Beta Branch Patch 2.5 Patch Notes

[Hans]

Hey everyone. The next Avorion update is finally ready for beta testing!
In this update we introduce the long-awaited secondary block colors and - so everyone can properly show off their awesome coloring skills - a photo mode!

We wish you loads of fun with the new features and happily await your feedback! Let us know if you miss anything, if some things aren't as smooth as they could be or if you (simply) loved it! And let us see your awesome screenshots!

Beta Branch Note: These changes are currently available on the beta branch. The beta branch is for testing experimental changes and for finding and fixing errors.

This is how you get access to the beta branch (USE AT YOUR OWN RISK):
Right-Click on Avorion in your Steam list, Properties -> Betas -> Select branch 'Beta Branch - Newest Changes & Experimental Features'.

Secondary Block Colors
Blocks can now have a secondary block color. The secondary block color is dependent on the block type and can even change the light effects.

• Added secondary colors for the color brush of the build mode
  • Open the color selection window to switch on secondary colors
• Switching back to one-color mode resets the secondary color to its original, pre-update status
• Added new preview element in the color selection window that shows in detail which colors are used
  • New blocks will be built using the previewed colors
• Added a second color picker that picks the secondary color
• Added a 'No Change' color
  • Use this when selecting blocks and you don't care which color they have
  • Use this to apply a primary or secondary color without changing the other color
• Block info tooltips in the lower right corner show which colors are used for the block
• Block types with secondary colors:
  • Crew Quarters - windows can now be colored
  • Cargo - dark parts of the block can now be colored
  • Armor - ever wanted to be a chameleon? Try coloring in your camouflage patterns according to the sector you're in.
  • Engine - Engine glow can now be colored
  • Thruster - Thruster particle flames can now be colored
  • Dock - Stripes of dock-doors can now be colored
  • Flight Recorder - yellow stripes can now be colored
  • Torpedo Storage - orange stripes can now be colored
  • Assembly - vents can now be colored
  • Turret Base - patches can now be colored
  • Hangar - hangar doors can now be colored
  • Shield Generator - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Energy Container - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Generator - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Integrity Field Generator - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Computer Core - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Hyperspace Core - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Transporter Block - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Academy - blue pattern can now be colored in any color
  • Cloning Pods - green pods can now be colored in any color
  • Rich and Super-Rich Stone - glowing pattern can now be colored
  • Ship Name Block - name is now colorable
  • Alternate Hull Patterns - dark patterns can now be colored in any color
  • Dark / White Stripes - now in color!
  • Light blocks: Light is colored according to the secondary color unless the secondary color isn't set. Without a secondary color light blocks will behave like before the update.

Photo Mode
We created a new mode to make awesome screenshots! You'll find a new 'Photo Mode' button in the pause menu.

The new Photo Mode features:

• A sector style selection: Either random or with an explicit style ID
  • you can even share this ID with your friends!
• Free setting of sector visuals:
  • rift or no rift visuals
  • sun type and position
  • planet position
  • background star density
  • sector color
  • sector dustiness
• Change the Field of View to find the perfect view
• several filter effects:
  • Greyscale
  • Sepia
  • Desaturated
  • Saturated
• A scalable vignette effect
• A 'Take Screenshot' button to take screenshots without UI
  • Added a short flash to white to indicate saving of screenshot
• An 'Open Screenshot Folder' button
• Improved free camera movement
• A new keybind option 'Photo Mode'

Gameplay

• Allowed direct switching to your other crafts when controlling a fighter
• Switching to a different craft within a sector is now always possible as long as you're allowed to enter it
• Mothership in pirate encounter is now visibly connected to invincibility giving pirate ships
• Fulfilled (done) objectives no longer show up in the on screen tracked mission displayer
  • However they still do show up in the missions tab
• Build Mode: Transformation Brush no longer changes block colors

UI

• Unknown colors are shown as hex-codes in block info tooltips
• 'No color' items in color selection have been removed
• 'Show Used Colors First' now shows duplicates of color items

Scripting API

• ScriptBlock::addBlock now takes an additional optional parameter to set a secondary color for the new block
  • existing Mods using the old addBlock-call are not affected by this
• ScriptPlanComponent::setColor now takes an optional parameter secondaryColor
  • Added documentation for ScriptPlanComponent::setColor
• Added ScriptPlanComponent::setSecondaryBlockColor
• Added ScriptBlockPlan::setSecondaryBlockColor
• Changed ScriptColor.toHtml to always print 6 hex digits led by a '#', i.e. '#000000' for black

Bugfixes

• Fixed a rare crash in flight physics of fighters
• Fixed an issue where hangars would be rendered way too bright in some cases
• [UBR] Fixed an issue where Xsotan waves started spawning in a rift sector right after accepting the corresponding mission and before the player entered the sector
• [UBR] Fixed an issue where the player wouldn't be warned of their ships destruction when switching to another sector while in a rift sector
• [UBR] Fixed an issue where part of the ServerRunner window was not visible
• [UBR] Fixed an issue where no warning was displayed when leaving ships behind in a rift sector