Major problem with v1.0.8.8: no designs available at start!

[100thMonkey]

Platform: Steam
Build version: 1.0.8.8 Beta (new game)
Severity: Medium-High
Annoyance factor: High
Saved game:

The Culture - Ackdarian - 2754-05-26.7z

(2.76 MiB) Downloaded 8 times

Since upgrading to 1.0.8.8 Beta, when I start a new game with low tech levels for my empire, there are no designs in the Designs screen, even with the filters set to “All Designs” and “All Types”.

After deactivating the beta in Steam and going back to 1.0.8.3 final, everything is at it should be! If I then reactivate the 1.0.8.8 Beta, the problem comes back.

Before reverting to final 1.0.8.3, I ran an integrity check from Steam, which resulted in 1 file needing to be replace (“1 files failed to validate and will be reacquired”). As far as I remember, it’s always been the same result when running an integrity check for a beta version of DW2). With 1.0.8.3 final, all the files are OK. Going back to 1.0.8.8 Beta again brings back the “1 file not right” thing.

Now, about the tests I did and the results I got:

With my expansion set at “Starting” and my tech Level set at either “PreWarp” or “Level 0”, I get no designs whatsoever (see attached save).

With my expansion still at “Starting”, but my tech Level set at “Level 1”, then there are some designs available, but certainly not what’s supposed to be available (there’s only one design for a bomber, one for an Interceptor, and two for resort bases,).

Things get back to normal if I start at tech level 2. I presume it would be the same with higher tech levels.

By the way, if I load in 1.0.8.8 Beta what was my current game with 1.0.8.6 Beta, the designs are OK (ie: what they were with 1.0.8.6 Beta). So it seems that designs are missing only for new games created from 1.0.8.8.

I don’t see any post about this. Am I to only one to have encounter that problem?

[100thMonkey]

I did another test that pretty much confirms that the problem (missing designs) occurs only when starting a new game from 1.0.8.8 Beta.

I started a new game from 1.0.8.3 final, saved it, closed DW2, went into Steam and switched to 1.8.8.8 Beta. I then relaunched DW2 and loaded the save created in 1.0.8.3. The result: all the designs are there.

The settings used in 1.0.8.3 to create the new game: my expansion "Starting", and tech level "Level 1".

[Erik Rutins]

Thanks for the heads up on the issue with Ackdarian PreWarp starts.

We have a fix for this coming hopefully on Monday.

In the meantime you can resolve this problem by deleting the file ShipHulls_Art.xml from the data subfolder.

Thanks

[100thMonkey]

You're welcome. I tried the workaround, and I can confirm that it fixes the problem.