Zero-K v1.6.5.6 - Balance and map updates

Here are some balance changes a result your feedback and our matchup data. Tanks and Thunderbird have received nerfs while the Rover and Spider riots have small buffs. We have also rotated out four maps from the matchmaker.

Maps

Added:

• Otago 1.1
• Shimmershore v1.0
• Zed 2.3
• Obsidian_1.5

Removed:

• Desert Needle Small 3.2
• Vittra v2.1
• Barren 2
• Hide_and_Seek_v03

Balance

Blitz has less damage to nerf it against Glaive and a little less range to nerf it against everything.

• Damage 200 -> 180
• Range 260 -> 245

Ripper should generally be better against raiders.

• Range 290 -> 300
• Reload 1.7 -> 1.633

Widow has a bit more range to help it reach tall turrets on cliffs.

• Range 100 -> 120

Thunderbird hits targets in a thinner line but should do approximately the same amount of single target damage.

• AoE 192 -> 160
• Spray angle reduced by 1/6th
• Damage (per bolt) 675 -> 650

Redback and Scorpion particle beams have a bit more burst. This is a 5% increase to DPS.

• Damage 60 -> 70
• Reload 0.3 -> 0.333

Content

• Added a jumpjet loadscreen by thetryhardrabbit
• Added a sonic gun sound by Apelsinsaft

Fixes

• Fixed Chainsaw firing issue.
• Fixed some unit shader issues on poor graphics cards.
• Fixed set target command in rectangle mode.

The range of Crab and Recluse is still the same (less than Stinger) I gather? There's been a bit of discussion about Crab / Recluse here:
http://zero-k.info/Forum/Thread/25621

quote: In what universe is zed or obsidian a better map than hide and seek?

Well, Hide & Seek is ugly as hell, that't one thing.

Personally, I favor Zed and Obsidian over Hide and Seek.

Brackman - says the person who never plays 1v1.
Quite like the people who choose MM maps now that I think about it...
I guess any map that doesnt follow the "walk to middle and porc" type gameplay must be removed. Can you imagine the horror of having an actually unique map?!


This blitz nerf is also so lolz. Kodachis are better against glaives than blitz ever were. But yeah, sure, lets nerf random things because very flawed winrate statistics say so.
Pointless change that doesn't change anything. HT still stomps early, then dies to rocko/warrior swarm.

Hide and Seek is a good map, but it is a hard map. At lower levels it often doesn't facilitate a game past the first push because most of our player base is used to having at least one side choked off (usually two). Maybe it should be saved for tournaments?

In hide and seek you start away from any sides of the map. You need to defend from 360 degrees.

On titan duel you start in the corner of the map. You need to defend 90 degrees.

Can you really not see how this might be more difficult?

I dunno man you're feeling like [Fx]Drone-lite

quote: Brackman - says the person who never plays 1v1.

When I play ZK I play 1v1 often. Maybe you only looked at the last games shown on my profile page which are a series of very short games vs AI where I did some tests. Also, I have too many other things to do in my life to play as much ZK as others do. That's ok. But I can still say my opinion. I do like unique maps btw.

I think the featured version of Hide and Seek was a bad map, its hard to distinguish where vehicles & hovers can and can't path. That new pretty version above looks good though!

Yea the Blitz nerf is way too much. What happened to making small changes? Its a raider and an alpha-damage unit, it really shouldn't get big changes like this. Either revert the range or the damage nerf please.