40K Source

July 2010 news update for Exterminatus, Warhammer 40,000 themed mod for Half-Life 2 slipped into August.  I hope the new public Beta version 5.05 will make up for the lateness of this news post.  The Zoanthrope has come under scrutiny for this patch, bringing the biggest changes code-wise.

New features

• New console variable "ex_bolter_rof" to allow server operators to experiment with variations on the Bolters Rate of Fire
• New console variable "ex_version" to report the ex version number

Balance Changes

• Added an extra marine mission to to ex_thunderhawk by Typheron, along with many tweaks
• Buffed the Zoanthropes movement speed
• Revamped Zoanthrope PSI-powers, made the BAMPF attack secondary and added a new, faster, plasma based, primary attack
• Buffed Warriors ranged attack and Nerfed their melee attack to compensate

   
Attempted to fix the following bugs:

• Disconnecting players cause a white, ERRORNAME, kill message
• Carnifexs cannot cap without crouching
• Certain maps not specifying start objectives as expected

Downloads for the latest Beta are available through the Manual Downloads page (http://www.40ksource.com/common/wiki_manual/index.php/Downloads) as usual.

Progress on the new Terminator and Genestealer classes continues, but nothing new to share just yet.

Ever since the Steam updates that opened Steam and the Source engine to the Mac platform the Source SDK we use for mapping has not been working.  This held up all progress on the development of new and existing EX maps, which was very frustrating.  Luckily I found a workaround for that problem just this month (details on the EX forum (http://www.40ksource.com/common/smf/index.php?topic=1349.0)).  Once more we've finally got some more mapping progress, fixes and new maps working their way through to Beta testing.  We're always looking for more maps and mappers.  If you're interested in mapping for EX please let us know.

Been playing the new version for the first time today. I have to say, the maps have positively improved compared to 5.03 (I skipped 5.04). Weapon effects were better, we had nice overlays for missions, and the tyranids actually seemed to have a chance (which is a huge improvement comparing to the older versions).

On the other hand, it seemed as if my computer had a harder time to handle this version. That may just mean, I need a new one ;-). Yet, for my enjoyment, I'd most wish for the tyranids movement to be a bit smoother. that meaning, I'd like to be able to jump over obstacles. Currently it feels like the jumping is rather a little hop and you're barely able to overcome stairs. I found myself rather confused in situations where I actually thought I'd be going somewhere else, but was stopped by some small fence or other piece of rabble.

If the poor performance occurs on Digsite it may be caused by an odd engine glitch, deleting the maps/soundcahce/ex_digsite.cache seems to fix it temporarily (the file get re-created during map load).  If you mean generally then... yeah maybe it's time for a new box :P


it's very easy to tweak this stuff, but too high a value leads to players being able to scale almost vertical surfaces with ease.  It's as bad as jump/flight packs for enabling players to see out of the map (something I want to avoid).  Tyranid jump and step heights are as high as I dare take them, yet with their high POV it feels insufficient.  Note for RS3: Keep all your players the same height and size.

yes, it was digsite for the most part. (it was the map we were playing first, and later problems resolved.)

the jumping issue seems to me as if mappers didn't really take care of the large tyranids as much as of the marines. A solvable problem in my eyes. just let the nids jump properly and introduce natural barriers around the map. either by a skymodel and an unaccessable area that hides the transition or bust plain walls of different kinds (rocks, houses, rabble).

what happened to the terminator progress?

The terminator models and animations are all done.  The player's run sequence isn't blending correctly though. Mostly the next beta is being held up by a showstopper bug in the Stormbolter and Powerfist combo code.

[edit 22 Nov 2010]
The coding bug in the combo has been fixed, things should begin moving more rapidly again now.  The blending issue only seems to arise when the terminator is backpedaling and the bolter aiming blend is in effect.  If I don't have the terminator model aim where he's looking we could  have a fresh beta for the weekend ( a mere 8 weeks behind my original, skeptical, estimate ).
[/edit]

need patchday :O

With Farseer's help I got some alpha testing done last weekend.  The blending issue is effecting more animations than I thought, they will all need work to get the terminator moving right.  Along with some more coding bugs that showed up during the test this means i've got more work to do before I can release a new beta.

Members of the testing group can get the alpha build from the Closed Testing forum (there is probably more bugs to be found in that build).

give information about new beta plx im so intrested in :>

?__? :<

It's still in development, i'm working on improvements to the new terminator class.  I don't have a  ETA on the next version yet.

Dead? :o

i hope not :<<<<<<<<<<<<<

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOKcFix83sg

Terminated?

i have see somewhere in the forum a next unit for nyd will be the healer thrope.

We know the first attack of the zoa is nearly useless. Why dont send the heal attack to the normal zoa ?   This wouldn't be so Op, if it drain the same ennergy, No ?

Healer nid is a long term idea, its not the next unit.

Thrope primary attack is being addressed in the next patch to make it a bit more useful.