May 9th, 2019
Starbase Update Version 2 should now be live. Starbase weapons batteries have been added to the game, these are accessible to council members with immediate effect. Upgrades and downgrades are permitted to any player structure, each weapons upgrade costs 300k and their potency can be checked in the starbase document. Starbases will defend themselves, their factions and their faction planets. Shots are fired at random with random weapon selection at anything in a range that is aggressed by the starbase’s faction. The base will continue to fire so long as there are aggressed targets… Be warned… they hurt!! All three weapons upgrades can be applied to a starbase. Be aware the cost/hour is not yet implemented, this will be coming soon so avoid overstretching your finances… you certainly wouldn’t want to become bankrupt. Hypderlanes, Spaceport and Trade station upgrades have been added. In order to make use of the Spaceport, you MUST have any of the defence batteries enabled. .Once a platform has both a defence and a spaceport is will become a starbase, its name/status will be updated. If the spaceport is disabled, it will be downgraded once again to an outpost. Be aware the trade station (buy/sell minerals) is only accessible at starbases, it is a touch pointless to apply this upgrade to an outpost. However, even if you are unable to use the upgrade (perhaps you have downgraded from a starbase) it will remain for when you once again upgrade.
April 4th, 2019
Starbase Update version 1 should now be live. This release is the foundation for the new starbase changes. The starbase builders (Conquest and Nanobuilder) have been given platform builder. The price has been reduced to 250k. Each ship will require 100cmd and 50 piloting to fly. The council can vote for this ship to be given to an appropriate player… please ensure they can fly it first. A starbase can build in a system where you have 100% control. It can be built on any plant/celestial Alerts fire every 5 minutes
Roadmap/Update is now available on the home page https://interstellar-war.com/ , discussion in the usual places – let us know your thoughts.
ISW Q2+ Roadmap ISW Community, Dr Strange and I have been hard at work setting up the next phase of features to the game. Most of these are beyond the initial design phase and will enter the build phase in roughly the order below. In the build phase, Dr.Strange and I further tighten up mechanics and fill any gaps. The design documents are high level and subject to change if something doesn’t quite feel right.
Throughout this, we will ask you to test the new mechanics for bugs, exploits, broken parts, etc. I will be balancing ships and tweaking numbers to align with our intentions. Starbase/Orbital Structures: Underway These are at the core of solid system defence. They provide utility and defence for all faction players. They are commissioned and controlled by the faction, can be upgraded, and cost the faction a daily upkeep cost to keep online. Link to Design Doc: Click Here
Security and Planetary Invasions: Ready to Build Security has been in the back of our minds since the beginning, as the last skill to receive functionality. This project includes multiple functions for the security skill: Attacking, boarding, and capturing ships, planetary assaults, new troops attribute for all ships, and Garrison buildings for players to build. Armour and AP will be included in this feature update but will be inaccessible until the Equipment Update. Link to Design Doc: Click Here
Building: Partially Built/Ready to Build Our initial design for Building 2.0 was constrained by architecture and underwent a few re-designs. The first pass you have been playing with is more of a Building 1.5 – this fully implements the designs we had for building, putting the freedom in your hands to do with your space as you will. Link to Design Doc: Click Here
Government: Partially Built/Ready to Build We implemented a stripped-down single-type version of Government when we went live. This update features all four of the types of original government and their initial factions, special motions for different government types, the ability to overthrow and reform governments and much more. Link to Design Doc: Click Here
Inventory/Equipment: In Design In design currently, this update will introduce player inventory in which upgrades and equipment can be stored. These will include the majority of the original items from ISW. Skill Upgrades, Weapons, Armor, Tools and more. It may include Ship Upgrade Items as well. Exploration: In Design, I am beginning design expanding the exploration features of ISW. This update will change how planets are assigned and interact with minerals, especially higher ranks. It will likely introduce transferring minerals, and potentially more advanced economic ships. It will introduce Explorer-Class ships, multi-use general purpose ships designed to train, mine, and survey planets. Survey mechanics, which will unearth caches of rare minerals, special equipment, and rare discoveries, which may include Rare Ship Upgrades.