Quality of Life Update Is Live!

This update adds experimental lobby options, configurable auto-saves, interface and display improvements, improved modding support, performance improvements, and several bug fixes.

New

• Added a Team Starts (Experimental) lobby option that places teammates approximately 8 tiles apart while leaving free-for-all starts unchanged.

• Added a Symmetric Map (Experimental) lobby option that generates symmetric terrain and paired starting positions for fairer competitive games.

• Added search to the Compendium and Research screens.

• Added a Fullscreen Borderless display mode.

• Added improved text box editing with keyboard navigation, word selection, and clipboard shortcuts.

• Added a configurable Auto-Save interval in General settings, from every turn to every ten turns or none.

• Added previews and Steam store links for unowned DLC factions, lobby options, and mutators.

• Added DLC availability details to the main menu version label.

• Added an SSAO Quality setting with Low, Medium, and High options.

• Added XPath-based XML patching so mods can change XML resources without copying the full file.

• Added gameplay XML schemas and validation tools for modders.

• Added a modding guide and XML references to Documents/.

General

• Updated disband and dismantle confirmation messages to warn that costs are not refunded.

• Disabled Multi-Threaded Rendering by default, as enabling it may cause crashes on some systems.

• Lobby option checkboxes can now be selected by clicking anywhere on the row.

• Improved rendering, simulation, and AI turn processing performance.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed AI units skipping turns when their preferred order was unaffordable.

• Fixed windowed display modes minimizing unexpectedly.

• Fixed a crash when persistent damage effects triggered after their source unit was gone.

• Fixed wildlife packs becoming Unleashed from environmental damage such as Dust Storms.

• Fixed Fixed Teams alliances during The Last Days of Earth.

• Fixed AI units being unable to embark onto transports on water.

• Fixed AI units remaining able to embark after cancelling or changing their embark order.

• Fixed delayed unit orders not being restored after loading a saved game.

• Fixed crashes caused by excessive city resource worker threads.

• Fixed Holopatter not applying when attacking from Ruins.

• Fixed Data Hack's copied resources accumulating incorrectly in resource income breakdown tooltips.

Modding

• Hidden buildings no longer appear in city and tile information.