This update is also only accessible by switching to our Experimental branches (instructions on how to do so here) - although please be aware they have slower load times and worse performance than normal builds due to the extra logging they contain!
This patch contains quite a few balancing changes and it might cause some weirdness in campaigns from 5.15.0. If that happens to you, I've set 5.15.0 live on the Experimental Legacy branch so you switch back to it and finish your campaign.
Balance Changes:
- Rebalance of Operation Points values. You start with more OPs and lower Doomsday, but Supporters now cost about 60% more (a basic supporter is now 250 OP rather than 100 OP, etc). Strategic operations now have longer cooldowns, and Request Alenium has been buffed a little.
- Phase 4 (and the Orbital Bombardment mechanic) has been moved forward about one month, and the first Harvesters have been moved forward two weeks. However, the second UOO-1 mission can now not be unlocked until roughly a month after Phase 4 starts. This improves the pacing at the end of Phase 3, which previously had about a month of dead time immediately followed by two UOO-1 missions in quick succession (causing a very short Phase 4).
- Xenobiology research now also requires Waveform Analysis research to unlock.
- Added an engineering project which allows Phantom interceptors to be upgraded to the speed of Gemini interceptors.
- Added a Corpse Analysis project for the Eternals.
- Construction times increased on Gemini / Pegasus aircraft, and on Gauss / Fusion weapons.
- Cruiser UFOs now have a slightly lower top speed, as Phantoms could often struggle to catch them.
- Interceptor UFOs now have a much higher turning rate and turn acceleration.
Content Changes:
- Added translations for most of the new Milestone 5 text.
- The region information minibars on the Geoscape (that show the Supporters) are now hidden until Operation Points are unlocked after the ATLAS Base mission.
- Updated the various Geoscape objective strings to fit the new story research chain.
- The second UOO-1 mission now has much clearer objective text that includes the timing of the enemy reinforcements, plus a custom "end mission" effect that reflects the fact the space station is exploding.
- The "Sell Junk" button in the base stores is now disabled if there's no junk to sell.
- The "region bonus unlocked" popups now display a more informative text line about what you've unlocked.
- Removed the duplicate "Eternal Interrogation" project unlocked after capturing an Eternal, as it didn't do anything (the Eternal Observation project worked as intended and is still in the game).
- Reworked one of the Cruiser UFO interior variants to improve gameplay.
- UFOs now contain the final props for the Alien Singularity Core and Alien Antigravity Generator, which are both also now animated.
- Added artwork for the Request Alenium strategic operation, so each strategic operation now has unique artwork.
- Added artwork for the Andron Praetorian corpse.
- Added correct preview artwork for the Fusion Grenade engineering project.
- Fixed some typos in the Operation Endgame research project.
- Set the AI to avoid crushing various types of alien walls that Androns were previously just smashing through for convenience.
- The campaign defeat / campaign victory screens now play their custom music correctly.
- Added injured / wounded text colouring on the Soldier screen soldier list.
Bugfixes:
- Fixed a crash that could occur in the AI turn of the tactical combat linked to Mind Control.
- Fixed the alien base large doors incorrectly autoclosing when a unit tries to move through them, and fixed the MARS being unable to path through them.
- Fixed the Orbital Bombardment timer (the UI element in the bottom left) not visually updating after the UOO-1 Sabotage mission is completed, and then disappearing entirely after the first bombardment occurs.
- Fixed the ammo capacity tooltip being broken when comparing items on the Soldier Equip screen.
- Fixed fast interceptors getting locked into a pattern of overshooting UFOs when speed is flowing at max speed and failing to engage them.
- Fixed the Doomsday Counter tooltip bugging out if the Doomsday daily gain turned negative.
- Fixed Androns crouching after spawning as reinforcements (they shouldn't be able to crouch).