Milestone 4.8.0 Released! (Experimental)

[Chris]

This update is also only accessible by switching to our Experimental branches (instructions on how to do so here) - although please be aware they have slower load times and worse performance than normal builds due to the extra logging they contain!

Broken Save Compatibility:
This build contains some changes to the tech tree, so save games from 4.7.0 and earlier are not compatible with this update. If you'd like to continue playing 4.7.0 then it is available on our Experimental Legacy branches (or on GOG you can manually switch to an older build).

Gameplay Updates:

• The Exosuit is now called the "Vanguard Battlesuit", and has updated research text that reflects the fact is is now the ultimate armour. The "War Machine" achievement now unlocks from equipping this rather than the Colossus.
• The Aerial Warfare research project now unlocks an "Aircraft Missiles" engineering project that grants unlimited quantities of the basic missiles and torpedoes, as many players did not realise earlier versions of Milestone 4 gave these items immediately on completion of the research.
• We've updated the click detection in the tactical combat so UFO hulls no longer block clicks, as it could sometimes be difficult to select soldiers near the UFO in earlier versions of Milestone 4.
• The cabbage field assets that were causing FPS drops have now been fixed (properly this time). We've also made some performance improvements to the tropical jungle tree clumps.
• New / improved game assets:
  • Added new research text for the Colossus battlesuit.
  • Added corpse analysis projects for the Cyberdrone.
  • Added new artwork for the Andron and Cyberdrone corpses.
  • Updated the Andron idle animations to look more robotic.
  • Updated the animations for the Colossus battlesuit to make it look more robotic, and made some minor improvements to the model.
  • Added a sound effect when you decomission an aircraft.

Balance Changes:

• Wraith seemed disproportionately strong compared to the other alien races, so their HP values have been reduced by 20% and their Cloaking Field now reduces Accuracy by -1.5 per tile (rather than -2).
• Colossus now sets the user to 100 Strength, rather than giving them a +25 Str bonus.
• Mentarch Corpse Analysis II and both Andron Corpse Analysis projects now require fewer corpses to complete.
• Weapon balancing:
  • HEVY Launcher is now an arc-fire weapon rather than a direct-fire weapon and now has a maximum range of 25 tiles, which makes it significantly stronger (unless you're indoors). The scatter for missed shots has been updated to ensure they don't always catch the target in the blast area, particularly when shooting at long range.
  • Slightly increased the fire costs on the shotgun (28% TU to 30%, and 40% to 43%).
  • Reduced the range of the pistol from 12 to 10, but boosted hit bonus from +3% per tile to +4% per tile. It's therefore more accurate within 10 tiles, but less accurate beyond that.

Bugfixes:

• Fixed several crashes related to Cyberdrones being killed.
• Fixed another crash related to throwing grenades.
• Fixed new suits of Colossus armour built after the Colossus Upgrade project still being the old non-upgraded Colossus version.
• Fixed Andron Praetorians not having visible weapons, having too little armour, and incorrectly looking like the basic Androns.
• Fixed the game playing some strange "weapon equip" sounds after throwing a grenade.
• Fixed research projects not showing a duration if the remaining time was between 23 and 24 hours.
• Fixed the Air Superiority achievement not unlocking correctly if you were using air combat autoresolve.
• Fixed the Angel incorrectly having an (oversized) F-16 icon in the air combat.
• Fixed another indestructible wall inside the Abductor UFO.
• Removed references to the integrated grenade launcher on the Colossus, as it can't actually use grenades,

[Wyldefyre_CP]

Awww, no carrying spare grenade launcher ammo on my Colossuses for my grenade launching buddies anymore, eh?  Shux, darn, lol!  That new arc thing for launchers is going to be interesting ... outside the UFO's, that's going to be a great addition.  Inside the UFOs, though ... well, tbh, I probably won't miss not having them there as much as the benefits outside, as even with extra grenade ammo, I tended to be running near empty by the time I used them to be the UFO door openers.  Having a good pistol and being a step or two behind the shield bearers still gives them valid use on overwatch going forward from there.  Gets me thinking of a couple other possibilities, though.  Like instead of locking Colossus into an MG-Heavy-Only role, being able to designate them into Grenadiers would be fun.  Just those heavier weapons.  Also could leave the door open for a Bazooka Class, employing the straight on trajectory technique the GL's had been utilizing all this time for those who would still like the 'straight forward' approach.   Just thoughts here!

[gG-Unknown]

I want to say, thank you for these :

HEVY Launcher is now an arc-fire weapon rather than a direct-fire weapon - it gives much needed variety in weapons usage

Reduced the range of the pistol from 12 to 10, but boosted hit bonus from +3% per tile to +4% per tile. It's therefore more accurate within 10 tiles, but less accurate beyond that. - Yes, yes, yes !

Edited June 15, 2024 by gG-Unknown

[gG-Unknown]

On 6/14/2024 at 11:15 AM, Chris said:

• • Slightly increased the fire costs on the shotgun (28% TU to 30%, and 40% to 43%).

I am not sure about this. Perhaps revert it, then change reload cost. Reloading shotgun slugs take significantly more time than swap a clip of pistol of smg. You could easily go for shotgun reload cost 90% TU.

Reality check:

1.

Time to swap a clip of AR/Kalashikov is about 6 seconds. Load one 12 gauge slug into a shotgun takes about the same time, but you are loading 8 slugs. ei. reload shotgun consumes 8 times more time than reload smg.

2.

You could reduce shotgun ammo capacity to enforce reload often.

 

 

Shotgun should kick like a mule, but is not very suitable for longer shoot-outs. This should be the disadvantage of the weapon. Simply speaking high burst dmg on one "clip", but low dps in sustainable fire due to slow loading process.

Would you try this :

Reload cost is 73% TU  (73 + 28 = 101% means, when reloading you cant shoot in the same turn)

latest shot price change revert.

If it doesnt help, few patches later, second stage would be:

set ammo clip size is 6

Optionally : make reloading shotgun ammo one by one, one mouse click one slug, each piece reload cost 8TU

Edited June 17, 2024 by gG-Unknown

[Melee]

Based on weapon and magazine art, my soldiers use mag-fed shotguns, not loose shells.

[gG-Unknown]

3 hours ago, Melee said:

Based on weapon and magazine art, my soldiers use mag-fed shotguns, not loose shells.

Full auto shotgun exists, but fortunately not in this game.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_shotgun

Legendary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancor_Jackhammer

was used in Jagged Alliance  as ultimate weapon, these   weapons really use clips full of slugs. Therefore can be reloaded quite quickly.

Art of shotgun in this game, and missing burst type of fire aim at more traditional weapons like Benelli super 90 showed on my previous post.

Art of slug-mag need to be fixed. Reload time need to be fixed.

I was thinking about loading options, perhaps make two loading buttons  for shotgun.

First button loads 1 slugs for 8 TU, Second button loads UP TO full buffer in gun - the cost for this button changes from  16 TU (2 slugs) up to 64TU (8 slugs). Current functionality of the button is based on number of missing slugs AND TU available AND slugs available.

Edited June 19, 2024 by gG-Unknown

[Wyldefyre_CP]

Maybe I'm off, but any time I've thought of going back to using the shotgun, I end up opting for the rifle instead.  It just seems to me the 3 shot burst from the rifle (especially at close range) is better than the 3 shot burst from the shotgun, and of course, at longer range, there is no comparison.  I don't use shotguns for my assault troops, either.  Shield and pistol troops are the first boots on the ground and much less likely to be turned into fertilizer on the first two rounds as the Welcome Wagon engages the dropship.  Later I can also sub out the pistol for the stun baton and still keep the shield defense going.  I think the shotgun needs a significant adjustment up to justify its use in the game.