Link Hi, friends. This is the right time for another diary with feedback. As usual, we look back to tell what we created from scratch, what we repaired, and what we upgraded. Settings, new features, increasing the size of maps and two returns by your requests: ammunition and BC and rubric with bugs.

Airstrike

About a month ago we added an air strike to the game. And immediately started testing and modifying it. A week later, added different types of ammunition to aircraft. Now adjusting the damage of planes. So that aviation was a formidable opponent, but did not become an easy-to-use ultimate tool. With most units, the air strike copes in one flight, with the heaviest and the most armored of the tanks - in several. But a couple of aerial bombs are a great way to cope with the IS without having serious AT-guns or your own tanks. Hit down the track and finish off with an airstrike is quite a working strategy. You asked several times in the comments about the possibility of choosing the direction of attack for the air strike. The thing is necessary, no doubt. So weve added it. And also taught the AI to use aviation.
The importance of teamwork has also grown due to the advent of attacking aircraft. Most units have always been an easy target without the support of infantry giving an overview. Now you need to protect the allies from the air attack too, so that the value of anti-aircraft guns and allies who have them has grown. We are actively fixing bugs in the air defense behavior, learning to aim and doing fine-tuning of anti-aircraft guns, their damage, aiming speed, detection radius, etc.

Map size

The last few months we have been experimenting with the size of the maps, as there was a feeling that gameplay is something tight. Created a new Champagne map with an area of more than twice the size of the other maps. It was too spacious to play on it though, so according to the test results, we cut it in width and length several times. Until a compromise was reached, which made it easier to apply workaround tactics or organize impudent breakthroughs, but at the same time did not force to play search game all the time. The balance here was important. However, who would doubt?
Link When the map is too large, most of the session goes into training for a strategic triathlon: orienteering, high-speed scrolling, and sports pixel-hunting. The main game mode is about the front line, where the battles do not stop, where you need to hold and win every inch. The ideal size for this game mode is when the team lacks some troops to control the entire width of the map, and the depth allows to hide artillery and the saboteurs to hunt. And, it seems, we found such a size. The gameplay has become more orderly, the war has become more maneuverable, and mobile units have become more valuable. Began to customize the rest of the maps under the new format.

Settings

Of course, we worked on the metagame, usability and tutorials. On this way, a lot has already been passed, but no less has remained. Soldiers: Arena game is quite difficult, both in terms of the metagame and in terms of gameplay. However, hints, tutorials and intuitive controls are desirable in a game of any difficulty level. Hardcore and difficult trials in games are certainly important, but the main test should hardly be the task of picking the sword from the ground or spawning the first squad. So, in recent months we have been working a lot with setting up in-game hints, hotkeys and hot groups. We made hints for the metagame, the commanders constructor and the slot types. We write informational texts about battalions and units, so that it would be possible without Google to figure out which of the PZ III modifications is better suited for your deck.
Link A lot of balanced edits and settings have been made. Here are some:

• Ammunition ceased to be infinite. We test this mechanic and look for a good solution at this point. Maybe a choice of ammunition and setting up the supply will become a part of managing the battalion process.
• We continue to configure the tps and fps cameras. This time, machine guns got their legitimate opportunity to conveniently cut down the foes with direct control.
• Customized the characteristics, weapons and behavior of units. Ordinary snipers lost the bonus to the detection of saboteurs. Jaegers have become more mobile, making it easier to pursue scouts. Reduced health for brandenburgers, and increased for elite snipers. Taught separate infantry squads how to go in the right order - now the commander and heavily armed fighters are walking in the center.
• Added additional characteristic for tractor units, which determines how fast it moves with attached artillery. For example, the GAZ-67B will receive a small penalty when towing a 53- and much larger when towing something heavier.
• Refinement of the trenches. Made a new markup visualization, both intuitive and informative. Many bugs were fixed in the behavior of units in the trench and during its assault.

As always fought and won the fights with bugs. In an unequal battle fell the one, that allowed units to ride through anti-tank hedgehogs while using direct control. The family of unit geometry bugs died too. However, it was rather the last favor, than cold-blooded murder. This family seriously suffered in life, turning the units outward, forcing them to move at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground, and run with feet facing backward. But, the saddest thing is that our dear friend is missing in action. It made us shake up and look more cheerful at life. In one of the patches, the camera shake began to work not only from especially large projectiles but also from fragmentation belts of anti-aircraft guns. He was jiggling our screens and shaking out all the sadness. And he also prevented the opponent from aiming, since the screen shook not only at the owner of the unit but also at all who saw the process of shooting fragmental-epileptic shells. Here is the last scene we saw him. R.I.P.
Slightly above we wrote that we fill in the info about the units. In addition to the description of weapons and armor characteristics, we want to see there some interesting historical fact, so that the hint wouldnt be purely technical. And we know for sure that there are fans of the history of World War II among you, guys. If you have a desire to help the development, send to PR@bestway.com.ua interesting facts (with links) that seem to characterize a specific unit. You can send it up to 1.08.2019. Well return the favor and the three best historians will take their keys to the alpha test. Wish you all the best. Germany techtree. USSR techtree.

[ 2019-07-14 12:07:14 CET ] [ Original post ]