Too many to list. This update includes ALOT of small changes and I honestly can't list all of them.
Spawning AI Overhaul
The spawning AI has changed significantly although I have attempted to keep the overall difficulty the same. The AI now combines different Tactics (a bit like Patterns) with different Enemies as if it is playing a Card game. It earns Mana as a result of the Player's actions and by playing "easy" cards and then spends that Mana on "hard" cards.
This AI is also at the core of how the Administrator AI in the GRID works (see below).
The overall result is that Enemy types are no longer limited by the players level and the Ambushes are no longer limited by time. This should result in a faster ramp-up for good players with more ambushes occuring more frequently and in combinations previously not seen.
GRID Overhaul
The GRID mode as it existed previously is no more. Alpha 4 is a stepping stone to a complete overhaul of the mode into a complete Roguelike Campaign mode.
You are a Hacker working on behalf of a Benefactor whose goal is to gain Notoriety by infiltrating Networks, stealing Files and crashing Servers.
When you start a new game of the GRID you must choose a Difficulty, Character, benefactor and Rig (Currently only 1 of each is available). You can also change your starting Loadout using Items you have unlocked via Arcade modes.
You can have up to 8 GRID games in progress at a time and can load old games from the Game Manager screen.
On the main GRID Navigation screen you will see your hackers information on the left and The GRID on the right.
The layout of the Servers in the GRID is procedurally generated and there will be gaps where no Server exists. Your Hacker has a location and the Servers you can interact with are indicated by the red outline.
The AI installs ICE onto each Server that changes what kind of enemies you will encounter. Each Server additionally has a Mission to complete. Currently there are only 2 but this is set to expand during Beta.
Clicking on a Server will select it then clicking on it again will open the context menu. The top Icon is "Connect" and it will begin a "Run" on that Server. The bottom Icon is "Bypass" and will change your location to that Server assuming you have already completed it.
Firewalls
During a Run you will encounter Structures that look like large Towers. These are Firewalls and they prevent you from progressing to the next level. Destroying all the Firewalls in a level will open a Portal and sitting in the Portal for 3 seconds will transport you to the next Level.
Mission: Recon
During a Recon mission you will have to reachh a specific Level and destroy all the Firewalls you encounter to open the Exit.
Mission: Data Theft
Depending on the Mission you are performing different Structures may appear such as a blue Database on the Data Theft Mission. Destroy this Structure and collect the File it drops to start a download from it. Once the Download is complete the Exit will open and you can Portal out of the Server with your prize.
Dive Mode
Dive Mode is an Arcade variant of the gameplay developed for the GRID. Similar to Rush you start with 60 seconds on the clock and lose 10 seconds eachh time you die. The only way to gain time is to destroy the Firewalls in each Level and Portal to the next Level.
Chase Mode
Chase Mode has undergone a redesign. Instead of the checkpoints resetting the timer to 5 seconds each Checkpoint now rewards you 2 seconds of additional time. This allows you to build up a reserve of time by moving between checkpoints quickly.
Alpha 3.6.1 Patch Notes
A small patch this one mostly focussed on performance optimizations.
Audio
Added a Random Music option to the Audio Settings screen. This will randomise the playlist.
Misc
Improved performance on Menu screens.
Improved performance in game when there are lots of enemies in play.
Fixed trail effects "stretching" when Swarm and Bee enemies spawn.
Alpha 3.6 Patch Notes
Turn up your music volume because Alpha 3.6 adds an entirely new soundtrack to the game!
DJ Striden has been kind enough to let me use some of his music in the game. If you want to check out his other work or throw money his way check out his bandcamp page https://djstriden.bandcamp.com/
You can cycle between tracks by pressing the Left and Right bumpers on your controller or . (next) and , (prev) on your keyboard.
Audio
Added 7 Songs by DJ Striden to the Soundtrack.
Removed Placeholder music.
Added Music Player Control buttons.
Music now won't play if Music Volume is 0.
UI
Adjusted brightness of opaque menus.
Reduced font size on Status Bars.
Added Now Playing Widget to Status Bars.
Moved all Credits and Profile Level widgets to the right Status Bar.
Moved clock widget to left Status Bar.
Misc
Startup movie now plays while game loads.
Upgraded to Unreal Engine 4.12
Improved load times.
Alpha 3.5 Patch Notes
Alpha 3.5 brings you the MALLARD. A semi-inteligent proximity grenade launcher.
Weapons
MALLARD The MALLARD fires bursts of 4 semi-inteligent proximity grenades. These grenades will steer towards enemies, bounce off walls and detonate when in close proximity of a target or after 3 seconds.
Damage: 50 / 75 / 95 / 110 / 120 / 150
Rate of Fire: 0.1s
Burst Delay: 0.45s
Burst Size: 4
Explosion Radius: 180
Bug Fixes
You can no longer spam the fire button to obtain a higher than desired rate of fire with primary weapons.
Missiles no longer prefer Bugs over Viruses when locking on to targets.
Super Beam and Storm Cloud no longer get stuck "On"
UI
Added Help Screen to Arcade Menu.
Updated Help Screen on Loadout Menu with information about Items.
Added Help Screen to Build Order Menu with information about Upgrades.
Added Loadout Title above Loadout button in Game Mode Menus.
Audio
Announcer will no longer interupt itself to say the same line it was already saying.
EDIT: MALLARD had wrong damage values before. Has been corrected now.
Alpha 3.4 Patch Notes
3.4 brings some additional balance changes as well as some bug fixes.
Buffers
Redirector The Redirector was allowing the highest Effective Hit points in the game. This change brings it in line with the other Buffer Items and shifts it's focus on to mitigating damage via Adrenaline gain rather than using the Adrenaline pool as a huge secondary health bar.
Energy: 200
Efficiency: 30 / 45 / 52 / 67 / 72 / 90
UI
Menus are now more opaque making the text easier to read in the Tutorial.
Pressing Back on the Countdown screen will no longer close the screen early.
Alpha 3.4 Patch Notes
3.4 brings some additional balance changes as well as some bug fixes.
Buffers
Redirector The Redirector was allowing the highest Effective Hit points in the game. This change brings it in line with the other Buffer Items and shifts it's focus on to mitigating damage via Adrenaline gain rather than using the Adrenaline pool as a huge secondary health bar.
Energy: 200
Efficiency: 30 / 45 / 52 / 67 / 72 / 90
UI
Menus are now more opaque making the text easier to read in the Tutorial.
Pressing Back on the Countdown screen will no longer close the screen early.
Alpha 3.3 Patch Notes
3.3 brings with it the last Burst Weapon in the form of the Storm Cloud (Better names on a postcard) as well as a Primary weapon balance pass and some changes to the Audio levels.
Primary Weapons
Gauss Rifle Direct Damage and AoE Damage was a little too high compared to the other primaries. This change also makes the weapon worth overdriving for dealing with the smaller bugs where it wasn't worthwhile before.
Damage: 160 / 240 / 304 / 352 / 384 / 480
Splash Damage: 80 / 120 / 152 / 176 / 192 / 240
Beam Laser Having no other utility than just doing damage the Beam Laser was suffering compared to the Machine Gun as they shared the same maximum DPS.
DPS: 3.5k / 5.25k / 6.65k / 7.7k / 8.4k / 10.5k
Arc Thrower The maximum range on the Arc Thrower now benefits from being leveled up with the Overdrive increasing range by 50% over level one.
Max Range: 400 / 450 / 490 / 520 / 540 / 600
Plasma Caster The Plasma Caster was out-performing all other weapons due to it's ability to hit a huge number of enemies with each projectile.
DPS: 450 / 675 / 855 / 990 / 1080 / 1350
Burn DPS: 250 / 375 / 475 / 550 / 600 / 750
Max Burn Stacks: 10
Burn Duration: 0.5s
All Burn stacks now refresh on application of a new stack.
Burn stacks cannot be applied faster than 5 every 2 seconds.
Direct Damage now scales to mimic the intensity of the flames. More damage is done where the flame is brightest and almost no damage is done where it's darkest.
Burst Attacks
Storm Cloud The Storm Cloud rains lightning bolts upon nearby enemies starting with those that have lots of health and hitting up to 3 targets.
Adrenaline Cost: 180/s
Damage: 1000 / 1500 / 1900 / 2200 / 2400 / 3000
Rate of Fire: 0.1-0.3s
Max Targets: 3
Audio
I went through all of the audio and tried to balance everything a little better as well as add spatialization and attenuation to a bunch of sounds that were missing it. Music shouldn't clip and voices should be easier to hear. Be aware your volume settings might need to be changed after this patch.
Balanced volume multipliers accross all sound cues.
Waves² Alpha 3.2 Patch Notes
The fifth Primary Weapon is here and with it comes some balance changes to the Super Beam Laser as well as a bug fix for the Teleport.
Primary Weapons
Gauss Rifle The Gauss Rifle is a heavy weapon that accelerates solid slugs to high speed which will pass through small enemies and explode when they hit large enemies or walls. It takes a moment to spin-up to full speed and reduces your speed slightly while firing.
Damage: 200 / 300 / 380 / 440 / 480 / 600
Splash Damage: 100 / 150 / 190 / 220 / 240 / 300
Explosion Radius: 90
Rate of Fire: 0.125 (max)
Shots Fired: 1
Burst Attacks
Super Beam Laser It's single target DPS was way too high for it's adrenaline cost.
Fixed Teleport not triggering when you have exactly 200 Energy.
Alpha 3 Patch Notes
The bulk of this update consists of 27 new Items that can be unlocked and added to your Loadouts. The 3 remaining Items will be added over the next few weeks bringing the total number of Items to 36.
Primary Weapons
Machine Gun An old favorite. It's undergone some minor tweaks to balance it with the new weapons but it's largely the same.
Damage: 100 / 100 / 110 / 110 / 120 / 150
Rate of Fire: 0.067
Shots Fired: 2 / 3 / 3-4 / 3-5 / 3-5 / 3-5
Beam Laser Fires a continuous beam of energy in a straight line that instantly hits targets doing the most single target damage of all the Primary weapons.
Arc Thrower Fires 3 bolts of lightning in a cone that automatically hit enemies within a short range. The Arc Thrower also generates a small amount of energy from damage dealt.
Blast Wave The Blast Wave hits everything in a large cone in front of you doing massive instant damage after a brief delay.
Adrenaline Cost: 180
Range: 800
Damage: 1000 / 1500 / 1900 / 2200 / 2400 / 3000
Wind Up Time: 0.25s
Utility Items
Slowmo Slowmo is the original Utility item but was missing it's speed boost from the original Waves.
Speed Boost: 250 / 375 / 475 / 550 / 600 / 750
Emergency Teleport The ultimate whoops button. Teleports you to somewhere else in the arena which should be safer than where you were. Should be.
Energy Cost: 200
Cooldown: 60 / 45 / 35 / 30 / 25 / 20
Shockwave STOP TOUCHING ME! The Shockwave knocks back all non-cuboid enemies within range.
Energy Cost: 120 / 80 / 65 / 55 / 50 / 30
Cooldown: 12 / 8 / 6.5 / 5.5 / 5 / 3
Radius: 500
EMP The EMP Generator emits a pulse that will stun all enemies in the arena for a short time. The duration of the stun increases the more energy it uses but be warned - it always uses ALL of your energy.
Energy Cost: 200 (Minimum)
Stun Efficiency: 50 / 75 / 95 / 110 / 120 / 150
Base Stun Duration: 1s (Minimum)
Cooldown: 22 / 15 / 12 / 10 / 9 / 7.5
Ablative Shield Those with quick reflexes will get the most out of the Ablative Shield. When activated it forms an energy barrier that absorbs a large amount of incoming damage for up to 2 seconds.
Energy Cost: 100 / 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 / 150
Shield HP: 200 / 330 / 456 / 572 / 672 / 900
Cooldown: 18
Rage If your mantra is that the best defense is a good offense then this is the utility slot for you. Rage takes your Energy and converts it into Weapon Power boosting the damage of your primary weapon.
Energy Cost: 145 / 146 / 147 / 148 / 149 / 150
Weapon Power: 65 / 100 / 125 / 145 / 155 / 200*
* 100 Weapon power is 100% bonus damage.
Buffers
Battery Batteries store energy they don't generate it.
Generator Generators will heal you up very quickly but can't take much damage.
Energy Capacity: 200
Energy Regen: 40 / 47.5 / 53.5 / 58 / 61 / 70
Regen Delay: 2 / 1.8 / 1.6 / 1.5 / 1.4 / 1.15
Heatsink A Heatsink makes your utility items more efficient and lets you use them more often but does nothing for your durability.
Energy Capacity: 300
Energy Regen: 25
Regen Delay: 3
Cooldown Speed: 20 / 35 / 45 / 60 / 70 / 100
Energy Efficiency: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70
Shield Hardener The shield Hardener reduces incoming damage significantly but doesn't provide much energy for Utility items.
Energy Capacity: 200
Energy Regen: 25
Regen Delay: 3
Armour: 100 / 125 / 145 / 160 / 170 / 200
Capacitor The Capacitor stores energy and releases it in times of dire need giving you an instant boost followed by some energy over time.
Energy Capacity: 300
Energy Regen: 25
Regen Delay: 3
Cooldown: 18 / 12 / 9 / 8 / 7.5 / 6
Burst Energy: 60 / 70 / 72 / 74 / 76 / 80
Energy Over Time: 30 / 35 / 36 / 37 / 38 / 40
Duration: 3
Redirector The Redirector takes incoming damage from your Adrenaline before it starts on your Energy pool getting more efficient the more you level it up.
