One of the things that drew me to Empire and Empire Deluxe way back when was the capability to make your own maps and scenarios. This afforded me countless extra hours of game play as I explored the creations of others. This was pretty rare back then, with only a few other games like Breach/Rules Of Engagement allowing users to make their own scenarios (Games like Doom/Quake had strong communities for modding even without official tool kits to assist, and that really create some fantastic things..). To me it showed the power of creativity is with the fan base. That is why I started the map/scenario page for the 1993 game to collect this creativity.

This 'extra stuff' for game play is why I have always tried to add capabilities within the game to make modifying it a little easier, and this is documented in the manual. This is not an easy challenge in design and development, but hopefully it is rewarding for the community and adding more playtime.

Stepping on the soapbox - I was just watching a promotional video on recent games available and they are actually now just boasting of at least 15 hours of game play for $40....the great games give you 100+ hours stepping off.

I recently received a document from 'Thoba', who has done a lot of Empire modding over the years and is currently working with others on a WWII mod. He shared with me a document he put together about working with Transparency in the game. Here's a link:

https://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/code/graphics/EDCE_Colors_1.pdf

and there are other items in that repository:

https://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/code/


I would like to thank those in the community like Thoba that have created maps/scenarios, graphics and shared them with the community. I know they have gotten enjoyment out of doing it, but they have also shared that with others. Their individual creative efforts take things in a direction I could not even imagine. So thank you for sharing. And if you have not shared but have a map or something else you often go to for that extra enjoyment, please think of sharing it with us either by uploading the map/scenario in game or posting about it. It is the player community that makes the game better than I can.

.and with that the holiday brings out Santa Sarge! Killer Bee Software's carefully crafted marketing tool.



I continue to maintain a fairly low profile. My time is still very limited due to several life events. Fortunately, Build 18 has turned out to be quite stable so I have not needed to patch up to a build 19.

Over the summer I did convert all of the stock scenarios from the 1993 Empire Deluxe and the scenario disk to the scenario/map download area. The conversion of these scenarios has been the number one ask from fans of the older versions. You can access these maps and scenarios from the Maps/Scenarios option off the main menu, then click on the button in the lower left corner for UL/DL Maps and Scenarios and peruse the Maps and Scenarios to download. The scenarios are stored under OriginalScens. But when you look at the different collections you will see there are many (over 100 I would say) maps and scenarios uploaded by fans of the game thank you to all of you for these.

So in closing I would like to say I have been working on other designs in the Empire Deluxe style vein, but nothing of note yet and it will still be quite a while before I have the ability to focus on something new. But for now, I would like to wish you a happy holiday gaming season with Empire Deluxe and stay safe!

It has been a while since I have been able to muster up enough time to get a build going. This addresses a lot of issues. One of the key ones is the Classic AI is not Enhanced Set ready, as it can now use submerged subs. So if you have used the classic in the enhanced set, stay a little more alert as the waters are no longer as safe as they used to be.

This version also has several bug fixes and minor enhancements. I want to thank everyone for their messages of support and bug reports. I really appreciate it. I hope you find this build enjoyable.

since it has been a while, so hopefully I did not miss a step and it all crashes and burns. If it does, we will put the fires out this month and release another patch. Send me an email.

For Steam people, updating should be easy. For itch folks, don't forget to check this thread:

https://killerbeesoftware.itch.io/empire-deluxe-combined-edition/devlog/16579/itch-users-guide-for-updating-your-game


Here is the full list of adjustments for Build 18:

Build 18

• Rare Path situation does not consider no stack case with disastrous results
  
• Upgraded To Unity 2017.4.40 (final Unity v2017 build): Please report any unusual issues
  
• won;t spelling in smack AI
  
• adding specific general name to ai options
  
• ai options in old configs were out of date if changes were made
  
• added generals file for external random general names . This is a text file with a general name on each line. A leading # will be a comment.
  
• Moved immunity and new general hints into common part of ai players
  
• number of neutral attackers incorrect in the default script. Check the line [SAI_NUM_NEUTRAL_ATTACKERS][2] is what it should be
  
• entrenched units could move home/explore/patrol/morph under special circumstances
  
• CR and BB were not properly Ranged Fire impacting city production. They do not damage efficiency, but they can disrupt and kill internal units. (Must start a new game)
  
• LA could move combat cities and would always lose now it cannot engage.
  
• Be aware that unity does not play well with the citrix client
  
• Map Description when applicable available in the game rules report
  
• Scenario Description when applicable available in the game rules report
  
• Expanded Rules Options Panel to two
  
• Added Remove Loser Units game rules option
  
• Default Production Alert option added in Misc
  
• Added Reveal Map (and Cities) option for turn 1. This starts the game with just the map visible.
  
• Added Reveal Owner Turn One shows owner/capital info of reveal
  
• annotated import will only appear when a file is in the export directory
  
• fixed bug preventing air units from morphing in flight
  
• Units can morph in host (In Host and Without Host options Added)
  
• Enhanced AR can morph to IN in host (ours is not to question why)
  
• Common Lib Get All Hosts was woefully inefficient
  
• NameValuePairHint in common lib was busted
  
• NameValuePairHint Display was not displaying properly on first view
  
• Zoom caching added with minimal success better boost in Original CPU mode
  
• Enhanced AI no does not purge production when immune to drain
  
• Classic AI can now use submerged subs in Enhanced games.
  
• Hotseat games could get locked up under certain race conditions
  
• Added Visibility Square counts to map stats in editor
  
• Classic AI can now handle Enhanced Unit Set
  
• small spotting bug with units of different levels
  
• open source now has VS2019 solution files for quick building
  

Good news! I am now moving towards build 18 of Empire Deluxe Combined Edition. I now have a new build environment and am working on several things that have been out standing and then a couple of extra things I have been meaning to put back in. I am a little rusty with the code so taking it slow.

The map area for online maps is looking pretty good. If you have a map or scenario to share, please up load it we are always looking for more!

I am also seeing some rumblings about more people working in the AI. This next build will have a few changes in the EmpireCommon lib to facilitate things like overriding the General Names in the AI DLL.

So hang in there, the patch will be here soon.

Just wanted to give a heads up to those fans that like to stroll down memory lane with the kinder, gentler vibes of games gone by. Today Xeen Music has released remastered recordings of the MIDI sounds of Empire Deluxe from 1993. These tracks were written by and originally plunked into MIDI form by Rob Wallace.

[previewyoutube=Be4DcM11M_g;full][/previewyoutube]

Xeen Music has also a bunch of other tracks from many other classics, such as King's Quest and Might and Magic. Check out the channel, as they are striving to build the music from the original MIDI files when they can. Obviously, this is a true love for an art maybe somewhat lost, but not forgotten.

It has been a very busy year for me. I don't like to put personal issues out there and want to say I am fine, but there were multiple personal life changing events that have occurred over the course of this year that caused a re-alignment of how my life is working in several ways.

Being a lone indie developer, this has a big impact. All these circumstances have unfortunately put a stop to development of further versions of EDCE for other platforms as well as designs for another Perfect General for the immediate moment. At a point in the future, these things may resume. Fortunately EDCE has been very stable and only a few minor issues have arisen since the last patch. I still have made time for support and make sure to answer emails and questions/potential issues with the game, so please don't hesitate to contact me. We are moving on looking forward to the next 50 years!

It has been brought to my attention that Steam is reporting on the store page that EDCE is not compatible with MacOS 10.15 Catalina. But this is not true...It does, in fact, work, but apparently Apple may have a process/application that is trying to block you from starting your game because it is not a registered application with Apple. My personal thanks to those that pointed this out. What a brave new world we live in.

A common current critique of the game is the original scenarios/maps have not bee provided. Though there are converters and the older maps are online, I understand the desire to have them already converted. I hope to at some point do this, and that may be a good sign my head is coming back up above water.

So with the thankful season coming, I am thankful for getting through this year and thankful for EDCE being enjoyed by many of you. Make sure you and your family do stay safe and Santa sarge says get in a few games of Empire Deluxe along the way.

At some point in your life you recognize that you are Made. For Sarge, that moment has finally been obtained with the introduction of the Empire Deluxe T-Shirt series, produced by The Mandala Girl.




These shirts can be reviewed on the The Mandala Girl website, and ordered through Amazon.

https://www.the-mandala-girl.com/empire-deluxe-t-shirts/

The Mandala Girl involves player and a member of our Empire Community. They were wanting to express a love for the greatest computer wargame ever and to take it to the next level.

With only 5 million printed, supplies are limited so order soon, as the time has come for you to show us your true nerdiness by wearing one to a party!

With the New Year time here, my expertly crafted and designed marketing tool, Santa Sarge, makes another appearance. Now an almost 20 year tradition, you can feel the subliminal urges that he casts upon you to play Empire Deluxe. Though he is definitely late this year due to a 'real life' event, he is always happy to show his mug.

We have now logged an entire year since the release of the Combined Edition. The great news is EDCE is included in Das Tactic's strategy games list for this year. I always enjoy Das as he is not a carefully crafted marketing tool, but actually plays games he likes in a very detailed way. His list has many titles, and there are a few in it that I do not have that I am going to look over.

You might find some things that appeal to you from his list as well: https://youtu.be/gsOKSatOXzg

So wishing you a happy and healthy 2019!

Build #017 has been released. This is a small fix addressing an email issue that came up after the Unity 2017 upgrade.

The collection of maps is getting larger. If you have not browsed them in game for a while, you should take a peek. This can be accessed from the Maps/Scenario Edit screen then click the button in the lower left corner. And as always, if you have something to share, please do!

--Mark

Build 16 is now out and it is very exciting. It contains a major addition.

First, for me the most important aspect of this is Fileshare play. It removes a great deal of the logistical issues associated with email play. Turn around can come quite rapidly, and it is a lot of fun. Please make sure you read the manual entry on this (page 86 in updated manual) and understand how it works. Then find a frenemy and have at it.

Second, B16 will sport a more recent version of the Unity Player. This will be what Unity calls v2017, which will be a step up from 5.3. In testing, some issues with the upgrade were detected and corrected. Right now I do not see anything, but everyone has a different play style and you might travel where other players don't go. So if you see something unusual with B16 that was cool in B15, please let me know and it will get addressed.

Some other various issues brought by individuals were addressed were addressed. The full patch notes can be found here:

https://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev/


I am very excited about this version and hope you will enjoy it.

--Mark

Today I will treat you to my action-packed, superbly narrated and obviously well prepared demo of sending fileshare turns.

https://youtu.be/tB1mSJJSXUw

Be aware that I play BOTH sides of the game in the demo, but I wanted to make sure you saw how it behaves. So when you watch it, makes sure you think about if from either position 1's perspective, or position 2. When you get you hands on this, do not register a position you do not intend to play. Remember - do as I say, not as I do. ;>

Beyond some other minor repairs, the only other real tricky thing about this update is that it will be an upgrade of the Unity Engine from version 5.3 to a version they are calling 2017. There were some minor issues that cropped up due to this, but I believe they have all been squashed.

Right now I feel baring any horrific discovery this will be out before the end of October. I am very excited to get this to you, as when I am testing it it does take out the hassles associated with email play. Even as I am writing and preparing this blog post, I am able to quickly turn around two turns with someone testing it. It is my hope those of you that already PvP will find this a helpful solution and those that have yet to try it may begin to dabble.

--Mark

So late last month I wanted to announce that “Fileshare Play” was going to be introduced in build 16. Since that time it has been undergoing testing both internally with me and with a couple of 3 player games (which include a mod) with an independent group. I am quite excited about this as I continue to look for ways to facilitate PvP play in a reasonable, economic way.

“Fileshare Play” is very much like play by email, with a game file being placed between players.

With email, a file has to be sent via the email, meaning either the game program needs to be configured to talk with your SMTP server so a file can be sent, and you receive the game file in your email program as an attachment and you have to add it in a specific directory for the game to digest and play it.

With fileshare play, the game file is sent to a file server via http. and a registry is updated indicating who last played and who's turn it is. The next player can automatically download that file within the program and play it. On completion of the turn, it is then uploaded back to the file server and on it goes round and round.

The advantages of this are not having to deal with the email configurations or file management needed in email play. As long as you have a 'normal' Internet connection (http/https capable), you can participate in fileshare play. It is much faster for turn around times as well. It lets you know who played the last turn, and whether or not the other player has downloaded the turn for play.

All is not perfect though. Fileshare play is dependent on being able to communicate with the file server and then with the registry. This is technically a two step process, and if there is a failure in uploading/downloading the file or updating the registry, players will need to coordinate and recover the game, with the last person to have played resend the file. Since a file of possible a decent size is being transferred, the threat of hiccups in the Internet is very real. Fortunately, the file is saved for you by the game program to resend if something goes wrong.

The test has been going very well, and most of the patches/updates through the testing have to do with recovery situations when something gets out of turn and the game must be resent. One of the games being sent was “switched” from email play and is now in fileshare. This particular game is quite large, and so it has vetted out some issue with longer downloads and players receiving multiple games to play at once..

I am quite pleased with how it has worked out and hopefully within a few weeks it will be ready for everyone else to give it a try with B16. It should give you a faster, more effective way to PvP. I would encourage you and a friend or more to give it a try. I would think that this type of play would definitely accelerate PvP play. As veterans know, even in the smallest games there comes a point where you want to take a little time and examine your situation and defeat the enemy. That's why PBEM has always been a great way to play. I believe Fileshare will be even greater!

I am happy to announce that the next version of Empire Deluxe will have a new Multi-player option, and that will be what I am calling “Fileshare Play”.

This will be very similar to email play, except the game will automatically be sent and received via http over the Internet. This enables you and an opponent or two to have quick turn around times, as you can wait for the turn to come back to you, or occasionally check to see if you have any games to play.

I cannot give you an estimated delivery time for the build yet, but it is implemented and now testing.

I checked the online maps the other day and some people have been busy. ;>

Don't have much else to comment, but I wanted to put the Fileshare info out there, so I will leave you with this screen shot of my current Fileshare play screen.



--Mark

Was working On Europe. Liked this screen shot:



If you have a screen shot you like, please share.

--Mark

Today is the release of build15, which is actually a small patch up to fix a few issues that have been uncovered since the production release.

The most notable of this fixes is a network error arising from the use of map labels in Network games, causing out network protocol to be set at 3. Also, the lack of control button graphical changes for Morphing were confusing some players when it came time to make Morph decisions.

The full patch notes list is posted here: http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev/

Some maps are beginning to come into the community map archive. Milkman has produced several now, including

The crater map:



A separating sea map:



and a twisting river map:



So definitely if you like to overcome water and mountainous barriers, these are some good maps to try.

I want to thank everyone for their comments and contributions to the community. I am glad to see people are enjoying the game.

--Mark

Well, I guess it is officially a game. Build 14 marks version P 5.0.14 where the P stands for “Production”. Just what does this mean?

It means my belief is the game has reach a high level of stability/quality, which was the primary goal of Early Access. That does not mean it is perfect, but you should be able to play many hours bug free I hope. (If you do find an issue, as always let me know). The map/scenario uploading is in place, and I do have people looking over and using the open source AI code. So I know it will never be perfect, but as of now the game is considered in “Full Release”.

Version P 5.0.14 (still known as build 14 to all of you 'insiders'), has not made a ton of changes, but there were a couple of notable additions:

Waypoints – Map labels now hove the ability to contain one of eight key-bindable waypoints. When you set the key for a waypoint in your keybinds, and then in game assign a map label to a location, and assign that waypoint to that label, pressing the key will center the map to that location (regardless of whether or not the label is displayed). So you have up to potentially 8 hot key locations to zoom to.

Map Editor Copy And Paste – this is pretty rudimentary, but you can now define a rectangular region and copy the objects in that region (terrain, cities, units), and them paste them elsewhere on the map. You can also rotate this rectangle when pasting. What fun!

The remaining fixes and changes were pretty minor, though there was a network marshaling error, which now advances our network protocol value to “2”. There were also some issues with group orders in network play that needed to be cleaned out.

The full patch notes list is posted here: http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev/

There were some fixes to the AI players, so there will also be an update to the AI source code later on June 1st.


I will of course continue to work on fixes an some changes, and it is possible other things will get added. In other work I am currently working on a prototype for The Perfect General, and I will pass information along about that if it seems to be taking shape. Also, now that I am out of EA, I plan on exploring Android/iOS possibilities. Earlier this year I did build an apk, (Android), but decided to wait for this Full Release before pursuing it further.

So I am quite pleased with the game. It is quite a lot of fun, as it has been for a long time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

--Mark

[b](Screen Grab of You Tube Video of WWII Mod)[b]

I do not have a great deal to report at this time, which is a good thing. Lucky build #13 seems to be very stable, and only some rare edge case/minor issues have cropped up. So I do suspect the time for the end of Early Access draws nigh.

WWII Weasel has been quite prolific with his WWII mod. On Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/EmpireDeluxe/

He provides links to two different sets for play. Also on Reddit he has posted a video of the mod to show some of the different units.

I do not know what AI he was using there, but it was not very aggressive. Even though a mod like this seems built with PvP play in mind because of the number of new unit types, I have definitely enjoyed playing it and learning the units using the Expanding AI player for an explore and conquer game. I would recommend that for those wanting to give it a try and learn the units. This is a ranged fire fest!

On the subject of the AI DLLs, there is definitely more interest in both the AI open source and the World Building source as I have confirmation from a few people that they have been able to build the AI and World Building components for themselves. The information contained in this Steam thread :

https://steamcommunity.com/app/742700/discussions/0/1696043806564552535/

has proven useful to people wanting to build both AI and WB Dlls. Seeing that wall being cracked tells me that hopefully over time we will see some exciting measures in this space, and take advantage of more complex mods like WWII.

So for you C# coders out there, the water is fine, please jump in!


--Mark

Build #013 is now out of the oven and ready for consumption. This build has dealt with some network play issues and some other minor things. The release notes for this version are here: http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev

This build is telling me that the time for “Early Access” is growing short, and the game will soon be in full release. This does not make the assumption that there are no more bugs, or that nothing else can be added, but I definitely believe the game has reached a good confidence level in its stability. If this build goes as well as expected, then the EA time will soon draw to a close.
If you have not been tuned in, there is a discussion going on in the Steam forums about building the AI. The details are here in this thread:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/742700/discussions/0/1696043806564552535/

To my knowledge this is the first independent attempt to build it from someone seeking assistance, and we have encountered a couple of pitfalls. But I do believe we are almost there. If you are feeling brave, you should give it a try. Also, the process to make a World Builder is close to the same, so if you want more control over how maps are laid out, then you should give that a shot. If you have questions, lets talk about it!

--Mark

Them!

I have build 13 in the oven, but I suspect my schedule is going to get the best of me and I will not get the build fully tested for a release until next week. I am turning my hamster wheel as fast as I can, but as you should know I am a one man shop.

But this got me thinking that I want to give a shout out to some of those that are helping spread the word for the game either through videos, or mods.

First I want to shout out thanks to Das Tactics, who has made some videos of Empire Deluxe. He plays a lot of interesting stuff and I have watched him on several occasions to get a feel for a title. He is quite prolific and it is obviously a labor of love. His channel can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Das24680/featured

And then there have been a couple of series by Time And Tactics, who has an interesting play style and explains a lot of his strategies a his games unfold. He is obviously a huge strategy gaming nerd, like the rest of us! He has some interesting play-throughs of various games here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjRoLbPgX1dMq01Go1FBf6Q/videos

We cannot forget Dr. Matt Barton, of “Matt Chat”. Last year he did an interview with Mark Baldwin, and he has hundreds of episodes interviewing a lot of gaming industry names and such. If you like gaming and have a been a gamer for a while, you definitely want to check him out: https://www.youtube.com/user/blacklily8/videos . You may even learn something about beer.

For mods we have some pretty serious ones going. WWII Weasel has released a mod, and tells me he is close to releasing a second. Info on his first mod is here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/742700/discussions/0/1700541698702292519/


Gryphin Rampant has been pinging me for quite a while about his attacking Ants mod. He has released an initial version of it now, and it can be found here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/742700/discussions/0/1697169163401242013/


Then a little while back I mentioned Andrew Young's contribution, which is discussed more in this update: https://killerbeesoftware.itch.io/empire-deluxe-combined-edition/devlog/28144/another-map-and-a-world-viewer


I would like to encourage you to help EDCE along if you can, by talking to your friends about it, making a video, maybe doing a stream, writing a review as to why you like it.

You can also add to the game by sharing a map for us to enjoy, making a mod, or making something else we had not considered. The game thrives on a sharing community.

If you are doing something you would like me to share, do drop me a line.

Them!

I have build 13 in the oven, but I suspect my schedule is going to get the best of me and I will not get the build fully tested for a release until next week. I am turning my hamster wheel as fast as I can, but as you should know I am a one man shop.

But this got me thinking that I want to give a shout out to some of those that are helping spread the word for the game either through videos, or mods.

First I want to shout out thanks to Das Tactics, who has made some videos of Empire Deluxe. He plays a lot of interesting stuff and I have watched him on several occasions to get a feel for a title. He is quite prolific and it is obviously a labor of love. His channel can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Das24680/featured

And then there have been a couple of series by Time And Tactics, who has an interesting play style and explains a lot of his strategies a his games unfold. He is obviously a huge strategy gaming nerd, like the rest of us! He has some interesting play-throughs of various games here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjRoLbPgX1dMq01Go1FBf6Q/videos

We cannot forget Dr. Matt Barton, of Matt Chat. Last year he did an interview with Mark Baldwin, and he has hundreds of episodes interviewing a lot of gaming industry names and such. If you like gaming and have a been a gamer for a while, you definitely want to check him out: https://www.youtube.com/user/blacklily8/videos . You may even learn something about beer.

For mods we have some pretty serious ones going. WWII Weasel has released a mod, and tells me he is close to releasing a second. Info on his first mod is here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/742700/discussions/0/1700541698702292519/


Gryphin Rampant has been pinging me for quite a while about his attacking Ants mod. He has released an initial version of it now, and it can be found here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/742700/discussions/0/1697169163401242013/


Then a little while back I mentioned Andrew Young's contribution, which is discussed more in this update: https://killerbeesoftware.itch.io/empire-deluxe-combined-edition/devlog/28144/another-map-and-a-world-viewer


I would like to encourage you to help EDCE along if you can, by talking to your friends about it, making a video, maybe doing a stream, writing a review as to why you like it.

You can also add to the game by sharing a map for us to enjoy, making a mod, or making something else we had not considered. The game thrives on a sharing community.

If you are doing something you would like me to share, do drop me a line.

This is just a short update to say that today I submitted a map of the Philippines made by Thoba that a fan of his sent me. It is not very large, but it does make for an interesting game. It can be downloaded in the Map/Scenarios section under the “world” creator.

If you have a map you find interesting or really enjoy, you should consider uploading it for the rest of us to try. This can be done through the Maps/Scenarios section as well.

Also, if you have unit sets or other things to share with us, please post a note in one of the forums.

Andrew Young is working on a program to make a more detailed World View map than the one provided in game. I believe it is a Windows only program. If it is still up, the details and program can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1o0ulxMjRKlrUmVVzpDu4CQJKNP35EZBw

Look for EDCEShowMap.exe . I should disclose that this is his own work and not that of Killer Bee Software, and what great work it is! Andrew usually hangs out in the Yahoo forum. A link to that forum as well as other community locations can be found here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/EmpireDeluxe/wiki/index


I have a been holding off on Build 13 to see if I get any more bug reports to come in. Things do seem pretty stable and I suspect we will see that build in a couple of weeks.

--Mark

This is just a short update to say that today I submitted a map of the Philippines made by Thoba that a fan of his sent me. It is not very large, but it does make for an interesting game. It can be downloaded in the Map/Scenarios section under the world creator.

If you have a map you find interesting or really enjoy, you should consider uploading it for the rest of us to try. This can be done through the Maps/Scenarios section as well.

Also, if you have unit sets or other things to share with us, please post a note in one of the forums.

Andrew Young is working on a program to make a more detailed World View map than the one provided in game. I believe it is a Windows only program. If it is still up, the details and program can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1o0ulxMjRKlrUmVVzpDu4CQJKNP35EZBw

Look for EDCEShowMap.exe . I should disclose that this is his own work and not that of Killer Bee Software, and what great work it is! Andrew usually hangs out in the Yahoo forum. A link to that forum as well as other community locations can be found here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/EmpireDeluxe/wiki/index


I have a been holding off on Build 13 to see if I get any more bug reports to come in. Things do seem pretty stable and I suspect we will see that build in a couple of weeks.

--Mark

A new release is out today – this will be build twelve. This is the follow-up build to some issues that surfaced with the Experimental Optimization option due to a recently released mod.

The reports and stats from the Experimental option are coming out very nicely, and I think with the Experimental Optimization we now have the CPU utilization issues under control. However, with the release of WW2 Weasel's first mod, it was uncovered that the Experimental method was breaking due to the terrain images were not intended to be 128x128. (they were 64x). I have fixed the issues with this and so those images can be used. It works much better now, but do be aware when working with images not 128x for terrain, the CPU will work a little harder than if they were 128x.

This build also addressed a few minor issues where things like drop and land were not subject to defensive fire, etc. Some mod specific. The full list of fixes/changes can be found here:

http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev


If you have not downloaded the WW2 Weasel's first mod, you should. It plays quite differently than the vanilla game. I have enjoyed it.

--Mark

So now with Empire Deluxe we are turning the dial to eleven! Actually, this is quite a quiet release (hopefully) with some serious under the hood work.

Some more work went into trying to make the game less cpu intensive. However, this involves some serious changes and I did not want to risk the game's stability. So the new work has been presented as an option. In the Administration panel, you will find a CPU optimization option with a choice of “Original” vs “Experimental”.

Original is, of course, as it has been. If you have not been experiencing issues with CPU usage, you may try and see if you get better performance with the other option. This is the default option for the moment. You can always switch through the Administration screen.

Experimental is the new method, and I would be interested in feedback from those who have been tracking this issue. You will still get usage when forcing new map draws (moving the screen around), but when this is not happening the usage should lessen. If you find visual issues with this version, please let me know.

There were also a couple of trouble issues dealt with and some other minor changes. The full list of fixes/changes can be found here:

http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev

Hopefully after this version a corner has been turned and the game will begin moving towards its transition from Early Access to Full Release.

--Mark

Build #10 is out. This build has some under the hood work on making it more efficient. As well as a few feature adds.

The work on optimization is slow to avoid risk of it being broken. With this build, there has been effort in reducing the cpu load while in game, as well as the increased load on network games. More work is still to come.



The additional features are actually quite exciting. There is now a row in the command button section where you can stash control buttons you never use. Access this by pressing the sort menu. I will most likely add one of these for the info section as well as it is starting to crowd up.



A second feature(s) is the ability to give Engineers instructions on building roads/mines in multiple locations. This heavily requested feature is extremely useful. You can actually build up or tear down, so tearing down is also available to any unit which can destroy roads/mines.

The full list of fixes/changes can be found here:

http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev

--Mark

As you may know, Empire Deluxe Combined Edition allows you to change the graphics of the game. Instructions on how to do this are included in the manual. Here are some player made graphics that have recently come out:

There is Daron Ryan's city set.



Faunce's city set which lights up when hosting.



And there is the Temperate Terrain Set from WW2 Weasel, who also has a mod he is working on.



These sets can be found on the graphics directory off of

http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/code

These do have to be placed in the appropriate directory structure within the game, so definitely check the manual section on how to add these modifications.

Do you have graphics you are using? If so, please share them.


Build 10 is in the works, but holding out to see if any issues are going to arise. If things remain calm, it will probably be released next week. It does have a couple of new things, most notably is it will add the ability to command an engineer to lay mines or build roads in multiple locations.

--Mark

I have uploaded three more maps from the old Empire Deluxe map collection. Most of these were originally created a long while back, and though city efficiency ratios probably need to be changed, the geography is still good. I do not know the original authors of these maps, except the Asian map has the markings of 'Che', who was Steve Barker.

These are:

• An Asian Map – mainly focused on the Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan
  
• A Map Of North America
  
• A Map Of Europe
  

Build #09 is now live. For me this is a great build, as it not only fixes several odd issues and bugs, but it has the two big feature additions that I think are going to be awesome: A central location for unit set modification assets and Map/Scn file sharing within the game.

For the assets, I have worked with and looked over some of the needs for Unit Set modders, and hopefully the assets folders will help them spread their work. If you have an existing mod, the assets folder will be magically created for you with the appropriate sub directories when you start the game. It is then up to you to move the extra images and other assets to the folder.

When it is time for you to send someone your mod, you should send both the mod file and the directory in a zip. The receiver should put these in there own /udb directory. I have seen spaceships, insects, tanks, troops and other creations and new assets. I now would like to encourage Mod developers to share your creations with the Empire Deluxe world. They are really fascinating.

And of course now we have Map/Scn sharing. Right now this is pretty much virgin territory, as I have submitted three maps, two of which you have already seen (the two world maps). I also added Che's ABBA map from the Empire Deluxe days. Now it is up to you, those that want to share maps and scenarios, the community. So make a creator name for yourself, and send us some things.

The little hidden feature I mentioned in the last blog was a way to automatically have a city apply surplus supply towards its current production (cannot be used to raise efficiency). So if you use supply to speed up your production, now set up your supply lines, check a box and go.

Also note that the Network Protocol version for the game is now at “1”. if you play via network, make sure you have the latest version to avoid issues.


The entire list of patch notes are here:

http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev


AI Source code will be getting an update today as well. It would be great to see some AI projects. If anyone is working one and has comments or questions, let me know.


So if you have a cool map, scenario, or if you have been working with a mod, please post about it and share it with us! I can't wait to see what comes up.

--Mark

I am moving closer to Build 009, but we are not there yet. However, I wanted to bring out a couple of feature adds that are coming up with Build 009 - Because I am excited about them and I want to give you a heads up!

The first is Unit Set Modification Asset Directories. It has become very evident to me that those working on unit sets really want to do more and add images and sound to their mods. However, the idiot that wrote the game did not take this into account, and made the modification of images and sound on a global level, not specific to any one Unit Set. This made the sharing of unit sets more difficult when such things were needed.

To resolve this, each unit set will now have an assets folder, where the unit set maker can place images and sounds (unit name files as well) to augment the unit set. Then the new unit set can be sent to others simply by zipping up the core data file for the set and the asset directory. It will make sharing and distribution much simpler.

The second feature, but certainly not the least as you can tell by my in-game announcement banner, is that Build 009 will also have Map and Scenario sharing. This sharing will be cross-platform and independent of whether you are using itch or steam to play. The interface and method is very simplistic, but I did not want to use something like the Steam Works API as it would dissect the community between Steamers and Itchers, and the “C” for combined in EDCE must have true meaning! So hopefully we will be able to share map/scn creations this way.

Build 009 is now entering my internal testing, but I doubt it will surface until next week. But as a slick promotional trick I have already updated the online manual at http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/code/manual/EDCE.pdf (Itch users should also have the updated file in their accounts). The write ups are not that exciting, but the Unit Set asset description is around page 106, and info an a couple of screen shots are available around page 98.

My hope is these two feature additions will help facilitate more sharing within the community. I see some pretty interesting stuff being formulated. Let us in on the fun!

--Mark

PS:

(there is another small, but new feature hidden on one of the Production Dialog screenshots/descriptions).

Build #08 is now live. This build addresses a bunch of things, both some bug fixes and some slight changes. Many of the fixes apply to modification situations as I am now interacting with several modders and making adjustments as they encounter hiccups in their mods. I am seeing some nice stuff out there. In a little more time hopefully we will see some more cool stuff.

Full patch notes are here:
http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev/

I want to thank everyone at this point for all of the comments and help I have received in tracking down things and getting it to behave as it should. Thank you for your time and patience. There will still be more work to be done.

Don't forget, if you are loving the game, tell your friends. Write a review. Share a screen shot. Share a map. Have fun.

--Mark

At Killer Bee's website, there are two map files of the Earth. These maps were previously made by fans of the game.

From Empire Deluxe Internet Edition, there is Big Earth (author unknown to me)



From Empire Deluxe Enhanced Edition, there is the larger Thoba's Earth



These maps can be downloaded, along with the convertor that made them, at
http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/code/maps

Now, for diehard Steam players, before you say "Steam Has A Workshop!" this is already known, but that has not been implemented into the game at this time. But these maps are so fun and interesting to play on, I wanted to go ahead and share.

To install the maps, you need to extract them into the /maps directory. You can locate you by looking in the Administration Screen (Administration Button in the Main Menu) and pressing the "Directories" button.

If you have maps (or any other game creations/modifications) you would like to share, please post them up somewhere and drop us a line in the forums. Or if you have no where to put it, feel free to wrap it in a zip with a short read me and I will try to come around and post it in my area.

--Mark

Build #07 is now live. This is not a very large set of changes, and it is addressing some minor issues that have surfaced. Patch notes here: http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev/

With this build, I believe a good level of stability has been reached. I want to thank people that have taken the time to report issues to me for their eye for detail and patience. The game is better for it.

I can now begin to address some requests that players have made to help the game. However, with the holidays upon us, I will try my best to not do any development activity until the new year. It is very hard to step back, but also important so that I can take a fresh look on what can be done and what needs to be done, as well as what's next.

This does not mean I will not be present in the forums, not post any more announcements, or will not answer your emails. It only means you should not expect a build 008 for the remainder of this year unless something that completely bugs me comes up. Development requires a good amount of focus time and that will most likely be in short supply for me next week.

I hope you find some time to enjoy the game over the holiday season.

--Mark

Build 06 is released with some more fixes.

Two You-Tubers have posted some let's play series.

First is Time And Tactics, who is playing an interesting game with some very low point cities. I think his situation may become desperate soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_ptMRre6gY&list=PLxKjEs6TGTjLQS93qoc56mZNC7-rMYFIu

And second, Das Tactics is playing the game in a new series. Das gets a nod in the manual for his help showing the Alpha in what now seems to have been years ago (but was really only in August). Now Das is playing a game in as of his play series and I hope he is enjoying it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYLfmnUX9pU

Build 05 has been released. This is a quick release mainly due to client display errors in games that have the Enhanced AI player and do not use the stacking rule.

The entire patch list is available here: http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev . No changes were made to the AI or WB source code.




The holiday time is coming soon. Is Santa Sarge going to visit anyone this year?



--Mark

Build 04 has been released. This is another stability build, mainly addressing trouble issues with the game, though one new option, the “Friendly Move Time” has been added to the options dialog. I have gotten a few archives this week, and I appreciate those of you that took the time to send them. I thank you all for your patience.

Several adjustments to the AI players were made as they got tossed around in many edge cases. The entire patch list is available here: http://killerbeesoftware.com/edce/dev . I do have some AI code updates to post. I will be putting that out shortly.

I really hope you are having fun with the game. Share your experiences or a screenshot with us. Or maybe a map or two...

--Mark

Time And Tactics Has Begun To Post A Walkthrough Of the Game. He takes a good amount of time in two videos on setup and the first turns. If you are finding confusion there, this may be a good watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_ptMRre6gY

Build 03 has been released. This build only addresses some problematic issues that were raised since the game was released Tuesday. These were:

• Transports could load units that were dug-in.
  
• Expanding Player would try to build Fighters when playing with the Basic Set
  
• Some platforms would fail trying to send email
  
• SSL emailing was not correct.
  

It is finally here! Now it is time for the next chapter in the Empire Series to begin!

Welcome to Empire Deluxe Combined Edition. This version is the result of nearly 50 years of classic game play. Whether you are an Empire Deluxe veteran, or a complete noob, it is my hope that 100's of hours of game play await you.

Empire Deluxe is a game about taking cities. Starting with just one, the city enables a commander to produce units. These units in turn can directly attack or support the attack of more cities. Your imperialistic desires are not satisfied until you have taken every city on the map.

Then there is an added complication:

There can be multiple opponents with the same goal. You cannot work with them to capture all of the cities. They don't want to work with you. You must work against them. You spend a good amount of time preventing them from taking your cities, and you try your best to capture their cities.

Additional rules can be added to the game at your discretion. The games can range from simple to moderately complex in nature, being small affairs or large epic conflicts, depending on how you configure the game.

Examples of some of the different ways you can set up a game:

• Sighting/Exploration - Have the full map revealed and know where all units are, or make it a mystery you must discover
  
• Number/Types of Players - Add players, both human and AI
  
• Choose a unit set - Work with the simplest of units, to just take cities, or add submarines, aircraft carriers, artillery, engineers, spy satellites and even nuclear missiles..
  
• Buy Points - start the game with a set of buy points to insta-build your force at the game start
  
• Production Rules - Enable penalties for creating to much, have cities specialize in building a unit type or how efficient they are.
  
• Supply - Exploit resources on the map to use for faster and more efficient production
  
• Maps/Scenarios - use predefined maps and scenarios to approach a game from a different perspective, or configure the random map generators to make a certain map topography for you
  
• Alter Victory Conditions - change the challenge so that victory is achieve through regicide or a capital kill, or perhaps taking over a number of specially marked cities.
  

The title really says it all. The time is almost here.