VoidExpanse - Patch notes v0.16.x

[Lurler]

VoidExpanse v0.16.x Update patch notes.

Surprisingly this update was fairly quick! Never the less it brings quite a few neat features and additions. We tried to listen to your feedback in "Is VoidExpanse ready for "gold" release? (http://forums.atomictorch.com/index.php?topic=401.0)" thread and implement as much suggestions as we could that you said are crucial for game to feel complete. I hope the game is now ready for release! There will definitely be more polishing and bugfixes, but that is ultimately the version that will go on Steam. There will most likely be no more significant changes to the game until release.

=== VoidExpanse v0.16.0 ===
New features:
   * Implemented multiplayer party feature!
   * Added party chat and improved how PM works.
   * Custom portraits for NPC & special generator restrictions for certain NPC types. Now scientists will wear coats, while the military guys will be in battle armor.
   * Added option to disable pause in singleplayer mode.
        * Added option slider for weapon aim lines opacity.
   * Two new ships.
   * More in-game content moved to external localization files allowing it to be localized to any language.

Changes:
   * Added scientists to all neutral science stations.
   * Improved performance.
   * Changed how the avatars is saved - now it's more modding friendly.
   * Improve aiming direction indication.
   * Engine sound somewhat more quiet.

Fixed:
   * Dedicated server option (flag: --dedicated).
   * Outpost station auto-entrance area too big.
   * Turrets not updating for other players in scope if they're not moving.
   * Private messages.
   * Black hole doesn't suck at all!
   * Turrets firing at an arriving ship before it actually arrives.
   * Other player's ship disappear/appear FX not displayed.
   * Enemy names.
   * DropDown lists are not hidden when parent is hidden (for example, if Options window is closed in Main Menu).
   * Firing when context menu clicked.

I hope you enjoy this update! ^_^

[ai_enabled]

Update is available now!
About the multiplayer party feature:
1. point mouse cursor on other player ship and press the "F" key to invite him/her into the your party (or to create a new party);
2. the party can contains up to 4 players;
3. experience is divided equally with players who was in the same star system and online when experience earned;
3. the party chat prefix is the # symbol.

[kyokei]

Wow wow wow! You guys are awesome.
Question, how does it work for quest objectives? are they shared too?

[djs4000]

Awesome! Can't wait to try this out tonight.

[ai_enabled]

Question, how does it work for quest objectives? are they shared too?

The quests objectives not shared and works as before.
Regards!

[kyokei]

The quests objectives not shared and works as before.
Regards!

Doesn't that defeat a bit the purpose of being in a group?
I see how that can be difficult to implement, since some quests are mining quests or cargo grab etc... But I do think that for example the kill X pirates should have a shared kill counter.

[Lurler]

That's the thing. It works in MMO games because all the quests there are built around party features. In our case we would have to forfeit a lot of interesting features that we already have in order to implement it fully. And implementing it only partially just doesn't make much sense since people would just be asking "why it works here but not here?!". So, in the end we decided to go without shared quests as this is the best option from the ones available.