Natural Selection 2 has been receiving an update almost every single week. But you would not know it from looking at out Steam news, because we have been forgetting to post it (Sorry...)! Here is a summary of what's changed in the last four updates, since we last posted to Steam. Update 294 - April 12th Tweaks / Improvements

• Kick reasons are now communicated to the client via the popup in the main menu
• The “NS2” gamemode tag is now selected by default at the server browser instead of the “All” tab
• Bots now directly join their team instead of waiting the Ready Room

Medpack Gameplay

• Decreased direct heal from 50 health points to 25
• Added a regeneration effect healing 25 health points per second:
• Each medpack adds 1 sec regeneration
• Multiple medpacks stack the regeneration time wise until the maximum health is reached
• The health value regeneration will reach is shown green health bar
• Lowered the pickup cool down from 0.56 seconds to 0.45

Fixes

• Fixed that sometimes a commander bot joined a team in rookie only even though the team already has a human commander.

Server

• Server can now indicate a kick reason when calling Server.DisconnectClient

Update 293 - April 4th Tweaks / Improvements

• Exosuits have had a Quality of Life pass
  • While deploying, your view is no longer locked and you are frozen for less time to better match the animations
  • You can eject instantly, and it will throw you more in the direction you are looking. You can even use it to get to some vents!
  • Subnautica has floodlights, why not NS2? The exo’s flashlight stays on after ejecting, turning it into a very expensive floodlight
  • Parasite state of the exo is tracked separately from a marine, and fixed inconsistencies with this (Thanks Dragon!)
  • Parasite status is now shown on the exo screen next to the armor display
  • You can no longer steal someone’s Exo if they buy a Jetpack until after 30 seconds has passed
  • You can now thrust in any direction
  • If you press the thrust button before the fuel bar is full, as long as you continue to hold it it will thrust when able (similar to how jump-queueing works as a Skulk)
• Primed power nodes will now unlock if a Command Chair is in the room
• Changed a few achievements slightly:
• Lowered the required amount of the "Destroy X Resource Towers" achievements by 5 as it's too unlikely to destroy 15 of them in a single round
• Constructing 33 % of a structure will count now as having build that structure to avoid race conditions against other team members
• You also defend a Resource tower now by killing an enemy close to it instead of having to stand close to it yourself

Fixes

• Fixed Server Browser not sorting by “Favorites” by default
• Fixed references to Exosuits as Exoskeletons in some of the hint text and commander UI

Update 292 - March 29th Tweaks / Improvements

• Added a bunch of new collectible items you can earn by playing the game or by trading with others. See if you can get all 15!

Fixes

• Fixed respawning at random view angles. Your camera view after spawning will now match where you were looking while respawning
• Fixed that constructing only rewarded 1 instead of 5 score points
• Fixed that bots counted for the max player check causing players to be unable to join a server

SDK

• All C-style code comments have been refactored to Lua-style (this allows you to use any editor which supports Lua to work with the ns2 code base)
• Added ability to assign a mod type and a compatibility tag to your mods in Launchpad, while will be displayed in the Workshop and can be used to filter certain mod types.
  • Please update your old mods with tags, especially crosshairs, hitsounds, and alien vision ones!

Want even more? You can also read the Update 291 notes on the Unknown Worlds blog (Steam news won't let me post it all at once...): Update 291 - March 17th

[ 2016-04-15 12:41:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Natural Selection 2 pits alien against human in an action-packed struggle for survival. Wield devastating weaponry as a Frontiesman marine, or become the xenomorph as a deadly. Kharaa life-form.

Strategy Meets Shooter

Natural Selection 2 is a First Person Shooter and Real Time Stategy game rolled into one! Each team, alien and human, has a Commander. The Commander looks down on the battlefield and issues orders, places structures, collects resources, researches technology, and deploys abilities.



Here are some gameplay examples: A human Commander could drop health packs and ammunition to a trapped marine squad, and deploy sentry guns to help them defend their position. Or an alien Commander could grow a new Hive to spread infestation throughout newly captured territory, allowing more alien eggs to spawn...

Two Unique Sides

Aliens players choose to evolve into one of five lifeforms: The fast, fearsome Skulk can run on walls and deliver massive damage with is jaws. Lerks fly and deploy gasses to support their teammates in battle. Gorges heal other lifeforms and build tunnels, hydra turrets, walls, and other tactical structures. Fades blink in and out of battle, picking off marines with giant scythes. Finally, the giant Onos is so massive and so tough, that even entire marine squads can't take it down.



Marines wield rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, pistols, and other weapons. Cluster grenades can clear ventilation shafts of sneaky Skulks, flamethrowers make short work of alien structures and infestation, and boosts dropped by the Commander increase combat effectiveness.

When attacking on foot doesn't cut it, marines can construct hulking Exosuits wielding miniguns and railguns, and equip jetpacks for high speed assaults on alien Hives.

Long Term Development

Natural Selection 2 receives constant updates. This year, 2016, Unknown Worlds continues to develop new features, content, and improvements.

Mod Tools Come Standard

Natural Selection 2 comes with all the tools we used to make the game. All game code is open source. That means you can create, and play, an endless variety of mods. Publish, share, and download mods from the Steam Workshop, and automatically download mods when you join modded games.

Digital Deluxe Edition

Digital Deluxe Edition includes:

• Official Soundtrack - 1 hour of tribal, industrial music composed by David John and Simon Chylinski
  
• Digital Art Book - 40+ pages of art by Cory Strader, including environments, creatures, weapons and more
  
• Exclusive in-game marine model - Exclusive in-game marine model - A new marine model with custom visor and armor plating
  
• Exclusive Wallpapers and Avatars - Unique views of the NS2 universe by Amanda Diaz