V26 Experimental Released (Closed Beta)

[Chris]

Closed Beta Build V26 has now been released on Steam and GOG. Note that this build is only available on our Experimental branch (unless you're part of our Steam Playtest, in which case you don't have to change branches at all!) so you'll need to switch over to get this update (instructions on how to do that here).

This build basically combines another hotfix we had planned for V25.5 with the work we did on our recent Steam demo. The game balance hasn't changed massively but there's still been some major new additions. We'll be taking a better look at the game balance for V27, which is already being worked on.

Note that this changelog also includes the changes made in the tutorial, as that wasn't an "official" build.

Changelog:

• Tutorial: the game now has a proper tutorial, which will play if you have the Introduction checkbox set. This explains the basic mechanics and some of the events leading up to the start of the game, and we're pretty proud of it - it's not particularly long, but hopefully still does a decent job of showing players the key mechanics (it has had a few visual updates and bugfixes since the demo release too).
• Esc menu now works in the air combat.
• Interceptors can now be selected with hotkeys 1-3 in the air combat. Time speed in the air combat and on the Geoscape are now controlled with F1-F4.
• Added new artwork for the following research projects: Cleaner Operations, Alien Alloys, Alenium.
• Visually restyled following UI popups:
  • Launch Aircraft panel
  • Squadron Information
  • UFO Intercepted
  • Squadron Intercepted
  • Air Combat Result
  • Abort Mission confirmation popup in tactical combat
• Fixed a crash that could sometimes occur if you clicked a save game on the Load Game screen while it was still loading the list of saves.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when changing camera level during a tactical mission after an alien was killed.
• Fixed a crash that could occur after an alien unit used a grenade.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when you disabled a newly-constructed Lab.
• Fixed an AI hang that could occur if a local forces unit was Mesmerised by a Psyon.
• Fixed various alien abilities getting messed up after loading a save game.
• Fixed a bug preventing players from being able to pick up corpses / stunned units and put them in their inventory.
• Updated the Geoscape region borders to be neater and less pixelated, and updated the cities and base icons to look a little neater too.
• Camera no longer centers on the selected soldier at end of turn.
• Performance should be increased on the Soldier Equip screen.
• Bleeding wounds minitab icon in GC now has a tooltip associated with it.
• Updated the Cleaner Intel Hub mission briefing and objectives so it is hopefully more obvious you cannot win the mission through elimination of all enemies.

Balance Changes:

• The Cleaner Intel Hub mission now has dynamic difficulty depending on when it is revealed. If researched in month 1, the Cleaners present are equipped with SMGs rather than Rifles and have no armour. In month 2 they get stronger, and they get stronger again once you enter month 3.
• Reduced the cost of building aircraft weapons.
• Crushing crushable objects now costs +1 TU.
• Slightly increased the range bonus on most weapons, so you get more +hit bonus as you get closer to the target.
• Stun Guns are now quite a bit more accurate within 6 tiles of the target, but less accurate beyond 6 tiles.

As always, please let us know if you encounter any bugs by posting them up on the Bug Reporting subforums, as we'll be releasing hotfixes to correct any major issues you encounter.

[MARSHalMELLOW]

is it difficult to try the stun gun, that allows repeated shock after a hit without requiring shooting again. as long as the target remains in the 6 tile range.

Stun weapons should add some suppression.