This one continues our work on the winner of the "Big Items For 8.0" poll. Specifically: more hacking! :)
This release actually only adds two new forms of hacking but I think many of you will really enjoy one or both:
1) Corrupting an AI bonus ship design to prevent that AI from building that type of ship for the rest of the game. (Farewell, AI-controlled Tackle Drone Launchers, you had a good run)
2) Copying an AI bonus ship design to let you build that type of ship (much as if you had unlocked it from an ARS).
Naturally there's a catch: first, for a given "backup server" you can only corrupt OR copy the design on it, and the hacking-progress costs of either are significant (particularly further hacks of the same type).
There are also some key changes to the hacking and hacking-response calculations in response to feedback since 7.002. Please keep it coming! I've got more planned hacking types and such, but where the feature as a whole goes is largely up to player feedback.
And we fixed a few bugs, and finally got around to answering some longstanding requests to modernize the Orbital Mass Driver's stats (I don't suggest getting shot at by that thing).
Update: 7.007 hotfix to fix a bug in the last version preventing knowledge gain. The AI wasn't counterhacking, though. Nope. No siree.
Enjoy!
This is a standard update that you can download through the in-game updater itself, if you already have 4.000 or later. When you launch the game, you'll see the notice of the update having been found if you're connected to the Internet at the time. If you don't have 4.000 or later, you can download that here.
Originally posted: Arcengames.blogspot.com
