40K Source

The most fun kind of testing is the ones with completely new code, the ones where you have no idea if anything will work right.  The tests where testers end up undead, rocket jumping or turning inside out.  This week's alpha test is going to be one of those.

Just about everything in this patch is marine oriented, so expect it to be biased in their favour.  That shouldn't matter because we're not looking at balance this week, were looking for things that are broken.

Download 6.27 (56,085 KB)
40ksource.com (http://40ksource.com/files/ex_alpha_patch_6.27.zip)
chromeangel.co.uk (http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/Downloads/ex_alpha_patch_6.27.zip)

Download 6.27B (5,639KB)
40ksource.com (http://40ksource.com/files/ex_alpha_patch_6.27b.zip)

Installation instructions
If you already have a copy of the EX alpha, delete it.  If you don't already have Beta 6.25 download and install it as normal.  Copy the sourcemods/ex folder containing beta 6.25 to sourcemods/ex_alpha (so you can still play the beta version too).  Extract the 6.27 and 6.27b to your sourcemods folder ( they should overwrite files in the ex_alpha folder ).  Restart Steam.  You should now see both the Exterminatus Beta 6.25 and Exterminatus Alpha listed in your library.

Features

• New marine class, the "Apothecary", a medic for the marine team.  Model by Stahlhagel, coding, textures and animations by ChromeAngel.
• New primary weapon for the Apothecary class, the "Narcathium".  Model by Stahlhagel, coding, textures and animations by ChromeAngel.
• Single Chainsword weapon for the Apothecary class.   Assets adapted from the vetean's combo weapons ( new CSword model in the pipeline )
• New primary weapon for the Heavy marine class, the "Missile Launcher".  Model by Stahlhagel, coding, textures and animations by ChromeAngel.
• "Hero banners" to identify EX developers and contributors playing on the marine team.
• New version of city conflict (v3) by Dark Marine, with added vents, extend vistas and Coldhesier's 40k plasma generators.

Tweaks

• Modified the bolt pistol for use by the Apothecary (hands switch)
• Extended the class selection menu to handle 6 classes per team
• Added a "box of pain" and generator prop to the tech_adept_lab test map

Balance

• Nerfed the Fex's resistance to melta from 20% to 15%
• Forced de-cloaking while USEing for Lictors, to reduce "ninja caps"

Bug Fixes

• New and updated missions for ex_lycantium to reflect the new 5th objective

How it's supposed to work...
So you know what to expect when we get around to testing.  

The apothecary is a 2nd tier class, with the same speed boost as the Veteran class.  Apothecaries are equipped with a Narcatiuhm with 200 "meds" of "ammo", a Boltpistol, with 2 spare clips and a Chainsword these are bound to keys 3,2 and 1 by default.  The Narcathium can heal in 3 ways when equipped (this is all very temporary and may change drastically later):
1) Primary "attack",  uses 25 meds of ammo and heals 25 points of damage over the course of a few seconds.  It's range is very short, about the same as the marine knife, so you'll have to get close.  Apothecary's get rewards for healing this way
2) Secondary "attack",  uses 50 meds of ammo and heals 50 points of damage instantly, but has a long recovery period.  It's range is short like the primary.  Apothecary's also get rewards for healing this way.
3) Idling, if the player hasn't used his Narcathium recently it will try and heal nearby marines every few seconds.  If it cannot find a wounded nearby marine it generates more meds.  The radius on this is about 2 1/2 man heights and does not check for obstructions.  The first wounded marine found will be healed 5 points of damage, the apothecary does not gain any rewards from this.

The Heavy marine's heavy bolter has temporarily been swapped out for a new Missile Launcher.  Primary attack launches a missile. Secondary attack swaps between Frag and Krak ammo (this code is particularly flaky).  Frag has a similar effect to the standard EX grenades, Krak has a much smaller area of effect, but is strong enough to kill a stealer with a direct hit.  The plan is to add a "wargear" menu after the class menu in a later build, so you can choose how to splatter the xenos.

Future Plans
Thanks to Stahlhagel we have some new Tyranid assets in the pipeline to balance out these new marine features.  Many of these features will probably need more work to make sure they are suitable for the long term.  The new weapons require new graphics for the HUD, new sounds and so fourth.  I'm till looking for an artist to create better 2D graphics for EX.  Such an artist would of course be receiving a "Hero Banner" when their work goes into the mod ;)

[edit]
Edit @14:22
Early, un-scheduled testing has found some easily fixed problems with 6.27.  Please extract 6.27b to to your sourcemods folder to correct them.
[/edit]

[edit]
Alpha Patch 6.28
This week I have mostly been fixing bugs in the new features I added in alpha 6.27.  We should now be able to test the missile launcher and medic in real gameplay now.  Stahlhagel continues to produce lots of new models for EX ( I now have a large backlog of texturing and animation work ).

The missile type switching was a bit of failure in 6.27, so i've simplified it for 6.28.   You get 15 missiles now, firing them with the primary attack fires a Frag missile (large area, low damage), secondary attack launches a Krak missile (small area, high damage).

Download 6.28 (12,296 KB)
40ksource.com (http://40ksource.com/files/ex_alpha_patch_6.28.zip)
chromeangel.co.uk (http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/Downloads/ex_alpha_patch_6.28.zip)

This patch includes the changes in 6.26 and 6.27B in case you missed them.

Installation instructions
If you don't already have Alpha 6.27 Follow the instructions above.  Extract the 6.28 patch to your sourcemods folder ( they should overwrite files in the ex_alpha folder ).  Restart Steam.  You should now see both the Exterminatus Beta 6.25 and Exterminatus Alpha listed in your library.

Features

• Add animated Spore mine props.
• Add frag missile model.
• Add krak missile model.
• New version of tech_adept_lab with spore mine props
• missile launcher fire modes completely re-worked.

Tweaks

• Changed the way that frag grenades get thrown by the view model.
• Slightly buffed the boltgun and boltpistol rate of fire.
• Tweaked the some tyranid player animations to try and eliminate some console warnings.

Bug Fixes

• medic meds not appearing to drain.
• missile launcher fire modes completely re-worked.
• missile firing animation comes out from the centre of the screen, not the missile launcher.
• rocket fire trail points towards the ground, and not behind the missile in a straight line.
• small pipe in missile launcher view model of ml needs smooth shading.
• Attempted to fix certain combo weapons not being able to fire immediately when you spawn.
• Using the medic class on any map except the tech lab crashes the server.

[/edit]

[edit]
Alpha Patch 6.29
This week I have mostly been fixing bugs we found in last weeks alpha test, but managed to find the time to add a new war gear menu that should allow classes to have a choice of war gear (eg the heavy can have a heavy bolter or a missile launcher).  

Stahlhagel continues to produce yet more new models and has started authoring particle systems that I hope to be able to integrate into EX for the next Beta.

Dark Marine has been spending time polishing up city conflict once again, so we have a new version of that this week.

Download 6.29 (26,725 KB)
40ksource.com (http://40ksource.com/files/ex_alpha_patch_6.29.zip)
chromeangel.co.uk (http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/Downloads/ex_alpha_patch_6.29.zip)

Installation instructions
If you don't already have Alpha 6.28 Follow the instructions above.  Extract the 6.29 patch to your sourcemods folder ( they should overwrite files in the ex_alpha folder ).  Restart Steam.  You should now see both the Exterminatus Beta 6.25 and Exterminatus Alpha listed in your library.

Features

• Wargear menu for Veteran and heavy marine classes.

Tweaks

• Improved headroom at the entrance to the generator room in ex_spacehulk.
• Modified the way missiles do damage, direct hit will do much more damage this way.
• Added test Particle systems and fixed the spore mines in tech_adept_lab.
• Altered the POV for the vet combo and missile launcher, so you wont see the sleeve tops in wide-screen mode.

Bug Fixes

• Medics seem to be able to "overheal" marines, crashing the server.
• Missiles explode on contact with trigger brushes (they should not).
• Missile launcher and chainsword need kill icons.
• Missile launcher view model needs more smoothing.

[/edit]

[edit]
Alpha Patch 6.30
This week I have mostly been coding in new particle effects created By The VMan and Stahlhagel, with some time spent fixing the bugs we found in last weeks alpha test.  These new particle systems are a first draft from the artists and will be tweaked now they can be experienced in-game.

Download 6.30 (12,266 KB)
40ksource.com (http://40ksource.com/files/ex_alpha_patch_6.30.zip)
chromeangel.co.uk (http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/Downloads/ex_alpha_patch_6.30.zip)

Installation instructions
If you don't already have Alpha 6.29 Follow the instructions above.  Extract the 6.30 patch to your sourcemods folder ( they should overwrite files in the ex_alpha folder ).  Restart Steam.  You should now see both the Exterminatus Beta 6.25 and Exterminatus Alpha listed in your library.

Features

• Plasma bolt projectile and impact particles.
• Melta beam and impact particles.
• Deathspitter impact particles.
• Bolt weapons impact particles.
• Frag grenade explosion particles.
• Player blood particles.
• Boltgun 3rd person muzzle flash particles.

Tweaks

• Nerfed Carnifex armour to make missiles more effective.
• Improved the first person Missile launcher model and textures.
• Buffed the missile launcher by halving it's reload time.
• New version of test_lab with step and jump tests.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed gaps in the stealer's view model.

[/edit]

[edit]
Alpha Patch 6.31
This week I have mostly been working on a new tyranid class and coding in yet more new particle effects created By The VMan, with some time spent fixing the bugs we found in last weeks alpha test.

Download 6.31 (12,500 KB)
40ksource.com (http://40ksource.com/files/ex_alpha_patch_6.31.zip)
chromeangel.co.uk (http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/Downloads/ex_alpha_patch_6.31.zip)

Installation instructions
If you don't already have Alpha 6.30 Follow the instructions above.  Extract the 6.31 patch to your sourcemods folder ( they should overwrite files in the ex_alpha folder ).  Restart Steam.  You should now see both the Exterminatus Beta 6.25 and Exterminatus Alpha listed in your library.

Features

• Plasma scream effect particles.
• Missile impact particles.
• New "Biovore", 2nd tier class for the tyranids.

Tweaks

• New version of test_lab with new effects.
• Oriented the grenade FX to always face up.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed gaps in the stealer's view model.
• Fixed Missiles are flying backwards.
• Melta beams are not showing up in 3rd person (maybe)
• First person Melta beams are remaining after switching to another weapon (maybe)
• Hero banners aren't showing up at all (doubtful)
• Plasma bolts starting from inside the player rather than the weapon's muzzle (maybe)

[/edit]

TL:DR

am looking forward to the next battle

Bug reports from Stahlhagel

• Stahlhagel: apoth: ammo not draining
• Stahlhagel: view model marine arm parts have no texture, only black and pink squares
• Stahlhagel: csword view and world models have no texture
• Stahlhagel: banner working in view and world, but no texture
• Stahlhagel: missile launcher view model marine arm no texture
• Stahlhagel: missile launcher change from frag to krak disables back switching to frag, unless you change weapon and select ml again
• Stahlhagel: missile launcher krak can't be fired at all
• Stahlhagel: missile firing animation comes out from the centre of the screen, not the missile launcher
• Stahlhagel: rocket fire trail points towards the ground, and not behind the missile in a straight line
• Stahlhagel: when out of ammo with ml, you can still switch between rockets although you got no ammo
• Stahlhagel: apoth world model nartheicum chainsaw teeth have no texture
• Stahlhagel: small pipe in view model of ml needs smooth shading
• Stahlhagel: termie stombolter view animation is a bit laggy, and the weapon has no muzzle flash at all
• Stahlhagel: marine melta view model hands are a mess

Stuck out items should be fixed in the 6.27b patch
Stuck out green items should be fixed in the 6.28 patch

stealer view model arms need the gaps filled which you can see on the arms

plasma generator needs to be included in the patch

apoth ammo not draining when weapon in use

Using the medic class on any map except the tech lab crashes the server.... whoops!

Everytime I try to launch the Alpha it crashes D:


Woops Im an idiot

csword sound needs a fix, only hit sound playing right now

banners need fix but you already know that

devastator marine needs his head gap where the sensor is stuffed

grenade animation is bugged, you seem to see the upper part of the arm which you shouldnt see

veteran view arm with pp is bugged, you see the end of the upper arm where the model  ends

6.28 After Action Report

All the bug fixes and tweaks in 6.28 seem to work

bugs

• Medics seem to be able to "overheal" marines, crashing the server.
• Missiles explode on contact with trigger brushes (they should not).
• Missiles seem to be woefully underpowered.
• Heros can see their own banners, but only on their first spawn.
• Spore mines are not appearing in tech_adept_lab.
• Missile launcher and chainsword need kill icons.
• Missile launcher view model needs more smoothing.
• Missile launcher stops realoading if you hold the trigger after it has fired.

devastator model has holes on its target device located on the head, and you can actually see the eye behind it which you shouldn't

No need to repeat yourself, you reported that last week :P

Particle system looks pretty good

6.29 After Action Report

All the features, bug fixes and tweaks in 6.29 seem to work :D

Playtesters were very complementary about city conflicts new skybox buildings.

Bugs

• Marines were missing there grenades.  (I think this just a matter of tweaking the new wargear script)
• Stormbolter was "jammed" on spawn again.
• Some texture bleed on the Missile launcher world model muzzle.

Suggestions

• buff ml damage so it can 4 shot kill a fex (try 150 dmg) {tricky, fex armor limits any one hit to 100 damage points.}
• Buff missile speed making it easier to hit fast moving targets.
• Buff frag {missile?} range {radius?} and damage.
• Give the Melta veteran more fuel (3 or 4 reloads).
• Nerf warrior talon damage (4 hits to kill).
• Use the particle from test lab for weapon effects.

the ml is even more underpowered than i thought, yesterdays game has shown that. ml needs a serious RoF buff, as well as damage, and missile speed buff. currently its near impossible to hit even fexes at all but the closest ranges thanks to the slow speed, and anything else cqnt be even scatched. in nearly any case you get 1  missile off before you die, and thats if youre lucky. weapons with high enough pen should be able to do full damage to the fex, anything else would be ridiculous anyway and defeqt the purpuose of that weapon. further it should actually be able to 1 shot kill a warrior, because if you miss, youre dead anyway. ammo should go up to 20. we should see how it works with those buffs...

That all adds up to you running a different version of EX to the server.

Whats the point to give the veteran class a inferno pistol? If I want this type of weapon then I take the special weapon marine. Specially the special weapon marine will get more ammo. For the veteran I see a bad future.
Now he have to assert with two other tier 2 classes. The aphotacary is a more usefull class for the team and has a chainssword too.
The special weapon marine is good against all Tyranid classes.
The veteran is a close combat class and have the same problem like the terminator before. Give him a close combat damage reduction like the terminator. The chainsword is otherwise useless.
But the only one reason I pick some times the veteran is because of his fast movement speed to reach a objectives so fast I can. For the battle the other classes have proven themselve better.

veteran is useless atm, but have patience. im working at sergeant weapons atm, including stuff like combat shields, power weapons and such. at a point ill remake the marine models anyway, and then there will be stuff lie stern and vanguards to choose from, theyll have much more useful options than a weaker melta and a unplayable plasma pistol ;)

new models need bump maps, (height maps ? ); specular, especially lenses lack a reflective layer

the new particle effects look simply great

Pictures of the melta particle bugs that linger when you change class, I'm also pretty sure it's the cause of most crashes.

http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/1154297601698320423/DAE8F10F57C65B60E3FE0CB97603F56135E5106D/
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/1154297601698322694/4061D4B608CC4DC69430052E876C49E22F2FC500/
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/1154297601698325114/4C51E869B177AA4CD5177787A75CCC1C9FE84984/

6.30 After Action Report

Mainly mucking about with the effects weapons during this test.  Pity Stahl and the VMan couldn't be there to hear the compliments.

Bugs

• Missiles are flying backwards :o
• Melta beams are not showing up in 3rd person
• First person Melta beams are remaining after switching to another weapon
• Intermittent crashes while using melta weapon
• Hero banners aren't showing up at all

• Blood FX appear large to the player hit and small to the attacker.   Can we get  a second, larger effect for use in the world view?
• Plasma bolts starting from inside the player rather than the weapon's muzzle

The Carnifex plasma scream looks particularly poor compared to the new plasma pistol effect.  I hope VMan will have time to make a new effect for the fex.

6.31 After Action Report
We had an unscheduled pre-test resulting in the following:

Bugs

• Placeholder biovore weapon models need replacing.
• fix textures on vore (mostly the tail) eyes need to be more sharp.
• Explosion sound is missing for the frag grenade.
• Explosion sound is missing for the missiles.
• plasma projectile spawn, its still not spawning on the weapon muzzle.
• Fex particles aren't visible in 3rd person.

Requests

• buff GREATLY plasma pistol projectile travelling speed.
• add explode on impact fire mode for the biovore.
• tweak the spore mine launcher to shoot at a MUCH flatter trajectory, making it possible to actually aim it
• add 3rd person muzzle flashes for all weapons.
• add smoke trails for bolts.

Iam very impressed by the new particle effects. Great work.

The biovore class is fun to play. Its looks funny if a whole floor is full of spore mines. But the Space Marines should be able to kill them.

I notice that the biovore has a problem on city conflict to shoot his mines high in the sky from the Tyranid fire prosition at the generator. This is so, because I builded an invisible brush in the sky to limit the joyous leaps stealers. I have to fix this and therfore you will see an unpated version 3 on sunday.

there are spore mine props and i made a forcefield pylon which needs to be textured, i think it will look good on the map