1.7 Patch Change Log (Release 4/21)

The long awaited Starbase update is here!

The new Constructor queuing system means you'll never need to track upgrade modules again. We've also completely reworked the Shipyard ship list to make it easier to find the right ship for the right job. Also, we've added the ability to inspect an enemy fleet and get prediction of the fight's outcome. The ship component system is getting balancing change. Finally, we've improved the diplomacy trading system.

Please check out our Dev Journal to learn more about the 1.7 update.

https://forums.galciv3.com/477007/page/1/#3632209

Overview

Reduced Starbase micromanagement
Starbases now queue upgrade modules directly from Shipyards. Ordered Constructors automatically travel to the Starbase and upgrade it. Constructors are ordered from the Shipyard that can deliver the upgrade in the shortest amount of time.

Improved Ship List
Introducing new Ship List sorting and grouping options to make it easier to find the ships you want. Mark your "favorite" ships to make them easy to find in every game.

Improved Starbase Window
We've updated the Starbase Window to better present information about the installed modules and the Starbase's effects. The window also displays more detailed Starbase statistics. These changes will aid you in managing the Starbase and empire.

Battle Assessment
Know what you are getting into! Hovering over an enemy fleet now displays an estimation of whether or not your fleet will be victorious. This same information is displayed prior to starting a battle.

Ship Component Mass Changes
Component mass now scales based on the ship's hull size (e.g. you need bigger engines to move a bigger ship). The changes shouldn't affect average players but are important to address some late-game exploits. Although this change won't impact the standard ship designs, existing custom ship designs may need to be revised to work with the new system.

Diplomacy Updates
Your friends are more likely to give you a better deal! Diplomacy trade values now scale based on your relationship with other factions and the game difficulty.

Planetary Alert System
Planetary growth stalled? We added new alerts on the planet window to warn you if your influence, population, or approval are holding back your colony from its full potential.

Third Party App Block Option
We added a game option that blocks 3rd party applications from hooking into the game's graphics process and crashing the game. Blocking is enabled by default. If you'd like to capture in game video, you will have to disable this game option.

Change Log

Starbases

• Starbases can now queue multiple upgrade modules directly from Shipyards. Once built, Constructor modules automatically travel to the Starbase & upgrade it.
• Starbases have Shipyard sponsors. As modules are added to the Starbase queue, Constructors are added to the Shipyard's queue that can deliver the module in the shortest amount of time. By default, all Shipyards sponsor all Starbases. This can be changed on the "Sponsor" screen.
• Starbases can handle constructors with multiple modules.
• Players can choose what Constructor blueprints to use on the "Sponsor" screen.
• Selecting a Starbase on the Galaxy map will draw connection lines to the Starbase's sponsor Shipyards.
• Queued Constructors are treated the same as other Constructors while en route. Diverted, destroyed, or traded Constructors will be re-queued automatically.
• Players can enable Starbases to automatically order available upgrade modules.
• The Shipyard manufacturing queue displays the Constructor's destination and upgrade module type.
• Starbases can still be upgraded by manually built Constructors and specific Mercenaries.
• Queued Constructors have a custom ship design for each faction.
• Added maintenance cost to all starbase modules for all difficulty levels except beginner and normal difficulties.

Ship List Screen

• Ships are organized by type and role.
• New sorting options: size, attack, version and resource cost.
• You can add ships to a "favorites" list that is saved when you exit the Ship List screen. These "favorites" available even if you start a new game.
• Added a prioritize button to move selected ships to the top of the build queue
• Added reverse sorting to the ship design list.
• Newly designed ships (including auto-upgraded ones) are marked as "new" so they are easy to find.

Starbase Screen

• Added more detailed Starbase statistics.
• Modules and their effects are now both visible simultaneously on the main screen.
• Added a build queue for ordering new modules. Build queue items include an estimated time of arrival.
• Added a Sponsor screen to manage what Starbases are building Constructors for that particular Starbase. By default, all Shipyards are sponsoring each Starbase.
• Sponsor screen has a "Set as default Constructor" option which makes the currently selected Constructor the new default Constructor for future Starbases.

Battle Assessment

Hovering over an enemy fleet displays an estimation of whether or not your currently selected fleet will be victorious. This same information is displayed prior to starting a battle.

Shipyard Auto-Idle

Added Shipyard auto-idle function that replaces the old "shutdown". If the Automatic Idle checkbox is selected, the Shipyard will shutdown if it has no ships to produce. Adding a ship will automatically resume production.

Diplomacy

We have improved the balance of the diplomacy system to make it more fun and less exploitable.  

• Item trade costs are adjusted based on relations and difficulty.
• Culture treaties can no longer be stacked with same faction.
• Added Diplomatic Office and Diplomatic Outpost Starbase modules.
• Updated AI Strategies and Diplomatic Modifiers to better balance AI aggressiveness.

Planetary Alert System

Added alerts added to influence, population, and approval statistics if one of these attributes is at risk. The Alert tooltip includes information on how to address the problem.

Gameplay Changes

• Lowered cost of Celestial Tourism for Krynn to be closer to the average cost.
• Ship component mass now scales based on the ship's hull size.
• Sensors now have a "sensor power" statistic that controls the area scanned.  Sensor power has a diminishing returns effect on overall sensor range.  Sensor tooltips provide additional feedback on this new system.
• Changed the default Planet Frequency from Abundant to Common
• Increased the Sensor Power of higher level Ship Components and Starbase Modules.
• Limited some ship components to be one player, including the Bane and special Precursor components.  
• The Scout ideological Event now uses Sensor % bonus instead of a flat range bonus.

Interface

• Added a "None" option for Govern/Command window for a ship/fleet's destination
• Added "eject all" button for stationed ships in a shipyard, starbase, or planet.
• You can now (again) choose Medium UI scale for 1920x1080 screens.
• Custom scout ship will no longer appear with the Survey Ship icon
• The content of the Mined Resources tooltip will no longer escape its frame.
• Created a new Sensor Range tooltip that shows the Sensor Power, what is affecting the Sensor Power, and how much Sensor Power is required to upgrade the Sensor Range.
• The "Saving Game... Please Wait.." message should no longer get stuck on the screen.
• Fix stretching artifact in the up and down combo box arrows.
• Updated the Ship Designer's resource bar to be vertical to match the strategic map and shipyard.  This will also address problems with text in that control from being clipped.
• Updated the Sort order arrows on the Shipyard List
• Fixed a  bug that was turning all Status Bars to the Highlight color in Large UI
• The "now building" text now correctly shows the build module for starbase modules in the shipyard context area, the shipyard tooltip, and the shipyard list item in the main game Shipyards list on the right side.
• Fixed an occasional problem with selecting ships when the player had negative resources
• MP: The start button no longer appears over the "Mega Events" drop down menu
• MP:  The "Mega Events" listbox is disabled as Mega Events are not allowed in MP.
• MP: Human players now always appear on top in the lobby, whether they are ready, pending, or unclaimed (for restored games).

Bug Fixes

• Outbreak Ideology event now provides the proper research bonus
• Fixed a crash when attempting to loading an old save game pre-Mercenaries and then using the fog-of-war cheat after buying Mercenaries.
• Fixed typos in the Mercenary ship descriptions
• Mercenary ships can no longer be upgraded by stationing them in planets, shipyards, or starbases.
• Fixed lighting issues in the Yor faction leader animation.
• High-end Prototype ship blueprints are now marked as "-R" designs
• Fixed some weird starting perspectives in Battle Viewer
• Fixing a CTD caused by destroying planets.
• Updated the campaigns with text fixes.
• Fixed issue with Gravity Field Generator star base module that was speeding up enemy ships rather than slowing them.
• Fixed bad data on the Precursor Satellite world that was causing the associated events to not work as intended.
• Add new Heavy Survey blueprint to all races
• Fixed numerous crashes on game exit.
• Fighters are no longer missing in Battle Viewer
• Interceptor fighters will no longer appear in the Shipyard List.
• Disabled Colonizing event on the Iconian secondary world to so that the Iconian's system is consistent with other faction starting systems.
• Fixed a case that would cause the starting Battle Viewer camera to be pointing in the wrong direction.
• A faction's power will no longer wrap to zero if the ship power ratings were too high. This was causing really powerful factions to surrender.  
• Fixed a problem with Mods with custom ship styles that were causing an infinite loop and crash.  
• Fixed a stuck turn when a command tells a ship to eject to the shipyard it's being built at.
• Fixed an issue where a shipyard can station too many ships.  This was the source of multiple problems including crashes and odd gameplay behaviors (e.g. creating stacks of mixed player ships and enemies).
• Fixed an issue where ships can eject onto anomalies and nebula when a free tile was available
• Fixed an infinite loop when there are no Shipyards in the empire that can supply module orders.
• Fixed stale battle log data that was causing fighters to be incorrectly spawning either in the battle viewer or on the game map.
• Fixed planets that were turning invisible after fighting off an invasion.
• If a ship joins a fleet on "Guard", the fleet will stay on on "Guard"