Zero-K v1.8.5.0 - Narrative Campaign and Hunter

With an expanded narrative for the campaign, numerous balance tweaks, AI fixes, and improved latency, this update has something for everyone.

The campaign codex has been added, ready to be filled with history and rumours from all over the galaxy. As you explore, you'll learn about its inhabitants, the events that transpired, and how it relates to you. The codex entries for already explored planet are added to ongoing campaigns, or you might prefer to start afresh (perhaps on a higher difficulty?).

The balance tweaks are focused on toning down Bolas and on evening up the relative appeal of Planes and Gunships in the early to mid game. Dominatrix has been moved back towards the anti-heavy role, submarines have better behaviour, and Merlin may be less dominant late game. There are also some changes to move transports away from bomb tossing and to make the prefire widget obsolete.

Other notable changes include a new Hunter model, polish for the main menu, and configuration changes that should result in reduced latency. Report changes in latency so we can assess their effectiveness.

Balance

Some units now aim and fire when their target is predicted to be within range. The affected units are Reaver, Pyro, Venom, Recluse, Dart, Ripper, Kodachi, Blitz, Ogre, Nimbus, Dante, Stardust and Faraday. This is a cheap and seamless replacement of the prefire widget and will affect balance, so further tweaks will be required.

Dagger is slightly slower.

• Speed 4.8 -> 4.75

Bolas is slightly worse at combat.

• Health 780 -> 720
• Range 230 -> 225

Ronin can lose a hindrance now that Cloaky is not so powerful.

• No longer slows down after firing (was slowing to 80% speed).

Dominatrix is now much better against heavy units. This is likely to need walking back.

• Doubled damage.
• Doubled the fixed capture buffer intrinsic to all units.

Blastwing is better at scouting.

• Sight radius 450 -> 500.

Locust requires more infrastructure to repair and reuse.

• Regen 10/s -> 5/s

Transport carry speed no longer depends on mass. This is a relative nerf for their ability to throw bombs.

• Charon speed 321 -> 345
• Charon transports at 70% speed. This is about how fast it moved while transporting Reaver/Ravager weight units.
• Hercules transport light units at 100% speed.
• Hercules transports heavy units at 50% speed. This makes it a bit slower for transporting Grizzly/Dante weight units, but about twice as fast for Detriment.

Raven can be cheaper now that energy drain for rearming has proven to be so effective.

• Cost 320 -> 300

Raptor is more manoeuvrable.

• Acceleration increased 10%.
• Aileron increased 33%.
• Rudder increased 33%.
• Elevator increased 50%.

Merlin no longer has above-average health/cost for artillery.

• Health 4000 -> 3140

Submarines (Seawolf and Scylla):

• Dive deeper in open water, reducing their depth when the sea floor requires it.
• Can traverse shallower water, but become vulnerable to surface weaponary.
• Take full damage from all weapons.

Campaign

• Added the codex, a repository of logs uncovered as you explore the galaxy.
• Added 40+ codex entries. The plot thickens.
• Added a friendly Stinger to Cygnet as this planet is a bit of a difficulty jump.
• Added tips to Kirdipan regarding the heavy turrets.
• Added more Thunderbirds to Fel Diacia.

Main Menu

• Updated font.
• Added icons for friend invites.
• Fiddled with and fixed the campaign planet window to display better on smaller screens.
• Added a brief loading delay so that the menu does not try to draw without textures.
• Added an incomplete language selector.
• Fixed popup clickthrough.
• Added a tutorial prompt that prompts newcomers start the campaign in a single click.
• Applied some network settings that show result in much better latency.
• Fixed a bug with loading multiple save files.

Graphics and Effects

• Remodeled Hunter.
• Damaged underwater units bubble instead of smoke.
• Removed grass.

Interface

• Added hotkeys for state toggles to command tooltips.
• Lobsters set to block attack commands can now only be fired with their special weapon.
• Updated commander chassis descriptions.
• Optimised some widget that draws state (health, selection etc...) on units in worldspace.
• Fixed Cutter build icon.
• Added Bolas translation support and help text.
• Area cloakers that are enabled by default now default to medium priority.

Fixes

• Fixed raider tactical AI attempting to avoid factories.
• Tightened velocity prediction for Scorcher.
• Tweakunits can now propperly change factory build options.
• Possibly fixed a rare terraform bug.
• Fixed Chainsaw animating while reclaimed.
• Fixed an error with repair pads.
• Fixed Chicken-related awards performance.
• Fixed Strike chassis centre of mass.

quote: Dominatrix is now much better against heavy units. This is likely to need walking back. Doubled damage. Doubled the fixed capture buffer intrinsic to all units.

Time to Build Dominatrix So Much!

Looks like Ronin is back on the menu, boys!

Merlin no longer has above-average health/cost for artillery.

Health 4000 -> 3140


GoogleFrog on Github

quote: The more random the number, the harder we must have thought about it. But anyway, the real reason is that I prefer the number 3140 to 3150.

Made my day

I like the new Hunter model.
The campaign menu/lobby doesn't have the new icon for the mission select and the technology screen though.
That's a lot of lore dumped as well.

quote: Aileron increased 33%.

what exactly does this mean?

quote: That's a lot of lore dumped as well.

It was written with playing a new campaign in mind, where it is unlocked at a reasonable pace (and in proper order).

But it would be silly if you had to play missions again to unlock lore in a campaign already in the way - so when you have a completed campaign, it means the 70+ missions worth of texts are unlocked all at once...

Definitivly, Dominatrix are a little bit too powerful :o)

quote: Domi feels way too powerful now.

Link replays. They are approximately where they used to be for relatively healthy short ranged units.

quote: Transports cannot be Lobstered.

why? post replays why.