14 DAY TRIAL // Stardock says that, after a few short delays, Sins of a Solar Empire, the surprise hit real time strategy set in space, launched early in 2008, received its 1.1 patch. Those who purchased the game and have so far used the beta 1.1 patch can now launch Impulse, the digital download platform from Stardock, and get the new update. At the moment, only the English version of 1.1 is available for download, while the German and French variants are still in testing and will arrive shortly.
The new patch is set to fix all the crashes that players have experienced, uncommon as they might be, while also offering a totally reworked graphics engine that is set to provide better performance and nicer looking space battles on all systems. The multiplayer element has been reworked in order to allow games to be started without having to worry about port forwarding and router settings. The AI is also said to be better at bypassing strong points and scouting weaknesses in the lines of the player.
One of the most significant visual improvements is the fact that the Underground screen, where you can trade on the Black Market while also dealing with the Pirates, has been added to the main interface, enabling you to increase bounties quicker without taking your eyes off the ongoing space battle.
There's also significantly extended support for mods, including better synchronization when more than one mod is loaded. This means that those who have favorite mods should be on the look out for fresh versions supported when running the new patch.
Recently, Stardock also revealed that Entrenchment, the first of three mini expansion packs announced for Sins of a Solar Empire, had been delayed until February 2009 in order to stay clear of the very busy Christmas launch schedule. To tackle players’ concerns, the company says that it will launch a beta stage for Entrenchment set to be available for all those who are preordering the title.