AI War 2:The Neinzul Abyss Patch Notes

This is for alpha testing for The Neinzul Abyss. I'm using this to keep patch notes.

Nota Bene

Please don't discuss anything you learn from this page with others unless Badger or Chris has publicly talked about those features already.

Feature List/Flavour

New Player-Controlled Factions

• Champions
  • Making their triumphant return

• Necromancer
  • A player can control a unique faction that's a bit like playing as the Spire. You can build spire-style ships/structures. Your units practice necromancy that allows them to resurrect the ships they kill.

• Vassal Factions
  • The player can give some direction to allied minor factions to help them prioritize their objectives

Map Types

• Squares Map Type: Squares is like the Clusters type, but each cluster is aligned on a grid. There are lots of different tunables so you can get a big range of galaxies.

• Dissonance Map Type: This map type has areas that are rich in planets, and areas that are empty. It's trying to evoke the Simple/Realistic map types from AIWC

Roguelike Features

• Hidden Galaxy
  • Available in the Game Lobby as a setting under Scouting. Only Explored planets, or planets adjacent to Explored planets are visible. As you explore more planets the rest of the galaxy will appear.

• Ironman Mode is now available as a Galaxy Setting under Permadeath. It can be enabled in the Game Lobby.
  • When enabled, you lose the ability to manually save the game. Instead, the game autosaves very frequently, while keeping only the most recent autosave.
  • The Ironman save also updates when you exit the game (normally)
  • All cheats are disabled in ironman mode

• Ways to subvert ironman mode:
  • Go into your save game folder and move copies of your save elsewhere as they are created. You could even set up a cronjob or some other program to detect when a new save is created and then make a copy. Then just load from your duplicate save game.
  • If something bad happens, you have a brief window to crash or hard-kill your game (sending SIGKILL, use the task manager, etc); any non-clean exit of the game that will prevent the save-on-exit mechanism from running.
  • Ironman's code is shipped entirely in External (aka moddable) code, so edit the source to make it do whatever is desired.

• There's a Save On Quit setting that basically works like Ironman Lite
  • It makes a save game whenever you quit, so always loading from the "Most Recent Quit" save will basically be like Ironman mode, except you don't have the Ironman limitations; you can choose to savescum, cheat, etc...

• Random Factions : You can now request "Random Factions", and can choose its allegiance and impact.
  • You can also ask for "Bonus Random Factions" in the Galaxy Design section of the Game Lobby, to make it really easy to have a bunch of unknown factions

• Random Factions Tunables: There are a number of ways you can customize minor factions so you get a happy amount of randonmess
  • You select an impact (Low/Moderate/High/Brutal). If you pick a moderate impact then you might get a high-intensity but weak faction (for example, an intensity 8 HRF) or a low intensity but strong faction (maybe a 1 intensity nanocaust). Or you might get a real "moderate" faction like an intensity 6 Astro Trains
  • You select an allegiance
  • You select a class (pure random, empire builder, chaotician, etc). These classes are defined in XML for easy modding.
  • For the Bonus Random Factions, there are extra tuning options to say "How impactful should the bonus factions be" and "What sort of allegiances should they have"

• An option to say "Randomize the colours of every faction added to the game"
  • This just overrides the default colours

Bug Reports

• None, thank Science

TODOs

• Necromancer needs to be able to push back deepstrikes

Patch Notes

3.602

ARS/Fleet Wards

• Magnet Ward. Attract weapon fire of targets shooting within range of their orbit, returning a portion of damage back to the sender. Cannot be loaded into the transport.
• Stinger Ward. Sniper satellites that punch above their weight, but at the expense of their own health. Particularly adept at taking out low albedo targets. Can load into transports.
• Repulsor Ward. Orbits flagships and screens smaller ships by knocking them back with its inertia rockets. Ships that resist its knockback take more damage. Can load into trasnports.
• Scythe Ward. Sweep strikecraft that enter their orbit like chaff. Very durable but expensive. Can be loaded into transports.
• Sabot Ward. Devestating to massive targets but pathetic against small ships. Very durable but expensive. Can be loaded into transports.

FRS Wards

• Overlapping forcefields that encircle flagships, unable to be loaded with mobile fleet-craft. Shields will shrink upon taking damage but will not reduce the firepower of friendly units within its protection. Each Shield Ward can produce up to five Embrasure Wards that orbit them, dealing more damage so long as they remain under the shields' protection.
  • Embrasure Ward. Created by the Shield Wards, orbiting them and dealing more damage so long as they remain under the forcefields' protection.
• Angelic Ward. Resurrects fallen allies using its own health and will regenerate itself outside of combat. Equipped with a powerful ionic radiance cannon, that can devastate low mark ships with poor albedo resistance.
• Neinzul Ward. This Neinzul Ward is actually a Neinzul nest that has formed a symbiotic relationship with human flagships, providing Neinzul younglings as protection in exchange for interstellar transportation.
  • Neinzul Singer. Free-roaming Neinzul younglings that are more dangerous in greater numbers, especially to weakened ships. Will die if its parent Neinzul Ward is killed. Can be loaded into transports.

3.510

• Remade the Chain Lightning frigate into the MLRS frigate because the chain lighting mechanic is now a DLC2 exclusive mechanic
  • MLRS frigate launches large salvos of missles that can seek individual targets or focus down singular enemies. Deals more damage to those with high energy usage and those with half their health remaining.

New Destroyers

(Currently these are treated like Cruisers until the threading issue is resolved)

• Ambush: The Predator Destroyer is equipped with a cloaking device and deals more damage for a short time when it first enters a system. It is flocked by Falcon wards that excel at picking off recent arrivals.
  • The Falcon ward flock the Predator Destroyer and excel at picking off recent arrivals to the system. (Based off of the raptor)
• Artillery: The Hellfire Destroyer is a large-range missile battery that can concentrate on several targets or disperse its volley, dealing more damage to massive enemies. It is protected by kinetic wards, which shove smaller ships away that get too close.
  • Kinetic wards shove smaller ships away that get too close, doing extreme damage to enemies with thin armor.
• Core: The Behemoth Destroyer is a mobilized mini-fortress, protected by multiple layers of Interceptor wards.
  • Interceptor wards screen the Behemoth Destroyer, slowing down units that get in their defensive zone and punishing ships with weak engines.
• Disruptive: The Wrangler Destroyer can lasso larger ships, hitching a ride with its reverse tractor beam. Its weapon specializes in targeting tractored enemies and can siphon some health with each attack. It is surrounded by Vise wards, which tractor smaller craft that get too close.
  • Vise wards encircle the Wrangler Destroyer, capturing smaller ships in its tractor beams and attacking them while they're vulnerable.
• Exotic: Siren Destroyer sprays acid in a small area of effect, causing targets to take increased damage from all sources for a short duration. It produces siren wards that do terrible damage in large numbers.
  • Siren wards are individually very weak but harmonize to do terrible damage in large numbers.
• The Chainsaw Destroyer is a melee combatant that shreds its target to take amplified damage from all sources for a short duration. It is surrounded by explosive wards that crash into enemies to deal damage in a small area.
  • Explosive wards orbit the Chainsaw Destroyer and will crash into enemies to deal damage in a small area.
• Piercing: The Nuclear Destroyer discharges miniature warheads that bypass the shields of affected targets within its area of effect. It is accompanied by a powerful Fusion Ward that unleashes a more targeted assault, bypassing most shielding.
  • The Fusion Ward provides supporting fire to the Nuclear Destroyer, its attacks bypassing most shielding.
• The Assassin Destroyer will unflinchingly attack units many times its size, protected by its Flare Wards that attract weapon fire away. Its primary weapon deals more damage the weaker the Assassin or its target becomes, converting its foes into metal salvage.
  • Flare Wards attract weapon fire to themselves, protecting the Assassin Destroyer.
• Splash: The Tornado Destroyer is equipped with an enhanced Molotov grenade launcher that causes targets' weapons to overheat, reducing their rate of fire. Tesla Wards revolve around the Tornado, dealing electrical damage to units within its area of effect, even more to those with high energy usage.
  • Tesla Wards revolve around the Tornado, dealing electrical damage to units within its area of effect, even more to those with high energy usage.
• Argos Destroyer: The Argos Destroyer is surrounded by many Eyestalk Wards, which deal more damage the higher the energy usage of its target has. It is also equipped with a potent tachyon array and can immobilize groups of enemy ships with its spider cannon.
  • Eyestalk Wards cover the Argos Destroyer and deal more damage the higher the energy usage of its target has.

3.506

• Moved DLC3 strikecraft/frigates from undistributed mod to DLC3 game entity folder
• Added 5 new strikecraft
  • Mosquito Corvette (disruptive/medium) specializes in swarming massive enemies with its reverse tractor beam, siphoning health and hardened to resist damage that would otherwise kill it.
  • Pillager is a variant of the mosquito corvette (disruptive/raid) that passes forcefields unimpeded. Metabolizes enemies, converting their scrap metal into salvage.
  • Area bombard (Artillery/splash) is a variant of the bombard that deals aoe damage
  • Stealth bombard (concussion/raid) is a variant of the bombard that deals burst damage. It is cloaked and faster than the bombard, but even more fragile
  • Bouncer (Artillery/Medium) screens smaller ships by knocking them back with its inertia rockets. Ships that resist its knockback take more damage
• Added 4 new frigates
  • Chain Lightning Frigate (Splash/Medium) deals major damage to primary target, especially those with high energy usage. Beam arcs to secondary targets in the vicinity for reduced damage.
  • Samurai Frigate (Melee/Medium) wields vampiric, armor-piercing katanas that become animated during combat, fighting alongside the Samurai
  • Pugilist Frigate (disruptive/heavy) is a slow but extremely durable powerhouse. Effective at picking on singular, powerful targets and weak to masses of small ships. Expels heat sinks as it takes damage, which attracts weapon fire to itself, protecting allies within its radius.
  • Blade Spawner Frigate (Melee/Heavy) launches fast and deadly blade drones that engage in melee range and ignore most crowd control effects. Blade Spawner itself is slow and has a modest weapon.

3.007

• Fix some bugs where necromancers were summoning too many regular wight/skeletons instead of the weak versions

3.003

• Nomads can be random factions.
• Add a new random faction class "Map Alterer" for Miners and Nomads
  • Stridently requested by Zero the Hero

3.002

• Necromancer Wights now work like skeletons; there are multiple variants and you need to invest to get a variant

• a few new sockets for necropoleis

• After a certain amount of time, a skeleton (or wight) variant decays into its base version.
• After a certain amount of time, a base skeleton (or wight) decays into its fast-attritioning version.
  • This forces some turnover on your forces

2.906

• Fix a bug where Necropoleis could not repair their destroyed structures

2.804

• Random Faction classes are enabled
  • These are xml-defined groups of factions that you can choose from when selecting a random faction.
  • Examples: Empire Builders. AI Empowerers. Chaoticians

2.769

• Add vassal factions

2.765

Additional skeleton changes

• Goals: encourage the building of more Necropoleis and diversity in the builds. Buff Necromancer early game and nerf late game

• Variant Skeleton Structures that allow for skeleton variants (Warrior, Archer, Mage, etc...) now provide those only to that particular Necropolis (aka theFleet for that Necropolis)
  • This is intended to encourage building more Necropoleis and to encourage diversity for each Necropolis

• Variant Skeleton Structures now provide "Bodyguard" units of that variant, which can be built at Shipyards.
  • This is intended to buff players in the early game, since they'll have some extra skeletons

• Each Necropolis has a soft cap of skeletons, based on the mark level of the Necropolis and the number of Variant structures. If you create skeletons over the cap, you create a type of skeleton that attrition really quickly.
  • Note that a mark 7 necropolis with a few structures will have a cap of about 1000
  • This is intended as a nerf to Necromancer snowballing, which is pretty excessive at the moment

2.749

• Necromancer build and tech menus are now actually organized

• The sacrifice hack now correctly handles stacked ships, and now works when issued from a MP client

• Upgrading the Necropolis is now cheaper at lower mark levels

• Fix a bug where several hacks weren't working on planets with a Necropolis

• The Necromancer can now have functional Necropolis on a non-human-empire planet

Skeleton Rework

• Gives the player a bunch of skeleton-related choices by building new structures. The necromancer will often wind up with a ton of skeletons (since they get skeletons from killing fleetships), and I want them to be more interesting.
  • By default, 100% of fleetships that are killed become skeletons. You can now build structures that say "X% of the time, a skeleton will be spawned as a new, more powerful variant" and "X% of the time, generate a bonus skeleton whenever you would make a new skeleton".

• There are 3 base variants, the Warrior, Archer and Detonator (these are a bit stronger than regular skeletons)
  • Warriors are tanky, short range
  • Archers are fragile, long range
  • Detonators are like Autobombs and they have Necromancy, not Metabolism

• And 2 stronger variants, the Mage and the Lord.
  • Mages have the chain lightning gun.
  • Lords are like stronger warriors.

• A player can spend science to upgrade any of those variants

• The goal is to give players more ways to customize their forces and more things you can build.
  • A player can say "I'm going to build lots of Bone Dragons and Vampires and just use base skeletons"
  • Or a player can say "I want to mostly build Bone Dragons, and make sure to get a bunch of Skeleton Archers for range support"
  • Or a player can say "I want to have a lot of my power invested into skeletons, so I'm going to spend a ton of build sockets to mean I get all upgraded skeletons, and will put a ton of science into upgrading my skeleton lords and mages"

2.742

• Necromancer balance.

• A Necropolis now regenerates health when out of combat automatically

• A Necropolis can now repair damaged units or destroyed buildings. A Necromancer can only repair its own units.

• The Necromancer now needs to increase the mark level for a Necropolis to build Liches and Bone Dragons. This gives those units a more "late game" feel, and also should make it more desirable to level up the Necropolis.
  • To make up for that, there are now two new ship types available which are balanced to be about as strong as a Vampire, the Spectre and the Ghast.

• The Necromancer now gets notifications for hacking or planets under attack (huge QoL improvement).

• The Necromancer now builds a necropolis where the flagship is at the end of the hack, not at a random location on the planet

• The Ghast has a cool "firewheel of death" weapon

• Make flagships tankier so they are harder to get crippled.

• Let the Necromancer practice necromancy on a wider array of units (like Nanocaust units)

2.727

• Necromancers now use a Necropolis, not a Castle
• Necromancers can now build some defensive structures

• Necromancer Flagships should no longer appear as generic officer fleets that can be claimed on the map
  • Thanks to zeus, ArnaudB and Puffin for pointing this out and doing some debugging

2.716

• Further necromancer improvements.
  • The Necromancer now manages Science and Hacking completely differently from the human player, to emphasize its unique mechanics.
  • When the Necromacner uses necromancy to reanimate a ship, it gets 1 science. Building a new City also gives a bunch of science.
  • You can sacrifice your reanimated units for Hacking Points. You use Hacking Points to upgrade your existing Castles or to build new Castles.

• Castles can be built closer together

• Castles now take longer to build

2.715

• More Necromancer improvements. Should actually be playable now. Read the journal entry.

2.714

• Necromancer kinda sorta works I think

2.702

• Add Necromancer Faction, gated behind the "Controllable Zombies" galaxy setting under Balance. This allows a second player to control Anti-AI Zombies. You can't control a "Regular" player faction and the Zombies at once, so this is a Multiplayer only.
  • To use, enable Controllable Zombies. Go to the Edit Factions menu and give your friend control of the Necromancer.

2.643

• There are now Objectives for Champion stuff

2.635

• Champions can now move more quickly when hacking, have stronger engines and repair sooner

Other ideas

• A faction featuring the "Predator" mechanic (noted by Zeus)
  • units with the predator mechanic track their kills (or other comparable benchmark, such as shots fired) after the units kills X units, it evolves. Evolved units are returned to full health and a multiplier to their raw stats, including health and damage. Units can evolve up multiple times (eg., juvenile, adolescent, mature ...)
• Consider looking into environmental effects. Something like a nebula that reduce effective range of ships or some such. Mantis report here https://bugtracker.arcengames.com/view.php?id=23502