Open Realm of Stars 0.21.0Beta

Open Realm of Stars 0.21.0Beta is released. Let's go through biggest changes.

There are two new space races: Synthdroids and Alonians. Synthdroids are android which are bit like mix between humans and Mechions. Synthdroids need to be built like Mechions, but Synthdroids also need food to survive. They only need 50% of food than compared to other races. Synthdroids are using the old news reader image with legs added. Alonians are different compared to other races, they don't have starting planet at all. Instead they have more ships than others. (4 scouts and 2 colony ships). They also get extra research point for each colony ship with at least one colonist on board and not orbiting planet. Also space stations produce extra research point if they some research facilities.

Game can now have up to 16 realms. There are total number of 16 different space race so each space race can be in same game. This 16 realms make winning of diplomatic, cultural, domination or by population victory quite challenging since you need to gain 50% of other realms to win. For example diplomatic victory you need to gain trust of over 50% total population of whole galaxy. Domination requires conquering of 50% of home planets. Cultural victory requires have at least cultural admires for almost half of the galaxy. And finally population victory requires to have 50% or more of whole galaxy population.

This version features space worms and space krakens as space monsters. These can be found from the space anomalies. I actually had quite interesting bug with these while playing test game. Earlier updates added tractor beam which can be used for stealing ships from other realms and I thought I had disabled that for space monsters. Turned out that I wasn't and I got text where it said ship has been captured. I fixed this that tractor beam can be used for disabled space monster for taming it. Now you can have your own pet space monsters.

There are also features which should make game less for micro management. Regular movements can be set as route. This is very good for exploration fleets to move. Game will also notify if exploration fleet finds planets or space anomalies or deep space anchors. Planet governors can now automatically select next building project when previous project finishes. Governors can also suggest what building should be destroyed or recycled if planet is full. Governor can be give a guidance for example focusing on research or military. In ship design view it is possible to use AI to design ships for you. This uses same methods as AI realms use. Player need to select ship hull and possible variant for ship type and name the ship. After design player can still modify the ship as needed or wanted.

There is also a new basic weapon: multicannon. Some of the space race will have access for multicannon instead of railgun. Multicannons have very short range and bad accuracy(Only with first generation, this will get better instead of range like other weapon types) but good thing with multicannons is that they do not require energy. This allows new ship designs like small ship with armor, nuclear engines and multicannons. This basically allows to have one single "extra" component in ships since no energy is required for weapons.

Finally let's show picture of Smaurigian space ship bridge(This space ship bridge image was also added in this version):