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November 2011 Newsletter Follow SW3DG on 
Here is the newsletter for November 2011. This issue includes details on the release of Arvoch Alliance and the latest update details for Evochron Mercenary along with community news and information. Introduction Arvoch Alliance Evochron Mercenary Older Games  As some of you know, my work schedule has been mind-numbingly busy as of late. The last six months in particular have been a collection of late nights, excessive coffee consumption, writing tens-of-thousands of lines of code (then later rewriting and changing a lot of it), answering mountains of e-mail, designing artwork/models/sounds, beta testing, creating websites, working on video, and much more. I'm very happy to announce that my latest project, Arvoch Alliance, is now available and I hope many find it a lot of fun to play. I've received strong requests for a game like this over the last few years and it has been built from the ground up with careful attention to that feedback. Alliance is designed to be more of a traditional space combat game with a mission based objective structure, tactical decision making, and large scale battles. I've actually been working on about 4 projects simultaneously with two in sharp focus for about the last year. Evochron Mercenary and Arvoch Alliance are the first two projects I started with, the former game being released last September and the latter now finally being released this month. Since both games have been developed simultaneously, are space-sims, and share some similar control, engine, and design attributes, I've been able to work on both pretty effectively in some areas. When a new feature was added to one that worked well with the other, I was often able to port it over so that both games would benefit. Several attributes weren't so similar though and are unique to each game, particularly considering Arvoch is entirely mission based (including a single player campaign storyline), squadron focused, introduces a new console system, has very different multiplayer modes, and incorporates a new selective ship command system. So the new game has had its own set of challenges that have required a lot of extra time to design and implement, but I've enjoyed working on and now playing it a lot. If you are a fan of the 'old-school' style of mission-based space combat gameplay, you'll probably have a lot of fun with this game also. I've also been learning how to write games on the Android and iPhone/iPad and one of my other projects may be available in the coming months for those platforms. While not a first person space combat game, it will involve fleet-based capital ship space combat in real time. I plan to post additional details about this game in the coming months as things progress, so watch the forum for more details. That's all for this introduction. Enjoy the newsletter and I hope to fly with some of you in Evochron and Arvoch as I plan to try and take a short break to just enjoy the games for a while... we'll see how that goes :-) 
Arvoch Alliance is now available! This new game is the sequel to the original Arvoch Conflict released in 2006 and will take you through the battles and events that eventually lead up to the end of the Alliance-Federation War and the liberation of the Evochron quadrant. Arvoch Alliance is a mission based single player and multiplayer 3D space combat simulation. You can take on the single player campaign, launch into instant action missions, join other players in Coop or PvP objectives (supporting up to 24 players), or even design your own missions and campaigns. You are in command as the story develops through 30 missions of diverse objectives spanning a variety of locations ranging from dense sensor restricting nebula clouds to hurricane force gas giant planet atmospheres. You will be called upon to patrol, escort, mine, spy, capture, rescue, and even build space stations. Each mission begins with a stage based briefing detailing the conditions and objectives along with a loadout menu that lets you select the ships for your flight group along with the weapon and equipment configuration of the ship you fly. You must formulate an effective strategy both before you launch and during the mission as events unfold and conditions change. You command your team with a series of available directives for attacking, defending, holding at a position, regrouping, and repairing/reloading. The available Tactical Console lets you monitor the status of all ships in sensor range to help aid you in making the decision on which orders to give and to which ships under your command. Arvoch Alliance features some of the most advanced space combat action available on the PC with realistic Newtonian style physics (which includes optional computer assistance for easier flight control), variable input support for a wide range of flight control devices (including HOTAS controllers and up to 10 simultaneous devices), extensive HUD and display systems to aid in real-time tactical decision making, diverse weapon and equipment options, adaptive AI skill/tactics, different environment conditions, multiple target selection options and subsystem tracking, 'cone-of-vulnerability' auto-aiming weapon system, defensive options including a proximity based countermeasure system and heat signature factor, pilot view control (including TrackIR), and more. The game provides many ways for players to develop their skillsets and expand their tactics to keep gameplay fresh and challenging. Arvoch Alliance takes space combat gameplay beyond the basic arcade point-and-shoot with guns blazing attacks and advances it to a more immersive balance of zero-G strafe drifting and pre-planned maneuvering to achieve the optimal attack and evasion opportunities. Players can utilize a wide array of tactics and options ranging from simple to complex. You are a pilot, squadron commander, tactician, and warrior in an epic struggle for survival. The time has come for you to test your leadership and combat skills in the vast frontier of space. To learn more about the game, visit the official website here: http://www.starwraith.com/arvochalliance/index.htm 
Show Me The Sales Discount! Evochron Mercenary is part of the showmethegames.com discount sale, so for a limited time, you can buy the game for 50% off the regular price (only $15)! This is a great time to buy if you want to get additional licenses for a very low price, whether you want to buy for yourself or a friend. Use the order links here to get the discount: Show Me The Games Sale Order Links 
Forum member Leatherpoker has created a new high detail city model for use in the game. A screenshot and link to the forum thread is available below:  Forum link: http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=8065 - New menu background graphics for added detail. - Improved and adjusted asteroid cave collision detection. - Afterburner sound effects updated to eliminate clicks/pops when activating and deactivating. - New special effects including explosion blast waves, missile detonation explosions, and explosion lens flares. - New clan tag bracket option ('<>') to allow for secure voice chat without clan affiliation. - Station detonator links no longer remain active when entering the exit menu. - New high fidelity sound effects including distance based volume control. - Occasional disconnect of players in shipyards, hangars, or lobbies fixed. - Multiple object and surface capability added to the explosion system. - Improved timing system for systems with ultra-high frames-per-second. - Full ping status system added to better gauge network performance. - New background nebula texture layer added (includes support for customizing). - Significant multiplayer performance improvements, particularly for slower systems. - Training mode now keeps text details for each section on screen and includes dividers for improved legibility. - Ships sending a distress call for rescue now ping their location once players enter the sector. - Weapon impact physics system updated for more variety and accurate reaction effects. - Hidden cargo container limits for missiles increased to provide a full rack of 8 per visit. - Delayed clan control status indicators on quadrant map fixed (server program). - Station detonator system updated to prevent device failure (server program). - Voice chat identification system updated to prevent duplicate icon listings. - Custom quest system updated to support the default encrypted format. - Additional integrity checks added to map log system. - Voice chat indicator capacity doubled. - Proximity range for station building near jump gates increased. - Ship formation system updated to properly respond to certain actions and threat levels. - Integrity check and alert prompt added to prevent players from losing equipment when designing replacement ships. - Design parameters for a new ship design that are insufficient to transfer installed items now highlighted in red. - Finalized implementation of new media optimizations to improve performance and decrease load times. - Several click ranges updated for improved accuracy and greater size. - Station detonator functionality updated for open space use only. - Distress call and event system added providing random emergencies that can occur throughout the game's universe. - If a ship-to-ship trade fails due to insufficient cargo space, the cargo will now be dropped into a container in space. - Hidden cargo container access limits applied by player request (location/travel based only, not numerical). - UI improvements including new highlight buttons for menus and consoles. - New font added for improved legibility and a more futuristic appearance. - Overall memory use at maximum detail settings reduced by about 40 MB. - Click ranges for a number of options updated for improved accuracy. - 'Font Mode' option added to select between the old and new font. - Map log entry scrolling limits updated for entire line lengths. - 'Decryption' error message displayed on some systems fixed. - New constructor station build point integrity check added. - New display/video options added to customizing system. - Deploy constructor pricing indicator corrected. - Custom quest system capacity expanded. - Background star detail increased. - Military ship frames updated to improve texture alignment. - Gun turret control system updated to match flight control vertical input. - Modification system updated to support custom ship hull textures for each color option. - Modification system updated to properly load/display custom image files for loading stage. - Primary weapon and shield impact sound effects now use multiple audio channels for improved quality. - Multiplayer system updated for improved compatibility with a wider range of network devices and better performance. - Mouse button input system updated to ignore input signals from buttons 3 and higher for menus. - Mouse button control for multiplayer voice chat implemented (including remapping option). - Profile template problem that occasionally caused lost hangar items fixed. - Reduced memory overhead slightly for improved efficiency. - Shadows added to target and station direction indicators. - Several texture improvements for better image quality. - Shield array status indicators added to gunsight. - Exhaust lens flare effect added (angle based). - Dedicated size option added for custom display and HUD text. - 'Clan Only' voice chat mode enabled for receiving messages while in exit menu. - Missile explosion animation system updated for more consistent rendering at higher FPS. - Dynamic cube mapping for planetary water linked to 'High' shader option in Options menu. - Station detonator prices reduced to make them more accessible and potentially increase their use. - Secondary throttle control input system updated to better support various gamepad/joystick devices. - Text rendering system updated for improved efficiency and to eliminate flickering that may occur on some systems. - Secondary weapon damage levels better aligned with armor specifications for each frame type. - AI ship construction system updated for Saber and Raven frames for better wing placement. - Additional proximity checks added to construction system to prevent 'station stacking'. - Station detonator availability increased through reloading option at specific locations. - Player built trade station limit set to 50 for each 500 sector territory control zone. - Clan territory control rate credit increased by 500% for player built trade stations. - 'Black warp gate' issue on Nvidia GeForce 400 and 500 series of video cards fixed. - Military frames now have significantly greater primary weapon energy reserves. - Military frames can now have up to eight equipment components. - Military frames now have one cargo bay slot. - Custom options added for nav map console icons. - Nav map clan territory control icons can now be highlighted when close to mouse pointer. - Armor levels for military ships increased by about 25% for improved performance against particle cannons. - External save data system expanded to include new details including ship specifications and player ranking. - External save data system now updates for primary target selected in range list MFD mode. - Mouse input system updated to support the full range of resolution dependent movement. - Text alert added for attempting to build stations within 2 sectors of each other. - Support for remapping mouse buttons added, supports up to 8 buttons. - Cycle rates for beam cannons aligned with particle cannons. - Pay for fleet ships mining from asteroids increased by 10X. - Updated for compatibility with Windows 7 Service Pack 1. - Player admin functions added to server program. - Player built station limit increased (server). - Talison war zone updated with easier combat objectives for new players. - Combat Pilot role now starts player in Talison war zone with immediate access to combat contracts. - Shadow effect added to descent/docking guide bars for improved visibility in planet clouds and nebulae. - Shadow effect also added to the HUD strafe indicator for improved visibility in planet clouds and nebulae. - Clan territory control values now do not decrease over time when at least one member of the clan is online. - Voice chat system updated for improved compatibility and performance on a wider range of systems. - Clan territory control values in multiplayer now hold at 100% for a longer period of time. - 'Arc' control sensitivity mode integrated with the standard 'Medium' and 'Low' options. - Gas planets with vertical ring orientations adjusted to be aligned on the equator. - 'Clan Only' mode added to quadrant map for viewing only player's clan levels. - Player built station capacity doubled and additional integrity system added. - Planet ring dust clouds not properly reappearing after respawn fixed. - Adjustable IDS throttle scale options added (1X-5X selectable). - IDS throttle scale mode indicator added to ship status display. - Duplicate equipment installation in station hangars fixed. - New position options added for custom text fonts. - Lightning added to gas giant planet atmospheres. - Pay for territory control increased 10 times. - AI ships now use beam weapons. - Several performance improvements. - AI not following orders properly in war zones fixed. - Array error message occuring after deleting all text lines fixed. - Hangar storage inventory duplication when building new stations in close proximity fixed. - Inventory items in war zones now update in single player using the same system as multiplayer. - Sensor indicators on nav map now render with proper transparency with planet city indicators. - Players can now specify unique textures for each type of small ship frame in the game. - Station detonator system updated to not effect players docked in other sectors. - Physics system updated for more consistent thruster behavior at high speed. - Critical alarm is now played when a fulcrum torpedo is launched nearby. - Quadrant map can now be zoomed in for a more legible view. - Inbound missile indicators appearing when HUD is off fixed. - Shader system updated for custom player designed cities. - Custom imported ship designs enabled for external views. - Font set expanded to support German characters. - Player built station capacities increased (server). - Improved cloud layer scaling. - Tech data text updated. - More solar systems made available in demo. - Occasional player drop due to rapid sector-to-sector travel fixed (server). - Update rate for player status in multiplayer for shipyard and other menus increased. - Jump drive control for NPC ships now properly bound for high energy nebula clouds. - Players can now transfer installed equipment items directly to hangars and back to their ships. - Custom cockpit system implemented to import external designs (see customizing kit for details). - New 'Arc' sensitivity setting for flight control devices to offer an alternate response mode for axis inputs. - Improvements to quest system to keep multiple waypoint patrol objective more manageable and accurate. - Players can now destroy any player-built station type (including Research, Energy, Constructors, and Ore Processors). - Single key/button mapping options added for quick save, autopilot, lock mining beam, padlock view, and cinematic view. - Texture image quality for nav map and 3D radar waypoint and jump point markers improved. - Power of throttle trim keys increased to match closely with lateral and vertical thrusters. - Removed docking fees for player-built stations in hostile systems (for non-building players). - Removed ship detonation when exiting shipyard with more fuel than tank capacity. - NPC/AI controlled ships fly faster for added challenge in ship-vs-ship racing. - Players can now use the jettison option for satellite delivery contracts. - Rank icons would sometimes overlap from view in player list, now fixed. - Players can now scuttle deployable stations while remaining in-sector. - Axis control for energy setting not unbinding when remapping fixed. - Target range list now includes offset spacing for improved legibility. - 'Toggling' tractor beams on other player ships in multiplayer fixed. - Map log entries now pause at the last character when scrolling. - Reduced text display mode added for text/chat messages. - Mod option for changing the ambient light level added. - Auto-centering added for force feedback devices. - Improved planet terrain collision detection. Use this link to download the game: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronmercenary/downloads.htm The game's official website is: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronmercenary/index.htm  
Advanced Freeform 3D Space Combat, Trading, Racing, Exploration, and Mercenary Simulation Evochron Legends is currently at version 1.288. You can download the latest update from the game's official website at the game's official website in the downloads section.   Arvoch Conflict is currently at version 1.828. You can download the game from the Downloads section of the game's Official Website. The installer also works as a patch to upgrade older versions of the game.  
Advanced Freeform 3D Space Combat, Trading, Racing, Exploration, and Mercenary Simulation Evochron Renegades is currently at version 1.988. You can download the game from the Downloads section of the game's Official Website. The installer also works as a patch to upgrade older versions of the game. This newsletter is provided to current registered users of an SW3DG game and to anyone opting into the SW3DG newsletter. This newsletter will inform you of updates to the game you are registered for as well as information about discounts and future releases. If you would like to change your registration status, use the links below: If you no longer want to receive notifications or newsletters, you can unsubscribe at: http://www.starwraith.com/phpmailinglist/?p=unsubscribe You can subscribe at: http://www.starwraith.com/phpmailinglist/?p=subscribe |
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