8-Player Tactical Co-Op Survival Game Is 40% Off on Steam Today
Iron Ward has launched a major, free update for The Red Solstice, its 8-player, tactical co-op survival game. The Horrors of Mars update adds two deadly new bosses that will greatly impact gameplay, requiring extensive teamwork to defeat. The update also includes extensive gameplay improvements, including completely overhauled tutorials and other features that help make the learning experience a bit easier on new players, as well as significant network optimization, new Steam achievements and a range of gameplay fixes and balancing.
Take a look at the two new bosses in this new trailer for the Horrors of Mars update here.
List of notable changes done in the last few weeks and included in this patch:
Gameplay changing boss fights:
Ker, the sandworm:
- Surprises prey with subterranean attacks
- Protective carapace provides heavy armor
- Gangly, spiny legs strike swiftly
- Mandibles and teeth will tear soldiers apart
Ripjaw
- Incredibly fast and agile
- Terrifying roar strikes fear into all but the bravest
- Isolates prey, dragging them into darkness
- May be showing signs of maternal behavior
Learning curve adjustments:
- Expanded “prologue” (tutorial mission) to make some game systems more clear to beginners.
- Implemented new readable instruction type tutorial that can be accessed from the game lobby and from the game itself (will pause the game if playing solo). Click the question mark icon right of the minimap to access new tutorial.
Network optimizations:
1) movement
- 2 separate systems to fight both desynchronisation and low responsiveness in high latency environments.
- Forced delay: user’s avatar will respond locally with a delay to allow the package to reach other players, so that the action can be performed simultaneously
- Dead reckoning: if packet travel time is so large that introducing a delay would negatively impact user experience, movement will be executed locally before other players get the information, but they will calculate that player’s real position using his speed, locally reported position and network latency
2) Attack
- In higher network latency environments, long packet travel times caused issues with some shots not doing damage.
- Introduced desynchronisation fighting algorithms based on network latency prediction and forced action delay
3) Skills
- Introduced desynchronisation fighting algorithms based same principles as above
4) Unconnected ping
- Users will now be able to see hosts ping in the lobby without having to connect to him
5) Network traffic reduction
- Various packets have been reduced in size and some network algorithms have been optimized, resulting in considerably less network traffic generated
Reworked controls system:
- All actions (except for inventory hotkeys) were bindable to one key only.
- New system allows for one action to be bound to a combination of up to three keys
Technical improvements:
- Changed texture compression method, leading to considerably faster loading times.
- Optimized graphical engine, allowing for additional 10-ish fps
- Fixed number of engine issues that were compromising game stability
- Selecting resolution greater then desktop resolution will reset the in game setting to match the desktop resolution.
Other improvements:
- Barrels, stroll substance and some other destroyable items will now have health bar shown
- New menu music