Leaderboards have been reset for all game modes.

Major Changes

• Complete overhaul of enemy spawning AI.
• Complete overhaul of GRID mode.
• Dive Mode Added.
• Chase Mode has been Redesigned.
• Gauss Rifle Direct damage improved.
• MALLARD Direct damage improved significantly.
• Enemy balance has been adjusted.

Minor Updates

Too many to list. This update includes ALOT of small changes and I honestly can't list all of them.

Spawning AI Overhaul

The spawning AI has changed significantly although I have attempted to keep the overall difficulty the same. The AI now combines different Tactics (a bit like Patterns) with different Enemies as if it is playing a Card game. It earns Mana as a result of the Player's actions and by playing "easy" cards and then spends that Mana on "hard" cards. This AI is also at the core of how the Administrator AI in the GRID works (see below). The overall result is that Enemy types are no longer limited by the players level and the Ambushes are no longer limited by time. This should result in a faster ramp-up for good players with more ambushes occuring more frequently and in combinations previously not seen.

GRID Overhaul

The GRID mode as it existed previously is no more. Alpha 4 is a stepping stone to a complete overhaul of the mode into a complete Roguelike Campaign mode. You are a Hacker working on behalf of a Benefactor whose goal is to gain Notoriety by infiltrating Networks, stealing Files and crashing Servers. When you start a new game of the GRID you must choose a Difficulty, Character, benefactor and Rig (Currently only 1 of each is available). You can also change your starting Loadout using Items you have unlocked via Arcade modes. You can have up to 8 GRID games in progress at a time and can load old games from the Game Manager screen. On the main GRID Navigation screen you will see your hackers information on the left and The GRID on the right. The layout of the Servers in the GRID is procedurally generated and there will be gaps where no Server exists. Your Hacker has a location and the Servers you can interact with are indicated by the red outline. The AI installs ICE onto each Server that changes what kind of enemies you will encounter. Each Server additionally has a Mission to complete. Currently there are only 2 but this is set to expand during Beta. Clicking on a Server will select it then clicking on it again will open the context menu. The top Icon is "Connect" and it will begin a "Run" on that Server. The bottom Icon is "Bypass" and will change your location to that Server assuming you have already completed it. Firewalls During a Run you will encounter Structures that look like large Towers. These are Firewalls and they prevent you from progressing to the next level. Destroying all the Firewalls in a level will open a Portal and sitting in the Portal for 3 seconds will transport you to the next Level. Mission: Recon During a Recon mission you will have to reachh a specific Level and destroy all the Firewalls you encounter to open the Exit. Mission: Data Theft Depending on the Mission you are performing different Structures may appear such as a blue Database on the Data Theft Mission. Destroy this Structure and collect the File it drops to start a download from it. Once the Download is complete the Exit will open and you can Portal out of the Server with your prize.

Dive Mode

Dive Mode is an Arcade variant of the gameplay developed for the GRID. Similar to Rush you start with 60 seconds on the clock and lose 10 seconds eachh time you die. The only way to gain time is to destroy the Firewalls in each Level and Portal to the next Level.

Chase Mode

Chase Mode has undergone a redesign. Instead of the checkpoints resetting the timer to 5 seconds each Checkpoint now rewards you 2 seconds of additional time. This allows you to build up a reserve of time by moving between checkpoints quickly.

[ 2017-03-24 18:43:32 CET ] [ Original post ]