Public Beta available.
1.05 compatible

Introduction
Distant Stars is a collection of changes that i made to the game to become more enjoyable even on huge maps. I found the research tree to short for a 4x game. So the first thing i done is too greatly increase the levels for upgrade. Now most of the weapons, shield, armor, HP researches got 6-10 levels for each tech. Now, technology advantage is become a major factor in the game. Also tried to increase the differences between the race by research.
This actaully means, the Trader Emergency Coalition got more levels for treade and for defense, Advent have more in beam weapon tehcnology and fighters, Vasaris now can make their phase missiles to really past through shields and more weapon research.
When the research tree was finished, i tried to do some tweakings with the units. Most of this changes are posted in this thread in the last one week, but not all of them. The total list is come with the mod.

Inbuilt Mini-Mods
Sound Effect Replacement MOD
Enchanced and/or replaced sound effects and replaced Battle musics from my own collection, now mostly consists the remastered versions of the Haegemonia: The Solon Heritage OST, Band Of Brothers OST and the menu music is from E.S. Posthomus.

SINS PLUS by UZI
Another 12 more planet types from uzi to make the game far more colourful.

Bailknoght's Graphical Enhanchment
Improved Lightning and particle effects from Bailknight.

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Changed
- Phase Jump charge up time increased by 100%, from 7 sec to 15 sec
- Phase Jump Inhibitors increasing charge time to 5 times than normal (5x15=75 sec), and got an increased radius to 60000 to cover a whole gravity well
- Maximum Capital slots increased from 18 to 24
- Increased Supply Slots from tier 5 with increased price too. (max supply slot is now 3000)
- Military and Civilian Research labs increased price and civilian slot requirements.
- Additional levels for weapon, shield and hull point upgrade.
- Asteroid number increased to maximum 7 per Home Planet
- All planet gravity well increased radius by 50% and 50% more normal radius
(Gas Giants ranges are doubled)
- TEC Bombers damage increased by 20% from 44 to 52
- TEC Fighters speed increased by 1/9 from 2700 to 3000
- Vasari Bomber damage increased by 10% from 76 to 83 and speed decreased by 15% from 2000 to 1700
- Vasari Fighter speed decreased from 2700 to 2500
- Advent Bomber damage increased from 34 to 40 range decreased from 2400 to 1500
- Advent Fighter weapon range changed from 2400 to 2000 and rate of fire increased by 25%
- Light Carriers increased sqaud number from 1 to 2
- ALL CAPITALS COST MORE AND BUILDS SLOWLY. Got more powerful weapons.
- Some Planetary Bonuses improved.

Some of the changes in the 1.0:
- Normal self-repair removed. Orbital stations and Fighters still have Self-repair
- Increasing Fighter squadrons on carriers, and making them more fragile
- All Capital Ships got anti-strikecraft capability.
- Making more differences between the three factions economy and military tactics.
- Increasing the planetary defenses strenght.
- Making cap ships slower and increasing the benefits from level ups.
- Adding a passive repair ability to shipyards.
- Adding new researchable ability for every races, to enhance the PJI's to prevent the enemy from leaving the area.

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UPDATE [18/02/08]:
- Increased the XP need for level ups. Benefits from them are also increased.
- Added Diablo Escort Cruiser (Heavy Anti-Strikecraft) to TEC. (Now uses the Cielo CC's mesh, later i'm going to replace it with a custom one)
- Flak Gun ability added for TEC. Researchable for the Diablo (3 levels).
- New menu music.
- Some new sound effects added.
- Tachyon generator ability added and researchable by all races. This ability for Phase Jump Inhibitors. With the ability, the PJI can disable the enemy Phase drives until destroyed. (Covers the same radius as the normal inhibitor)
- Tactical slot need for orbital defense is reduced. (Now 2 platforms uses 1 slot)
- Advent Hangar Defense got 6 squadrons. need 3 tactical slots, price slightly increased.
- Vasari Hangar Defense got 6 squadrons, need 4 tactical slots, price increased.
- TEC Hanger Defense got 6 squadrons, need 4 tactical slots, price increased by 45%.
- Some research are changed for increase the differences between the races.
- TEC fighters and bombers now more slower, but got more HP and Armor. Squadron size not changed.
- Advent fighters and bombers speed and manuverability increased. Lower HP and armor. Slightly decreased the power of their weapons. Bomber squadron size increased from 7 to 8. Fighter 9 to 12. Antimatter need for building is reduced by 35% for bombers and 40% to fighters.
- Vasari fighters speed increased from 2700 to 2850, Bombers reduced by 10% from 2500 to 2250. Fighters range increased by 40%, rate of fire 25%. Bombers have +80% range, -15% rate of fire. Fighters squadron size changed from 4 to 6, bombers 3 to 4.
- By research the Advent squadrons size can be increase by additional 4 crafts in hangars
- The antimatter cost for building strikecrafts greatly reduced for capital class carriers.
- All fighters building speed increased by 30%, Bombers by 25%.
- Tec and Vasari Fleet Carriers starts with 4 sqaudrons, Advent with 6.
- Dozens of other small changes... i listed them later. sorry.

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UPDATE [24/02/28]:
- AI strenght increased.
- Terran planets now come 8 Population upgrade (over 800 the max population now).
- Increased number of trade and refinery ships.
- Main planet max alligance is now 200%.
- Speed options changed.
- Research speed settings changed (-2.5; 0.0; 2.5)
- Increased levels in research.
- Pirates stronger, increased number of attackers, but the time between raids increased. Using TEC BB in the last two alert status (1/2)
- slightly changes in diplomacy... Now the AI don't want to trade with you, when you at war.
- TEC can increase the trade/refinery ships capacity by overall 100%. Have more levels in armor and HP research.
- ADVENT have more levels in shield and culture research.
- VASARI have more levels in weapon research.
- Neither ships or platforms can build in combat.
- Platform and fighters can't self-repair in combat.
- ONLY Hangars, Carriers and BB's can build bombers.

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UPDATE [27/02/08]
- Vasari Stilakus Subverter got a new researchable ability, the Mobile Phase Disruptor. (3 Levels)
- 90% of the original sound effects replaced or remixed.
- Sins Plus MOD by Uzii is merged with the Distant Stars.
- Final Beta testing is almost finished

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UPDATE [16/03/08]
Changes in the final 1.0:
- Two new shield researches for every races.
- New Health Point researches. (2 for TEC, 1-1 for Advent/Vasari)
- New weapon researches. (1 for TEC,.2-2 for Advent/Vasari)
- One new speed research for every races.
- Custom icons for the new researches/abilities.
- Some new musics.

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Patch Notes
Patch No.1:
- Only Hangars, Light and Fleet Carriers can build fighters/bombers.
- Reduced the squad numbers for Hangar Defenses to 5 for every races. (For Improving Performance)
- Increased the bombers damage by 50%.
- Squadron sizes reduced. (For Improving Performance)
- TEC: 4 Bombers and 6 Fighters/squad
- Advent: 5 Bombers and 6 Fighters/squad
- Vasari: 3 Bombers and 4 Fighters/squad
- Advent and TEC fighters Rate of fire increased to 60/min, Damage reduced to compansate. (ONLY FOR GRAPHIC ENHANCMENT)
- Light Carriers cost more and using more supplies.
- Battleships and Fleet Carriers supply need increased to 60/75.
- Advent Halcyon Class Carrier base squadron number decreased from 6 to 5.
- Trade/Refinery ships number are reduced about 50-75%, cargo holds increased to compensate. (For Improving Performance)
- Pirate Raids are now on default values. First attack timer is set to 30 mins and the other raids now cames in every 20 minutes.
- 2 more levels for URBAN planet population limit development. (1100 MAX without research)
- Gauss, Beam and Missile platforms costs increased.
- Hangar Defenses costs increased.
- Quests tweaked. Now you have more time for completing missions. Got more rewards for missions and penalties reduced in some missions.
- Some bugs related to researches are fixed.
- Other Bugs are fixed, too.
Now the mod causes less lags and slowdowns.

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Download (Host provided by Black Lotus HQ)
DS Public Beta 1.05 compatible (Including Bailknight's Graphical Stuffs by Menacer):

BlackLotus HQ:
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/Distant_Stars_1.0a_Beta_[453591224].7z

Filefront:
http://files.filefront.com/Distant+Stars+10a+Beta7z/;10751303;/fileinfo.html
(143 Mb)

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Older releases:

http://thepiratebay.org/tor/4052779/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire_-_Distant_Stars_MOD_1.0_Public_beta
(size is 112 Mb)
HTTP
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/distant_stars_1.0_public_beta.rar
(size is 112 Mb)

Updated (Including Fix and Patch 1, Reconverted sound effects and comes with ThrakaAndy's installer)
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/distant_stars_1.0_public_beta_updated.zip
(size is 113 Mb)

Born of a Galactic Empire MOD 0.21

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Patches & Fixes
Textures (In english)
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/Textures-English.exe

Quick Fix No. 1
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/distant_stars_1.0_public_beta_quickfix1.rar

Patch No. 1
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/distant_stars_1.0_public_beta_patch1.zip

ThrakaAndy's installer
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/andys_installer.zip

Reconverted Sound Effects
http://www.blacklotushq.com/sins/sound_effects.rar

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Ideas, suggestions, critics (good and bad too) always welcomed!!!

Current Work: Finishing the final release of the 1.0. Adding some new research, custom icons, music.

The Mod developing is now continue.

knonwn bugs:
- the game crush when you try to point at the FULL DISRUTION ability on the PJI. This is a passive ability, so you don't need to dealing with it.