40K Source

Exterminatus has been receiving Alpha updates at a fairly regular pace this year and we now have all the features in place that we would want in Beta release featuring the Chaos Legions.  Since more work goes into distributing and publicising Beta releases and re-packaging all the changes from the Alphas cna introduce new issue I like to put out a "release candidate", a sort of preview of what the next Beta could look like in order to iron out any of those issues.

This week i'm putting out Beta 9 - Release Candidate 1, featuring the Chaos Legions.


This is a Beta release that rolls up all the changes since the previous roll up back in July.  As such their is no patch available this week, just the installer and a 7Zip archive of the full mod.  It also installs tothe "ex" folder, rather than "ex_alpha"

The ModDB mirrors unlock at 12:00 GMT, if it's busy or not working the installer can be downloaded from 40ksource.com (http://www.40ksource.com/files/Exterminatus_Beta_9_RC1.exe).  Please try the ModDB first.

Install the Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer

• Navigate to the "Tools" section on your Steam games "Library"
• Install the "Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer"
• Run the Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer at least once.
• You can exit once the menu has finished loading.

Install the latest Exterminatus Release Canidate

• If you already have a copy of the EX beta, delete it.
• Run the installer and follow it's instructions.
• Restart Steam.  You should now see both the Exterminatus Beta release canidate listed in your library.

Tweaks

• Improved lighting quality and tweaked mission text on csm_thunderhawk.
• Restored water features to ex_forge and improved performance.
• Added normal, specular and exponent maps to the imperial generator prop.
• Removed csm_trench from the default map cycle (it's still in the install if you want to play it).
• Removed ex_convoy from the install.

Bug Fix

• Fixed some of the Chaos Dreadnaught's animation glitches.
• Fixed a bug that was preventing the correct kill icons from being displayed.

Balance

• Buffed the reload speed of the Chaos Missile Launcher to match the loyalist version.
• Buffed the health of the teleporter generator on ex_compromised to increase the difficulty of rushing.

Future Plans
Depending on how testing of the release candidate goes we may go ahead and release Beta 9 on Christmas eve weekend.  Any screenshots, demos or videos of recent EX games you have could help promote Beta 9, please get in touch and share them with me.

The plan is still to move on to work on the space marine scout once Beta 9 has been released.  Then update all the marine chapter packs support the scout and the chapter specific battlecries Bulwark has already recorded.  Adding a new playable class will mean that game balance will almost certainly need testing and tuning.

This week I have received requests for Chaos skin packs and players that want to have a go at making their own marine skins.  Once the scout is in-game i'm planning on revisiting the PSD skin templates for the IMP and creating a new set of templates for the CSM.  Hopefully the ability to make DIY skin packs will see new skins faster then waiting for me to get around to it.

Once all that is done I look forward to taking EX out of Beta and making public the version 1.0 release.