Alpha 9: overwhole from speed update

While this update keeps the original concepts, almost everything was changed. So the game can be broken in an other way.

The figures may not reflect the motivations behind the changes (which can be considered broken), and can be fixed later with more PvP feedback.

Unit changes

The speed of units was changed, mostly because hover cannons were overpowered, hover compensating their lack of mobility while their HP bonus compensated the lack of HP for hovers. The new ground speed formula relies solely on weight, so heavy weapons are still rather slow on hovers and can sometime still be slower than light wheeled tanks.

Using larger bodies can give a good speed bonus when used with a lower-tier turret, instead of using hover for that bonus. Combined with a better armour for Projects and Collective bodies, even increased with size, larger bodies now gives more interesting bonuses.

Weapon changes

All weapons were updated to have a more distinguishable role, which becomes a little more dedicated for higher tiers weapons.

All VTOL weapons have longer reloading time to have a little more time between runs and increase the effectiveness of having more rearming pads.

Pulse damage was reduced a lot, but still take some advantage with the armour increase, which they can ignore. This also reduce VOTL pulse effectiveness, by adding a limited amount of ammo.

Machineguns damage and rate of fire were updated mostly to adjust to the armour changes, and T2 and T3 range were reduced a little to add more difference with long range weapons. Their damage against building were increased a little to make them a little more versatile, while remaining not that effective.

Flamers now have a little splash damage and increased fire rate, so positionning becomes less a hassle and can be adjusted on the fly. Their effectiveness against buildings was drastically decreased, except against bunkers, making them a very strong weapon against unit, but almost useless against static defenses.

Cannons were nerfed, with reduced damage, even more for T2 and T3, less HP but a higher bonus against structures. With a higher rate of fire, they become less effective against highly-armoured or higher-tier bodies. They still have the highest DPS against building, seconding flamers against bunkers, and the T1 cannon remains a little versatile. T2 and T3 range was also reduced a little to give a little room for high-tier rockets, while remaining good compared to other weapons.

Missile damage was increased a lot, mostly for T1 and T2 by increasing the rate of fire, so they become better for their cost.

Rocket damage was reduced for T2 and T3, now that their range becomes better with the reduction of those of other weapons.

Mortar direct damage was reduced, while the splash damage was increased, making them better for clearing areas. T1 and T2 splash area was reduced to make higher-tiers mortars more interesting but with less relative cost-damage on individual targets.

Howitzer range was reduced for T1 and increased for T3, so T1 howitzer gets closer to other weapons and becomes a more long-range sniping weapon on higher tiers.

Radar update

Radars hadn't got much attention during the latest releases. This release simplifies them and give them more spotting abilities.

VTOL radar turrets were removed, to unclutter the design screen. Their only first-thought use would be to avoid microing a group of VTOLs, as you can do almost the same by assigning them to a control groups and use the patrol or flight in rounds orders. This is still debatable, mostly for newcomers on people not at ease with multitasking, but this may not be worth the energy spend building VTOL turrets and adding 2 more very specific ones, so newcomers can still have some time trying to remember which towers does what.

The radar detector was removed as well, because its purpose it too specific (showing radars anywhere on the map while a detector is on the map) and becomes useless once the uplink is researched.

The CB tower is still there, and left untouched. Their utility can still be very specific on accidented terrains, where VTOL can act as flying radar for mobile artillery and mortars having rather short range.

The wide spectrum radar range was increased a lot, now acting as a better radar still combining artillery and counter-battery features. Still available along the uplink center.

The laser satellite was moved into a dedicated research, and the cost of the building was increased.

Defenses update

Static defenses were generally updated to cost less and be more useable. Higher-tier towers have reduced HP but an other building HP research was added so they can still scale to the late-game. Bunkers now trades the range bonus of the tower for a +50% HP bonus.

Tower flamers were added, because why not?

Tank traps HP was increased a little, while wall HP was reduced a little, but still have a lot of HP for their cost.

Research update

The research module is back, doubling the research speed of a lab. But this comes with a reduction of 50% of the research rate of a lab. So a lab with a module researches at the same speed as before. This makes early researches longer to do, but higher tier reseraches have reduced cost and time.

The idea is being able to run more than 1 or 2 labs (namely 3). There is still the ability to rush tier 3 researches quickly with a module, while leaving the ability of mixing T1 and T2 researches with distributed labs. This also makes resarches a little more easy to run in the early game, where your fist lab only uses half a production unit instead of a full one, so your energy can pile up a little while the research is running. The late-game still comes almost as quickly when rushed, but there are more options for the early and mid-game.

Factory update

The factory module is back too. Each module produces like a new factory, but is a little more costly. You can choose to build more factories around the map (or even at base) and distribute your energy between them, or pile up some energy while building modules to produce higher-tier units faster with a lot of modules, by delaying your energy consumption instead of spending all at once on multiple factories without modules.

Power update

The power module was mostly mandatory. Derricks cost was reduced a little, as their limited presence and need for defenses is already a high cost. The module cost was also increased, to increase the difference between a module or more derricks and a generator. So you can choose between using two trucks roaming the map and building defenses (now that they are useable) for map control, or have a more defensive play with a costly module at home.

AI update

Because the AIs doesn't do well (noticeably with power modules, but also in managing units), to keep an interesting game they now gain energy bonus on higher difficulties. Hard AI have 50% energy bonus, like if all their generator had a module. Insane difficulty gets a 100% bonus, and easy gets only two thirds of its energy.

It will never get close to the playstyle you can get with other players, but it can still provide a challenge when you like it and force to control the map.

Map update

Highground Pass received a few updates to increase the base size and fix a few unblockable pass. The base space was increased and more factories can fit in. The entrance is also larger and cannot be blocked with a factory. Some tiles on the sides of the map were not buildables and it was impossible to wall them. The cliffs on the side are now a little larger at some points so every passable tile is also buildable. A tile on the hill next to the base was removed, so it is easier to place a factory there without risking to block a newly produced tank.

A new 2v2 map is available: Training Mounds. This rather large map features a common starting space and 9 oil patches per player spread accross the map. With large areas, a few chokepoints and an almost straight path from base to base. It is thought to have a lot of space and paths in the center for cooperation as well as a lot of targets on the sides for split actions. While the bases can still be defended though a few chokepoints and the large size decreases the efficiency of a combined rush.

Both maps are still a work in progress, with the development of a few CLI tools to manage the textures and objects with symetry.

Detailed patch note

Weapons and bodies update

Armour increased T1 0/4/8->0/5/10 T2 2/6/10->2/7/12 T3 4/8/12->6/11/16
T3 body HP increased 300->375, Nexus 200->250
T3 body cost increased 240/360/480/600->320/480/640/800
Cannons struct modifier 80->135%, 80->100% bunkers
MG struct modifier 30/25/25%->30/30/20% for base, defenses, bunkers
Missiles/Howitzer/Rocket struct modifier 55->30% bunkers, 70/60/55%->40% other
Mortars struct modifier 40->50% bunkers, 80/75/65->100% other
Flamers struct modifier 75->100% bunkers, 33/25->15% base/defenses, 40->25% derricks
Pulse damage 8->7, pause 8->10
MG1 dmg 15->17, pause 6->8
MG2 dmg 20->24, pause 5->6, range 5->4.5
MG3 dmg 30->32, range 6->5
Fix MG3 tower accuracy
Flamer1 dmg 45->30, pause 15->10, HP 70->55, add splash radius 0.5 dmg 20, cost 100->80
Flamer2 dmg 80->47, pause 15->10, HP 105->80, splash radius 0.625 dmg 31, cost 200->160
Flamer3 dmg 120->80, pause 15->10, HP 210->110, splash radius 0.75 dmg 53, cost 400->320
Cannon1 dmg 35->28, pause 21->18, HP 150->130, cost 80->100
Cannon2 dmg 45->36, pause 21->16, HP 375->360, cost 160->200, range 6->5.5
Cannon3 dmg 65->48, pause 21->14, HP 950->720, cost 320->400, range 7->6
Missile1 dmg 55->64, pause 24->20
Missile2 dmg 98->140, pause 27->25, range 5.5->5.25
Missile3 dmg 237->308
Rocket2 dmg 46->44
Rocket3 dmg 76->59, fixed structure modifier
Mortar1 splash radius 1.5->0.5 dmg 22->26
Mortar2 dmg 44->38, splash radius 1.5->1 dmg 31->34
Mortar3 dmg 59->50, splash dmg 42->45
Howitzer1 range 16->13, flight speed 1792->2048
Howitzer2 range 18->17, flight time at full range same as T1
Howitzer3 range 20->22, flight time at full range same as T1
Fix cannon1 tower damage modifier

VTOL update

Set reload time to 10 for every weapons
VTOL pad rearm points 100->33
VTOL pulse attack run 100->10

Ground speed update

Remove hover hardcoded movement bonus
Propulsions weight wheels 100>80, hover 150>30, tracks 250>150
Increase speed modifier 15>20
Increase scout weight 0>60