I've updated test with some changes to cloaks and visibility. You'll need this latest test client to play there:

http://www.starsonata.com/TestClient01-13.zip

Just unzip it into your Star Sonata directory and run StarSonata_TestClient.exe instead of the normal Star Sonata file when you connect to test.

1) Cloaks have a new attribute, called visibility cloaking. This is used to modify your visibility now, while the old cloaking variable is used to modify your detectability. The visibility cloaking number is always less than the detection cloaking number.

2) Cloaks have all been rebalanced, but their stats are somewhat similar to before as much as possible. The biggest change is that some of them have gotten much smaller while most are about the same size.

3) Cloaks now doubly block out sunlight. Sunlight is multiplied by the detection cloaking factor before being added in to the total visibility and then the visibility of course is modified by the visibility cloaking at the very end. This will make galaxies with bright suns much more manageable for ships depending on stealth. (Note that the blue suns impact on ship visibility is also reduced in the first step, but not in the second.)

Please, especially if you use stealth on your main ship, try to give this a test today or tonight. I'm hoping to patch the main server tomorrow night if everything seems OK.

Will there ever be reflectivity cloaks?.

This part I love very much, it has been much needed for a long time. Thanks very much Jeff

reflectivity is based on the size of the ship. you cant make a dinner plate cast a different shadow if its sat in direct sunlight, it will always have the same size as long as it is whole.

ill take a peek and do some testing as i have time. thankyou for the opportunity.

Each hull has a different reflectivity value. These values are partially based on the size of the hull, but not entirely. Some of them have special materials like what's on the stealth bomber to absorb light and radar.

There aren't any cloaks that especially affect reflectivity, but they all now reduce the reflectivity of ships a great deal.

Will this affect solar panels?

will those of us who have pure stealth setups be granted access to Test? my main Beelzebub still can't access it ^.^

It says my account is expired (355220) is the account name. When it hasnt expired in weeks on live.

OK, I updated test to have the latest info from live, so you guys should be able to log in shortly. It's just loading up now.

In built cloak on Jujuso'rka has been changed. old stats were 97% cloaking (iirc) new stats are Detection cloaking= 94.4% and visibility cloaking=75%. it is ALSO Tech 16. and no longer T0.

Is this really what you want the inbuilt cloak on an endgame sniper ship to be? was the 97% cloak too good? as it stands i will no longer be able to effectively stealth in pvp and some pvai.


edit to include the fact that this is a built in cloak. it cannot be removed. therefor it should be quite good if not endgame to go with the ship. no SD ship has a built in engine and no gunner ship has a built in missile launcher. So why cripple an endgame sniper ship with a terrible cloak?

Umm. Your avatar looks more funny than scary...

I noticed this too.
To compare:

BEFORE:
Shrouding channeler: Size 25, tech 9, 94% cloaking, elec 20, improves +5% elec regen.
Shade's cloak:Size 50, tech 10, 94% cloaking, elec 75, improves vis -5%

AFTER:
Shrouding Channeler:Size 27, tech 9, Detect cloaking 86.8%, vis cloaking 69%, elec 26, improves elec +5%
Shade's cloak:Size 62, tech 10, Detect cloaking 90.7%, vis cloaking 72%, elec 67, improves vis -5%.

Now the Shrouding Channeler is almost as bad as an Uncirculator.

That used to be 83% cloaking 40 elec size 32 at tech 2.
Now it's detect cloaking 80.5%, vis cloaking 64%, 36 elec 31 size at tech 2.

When I look at AI base cloaks, AI base cloaks got beefed. And the Shade's and Shrouding Channeler basically got nerfed.

I'm sorry Jeff, but I really do not like this change.

From what I gathered through testing, I noticed that it was slightly a bit easier to "see" stealthy ships.

Where as I couldn't see a stealth SD at all before, I can only see him now sitting right on top of him (keep in mind, we're not talking about detection here, detection seems/is nearly the same). If I moved ~10 from him, I can't see him. It doesn't make much of a difference in ones setup (if they are meant for stealth), however not anyone can just throw on a cloak and be nearly impossible to see anymore, so I like that.

it seems to me that vs Detection is a bit underpowered, and vs Vis is a bit overpowered still.