Submitted By: distancerunner on 07/2/2008 @ 12:51 PM CDT

Downloads: 4 total | Comments: 0

About this File:

So what's up with 17.9? The update was actually pretty much ready to go, although we will use the extra time to do some more polishing and tweaking to the new encounters and items. So what's the reason for wanting to hold it back?

Concealment and Perception is the answer.

When working on some of the older bugs in an effort to squash the pesky things we were finally able to nail down something we had suspected for a while, and players had wondered about for some time and that's the oddities with how the perception against concealment (and general perception checks) scale and work. What we found hidden away in a particularly dark corner of the code-base was that these checks has always been checking only the unbuffed base stats when performing its checks.

Fixing that resolves quite a few minor bugs (like the difficulties players have finding hidden mobs as you find in the Crypt or in Penumbra for example) but it present us with a potentially major change to the game mechanics that is going to be difficult to gauge. How will resolving this effect those professions that rely to a large extent on concealment, and how will it effect general balance with everyone getting additional benefit from perception buffs.

The honest answer is that we can't be totally sure until we get some data, this is where you can help!

Playing on the test server

The transfer of characters to test live is now back up and running and we would encourage players to please come to the test dimension and check out the change and provide your feedback. Does it play any differently? It may be that the balance isn't that far out due to the using the buffed stats, it might be that with players set-ups it makes quite a difference and we would like to get as good a picture as possible. We will most likely test this update for an additional two or three weeks before considering releasing it to the live dimensions.

We are of course testing this ourselves as well both internally and on the test dimension but any additional players or time spent on the test dimension will be very helpful to help see the effect of this change.

In closing

Now it's unlikely we would want to revert the change, but we are open to adding new and different buffs (or modifying existing ones) if we feel that the new balance caused by this change requires some further adjustments.

We felt that this change had far too much potential for significant change to rush out to the live dimensions. It might well be that in the end it doesn't have such a big impact due to how players stats have ended up down the years. So deciding to take extra testing time might be being over cautious, but I much would rather be safe than sorry!

So there you have it, that's the current game-plan and we will of course keep you updated with any further developments!

(see all 2 links)

Submitted By: dead4sure on 11/21/2007 @ 1:21 PM CDT

Downloads: 4237 total | Comments: 1

About this File:

33.8mb World Wide Patch 1.005

(see all 4 links)

Submitted By: nuretroyo on 07/4/2008 @ 11:57 AM CDT

Downloads: 3 total | Comments: 0

About this File:

General:
* The map editor is available. (News and video about the editor)
* Added 2 new multiplayer missions: "The Island of abandoned tanks", "Two Junctions".
* Added 3 new single player missions: "Krasnograd", "Barvenkovo", "Winter Strike".

Reworked campaigns:
* Allied campaign. Europe, 1944.
* USSR campaign. Crimean Peninsula, 1943.
* German campaign. France, 1944.
* Battle of Iwo Jima. Pacific Ocean, Iwo Jima, 1945.
* Defense of Iwo Jima. Pacific Ocean, Iwo Jima, 1945.

Gameplay:
* Paratroopers. (News and screenshots)
* Ambushes in houses. When AI firing is OFF for soldiers in a house, it will be shown as neutral for enemies until an enemy will try to occupied the building.
* Some tanks can carry up to 6 soldiers on them. (News and screenshots)
* Tank commanders can prop their heads out of the hatch to increase the range of sight. Though it makes them more vulnerable.
* Machineguns and mortars can be loaded in trucks.

Balance:
* New damage system. (News and video about new damage model)
* Original missions are reworked to bring replayability.
* Checked and corrected units’ stats, such as tower rotation speed, rate of fire, number of crew and ammunition to make them proper from the historical point of view.

Multiplayer:
* Fireglow own matchmaking service SuddenStrikeNet. Finding network games is way easier now!
* Added new options for multiplayer games:
"Random color" - setting this option "ON" prevents all players from changing their color. The colors will be assigned automatically, with red, yellow, brown and orange colors go to the red team while all others - to the blue one.
"Capture time" - flags capture time
"Capture period" - periodical reinforcements' interval.
"Disable howitzers" - disables howitzers in reinforcements.

User Interface:
* Improved Follow and Board commands.
* Visualization for harrisons and passengers.

Graphics:
* Winter landscapes have been added. (News and screenshots)
* New cursors mode and other minor improvements in GUI.

Other improvements:
* Score calculation has been improved.

(see all 3 links)

Submitted By: nuretroyo on 07/4/2008 @ 12:01 PM CDT

Downloads: 2 total | Comments: 0

About this File:

General:
* The map editor is available. (News and video about the editor)
* Added 2 new multiplayer missions: "The Island of abandoned tanks", "Two Junctions".
* Added 3 new single player missions: "Krasnograd", "Barvenkovo", "Winter Strike".

Reworked campaigns:
* Allied campaign. Europe, 1944.
* USSR campaign. Crimean Peninsula, 1943.
* German campaign. France, 1944.
* Battle of Iwo Jima. Pacific Ocean, Iwo Jima, 1945.
* Defense of Iwo Jima. Pacific Ocean, Iwo Jima, 1945.

Gameplay:
* Paratroopers. (News and screenshots)
* Ambushes in houses. When AI firing is OFF for soldiers in a house, it will be shown as neutral for enemies until an enemy will try to occupied the building.
* Some tanks can carry up to 6 soldiers on them. (News and screenshots)
* Tank commanders can prop their heads out of the hatch to increase the range of sight. Though it makes them more vulnerable.
* Machineguns and mortars can be loaded in trucks.

Balance:
* New damage system. (News and video about new damage model)
* Original missions are reworked to bring replayability.
* Checked and corrected units’ stats, such as tower rotation speed, rate of fire, number of crew and ammunition to make them proper from the historical point of view.

Multiplayer:
* Fireglow own matchmaking service SuddenStrikeNet. Finding network games is way easier now!
* Added new options for multiplayer games:
"Random color" - setting this option "ON" prevents all players from changing their color. The colors will be assigned automatically, with red, yellow, brown and orange colors go to the red team while all others - to the blue one.
"Capture time" - flags capture time
"Capture period" - periodical reinforcements' interval.
"Disable howitzers" - disables howitzers in reinforcements.

User Interface:
* Improved Follow and Board commands.
* Visualization for harrisons and passengers.

Graphics:
* Winter landscapes have been added. (News and screenshots)
* New cursors mode and other minor improvements in GUI.

Other improvements:
* Score calculation has been improved.

(see all 2 links)

Submitted By: nuretroyo on 07/4/2008 @ 11:59 AM CDT

Downloads: 2 total | Comments: 0

About this File:

General:
* The map editor is available. (News and video about the editor)
* Added 2 new multiplayer missions: "The Island of abandoned tanks", "Two Junctions".
* Added 3 new single player missions: "Krasnograd", "Barvenkovo", "Winter Strike".

Reworked campaigns:
* Allied campaign. Europe, 1944.
* USSR campaign. Crimean Peninsula, 1943.
* German campaign. France, 1944.
* Battle of Iwo Jima. Pacific Ocean, Iwo Jima, 1945.
* Defense of Iwo Jima. Pacific Ocean, Iwo Jima, 1945.

Gameplay:
* Paratroopers. (News and screenshots)
* Ambushes in houses. When AI firing is OFF for soldiers in a house, it will be shown as neutral for enemies until an enemy will try to occupied the building.
* Some tanks can carry up to 6 soldiers on them. (News and screenshots)
* Tank commanders can prop their heads out of the hatch to increase the range of sight. Though it makes them more vulnerable.
* Machineguns and mortars can be loaded in trucks.

Balance:
* New damage system. (News and video about new damage model)
* Original missions are reworked to bring replayability.
* Checked and corrected units’ stats, such as tower rotation speed, rate of fire, number of crew and ammunition to make them proper from the historical point of view.

Multiplayer:
* Fireglow own matchmaking service SuddenStrikeNet. Finding network games is way easier now!
* Added new options for multiplayer games:
"Random color" - setting this option "ON" prevents all players from changing their color. The colors will be assigned automatically, with red, yellow, brown and orange colors go to the red team while all others - to the blue one.
"Capture time" - flags capture time
"Capture period" - periodical reinforcements' interval.
"Disable howitzers" - disables howitzers in reinforcements.

User Interface:
* Improved Follow and Board commands.
* Visualization for harrisons and passengers.

Graphics:
* Winter landscapes have been added. (News and screenshots)
* New cursors mode and other minor improvements in GUI.

Other improvements:
* Score calculation has been improved.

(see all 2 links)