Unfriendly Fire fix / Strain Capture / Sell loose items in helibase / UIUX tweaks
Unfriendly Fire
We have added a more sensitive friend/foe detection for weapons' arc of fire. So unless you are deliberately running into rounds in flight, the chances of getting hit is incredibly low. Do note that as a result, positioning to free up firing lanes is now more important than ever.
Strain Capture
All Strain onboard the Helibase will be sold on leaving a mission site... granting 10x the killfee reward.
Selling loose items on helibase
Instead of the previous "litterbug" penalty, the loose items on the ground in the helibase will also be conveniently sold for credits that go to the player instead of being destroyed.
UIUX
-Edge-scrolling is now enabled by default. Visit the settings screen to disable.
-Touch-screen/Mouse-Keyboard detection is now explicitly explained in the Settings screen. (It is auto-detected and switches automatically upon touch or mouse-input.)
- 'F' to immediately Force-Fire (hold down to manually aim and track) is being trialed, let us know how it works for you, technically possible to hold down LMB midway, then release F to handover controls to the LMB and mouse movement.
Red Sites are mission sites where all Strain spawn with a shared set of enhancements.
Red Sites are randomly assigned "threat%" value from 0%-100%, which in turn influences different parameters and unique traits for Strain spawned on the site, with 0% meaning no enhancements to Strain on site. A bonus ® reward, proportionate to the "threat%" faced, is awarded on completion of all objectives. For those of you who hate milk runs and retrievals, this is the answer.
A 'threat analysis' pane will appear on the Mission Select screen itself when you select a site with Red Site status.
Example of Red Sites are those that involve purely sweeping an area of Strain/Strain Structures. Mission 1, R-Block, is one such example.
These selected missions (over half the playable missions in Strain Tactics!) turn into Red Sites after visiting it ONCE. With every subsequent inter-mission visit to the Mission Select screen, the random "threat%" generator re-rolls, meaning an infinite variety of increasingly diffcult challenges await the most daring of Commanders.
Colonist Artillery
A further enhancement of an old friend, the Colonist, now introduces an infecting ranged attack. Its slow turn rate and sub-rifle range is the only thing that helps a CQC team to engage with the Colonist and even dodge its spit, as it also does not retreat. Shields, Smoke, Fearsmoke or just stun-locking it with a torrent of firepower works wonders, or just outrange it.
Balance Tweaks
-Pilot has reduced capability with ranged weapons.
-FCS now has 150% dmg modifier (200% previously).
-Neo Brigandine Cape has knockback resistance (addressed thru bugfix)
-Tactical Dirty Bomb's map-wide 'after effect' no longer reduces damage dealt.
-Fearsmoke, Colonist / Spawner 'smoke puff' all block line of sight and reduces movement speed.
Bug Fixes
-Knockback modifiers work consistently now
Additional Notes
- 'C' key shortcut for Dock added
- Only Re-Clicking a unit's portrait or hotkey will proc the camera autofocus.
-Enemies' damage resistance modifiers were not always registering previously.
Enemy changes
-Stabbers now have more health, enhanced regeneration, requiring significant burst damage to put down.
-Spikers have enhanced active regeneration during their retreat proc.
-Trappers now move faster and when anxious, do not stagger about, but home in on nearest targets, flailing widly.
-Molars have lower health, but greater ranged damage resistance, and take much more melee damage.
-Gut loot drop rates retuned.
The ebb and flow dynamic of the more 'harrowing' pre-beta version is now melded with the current setup, and balanced for 3-4 units for what I assume to be the average player. This attempts to take into consideration the wide array of weapons and deployables, unit modifiers and trait bonuses available that currently, as brought up in the forums, seem to see less use. I hope this changes that significantly while not simply degenerating into an obnoxious 'dps vs meat wall' experience.
Weapon changes
-Shotguns made slightly more powerful, prices updated
-Anti Monster Rifle has its 'splash' damage reduced. Only a fully 'black ribboned' character may 1-shot a Colonist.
CQC,Overlapping fire, Diamonding, funneling should be more important now.
UI update
-Info panel now closes at the same spot the "i"/info toggle is situated.
UI and Controls Update
The team has been hard at work addressing concerns regarding the UIUX, specifically the 'drag-only' control system that is the heart of Strain Tactics being...well, kind of a drag for some traditionalists, and as such, we have now implemented a contextual one-click control scheme IN ADDITION to what is already present, one that hopefully operates seamlessly alongside the former and even expands on utility!
We sincerely hope this provides a greater level of engagement with the game for existing players. Do let us know on the boards!
Controls: Movement & Interaction
-Mouse-over now highlights items and allows previewing of size (before committing to a pickup)
-When hovering over an item, Right-Click now ALSO initiates an instant pickup command.
- Right-Click now initiates an "instant converge" so that any units selected will instantly path towards the destination, with just enough space between them that they do not overlap.
- RMB Hold-and-Release now initiates a "parallel/ formation move" so any units selected will instantly path towards a destination, arriving in the same formation as they left, barring terrain obstacles. Now, you can comb an area even easier than before and execute a perfect "Syndicate-sweep force-fire" as you march on!
UI
-UI Scaling complaints have been addressed for those of you using larger displays and the Scanner has now been brought in-line with the Tactical pane so you may now use both concurrently. As always, we have left the option to toggle panes so you may better control your UI coverage.
-UI Scaling also takes into consideration our Touch-Screen customers. A bug regarding "double-tap to select all units on screen" has been found and is currently being looked into on Surface Pro series.
Shop Functionality
-Locker, Shops' pane scaling now allows for more visible/usable slots.
