First off, as you can tell from the title, CC's releases are going back to the old naming convention.

Now, we're aiming for getting more information to all you guys, and the first bit of information concerns content balancing here.

Edit: Now, that pesky map seam bug is finally fixed!

Edit: Steam trading cards are in!

Edit: Squad Mechanics almost finished!

Edit: Draw functions for Lua!

While you're at it, for some low hanging fruits in performance, have a look at
1.

As the code heavilly uses Standard Library containers and has it set to 1 which generates plenty of useless code in critical code paths.

2.
In RTE::MOSRotating::Draw() when drawing HFlipped bitmap, instead of first using draw_sprite_h_flip() to flip to temporary bitmap and then pivot_scaled_sprite() from it, you can just use pivot_scaled_sprite_v_flip() the explanation how to do it is burried in documentation under rotate_sprite_v_flip():



example:


3.
This one is a bit more involved. As sprite rotation in Allegro is dog slow and it so happens that there is little angular movement from frame to frame (96-99% hit ratio), it might be of benefit to add bitmap rotation cache (angle would require quantization based on sprite dimensions), and also instead of doing at least 3 times draw_character_ex() or draw_sprite() (depending on DrawMode) to a temporary bitmap followed by pivot_scaled_sprite() per drawn frame - first rotate and then draw_character_ex() or draw_sprite() from it. So instead of 3 fast + 3 slow calls per MOSRotating per frame you get 0 or 1 (with one digit probability) slow + 3 fast. This might require some modifications to Allegro (don't remember what exactly needed to be done - too much time has passed).

thanks CC48 for the hard work on balancing and writing it up

Echinus.. sounds like you know your way around allegro! I'd love to try these optimizations; can you hit me up on PM pls?

Looking really good, I'm getting a little excited for Cortex Command for the first time in a long time.

But IMO crafts should cost at least 500 a piece because as it stands, suicide bombing is still really cost efficient even for single targets. Crashing spaceships into the ground in order to kill a key target is really cool and I'm glad that it's something we can do, but to have it be so efficient to the point where you could do it constantly- well I think that's kind of silly design. Besides, crafts have the returning mechanism so as long as you drop safely the price isn't really prohibitive and just in terms of common sense it's logical a spaceship costs a bit more than one soldier.

Also, I don't know if this is the right place for it but I feel like a major problem with the recent builds is how effective all the AI are for. I know this provokes a "u just suk get better at game" response but I feel that with the current state of AI you can't really out-skill them as a player, so you lose a lot of tactical options and simply have to overwhelm them with numbers or abuse cheap/boring tactics like firing through walls into you drill through or sitting and bouncing Destroyer Cannon shots around every corner. Maybe AI level could be a balance consideration where certain actors are given better AI by virtue of superior circuitry or whatnot?

u just suk get better at game

A player should easily out-skill the AI in an equal one-on-one battle with tactics, but when it comes to fighting masses you'll just have to count on overwhelming the opponent - provided that you have sufficient funds.

Besides, in the end it's the same AI for everyone, so an equal fight should have equal chances of victory * tactics * random chances (drop ship doors).

Would Mario be better if a skilled player could only handle about 1 goomba? I've talked to other older players like Geti and they feel the same way. Being a lone soldier able to take on hordes is a lot more fun than being a middle manager who focuses mainly on gold counting and attrition.

I don't think I can even take that comparison seriously, sorry.

There are mods for OP characters that can take on everything, if that's what you want.

It's just that the main theme is turning into a 2D RTS. It should be self-explanatory.

I wouldn't mind being a manager, if I actually had some tools to manage stuff with. Giving orders to multiple units is extremely clumsy. If you have to assault a well defended area, it's not about tactics or skills, it's just set units to brainhunt mode and hope they arrive at more or less the same time, so they actually have a chance. Or individually control one actor and send him into the grinder alone.

An integrated system for giving orders to multiple units at the same time would make troop management so much easier.

Anyway, nice to see some actual information about the patch and what's coming. Very nice to see some movement. Even the Lua documentation on the wiki seems to have been updated (or maybe just edited? I'm not sure tbh, but I could swear there are some new functions listed).

I think weegee came up with some kind of system for controlling multiple units. Should be somewhere in the mod releases section.

EDIT: Maybe with a bit polishing, it could serve the proper purpose. Besides, it's just a quick concept.

Yup, but that has its problem as well. That's why I said an integrated system

4zK you literally deserve to die

User was warned for this post.

Oooookay.

On a more serious note, for content balancing; how much is this going to shake up the strength of actors and weapons? Will pre-B30 mods need an extensive rebalance pass to ensure actors and weapons are no longer too weak/strong, or will they be mostly-okay without adjustment? The 40K Recomp may have lots of super guns and tough actors in the Space Marines, but I've been trying to keep the Imperial Guard to reasonably-stock-balanced levels.

For build 30, older mods shouldn't see much of a difference. However, when impulse values are changed to work better for damage after build 30, then you'll start seeing drastic changes.

Or maybe the impulse sweep will go in build 30, all depending on time.

Contrary: We're now trying to figure out how to improve the AI to suit human play, can't say we have any definite plan yet though. Craft prices are being looked at as well.


Also, a bit late, but the map seam bug is finally fixed!

That's... not exactly a helpful answer, but I'm guessing that's because the full extent of the changes and how they'll all interact is unknown at present.

Will just have to keep an eye on things to see how they pan out, I guess.