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Experimental Build V19 available (instructions within)


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I have just made our first experimental build, V19, available to opt into via Steam.

First, a word of caution. This build WILL cause any saved games you have made with the first Steam build to become obsolete - the game simply cannot load saves from the earlier version. The branch is also likely to be unstable due to new code being added. If you are enjoying a playthrough of the game you should not opt into this new build until you are ready to start over.

In order to access the experimental build, you need to open your Steam library, right click on Xenonauts and click on properties. Click the Betas tab in the properties window that appears, enter the code "XenoExperiment" and click "Check Code". When that is validated, use the drop down box on that same page to select "Experimental - Latest changes, unstable" and then click Close. If this does not appear, restart Steam. Steam will then download the updated files for the new build, and you can begin playing. It's worth noting you can opt to go back to the non-experimental build if you want, using the same drop down box in the Betas tab.

I'm not sure how often we are going to do the experimental builds yet, but uploading a new one every two weeks is probably a good target.

There is a special sub-forum for bug reports from Experimental builds, the link being at the bottom of this post.

We have been busy bees in the last couple of weeks, so here's the change log for you all:

Fixes

- C4 timers fixed when game is saved/loaded

- Flashbangs should no longer affect NPCs on the other side of a wall from them

- Audio volume during alien turn should be quiet during hidden movement, normal at other times

- AI can no longer "see" and shoot outside their intended range by "guessing" extremely accurately

- Removed code accidentally granting AI units TUs they shouldn't have (this caused lots of shooting while suppressed)

- Fixed a couple of Ground Combat crashes relating to reloading pistols using quick slots and clearing inventories at the end of the mission

- Corrected weapon stats on Geoscape to reflect current weapon values

- Corvette UFO hull should now be properly hidden before its door is opened

- Defensive aliens will now stay within the UFO

- Unit suppression icons are now unaffected by darkness

- AI units no longer "pirouette" at the start of their turn

- Loading mods should be working again (mods folder moved to "assets")

- Aliens should no longer spawn in base walls

- Explored terrain in night missions will no longer be completely black

- Fixed an issue that would give "missed" shots a significant chance to still hit their initial target

- Fixed Shrike Terror site crash

- Alien Leader interrogations no longer require unattainable research (now require Officer interrogation)

- Fixed Buzzard armour mis-set sprites with stun baton

- Enabled correct new burst fire sound for human plasma cannon

- Fixed an issue where the Battleship could spawn with no aliens

- Fixed name display of Alien Battle Rifle for research projects

- Correctly setup many of the petrol station tiles, which were previously incorrect

- Jumping through walls by vaulting over low cover next to a wall should no longer be possible

- Significant under-the-hood changes to how items under FOW are handled, you should no longer see fire/smoke on top of FOW

- Altered Landing Ship UFO submap to reduce instance of Xenonauts getting too close to the base of it and graphically clipping

- Fixed Xenonaut base corner sprites so they are not permeable to shots

- Fixed mission end smoke (explosives) crash

- Fixed medical kit healing number

Additions

- Xenopedia now fully populated with first draft

- New drone autopsy images

- Medium and heavy drones now explode violently on destruction (careful now)

- More painted over tiles for the town tileset

- More soldier portraits in the general pool

- More tiles and props for the Soviet tile set

- Androns and medium/heavy drones now "move" at a slower rate (animation only)

- Added some Italian regiments for soldier backgrounds (Giovanni at work)

- The damage done to a unit will now display over it when hit (this is disabled for aliens on Veteran and above difficulties)

- Added a selection of new community maps

- Reworked alien turn and hidden movement screens

Balance

- Implemented new alien count per UFO type (4 for Light Scouts up to 16 for Battleships)

- Grenades, Rockets and Alien Plasma Cannon shots no longer lose damage over range

- Strength based maximum grenade throwing range implemented (5 tiles + 10% soldier strength)

- Xenonaut vehicles made significantly tougher (x2!)

- Xenonaut vehicles have slightly more AP

- Shotgun BUFF

- Fairly significant reductions in the effectiveness of Xenonaut weapon suppression power across the board

- Damage of all Xenonaut precision rifles boosted a little

- Precision rifles no longer have their 20AP aim level, so they are now in line with other weapons in having 3 aim levels

- Alien Plasma Cannons deal slightly more damage

- Reaction fire potential of MGs and precision rifle doubled (MGs probably still won't react due to burst fire bug though)

- Sebillians now have the same visual range as Xenonauts (an increase for them)

- Foxtrot interceptor weapon load reduced

I will refresh the GC balance discussion post tomorrow. I am still in the grisly guts of the first pass at balancing the Geoscape, I hope it will at least be done by the next experimental build.

If you experience any issues with the new experimental build, please post them in the Experimental Build bug forums: http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/20-Experimental-Build-Bug-Reports

UPDATE:

I just (17/06) released a minor revision which fixes the medical kit bug and the explosives crash. It also adds some major changes to the alien turn/hidden movement screen.

Edited by Aaron
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No more grenade damage bug! Hooray!

Excellent list, I'm quite pleased. :D

I'm off to download it right now. *Begins booting up WinSteam*

One question to people: How do I get the game out of Steam? I run a Mac, and so getting it out of Steam and into a Wineskin is the only way I'm going to be able to play it.

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Nice list. Already got a crash though.

Firstly when I encountered my first light scout, it appeared as though it was overland, but when I shot it down it said it crashed into the sea. But then my guys went and did a mission there anyway.

Brought a guy with the combat shield along, and the mission crashed when I completed it. Now that I think about it, is the shield supposed to be back in? I read the notes and ctrl-f'd the page to be sure, but I can't find any mention of the shield.

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First impressions:

Night mission is much better 'explored areas are still slightly visible" , also liked female portrait with purple paint in her hair.

Still hate promotion system which is way too fast and makes every soldier a commander aftere some turns.

Bugs: Alien shooting from behind door in UFO, when entered UFO could not shoot when next to alien.

Had CTD at end of mission, so have to start mission over again because it was not saved .

When launching autosave always CTD.

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I'm started playing about hour ago. Now all OK.

No crushes, no bugs. Game excited me in her current build. I'll keep going play...

:cool:

Ah, yes! I turned ON mod "AdvancedStart1000"! I don't know what is it, but I turned on it anyway. :):):)

Edited by resonansER
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Sweet update and no crashes here but I've noticed a few oddities:

"Explored terrain in night missions will no longer be completely black" - I presume that this means that we should be able to see terrain previously explored after we lose LOS on it. I played two quick night missions and explored terrain that I no longer have LOS on is still completely black.

"Xenopedia now fully populated with first draft" - If this doesn't apply to the pre-research blurb in the research screen then we're all good here. I just noticed that the Foxtrot pre-research description in the research screen is still hashed out.

My Xenonauts now seem to be able to carry significantly more stuff without weight penalties. A rifleman seems able to carry his gun, three clips, 8-10 grenades, two medkits and some C4 with some variation as you would expect between strength.

Fresh medkits now only have 1/50. I only spotted this when I went to heal a wounded Xenonaut on a particular mission so it could just have bugged out.

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Sweet update and no crashes here but I've noticed a few oddities:

Fresh medkits now only have 1/50. I only spotted this when I went to heal a wounded Xenonaut on a particular mission so it could just have bugged out.

Confirmed. This is annoying bug and some circumstances on battlefield - fatal!

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Crashes after first mission wherever/whatever that may be located on the globe doesnt matter and also it doesnt matter if the mission is failed/completed/aborted.

steam v19 ex build fresh install <<<ctd after first mission w/e that may be

steam v18 stable opted in beta ( steam ) upgraded to v19 ( no mod/s ) <<<ctd after first mission w/e that may be

steam v18 stable opted in beta ( steam ) upgraded to v19 AND activated the adv start mod <<<ctd after first mission w/e that may be

v19 no mods and copied to another location ( even tried to launch outside steam wich you can do with v18 anyway but still ) still ctd

...at any rate it v19 experimental crashes no matter what i do...v18 is surprisingly stable i had no crash whatsoever since im playign it so far for 7 days and/with multiple playthroughs ( well at lest until i gave up since there is no actual proper 'final mission') ...etc etc...well yeah thats that lol.

at first i thought the community map pack was at fault but i had done 3 installs clean with no mods thus it cant be well anyway....

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Medipack bug confirmed and FIXED!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7xajsaxyiwniki6/weapons.xml

Download and overwrite file in assets folder. There was a typo on both med packs that had them use 1 ammo instead of 50 and 100.

Note: Machinegun weight was 12.5 now is 8, rocket launcher was 12.5 now is 6. No wonder you can get more ammo. Ammo on MG now weights 1 more. I think this way you can equip jackal armour on MG users withou severe penalties. Now you would choose more ammo no armour or less ammo+armour. Seems cool IMHO.

Edited by lightgemini
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@lightgemini

Tytytyty, that helped save the day :)

--------------------------------------------

When 2 soldiers are side by side, there will be friendly fire up to an angle of about 35deg... guess rookies are too fat, still :P probably just hitboxes, but maybe worth mentioning anyways.

On missions, sometimes i cant click on soldiers to select them, have to click on the icons or press the number key. This was an industrial map, just did a middle east and had no problem...

Ballistic sniper shots go right through aliens. Bug or candy, now we can hit as many as we can line up :D

Overall loading seems faster (game and saves)?

About 5 missions on, no crashes yet. Steam version, Running Win8.

Edited by Xenomorph
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You can avoid the friendly fire by having the one "in front" kneel, when they are side by side.

Other soldier had no AP, and the one i wanted to shoot with had AP for a decent shot as was, or stand and shoot in that direction, no AP left to kneel again. In a tight corridor with an alien by the intersection, it wouldn't be fun... 35 deg seems a bit harsh, but maybe its just an engine thing. Not a big deal. Soldiers hunting aliens and holding hands doesn't look good in memorabilia pictures, anyway :)

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