Incline Remnants of the Precursors - Merry Christmas, bitches

[index.php]

v0.92 is out:
https://old.reddit.com/r/rotp/comments/n78hme/remnants_of_the_precursors_version_092_is_now/

 

[RayF]

For those who haven't seen ROTP in action yet, here's a let's play by youtuber Asher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-yRKjze-qI

 

[RayF]

ok, version 0.93 is out as we inch closer to the 1.0 release at the end of the year.

Lots of minor bug fixes and AI tweaks, but probably the biggest qualitative change is that Java is no longer required for Windows users. 90s grognards, rejoice!

https://old.reddit.com/r/rotp/comments/nq2xaf/version_093_of_remnants_of_the_precursors_is_now/

 

[RayF]

Here's an example of the new Alkari artwork. This is what you see when you incite a rebellion on an Alkari colony

 

[Luka-boy]

Java is no longer required for Windows users

Do you plan to eventually remove it as a requirement for Linux too?

 

[RayF]

Do you plan to eventually remove it as a requirement for Linux too?

Keep in mind that the Windows version still uses Java; the game just now delivers with its own jre so you don't have to install it. Microsoft has had an antagonistic relationship with Java for 20 years and makes it more challenging to get Java set up and going so it made sense to tackle that issue first.

I am hoping to deliver ROTP as a Mac app file in the next patch, and then streamline the Linux setup last. Linux users, in general, are more technical users and don't seem to have issues with installing Java.

 

[Nutria]

If nothing else, it saves me the trouble of having the damn Java auto-updater pop up every month.

 

[Luka-boy]

With the 1.0 version coming out in Christmas, here are some post-release plans:

Post 1.0 plans, where things stand right now

ROTP 1.0 is still on schedule for a Christmas 2021 release. It will probably have about 20 foreign translations completed with another half-dozen still in progress.

Release 1.0 is the "MOO1 feature clone", and it will always be free and open-source. That is the original promise of this project and I am glad that it is close to being kept.

Sometime after 1.0, I hope to have a Kickstarter for an ROTP sourcebook. This will have full-page artwork from the game along with detailed lore information about the races that is not available in the game. To me, having something sit on your bookshelf creates a permanence to the project that is otherwise unattainable. It's very possible race names will have to change if Wargaming objects to me using the original MOO race names in print.

That kickstarter will present a lot of logistical difficulties for me to overcome such as international shipping, etc. It may take some time and effort to work everything out, but I am committed to creating a high-quality hardbound tome to commemorate this game, even if I ultimately print only 1 for myself.

If that goes well, I hope to have a 2nd kickstarter for a boxed set for the game. It will have things like a printed manual, a tech poster, and other related goodies you can expect find in a boxed set. This KS may or may not happen depending on how the sourcebook KS turns out and the related costs of making a boxed set.

At some point I would like to make ROTP available on digital distribution sites like Steam. Now personally I am not a fan of these sites but I know everyone wants that. If the game is ultimately available on Steam/etc, it will NOT be free. If everything goes well, I expect Steam availability to happen sometime in 2022. A lot depends on discussions with Wargaming about what I can do without drawing legal action.

You may ask, "if the game is a free download, why would I pay for it on Steam?". That's a very good question with several possible answers. One is that you love Steam integration so much that it's worth it to have it accessible in the same format as your other games. Another is that you enjoy the game and want to compensate the dev for some of the development costs of it. Many have expressed that to me in the past and I do appreciate the sentiment.

But I hope the best answer is that sales will justify additional post-1.0 development of the game. There are plans for a "1.1" release and Petar will be starting on artwork after 1.0 is done. The main focus of a 1.1 release will be increasing system variety and race changes to account for it. Broadly speaking, these are the highlights of what I am hoping to do for 1.1:

• Up to 2 stars and 4 planets per system managed as a single composite colony. As in the real galaxy, there are very rare star types that you may see only every dozens of games.
  
  
• Discoverable star systems (where the primary star is a brown dwarf) that are not visible on your initial map that provide strategic benefits when colonized. Having an outpost in a system that your opponent isn't aware of could be of huge military advantage.
  
  
• Increased planet variety based on the composite effects of temperature, atmosphere and water created by star configuration and orbital distances. I tested an algorithm that generated 102 realistic combinations of those variables but this obviously needs to be pared down to be workable in game.
  
  
• Revamped terraforming techs to allow more choice in how you can terraform planets. For example, terraforming for maximum industry vs ecology vs commerce. There will no longer be one "best" way to terraform; instead what is best will be based on your plans for the planet in question
  
  
• Silicoid race reworked to get better racial assymetry. Generally rebalancing them to work without any ECO spending or Planetology research.
  
  
• A new aquatic race that exploits water-rich worlds. Sort of the anti-Silicoid race in that habitable worlds will be the least common for them, but they will compensate by being able to build "tall". Petar is already champing at the bit to draw this race!
  
  
• Breadbasket worlds available via terraforming that serve to increase the population capacity of nearby systems. Placement of these worlds should create a similar minigame comparable to finding the "best" tile on which to found your city in Civ.

Another goal is to keep the 1.1 feature set isolated from 1.0. So, for example, if you have 1.0 and upgrade to 1.1, you will be able to choose which version to play when you start a new game. And owning a copy of the game will make all future updates available for free (the Hello Games business model which I love).

1.1 will not be open-sourced, at least in the short term, but hopefully I will be able to convince /u/xilmi to more formally join the project and do AI work.

These are all just plans and subject to change, but this is where I am at right now.

 

[Endemic]

A lot depends on discussions with Wargaming about what I can do without drawing legal action.

I don't think Wargaming will let him put the game on Steam as-is. The paid version would need to change the races at the very least.

 

[index.php]

With the 1.0 version coming out in Christmas, here are some post-release plans:

1.1 will not be open-sourced

 

[RayF]

"at least in the short term"

 

[RayF]

Release 0.94 is now out.

https://old.reddit.com/r/rotp/comments/pzb6fy/remnants_of_the_precursors_v094_is_now_available/

 

[RayF]

The game is officially released. Version 1.0 is out. Why you should try it:

https://old.reddit.com/r/4Xgaming/comments/ro17o0/remnants_of_the_precursors_is_officially_released/

 

[Joggerino]

Congrats! I'll replay it soon.

 

[mastroego]

Interesting stuff.
Congrats for the release! Just downloaded it.
Any Codexer try it yet?

 

[Agesilaus]

The game is officially released. Version 1.0 is out. Why you should try it:

https://old.reddit.com/r/4Xgaming/comments/ro17o0/remnants_of_the_precursors_is_officially_released/

very based, will download and give it a go.

 

[mastroego]

Moddable too.
I probably won't be able to try for a while yet., so I'm curious to see how codexers like it.

 

[RayF]

A minor update, probably the last for a while so I can focus on release 2:

https://old.reddit.com/r/rotp/comments/rtpqq2/release_101_is_now_available/

 

[ghostdog]

Great stuff!!

 

[flyingjohn]

A minor update, probably the last for a while so I can focus on release 2:

https://old.reddit.com/r/rotp/comments/rtpqq2/release_101_is_now_available/

-The default difficulty of the game has been changed from Normal to Easy.
In addition, the additional turn delay before the space monsters show up has been doubled

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

In addition, the additional turn delay before the space monsters show up has been doubled

Don't know if it's still the case, but the design of space monsters in Remnants was radically different from what it was in MoO. Tweaking it shouldn't make it anymore haram than it already is.

 

[RayF]

-The default difficulty of the game has been changed from Normal to Easy.
In addition, the additional turn delay before the space monsters show up has been doubled

Space Monsters are much tougher in ROTP. This brings their difficulty only slightly closer to MOO1, where they were mostly boring.

 

[RayF]

Release 1.02 is out: https://old.reddit.com/r/rotp/comments/ryhpz1/release_102_is_now_available/

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

 

[index.php]

Release 1.04 is now available

Release 1.04 is now available at: https://rayfowler.itch.io/remnants-of-the-precursors

As a reminder, ROTP will always be free to download and play, but if you really like the game and would like to contribute to the project then please do so by leaving a donation on the download page or signing up to the Patreon (ROTP with benefits!) at https://www.patreon.com/rayfowler as this is the only way I can continue to support the game and work on future releases. If you can't, that's ok too!

What is changed since version 1.03

• As always, the Xilmi AI has received an update. Thanks /u/xilmi for your incredible dedication to this very important aspect of the project!

Translation support:

• Hungarian translation now added. It's the 18th language now supported by the game, and more are still in progress!

Fixes:

• Prevent a combination of the Rebellion and Radiation random events from occurring in the same system if the owning empire cannot currently colonize an irradiated system (necessary to stop the rebellion). Rebellions cannot be incited by enemy empires to create this combination as well.
  
  
• When systems are colonies or colonies are captured, the empires of any fleets in orbit when this occurs will now have this ownership change reflected in their view of the system.
  
  
• System views will be properly updated immediately after a sabotage mission has successfully destroyed any missile bases or factories.
  
  
• Fix exception caused when a custom directory defined for save files has been removed or renamed outside of the program
  
  
• Ships equipped with only stream projector specials (no other weapons), will now be properly considered as armed for the purposes of triggering ship combat (thanks /u/xilmi)

UI Fixes:

• Copying a ship design will now properly copy the ship tint color
  
  
• Learning a new missile technology will no longer trigger a temporary "Missile Bases Need Upgrade" message on the System->Exterminate tab for colonies that have maxBases set to 0.
  
  
• When the player's internal security spending is updated on the Races->Intel tab, the display value on the Races->Diplomacy panel will be updated properly to reflect this change.
  
  
• A combat animation has been added for Stream Projector specials (thanks to /u/xilmi)

Thanks again to everyone for their support!