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

[getter77]

http://transcendence.kronosaur.com/

Alone at the edge of Human Space, a Viking-class gunship approaches. Mistaking you for a harmless craft, the Viking attacks, but its thin hull is no match for the blast of your slam cannon.
Looting the Viking's wreck, you consider your path. The next system is filled with Slavers and your armor needs repair. Push on towards the Core or backtrack to a safe port?
Domina awaits you at the Galactic Core and with her hangs the fate of the Galaxy. Will her powers be enough to overcome the ancient malevolence known as Oracus? And what role will you play?
Leaving the floating wreck behind, you thrust towards the stargate at the edge of the system. Your journey continues.

Features
   
Explore dozens of randomly generated star systems. No two games are ever the same.
   
Fight over a hundred different kinds of enemy ships and stations, each with distinct abilities.
   
Loot wreckage to obtain more powerful weapons, armor, and shields. Or purchase them at dozens of different friendly stations.
   
Escort transports for Korolov Shipping, smuggle illegal items for the Black Market, or join the Commonwealth Fleet and fight against the Ares Orthodoxy.

[getter77]

Same address, new 1.01 flavor!   

    * Fixed bug in which not enough memory is allocated to save system. [Thanks to Eric James]
    * Fixed a crash when Salvager tries to dock with a destroyed object. [Thanks to namer4]
    * Fixed a crash when zoanthrope is killed by its own follower. [Thanks to darksider]
    * Added (sysCalcFireSolution).
    * Fixed bug in which installing armor at Ringers checked credits instead of rin. [Thanks to Salvagebot 1.0]
    * Fixed bug causing "Nil is under attack" message. [Thanks to raelz]
    * Fixed a problem in which Kate hates the player if she gates out. [Thanks to Xephyr and Bobby]
    * If player saves Antarctica and gates, Antarctica should count as 'escaped'. [Thanks to Shrike]
    * 'W' should not select disabled weapons. [Thanks to Manekineko]
    * In Heretic, fixed description of manipulators after they're disabled. [Thanks to Shrike]
    * #335: If player has disposable launcher, Raisu should give launcher (instead of missiles). [Thanks to Nate879]
    * #333: Superfreighter should have piracy-check code. [Thanks to sdw195]
    * In Heretic, if Xenophobe ark wreck is destroyed, mission should fail. [Thanks to Ho'okoa]
    * Typo: "Have you every..." -> "Have you ever..." [Thanks to Ho'okoa]

[getter77]

Rise from your shadowy open-source grave~

v1.1

I am happy to direct you all to the download button for Transcendence 1.1, the latest stable release of our favorite Nethack-meets-Star-Control-space-RPG.

I've spend the time since 1.0 working on two main things in Transcendence: First, I've made dozens of major improvements to the modding system (more on that later), and second, I've developed and deployed the Multiverse, an online system for players to share game epitaphs and rank themselves by high score.

When you play Transcendence 1.1 you are given the option of signing in to the Multiverse. Your free Multiverse account enables you to participate in all the online activities for all Kronosaur Productions games. At the moment this means publishing your game scores to the Multiverse for you to share. (And if you're an Anacreon player you know this also means access to the recently released alpha.)
High Scores & Game Stats

Like other open world games, Transcendence gives you the freedom to achieve your objectives in multiple ways: you can earn money by defending freighters from pirates or you can sell drugs for the Black Market. It's hard to represent those different experiences in a single high-score value, so Transcendence now keeps track of dozens of other statistics, such as the amount of profit made on trade, the number of star systems visited, and number of missions you've completed. All these stats are available during play (just press F2) and are also uploaded to the Multiverse when your game ends. Here is an example.

Escort freighters for Korolov Shipping.

Like Nethack and other roguelikes, this stat system also allows you to challenge yourself by adhering to certain rules of conduct. For example, you might try playing without ever killing a friendly ship. Or you might try playing without the powers of Domina. These kinds of conducts are tracked by the game and included in your stats, so you can compare your game against others. One of the hardest voluntary conducts is to honor permadeath: when you die, you restart the game instead of resurrecting.
Maps & Screens

Transcendence 1.1 has dozens of other improvements, including:

    -The game display now adapts itself to different screen resolutions, from 1024×600 netbooks to 1600×1080 multimedia desktops.
    -You can complete a mission in St. Katharine's Star to get access to a network map that shows all the star systems that you've visited.
    -You can change the key bindings by editing the Settings.xml file.
    -Friendly stations now replenish their ammo supply, making it easier to find ammo for that perfect weapon.

These plus many other game balance and usability improvements serve to make Transcendence 1.1 both more accessible and richer than its predecessors.

Mods & the Future

In my opinion, the best thing about Transcendence is the large and growing community of modders who are constantly creating amazing new extensions for the game. I spent a great deal of the 1.1 development cycle adding new capabilities for modders, and I am happy to say that the effort has paid off. One of my favorite new extensions is Playership Drones, which allows you to purchase various types of ship that follow you around. Unlike the autons of the vanilla game, however, Playership Drones allows you to switch to one of the drones and fly it as if it were your ship. Another excellent extension is RPC's Visible Damage. This mod enhances your HUD to show the damage level of all the ships you're fighting. Neither of these mods was possible in 1.0.

Right now the only way to acquire these extensions is to download and install them from Xelerus. In future versions, however, some of these mods will be available on the Multiverse and will automatically be installed by the game when you want them. As I described earlier in the year, I will continue to make it easier to discover and develop mods that enhance the game.

Now that Transcendence 1.1 is out, I am eager to start working on the next version! Until then, please try out this new version and let me know what you think. As always you can post your feedback either on the forums or directly to me at: transcendence@kronosaur.com.

[/quote]

[XLambda]

Aah, finally! I've waited so long for a new version!

[getter77]

v1.2 Beta 1 with the first commercial expansion coming:

This new version is mostly designed to support the upcoming Corporate Command expansion. But I've also made some major balance changes:

1. I removed two star systems in the Outer Realm, since that part of the game seemed a little slow.
2. I rebalanced several ship classes, mostly in the mid-game, since that seemed a little harder.
3. I rebalanced station HP/armor and treasure so it is more proportional.
4. Capital ships (and larger freighters) have more internal hit points, so they survive longer even if you've pierced their armor.

I also made some minor visual changes:

5. Most planets and asteroids have been re-rendered
6. Nebula have been redone
7. Laser, kinetic, and particle beam effects have changed slightly.
8. The new UAS ships (Oromo, Sotho) are included.

And of course, there are likely to be lots of bugs:

9. Creating the game is a lot slower (mostly because of the code creating nebula) but I think I can speed this up.
10. I fixed a couple of crash bugs but also introduced one or two more. I've added debug code to help me catch them.

Lastly, I've made numerous enhancements to modding, but I don't have time this second to describe them all. I will do a follow up post next week.

As always, please post your feedback!

EDIT: A few things I forgot to mention: Turn on the music if you want to hear the latest composition; it's a preview of what the full soundtrack will be like. It's a short piece that plays during the intro.

Also, I've tried to keep it compatible with previous games, but I still strongly recommend you start a new game.

Corporate Command:

Corporate Command, the first paid expansion for Transcendence. This new expansion focuses on the Corporate Hierarchy and includes dozens of new features:

    Three new player ship classes, including Makayev's famous Manticore class
    New missions for the Corporate Hierarchy, including a few with Kate Morgental
    Several new star systems and three new enemy sovereigns
    And of course, lots of new armor, weapons, and treasures

http://neurohack.com/kronosaur/CorporateCommandIntro.html

[jim]

Man, I would love to love this game, but I end up getting mired in the targeting system. The AI outguns me so ruthlessly - all I can do is take advantage of their limited range and cheapass them to death. If I could wish a mod into existence, it would make enemies STRONGER and less exploitable, but make them also take imperfect shots once in a damn while - or maybe make their aim relative to the intelligence of their given faction.

[getter77]

Something like that may well already exist in the Modding section, as folks have been going to town on that front for awhile now---though with a new version now swimming about they may need to tinker it a bit to get current.

For general gameplay reckonings, even if it is a good many versions behind now, to this day I'm not aware of better, or another really, than Sparcman's LP series from a ways on back:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC25E03612635EC65

[getter77]

v1.2 Beta 2

BUGS

* Fixed this crash: ...

* Fixed this crash: ...

* Fixed a savefile corruption bug.
* Fixed a crash when installing an external device.
* Fixed a bug in which stations would install devices of any level.
* Fixed Mule autons so they behave as they did in earlier versions.
* Autons no longer lose all their cargo if recalled.
* Autons cannot be recalled if they do not fit in cargo hold.
* Fixed bug with speed enhancements

API VERSION 15

* objGetProperty and itmGetProperty also accept data fields as properties (just for consistency).
* Added concept of "character classes" to begin distinguishing Pilgrim class from other potential classes: NOTE that this is just setting up for later. There is still only one character class, but I'm setting things up to add more. Right now there is a single type (unidPilgrimClass) which you may use to test. For example, a station may give different text depending on the character class. Use (objGetProperty gPlayerShip 'characterClass) to figure out the character class of the player.
* Added "plain" style to <Flare> effect to have a constant flare (used in some missile graphics).
* Added animateOpacity="fade" parameter to <Ray> to fade the effect.
* Added lifetime= parameter to <Ray>
* Added xformRotation= parameter to <Ray> to rotate the effect by a given number of degrees.

MULTIVERSE

* Added checks/timeouts for invalid passwords. If you fail to enter the correct password 5 times in a row, you will need to wait 1 hour before trying again. This is to help prevent dictionary attacks on the server.
* Added debug output for Multiverse connection problems.
* Added autoIncludeForCompatibility= parameter on extensions. This will allow us to create a compatibility library for old images.
* Added Settings.xml option to disable downloading extensions from Multiverse (noCollectionDownload)

VISUAL EFFECTS

* Changed some blast weapon graphics (e.g., slam cannon, etc.)

Thanks for all your bug reports! Keep them coming!

[getter77]

v1.2 Beta 3

This is mostly a bug fix release:

1. Fixed a bug with FleetAI wingmen not stopping their attack.
2. Fixed a bug with disabled enhancers
3. Fixed a bug with all those CSC Americas
4. Added some more debug output for connectivity problems.

Some modding changes:

4. Added 'parallax property to objects (can be set with objSetProperty)
5. Added 'rotation property to objects (can be set with objSetProperty)
6. Added sysCreateEnvironment to create nebula
7. Added weaponUNID field in gData for <GetParameters>

Some gama balance changes:

8. Analyzers only show items capable of analysis.
9. Attack on Point Juno does not happen until player docks (and Point Juno has nav beacons so players know about it).
10. Point Juno has more hit points.

This build will be required for those playing succession.

[getter77]

v1.2 Beta 4

This is mostly a bug fix release, but it does have a few interesting game-play changes:

1. Stations are now identified when they come into LRS range (previously they had to be on the viewscreen). This allows you to explore in Map view.
2. I've fixed the bug which allowed devices to be enhanced beyond 150%. There is now a new parameter, maxHPBonus=, which is settable for armor, weapons, and shields, to set the max possible enhancement per weapon. If the parameter is omitted, the default is 150%. [This will allow us to create, e.g., very powerful weapons whose trade-off is that they cannot be enhanced. I might want to add this to Lamplighter and increase its current damage.]
3. For ships with internal damage, I've decreased the number of armor segments. This will make them slightly easier to destroy. I've also added internal damage to ships that previously lacked it, including CSCs and some freighters.
4. In the Antarctica mission, I've decreased the number of Aquilas sent out. It seemed almost impossible with 6 Aquilas all with internal structure.
5. Added Break & Attack for autons.
6. I've re-implemented Tinker stations. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Beta 4 has the following bug fixes:

7. Fixed a bug with connecting to the Multiverse. If you had trouble before, please try this version.
8. Fixed the bug with Charon strongholds being in the inner system.
9. Fixed several crash bugs
10. Fixed a bug with Analyzers messing up the item list.
11. Auton bay cannot be used if not installed.
12. Fixed a data corruption bug
13. Fixed a crash bug while loading/creating a game.
14. Fixed the bug with gates to Elysium being created.
15. Fixed a bug with stargates not pointing towards the core. [This was actually a bug with sysGetTopologyDistance, which was inaccurately computing the shortest distance between two nodes in a graph.]
16. Fixed a bug in which beams could not be a target
17. Implemented (neq ...) as a short-cut for (not (eq ...))
18. Fixed seededRandom
19. Sovereign now inherit relationships from base classes (if any).
20. Lastly, I've added (lossless) compression to TDB files. Note that this means that older versions of the game (pre Beta 4) will not be able to load subsequent TDBs. I will soon update Corporate Command to the new TDB format and at that point it will not longer load with older betas. You will have to upgrade to continue using it. [Compression helps with Wolfy's TSB, particularly, which shrinks down from 250MB down to 22.]

This is likely to be the last beta before release. I'd like to hear about critical bugs and major game-balance issues. The next release, probably in a couple of weeks, will be the first Release Candidate for 1.2.

Thanks all for your feedback and bug reports!

[getter77]

v1.2 RC 1

If all goes well, this will be the last engine that you will have to manually download. I've added code to automatically detect and download new versions (as long as you are signed in to the Multiverse).

Additional fixes:

1. The engine downloads news from the Multiverse. Currently there is a placeholder item about Corporate Command (press Escape if you don't want to wait for it to dismiss).
2. Fixed various bugs in handling large files. This should fix Wolfy's problems with TSB's tdb files.
3. Added a method for displaying attributes in the item list. For example, items now display their manufacturer (Makayev, Rasiermesser, etc.) This is helpful for combo items that operate on specific manufacturers (e.g., Freyr's swivel). Look at the code in CorporateHierarchy.xml to define your own labels (see <DisplayAttributes>).
4. Added a new parameter to objCanInstallItem and shpCanInstallArmor. Also added <CanInstallItem> event to ships.
5. The engine now opens files with sharing flags; this should prevent various errors when running Dropbox or virus scanners.
6. Fixed the bug with maxHPBonus being ignored under certain conditions.
7. Fixed micronukes so they are consistently 1d12 damage.
8. Fixed a game crash when ships with no devices are hit by disruptor/device damage.

We're very close to a final 1.2 release now! Please post about any killer bugs and I'll fix them before release.

Thanks, as always!

[getter77]

v1.2 RC 2

A new version is ready and will automatically download the next time you run Transcendence (provided you're running RC 1). You may manually download from the usual place

NOTE: In RC 1, unfortunately, the download task blocks other tasks, so you probably won't be able to load or start a new game until the download is complete. I've fixed this in RC 2 (the download will not interfere with other Transcendence tasks). You can avoid this by upgrading manually (or not signing in).

RC 2 is mostly a bug fix release:

1. Unknown items do not get visual attributes.
2. Special tinker items should no longer available at Corporate Trading Post.

3. Player autotargetting takes swivel into account when choosing targets.
4. Added setting to disable auto downloads (<Option name="noAutoUpdate" value="true"/> in Settings.xml)
5. Adjusted background color of new display attributes.

6. Multiple laser collimators should not confer enhancement. See: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6112
7. Fixed bug with enhancements. See: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6103
8. Fixed mining. See: viewtopic.php?p=55107&f=2#p55107
9. Fixed bug in which Ferians don't attack the player. See: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6110
10. Intro does not show virtual objects
11. Aux weapons now inside shields. viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6122
12. Fixed epitaph when best ship destroyed is friendly. See: viewtopic.php?p=55221&f=30#p55221
13. sysVector... functions now deal with negative angles.
14. Downloading upgrade no longer interferes with loading/creating games.

Please let me know how the auto upgrade goes.

This should be the last RC. The next build will be a final 1.2, so please report any last minute critical bugs as soon as possible. Thanks for all your bug reports--we've caught a bunch of good bugs this time.

[getter77]

v1.2

1.2 and Corporate Command have been released to production!

If you run any of the RCs, it will automatically update to 1.2. Otherwise, you can download the new release at http://kronosaur.com/downloads/Transcendence.zip

Corporate Command cost $3, but see my next announcement for a giveaway!

I'm so happy to have reached this milestone and I want to thank everyone who contributed so much! I truly appreciate everyone's bug reports and help in getting the release out. Thank you all!

This release fixes the crashes that people were having and the Taikon bug that we discussed [It doesn't yet allow Point Juno or the CSC Terra to install the Lamplighter, but that will come in a subsequent update.]

In addition, I've also started to redesign the main web site. Only a few pages have been redone, but you can get an idea now at the homepage:

http://transcendence.kronosaur.com/

[getter77]

v1.3 beta

Transcendence 1.3 is designed to support the new soundtrack being created by Michael Tangent, but I've also added several changes to make the game more approachable and more polished.

UI

    The biggest change to the UI is that the game now fills up the whole screen. I was resistant at first to make this change, but you all convinced me that I was wrong. Plus the game looks great now on a large monitor.
    The map UI uses a subtle perspective projection.
    Stations (and capital ships) show a damage bar underneath (even if you don't have a targeting computer).
    The auto-target for omni and swivel weapons is indicated, even if you don't have a targeting computer.
    Improved thermo weapon effects.
    Improved missile exhaust effects.
    Improved main thruster effects.
    I added a maneuvering thruster effect to player ships. I'm not sure if I like it, so please give me feedback (positive or negative).
    The game no longer tries to auto-replace a device if you've reached the device limit.

Game Balance

    Dvalin's rewards are slightly easier to get; and the Ion9 has been increased in power a little bit.
    Range of the Moskva 11 has been doubled.
    Hardened armor and meteorsteel are now immune to blinding.
    Makayev armor is slightly more common.

Corporate Command 1.1

If you install Transcendence 1.3 Beta 1 and if you have Corporate Command, you will automatically download Corporate Command 1.1 Beta 1. The new release has the following changes:

    The Constellation class now starts with light plasteel plate, a 300D auton, and all standard autons are identified. Also, the auton bay can no longer be removed.
    The Freyr class swivel is now 30 degrees.
    The Manticore class starts with light Novaya armor (which is immune to radiation); the built-in armor repairer now works better on the Novaya series of armor.
    Added 4 new Rasiermesser weapon.
    Added a series of Novaya armor for the Manticore class.
    The first chimera mission is a little easier.
    Fixed a bug in which the mission to kill an outlaw freighter was sometimes unwinnable.
    Flipped the Tau Ceti stargate branch to the other side, for compatibility with The Stars Beyond.

API Version 20

    This version introduces a new method for overriding types. Beta 1 supports a <ShipClassOverride> element. This element is similar to <ShipClass> but you specify the UNID of an existing ship class. <ShipClassOverride> allows you to override a select set of parameters. Right now it supports overriding <StaticData>, <GlobalData>, <Language>, <Events>, <Image>, and <PlayerSettings>.
    The game now supports more than 40 rotation frames. Moreover, I've decoupled maneuverability from rotation frames, which means that you will be able to change one without affecting the other. Look at the new <Maneuver> element in the player ships.
    I've added a new <Effects> element to define thruster effects for ships. This supports all the usual effect types. (Though it does not yet support effects that cause damage).
    Added <ParticleJet> as a new effect type. It is similar to <ParticleCloud> but support parameterization (like <Ray>).
    Added a <CanInstallItem> event for ships.
    Added a <GetArmorRegen> event for repairer device classes.
    Added a property to set a ship's comms key.

Bug Fixes

    Fixed a bug in which the targeting of swivel weapons (like on the Freyr) chose targets outside the swivel range.
    Fixed the problem with some Militia missions not being recognized as completed.
    Fixed the endless loop trying to find Huaramarca.
    Fixed a bad message from Tinkers.
    Fixed bug with lanthanum glass (and other items) using the wrong image.

[getter77]

v1.3 beta 2

Besides fixing lots of bugs, this beta introduces 120-frame counts for all player ships.

Game Balance & UI

    All player ships use 120 rotation frames.
    Unregistered game stats are uploaded to the Multiverse.
    Maneuvering thruster effects removed (but can be added back with showManeuverEffects option in Settings.xml).
    Adjusted rotation rate for player ships. Wolfen and Sapphire have a slightly slower turn rate to increase precision.
    Autons no longer retreat when their shields are down. This prevents them from flying off in the middle of battle (but it might reduce their lifespan).
    All large ships in Corporate Command now use 120 rotation frames.

API Version 21

    Added <WeaponDisplay> element to <PlayerSettings> to allow you to replace the targeting display image.
    Added noImmobileHits, noImmutableHits, noShipHits, noStationHits, and noWorldHits to control the kinds of objects that projectiles hit.
    Added noArticle parameter to <ItemType>.
    Added startAt= to <Armor> definitions, to deal with ships like the Manticore, which don't straddle angle 0.
    Prior to 1.3 Beta 2, only stations with the "populated" attribute counted for score. In Beta 2, you may also use the "score" attribute to make a station count towards the score.

Bug Fixes

    Fixed a crash painting SRS.
    Fixed errors connecting to Multiverse.
    Handle overflowing inputs properly.
    Fixed AI problems dealing with >20 rotation frames.
    Fixed bug with invokeLetterKeys option.
    Fixed reactor display mask (thanks to PM).
    Fixed a problem when rotationCount is set in image and old-style maneuverability is used.
    Fixed bad painting of targeted object.
    Fixed bug with auton bay repairing carbide carapace.
    Luminous assemblers and pteravores now show up in stats.
    Fixed a bug in which mission stations (like Cyclops Lab) appeared multiple times in the same system.
    Fixed a bug with object criteria in which t selector interfered with m selector.
    Fixed a http://forums.kronosaur.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=6274problem installed weapons on autons. Prior to Beta 2 basic autons (like 1M battle auton) did not have device or reactor limits. Adding limits fixed the problem.
    Fixed a bug in which player ship sometimes did not draw on top of other ships.

New Corporate Cruiser

In Beta 2 I've remodelled the iconic Corporate Cruiser. The original was great, but I wanted to add a little more detail, particularly for hero shots. Moreover, the windows on the original were too big for a ship that size (275 meters).

I kept the clean, rounded lines typical of Rasiermesser designs (in contrast to Makayev ships). But I wanted to make it imposing and massive, like a cross between Moby Dick and an Airbus 380.
Credits

New to the credits this release:

    AssumedPseudonym
    EditorRUS
    Ultimate Chicken
    Watch TV, Do Nothing

Thanks to all!