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Here is a summary of the changes to Exteminatus - Rival Species 2 since since it's last beta (version 8.21). This article will not contain any surprises to those who have been following the alpha builds, but might be of use to less frequent readers.

Features
New Dreadnaught player class.
The imperial team have a new, very expensive,  very tough to kill in the Dreadnaught (Dread).  The player model was made by Stormwolf597, Wikkyd and ChromeAngel and skinned by ChromeAngel and Dontask4470.  Sound effects for the Dread were created and supplied by DontAsk4470 and Plague Marine Champion.

Dreadnaughts are equipped with a Flamer and Siege drill weapon combo. The flamer doesn't use conventional ammo, but can overheat.  Dreads can also launch smoke grenades using the Reload key. Smoke grenades are limited to 3 per spawn.  The smoke grenades particle effect was created and tuned by DontAsk4470.  The Dread's weapon combo model was created by Stormwolf597, Wikkyd and ChromeAngel.


Assault Specialists
The melta gun wargear set has been moved from the specialist class to the assault marine, this set is known as the Assault Specialist.  The melta requires more points on top of the assault marine, but enables them to do some serious damage.  making both class and weaon more effective than their earlier incarnations.

Devourer Warriors
The Tyranid warrior has a new wargear set featuring the Devourer weapon symbiote.  Model, texture and code were all created by ChromeAngel.  The Devourer's tracer and impact particle effects and firing sound effects were made by DontAsk4470.

Barbed Strangler Warriors
The Tyranid warrior has a second new wargear set featuring the Barbed Strangler (BS) weapon symbiont.  The BS weapon launches a creature that sits in wait and pulls it's victims toward it.  Each weapon can only launch 1 creature at a time.  Reloading the weapon sacrifices the current creature and allows the weapon to fire again.  The Barbed Strangler view model and textures were contributed by Chris Wassum back in 2008 (thanks for your patience Chris!).  The BS firing and impact sound effects were created by DontAsk4470.

BS pulls gradually increasing in strength, pulling it's victims faster.  Damage to BS victims increases the longer a victim is held, crushing even terminators in time.   The BS pulls terminators and dreadnaughts less than other marines, due to their weight.  The BS pulls vertically at 1% strength.  BS barbs snap when they reach their maximum range.  The BS is priced compariably to the Lictor, Zoanthrope and Biovore, due to many of these effects.


Anti-Cheat
Exterminatus now works with the sv_pure server setting to reduce the possibilities for cheating.  This has been made compatible with the skin packs system, so you can still use your favourite chapter packs which have now been updated to include new skins for the new Dreadnaught class.

Tweaks

• Wargear system has been modified to allow for kits of different points cost on the same class.
• Player class system has been modified to handle player sound (such as battle cries and footsteps) differently.
• Wargear options that are too expensive should be dimmed out.
• Cancelling the wargear menu shows the class menu.
• Cancelling the class menu shows the team menu (may be modified by autoblance settings).
• Grenade tracers are now red.
• All the "Letterbox" style menus have been slimmed down, to allow more icons across the screen.
• Class and wargear menus show your points in the top right (for comparison to costs), this should help you gauge if you can afford that venomfex before you choose it.
• Class menu details now includes the number of players using the highlighted class (so you don't end up with 5 medics).
• Class and Wargear is purchased at spawn time, so you can go back through the menus.
• Improved Plasmagun, Deathspitter and Sporemine trail effects from DontAsk4470.
• New boltpistol shot sound effect from DontAsk4470.
• Tweaked the warrior texture around the top of the arms.
• Flames set by the flamer make a burning noise.
• Lycantium has been updated adding a new route between the Monument and Courtyard objectives.
• Re-lit the City Conflict map under the guidance of DontAsk4470 and moved the landing pad/generators to make them slightly easier to capture.
• Re-lit ex_hive to use more saturated lighting and changes to protect the marine start turret and enable free movement.
• Tweaked Lycantium to block the dome shortcut until the Monument objective had been captured.  Added some lighting effects to light sources.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed flamers pushing their targets back.
• Fixed shortcut keys now work in the map vote menu.
• Fixed glitches releated to Biovore ammo consumption.  Mines now use as much ammo as shots that explode on impact.  The biovore will no longer go into negative ammo.
• Fixed some "missing" sounds.

Balance

• Reduced Flamer cost  to reflect that it no longer pushes back it's victims.
• Buffed Flamer damage from 24 to 30.
• Reduced Meltagun cost from 50 to 25 points.
• Reduced Carnifex cost from 150 to 125 points.
• Increased Venom Cannon cost from 0 to 50 points.