Transcendence (now at v1.7 Full) semi-$

[getter77]

v1.3 proper   

Kronosaur Productions is proud to announce the release of Transcendence 1.3, the latest and greatest version of the venerable game of space combat and exploration.

New Orchestral Score

Composed and recorded by long-time collaborator, Michael Tangent, the new soundtrack features over 40 minutes of original music. Every track evokes the grandeur and complexity of the Transcendence Universe, from the peaceful environs of Saint Katharine's Star, to the frenetic maneuvers of space combat.

The new soundtrack is available for free to all players. Download it now from the Multiverse catalog.


Improved Maneuverability

Transcendence 1.3 improves the maneuverability of all player ship by tripling the number of rotation frames (to 120) and by simulating rotational acceleration. These improvements give your ship precise aiming without sacrificing rotation speed.
Large Screen Support

Version 1.3 supports the latest high-definition screens. The main viewscreen now extends to the edge of the screen, giving you the widest possible view of your surroundings.


Improved Effects

Transcendence 1.3 features beautiful new thruster effects, re-designed weapon effects, and critical sound effects.


Introducing Benedict

In Eridani you meet Benedict, a loyal servant of the Sisters of Domina, who helps you develop the skills you need for your journey to the Core. But when Penitents attack a freighter on a mysterious mission, it's up to you to defend it until it can reach safety.

This short introductory mission sets up a new storyline, to be completed in the next release, that will take you all the way to Heretic, and reveal the secrets of the Penitent Order.

[getter77]

v1.5 Beta 1

I'm happy to announce the immediate availability of Transcendence 1.5 Beta 1!

This version of the core engine is designed to support the upcoming Eternity Port expansion, but it also has many improvements for the core game, particularly for modders.
Dock Services Screen

Transcendence 1.5 features a set of completely reworked dock services screen. As you can see from the picture above, armor and devices are visually represented (instead of being shown in list).

More importantly, the new screens allow the player to buy and install upgrades from the station in one step. This will make it easier for new players to figure out how to upgrade their ship.

There are three dock services screen, one for armor & shields, one for weapons, and one for miscellaneous devices.
Modding Considerations

There is a new attribute, dockServicesScreen=, for the <PlayerSettings> element that specifies the dock services screen to use for a particular player ship class.

For API version 23 and above, this defaults to the new screens (&dsRPGDockServices; = 0x00010029). For previous API versions, we default to the old set of screen (&dsRPGDockServicesCompatible; = 0x0001002A).

If you wish your player ship extension to use the new dock screens, simply switch to API version 23. If you wish to stick with the old screens (but want to use API 23) then use the dockServicesScreen= attribute to point to the old screen.

And, of course, if you wish you can create your own set of screens and point to them.

Note that in both cases we rely on stations having a <Trade> element to define the devices and armor they install. (See Commonwealth.xml for an example.)
XML Manipulation & Override

Another major feature in 1.5 is the ability to modify the XML for a given type. This is a feature based on suggestions from this forum thread.

The basic recipe looks like this:

    In the root element of your extension (<TranscendenceExtension>), add usesXML="true". This tells the engine that you need the XML for all the types to be kept around for you.
    In <OnGlobalTypesInit>, you may use a new function, typGetXML to get the XML for a type that you wish to override.
    There are new functions that manipulate the XML returned by typGetXML. For example, you can set attributes or add elements.
    Once you've manipulated the XML, you may call typCreate to dynamically create a new type or override an existing type.

XML Manipulation Functions

There are several new functions that allow you to manipulate the XML returned by typGetXML:

Warnings & Precautions

This functionality gives you a powerful new way to override the core XML, but it requires thought and finesse to implement properly. Here are a few warnings and precautions:

    Do not make too many assumptions about how core types might change in the future. For example, imagine you add a new action to the Ship Status screen. A future version might deprecate the entire screen.
    Do not make assumptions about the XML, because it might change from version to version. Whenever possible, check the current XML before making changes. For example, you might search the XML for the Ship Configuration action instead of assuming that it is the first action.
    Do not assume that you are the only extension making changes. Whenever you make a change, ask yourself, "what if someone else is doing this too?" For example, if you changing the price of all weapons, make a change relative to the current price. Instead of hard-coding a new price value, add 10% or 50% or whatever to the current price.
    Consider other ways to override before resorting to this method. For example, you can override ship images with the <ShipClassOverride> element. Using that technique is more likely to be compatible than changing the XML directly. [In general, my goal is to provide built-in override methods for the most common cases.]
    NOTE: In 1.5 Beta 1 there is currently a bug in which registered extensions do not properly register the useXML flag when they are first downloaded. To work around this, close and restart Transcendence (after the extension has been downloaded).

Other Modding Enhancements

1.5 Beta 1 has the following additional modding enhancements and changes for API version 23:

    Added <Orb> effect. This is a parameterized effect used for painting suns. Here is an example.
    Added 'dockingPortCount and 'openDockingPortCount to objGetProperty.
    Added 'level property to objGetProperty.
    Added 'cyberDefenseLevel property.
    'category property returns 'beam' for beams.
    Added shipConstructionEnabled and shipReinforcementEnabled properties.
    Added 'orbit to objSetProperty
    Added 'interiorHP and maxInteriorHP properties to ships.
    Default fireRateAdj for <StationType> is 40 instead of 80 (API <23 still defaults to 80).
    Added optional combination of <Ships> and <Reinforcements> for stations.
    cyberDefenseLevel defaults to ship level.
    Wreck chance defaults to some value as a function of ship mass.
    Missile definitions may be part of the missile item.
    disarm= attribute for OverlayType.
    paralyze= attribute for OverlayType.
    spin= attribute for OverlayType.
    drag= attribute for OverlayType.
    <Counter> element for OverlayType (implemented "progress" and "radius").
    Allow dice range in <Offset> directive
    Added (sysCreateLookup)
    gravityRadius= parameter on stars
    Added gData param to typTranslate and objTranslate
    Added LocationCriteriaTable to item tables.
    Added ability to suppress enable/disable device message.
    Added <Controls> to dock screen panes
    Added (scrSetControlValue)
    id= attrib for <StaticData> and others (to match <Language>).
    Added (scrTranslate)
    Added (scrSetDescTranslate)
    Added dockServicesScreen= to <PlayerSettings>
    Added <LocationCriteriaTable> for station images.
    regen= replaces repairRate for <StationType> (hp repaired per 180 ticks)
    shipRegen= replaces shipRepairRate for <StationType>
    Added +launchedBy:{unid} special attribute for items
    sysCreateStation takes an optional event handler arg.
    Added (typHasEvent)
    Damage cannot be negative (clips to 0).
    Added rotationColumns= to images
    Added 'holdAndAttack order.
    Added 'noTargetsOfOpportunity AI setting.

Enhancements & Bug Fixes

    New star effects
    Ships with multiple primary weapons use damage type adjustment of target to figure out which weapon to use.
    Cannot enable/disable devices if paralyzed.
    Pteravores can be removed at docking services.
    Fixed grid painting for double-stars
    Fixed crash bug with <Particles>
    Fixed bug with Anton (and others) flying in the wrong direction.
    Fixed bug with dsLoot.

[getter77]

v1.5 Eternity Port      $6

The indie epic space adventure Transcendence just got bigger.

San Mateo, CA – November 20, 2014 – Today, Kronosaur Productions announces the release of Eternity Port, the latest official expansion for the indie epic game Transcendence.

As a mercenary with a fast ship and the skills to fly it, you earn a living running dangerous missions for any sovereign who will hire you. But now, a digital hyperintelligence threatens the entirety of Human Space. Only by joining forces with the reclusive cyber-citizens of Eternity Port can you hope to contain Luminous.

Indie epic Transcendence is a single-player, real-time game of space combat and exploration, set in a vast galaxy teeming with clashing empires, expansionist AIs, fearsome xenophobes, and mysterious hyperintelligences.

Game developer George Moromisato states, “Eternity Port shows you parts of the Transcendence Universe that you’ve never seen before: the crowded stations of Sol, the asteroid realm of Kibo, and the multiple suns of the Centauri system.”

Eternity Port includes these new features:

Play as a CDM mercenary:

In this new adventure you play a CDM mercenary: a pilot hired by the virtual denizens of Eternity Port. Paired with an onboard AI, you ultimately gain powers in both the physical and virtual worlds. Hack into enemy ships to disable them, or just blast them with nukes. The choice is yours.

Three new player ship classes:

    Choose the UAS Hercules if you want a freighter built for combat. With six armor segments and eight multipurpose device slots, this hulk will keep you safe through the most dangerous territories.
    If have the skills to fly it, the Raijin-class gunship will dogfight with the best of them. Light, fast, and deadly: this is space supremacy at its best.
    Of course, sometimes it pays to stay flexible. The Avery Astronautics Spartan is a multirole gunship that can handle any situation. You can upgrade it with heavy weapons or outfit it for freighter duty—whatever the mission demands.

New systems:

    For the first time, you explore the area of the galaxy near our sun, Sol. Visit the metropolis of the Corporate Hierarchy in the Centauri system or the massive UAS Shipyards at Kibo. Then, visit the planets and asteroids of Sol, torn in competition among the Four Powers of Earth.

New music:

    Eternity Port includes brand-new, original music from composer and long-time collaborator Michael Tangent. Like the game itself, the Eternity Port score builds on and expands the existing Transcendence experience.

About Transcendence

Transcendence is a single-player, PC-based, role-playing game of space-combat and exploration.

The space-operatic theme and realtime combat were inspired by Star Control II, while other game mechanics in Transcendence were inspired by Nethack. Most of the star systems in the game are procedurally generated and part of the appeal of the game is adapting to the circumstances created by the random-number generator. Some items are unknown to the player, and their effects on the ship, good or ill, are only discovered after using them. In addition, the game encourages (but does not require) playing with permadeath.

Transcendence has a passionate community of players, mostly drawn to the game's sophisticated and powerful modding system. Anyone can create an extension for the game by editing basic XML files. More advanced modders may use TLisp, a Lisp-derived scripting language, to create more complex and varied extensions. There are hundreds of extensions available on the user-run site, Xelerus.

[getter77]

v1.6 Beta #1

http://multiverse.kronosaur.com/news.hexm?id=1364   Nice progression pictures!

Transcendence 1.6 Beta 1 is now ready for download!

This version implements the most significant graphical upgrade in the history of the game. Over the last few years I've concentrated on building up the infrastructure (e.g., the Multiverse) and creating more content (Corporate Command and Eternity Port).

Now, as development begins on Part II, I've decided to upgrade the graphics engine, and I'm very happy with the results:

Graphics
The most obvious changes are the new space backgrounds: wispy nebulae and starry scenes floating behind the stations of a star system. Volumetric shadows convey depth and make asteroid fields a visual pleasure to fly through.

Several images, including stargates and Commonwealth metropolises, have been updated with more complex designs and better textures. This work is not quite done in Beta 1, and I expect to create more images for the final release, including a re-rendered Arcology in St. Katharine's Star.

Under the covers, the engine has been updated to render at 24-bit color (upgraded from the previous 16-bit color). The increased dynamic range was necessary to render the subtle shades of space backgrounds, but it will also reduce the banding previously visible in glow effects and star shine.

Lastly, because some of these new effects are processor-intensive, I've added a graphics quality option to Settings.xml (graphicsQuality). There are currently four setting implemented:

maximum: This turns on all visual effects.
standard: This will turn off the most processor-intensive effects without degrading the visual quality too much. This setting is recommended for any machine with less than four processor cores.
minimum: For all those netbooks out there, which Transcendence supports, this setting turns off all optional visual effects (leaving only those required to play the game).
auto: The default setting is auto, which does a quick performance test at launch time and sets the graphics level to one of the three settings above.

More
Concurrent with this release, I've also updated both Corporate Command and Eternity Port. Corporate Command finally implements the new dock services screens. And Eternity Port adds 6 new missions to the early game (though no new Atlas missions yet). If you own either these they will download automatically after you run 1.6.

Because of the extensive nature of engine changes, I expect there to be many new bugs. If you notice something, particularly in graphics or in graphics performance, please file a bug with Ministry (https://ministry.kronosaur.com/program.hexm?id=1) or email me at: transcendence@kronosaur.com.

[getter77]

v1.7 Alpha 1

Welcome to the first alpha release of Transcendence 1.7. In the 2015 Annual Report I described 1.7 as being focused on gameplay improvements. This alpha release begins those improvements with significant changes to weapons.

Weapon Balance
The diversity of weapons is one of the highlights of Transcendence. There are over a hundred different playable weapons in the core game, and dozens more in the expansions. With 1.7 Alpha 1, we've gone through every core weapon and tweaked their stats to improve game balance. We hope these changes will increase the set of weapons suitable for player use.

We've made the following major changes:

Many weapons have been changed.
More weapons now have WMD, allowing them to damage capital ships and stations.
Missiles and ammo are more common, cheaper, and lighter.
Weapons have been balanced against cost, so more powerful weapons within a level are more expensive.
The damage algorithm no longer has round-off errors for low-damage weapons.
The mix of damage resistance in the Ungoverned Territories has been altered.
Quest weapons such as the Slicer cannon, Qianlong, and Lamplighter have been improved to reward the difficulty involved to obtain them.
Many of these changes have been validated algorithmically, but the ultimate judgement will come from playtesting. Please try out Alpha 1 and let us know what you think. Which weapons are overpowered or underpowered?

Weapon Effects
The graphical improvements introduced in 1.6 have brought Transcendence into the modern era. 1.7 Alpha 1 continues these efforts with improvements to weapon and explosion effects.

Since the beginning, Transcendence has used bitmap explosion graphics (usually rendered in Luminous). While these graphics are high-quality, they cannot be generated at runtime. In Alpha 1 we've introduced procedural explosion graphics which can be altered based on circumstance. For example, the size of a hit effect is now proportional to the amount of damage done.

There are two trade-offs, unfortunately. First, generating the graphics at runtime is expensive. You may notice lag when there are lots of explosions on screen. We'll work to improve this over time with various caching and optimization techniques. The second problem is that we sacrifice some quality to speed up the painting of explosions. Whereas Luminous could take many minutes to render a single explosion, we need to do it in much less than 1/30th of a second.

I hope you'll agree the trade-off is worth it, but as always, I'm happy to hear feedback to the contrary. If you've got any comments or suggestions on this release, please participate by posting on the forums or the Ministry of Records.

[getter77]

v1.7   

Kronosaur Productions is elated to announce the release of Transcendence 1.7, the best version of our epic-scale indie space opera. This release, in development for over a year, contains major user interface, gameplay, and graphical improvements.

Transcendence 1.7 is a free upgrade available to all. The next time you sign in, the game will automatically download the update. Or if you prefer, you may download it manually here.

Benedict & Fiona

This release completes the Benedict & Fiona storyline started in version 1.3. After Fiona is attacked and injured by Penitents, you'll help Benedict to uncover the mysterious reasons behind the attack. But the trail leads to a secret at the heart of the Sister of Domina, and shifting alliances threaten to leave you with no one left to turn to.

Mouse Support & UI Polish
Transcendence 1.7 now supports turning and thrusting with the mouse as well as keyboard. A built-in command mapping UI lets you easily assign keys and mouse buttons to create your favorite layout.

The stargate network map has been radically improved in this version. In addition to support for panning and scrolling, it now shows a list of major stations encountered at each system. No more need to remember where the nearest Starton is or where you saw that Commonwealth Star Carrier.

The Commodities Exchange interface has also been improved to separate items into categories. You can flip through tabs to see just the devices and armor for sale.

Weapon Balance & Effects
In 1.7 we've analyzed every weapon in the game and rebalanced them to be more playable. Damage, cost, mass, WMD, and other qualities have been altered to give the player more choices, without leaving them over- or under-powered. In addition, quest weapons like the Lamplighter have been buffed to compensate for the difficulty in acquiring them.

Also, this release significantly improves the graphical effects for weapon shots and hits.

New Music Tracks
Michael Tangent has composed four new tracks for this release, including a set of dynamic tracks for the Battle Arena. Now every time you win a match you will be treated to a little victory trill.

In all, these improvements cover the four key areas that I talked about in the 2016 Annual Report: gameplay joy, narrative depth, mechanical richness, and extensibility. All of us at Kronosaur Productions are delighted to be finally shipping this release, and we hope to hear from you about what you'd like to see in the next release, 1.8.