Version 1.0848 includes the following improvements:
- Smooth scrolling added to message log line removal sequence.
- Smooth scrollbars added to menu lists that were previously more staged.
- Added support for reverse afterburner with axis control input when full range throttle mode is active.
- Revised jump effect to render sequential warp tunnel animation during jump phase (rather than fade to white).
- Traffic control directives for gate entrances now optionally enforced via fines if player does not follow them (arrivals and departures).
- 'Enforce Docking Directives' option added to modify and create pilot profile menus to enable or disable new enforcement option (off by default).
- Cargo bay transfer/selling mechanisms changed to prevent player from discarding equipment or weapons by holding alt key down and then left clicking twice on the item in the cargo bay list while docked.
- Fix for issue that could cause strange physics behavior when variable forward/reverse inertial thruster control was used in conjunction with the IDS being turned off at low speed and at least two rotational control inputs applied.
- 'Station' button in nav console local points of interest selection menu now places nav point near station rather than directly inside it to provide time for following traffic control guidelines.
- 'Carrier' button in nav console local points of interest selection menu now also places nav point near carrier rather than directly inside it.
- 'Watch for traffic' and 'pattern is full' audio messages now play if a hangar gate entrance is blocked sufficiently to require a redirect of player.
- Sequential radio chatter system implemented for docking directives to play follow up message to player when redirect is required.
- Docking directive audio messages sent to player now given priority over all other radio communication (will override).
- Turning practice training stage updated to be more forgiving in precision (pitch limit increased from +/- 4 to 10 and more time added).
- Local points of interest list on nav console now lets player select locations in remote sectors once zoomed in on them.
- Minor fixes and some planned finishing touches for a few UI and code cleanup/efficiency elements.
- Text message now displayed in message log for traffic control gate entrance/exit directives.
- Docking pathway lights now align with directed docking entrance once directive is given.
- Improvements to radio chatter system to prevent interruptions and missed directives.
- Jump effect warp tunnel modification option expanded to support variable brightness.
Notes:
By request and to accommodate the new optional docking directive enforcement option, the 'Station' button on the local points of interest list ('Local Pts' on the left side of the nav console) will now place the nav point near the station in the direction the player is jumping from rather than directly inside it (similar to how the 'Planet' and 'Moon' buttons work). This way, the 'Station' button can be used to more easily arrive near the station with space left to navigate to the directed gate entrance announced upon arrival.
When docking directive enforcement is enabled, players will be fined for not following the radio directives broadcasted by the dockmaster. This is enforced for both arrivals and departures. Text messages of docking directives are also now displayed in the message log for additional reference and the docking pathway lights will also line up with the directed entrance for visual reference (will do so once the directive is announced). Such fines will only apply if the player has a certain minimum level of credits. Docking directives and potential fines are focused on AI traffic patterns in relation to the player. This is also true in multiplayer, so players can fly together and handle their own formations and docking patterns.
The local points of interest list has been further updated to provide selecting nav points to detectable object locations in other sectors, rather than only the sector that the player is currently in. So in effect, the list can be localized to any sector in range for jump/nav point selection to specific objects in space without requiring right clicking. The list will update for a selected remote sector as soon as the player zooms in on it. This also means that the player can select 'safer' jump points near planets, moons, and stations remotely as well as in the immediate sector. As result, the player won't have to jump to an empty area of space before using the local points list to plot a second jump point at a safe location next to a planet, moon, or station in a different sector. Only one jump is now needed, even for remote sectors.
The new jump effect provides a more persistent visual presentation during the jump process. Rather than the fade out to white with the screen freezing entirely for several seconds, that time is now handled with the jump tunnel continuing to spiral/animate. The faster the system, the smoother the animation will play as some loading operations force brief hesitations at various points, so it can't be completely smooth and may have more pronounced staging/pausing on slower systems. But the new system should provide a better overall effect than a frozen screen. Longer distance jumps will provide longer animation sequences. The 'hidefade.txt' modification option is still available with this new rendering approach, but the effect is slightly different in that the warp tunnel will fade out to black as before, but a subtle streaking star effect will still be visible during the jump process. To remove all tunnel effects, the 'ships\warpparticles.png' custom image option can be utilized to import a completely blank texture as desired. The image option can also be used to apply a unique visual tunnel effect with a separate dedicated texture surface (without the spiraling tunnel during the later stages of the jump cycle). For anyone interested in using the original fade to white effect, a value of '2' can be used in the first line. A new option has also been added to the 'hidefade.txt' option that allows for variable brightness of the warp tunnel effect. Add or edit the second line to include a percentage of how bright to render the effect. The default value is 70.
By request, reverse afterburner capability has been added for axis control input when the full range throttle mode and axis afterburner mode are both active. This option will be enabled automatically when the full range throttle mode is enabled via the checkbox in the axis configuration menu or when it is enabled manually (default right shift key). The bottom 10% or so of the throttle axis range will then engage the afterburner in reverse while above the top 90% will engage the forward afterburner as before. Also by request, forward and reverse afterburner control will both remain active for the throttle axis even when the IDS is turned off. This way, the afterburner is accessible at all times in both directions in any inertial mode on the throttle axis control. This includes the throttle axis also being mapped for forward/reverse inertial thruster control.
Changed files in this update