Topic-watchers may wish to be aware that I have just issued a new version of Via Galactica, version 1.7.1. Below I've pasted the changes it includes. You can get the new version from my website,
http://viagalactica.atspace.comWhat's new in version 1.7.1? (Released 4 June 2012)This version makes a number of amendments to version 1.6.7. Game files saved in versions 1.6.1 to 1.6.7 can be used by this new version, and game files saved by version 1.7.1 can be used by versions 1.6.5 to 1.6.7 of the program.
Amended ship size calculation formulae to reduce duplication between classes and introduce new handy sizes of 25 and 50 hold spaces in the Ship Yard.
Added Equipment Options dialog box and moved 'group identical options' checkbox from Equipment dialog box into that. Includes option to automatically replace used or destroyed equipment; the option to allow more than one of the same equipment type to be specified for purchase or disposal; and the option to specify how the program should handle the assembly of multipart objects.
Altered pirate abundance so that starting system and its neighbouring systems do not have any pirates - to allow easy start to game.
Added new Shields; an Intermediate Shield (the old Advanced Shield) and a new Advanced Shield with double the power of the Intermediate Shield - so the same power as the Military Shield.
Added new Weapons: Self-Targeting Laser now comes in Basic and Advanced varieties which match the power and size of the standard laser varieties.
Added confirmation dialog when purchasing illegal Equipment
Added Alliance flag graphics to header bar and welcome bar
Changed in-flight trader routine so that it now allows the purchase of anything the trader has, and in any order
Added text to Buy dialog box when Cargo Concealment Unit (CCU) is held which shows how many CCU spaces are already in use. Added 'Cash available' text to bottom of Buy dialog box.
All Auto Trader functions now cap purchase (and recommendations) of Illegal Cargo at the CCU level if CCU is held (with thanks to David Archer for the idea).
The Plunder dialog box 'Recommend' button which is available when holding an Auto Trader now provides a detailed message about which cargos are being recommended.
In a change of policy from previous versions, Auto Traders now do not recommend that you plunder valuable cargo if it isn't traded at the immediate destination - that is, it assumes a quick sale is better than a valuable sale.
Reprogrammed parts of Equipment dialog box to deliver speed improvements.
Reprogrammed Auto Trader profit calculation routine to deliver speed improvements and remove 200-cargo limit on Auto Trader recommendations.
Replaced 'Reset' button in New Game Settings with 'Presets' button which allows a skills profile to be selected from a sub-dialog box.
Fixed error in game loading routine which didn''t save or load certain strings starting with numbers correctly, causing corruptions to equipment names in older files (with thanks to Alex Fowler for reporting)
Fixed error in version 1.6.7 (only) whereby Ship Yard dialog box displayed wrong number of MLs of fuel held (eg 15ML for 15 parsecs) (thanks to David Archer for reporting)
Updated main help file to clarify that the effect of shields and weapons is in general cumulative. (thanks to David Archer for requesting the clarification)
Fixed error which wrongly reported the unit cost of cargo purchases in Messages in certain circumstances.