DevDiaries #41: Hello lagger, my old friend

Hello, Friend. What have we done for you lately? Hey-hey, everything is written right here, in the diary. Read, please. We worked on the performance of Soldiers: Arena. We switched to 64-bit client, for example. Steam says that as of May 2017, about 7% of users are playing with 32-bit OS, but their number is constantly falling. Friends, are there any of us who need the 32-bit version of the client? We optimized the transfer of information between units in combat, which saves resources and is especially felt in mass battles. Changed the server rules when one of the players lags. Previously, the server, guided by the musketeer’s principle, forced all to wait for one, or slowed the game, allowing the laggers to catch up the rest. In the first case, we "enjoyed" the pause in the culmination moment, in the second we watched another Wachowski film (same spectacular and slow mo). Now the server does not stop the game because of one lagger, because "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few”. The game for the others goes on as usual, like a caravan of tanks, aspiring to a cloudless and happy future.
The game for the lagging guy is recovering as much as possible, trying to catch up what’s lost and find what’s gone. Rushing at a gallop and moving to the trot only when catch up the server. Lagger at this time alone in his lagging sad world, like a caravan of desperate tanks, lost among the dull country roads.

Playing God, do not overdo all settings

We configured Soldiers: Arena. Changed the calculation of damage for armor-piercing shells. Now both the muzzle and potential energy of the projectile are taken into account. For example ZIS-2 has excellent armor penetration, but ZIS-3 deals more damage. Drew markers for fast messages. Now each of the contextual messages has its own visualization, which helps to quickly understand what the ally wants from you, without distracting yourself by looking at the chat.

We fought with strange bugs. There was a time when machine-guns have mythical durability and could withstand a direct hit of 75-mm (and even more) landmines. In those harsh times even glass in the windows were tougher than the chains of Fenrir. The rifles of the defending infantry could not even scratch it. But the tanks jumped on the mines joyfully and high, like mongrels at the sight of meat. Especially lucky ones even could finish the jumping streak with a gymnastic stand on the tank tower.

Want to see beauty, Burning my life in the game, Beauty I need. Now!

We filled the map with objects. It’s configuration should provide opportunities for the use of all kinds of troops: open areas for tanks and artillery, areas with dense buildings for mortars, light vehicles and infantry, hideouts and locations for maneuver battles, etc. Based on these criteria, the model of the next soviet village map was also created. Added a new type of surface - "deep snow", which slows down the movement and makes mobile units even more useful. So we made winter versions of maps for tests. Configured environments. We want the player to remember with joy the hours spent in the battles on each map, so that one would like to admire them as cherry blossoms and write haiku. Note how the mood of the “Village” map changes with the using of different environment. Can’t you hear the third set of roosters, looking at this farmland morning?

Do you feel how the sun scorches the landscape on this summer day?

How does your back ache in the evening after hiking for mushrooms?

Maybe you want to make tea and read A.E.Poe, looking at this rainy weather?

If you feel something like this it’s ok. It's nice. But don’t forget these desires must not dislodge your passion to show your skills in the battlefield. Cherish this feeling. This fighter’s enthusiasm will be in need. And finally we have a couple of questions. How do you feel about bots? Where are they good, and where are they not? To train skills only, or do you need them to replace disconnected players, for example? Would it be interesting to test your skill in cooperative battles against AI in the "hardcore and his brother INSANITY" mode? Blurt out your plain truth below! Wish you all the best!

[ 2017-06-15 17:57:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

Soldiers: Arena
Best Way

Developer

Best Way Soft

Publisher

To be announced

Release

Action Strategy Coop EA

Features:

Revival of the “Men of War/Soldiers” game series. This multiplayer tactical RTS absorbed the best of the original series, favourite of players all over the world.
Huge roster of units. Within a single game session, players will have access to a large number of unique units for every nation: tanks, vehicles, infantry and artillery of various types.
The “Direct Control” mode. This mode provides the ability to play from the third person for any unit in the player’s army. The movement of the unit, firing the various guns, control of ammunition types, etc. all relying and directly controlled by player and thus the game conveys tactical action in it’s very essence.
Destructible interactive environments. During the battle almost any object of the game can be destroyed or set on fire. Furthermore, all objects, including craters from explosions, may be used as cover.
Atmosphere and realism. Even in large-scale game battles, it is necessary to take into account factors such as the supply of fuel and ammunition of each single unit. The precense of inventories for each unit limits the number and size of transported objects. Guns’ accuracy and penetration decreases with distance. Tired soldiers reduce the movement speed during long crossings. The influence of these and many other factors makes possible to reproduce the battles of World War II with a adequate degree of realism, most involving the player into the atmosphere of heated battles of the past.
Modular realistic damage system. Any vehicle, regardless of its type, is composed of a set of modules that can be broken or destroyed. Types of ammunition, characteristics of guns, shooting distance, angle of armor, armor plate thickness and the threshold of material fatigue are taken into account, when calculating the piercing capability and damage caused to each of the component. Additionally, there are calculations of the probability of detonation of ammunition, engine fires, damage to wheels or tracks (which leads to immobilization of combat units). If a component is not destroyed, it can be repaired.
Wide range of opportunities for infantry. Intelligence, combat, capture and repair of equipment, installation of anti-personnel and anti-tank obstacules of different types, construction of protective structures, health treatment, cover usage, ability to change through primary and secondary weapons, capture of buildings and territories.
Great number of different types of weapons and ammunition. Pistols, submachine guns, machine guns, rifles and carbines, various types of grenades, dynamite, mines, knives and other items of equipment that are unique to each nation.
Advanced Artificial Intelligence (Advanced AI). Infantry’s behaviour based on the feedback information from their own sensors (vision and acoustics), as well as allies’ signals. This allows the use of diversionary tactics, sending scouts into the enemy's rear, as well as to open the visibility with the help of special devices - observation towers, binoculars, telescopic tubes and sniper scopes. The morale of the infantry depends on the balance of forces on the battlefield - the soldiers may decide to advance or to withdraw from the fight.
Conceptual new interface for convenient control.
Enhanced game engine Gem2. Reworking of the game engine allows to provide a new level of graphics, the implementation of new and improvement already familiar to users game mechanics.
OSX, Mac. Linux support.
Full Steam support. Matchmaking, workshop, steamcloud, tradecards, achievments, steamstats, inventoryitems.

MINIMAL SETUPOS: Ubuntu 12.04
Processor: 2 GHz Intel Dual CoreMemory: 4 GB RAM
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: 3D Hardware Accelerator Card Required - OpenGL 3.0 compatibleNetwork: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 5 GB available space
RECOMMENDED SETUPOS: Ubuntu 15.04
Processor: Intel Core i5-2.5GHzMemory: 8 GB RAM
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 or AMD Radeon HD 7750 with 1 GB VRAM or betterNetwork: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 5 GB available space

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