What this update lacks in balance changes it more than makes up for in stealth balance changes. These stealth changes are in the form of unit AI improvements and so, thanks to our motto 'That which can be destroyed by widgets should be', can be implemented without as much forethought as would be applied to real balance changes. We tend to even go further and implement unit AI directly into the game logic when it is merely possible (and often technically infeasible) for such a widget to exist.
Perhaps the most significant change is to Ravens. Now they only dive as low as they need to in order to reliably hit their target. This should make them much better against large, slow units (such as Reef) while leaving them unchanged against small units (such as Skeeter).
These notes also include changes from v1.4.10.0 to v1.4.10.2.
Balance
Advanced Radar no longer reduces radar wobble. The mechanic broke with an engine update, is barely used, and only existed due to legacy.
Removed Reef antinuke. Lets see how it goes.
Bantha can now shoot its Tachyon Accelerator at planes.
Commander Balance
Lightning Gun:
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Damage - 256/640 -> 220/550 (EMP with flux 960 -> 825)
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Reload Time - 1.83 -> 1.66
This has two main effects:
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Bandit no longer 1-shot
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Common units around 800 health (eg LLT, Warrior, Banshee) no longer stunned on the first shot
Derived stats:
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DPS 140/350 -> 132/330
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stun uptime 55% -> 60% (duration is 1s)
Also, fixed the Flux Amplifier upgrade accidentally reducing Lightning Gun's accuracy.
Unit AI
Raven is now conservative about diving, carefully considering the size and maximum speed of its target and only diving as low as required to (almost) guarantee a hit. Previously it would dive as low as it could go against all targets.
Burst beam lasers (HLT, Penetrator etc..) now aim better against fast targets. Previously they would aim such that the unit would be hit in the middle of their beam time. This caused them to lead fast targets to a ridiculous extent and allow them to dodge and escape damage.
Buoy, Impaler, Rogue, Thug, Hermit, Rocko, Reef and Detriment (missile) now have overkill prevention against structures. Their in-flight projectiles project an aura of doom towards their target and cause potential assailants from thinking twice about increasing the doom further than necessary. This is basically an extension of the same change for missiles from the Overpowered Missile Update. Hammer, Ravager, Reaper, Crabe and Goliath (main gun) missed out for technical reasons but should gain the same overkill prevention in the future.
Units with slow moving projectiles now de-prioritize fast moving targets based on their current speed. For example, Hermits may now shoot stunned Glaives before unstunned Glaives just because they are much more likely to kill a stationary target. Scalpels are more likely to shoot at slow aircraft than fast aircraft.
User Interface
We've had a few interface improvements. Mostly to bombers and transports.
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Alt+r is now a hotkey for Repeat.
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Cleaned up the selection key hotkey menu and added a few more options.
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Double pressing L with a mixed selection of transports and units now causes the selected transports to pick up the units and, if the units have orders, ferry them to their destination.
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Bombers now set themselves to Fire at Will or Hold Fire depending on whether they have an Attack Move or Patrol command.
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Bombers with a single Attack Move command will fire at the first target they come across and not return after reloading. Set bombers to retreat, patrol or queue multiple commands to override this behaviour. The aim of the change is to make Attack Move for bombers behave a bit more like Attack.
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I was surprised to discovered that Air Repair Pads can have a command queue, like factories, which are applied to aircraft when they are let go. I remember implementing this and apparently did so eight months ago yet completely forgot.
Fixes
Removed almost all of the weapons from Zero-K (around 6400) to significantly improve load times. Also, removed about 400 units.
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Reduced Firewalker and Racketeer firing and impact sound volume.
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Fixed Recon commander breaking if Personal SHield and Disruptor Bomb are equipped.
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Cloaked Warlord no longer gives its position away with wakes.
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Fixed some wreck values and names.
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Fixed Claws incorrectly being set to hold fire when cloaked.
