Important regarding save games!
We were forced to rewrite parts of the saving and loading system to fix bugs related to it; thus, old saves will NOT be compatible. You will not see unsupported save files in your list of games to load. We apologise for the inconvenience!
In the future, if you want to avoid this problem, you can always turn off automatic updates of the game through Steam and wait to update until you are confident that you won't need to load any save files anymore.
We will do our best to inform you when new updates break old save files.
About Milestone 1 (update 07025)
This is the first of five major milestones that we're planning to release during our Early Access journey.
For the full road map, click here!
In this update, we've added more options to offline Skirmish Mode, computer players to online matches, and co-op Horde Mode. In addition, we've added general improvements like colour picker, password-protected games and a new unit production tooltip, to name a few, as well as bug fixes.
Check out the video below or read on for more details!
The team is expanding!
Thanks to the extra developer who has joined us full-time throughout this update cycle, this update is the biggest we've ever released since the game was just a small prototype on itch.io.
We'll reveal more about this later, but we've recently also added a full-time artist to the project! He's already drawing assets for the next two milestone releases.
New features
Online co-op Horde Mode
This was perhaps the most requested feature from our community. Whereas Horde Mode used to be a single-player affair, it is now possible to play this mode through online multiplayer with a friend!
When creating a multiplayer room, you will now be asked to select the game mode.
More options in Skirmish Mode
Previously, you could only fight one computer opponent on a small map, and the only option available was to select a difficulty. We've remade the Skirmish Mode UI in this update and added more options.
You can pick between small and large maps, and define computer players by setting their individual difficulty settings and teams. This means you can now set up Skirmish Mode to play 2on2, FFA, 3on1, etc.
Add computer players in online multiplayer
The same options for Skirmish Mode offline are also available in online multiplayer.
This means you can, for example, team up with a friend and take on 2 computer players.
Player color pickers
Finally, you'll be able to select your player's colour!
We've added 4 additional player colours, so there are 8 to select from.
You can select your preferred player colour in any of the game modes.
Password protected games
Multiplayer games can now be password protected. This is handy when creating a Horde Mode room and you only want your friend to be able to join.
Games that are password protected will show a lock symbol in the lobby.
We've added two additional buttons that will be available to all players in the password-protected room:
1. Copy password to clipboard.
2. Reveal the password.
Kick players from the multiplayer room
If you are the host of a game room, you can kick any player from the room, including spectators.
Number of villagers gathering resources
You'll now be able to see how many villagers you have ordered to gather each resource type and how many villagers/military units you have trained.
This feature also extends to the allies and spectator panels.
Ping allies
We've added the option to ping allies. Maybe you want to make allies aware of where you want to attack? Just ping at your planned location of attack!
All allies will see a ping banner at the location of the ping.
All allies will see a ping animation on the minimap.
Send resources to allies
The Marketplace now has an extra option of sending resources to allies, which is handy if you want to help your ally recover from starvation!
General improvements
New unit production tooltip
For new players, only seeing a description like 'Ranged unit with good attack range. Weak in close combat', didn't really tell the full story of a unit's strengths and weaknesses. To get the full picture, you had to wait for all the different units to be trained and then look at all their stats to compare them.
In this update, it's easier for new players to assess which unit to train as the unit descriptions have become more visual.
The green cylinders indicate upgraded stats from gaining the elite status.
Skirmish AI
We've made several improvements to the skirmish AI. First of all, we've fixed a few bugs that would "stop" the AI from continuing to progress normally. Secondly, skirmish AI understands team or FAA games, since it now has the ability to switch between multiple enemy targets. Thirdly, we've continued to improve it in general, so that it will make better decisions throughout the game. But lastly, and most importantly, the AI can now select a more focused strategy to execute.
Skirmish AI strategies
In previous versions, the skirmish AI was always the same to play against. It didn't have a focused plan and could, for example, upgrade units that it didn't really use. Its build order and which order it unlocked technologies were always the same. Also, its unit rooster was always completely randomised.
This has changed! Now, the skirmish AI will execute one of several focused strategies. Its build orders, unit roosters, equipment upgrades, as well as its technology unlocks, will vary between each of these strategies. It will no longer unlock irrelevant technologies and equipment. Brutal AI, therefore, now poses a more dangerous threat. Countering the AI is more relevant to winning the game.
Side note: the Skirmish AI does not cheat
Want proof? Start up a multiplayer room and spectate your friend playing against them.
Since our goal is for the skirmish AI not to cheat, we develop it step by step. Expect more improvements to the skirmish AI in future updates.
Horde Mode
- End screen is now the same as for Skirmish Mode so that you can see the same game statistics
- Hordes groups will no longer pick a random delivery point but will always aim to find the closest to their starting location
- Timer starts immediately (was once a building was placed)|
- Mountain Nomad Warrior has 120 health (from 100)
- Mountain Nomad Slinger deals 5 melee damage (from 4)
- Mountain Nomad Slinger deals 3 siege damage (from 1)
Other improvements
- Unit movement along the camera's y-axis is corrected so that it takes equally long for a unit to move left-right as it takes top-bottom of the map
- Battering Ram moves more smoothly within a group of units
- Resign button is disabled if you are a spectator
- Your Tribe Center building will no longer automatically get selected once your Tribe unit reaches it
- Added shoulder armour to Swordsman animations
- Sappers prefer building targets
- Updated elite unit descriptions to make them potentially less confusing
Bug fixes
- Multiple players having the exact nickname no longer causes problems with the following player dropdown in the spectator panel
- Double-clicking an animal or enemy unit will no longer deselect it
- Spectators who select a building of the player followed that trains an elite unit would see the correct icon for the unit trained
- When loading a game, all meat icons will show the correct dead animal
- Fixed problems with skirmish AI hunting boars
- Fixed problems causing skirmish AI to stop progressing naturally
- Razing a Wonder in construction no longer causes problems
- Razing a Wonder that is being upgraded from stage 1,2,3 into 2,3,4 will now actually raze the building (instead of cancelling the construction work)
- Villagers deal correct siege damage
- Fixed a problem with siege units stopping to attack buildings if the building was in the process of being repaired
- Fixed a problem that caused units to remove themselves from their group without reason
- Horde mode nomad units no longer occasionally get stuck on the edge of the map
- Fixed problems with Battering Ram getting stuck
- Elite Battering Ram gains 150 hitpoints like the descriptions says (instead of 200)
- Swordsman is included in Bronze Shield description
- Long player names no longer overflow spectator follow dropdown
- Health bars of units in Watchtower unit buttons are no longer displayed wrongly on click
- Fixed a bug that could enable the Wonder building in Horde Mode
- Fixed a problem with garrisoned units after saving and loading the same game multiple times