Starmade V0.158

[KiloZulu]

** There was a typo in the config
I've had to enter alot of 0.x integers on the config, and that habit bit me with the thrust setting.

Located at Line 43 -
<UnitCalcMult>1.1</UnitCalcMult> <!-- multiplied with result of UnitCalcStyle -->

This is the correct setting that should be in your starmade/data/config/blockBehaviorConfig.XML

Instead of adding the .1 (to compensate for the initial 0.9 on the diminishing curve) I typed 0.1
that was giving small ships a severely reduced initial thrust. Sorry for the slip guys, but if you look in that file, there are alot of numbers to get wrong

I'll get schema the updated config ASAP and he'll upload it with the next hotfix (I'm sure you've found other bugs by now, right?)

Further balancing can be done from here if needed.

Does this affect shields, as well? I understand that shields have been broken into two blocks, and that the existing shields all go towards capacity. We're seeing a dramatic drop in our total shields, however.

 

[justinleea]

For some reason, when I click start game, it won't open anything.

 

[1adog1]

Hey guys I don't know about anyone else, but I'm running Mac OSX 10.9 Mavericks and the game no longer opens after I press "Start Game" on the updater/launcher. No error message, no sign that anything is even happening in activity moniter, the window closes, and the game never opens.
Is this happening to anyone else?

EDIT: Found two wonderful little java exceptions in the latest log:

Spoiler: Error 1

[2014-06-26 01:08:28] java.lang.RuntimeException: Cannot find computer SN
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at v.a(SourceFile:62)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at y.a(SourceFile:87)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.Starter.main(SourceFile:820)

Spoiler: Error 2

[2014-06-26 01:08:28] ################# Loading from JAR #####################
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] ########################################################
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] [INITIALIZE] REMOTE COMMANDS REGISTERED
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] [INITIALIZE] SECURITY MANAGER SET
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] [INITIALIZE] COMMAND ID's ASSIGNED
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] Exception in thread "main"
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: com/mxgraph/swing/mxGraphComponent : Unsupported major.minor version 51.0
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClassCond(ClassLoader.java:637)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(ClassLoader.java:621)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(SecureClassLoader.java:141)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(URLClassLoader.java:283)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$000(URLClassLoader.java:58)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:197)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:190)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:306)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:301)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:247)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.handleElementNode(SourceFile:190)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.handleBaicElementNode(SourceFile:160)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.handleTypeNode(SourceFile:329)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.handleBaicElementNode(SourceFile:158)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.handleTypeNode(SourceFile:329)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.handleBaicElementNode(SourceFile:158)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.parse(SourceFile:366)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementParser.loadAndParseDefault(SourceFile:345)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementKeyMap.load(SourceFile:562)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementKeyMap.initializeData(SourceFile:521)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.data.element.ElementKeyMap.initializeData(SourceFile:510)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.Starter.e(SourceFile:787)
[2014-06-26 01:08:28] at org.schema.game.common.Starter.main(SourceFile:891)

 

[0ldSkull]

Well, here is what I can say. I am running on OS X Yosemite (Beta I know). I have Java 6 from Apple. I then, after many tries, successfully configured Java 8 Pre-release which seems to have fixed the problem. It would seem that the new library is not compatible with Java 6. Thanks for your help!

Game in alpha? Check.
OS in beta? Check.
Prerelease Java? Check.
If you have some prototype hardware, I'd say you're good to go!

 

[0ldSkull]

Does this affect shields, as well? I understand that shields have been broken into two blocks, and that the existing shields all go towards capacity. We're seeing a dramatic drop in our total shields, however.

"Dramatic" as in the total is now about 10% of what it was before the 0.15 update.
And now, in addition to the build-mode info HUD, the Structure tab also shows "0 in 0 group" for shield system total blocks.

 

[0ldSkull]

Further balancing can be done from here if needed.

I'd say that further "balancing" is absolutely needed. My ships, small and large alike, still have significantly reduced thrust even after the multiplier correction. I don't remember much complaining that the 0.15 changes produced too much thrust, so am puzzled by this change--and really wondering if it is what was intended. I had managed to make adjustments on a couple of ships to add thruster blocks to get the thrust ratio acceptably close to where I wanted it, and now it just appears that some simple and reasonable designs may just not be viable anymore.

Some design insight might be helpful to understanding and developing or adjusting ships. Such as, are ships "supposed" to be 1/2, 1/3, or 1/4 (etc.) thrusters in order to not be "slow" in the new system?

 

[schema]

1adog1 a fix is uploading

0ldSkull For balancing, the thrust is definitely not final. We might have overshot the target we intended. The problem is, that analyzing mathematical curves for balance only helps so much. It often looks very differently in practice, as there are factors we might have not factored into our calculations.

We are also planning an overhaul with more options to the thruster system.

 

[Lykozze]

I do like the new Advanced Build Mode functions! The new shield and thrust systems however completely break older ships.

EDIT: I just saw the earlier post by Calbiri regarding the thrust setting.

 

[therimmer96]

Is it possible to turn off this new thruster system and use the old one via a config option?

 

[deathsoul097]

Schema, Im not sure about the new shield system. I have a cruiser, with a ridiculous amount of shield blocks. Before the update, it had over 13,000,000 shields, and now, less than 600,000. I think this is a little harsh, I mean, that's a reduction of about 95%. Just wondering why it was set this way, as it seems less than balanced, and TBH, quite unfair to larger ships.

EDIT:

Also, is it just me, or is the Adv Build symmetry broken?

 

[Archer6621]

Wouldn't it be better (and much faster for players) to have a "Replace blocktype X by blocktype Y" thing for quick refitting instead of a "Remove only blocktype X" thing?

 

[Omegacybran]

Oh lord, I have over 11 million capacity shield blocks in my titan now...
It only gives 5 regen so im gonna have to carefully refit the whole thing.
I just hope that removing 1 block wont cause any crashes.

 

[Orphaniel]

Copy and pasta? not sure how i feel, while it will make good-looking ships alot less hassle to make, I feel it might cheapen the efforts a little. I shall not complain though, and will probably remain puritan in my usage of such tools, being the crazy person that I am.

Remove Filter? AMAZING. this will make it infinitely easier to rework the punishingly intricate systems of the pre-weapons-patch Jovian beam weapons.

Keep up the fantastic work, all of you - Developers, those that test bugs, and even the players.

 

[aceface]

WTH, 50% of my ship needs to be thrusters!!!

 

[Captain_Boroski]

The new engine update is good in my opinion, it only affects stupidly huge ships and that is completely fine by me.
Meanwhile anyone who kept their feet on the ground and built sensibly weren't affected at all.

This is a good update, good work once again comrade Schema.

 

[Unnamed25]

Now the only thing i dislike is shield capacity.
Apparently 225k shield blocks = 3.6 mil shield capacity.
So my ship would get destroyed by a turret of mine like a sharp knife to butter.

 

[Sen OTS Tier]

Except for the engines, a really good update. I hope the engines get reworked soon. My fighter used to have 4:1 thrust to mass, but now it barely makes 1:1.

 

[RedDragonflyxx]

Well, here is what I can say. I am running on OS X Yosemite (Beta I know). I have Java 6 from Apple. I then, after many tries, successfully configured Java 8 Pre-release which seems to have fixed the problem. It would seem that the new library is not compatible with Java 6. Thanks for your help!

Well, now I know where to put all of my issues with the game. XD

 

[Brain_Dawgs]

When can we expect the typo concerning the thrusters to be corrected? I just updated my starmade, and my ship still moves like a brick. So I'm assuming that it hasn't been changed yet.

 

[Vakna]

I think with all these absolutely enormous game changes being thrown out every week it's best to just not build any ships and maybe focus on some station construction for a while until the game settles down into a playable state.

Really cba having to rebuild my ships with each and every patch. xD