Version 2.0748 includes the following improvements:

- Added ability to import a custom carrier mesh for single player (see customizing kit).
- Added option to map an input for mouse button 2 on VR controllers (see vrsetup-bak.txt).
- Flight control button mappings in VR are now bypassed entirely when point mode is active.
- Only operational VR controller in point mode will show laser pointer to prevent confusion.
- Control conflict alerts (yellow) added for duplicate axis channel mapping with matching button mappings.
- Control input system updated in an effort for improved device enumeration.
- Automatic waypoint plotting system updated for Thuban to Capella route.
- External library dependencies merged into game's object code file.
- IDS 'Off' mode toggle now supports Alt-Spacebar to re-enable.
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

Control Input System Changes - The input system has been updated to improve device identification, reduce certain non-gaming related devices (mouse, keyboard, etc) from occasionally being queued, and expand conflict detection to include alerts for simultaneous mapping across axis channels and buttons. If an axis channel is mapped to a control that is also linked to an axis input for a button function, the conflict will now be indicated with yellow in the key/button mapping menu. The input device testing utility has also been updated to incorporate the improvements associated with device listing/identification, available for download here: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/JoystickTest-Advanced.zip


Changes to Libraries - In an effort to meet the requirements/limitations of some antivirus programs, several of the game's dependencies have been merged internally. While this will be fine on Windows platforms, this may have an impact for anyone trying to run the game on an incompatible/unsupported Linux environment with an older Proton version (such required dependencies are one of several reasons native builds aren't feasible). While later versions of Proton may work fine with this arrangement on compatible systems, significantly older versions may not. So updating the Proton version in Steam's compatibility settings may be needed for the game to attempt to launch. Otherwise, an error message like 'Failed to load plugin 'AGKVR' required by this app' may appear when the operating environment is not able to properly provide a dependent resource the game requires. Other 'Experimental' versions might display a message about a path not being found, simply pressing enter or clicking on 'OK' should allow things to launch and run. Even though Linux/Proton is not supported, I ran tests with currently listed versions 7.0-6, 8.0-5, and 9.0-4 through Steam to verify those versions would continue to work with the game like before.

Version 2.0728 includes the following improvements:

- By request, added ability to import custom animated gif images for main menu mouse pointer.
- Changes applied to image index system to avoid conflicts with extensive custom media files potentially overlapping.
- Fix for rare potential intermittent CTD that could occur on some systems when exiting the shipyard.
- Sector destination preview option disabled when ship nav systems are disabled to prevent hang.
- Tractor beam button in VR menu changed to a toggle function for persistent operation.
- Improvements to collision impact system when IDS is off.
- Minor improvements and fixes.

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/evochronlegacy/instructions/readme.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.

Version 2.0488 includes the following improvements:

- New strike objectives added for ALC/FDN combat regions (see notes).
- AVL indicator calculations updated to provide a more immediate and accurate value.
- Contract count minimums increased by +2 in ALC/FDN disputed regions and Vonari war zones.
- Cinematic view mode revised to provide custom camera position and rotation viewpoints (see notes).
- Unique ship icons added to the shield status indicators for both the ship status and target displays.
- Countermeasure effect revised to launch two separate bursts per CM unit with wider field of coverage.
- Lightning effects enhanced to provide improved random placement and illumination on terrain and objects.
- Sharp edge of atmosphere shell replaced with a softer blended effect for a more gradient layered appearance.
- Performance improvements related to terrain shader texture sampling and optimized weapon impact collision checks.
- Displayed nav map icon range increased to include the outer rim of sector in 9X, 17X, and 33X zoom modes.
- Nav marker no longer strictly locked to waypoints for certain planet-side objectives, now fully adjustable.
- Fog system updated for improved color and range effects, particularly in rain and snow weather conditions.
- Customizing options added for tractor and repair beam lighting color and range (see customizing kit).
- By request, nav map asteroid icons made slightly larger and placement/visibility corrections made.
- Option to disable internal animation sequences for custom individual GIF images added (see notes).
- Gunsight weapon mode and IDS indicators revised to reduce vertical size and display larger text.
- Cargo bay scanning groups (up to 5 and up to 10) added to no data notice on target MFD display.
- Scanning mode toggle timer indicators added to target MFD display when no data is available.
- Nebula and gas giant cloud structures updated to prevent visibility through console shadow.
- Dedicated alert notice added for message log when city modules are destroyed.
- Rotational thruster precision increased in non-IDS flight modes.
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

New Strike Objectives
Two new strike objectives have been added to the contract pool for disputed and fully ALC/FDN hostile regions. One requires destroying a weapon depot on the surface of a nearby planet. The objective can be accepted while at a station in the same sector, so it does not require first descending to the surface and docking at a city. Once accepted, the nav marker will be placed at the destination for reference, then the player can adjust as needed for a safe jump point near the planet's atmosphere before descending for the attack. The depots may be difficult to hit due to terrain masking and can be under water, so attack runs can require high angle approaches to attack from above to be effective. The other objective requires destroying a weapon depot in open space. In both scenarios, the depots will typically be defended by a limited number of enemy ships. The depots are fairly durable and require quite a number of hits to destroy, so multiple passes and/or destroying defenders first may be required. Depots are also beam cannon resistant, so either particle cannons or missiles will generally be required to inflict significant damage.

Cinematic View Mode Revision
The cinematic view mode now supports custom placement and rotation. This way, the player can set the camera viewpoint where they want it and keep it locked as though placed on a stand attached to their ship. This provides a wide array of available perspectives with full 360 degree view support and placement anywhere around the player's ship. The new cinematic mode supports all of the key, button, and mouse controls for view direction as well as the panning controls for placement. To change the camera's rotation after activating the cinematic mode, the default Insert, Home, Page Up, and End keys can be used. If HAT view control is enabled, that input can also be used. The 'Mouse Look' mode can also be enabled to change the view rotation angles (default Alt-F10 for inversed Y direction control). To move the camera's position, simply use the panning controls such as the default Alt-Insert/Home/Page Up/End combination or any dedicated keys or buttons you may have mapped to those inputs. New lines in 'text.dat' for the new objectives are 3070-3074, 3080-3084, and 3088.

Unique Ship Icons on Status Displays
The global ship symbol on the shield indicators of the ship and target status displays has been replaced in favor of a unique image icon. For civilian ships, the game will assemble the icon from the required image pieces and include the frame, engine, and wing system in the final icon displayed on the indicator. All other ship types without such configuration options will simply display their frame type on the icon. This now provides a quick visual reference for the player's ship as well as the ship being tracked, rather than just a generic symbol as before. 70 new images have been added for the new icons and they can also be customized (see kit for details: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkitse/readme.htm )

Internal Animation Mode Option
The custom GIF animation image option that was recently introduced has been expanded to include support for individual images applied to the HUD alert, MDTS lock, missile lock, incoming missile, and incoming gunfire indicators. A second line option has been added to the 'animationimagemode.txt' file option that enables or disabled this alternate mode. When disabled (value of 0 in line two), then the default internal animation system will apply that uses the 10 image files for each indicator. When enabled (value of 1 in line two), then only the first image file is loaded for each animation sequence to support applying a custom GIF image file with its own animation frames. Details are available in the customizing kit here: ( https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkitse/readme.htm#301 scroll to the bottom of the image filename list)

Finishing Touches
As mentioned early last year, I've been working toward implementing some of the last remaining feature requests and development goals as the game has been reaching a more finalized state. I am loosely targeting the 20th anniversary of the start of Evochron development as the series completion point with Legacy (and as I may begin to plan for starting a possible new future project). To that end, I am drafting notes on finishing touches that may be applied to the game over the course of the next few months. If there are small improvements or changes you would like to see applied to the game, please send me such feedback/requests via e-mail ( starwraith.com > contact with something like 'Evochron Legacy finishing touches' in the subject line). I'll eventually compile a list and will plan on devoting time to implementing some of the most popular ones for a planned final update. Smaller changes/additions that are low bug risk, relevant to the game's intended focus/design, and benefit the game as a whole within those parameters will likely be given priority. For reference, details on the game's intended design related to feature considerations are available at the links below.

https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=11900
https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=12072
https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/faq.htm#100

Version 2.0478 includes the following improvements:

- Added ability to change 3D compass to a flat tape structure (see customizing kit for details).
- Automatic waypoint route plotting added for scanning uncharted space contract objective (see notes).
- By request, external panning view is now calibrated to align with the curvature of planets when in atmosphere.
- HUD pitch ladder structure and textures updated for more flexible modification and higher resolution textures.
- Added ability to import GIF format images as textures to certain HUD and custom display systems (limited, see notes).
- Clickable buttons updated with a solid bar appearance for clearer distinction and highlighting.
- Missile variety in high econ rated station and city inventories expanded (Starfire minimum).
- Added shield flaring effect when beam cannons are fired on a capital ship with MDTS locked.
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

HUD Pitch Ladder Revisions
The HUD pitch ladder has been updated with this build, which was the last remaining HUD element in need of higher resolution for optimal image quality at higher screen resolutions. The structure of the pitch ladder has been divided into two parts, a left and a right. Each side can now be independently textured, placed, and scaled for a variety of new customizing options not previously available. The 'pitchladder.txt' file option has four new lines added to it to accommodate these new options (see the customizing kit for details). The resolution for the new textures has been doubled vertically and trimmed horizontally (128X4096 since each side is now its own horizontally smaller 'tape'). So no additional video memory is required for this format while a higher resolution can now be achieved. If a custom 'hudtape.png' file is detected in a '\hud' folder, then the game will default back to the original format so that the custom pitch ladder will continue to appear correctly.

Automatic Waypoint Route Plotting for Scanning Uncharted Space
Automatic waypoint route plotting now also applies for the scanning uncharted space objective. Even though the scanning destination will generally be well outside the gate network of charted systems, upon accepting the contract the computer will attempt to calculate a route to the nearest star system and then also apply a final waypoint to the scanning location. There may still be 500 or more sectors of travel required once the nearest star system is reached, so jump casters and/or long range configured ships will still be important. The player can also optionally interrupt the provided route and travel their own way if they prefer a path that may be safer or otherwise more optimal to them.

GIF Image Format Support
This capability was tried as an experiment in testing for a while and turned out to be sufficiently reliable and effective, so the capability has now been implemented in this update. Most HUD and custom display elements can now use optional GIF images in addition to the default PNG format. If replacement GIF images are present in a '\hud' folder and include animation, create a file named 'animationimagemode.txt' in the same '\hud' folder and include the number 1 in the first line to enable the animation mode. Certain indicators already use an animation system with individual PNG images (the 'hud-alert#-#.png' set for example). While GIF format is supported for these indicators, the game will continue to cycle through the 10 frames of animation for these readouts, so it will generally be best to utilize the built-in animation option for these indicators to avoid trying to time GIF animation stages across multiple images with the ten in-game animation stages. Some limitations may apply with formatting. There may also be an added resource overhead (memory and/or performance) required as more GIF images are imported, so it's recommended that such effects be used selectively where animation may be most desired.

Version 2.0458 includes the following improvements:

- Added new lines to 'hudmotion.txt' file to support custom direction, depth, and row settings.
- Shield level indicators on cockpit ship and target status displays updated for a cleaner look.
- Current target HUD indicator now has 3-bar directional shield indicators to match gunsight indicators.
- Gunsight inbound missile direction indicators increased in resolution and range bar reversed for clarity.
- Improvements to character capacities and types for ship descriptions/names on cockpit displays and HUD readouts.
- Added new 'Plot Route' navigation system that automatically plots waypoints to a selected location in another charted system linked by jump gates.
- Integrated new route plotting system into inter-sector contract framework so waypoint path is automatically applied.
- Added message log notification when entering a new star system through a jump gate or wormhole (includes war zones).
- Improvements to solar array structures (now solid and much larger) and related tractor beam cleaning precision.
- Added new lines to savedata option to export custom waypoint status, selected waypoint, and location values.
- Added new 'Hold at Nav' fleet order (replacing 'Dismiss' in the HUD drop down menu and key/button index).
- Added new dedicated key/button mapping index for 'Dismiss fleet ship(s)' (page 4).
- Improvements to NPC small ship collision system to reduce 'stacking' condition.
- Improvements to autopilot docking maneuvers and course selection.
- Ship and station textures updated for a cleaner panel look.
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

Plot Route System and Inter-Sector Contract Integration
A new route plotting capability has been added to the navigation console which can automatically set a waypoint path through the game's jump gate network spanning multiple charted systems to travel to a selected destination. If no waypoints have already been plotted, then the 'Plot Route' button will appear on the left side of the console where the 'Set Nav' button appears when waypoints are active. To set a route, simply selected the destination in another star system you want to travel to in the navigation console, then click on the 'Plot Route' button. The system will attempt to plot the most efficient route to the selected destination and set waypoints to each jump gate along the way. If you want to set up a different destination after a route has already been plotted, simply right click on the 'Delete' button to clear all waypoints and then reset the route. For the route to be plotted, it must span at least one star system and each waypoint must be within nav sensor range of a jump gate to each arrival point. If the system is unable to plot a route to a selected destination, it will provide an explanation in the message log. Once set up, the nav point is set to the first waypoint automatically and the player can simply engage the autopilot to travel through the complete waypoint route. As with previous autopilot functionality, any sector-to-sector distances will have the autopilot engage the jump drive automatically while in-sector locations will require the player to manually engage the jump drive so they can optionally control local arrival angles and adjustments as may be needed.

The new route plotting system has also been integrated into inter-sector contract system. This way, the player no longer has to manually plot a course and the entire route to the distant location through the jump gate network can be plotted automatically when accepting such contracts. The system will also clear out any old waypoints to reset the route for a newly accepted contract. The one exception to this is the scanning in uncharted space objective where the player will still need to plot their own waypoint course manually to the nearest star system. However, waypoint one will still be placed at the required destination for scanning as a guide. Additionally, station attack alerts will offer optional route plotting when they occur and provide a 15 second window to link in for the coordinates. To retrieve the nav details where the attack is occurring, press the trade key or button during the countdown to establish the link and have the route plotted for you. If you miss the time limit, you can still manually plot a route to the destination sector by simply putting the nav point anywhere in that sector, then clicking on 'Plot Route'.

Hold at Nav Fleet Order
This new directive instructs single player fleet ships to hold at the current specified in-sector nav point. The player can issue the order with an existing nav point, then change the nav point to travel somewhere else while the fleet ships remain at the original location. The player can also specify individual nav points for each fleet ship. This can be useful if a player wants to temporarily keep their fleet ships at one location while they travel to a different location in the sector and/or complete some other task. As with the mining directive, if the player leaves the sector, the fleet ships will automatically return to formation to stay with the player.

New 'HUDMotion.txt' Lines
Three new lines have been added to the 'hudmotion.txt' file option. Line 5 supports locking the tunnel to the direction of the ship's forward HUD and/or rotating it 90 degrees. Line 6 supports disabling depth sorting for the tunnel or spears mode. And line 7 supports changing the number of rows for the tunnel mode. See the customizing kit for details.

Version 2.0448 includes the following improvements:

- Added ability to install fulcrum jump drive and cruise drive at the same time (see notes).
- Added dedicated key/button binding options for separate cruise drive and maximum range jump control.
- Changed Alt key option in maplog to support dragging and dropping entries rather than only topping them.
- Labels on HUD gunsight, IDS indicator, and weapon firing mode centered and revised for improved clarity.
- Shape specific hull/direction status indicators for station and city modules added to target detail cockpit display.
- Added new optional 'Spears' and 'None' motion indicator modes to HUD (Options > 3D Cockpit > HUD Motion Indicator).
- By request, directional arrow character for gunsight and OCRS vertical velocity readout (VVL) moved to right side.
- By request, all allied and neutral stations will now better defend themselves and prevent docking if attacked by player (see notes).
- By request, station and city weapon turret collective activation (for cannon and missile impacts) and missile engagement ranges increased to just under 10K from 5K.
- By request, jump drive cooldown rate can be increased by up to 400% while inside a station hangar or above city docking pad (when in docking range).
- Auto-save applied for module destruction events when leaving a sector in single player to better preserve build states across save/status templates.
- Station attack system updated to reduce potential of NPC ships attacking faction blended modules if command module is not under opposition control.
- Displayed territory control percentages for ALC/FDN shifted war zones on nav map now remain linked to sub-region control level.
- Added ability to adjust cruise drive speed via limited range selection with throttle/set control input (~28K-78K).
- Added new lines (201-217) to the savedata set to read nav console values for map modes/options and nearby stations.
- Radar display images updated to separate contact/blip type color section from main image (see customizing kit).
- Market bar graphs and text in nav console adjusted to better account for 4 digit values in large font mode.
- Server programs updated to correct a rare issue that could cause a player to be kicked due to 'E2' error.
- Improved line spacing in Axis Configuration menu when two controls are mapped to the same axis channel.
- Updated the Key/Button Configuration menu device toggle buttons to support more than eight indexes.
- Local economy type now displayed with commodity price comparison display to indicate value offsets.
- Fix for 'RenderImage' error message when attempting to build several modules in rapid succession.
- Fix for station and city modules potentially getting stuck in a retargeting loop when destroyed.
- Fix for storage modules not properly delinking from weapon turrets when the former were destroyed.
- Fix for potentially incorrect shield/energy/storage linking for out of range modules upon startup.
- All station and city module link ranges for energy, shield, and storage standardized to grid shape.
- Increased size of HUD ship direction indicators to improve text legibility at lower resolutions.
- Added color coded holographic rings around weapon turrets to visually indicate threat levels.
- Added an additional sector of range for allied player locating on nav map in multiplayer.
- Added ability to cancel Fulcrum jump drive cycle by pressing key/button a second time.
- Added ability to transport a stored ship from a station to a local station (see notes).
- Message log lines now crop when enlarged map mode is active to prevent overlapping.
- 'Rev Y' mouse flight and HAT/POV control modes renamed to 'Invert Y' for clarity.
- Added name of player sending order to message log in multiplayer.
- Exodus missile baseline price level increased by about 40%.
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

Installing Fulcrum and Cruise Jump Drives Simultaneously
Both jump drive types can now be installed at the same time with sufficient equipment hardpoints. The Fulcrum drive will be considered primary and operate as usual with the default F8 key. The Alt-F8 key function is now linked to having a cruise jump drive installed at the same time as a secondary option. If no Fulcrum drive is installed, then the F8 key operation will activate any cruise drive as the only available jump mechanism. For additional options, the maximum jump range option now has its own dedicated key/button index and another new index has been added to provide an optional single key/button control for the cruise drive. Both new options are on page four of the Key/Button Configuration menu. Lastly, swapping drives is still available for those who only want to manage one equipment hardpoint at a time for a jump drive.

Maplog List Entry Position Changing
The Alt key option in the maplog menu now supports dragging and dropping entries. To move an entry, simply press and hold the Alt key, then click and hold the left mouse button with the pointer over the entry you want to move. Then drag the entry to the new position in the list where you want to place it. Then release the mouse button to place the entry. You can optionally scroll up and down the list by holding the entry over the top or bottom entry respectively.

Transferring Stored Ships to Local Stations
The ability to transfer a stored ship from a remote station to a local station has been added to the Inventory Console > News/Information menu. In order for the option to be available, the player must be docked at a station where the stored ship can be received, ships must be stored in the gameplay mode the player is currently in (either single player or multiplayer), the station must exist in the universe the player is in at the time (server universe in multiplayer or single player), ship storage space must be available in the local station's hangar, and the player must have enough credits to pay for the transport cost. If the requirements are met, the ship will be transported from the distant station and placed in the hangar of the local station, the cost deducted, and the profile auto-saved.

Allied and Neutral Station Defense
Station self-defense systems have been expanded so that a command module can now fire flak cannons at an attacking player and block them from docking if they inflict significant shield damage or any hull damage on a faction-linked module. Previously defense was limited to weapon turrets, which may not be present or be in close enough range to provide adequate defense. Now command modules can also step in to provide additional defense and also prevent the attacking player from being allowed to dock. When a command module activates to defend and prevent docking, the banner at the top will change to red to help visually indicate that the station is no longer allowing the player to dock while also changing to a defensive status. To further accommodate the requested conditions and limitations, the defensive mode is temporary and can be reset by the player leaving the sector for a while, then returning later. This will help accommodate a player who may want to eliminate a module in one of their own designs as before, but effectively keeping it as a last resort option. The secondary defense mode for command modules will allow for some accidental weapon fire to account for conditions where a player may be chasing after a hostile ship and incidentally hit a module with some gunfire or a missile. Once a shield array gets low enough (generally <50%) or hull damage is inflicted, then the command module will switch to defense mode.

Station and City Module Support Linking Corrected and Standardized
In the 2.0408 update, shield module linking was changed to a 500 coordinate unit (5K) range in a block shaped pattern. This has now been expanded to energy and storage support linking as well. So now all module links use the same range calculation and shape (500 CU on the build grid). Additionally, some calculations could initially be applied incorrectly, potentially leaving some modules with shields at first, but unable to recharge and/or other inaccurate supply link conditions. The detection and ranging mechanisms have been updated for both initial spawning/placements as well as active real time events for consistency. The changes as a whole may mean some existing stations will now have supplied modules that weren't supplied before and/or not supplied that may have been before. Many of the default stations in the game were designed around the premise of being partially constructed anyway, so a few may need additional support modules to supply power, shield, or storage support for some dependent modules to be fully enabled. Most however, will likely continue as before or acquire newly enabled modules.

Holographic Rings Added to Weapon Turrets to Indicate Threat Levels
After a number of discussions (and thanks to those of you who provided feedback), the decision was made to continue to allow weapon turrets to operate both independently and in conjunction with supply modules placed by a different faction. The latter was originally implemented years ago to support cooperative efforts between independent (IND) stations and either main faction (ALC/FDN) against an opposing faction, placing turrets as kind of space-mines (via the ability to 'hack' into the supply/energy power grid of an enemy's station module network), and to require eliminating any hostile turrets as a station's defense before rebuilding or retasking other modules. Supply modules (power, shield, crew, storage, and production) can continue to be retasked for a new station if/when a new command module is built and/or new weapon turrets are built. To better facilitate these avenues of gameplay, new holographic rings have been added to weapon turrets to visually indicate their threat level to the player. Green are friendly, yellow are neutral (only attacking if attacked first), and red are hostile. No hologram will appear until a weapon turret is powered and active. This way, players can more easily distinguish at a distance if any weapon turrets are a threat to them before they get too close (without having to target them). They can then navigate or attack accordingly.

Vertical Velocity Level Readout Arrow
By request, the VVL readout on the gunsight and OCRS will now show its direction arrow on the right side and its speed value to the left of the arrow (with right justified character cascading). This allows both the VVL and HVL indicator to have their arrows aligned nearest to the gunsight. The ability to move these arrows on the gunsight and OCRS has also been added to the 'hudtext.txt' customizing options (lines 16 and 17). For easier reference, an example of this file with default values is now included in the ZIP with the kit's sample files (inside the '\hud' folder).

Axis Configuration Control Lines
When two control functions are mapped to the same axis channel, the menu will now better space each line to prevent overlapping, including split axis binding (up/down, left/right, etc) and primary axis bindings.

Cruise Drive Variable Velocity Control
The player can now apply a variable speed setting when in cruise drive mode using throttle/set control input. The range is kept within the scope of the cruise drive's nominal operation, limiting the available range from about 28K to 78K via an input range of about 30-100% on a variable axis control and/or the 3-0 numerical keys. This way, players can now slow down a bit to perform maneuvers or search an area more slowly without having to drop out of cruise mode entirely. All secondary velocity reduction effects caused by gravity fields still apply.

HUD Motion Indicator Modes
Two new modes are now available for the motion direction indication system of the HUD. The current default 'Tunnel' is available as the first mode. Then a second 'Spears' mode can be selected which displays the ship's direction and speed using random spears for a kind of 'starfield' effect. Finally, a 'None' mode is available that will disable motion indication entirely. For the 'Spears' mode, additional options are available to adjust the spacing, size, and velocity rate to adjust the indicators for personal preference (particularly for VR). After selecting the 'Spears' mode a new file is created in the save data folder (default \Documents\EvochronLegacySE) named 'hudmotion.txt' and you can edit this file to change the effect's parameters. Line 1 selects the mode (2 for 'Spears'), line 2 sets the movement rate, line 3 sets the maximum spacing range, and line 4 sets the scaling factor. Additional details are available in section 3.5 of the updated customizing kit ( https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/customkitse/readme.htm#305 ). The texture itself can also be modified to change appearance ('hud-motion2.png').

Version 2.0428 includes the following improvements:

- Added new options to shipyard for building to support standard trade-in option as well as directly storing frame (without required duplication) or frame plus equipment, secondary weapons, and cargo.
- Various secondary HUD elements and alert prompts doubled in texture resolution and brackets added to unify overall appearance.
- Added ability to reduce the update rate of shadow render stages for increased performance (see customizing kit).
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

New Shipyard Build Options
A new menu has been added to the shipyard build system that provides three options for constructing a new frame. Option one is the original trade-in option that credits the player for the value of their current frame, deducts for the cost of the new frame, then transfers all equipment, weapons, cargo, and fuel over to the new frame. Option two stores the current frame, deducts for the cost of the new frame, then transfers all equipment, weapons, cargo, and fuel over to the new frame. This supports allowing the player to swap ships while still keeping their original in storage with its custom design parameters and without requiring them to pay for a duplicate frame before swapping to a new one. The third option stores the current frame, unloads and stores as many equipment, secondary weapon, and cargo items as the hangar has storage for, then deducts for the cost of the new frame. This last option can leave the new ship frame empty if enough hangar storage is available to store all of the items from the previous ship, so the player will need to buy all new items to replace any they may have left in storage with their previous ship. Any items that can't be stored due to limited available storage will be left with the new ship or sold if there isn't enough room and the player can optionally sell what remains or eventually store such items at another location. The hangar fee is waved when storing a ship directly from the shipyard with either storage option. The primary goal of this new build system is to eliminate the requirement for the player to have to pay for a duplicate frame of their current ship before they can store one to design and build another. The player can now directly store their current ship without having to pay to duplicate it and then switch to a new ship they've designed immediately.

Texture Resolutions Increased for Secondary HUD Elements and Alert Prompts
To build on earlier updates that increased texture detail for primary HUD elements, this update applies increases to other secondary elements and alerts to better support 1440p and higher display resolutions. Such graphics have been redrawn for improved detail and appearance, including all animated elements. Brackets have also been added to various readouts, indicators, and alerts to better distinguish edges, types, and placements.

Miscellaneous Improvements and Fixes
This update includes several improvements and fixes for reported/discovered issues including a potential error message related to the message log array being exceeded under certain conditions with particular player actions, updates the training mode for recent additions, corrects an issue with upper axis input channels not being able to be mapped to key/button inputs, and adds a few performance tweaks.

Version 2.0418 includes the following improvements:

- Jump gate, jump caster, and wormhole event horizon spheres now smoothly fade upon approach.
- Autopilot expanded to incorporate basic collision avoidance in addition to automated docking with stations, cities, and carriers.
- 'View Hangar Details' changed to 'View Station Details' and now also includes license and profit factor information.
- Station license system expanded to support a shared ownership approach for repeating payments to owning players.
- Create and Modify Pilot menu revised to accommodate new station license payment settings and improve layout.
- Added customizing options for landing gear effect to support hiding structures or rendering energy effects.
- HUD Configuration menu updated to a shader based system for immediate changes to RGB color settings.
- Added ability to retrieve list of local (in sector) inventory items at planet, station, and carrier.
- Detail mapping and shaders updated to provide improved smooth appearance for external cockpit glass.
- Local prices on quadrant map market display now reflect regional rather than global baselines.
- Autopilot also updated to fly level with terrain over planets and moons rather than ecliptic.
- LinkApp updated to highlight active Autopilot, Formation, and Match Speed modes in green.
- Added next, nearest, and gunsight object targeting controls and module faction to LinkApp.
- 'Other Controls' mode (right side) added to LinkApp to include additional control options.
- Added ability to adjust the X and Z angles of holographic cockpit displays (gauges.txt).
- Optimized resolution mode automatically activates if best setting is manually selected.
- Single device sequential 'All' axis mapping option removed to eliminate confusion.
- AI ships can now change approach hangars if player approaches first or is docked.
- Jump effect now casts light on player cockpit and ship structures.
- Added 'Medium' anti-aliasing mode.
- Minor improvements and fixes.


Notes:

Medium Anti-Aliasing Mode
A new 'Medium' setting has been added to the Options > Anti-Aliasing menu. This mode applies some of the parameters of the 'Low' and 'High' modes by providing the 2X rendering level of the 'Low' setting with the shader-based filter sampling of the 'High' mode. As a result, some players may find this mode offers better performance than the 'High' mode while still offering image quality that is fairly close. A lot will depend on the resolution the game is being run at, other settings, and the GPU/rendering capabilities of the system being used.

Sequential 'All' Axis Mapping Option Removed
Due to repeated inquiries and reported confusion over the years with the option to bind all axis inputs to a single device sequentially, the option has been removed in favor of the default standard individual axis mapping selection method. The instructions for the game have been updated to account for this change and expand on some of the new capabilities recently added. If a player still wants to map all axis controls to a single device sequentially by prompt, they can now press and hold the Alt key to have the option appear in the Axis Configuration menu.

Station License Residual Payment System
The station license option has been expanded to include an element of shared ownership for profit, so players can now earn credits from stations they build (which automatically apply licenses) as well as from those they choose to purchase licenses at. Licensed stations now provide residual payments to the owning player over time. For stations you have already built and/or have acquired a license from manually, payments will start after updating to this version of the game (by default, payments are calculated and applied roughly every 15 minutes of gameplay time as indicated by the flight timer). Going forward, stations you build will have an added bonus payment amount per cycle in addition to the license share. The payment framework applies to the gameplay mode you are in. So payments will only be received for stations in single player that you have built and/or have purchased licenses from in that mode. Likewise for multiplayer and the server you play on. Payments will also only apply for licensed stations of the same faction you are affiliated with. If a station is destroyed, then payments from that station will eventually stop (some may already be queued temporarily). In order to resume payments, the station will need to be rebuilt. If you cancel a license, payments for that station will also stop. You can view the total number of licenses currently being credited for residual payments in the News/Information console ('View Station Details' button). The baseline potential profitability of such payments will be based on the tech/econ rating of the region a station is in. So building and/or licensing stations in higher tech/econ rated regions will generally result in higher overall payments. There are also some random elements applied in calculations to simulate variable profitability. So you may be paid more or less each time, even if you still own the same number of licenses in the same locations. The potential profit baseline is divided into 10 levels. Level 1 is the lowest and provides the minimum payment baseline while 10 is the highest. These levels roughly correlate with the regional tech/econ ratings in 1/10 values (so 0-9 is around 1, 10-19 2, and so on). The factor shown is a rounded figure, so there can be decimal values in between that are considered in the calculations as well as variability. When payments are received, the amount will be displayed in the message log and also recorded in the flight log. The application and frequency of the payments can be adjusted with setting options in the Create/Modify profile menu and the amount will be pro-rated for any offset so the amount will remain consistent. This system has been added as part of the effort to implement some of the final planned features and options for the game. It has been left out in the past due to automated gameplay concerns, but has been included with some limitations designed around feedback and discussions over the years. The option to disable the system entirely is also available for players preferring to stick with the original mechanisms of station building and licensing.

View Local Inventories
A new option has been added to the Inventory > News/Information > System Information menu to view the local planet, station, and carrier inventories. The System Information mode needs to be available (via the network data link) in the inventory console in order to view such items remotely. Simply click on the 'View Local Inventories' button and the description, quantity (for commodities), and current price will be displayed in the message log (scroll up and down to view each inventory list in its entirety). The lists will also follow the selected Text or Price sorting format. If a current inventory list is not available, then 'None' will appear under its respective category heading. It should be noted that inventories can easily change by the time you arrive at one of the in-sector locations, but the option can still be used to gauge general pricing and potential availability of specific items within the sector you are in.

Enhanced Autopilot
The autopilot has been heavily revised in this update to incorporate automatic docking systems and collision avoidance. The autopilot will also still attempt to fly at the maximum IDS X9 speed your ship is capable of in open space, slowing only for docking maneuvers. Exceptions to this include planetary atmospheres and asteroid fields, where speed will be reduced for safe travel and more manageable maneuvering. As an optional partial control configuration, you can disengage the IDS to control all strafe and engine thrusters manually to adjust course and speed, leaving roll, pitch, and yaw up to the autopilot. If the nav point is set precisely at a station, city, or carrier, the autopilot will automatically disengage once you arrive at the destination and dock. If the nav point is set to a city and the autopilot is on, it will automatically keep the nav point locked to the city's docking location for you. While a new level of flight automation and safety is included, elements of manual control and risk are still part of the equation. To keep an intended element of player involvement, you can still overspeed the autopilot and collide with objects, so it's still important to maintain situational awareness to avoid such impacts. By design, the new system will not be 100% full-proof. It will merely help reduce potential collisions and lower the chance of damage if an impact does occur. So clear lines of sight to nav points, possible manual control adjustments at times, and careful route planning are still important and recommended.