
* Remove radiation skirmish modifier
* Put upper & lower bounds on disruption percentage regardless of range
* Fix bug where circling AI entities starting on circle centre would remain stationary
* Change Corvette default loadout to remove small beam & add decoy and another laser drone
* Flow panel tooltips now cleared on drag
* Fix bug where flow panels sometimes start in random position
* Starting rotation of player ships in skirmish is now pointing away from start point