![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.positech.co.uk\/blog\/8thseptember2009.jpg\" "\\"New")
<\/p>\nI just uploaded version 1.05, and activated the auto-patching. This fixed a ton of things. The big stuff is code to prevent most of the hardcore ‘stacking’ on the deployment screen, by means of a snap-to-grid system for deploying ships (this has it’s quirks, but will be polished more later). That means fleets look more like this:<\/p>\n
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There is also a groovy new right click option for designs (mass deploy) which means you can add new ships with a single click. I also fixed about a\u00a0 dozen minor interface niggles and made two big gameplay changes:<\/p>\n
Repair modules now have limited resources, and when they run out, they stop working. This means they are no longer a long term equivalent to the infinitely recharging shields. In short, you can’t build indestructible ships just by stacking repair modules and armor<\/p>\n
Escort orders now have variable range, meaning you can have closely knit groups of defending fighters, or squads that roam into enemy space only so far, which should mean a lot more tactical flexibility.<\/p>\n
I’m well aware that I need to give the existing AI enemy fleets access to these new capabilities and improve their deployments as a result. However, that’s come secondary to making the game better balanced for challenges and for playability. I’ll be improving the general balancing, and all sorts of other stuff over the next few days. I might get around to a much needed beefing up on the online options too. It sucks that you can’t browse on-line high scores or stats, or easily track the progress of challenges you issued, or rate challenges for their difficulty. I have long term plans to get a lot of stuff like that in, plus all sorts of other goodies.<\/p>\n
Here is some interesting coverage of the game over at good-old RPS<\/p>\n