Mini Patch v0.21
I've already read enough feedback and seen enough video to know some things still need immediate work. Instead of waiting for the next big patch, I thought some changes could help now.
Speaking of the next big patch. I've combined a number of planned smaller patches into one big v.0.25 patch. This will release before the new boss/zone, and it has some really cool new stuff coming. Highlights (for the NEXT patch, not THIS patch) include:
- A new Artemis augment. Her afterburners are going away and something more fitting for the goddess of the hunt (or her namesake anyway) will be coming. Afterburners will make a comeback when the full augment system is in place, and will likely get a bit more oomph.
- Symbionic upgrades. People have been asking for special combination upgrades, so I moved them up in the schedule. These are upgrades that can only occur when specific requirements are met. If you've played other games in this emerging genre, you'll have the basic gist of things, but in Gunlocked they'll work a bit differently still.
- Achievements. A remake of the Master At Arms achievement, and a whole host of new unlocks to strive for.
- Some quality of life improvements to upgrade generation will make it a bit more likely that you find what you want/need each run.
- Some other important changes I can't talk about yet. Stay tuned!
Here's what's in patch v.0.21
Quality of Life
- Data Beacons: Now instead say "!Upgrade Data!". This should make its purpose a bit more clear in the event players don't read the patch notes (not you, obviously, you read everything!).
Balance
- Discharger update - Now creates 4/4/5/6/6 (+3) projectiles up from 3/3/4/5/6 - Level 5 creates a delayed extra pulse of 3 projectiles - Some tweaks to discharger chance should also help make its occurrence feel more consistent
- Note: After the bug fixes, discharger was still doing decent work late game, but it wasn't as strong as I wanted it to be. The extra projectile at levels 1 and 2 should also help it feel a little better if you grab it early in the game, though it isnt supposed to be too strong early game. Its real value shines as enemy density increases.
- Repair Drone - Now remains on screen for 5/6/6.5 seconds up from 3/3.75/3.75 - Max repair increased to 6/9/12 from 6/8/10 - At level 3 there is no longer any recharge reduction, but heal per second increases from 3 to 4.
- Note: Repair drone recharge time is still reduced by Heatsink, but the recharge time reduction at level 3 was not helping players who could hardly get to the drone in time, and were forced to stay in it too long to take advantage of the heal. Healing faster should help more in the late game, and the increase in duration on screen across the board should give you more time to reach it.
- Asteroid spawn reduced during boss fights 2 and 3 (this won't affect any asteroids created before the boss appears).
- Iceteroid spawn chance increases more after 9 minutes
Bugs
- Powerups now end properly if they are active when you get EMP'd
- Bumbler class ships (the ones that spawn EMPs in the asteroid fields) will no longer get stuck above the top of the screen.
- Bumbler class ships could spawn more often if an upgrade triggered at the same time they did. This should no longer happen. Sould.
- The boss should no longer continue attacking without shield pods while remaining invulnerable.
- Note: This occurred when a boss attack triggered at precisely the same moment that shields went down. The vulnerable state should now properly override any other state, but more testing has to be done because reproducing the issue requires incredibly exact timing.