Waves 2: Notorious
Waves 2 Discord Server
You can join it here https://discord.gg/b4uYczM
The Rules!
- No sexism
- No racism
- No discrimination
- No bullying
- No spam
- No inappropriate content
- English only please, so most people can understand :)
Anyone who doesn't follow the rules will find themselves at least muted, and possibly banned. Let's create a nice, safe place to have fun!
Alpha 5.2 Patch Notes & Vlog
There is a Dev Vlog about it on Youtube!
New Enemy!
Introducing the Tiny Cube (Better names on the forums please).
Currently only spawning in Survival Mode as they are something of an experiment the Tiny Cube is the first of many new enemies to go in the game. I'm planning on rolling them out one or two at a time so I can gather feedback on each one as I balance them.
Tiny Cubes are slightly faster than their larger cousin but cannot Charge and are not guarenteed to kill the player on touch. They have a large health pool and high armour with a slow regeneration. They explode on death damaging enemies within 500 units. They sometimes get stuck in walls when they spawn (known issue).
There will be more forms of Cube enemy being added to the game in the future with the Tiny Cube being the smallest, least dangerous and cutest.
GRID Changes
This update will invalidate GRID save games as the new data structure isn't compatible with the old one.
The Administrator AI has a new ICE deck to play with. This version is more modular with more low-cost cards for it to play. This should mean that there is more variety in the exact kind of enemies that get spawned on each Server. This will be a constantly changing process over the rest of development so is by no means final.
Bonus Objectives
Each Server now has 3 Bonus Objectives to be achieved. Similar to the very first version of GRID that ever existed these objectives are currently stat driven although I have plans for more complex objectives later on.
Whenever a Server is generated the Admin will play 3 unique Objective cards on it to create that servers Objectives. There are currently only 4 possible objectives available but this number will increase in the future. Ideas for future objectives are welcomed so please post them in the forums.
Progress towards an objective is saved so you don't have to complete them in a single run.
Wanted Level
GRID mode no longer uses the same dynamic difficulty system as Arcade mode and instead now uses a Wanted Level system.
At Wanted Level 0 only Passive enemies will spawn representing the Server at rest. Once you start damaging subsystems however they will send out a call for help pumping the Wanted Level up to one and allowing the AI to start spawning more aggressive enemies.
If you don't attack any Subsystems for a while your wanted level will decrease and it can eventually return to zero. This is unrelated to the Trace mechanic which can only be halted by disconnecting.
Wanted Levels are reduced by:
- Player Death
- Building Control Nodes
- If 20 seconds has passed without an increase to Wanted Level.
Changelist
General
- Camera now tries to keep important actors on screen such as Subsystems and Triggers.
- All Enemies that follow the player can now use Navmesh Pathfinding if they cannot reach the players location.
- Cube Avoidance has been improved.
Arcade Mode
- Can now choose which type of Arena to play in on the Arcade mode screen.
- Added new "Tiny Cube" enemy to Survival Arcade mode (experimental).
GRID Mode
- GRID now uses a "Wanted Level" system for controlling Enemy Spawning.
- All Servers in GRID now have Bonus Objectives that can be attempted.
- Server ICE has been rebalanced.
UI
- Time Extend message now correctly displays the time.
- Keybinds settings screen added for keyboard and controller.
- Added on-screen prompt for triggers that need to be "used" to activate.
- Objective tracker added to GRID HUD.
Bug Fixes
- Fix for potential crash when using Emergency Teleport when being Charged by a Cube.
ToDo
These are things that look like bugs but in fact need to be implemented (usually because the UI already has space for the feature).
- Upgrades display not currently functioning.
- No Gameover when fatal brain damage incurred during GRID.
- Attached Hardware display not functioning.
- Clicking on Installed ICE doesn't do anything.
- Nothing is awarded for clearing Servers.
- Dive mode doesn't use Harder Room Styles as Player gets Deeper.
Known Issues
Alpha 5 Patchnotes
Gameplay Changes
The most significant changes can be seen in Dive and GRID.
Starting a Run (GRID)
Running a Server in the GRID is no longer a linear experience. When you open a Servers Info screen a Scan will be started (if needed) during which the internal Network gets generated.
You only need to scan a Server once and while you can rescan as much as you want nothing will change when you do.
On the Server Info screen you will be shown the Servers Internal Network but you will not be able to see details about any of the Rooms inside except for the Router which will form your starting location. It is from this screen that you begin your Run.
Traces (GRID & Dive)
During GRID and Dive the server will be running a Trace algorithm to try and locate you. This is shown by a countdown until the Trace is completed (just like Rush and Crunch Time). The speed of a Trace depends on the number of Control Nodes the Server has in a Room. Destroying Control Nodes and erecting your own will slow down the Trace.
If a Trace completes your Avatar will be destroyed and you will lose a Proxy (life) in GRID mode or the game will end in Dive.
In GRID mode if you lose a Proxy (life) then the Trace will start over rather than resume (as the Proxy you were using has already been compromised).
Controlling Rooms (GRID & Dive)
To take Control of a Room you must first destroy the Control Nodes in each room and then replacing them with your own by Uploading a Virus. To upload (or download) any file you must first touch the trigger left by a destroyed structure, once a File Operation has begun you must stay within the Trigger for it to continue. Leaving the trigger will pause the process and returning will resume it.
If you leave a Trigger for more than 10 seconds it will time out and either disappear or respawn the original Structure.
When all the Control Nodes in a Room are under your Control (as indicated by their colour) the Level Exit will open. When this happens all existing enemies will be destroyed and new ones cannot spawn.
Level Exits (GRID & Dive)
To leave a Room you must enter the Level Exit and hold down your Use key (E for Keyboard and A for Controllers). Your Avatar will despawn and what hapens next depends on the mode you are playing.
In Dive mode you will proceed to the next room automatically and this will continue until you eventually die.
In GRID mode you will return to the Network screen where you can choose a new destination.
Controlling Server (GRID)
To take control of a Server requires that you take control of the "Core" which can be found in the Servers "Root".
The Core is protected by a Shield making it invulnerable. To disable the shield you must destroy the Shield Regulator strcutures. Once all of the Shield Regulators are destroyed the Core will be vulnerable.
Shoot The Core to take control of the server.
Shield Regulators do respawn so you may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
Once a Server has been taken over the Run will automatically end and you will be returned to the GRID screen.
Changelist
There are a great many changes and a lot of them are behind the scenes stuff plus just months worth of code that isn't even being used yet. This list includes what is actually relevant.
Engine
- Upgrade from Unreal 4.12 to 4.18.3.
- Intel Graphics cards now supported.
- Compatibility mode for low end hardware (such as laptops).
Graphics
- All Enemies have new unique 3D assets.
- Particle System changes for explosion shockwaves.
- Arena walls now respond to nearby structures.
- Blob/Slime enemies now use custom Metaballs shader.
- Arena background height now uses 2D Simplex Noise rather than being random.
- Arena transitions between maps.
Arcade Mode
- Added 2 new Arena types to Arcade Mode (Classic and Crossroads).
- Arcade Mode will randomly select between arena types (temporary).
- Dive Mode Revamp (See above section on Gameplay Changes).
- Purple "Datavaults" now use the same download game mechanics as everything else.
- Arcade Mode now uses Alpha5 leaderboard tables.
GRID Mode
- Removed Difficulty Options for Starting a new Game.
- New GRID UI.
- Players can now Run any Server that is unlocked not just adjacent ones.
- Removed Server Bypassing.
- Removed Server Missions.
- Removed Inventory.
- Removed Credits.
- Removed Actions.
- Servers must be "Scanned" before they can be accessed.
- Players can start a Run from any Network Node that is unlocked.
- Servers can only be Cleared by completing the Shoot The Core objective.
- Number of Proxies (Satelite Icon) determines the players starting lives on each Run.
UI
- Status Bars have been repositioned/removed.
- Some buttons support "Longpress" actions. Hold down LMB (M&K) or A (Contrroller) until the circle has filled to use them. Only Hexagon Buttons in the GRID UI currently use Longpresses.
- Level Exits require the Player hold down "Use" (E on M&K, A on Controller) to activate.
- Objective tracker added to GRID HUD.
- Controllers now use a virtual Cursor to interact with the menus.
ToDo
These are things that look like bugs but in fact need to be implemented (usually because the UI already has space for the feature).
- Camera needs to consider nearby structures when calculating Camera position.
- Cube enemies need to use Pathfinding to navigate around obstacles properly.
- Upgrades display not currently functioning.
- No Gameover when fatal brain damage incurred during GRID.
- Attached Hardware display not functioning.
- Clicking on Installed ICE doesn't do anything.
- Servers don't have Bonus Objectives.
- Nothing is awarded for clearing Servers.
- Dive mode doesn't use Harder Room Styles as Player gets Deeper.
Known Issues
Alpha 5 Is Here! January Devlog
ALPHA 5 IS HERE!
Tomorow at 18:00 GMT Alpha 5 will go live.
Alpha 4 Leaderboards will be archived and new Alpha 5 Leaderboards will go into effect at the same time.
This marks the start of a switch to a monthly release schedule. You can expect regular updates around the end of each calender month. They might not always contain much but there will always be something.
Alpha 5 has been predominantly concerned with getting the Grid game mode "finished". It still has some features left to implement but the actual structure and core gameplay aren't going to be changing much in the future.
This update also includes an update to version 4.18.3 of the Unreal Engine so things look a little different and performance should be better. Indeed in this version of the game will actually run on Intel graphics cards rather than just crashing like it used to.
For more details including an unedited GRID Run you can watch the January entry on Youtube
If you want to stay up to date in real time then the best thing to do is follow me on Twitter where I post work-in-progress screenshots and gifs as I'm working.
Alpha 5 Is Nearly Here! December Devlog
Yes Alpha 5 is nearly here. There should hopefully be a test version available before the end of the year which will crash in many ways! Your job will be to help me figure out what those ways are and stop them.
This month Dive mode was returned to working order no longer serving as my debug game mode but returning to a proper arcade game mode with some new tweaks.
The ongoing battle against the UI for GRID is almost at an end with most of the UI for Alpha 5 finished and the remaining tasks mostly involving removing stuff rather than adding it.
Work has started on getting the first Boss for GRID mode implemented. I'm starting with a simple single stage boss to test the system out and will add more complexity later.
You can watch the December entry on Youtube
If you want to stay up to date in real time then the best thing to do is follow me on Twitter where I post work-in-progress screenshots and gifs as I'm working.
Devlog November 2017
The last month (well 3 weeks of the last 4 as I took a week off to be with my family over Halloween) has been mostly focused on getting the UI work for the GRID changes done. It's nearly there and I should hopefully have all of it complete over the next couple of weeks. UI takes a long time to design and code when you are artistically challenged as I am.
You can watch the November entry on Youtube
The next major update with all the changes to the GRID mode probably won't hit until early 2018. However I'm working on getting a minor update with all the graphics changes and some bug fixes and balance changes as well as a revised Dive mode before the Holidays.
If you want to stay up to date in real time then the best thing to do is follow me on Twitter where I post work-in-progress screenshots and gifs as I'm working.
Dev Vlog October 2017
You can watch the October entry on Youtube
If you want to stay up to date in real time then the best thing to do is follow me on Twitter where I post work-in-progress screenshots and gifs as I'm working.
I'm currently aiming to get the next major update out sometime in November probably closer to the end than the beginning after which I will change to a monthly update cycle and try and keep them synchronised with the Vlogs.
Apologies for the lack of communication but I'm completely heads down trying to get this next update released and I don't want to push an incomplete update live with changes I know suck just to keep to an arbitrary schedule.
Thankyou for your support!
Update 0.43a Patch Notes
● Slowmo gets stuck on when losing your last life.
● Scores approaching MaxInt display incorrectly on some screens.
There are also some changes to the shaders in this version that might cause your game to take longer than normal to load after the update is downloaded. This should only happen once.
Update 0.42a Patch Notes
This patch primarily addresses problems for those of you using Ultrawide monitors. The game now uses an adaptive field of view so you see more horizontally on wider monitors and more vertically on taller ones. The UI scaling has also been fixed so the menus and HUD don't get clipped at the top and bottom.
There are also some quality of life and balance changes in this patch (see below).
● Ultrawide support.
● Fixed scaling of Status Ring on HUD.
● Fast Restart in Arcade modes.
● Added setting to disable the Fisheye Wraparound effect.
● Combos are kept alive just by causing damage.
To use Fast Restart on keyboard hold down X for 1 second. With Controllers it's the X button (Square if you're using a DS4).
Update 0.41a Patch Notes
This patch is primarily a quality of life update for those of you using Control Pads.
● Fixed occassional 403 error on news screen.
● Improved joypad/keyboard navigation of menus (especially GRID).
● Tabbed menu screens can now be navigated using the left/right triggers.
● Leaderboard screen now highlights the currently displayed mode and filter.
● Fixed stall when loading a new music track.
● Fixed stall when opening GRID Game Manager screen.
● New Help text for GRID mode.
* My Graphics card died as did Windows a few days later.