In this update we've taken a look at the economy, with an eye to getting more players through the early game and into the midgame. Several problematic units have also been tweaked and there are some superweapon changes for large games FFA.
Economy Tweaks
Initial incomes are now higher, offset by lower starting resources.
- Commander income +4 metal, +6 energy -> +8 metal and energy.
- Start resources 400 -> 200.
The change in income and resources approximately corresponds to a free Solar and two Mexes. This change should smooth the start of the game by creating a slightly more economic default start and by making the loss of an early mex less devastating. Further effects, such as the efficacy of Ravens, will require community experimentation.
Constructors no longer generate trickles of resources.
- Everything in the factory tab now has 0.5 metal and energy income (up from 0.3).
- All other constructors (besides the Commander) no longer generate resources. Previously, small constructors generated 0.15 metal and energy.
- Constructor costs have mostly been reduced by 4 per buildpower to offset the economic disruption. Each unit of buildpower used to generate 4 metal and energy every 2 minutes and 13 seconds.
Here is the full list of cost changes. Some buffs or nerfs have occurred relative to the rule of 4 cost per buildpower.
- Caretaker 220 -> 180
- Conch 180 -> 150
- Conjuror 140 -> 120
- Constable 130 -> 120 (a relative nerf of 6)
- Convict 140 -> 120
- Crane 220 -> 200 (a relative buff of 4)
- Quill 150 -> 130
- Mariner 220 -> 200 (a relative nerf of 10)
- Mason 140 -> 120
- Wasp 300 -> 260 (a relative buff of 10)
- Weaver 200 -> 170
- Welder 230 -> 200
The change addresses FFA Conch spam, makes losing an early constructors a bit less game-ending, and should make factories such as Spider, Amph and Tank a little less awkward.
Balance
Conjuror
- Cloak drain 0.5 moving 0.1 static -> completely free.
Scythe
- Autorepair +20 after 10s -> +10 after 10s.
Kodachi
- Autorepair +12 after 5s -> +10 after 10s.
Cyclops
- Slowbeam damage 1500 -> 2000
Toad now has slightly better HP/cost than Gremlin, since it is slow and relatively short ranged.
Hacksaw now reliably protects someone standing right next to it.
- Range 430 -> 480
- Projectile velocity 800 -> 600 (high velocity causes misses)
- Projectile turn rate increased 22% (low turn rate also causes misses)
- Burst delay 0.5s -> 0.2s.
- LOS 500 -> 550
Cutter
- No longer occasionally fails to move close enough to its target.
Seawolf
- Can now fire (and successfully hit) in every direction.
- Missed torpedoes no longer fly across the map (also applies to underwater Scallops).
Tweaked the costs of some Striders and Superweapons.
- Paladin 10.5K -> 10K
- Detriment 24K -> 20K
- Zenith 30K -> 32K
- Disco Rave Party 32K -> 36K
Fixed Detriment overkill prevention, it now only applies to its missiles.
Interface
- Added an option 'Settings/HUD Panels/Command Panel/Selection Closes Tab' which sets whether selecting a construction option closes the construction tab.
- Made units easier to click on by enlarging their mouse raytrace hitboxes.
- Drop detection no longer automatically pauses, because the pause detection behaviour was broken.
- Fixed performance issue while not looking at the sharing/scoreboard panel. The performance issue that is caused by looking at the sharing/scoreboard panel remains.