Empires 2.9.0 released

Discussion in 'News' started by Tama, Aug 13, 2016.

  1. Tama

    Tama Developer Staff Member Web Developer

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    Empires 2.9.0 "Battery"
    August 13, 2016

    * Features:
    Linux client and server, including easy installation using LGSM
    Building upgrades are now split into their own script definitions which allows values to be overridden when a building upgrades. For example turret damage can now be set when it is upgraded.
    Removed various code restrictions that meant only turrets could be upgraded. This means that new building upgrade definitions are now a possibility.
    Maximum carcass health is now defined in scripts, defaults to vehicle health.
    Concussion grenades re-added.
    Resource income now displays total income from all captured refineries and flags without using averaging; this should make it easier to notice when your income changes without random fluctuations. Resource deductions will display as and when they occur.
    Resources and wages will now display as rounded figures. This helps to make sure all the information stays visible without overlapping or going off-screen.
    Removed hardcoded layout for hud ammo indicator.
    Standing near an unbuilt refinery point shows a hint that you have to move away.

    * Bugfixes:
    Made walls placable in Hammer.
    Fixed the bug causing players to spawn in Barracks facing East; players will now spawn facing the nearest exit.
    Fixed a bug where an engineer could place small walls even though they hit their limit.
    Fixed persistent wall ghosts when holstering engineer tool.
    Fixed a bug where the start position of a wall would be the map origin, meaning players would be unable to place a wall until they right clicked.
    Engineer recycling no longer gives more resources when recycling without repair upgrade.
    Turrets upgrade instantly after turret upgrade research.
    Fixed scout class being named assault at the end of a round.
    Removed unused emp_sv_refinery_interval cvar.
    Made default class on start of game engineer instead of scout.
    Fixed guard order drawing outline with an extra side.
    Fixed gui images becoming blurry on low graphics settings.
    Intro video has been fixed.
    Hints should no longer show when inside a vehicle; destroyed vehicles show their own hint.
    Engineer buildables no longer block building placement for commander.
    Fixed news panel in menu.

    * Non-code changes:
    Added emp_money_2016 with prebuilt walls on the entrances.
    Fixed third flag on emp_escort giving Brenodi reinforcements multiple times.
    Added ocean water material for use in mapping.
    Improved NF jeep VGUI images.
    Hud style updated.
    Updated some collisions for old Brenodi props.

    * More detailed balancing changelog:
    NF SMG3
    Damage 40->38
    MinimalDamage 30->28

    StandingSpreadMax 0.3->0.25
    DuckingSpreadMax 0.2->0.17
    ProneSpreadMax 0.2->0.14

    StandingSpreadIncrement 0.009->0.0082
    DuckingSpreadIncrement 0.006->00055
    ProneSpreadIncrement 0.005->0.0046

    Sticky Grenade
    Damage 150->175

    Commander vehicle
    InfantryStickyResist 0->0.25

    Advanced Coolant Engine
    Heat Output At Max
    6->5 for AFV/LT
    7->6 for Medium
    6->5 for Heavy

    GL
    Gravity 1->0.92
    Cycle time 3->2.5
    Total Ammo Clips 2->4
    Reload Time 10->6
    UGL
    Gravity 0.9->0.88
    Total Ammo Clips 3->4
    Reload Time 12->8

    Bio MG
    Vehicle Bio Damage 3->4

    Plasma MG
    Damage 4->5
    Cycle time 0.4->0.35
    Heat to Target 1.6->1.8

    HEMG
    Projectile Spread 0.015->0.025
    DUMG & DUHMG
    Projectile Spread 0.03->0.02

    Guided ML
    Heat 7->7.5
    Cycle Time 1.0->1.2
    Reload Time 6.0->5.5

    Salvo ML
    Weight 50->60

    Plasma CN
    Heat 20->15
    Heat to Target 10->7
    Explosion Radius 350->325

    Artillery tank
    Base cost 1000->850

    180mm arty cannon
    Gravity 0.7->0.55
    203mm arty cannon
    Speed 1800->1900
    Gravity 0.6->0.57

    Scout
    Ranged arty resist 0->0.1
    Other arties resist 0->0.15
    Rifleman
    Other arties resist 0.1->0.15
    Grenadier
    Other arties resist 0.3->0.4
    Engineer
    Ranged arty resist 0->0.1
    Other arties resist 0->0.15

    Capacitive Armor
    Damage To Heat Absorbed 0.06->0.045

    Regenerative Armor
    Health 70->72

    Deflective armor
    Health 72->75
    Angle Modifier 0.95->0.88

    Absorbant Armor
    Health 66->67
    Speed to Damage Modifier -0.00011->-0.000112
    Bio Modifier 0.3->0.45

    NF Heavy Rifle
    Clipsize 12->10
     
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  2. Tama

    Tama Developer Staff Member Web Developer

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    so, there seems to be a problem with steam not distributing some of the files on Linux. We're trying to fix this, but In the meantime, if anybody tries to install on linux and finds their ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Empires directory only contains empires/, they can download this zip and unpack it there, to have the rest. https://www.dropbox.com/s/cqz3c70qsd9733y/commonEmpires.tar.gz?dl=0
     
  3. Sgt.Security

    Sgt.Security Member

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    Here are the changes that made it in this patch but aren't included in this thread.

    Arty had same max speed on all engines, it's kinda weird.

    Also 2.5 degrees more depression for arty tank, giving it a wider range.

    Arty isn't as versatile as heavy tank, no reason for the high cost.

    So the user has more control of the missiles.

    For reference, BE Heavy costs 800.
    If you build 10 tanks that's 1k difference, this may have given NF some hidden advantage.
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2016
  4. Lightning

    Lightning Member

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    OH BOY, as if rifleman wasn't op against vehicles already!
     
  5. Sgt.Security

    Sgt.Security Member

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    Because it isn't.

    Also is that all you have to say about the changes?
     
  6. RappemongO

    RappemongO Member

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    It's not so much that rifleman is OP vs tanks, but that grenadier isn't.

    You can throw most of your rpgs into a tank and it just takes it until it has one or two plates left, at which point it just drives off.

    Nor is the mortar really a viable weapon for infantry fights. You have maybe one shell to hit your opponents hat to get a kill, before his hitscan deathlazor takes you down.

    If I plan to take out buildings, I mostly go engineer for the ammobox ability.

    Playing grenadier these days, you are demoted to walldestroyer duty.
     
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  7. Ranger

    Ranger Member

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    Why do you think anti bio is better on absorbant instead of regen?

    How is smg3 more useful than before?

    What do you think of buffing plain armour just a bit in the next update to make it less feces?

    @Rappenmong gren is fine against infantry and against walls. However, the game favours the tank driver more. He can just rotate the tank easily and double the hits he can take. Gren would be ok against stupid bot tanks.
     
  8. Sgt.Security

    Sgt.Security Member

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    Absorbant is a cheap shit, why not give it a specialty? Also just saying, Absorbant used to have 0 bio multiplier.
    I have changed it from 0->0.3->0.45.

    I didn't expect those changes to instantly revive SMG3, so I have submitted a further buff for SMG3 but unfortunately didn't make it into this patch.
    Also I don't intend to create a new OP weapon, I want it to be less shitty.

    There's no point in buffing plain armor, you'll just get stronger early game vehicles and that's a new nightmare for grenadiers.
     
  9. Ranger

    Ranger Member

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    Regen also used to have full bio resistance or more regeneration than bio damage, something like that. I think the latter was the case.

    Plain armour currently has 40 hp. I meant a buff of 5 or 10 hp. That's 15 or 30 hp more for an AFV, it's not a big deal for grens.
     
  10. Tama

    Tama Developer Staff Member Web Developer

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    Agreed. I do like the extra sticky damage, it feels like one sticky is now usually enough to cripple a medium and almost kill a light or APC - although that's clearly the harder method, the grenadiers superior range, accuracy and fire rate is so much easier to use. What do you think? Should we have increased range instead, and kept the damage the same?

    But yea grens need a buff too. And while we're at it, ALL THE WEAPONS. Like +50% dmg or something, at least for the tier3 weapons.
     
  11. Lazybum

    Lazybum :D Staff Member Moderator

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    Arty engines still have old cooling values, meaning fission doesn't really cool at all unless you move around. That's terrible for arty.

    I thought the reason for nf heavy being less was for the extra armor it can put on, but I guess it hasn't been changed til now to reflect it doesn't have as much free weight anymore.

    It would be so easy to buff grens against heavier chassis but that's extra bookkeeping and no one wants to bother.:(

    Still say abs having bio resist was an oversight, but one that mostly works in it's favor so it's not total dookie.
     
  12. Caelo

    Caelo Member

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    Please try, but we should take care to net let the numbers inflate to much ^^
     
  13. NekoBaron

    NekoBaron Member

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    This is why new players cant and don't play gren, its a terribly nerfed class. Its also why I end up pre 9 mining buildings now because hitting anything with a mortar is negated by one engineer as soon as they notice, the gren gets nothing for nearly destroying things.

    Buffing stickys is completely retarded and makes the gren even more slow/worthless at times, grens might have the range but its only good for mostly static targets and taking into account the slow reload time versus spamming sticky nades in seconds.
     
  14. Avatarix

    Avatarix Member

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    Could we see the reasoning between changes on nerf on Delfective? It's becoming even more and more 'typical' armor. We need more angling, not another Composite.

    "Security, will you be nerfing Rifleman soon? Sure"
    Sticky Grenade
    Damage 150->175
    focking WOT
    could you stop buffing classes YOU like even more???


    Capacitive slightly buffed looks good, but still not enough to make it viable (also it needs to be added in research tree desc.)
    And Regenerative buff is breddy good i must say
    But the changes on SMG3 and Gren should be kept in other threads for me
     
  15. Lazybum

    Lazybum :D Staff Member Moderator

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    https://forums.empiresmod.com/index.php?threads/script-changes-for-next-patch.20228/
    Thread is kinda old, so I'm not surprised people missed it.

    I feel like I missed something, what's wrong with rifleman?
     
  16. Sgt.Security

    Sgt.Security Member

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    Just saying, I like Engineer.
    I know I am the best Rifleman in this game, but still.

    Sticky grenade is the hardest single weapon to use in this game.
    My policy is simple, if we aren't removing it, it better be useful.
     
  17. Lazybum

    Lazybum :D Staff Member Moderator

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    So when am I getting spike's shotgun? I need some more shotfun.:D
     
  18. NekoBaron

    NekoBaron Member

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    So by that logic buff rpgs then to kill tanks in 2 hits then, they have a long reload so they need to kill a tank as fast as you want riflemen stickies to kill tanks, hell a single rpg cant even take out a jeep.
     
  19. Sgt.Security

    Sgt.Security Member

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    I do have plans to buff RPG's damage against medium/heavy tank, but it requires a little coding so I am still waiting.

    Also no, RPG is much easier to use than sticky grenade, RPG also doesn't require you to get close to the enemy vehicle.
     
  20. NekoBaron

    NekoBaron Member

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    What about escort and nuclear, stickys are ment to be situational and used on close tanks they shouldn't be a cure all to kill tanks. Your also ignoring that rpgs rate of fire is slow so tanks can turn and if needed escape most of the time not to mention the average player has a hard time even getting an rpg to hit a moving tank at range.
     
  21. Sgt.Security

    Sgt.Security Member

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    We don't balance our game around Escort and Nuclear.
    Let's not even mention the fact that the "vehicle side" on those maps is the better side, a little nerf against them isn't going to hurt.

    Average players may have some difficulties in landing their rockets on enemy vehicle, but it's an almost impossible mission for them to land a sticky grenade on enemy vehicle.
     
  22. Lazybum

    Lazybum :D Staff Member Moderator

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    What's that, afraid of a little more book keeping? Aww, well that explains why you haven't done it yet.

    Gren's used to be fine against meds and to a point heavies. I really think a small buff against heavier tanks will be nice. I mean nerfing all armor hp is also an option, but so many seem to like our super beefy yet cheap tanks...

    If you are having problems with rifleman try taking chaingun or something instead of hemg, I guarantee they won't come close to you. I really feel like that has to do something with rifles getting more stickies on tanks, people aren't using as many weapons that can deal with infantry(or at least are terrible with aiming he cannon and the like). So it's much easier for them to get close or last long enough to lob all their nades.

    It's that or because people know they can laugh at grens and their mines in a heavy they just drive right in to melee range all the time, forgetting about that sneaky rifleman. People are just so careless about their tanks nowadays.
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2016
  23. Sgt.Security

    Sgt.Security Member

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    Last script changes that I forgot to include in this thread (implemented in 2.9.0).
    Their clip size are needlessly large.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2016

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