The latest alpha update once again brings many additions and improvements. Some highlights include improved performance on custom maps, quick saving, and editor improvements.
New missions have also been added to the Operation: Desert Cobra campaign.
Performance
There was a major issue with trees and cities that caused horrible performance on certain custom maps. In this update, I made changes to the level-of-detail settings and the way colliders are handled so that the framerate doesn’t drop in maps with vast, dense forests and cities.
Quick Save
With addition of large custom maps in the last update, some missions have become quite long, and many players found it frustrating to restart a long mission after a silly mistake. The quick save feature allows you to save in the middle of a mission, and revert to that point at any time, even after you die or eject. Currently, you will not be able to load a quick save after exiting the mission or game. By default you will have unlimited saves and loads, but options are available to mission creators to limit this feature.
Editor Features
There are many changes to both the mission and map editors, but one notable set of features add randomization to missions. Mission creators will be able to set up alternate spawn versions of units, which will be randomly selected at the beginning of the mission. This means that a particular unit may be in a different location, have a different set of weapons, or even complete a different set of tasks each time a mission is played. A new “chance” conditional node will allow for randomized event actions to occur. These features can boost the replayability of a single mission.
Moving Forward
As a few have noticed, there is a third vehicle coming to the game. We will begin making it available in the public_testing branch in the coming week.
Steam Workshop integration is coming soon as well. You will be able to easily share and play custom missions, campaigns, and maps in-game or through the workshop page. I’ll make another announcement about the workshop before it goes live.
Full list of changes:
Alpha v0.0.12
General
– Changed GPS target send from NAV map to use altitude above ground level (so 0 will always be terrain surface)
– Target altitude adjustment in NAV map uses nicer numbers when altitude units are set to feet
– Fixed temporary freeze when starting a new mp3 stream in the cockpit mp3 radio
– Fixed disappearing buildings
– Fixed end mission panel not appearing when a required objective is failed
– Added coastal map example “costaOeste”
– Fixed pixel lighting in terrain shader
– Added quicksave menu in GAME MFD page
– Ability to scroll through UI menus using thumb stick/pad
– Added scrollable list view in mission selection screen
F/A-26B
– Added missions to Operation: Desert Cobra
– Fixed CATO trim sometimes failing to pull up to target pitch
Equipment
– Added GBU-12 Laser guided bomb and AGM-161 air-to-ground cruise missile
– Fixed RWR still playing missile lock sound after missile has stopped locking while other radar is still locking
– Fixed TGP display still showing IFF info after target was occluded or destroyed
– Changed ARAD to remain functional while the MFD screen is not being displayed
– Fixed F/A-26B canopy not inheriting aircraft’s velocity when broken
– Fixed HUD sometimes disappearing when bomb CCRP target goes out of view
– Added MFD button to TGP screen to toggle HMD video in HEAD mode
Units
– Fixed some issues with ground unit movement that happens far away from player
– Fixed SAAW not maintaining lock on target due to changes to gun turrets using radar
– Fixed enemy drone carrier and missile cruiser radars not working properly
– Fixed issue caused by SAM unit referencing a radar that was deleted
– Fixed enemy aircraft drunken taxi issue
– Fixed rear left spawn point on allied carrier (too close to edge for F/A-26B)
– Fixed error when AI F/A-26B fires anti-ship missile
Mission Editor
– Added “Linear” mode for Paths
– Fixed Select All button on multi-unit selector including units that aren’t available to select
– Fixed Allied MBT unit preview showing box around unit
– Added Unit Group features to mobile ground units
– Fixed “cancel” button in multi-unit selection window still applied changes
– Added dialogue to remove unit from carrier when attempting to move it
– Fixed issues caused by descriptions containing special characters
– Added “Any Unit Detected” and “All Units Detected” conditions to unit group and unit list conditional nodes
– Added “Chance” conditional node
– Added default “radar enabled” option for aircraft with radar
– Added “alternate spawns” editor to units
– Added “Any near waypoint” property for unit list conditional node
– Fixed audio silence after returning to mission editor from flight
– Improved memory usage when saving and loading missions/campaigns
– Fixed error that prevented saving when a Path had zero points
– Fixed typo in unit options for ships
– Fixed: able to move camera while carrier editor is open, related issues
– Added quicksave options to scenario info window
– Fixed certain sub-units not completing Destroy objectives when killed
– Fixed: final objective would start / mission would be complete if remaining required objectives have not started yet
– Changed map selection on new mission to use same UI as map editor
– Allow selecting sub-units as attack targets for air units and groups
– Allow selecting sub-units for unit list conditionals
– Added airborne conditionals to air unit group conditional node
Map Editor
– Added “Coastal” map border type
– Static objects and roads reposition on the surface when terrain height is adjusted
– Added automatic bridge supports to road system
– Fixed camera drifting
– Added map info editor window (name and description)
– Updated map preview shader
Wingmen
– Added “Vyxenah” voice profile
Comms
– “Attack my target” Allow using ARAD MFD page to select target
– “Attack my target” Use MFD page that is SOI if targets are selected on multiple MFD screens
– Corrected order of to/from callout in ATC comms
Performance
– Adjusted tree LOD distances to reduce rendered polys
– Optimized city colliders
– Reduced framerate dropping with tree colliders enabled