The next major patch of Sins of a Solar Empire has gone live on Impulse, Stardock announces, though you'll only find that through the Beta option. If you look to your digital distribution client, it should read version 1.09 Beta.

Yes - 1.09B. We know that the patch is actually version 1.1, but Ironclad claims that the subsequent improvements to the Beta build of 1.09B should eventually end up as being 1.1.

Now the reason for this process revolves around the incorporation of an improved graphics engine and a totally revamped multiplayer engine. Stardock says that the "huge" patch integrates "several brand new technologies" which will need further testing before being released to the public.

That's not to say that the game will be lacking in content. Ironclad says that Sins of a Solar Empire 1.09B will come with sharper visuals and textures, up to the point that you will notice just how grand the ships look as compared to version 1.05. Also special effects will be upgraded to a point that new explosions and tracers have been added.

"Damage animations" have also been added, so would this mean we'll be able to see progressive ship damage in the future (ala Homeworld 2)? Sounds all the more sweeter, but that's not all that's geared for this patch.

Alloy, a new multiplayer engine, will be replacing 1.05's old, inflexible one. We believe this may also have something to do with Sins of a Solar Empire's permanent integration into the Impulse system.

Apparently, balance changes will be plastered as well, and you might want to check the initial fixes proposed via the source link we've provided below. There's a ton of them, and we doubt you'd finish with it before the Impulse servers overload. If you're still not primed on how to get the Beta patch, look to our previous coverage for a link to the guide. Happy Beta testing!

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