G'day mates, hope you're having a wonderful holiday as the year comes to a close!
As hoped, the AI has been improved to stop attempting the more wasteful moves (especially ones that are simply impossible). While tweaking things I realised a core feature I meant to include wasn't there yet: High scores and unit values!
Now there are fun little records for every level: The squad and unit with the highest scores are retained based on the most recent completion, the highest score and the quickest completion. These scores can be seen on the campaign select screen.
Also new is the feature that every unit is given a numerical value based on their stats, techniques and size. This will never be a clear indicator of balance but it does help point out which units are getting the short end of the stick. More importantly, this unit value is taken into account in the challenge campaign levels (and any campaign level that will allow adding custom units): Now there is a (admittedly arbitrary) numerical limit to each level, but if you want to increase the limit, you can add units to enemy squads.
I plan to get started with chapter four, but there are some things that need modifying in the wake of the unit values being visible now.
Neat Stuff
- Units now have a point cost tied to their stats and techniques.
- Challenges now use this point cost to limit how many characters the player can add. It can be raised by adding units to enemy teams.
- Can rename guest units on the level preview screen.
- High scores for missions are kept - records of highest score, fastest clear and most recent success are displayed on the campaign select screen.
- Buttons on the Battle screen now use icons rather than words.
- It is now possible to rotate units as you're deploying them by right-clicking one of the flashing squares representing their shape.
Bugfixes and tweaks
- Level music associated with campaign chapters now need to be unlocked through the campaign before being used in Skirmishes.
- Fixed issue where units had shared IDs, causing the game to get mixed up.
- AI should now no longer attempt to try to do moves that would place them in an obstructed spot.
- AI medibots now no longer try to "repair themselves" by healing the spot where they were standing.
- Swordsman damage was increased to make up for a lack of status effects.
- Fixed some animations that were missing or warped.
May the next year be a good one.
Thanks for reading and take it easy!