Changes to Stars! from Version 2.0b to Version 2.5        May 5th 1996

Although this list reflects the major changes, almost every aspect 
of the game has changed in some way. Explore the game and scan the 
help file and Tech Browser for additional details. The new Tutorial 
can also be very enlightening.

New Anti-Matter Fuel Model
   Fuel is not mined from or stored on planets anymore.
   Starbases with ship building capability have an infinite supply.
   Fuel weighs milligrams instead of kT, so doesn't affect ship mass.
   Estimated fuel usage is now exact.
   Fuel consumption was increased by a factor of 4, fuel tank sizes
      were adjusted to compensate.
   Starbases with shipbuilding capability automatically refuel all
      friendly fleets each year.
   Fuel consumption values for waypoints are now a running total.

Minefield Changes
   The chance of a hit per light year has been changed. This chance
      is now multiplied by the number of warps you exceed your race's
      safe speed.
   Ramscoops are no longer more likely to set off mines. They will
      still take more damage than ships with standard engines.
   Mass Discriminator mines are now Heavy Mines. They have a base
      safe speed of Warp 6, but will trigger regardless of a ship's mass.
   Minesweeping now happens automatically by fleets with beam weapons
      even if moving. Starbases now sweep mines. You don't sweep friendly
      mines anymore.
   You can only sweep until the minefield shrinks enough such that you
      are no longer in the field. It is no longer possible to sweep an
      entire field from the edge.
   Damage from mines is now per/engine. A ship with 4 engines will
      suffer 4 times the damage of a ship with one engine.

Waypoint Task Changes
   Attack waypoint task is gone. You now specify your fleet's battle
      plan in the fleet composition tile. You specify who to attack in
      the battle plan. Attacks take place when it is appropriate.
   Mine Sweeping waypoint task is gone.
   New Transport Task Model
      Fleets can now load/unload with identical orders from planets,
      fleets, mineral packets, salvage, etc.
      Fleet Load/Wait from fleet have gone away.
   Route - See Fleet Routing.
   Remote Terraform allow races build on the new Claim Adjuster primary
      racial trait to modify the environment of planet they orbit with
      ships containing an Orbital Adjuster part.
   
New Mineral Model
   Planets have unlimited minerals.
   As you mine minerals, the concentration decreases.
   The rate the concentration decreases is determined by the number of
      mines and how long they have been operating.
   Races that produce a greater number of kT per mine do not decrease
      the concentration any faster. They can just squeeze more out of
      each rock.

New Production Model
   Auto build is now integrated into the production inventory.
   Item groups are now colored in the production dialog to make categories
      easier to pick out.
   You can now give auto build orders like "Build up to 10 factories,
      then build up to 10 mines, then terraform up to 2% then build up
      to 100 factories, using alchemy if necessary".
   These orders will be executed top to bottom each year.
   You can specify auto build templates. Use the blue diamond that used
      to be the auto build diamond. The <default> entry will be used
      every time you take over a new planet.

New Technology Items
   Many new parts.
   Almost every existing part has changed in some way.
   See the Tech Browser for details.

Mystery Trader changes
   Big doin's here.  He's more wily, and has a ton of new devices
      to give away.
   You also have the option to turn off all random events when
   starting a new game.

New Battle Model
   See BATTLE.TXT for details. 

New Primary Racial Traits
   Claim Adjuster
      Excellent terraformers.
      Terraforming costs 50% less.
      Orbital Adjuster part allows remote terraforming.
      Terraforming bombs.
      Mass packets terraform instead of doing massive damage.
      Start with Biotech 6.

   Alternate Reality 
      Evolved in an alternate plane.
      Population lives on the starbase not on the planet.
      Cannot build planetary installations (mines, factories, etc).
      Can intrinsically mine planets and scan for enemy ships.
      Can remote mine their own planets.
      If the starbase is destroyed they all die.
      Maximum population is determined by starbase size.
      Get the Death Star starbase hull.

New Lesser Racial Traits
   Generalized Research
      Generalized Research races take a holistic approach.
      1/2 of the research budget goes to the current field.
      1/8 of the budget goes to each of the other 5 fields.
         (yes the total is 9/8ths)

   Ultimate Recycling 
      Ultimate Recycling races are ultra efficient.
      Recover 90% of the minerals and 70% of the resources
         when scraping ships at starbases.
      The resources are available for use the next year.
      Scrapping at a planet give half the starbase amount.

   Bleeding Edge Technology 
      Bleeding Edge Technology races are poor at building new tech items.
      New technologies initially cost twice as much to build.
      As soon as you exceed the requirements by 1 the cost drops
         back to normal.
      Miniaturization occurs at 5% per level and pegs at 80%
      (other races get 4%/level and peg at 75%)

Other Race Changes
   The cost of every trait and attribute has been adjusted.
   Research cost (page 6 of race wizard) now offers the choices of
     75% extra, standard or 50% less. (25% less/more are gone)
   For Jack Of All Trades the 'Costs extra fields' start at tech 4
     instead of tech 3.
   Balky Engines has become Cheap Engines. It has the same effect but
     engines cost half as much to build as for other races.
   Jump Start is gone.
   Regenerating Shields no longer limit the choice of armors.
   Improved Fuel Efficiency now also gives a Warp 10 ramscoop.
   Mineral alchemy is available to all players at 100 resources
      per kT. The lesser racial trait is still there and reduces
      the cost to 25 resources/kT.
   Ships built by Super Stealth races all have an inherent 50% cloak.
   War Mongers can now build up to 100 SDI or Missile Battery defenses.
   There are many other changes. See the Custom Race Wizard and the
      help file for additional details.

User Interface Improvements
   Scanner Toolbar gives much better control.
   Many more shortcut keys.
   Enemy fleet filter.
   Sort order in Fleet and Planet report affects the Prev/Next
      buttons in the Command pane and Production dialog.
   The Battle VCR now displays substantially more information.
 
Automation Improvements
   Attack is no longer a waypoint task. It just happens.
   Sweeping minefields is no longer a waypoint task. It just happens.
   The Patrol task combined with the Repeat Orders checkbox now bases
      its targeting on the enemy's distance from the fleet's home base
      rather than its current position.  (ie they stay put better)
   Major improvements to production -- See New Production Model.
   Fleet Routing sends newly created ships to a target planet.
      If the target planet also has routing orders the routed fleet
      is refueled and passed along.
      If the fleet contains remote miners and the destination is
         unowned the fleet is given remote mining orders or is
         merged with an existing mining fleet if possible.
      You can give Route orders to existing fleets to automate
         sending them half way across your empire with a single order.
   Fleets are automatically refueled at friendly starbases with
      shipbuilding capability.
   The default waypoint warp speed is intelligent and updates whenever
      you add or move a waypoint. You should almost never have to change
      it anymore.

Diplomacy Changes
   Your fleets automatically get refueled at friendly starbases with
      shipbuilding capability.
   You no longer sweep minefields of your friends.
   Your friends are allowed to use your stargates.

Additional AIs
   Automitrons are based on Inner Strength primary racial trait.
   Rototills are based on the Claim Adjuster prt.
   Cybertrons are based on the Packet Physics prt.
   Macinti are based on the new Alternate Reality prt.

Help File Improvements
   The help file has been updated to include all version 2.5 information.
   Many areas have been expanded or clarified.
   More details in the Guts sections.
