Weve updated the currently-running optional beta. As well as fixes and changes to the freeplay AI, this one also includes some rather extensive balance changes that will affect the campaign levels as well. Were particularly looking forward to feedback on these. This will currently only affect you if you're participating in the optional beta. If youre not participating in the beta and would like to, please see the details in this link. Note that the beta is only available to Windows Steam owners.

Freeplay and AI changes

• Easy AI Player added
  • Will not attack another colony for at least the first 20 minutes
  • Far less likely to attack another colony
  • Attacks on enemy colonies are shorter
  • Will wait longer between attacks
  • Makes decisions less often
• Medium AI Player added
  • Can regroup during an attack if it is going poorly (briefly pause an attack)
  • Can come to the aid of an ally if they have more than 10 enemies in their nest and are not currently attacking
• Raiding defeated colonies added
  • Players may now remain inside enemy colonies once they are defeated
  • Defeated players colony is dismantled at a rate of 1 tile per half second, dropping resources to the ground
  • These resources can be carried off by an opposing colony
• Players can now see into nests where allied ants are located

Balance Changes

• Lower difficulties of cheats starting base size and resources reduced slightly
• Leafcutter ant media buffed
  • Attack damage increased to 4.5 / 6 / 7 (up from 3 / 4.5 / 6)
  • Health increased to 100 / 115 / 130 (up from 90 / 105 / 120)
  • Speed increased to 310 / 320 / 330 (up from 300 / 300 / 300)
  • Piercing increased to 0.2 / 0.3 / 0.4 (up from 0.2 / 0.2 / 0.2)
• Wood ant melee buffed
  • Threat generation increased to 0.2 / 0.25 / 0.3 (up from 0.1 / 0.1 / 0.15)
  • Damage increased to 0.6 / 1.2 / 1.8 (up from 0.5 / 1 / 1.5)
  • Armour increased 0.2 / 0.4 / 0.6 (up from 0 / 0 / 0)
  • Distance values altered so they will get slightly closer to enemies before attacking (should allow other melee units the ability to get closer to the fight)
• Health regeneration on many melee units buffed
  • Leafcutter major, army ant major and slave maker ants health regen increased to 0.1 / 0.15 / 0.2 (up from 0.1 / 0.1 / 0.1)
  • Black ant, wood ant melee and leafcutter media health regeneration increased to 0.1 / 0.2 / 0.3 (up from 0.1 / 0.1 / 0.1)
• Rapid fire wood ants will now get in and out of attack mode much more quickly

Fixes

• Fixed an issue preventing movement avoidance code working properly
• Fixed an issue where enemy colonies would continue building after their queen had been killed