(Note: If you're in the midst of a 0.7.1 game and wish to complete it, switch back to the 0.7.1 branch by selecting old build from Properties->Betas.) We've concluded the development of the 0.7.2 branch for the closed/backer version and made it available to the KS edition! A significant feature of 0.7.2 is the expansion of the research system. The concepts of "rungs" and "tech levels" have merged, with tech fields now being leveled up by filling a meter. Every time you level up a field, you get to select a perk. There's a bit more to it, which you will discover as you play. While feedback suggests that the new systems are intuitive, the old MoO1-style mechanics can be hard to explain, making the full extent of changes somewhat difficult to articulate. The next major update, though perhaps not immediately visible, is a near-complete rewrite of the combat system. A big shoutout to friend-of-the-project Fabien Dreher for supplying a novel framework for hex math, providing such flexibility that we've only begun to tap into. In essence, the old system catered to foreground events in a very Unity Engine specific way. Background events were bolted on to that, resulting in an inelegant and fragile outcome. The new system has been designed with both in mind and does not rely on the Unity Engine, though foreground events do interface with it. In practical terms, you'll find combat events subtly different, with a narrower gap between foreground and background events (in 99% of cases, no difference at all). Background events run more swiftly and execute in parallel (they may even execute while the player is engaged in a foreground event), resulting in smoother turn processing. Speaking of combat, we've introduced Subspace Teleporter and Repulsor Beam specials, with some unique spins compared to their Master of Orion counterparts. Besides research and combat, we've improved the equipment picker in ship design, now providing more information and sortability. You'll also find many minor improvements, a few balance changes, and numerous bug fixes. Overall, expect the 0.7.2 branch to be more robust and stable compared to 0.7.1. Looking ahead, our plan is to bring improvements to neutrals (0.7.3) and diplomacy (0.7.4) to the KS edition after they're stabilized in the full/backer version. An Early Access release is planned follow shortly thereafter. We expect these updates to roll out faster than 0.7.2 did. After the Early Access launch, the KS edition will no longer receive substantial updates but, if you feel we've earned it, you can support us by purchasing. Happy galactic conquering!

-Touchscreen support has been added, including a new user interface for moving fleets around the map. The game automatically switches to the last form of input used. Further improvements are planned for upcoming releases, which will improve the experience on smaller displays. -Support for arbitrary screen aspect ratios has been added, allowing the user interface to adapt to ultra-tall and ultra-wide displays. However, extremely oblong ratios may be cumbersome. -About two worth of Unity Engine updates. -The reserve/maintenance/total RP readouts on the top right of the main screen have been enlarged and can now be clicked to open information panels. -Allocations have been significantly reduced, lowering CPU overhead and potentially further improving performance on architectures where CPU and GPU share resources. -The issue of z-fighting inside of nebula graphics has been fixed. -The ability to click on planets obscured by fog of war has been fixed. -Resolved a bug where playing with an AI production modifier would incorrectly adjust the player's stimulus expenses. -The behavior of sliders within scrollable areas has been improved. -Minor adjustments have been made to the diplomatic AI. -The damage of Gauss Autocannon has been lowered from 7-10 to 6-10. -The damage of Wide Effect Cannon has been lowered from 2-20 to 2-18. -The damage of Stellar Converter has been lowered from 10-35 to 8-32. -The base price of Ion Cannon has been reduced from 11 to 10 BC, and the base size has been reduced from 50 to 45 tons. -The variability of initiative in ship crafting has been halved. -The crafting cost of hulls larger than corvettes has been slightly reduced.

Hey everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the beta! There's only 24 hours left in the Kickstarter campaign! And we're short of our goal by only 8%! ($1600 CAD) Just a reminder that the KS edition will continue to receive updates after the campaign ends, but only until all the beta keys go out to backers. After that point there may be one or two sporadic updates to fix any major issues that crop up, but otherwise you'll need to back at a beta testing tier to access newer versions of the game. [previewyoutube=D-bck0zfSOw;full][/previewyoutube]

Hey everyone! Just want to let you know that the Dominus Galaxia Kickstarter will be ending soon. Specifically on Oct. 26th, 23:59 PST. The campaign is currently sitting at 65% funded, so there's still some ways to go... but it's doable. The last 48 hours will be especially critical. Please consider backing us if you're enjoying the beta release! [previewyoutube=D-bck0zfSOw;full][/previewyoutube]