Zero-K: Zero-K 1.3.8.7 Zenith and Circle Guard

Inspiration hit to both create Circle Guard and make Zenith !Fun!. Circle Guard tells units to walk around their target in a protective manner. Zenith now captures and stores meteors to be released all at once in a devastating volley.

Dynamic tooltips (ones that change while the unit is selected) have been improved and the annoying chat backlog spacing bug has been fixed.

=== Balance ===

Zenith:
* Meteor Nudger -> Meteor Controller.
Now that Zenith is no longer boring it will be worthwhile putting the effort in to make all three superweapons approximately balanced.

=== Circle Guard ===

The circle guard command causes units to circle defensively around their target. To issue one, select the guard command then left click on the target unit and drag a circle. Hold Alt to make the units defend a direction instead of circling. There are other modifiers which will be shown off in a video in the near future.

=== Interface ===
* Terraform cost tooltip updates without reselecting the unit.
* Improved the clarity of grid tooltips.
* Unbound FPS mode (Alt+V).
* Added key and mouse state display widget. Intended for tutorial videos.
* Area Guard commands which includes teleport beacons will not give guard commands to units. Instead it will tell the units to teleport, split between the beacons in the area.
* Teleport beacons can be placed with custom formations.

=== Fixes ===
* Removed TargetMoveError from Commander Lightning, this was the last case.
* Annihilator etc.. no longer have a low power icon while under construction.
* Fixed lagmoniter setting share levels incorrectly.
* Fixed chat backlog spacing bug when the panel is first opened.
* Fixed waited constructors thinking that they are constructing.
* Fixed edge case in spectator panel. * NullAI is now treated like a real person.

Zero-K: Zero-K v1.3.8.5

Here is a release with some minor balance changes and fixes. Very little has changed because it appears that very little is broken.

In other news; ClanWars is well underway. Get a clan and follow the thread to play.

=== Balance ===
Raven:
* Slightly faster while diving (44% -> 50% speed). The weird value of 44% was in place to make it slower than Bandit.

Dagger:
* Range 205 -> 210 (was 220 ages ago)
* Line of Sight 450 -> 500. This is almost as much as Kodachi. Hovercrafts felt too hard to scout with.

Pillager:
* Accuracy doubled(?) (600 -> 300, what does that mean?) so it can now reliably hit Stardust.

Panther:
* Range 250 -> 260

Lightning Accuracy:
* Zeus is a bit more accurate.
* Bantha and Scorpion are quite a bit more accurate.

Overkill Prevention
* No longer has perfect information about identified radar dots. Instead it assumes the worst case scenario. An identified dot is assumed to have full health, no status effect and armour (if it is a unit which can armour).
* Groups of units with slow projectiles no longer fire all their shots at aircraft in a futile attempt to hit it. Instead a few will fire just in case they get lucky.

Autorepair module:
* Removed idle time requirement.
* HP/s 20 -> 10
* Cost 250 -> 150

=== Interface ===
* Improved attrition counter. Added teamgame support.
* Added spectator UI panels with a resource bar for each team. Extra panels and hud presets support are still to come.
* Context menu improvements. One shot weapons do not show DPS.

=== Fixes ===
* Fixed queued underground solar boxes.
* Fixed Tidal energy generation.
* Fixes to economy breakdown in resource panel.
* Fixed wreck transitions for some factories and Impaler.

=== Previous Versions ===
* Added Accept Victory by Default panel which appears if the entire enemy team disconnects. Previously they would just explode. Mainly to save 1v1s from connection issues.
* Fixed energy display on Deluxe Player List.
* Added win counter increment. * Reduced Thunderbird camera shake (a lot).

EvoRTS: Akilon Wastelands

Akilon Wastelands minimap

Akilon Wastelands is the third map in the series of “Starcraft-ish” style maps for Evolution RTS. This is based heavily on an actual Starcraft 2 ladder map. Starcraft 2 fans will undoubtedly immediately recognize it, as it was an official ladder map for quite some time. The actual play area on this map is smaller than the other two, because of it’s shape. Crystal Spires poke above the hazy cloud layer, Energy Spires litter the platforms. There are numerous ways to flank your enemy. There are even destructible rocks at the foot of each starting platform. In order to make it through to the low ground, you must first kill the destructible rocks. Of course, you could always use All-Terrains, but it is still an annoying roadblock.

Akilon Wastelands 1 Akilon Wastelands 2 Akilon Wastelands 3 Akilon Wastelands 4

Manual download link for Akilon Wastelands

The post Akilon Wastelands appeared first on Evolution RTS.

EvoRTS: Fetid Marsh

Fetid Marsh minimap

Fetid Marsh is the second map in the series of “Starcraft-ish” style maps for Evolution RTS. The main starts are on two diagonal platforms, with only one exit ramp. A lake in the middle makes getting from one side to the other a bit more tricky and introduces a natural chokepoint. There are also ramps on the lowest platforms allowing access to the water so that amphibs may go around the edges for a sneak attack.

Fetid Marsh 1 Fetid Marsh 2 Fetid Marsh 3 Fetid Marsh 4

Manual download link for Fetid Marsh

The post Fetid Marsh appeared first on Evolution RTS.

EvoRTS: Battle for Planet XIV

Battle for Planet XIV minimap

I have been working on a new set up maps to replace the hodgepodge mess of random maps that is now used on the hosts and distributed to players. These new maps are using a “Starcraft-ish” style of platforms and ramps and in my testing, they play far superior to the other styles of maps. This one was released some time ago, but I am giving it it’s first post here. I am working on an updated version that will feature ambient background sounds and better detail texturing on the ground.

Battle for Planet XIV 1 Battle for Planet XIV 2

These maps will make their way onto the dedicated hosts when I have 5 of them completed, at which point they will become the new default map set.

Manual download link for Battle for Planet XIV

The post Battle for Planet XIV appeared first on Evolution RTS.