Alpha 17.0 is now live !

Hello there everyone !

We're back with a new Alpha build, introducing some major new features, improvements and important changes and bug fixes.

Here's a list of what you can expect from Alpha 17.0:

• Added Embassy and Trade Consulate concepts in diplomacy: An Embassy and a Trade Consulate is needed in a planet belonging to one of the parties to unlock certain deals such as an Alliance or a Free Trade agreement.

• Added Threats in Diplomatic Negotiations: Your Reputation plays an important on whether or not your threats will be taken seriously and can be used to get otherwise hardly accessible deals.

• Added Monitoring Diplomatic Activity intel mission: Your spies can now track when the target empire signs certain deals or when they propose to impose an embargo or declare war on another empire for instance.

• Added Trade Routes menu: This menu gives an overview of all the current trade routes you have with other empires.

• Improved the AI's handling of diplomacy and economy.

• Added a '?' icon next to the space debris, to make them more noticeable .

• Added Shortcuts for camera control (Hold TAB to rotate the camera, Page Up and '+' keys to zoom in, Page Down and '-' keys to zoom out)

• Added 'Total War' game option: All the players start at war with each other.

• Bug fixing: Fixed several minor and major bugs, including a couple of crashes (including the invasion crash), and the game stuck on AI turn bug.

• Balancing: Ships have 20% more movepoints so they can move farther in less turns, and research is 20% faster. Greater accuracy in combat: Missing constantly isn't fun and could end up being frustrating so we tweaked the hit chances.

Have fun !