Update notes for 16th March 2024

Hi everyone,

I'm really excited to share this release of Liberation! In my career as a software engineer I've always believed that "people don't have accessibility issues, software has accessibility issues".

Why care about accessibility? Well, it's the right thing to do. As the good folk at the Game Accessibility Guidelines write, developers should "avoid unnecessarily excluding players, and ensure that games are just as fun for as wide a range of people as possible". A game built to include people is simply a better game.

I guess I've always had a bit of a theoretical view of it. Like an architect doing ramps without needing them themselves. However, for Liberation I've had one real life design aim: To get my Dad to play it.

My Dad is 80 years old now and his mobility is not so good. We played the original Elite together when I was a kid and one of the reasons I wanted to make Liberation was because he is terrible at Elite Dangerous.

There is no "correct" way to play Liberation. If people want super hardcore twitchiness, turn the difficulty up to "Dangerous" and go for it. But with this release, Liberation can basically be played as a turn-based game if that is more your speed.

1. Turn on "story mode". This makes enemy ships do no damage and gives the player a super weapon

2. Turn on "pause game to target". This will pause the game and show a list of ships to target

3. Use the super weapon at any time to blast all enemies

4. Use the autopilot to fly to any target

Fun for as wide a range of people as possible.

There are lots of other goodies this release too:

• Completely reworked the mission system to provide feedback to players

• Mouse support for aiming

• New civilian ships

• Gamepad improvements, including layers can force a gamepad template (eg xbox, sony)

• Buffed some enemies but massively nerfed the Red Squadron skeleton fleet

• Lots of quality of life improvements. LOTS.

Anyway, I'm pleased to say this release is Dad-tested.

Regards, Luke

Additions

• add mouse control for aiming (pitch and yaw)

• show icon next to best jumpgate when in mission

• add new civilian ship: The Tanker - carries raw commodities around GalFed

• add new civilian ship: cargo tug - pulls one cargo container between cargo ships and ports

• add non-player docking ports to bliss farms

• add some tankers to Algeus

• add some tankers to Tycho

• schedule tanker traffic at Algeus extractor and farms

• allow systems to schedule civilian ship arrivals at their jumpgates

• add some missing source files

• show mission icons in mission message

• show icon on mission destination body

• show mission target icon on relevant items in store

• show mission target icon on mission objectives

• notify player is missing embark and disembark opportunity

• add lights to docking ports that activate when nearby

• add paused target list slide out

• add setting for paused targeting list

• add target list setting to gameplay menu

• add target slide out that can target system bodies

• add ability to turn off gamepad layout autodetect

• improve gamepad support (with layout autodetect off, game will use selected icons (eg xbox or sony) no matter the detected gamepad)

• add option for "more description" that says "ship is behind you" on body pointer

• display key bindings for actions such as Target and Accept Mission

• display instruction on opening prologue

• rework limpet mines so they travel around a circular path

• add SFX to death race lasers

• add new image for keyboard controls in manual

• add option to send keyboard controls PDF to default printer

Changes

• rework Khaldir system to make it tighter

• move Penrhyn gate on Khaldir closer to action

• allow cargo ships to take a full load (tee hee)

• improved explosions on fighters and heavy fighters

• let missiles destroy missiles

• allow targeting of missiles

• fix to mouse and autopilot

• flash acquiring target message

• update first message to say "Incoming communication"

• break out mission control into own subsystem

• rework mission objective handling

• visually disable weapon buttons when docked

• refresh market on game game

• move mission data to mission objectives

• add icon tip to comms accept button

• play port music only when in dock screen not when in external view

• update The Guard at Khaldir to be two-shot by missile attack but has buffed shields and armour

• massively armoured Comms Relay

• move Jumpgate Judge and Megaplanet 1 carrier closer to main theatre of action

• beef up limpet mine explosion

• move bombing fleet and jumpgates and limpet mines closer together on Kaneel

• make skeleton fleet (Red Squadron) fire less often

• give Red Squadron three missiles

• remove two Red Squadron fighters

• reduce Apostilico guard from infinite missiles to 5

• reduce damage from missiles in Apostilico

• deactivate docking computer on arrival at non-dock location

• make death race starting line is targetable (you can autopilot to it)

• make The Medusa rotate slightly

• move cargo icon slightly to right on HUD

• unfade non hostile body pointers so we can more easily find jumpgates when acquiring target during hostiles

• show call sign If a ship is broadcasting a message

• make Escape from Thantis mission warn if Quatermatter left behind and won't progress

• buff The Colossus (made him more tanky)

• rename Nyria Spacestation to Nyria Station. Don't not leave anyone at Nyria Spacestation in an old savegame (0.00001% chance someone has done this)

• spread landers apart on Kaneel

• buff nurses on Boucher

• buff EMP device

Fixes

• fix save game button

• improve mousein menus and dock screen

• fix mouse capture menu button to show loaded setting

• fix xbox gamepad on windows

• fix dock screen icon

• restore focus when exit menu on dock screen

• fix docking port

• fix when joypad changes

• fix gamepad save game button

• prevent player controller ship from docking at npc-only docking port

• make missiles no longer broadcast comms if shot at

• make docking comp ignore missiles

• make editor and mouse work nicer together

• add vicinity shape for small space stations

• stop weapon and boost buttons working when docked

• terminate docking computer when player arrives at locked jumpgate

• fix wandering input button on comms

• stop clicking story mode losing focus

• make when the guard is destroyed at Penrhyn they now stop taunting you

• make comms relay now not broadcast civilian emergency message

• improved solid shape for small space stations (ok I added it)

• hide empty info panel on galaxy map

• fix so Etain Jumpgate will no longer get locked during Escape from Thantis mission

• fix closing comms while in market now won't lose button focus

• make when docked a ship will no longer take damage

• make when docked turrets will no longer target a ship

• make when player is docked, NPCs will no longer launch missiles

• make when game is over, stop NPCs from launching missiles

• improve weapon system gamepad navigation d-pad

• stop triggering jumpgate mission signals if coming from a load file

• make Thantis cruisers invulnerable