Evochron Legacy SE 2.0708 Update...

[Vice]

Version 2.0708 includes the following improvements:

- Added 'Save Changes' prompt when closing a control mapping menu before saving.
- Shaders updated to incorporate more physically realistic lighting and reflection effects.
- Expanded jump drive effect options for fading and lighting parameters (see customizing kit).
- Added 'View Destination Sector' button to preview sector destination on nav quadrant map before accepting long range contracts.
- Added ability to import custom texture and heightmap data for individual planets (see customizing kit).
- Animated highlight bars added to quadrant map for station attacks and destination sector previews.
- 3D radar contact circles adjusted and range markers increased in size for improved visibility.
- Mouse cursors updated for improved clarity and better image quality at higher resolutions.
- Autopilot docking pattern for jump gates adjusted to reduce chance of missed approach.
- Added rumble and force feedback effects for compatible devices (see notes).
- Low light vision mode color saturation reduced by about 50%.
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

Rumble and Force Feedback Effects Added for Compatible Devices
If the game is able to detect a compatible device with rumble or full force feedback capability, effects can optionally be enabled for that device. Events like firing weapons, engaging the jump drive (or traveling through a jump gate), activating the afterburner, or colliding with objects can now provide effects. When enabled, the game will send signals to any compatible devices it is able to detect. Some devices may need to be set to a particular input mode before the game will be able to detect and communicate with them for such effects. Once detected and enabled, a text file named 'forceeffects.txt' will be created in the save data folder (default location is \Documents\EvochronLegacySE) which can be edited for additional configuration options. See the 'Technical Notes' section ( https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlega ... dme.htm#12 ) of the game's included instructions for details.

Lighting and Reflections
Several of the game's object shaders and textures have been updated for rendering details like fresnel reflections and expanded light response range in an effort to shift lighting over to a more physically accurate look.

'View Destination Sector' Button
When reviewing long range inter-sector contracts in the inventory console, a new button will appear at the top of the contract's description that will allow previewing the required sector destination in the navigation console. When clicking on the button, the console system will switch to navigation and activate the quadrant mode automatically. The sector destination of the contract will then be highlighted on the map with an animated light blue box. This offers a way to visually preview an inter-sector contract location before accepting it.

Save Changes Prompt
The ability to undo mapped controls while in an Options menu has been expanded and a 'Save Changes' prompt has been added when using the close menu button ('X' button in the upper right corner of the menus). Previously, some changes would automatically be saved while others would not, regardless of which menu exit option was used. This was required to update certain mapping tables/data sets for a selected device. The menu systems now suspend saving selected control mapping and setting changes until 'Save & Exit' is clicked, allowing for testing temporary setting changes as well as undoing control mappings when exiting a menu. If control mappings are changed but not saved, they will return to their original settings after exiting a menu and selecting 'No' when prompted to save changes. This way, changes can be reversed consistently with one common exit button.

Edit 04-28-2024: Update 2.0718 available that adds some requested functionality and fixes a few reported issues:
- Increased capacity for countermeasure rendering in multiplayer.
- Highlighted sector location and distance readouts moved to below remote commodity price value display.
- Expanded custom thruster nozzle and effect placement and rotation options (see customizing kit).
- 'Restore Defaults' option in Key/Button Controls menu updated to apply changes immediately.