AI War Beta 5.085-5.086 "Shady Carriers" Released!

[keith.lamothe]

(Crossposted from this blog post)

This one is probably the second-to-last update containing new Ancient Shadows content (though additional scenarios beyond the next may be added between now and release, time permitting).  It adds two new scenarios for seeding in the nebulae.

There's also a significant rebalance of AI guardians and AI carriers (what happens when you blow up a carrier, at least).  I suspect the result with both will be a bit too much on the easy side, but I think the new situation for both is a lot more consistent (guardians had wildly different dps from each other, previously, and carrier pops were a multidimensional pinata), so we can work up from here as necessary.

And it's got a number of miscellaneous bugfixes and changes, like usual.

Update: 5.086 hotfix is out to fix a bug in 5.085 that would give a bunch of stuff to each champion upon loading the game (here I was thinking that simply turning off the test branch was sufficient, but noooo, I had to have a bug in part of that that could trigger anyway).

Enjoy!

This is a standard update that you can download through the  in-game updater itself, if you already have 4.000 or later. When you launch the game, you'll see the notice of the update having been found if you're connected to the Internet at the time.  If you don't have 4.000 or later, you can download that here.

[Arkillion]

Pretty serious issue already http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=9639

[Vitka]

Raider Guardian: Multiplier vs CommandGrade from 3 => 5.

Went to wiki to double-check if it ignores shields. Breathed a sigh of relief.

...



No, that's not a suggestion. Not at all.

[TechSY730]

Thanks starting up the guardian rebalance work again.

Also, the new "early pop" carrier logic looks good.
The only potential complaint I can see is that it tries promoting to Mk. V (only doing Mk. IV if there is no Mk. V), but Mk. Vs get a bunch of extra immunities (EMP, nuke, reclaimation, et al) that the original ships might not have. However, this sort of indirect "early pop penalty" may be intended though.


I look forward to testing this out tonight.

EDIT: Also, I know it is an exercise in tedium, but any plans on finishing the multiple of 8 cap thing for turrets soon?

[keith.lamothe]

Update: 5.086 hotfix is out to fix a bug in 5.085 that would give a bunch of stuff to each champion upon loading the game (here I was thinking that simply turning off the test branch was sufficient, but noooo, I had to have a bug in part of that that could trigger anyway).

[Arkillion]

That's some really awesome hotfixing

[keith.lamothe]

That's some really awesome hotfixing

Would have been faster if my internet connection hadn't tanked in the middle

[keith.lamothe]

No, that's not a suggestion. Not at all.

Yea, an eyebot guardian would be fun... but only for me

[Diazo]

Vampire Claw guardian?

Requires a sacrifice of 1D6 command stations before it is satisfied and allows itself to be destroyed.


Do you get the feeling I loathe Vampire Claws? Good, I do.

I have not run into them in AI hands recently thankfully, but they are consistently the unit that gives me the most problems.

Usually the first inkling I have that they are in system is the "Command Station under attack" warning and by then there's no way to save it.

Cloaking + FF immune is just about the hardest combination of abilities to defend against I think.



Also, to make this post at least tangentially relevant, the logic for special ships in waves, specifically the Heroic AI's Shadow Frigates.

My initial understanding of them was flawed it looks like and I'm starting to think this formula might be a bit high.

At 126 AIP, the most recent wave from the Heroic AI had 4 Shadow Frigates along. Looking at the wave calculation log that was with a wave size of 1.94. I think the wave size variable can go up to 3? The biggest I see in my recent log is 2.14 though.

4 Shadow Frigates is a huge ball of firepower. I'm not sure what the intended difficulty is for these, I am playing against a Heroic AI type which is a 'Red' AI type and on diff 9 after all.

However, (if I've done my math right), that would still have been 3 shadow frigates on difficulty 7 at this AIP, I'm not sure that is inline with what difficulty 7 is intended to be.

In the end, I'm not sure. The Heroic AI type is a Red AI (Technologist) so it is supposed to be significantly harder, maybe this is within the intended difficulty?

For the hell of it, I extrapolate to an AIP 209 (AIP 210 is the Mk II threshold). With a wavesize of 2.14, that would have 8 shadow frigates in that wave in my current game.

What happens at Mk II anyway? I hope I don't get 8 Shadow Destroyers in the face, that would suck.

D.

[Nodor]

This one[/url] is probably the second-to-last update containing new Ancient Shadows content (though additional scenarios beyond the next may be added between now and release, time permitting).

I just finished a year long 4 person multi-player Fallen Spire campaign and I have been dragged into Borderlands 2, Torchlight 2, Dungeon Defenders, Guild Wars 2, and DoTA 2 so..  I've fallen out of the loop.

The statement above seems to indicate that the new content is about ready to be finalized/rolled out, but it's unclear if there are substantial plans for balance testing prior to the release date.  And since I have forgotten the release date.. it's hard to estimate.

It's also been a while since I played due to distractions.   So while I can't comment on the current balance levels, I still see major changes in the patch notes... and rather than play for 40+ hours I figure I would worry on the forums.

I'm still looking forward to another 200 or so hours of game play when this is finished. Just given my distractions, I am debating between waiting for inevitable post game balancing patches or immediate launch into fun upon release.   

Thanks,
Nodor

[Diazo]

I would not be too concerned once the official release hits. Patches after that will tweak numbers and such in the name of balance but there should not be any mechanics changes after that point.

Before the official release, all bets are off. My previous game I played across 6 patches and the mechanics changes ended up game-overing me. 

The official release date for Ancient Shadows is October 19th and from the state of the game I'm seeing I expect they will be able to make that.

D.

[Hearteater]

All marks of Military Command Stations are immune to Vampire Claws if I recall.  A single Lightning Turret, Gravity Turret and Tachyon Turret make any other Command Station immune to Vampire Claws, at least up to Mark IV.

[Diazo]

All marks of Military Command Stations are immune to Vampire Claws if I recall.  A single Lightning Turret, Gravity Turret and Tachyon Turret make any other Command Station immune to Vampire Claws, at least up to Mark IV.

Yes, but I unlocked Econ stations for my economy so I'm going to build them so I get some use out of that Knowledge.

Note that this is from quite a while ago, but I was struggling against them the entire game and that leaves an impression to say the least.

They gotten a few changes since then and they are not as bad as they used to be, but I still loathe them!

Loathe them! You hear me! 

D.

[TechSY730]

Just FYI, the release notes page still says that 5.086 isn't out yet, even though it has been released.

[Cinth]

That has been fixed.... Now serving .087