Happy Birthday Updates 113553 / 113578 / 113581 / 113583 / 113600

Discussion in 'PA: TITANS: General Discussion' started by panews, August 18, 2019.

  1. panews

    panews Planetary News Official PA

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    [​IMG]
    Hello Commanders,

    War never changes. At least that's what they say, yet on 18th August 2019 we celebrated one year since Planetary Annihilation Inc took over development of this mighty game, and what an exciting year of change it has been.

    Modernisation of the underlying tech foundation was a big goal for us when we started. We have modernised the entire development toolchain, helping to reduce defects and improve performance. We have also upgraded the Coherent UI framework and eliminated numerous crashes. At this point if your client is crashing you probably need to update your graphics drivers. We are aware of the Linux Mesa issues so please hang tight, we’re working on it!

    A huge amount of effort has been put into the server, given that it is responsible for most of the heavy lifting. We have spent a lot of time improving performance, both through changes to the AI and the mechanisms that underpin the simulation. That includes more multi-threading, more optimisation and of course less crashes. You can now get buttery smooth performance on systems and setups that would have been unthinkable a year ago.

    Aiding this has been the migration to PAnet, our modern backend infrastructure. Better servers mean bigger and better games and a happier community.

    Single player is still incredibly popular among our community so AI updates have remained a big focus. We keep making it smarter and deadlier, so if you are struggling to win more than before, it's not you it’s us.

    Multiplayer is not forgotten either and the ranked queue is feeling more active than ever before, with seasons ensuring everyone gets their chance to shine with map rotation and balance changes keeping it fresh. Add to that a prize pool of US$4,500 per season to keep it competitive.

    Of course, while it is pleasant to feast on cake and grow fat we can’t just rest on our laurels, there is a lot of work we still want to do and a gift we want to give.

    The Stryker takes on the role of a fast, low armoured raider. Giving vehicles more of an early presence, you can keep the pressure on your opponent while also defending your valuable fabbers against Dox.

    The time of the Navalpocalypse is upon us, with ships now enjoying FTL (Faster Than Land) propulsion. The person who came up with this term is very pleased with themselves, don’t let it catch on or they’ll become insufferable. No longer will your naval games feel like an eternal slog, instead they will be more of an elegant duel with massive guns. There has also been a significant adjustment to the Typhoon to improve its viability and enable Squall swarms to blot out the sun, as the prophecy foretold.

    Finally, we have made more improvements to the AI’s performance so that it will wait patiently and put its hand up, ensuring it is less demanding of your CPU’s time. This may be the most significant performance improvement we have made so far in our AI.

    It has been a great year and we look forward to an even better one to follow.

    Recap:
    • modernised client
      modernised server with more multi-threading and AI improvements
    • PAnet migrated from UberNet with modern servers and more regions
    • 1v1 ranked seasons with new maps, balance changes and a US$4,500 prize pool every 3 months
    • Stryker!

    Technical Notes

    TITANS Balance Changes
    • Stryker (113578)
    • Naval speeds increased
      • Narwhal frigate speed increased to 12 from 9
      • Orca destroyer speed increased to 12 from 9
      • Stingray missile ship speed increased to 11 from 8
      • Leviathan battleship speed increased to 11 from 8
    • Typhoon drone carrier
      • Typhoon drone carrier speed increased to 11 from 8
      • Cost decreased to 5,200 from 6,500
      • Ammo rate increased to 30 metal per second (20 stored drones then one per second once depleted)
      • Initial launch stage decreased to 200 from 500 (shorter launch before turn)
      • Now targets sea floor
      • Guard layer changed to WL_AnyLayer from WL_AnySurface with guard radius of 100 (113583)
      • Launch projectile lifetime changed to 3.0 from 2.0 (113583)
      • Squall drones
        • Weapons priority changed to torpedoes
        • Torpedo rate of fire increased to 0.8 from max 1 (up to 10 low damage torpedoes depending on range to target)
    • Kestrel gunships:
      • Can no longer target underwater layer (subs)
      • Cost increased to 800 from 600 (113600)
    • Changed manual targeting of Galata AA to only damage air (113600)

    Client Improvements
    • --local-server-port to use a different local server port
    • Added build bar size which can now be changed from 75% to 200% separately from GUI size (113578)
    • Changed settings (113578):
      • Moved resolution scaling to top of graphics tab
      • Duplicated GUI size at top of graphics tab
      • Added build bar size to graphics tab and gameplay tab > user interface
    Client Fixes
    • Hopefully fixed build bar hot keys not always working (113578)
    AI Improvements
    • AI now processes path requests over time rather than all at once which should help smooth AI performance
    • Multiple small AI performance improvements
    AI Fixes
    • AI platoons that fail to find a path back to base when disbanding will now try a direct move request as a last resort

    113581

    Stryker is now live with build bar changes.

    Modding
    • Added id to each unit spec
    • Added projectile_specs with basic info and projectile: true for buildable projectiles in each unit spec
    • Added buildable projectiles to unit specs with merging of projectile ammo info if already in unit list (removing the need for ammoBuildHover hacks)
    • Added unit specs to settings
    • build bar is now flexible in width and no longer restricted to 3 x 6
    • build bar entries are now specified as row / column with titans only / classic only flags
    "/pa/units/land/attack_vehicle/attack_vehicle.json": ["vehicle", 20, {row: 2, column: 6, titans: true}]
    "/pa/units/orbital/deep_space_radar/deep_space_radar.json": ["utility", 2, {row: 0, column: 2, classic: true}]


    113583
    • Stryker health increased to 60 from 50 (may tweak further)
    • Typhoon drone carrier
      • Guard layer changed to WL_AnyLayer from WL_AnySurface with guard radius of 100
      • Launch projectile lifetime changed to 3.0 from 2.0 (should resolve disappearing squalls)
    113600
    • Stryker strategic icon updated, accelerate / brake increased to 150 from 100 and now targets sea floor
    • Kestrel gunship cost increased to 800 from 600
    • Changed manual targeting of Galata AA to only damage air
    Last edited: September 3, 2019
  2. Expax

    Expax New Member

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  3. lulamae

    lulamae Planetary Moderator

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    That probably qualifies as FTL propulsion at some level.

    30+ knots ; 56+ km/h ; 35+ mph (actual top speed likely classified)
    Not bad for a unit that's ~ 1100 ft / 330m long
  4. nimzodragonlord

    nimzodragonlord Member

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    I never thought I’d say this but... I’m excited to get a naval map in ranked so I can test out these naval changes!
    Congrats to PA Inc. for a year of improvements and hopefully there will be many more to come.
  5. netpyxa

    netpyxa Active Member

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    What is that stryker thing?
  6. lulamae

    lulamae Planetary Moderator

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  7. wpmarshall

    wpmarshall Planetary Moderator

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    Aquilaris returning next season confirmed ;)
    NikolaMX and lulamae like this.
  8. NikolaMX

    NikolaMX Active Member

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    Now we are talking! Hopper too plox
    wpmarshall likes this.
  9. wpmarshall

    wpmarshall Planetary Moderator

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    Hopper may be back with a few changes ;)
    NikolaMX likes this.
  10. panews

    panews Planetary News Official PA

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    113578 / 113581

    Stryker is now live with build bar changes.

    Modding
    • Added id to each unit spec
    • Added projectile_specs with basic info and projectile: true for buildable projectiles in each unit spec
    • Added buildable projectiles to unit specs with merging of projectile ammo info if already in unit list (removing the need for ammoBuildHover hacks)
    • Added unit specs to settings
    • build bar is now flexible in width and no longer restricted to 3 x 6
    • build bar entries are now specified as row / column with titans only / classic only flags
    "/pa/units/land/attack_vehicle/attack_vehicle.json": ["vehicle", 20, {row: 2, column: 6, titans: true}]
    "/pa/units/orbital/deep_space_radar/deep_space_radar.json": ["utility", 2, {row: 0, column: 2, classic: true}]
    Last edited: August 30, 2019
    netpyxa and bthirteen like this.
  11. panews

    panews Planetary News Official PA

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    113583
    • Stryker health increased to 60 from 50 (may tweak further)
    • Typhoon drone carrier
      • Guard layer changed to WL_AnyLayer from WL_AnySurface with guard radius of 100
      • Launch projectile lifetime changed to 3.0 from 2.0 (should resolve disappearing squalls)
    killerkiwijuice likes this.
  12. killerkiwijuice

    killerkiwijuice Post Master General

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    The stryker seems out of place currently. Other units do its job better. Also, the icon is far too similar to the ant icon.
    Quitch and NikolaMX like this.
  13. panews

    panews Planetary News Official PA

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    113600
    • Stryker strategic icon updated, accelerate / brake increased to 150 from 100 and now targets sea floor
    • Kestrel gunship cost increased to 800 from 600
    • Changed manual targeting of Galata AA to only damage air
    Clopse likes this.
  14. hoomboom

    hoomboom New Member

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    I'm not entirely convinced about the Stryker, IMO it invalidates Dox.
    Maybe I'm just speaking from the viewpoint of a single-player only person with a very inefficient style.

    In Galactic War where initial Commander selection & the random upgrade chance significantly affect available playstyle I appreciate that Bot tech lets you build a heap of cheap, quick moving Doxes to dominate area/deny MEX expansion while Vehicle tech gives you more powerful units but fewer & slower so harder to dominate area -> encourages choosing to mix tech.
    Now with Stryker I can just choose Vehicle techs & still have that area dominating cheap, fast unit.


    Can't say I notice the ships being significantly quicker, vehicles still seem much quicker but I like the idea.


    Typhoon definitely feels much much more useful, OP even.
    I think should be buffed a bit more & made into a Naval Titan, built separately from factory. (weren't they originally?)
    One problem though: watching the drones they consistently fly past their target, stop and turn around before firing, exposing them to AA for a long time before outputting any damage.
    Surely should take shots as they pass over, then turn & pass again like Bombers? Or stop short of target as they enter range & shoot from there like Gunships?


    Not convinced pathfinding is improved, still getting lots of stuff hang up on buildings/terrain features, especially ships.
    I've had a bunch of cases of Fabricators getting stuck trying to reach a metal point that's just out of range, never times out & goes for next in queue.
    In one case there was a dead MEX there, I was watching when a Fabricator came from different direction & reclaimed the dead one, the waiting Fabricator immediately started building so could be there is a mis-match between Reclaim range and Build range?


    I wish Area attack would work for ships like it does for land vehicles: should go and attack any spotted thing thats within range from the sea but they don't, just sit there not doing anything. (possibly works if there are spotted things over water?)
  15. Vernam7

    Vernam7 Member

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    i just want to say THANK you for your work over the years! you are on the old good "Blizzard" level of support with patches long time after a game is been released! that will make this game a CLASSIC! thank you thank you thank you!:D
    hoomboom and killerkiwijuice like this.

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