Matrix Games

The development of Shadow Empire: Republica is nearly complete. Before we announce the official release date (coming very soon!), we are releasing the latest core update to the base game as part of our continued effort to improve the overall gameplay experience.

This update focuses on morale mechanics, combat adjustments, visual upgrades, and a range of fixes and improvements. As well as support for the upcoming Republica DLC.

A big thank you to all beta testers and community members whose feedback helped shape both this update and the upcoming DLC features.

What’s New in Update v1.30?

Main changes include:

• Lots of fixes and refinements

• Low and high soldier morale now play a significantly larger role in combat, and morale is easier to lose

• Helicopters have been strengthened against armored targets, especially if these are in difficult landscapes

• Older characters now look more properly aged thanks to updated NewGfx portrait art

• All Vidcoms and Stratagems now have NewGfx art versions as well

This update continues our work on improving immersion, mechanical depth, and visual consistency across the game. You can find the full changelog below.

AI-Assisted Illustration Update

For new functionality - particularly Vidcom and Stratagem artwork - the developers use tools such as Midjourney and Nano Banana to generate high-resolution illustrations, which are then post-processed and refined using additional software such as Magnific and Topaz Labs.

All AI-generated art is created in advance; no generative AI tools are used in real time by the game itself.

Players can toggle between original and updated graphics through the Preferences menu (note: this option may not yet apply to all content).

Our goal remains greater immersion with full transparency.

Full details about AI usage in Shadow Empire can be found in the store page description, and you can read more about the developer’s philosophy on AI usage in games in this article: https://www.vrdesigns.net/?p=2311 .

Full Changelog:

Changelist 1.30 (#238) 

-Added a whole bunch of newGfx Stratagems and Vidcoms for all Core Game illustrations. This will provide a coherent graphics style for the upcoming Republica DLC. Remember newGfx can be switched on/off in the Prefs Tab if you so desire to. -Fixed char popup functionality (added in subversion F) upon recruit stratagem when scrap cards are present as well 

-fixed some issues with newGfx Vidcom set to false (especially for multiplayer i think - where it can be mixed settings due to different prefs files being used)

-Also added the char popup for receiving new Leader through Decision -Shadow Advisor/Diplomat only get used for Stratagems + Decisions, not for Organizational Task Rolls

-Faction Leader’s Job Prestige has more impact on Faction Happiness also for larger Factions (though effect still grows smaller if more members)

-Fixed issue with Vidcoms being old Vidcom gfx when loading saved games, might take a round or two to take effect -Fixed Propellor Tech being present without airforce selection

-Some smaller fixes, including some spelling fixes -Fixed issue with semi-amphibic wrongly moving/attacking in-land (leaving the coastal hex) -Fixed Zone List issue with recon refresh (for spy strat)

-Fixed crash with Replacement Troops (Jaroslavl)

-Morale hits are now larger (double) for attacker when suffering a PINNED hit or a RETREAT hit and rolling both a 1d50>XP and a 1d100>MOR. So attackers take morale losses more often when low/average on morale and XP, especially if both are low.*

-Made fixes to some buggy parts of the NewGfx Vidcom modding options (full new documentation will be released with Republica release moment) -Moved the History Class “Mayhem Mode” to the bottom of the History Classes as my publisher’s 25th anniversary is well in the past now. *

-Allowed Air OHQ to Disband -Mass Driver Gun gets Sfx now (but only when designed with this newer version) -Mass Driver Gun gets rendered now on Assault Gun (but only when designed with this newer version)

1.27g (#230)

-Fixed char popup functionality (added in subversion F) upon recruit stratagem when scrap cards are present as well

-fixed some issues with newGfx Vidcom set to false (especially for multiplayer i think - where it can be mixed settings due to different prefs files being used)

-Also added the char popup for receiving new Leader through Decision

-Shadow Advisor/Diplomat only get used for Stratagems + Decisions, not for Organizational Task Rolls

-Faction Leader’s Job Prestige has more impact on Faction Happiness also for larger Factions (though effect still grows smaller if more members)

-Fixed issue with Vidcoms being old Vidcom gfx when loading saved games, might take a round or two to take effect

-Fixed Propellor Tech being present without airforce selection

1.27f (#229)

-UI improvement: When you recruit a Leader using Stratagems you’ll go his/her Character Sheet Popup immediately after the recruit message. You go back to Stratagem Tab upon exiting the character popup. 

-More morale adjustments. This time at end of combat based on loss ratio in individuals. This effect represents the loss of life ratio  impact, not the loss of equipment as such. Its another step towards making morale play a bigger role, by allowing more ways for it to get low (and then get exploited by the enemy or used in future Republica calculations). The positive morale effect of this adjustment is less pronounced than the negative effect and even small positive kill ratios can still result in morale loss. A high morale unit will be less likely to lose morale though than an already lower morale unit. Furthermore ranged combat only has half the effect.*

-Helicopters are getting a boost. As they are much easier to keep perfectly stationary, for longer time periods, compared to thopters and VTOL.  They get a +25% boost on Hard Attack and much less penalty to attack enemies in dense (forested or mountain or urban) landscape types.*

-Fixed a rare CTD with Oceania DLC (Xebec) 

-Fixed issue with missing text in major regime event with Elitist Culture Group *

-Fixed issue with not enough worker/pop being allocated to new Zone because upkeep workers/pop are not taken into account *

-Fixed getting Propellor Model Choice if you have only researched Rocket Engines *

-Fixed a graphics glitch (re-orienting map with Top-left flag button while asset selected)

-Fixed election glitch where big negative weights could bug the elections

-Fixed Use SHQ Troops glitch for Raise Troops

-Now indicating why Assets cannot be constructed if they are constrained by a “randomkey” variable (like earth plant life present for example)

-Fixed a rather weird pick-up-point preference issue involving air & navy supplies (Jukelo)

-Fixed a confusing [Pick Up Issue] message for units that were only getting Food delivered (making it appear they were out of supply while they weren't)

-Prepared a future compatibility with newGfx Vidcom settings

*=req a new game start to go into effect

Big thanks to all players taking the time to report issues through various means. But this time I would like to give a specific mention and big thanks to the continued reporting on Matrix forums: alocritani, JeanLeChauve, daktaklakpak and others.. Thank you! for the many reports.. Note that I have addressed the most critical, skipped a few issues that are really minor. 

1.27e2(#228)

-Fix of crash (big thanks to Zarohn and Creese and Augusti)

1.27e(#228)

-Morale starts playing a much bigger role in combat starting with this patch….

-Ammo cost of big bombhatches significantly reduced (especially the highest bomb loads) because of ammo production efficiency gains. *

-Morale under 50 gives chance of PINNED turning into RETREAT, the lower the morale the more likely (basically a localized panicky effect on the individual sub unit level, not being willing to be exposed to more lethal fire)*

-Morale under 40-70 (depending on XP) gives chance of a MISS being experienced as a PINNED hit (basically a panicky risk-averse effect on the individual sub unit level: seriously overestimating the lethal danger of nearby enemy fire -  high xp troops cannot pretend here hence they’ll be less exposed to this)*

-Morale above 50 gives chance of a RETREAT hit being turned into a PINNED (at 100 morale this rises to 50%) (basically high morale allows more chance on a individual sub unit level to rally and  hold the position) *

-Fixed issue with Oil Percentage calcs for Units being wrongly set in some weird cases, causing 0 AP units (thx to Dienekes)

-minus 33% Profile impact for Decisions around Hex Feats *

-minus 66% Profile impact for Decisions around Unit Feats * (like the notorious Mascot gives you a +10 Profile gain will now be much weaker)

-Newly recruited Militia friendly Leaders can now get Militia Chief Leader Feat, but relatively rare, the higher the Militia Profile the more chance (+=10 and +++=30%)

-Fixed an issue with Form Formation with SHQ troops that are very fragmented in the SHQ (different types, different peoples)

-Plugged a hole that allowed rare cases of multi continent maps with Oceania disabled

-AI uses Spy Cards too now

-Rename Regime Feat: Martial Law regime feat becomes Armed Governance *

-Rename Regime Feat: Central Computer becomes Strategic Processing Unit (SPU) *

-Rename Regime Feat: Fanaticism becomes Zeal *

1.27d (#226)

-Increased the aged looks of the older character NewGfx Portraits, albeit at the cost of a tiny bit of quality, but I think conveying the age properly is much more important. 

-Danger Events now cause less casualties at higher Populace levels. *

-Fixed a glitch with Vidcom gfx sometimes not displaying the new model sprite

-Fixed a badly configured AI bonus for training, public economy, private economy, cultural adjustment and diplomacy. This should especially make harder AI level, especially in later game, more competitive.

-Fixed the Scrap Card CTD (big thx to Stefan + Elliot)

-Made a fix with Hunger Recovery of Units (big thx to CreasedTails)

-Small fix to Supply Base Hex Sprite

-Robotic troops can no longer die from starvation (if in mixed units with non-robotic)

-Non starving troops issue resolved

-Morale Highstanding Pop Casualty reporting fixed (probably in some other Danger events too) *

-At Recon 50 the enemy troops should show up in Stats now

-On higher diff make sure AI gets higher CAP Levels Leaders (to offset the human tendency to collect these) *

-Once Rebel Manpower is available in Zone placement will not be immediate, so it can store up more and act later. *

-Fixed age to be consistent through all UI screens (there was a rounding error)

*=requires new game start with this version

1.27c (#225)

-Seperated Empire Dashboard into Dashboard Report and Budget Report

-Fixed a glitch where regime could have no “national” and “nation” name.

-Fixed a glitch with Mayhem Mode where human player would have higher tech level as well.