Hey Everyone,
After spending last week working on reworked video trailers (to be released soon) and improving MKW`s store page, we are back into action. It`s time for another epic update that yet again changes the way you play the game. But before we get into the details, we have an announcement to make...
After nearly 3 years in development, we are almost ready to make the big move and graduate from Early Access. And the date is... Nth of January 2019. We`ll reveal the exact date soon.
There are two more months of work ahead, and we are confident MKW will be released in a solid shape. However, the official release is only a beginning... We already have 2019 all planned out - providing a constant stream of big updates post-release.
Also - if you own our previous game - KW2B - some good news. We`ll be releasing a definitive edition - a free update - that changes the game engine to DirectX 11, greatly improves many areas of the game and fixes the majority of leftover bugs in KW2B. We`ll have a full announcement and preview in December.
Now back to today`s update - the main feature is updated pathfinding and the new Epic camera mode. Let us know how it plays out...
And so presenting Update 66:
BIG CHANGES
-New Epic and Performance camera in the options
-New Epic camera is well - Epic - with extremely high zoom out
-Completely reworked world map camera, for a much closer view
-Adjusted the minimal zoom in a good way to play the game, and not just zoom in for details
-Pathfinding update - Battalions stay together in formation, without some units breaking formation
-Pathfinding update - tasking units - battalion now goes exactly to where it was tasked
-Pathfinding update - various fixes and improvement when tasking battalion to walk or to run to a location
-Visual update - greatly reduced bloom and blurring on all levels
-Performance boost of about 3-6 FPS on all graphics cards
-On town capture, reduce happiness by 70 if the same nation, by 150 if a different nation
-On town looted, reduce happiness by -150
-On town razed, diplomatic relations with all nations reduced by -5
-On town razed, razing player standing with his King drops by -5
-Building upkeep cost now increases with building level, instead of decreasing
-Raising now gives very high silver loot - a game changer
-World map game time goes by 50% faster
-Entering to manage towns deducts a lot more happiness, the longer you stay
FIXES AND ADDITIONS
-Game view now starts at max zoom in, instead of max zoom out
-Improved visual performance on high and highest game settings through LODs
-Update all infantry formations to be more evenly spread out
-First game run language prompt - now has a title, not to confuse new players
-Much quieter sounds of peasants chopping trees and dropping off resources
-Fixed major bug preventing cavalry passing through stone gates
-Fixed piked infantry unable to destroy Mantlets
-Fixed "Heal All" showing different cost depending on what unit was selected
-Less brightness in the campaign map
-When launching scenarios from the editor, it now uses the DX11 engine, and not 9
-Added world map borders to tutorial scenarios
-Fixed odd shadow on the ship in the skirmish screen
-Regular and fire arrows are a lot better visible
-Fixed naval combat level spawning units within range of enemy bowman
-After capturing the town the action screen shows up right away and not a few seconds later
-When the game is action paused the music is not as quiet as before
-Fixed odd shadow on the ship in the Skirmish screen
BALANCING
-Combat AI trains more rams and less siege of other types
-Combat AI creates new units significantly slower
-AI gets a lot less time to conquer player hamlet or town, making these battles go by a lot faster
-Ballista now consumes iron when firing
-Siege weapons now consume 0.2 stone/iron when firing instead of 1
-Destroying buildings on the world map gives more of their cost back
-Buildings that generate income, have their income significantly increase with high levels
-Buildings that generate happiness, generate more at higher levels
-The market now sells and buys resources by 100, and not 700
-Looting gives a little bit more silver for low-end hamlets and more overall
-Silver drain when attacking significantly reduced
-Increased the price of Serfs by 30%
-Reduced Serfs animal slaughter income by 25%
-Stone and Iron Mines level up cost increases 50%
-Stone and Iron camp 50% more cost, but 50% more productive
-Piked infantry now a lot more effective vs siege weapons
-All infantry is much better at killing mantlets
-Increased unit upkeep by 30%
-Increased building upkeep by 15%
-Blacksmith and Armoury now provide a lot less income
-Academy comes with an upkeep
-Price of all RTS mode techs increased 2X