Posts on Sep 2014

[General] Repository/Build Server Migrations

These last few weeks we’ve worked on a couple of things, but the main ones for the KAG side of THD has been Repository and Build Server changes.

For those not well versed in software development, a repository is a place that stores all the latest versions of the files (code, images, sounds) that makes up that piece of software, as well as all the known history of all those files – this means that we can code fearlessly without being worried about making changes that break something, as we’ve got the ability to get previous versions of each file.

For a long time, the engine that powers KAG and the game itself have lived in a single repository. This has been fine as we’ve only had one game at a time being worked on with the same engine.

With the addition of Trench Run (which uses the same engine), this becomes problematic – if we want to run the game from the same place, we need to specify which game to run, we have to have separate folders for each game, and so on; it also makes building auto-update files on the build server really annoying.

As such, we’ve split the repository into separate Engine and Game repositories, with KAG and Trench Run living in separate Game repositories.

While this will make building auto-update files, testing, running, and developing the 2 separate games at the same time easier, it has introduced a couple of issues, mainly with merging some of the bigger trench run engine changes into the KAG version of the engine, breaking things like menus and the HUD overlays which were previously hard-coded.

As such, the next KAG patch will be delayed as we have to reconcile these changes, wait on sysadmins to get the build/autoupdate system working properly again, and re-implement some of the functionality that is no longer handled automatically by the engine. We understand that this is reasonably boring news, but this kind of back-end stuff will let us move forward more comfortably on all the fun stuff one it’s done.

We’ll keep you up to date as this progresses and hopefully be sharing more Trench Run gifs in the mean time.

Cheers,

Max/Geti

Build 1239 – Crash Hotfix

This build only contains a hotfix for a crash bug in 1236 related to the unicode changes – servers should be more stable and people should be able to enjoy more uninterrupted play.

Have Fun!

Max/Geti

Build 1236 – Fixes and Archer Tweaks

A quick one, so only a few changes this time around.

First up:

We’re hearing you on the archer shotgun changes

This has been a strongly dividing issue – some like it, some hate it, there are certainly more archers and more arrows flying.

To counteract this we’ve made the outer arrows of overcharged shots disintegrate after a moderate distance; you can still use them for support and CQC, but cant rain them in big arcs.

If this isn’t enough to stabilise the opinions around it and result in a good archer meta we’ll take a vote on where to go next. So far we’re seeing more archers, which we take as an indication that the class is currently more fun for the average joe – we’ve just got to find a balance that appeases the higher tier players and those maining other classes.

Fix and Tweak Summary

• Potential Fix for invisible mines
  This one has been clamoured about for a while – we thought this was fixed a few builds ago but
• Fixed Builders getting half materials
  This was a hard to catch typo bug that slipped in halfway through the last round of changes; was good that it was caught early after the release though and has been fixed now.
• Fixed some spike network sync issues
  at the cost of a little latency in the spikes reaction
• Removed archer ignoring fixed camera setting
  We decided to just let players choose properly; some people have been complaining about this both ways so we removed the conflicting setting.
• Clantag re-added to character name in scoreboard
  Adding a new column would take too long, so the clantag was just added to the name column again.
• Clantag colour is same as name colour on mouse hover
• Removed “invalid utf8 spam” for people with invalid names
  should just cleanly replace bad characters now.
• Siege Engine Conversion Tweaks
  Siege engines can’t be converted in 0 seconds flat any more, and in fact cannot be sat into before conversion; This should make defending a forward ballista a little simpler and mean a little less “hot potato” seat swapping.

We’ll see how it goes over the weekend, thanks for bearing with us with some of these more experimental changes!

Have Fun!

Max/Geti

[KAG] Build 1233 – Builders and Archers

Another balance and fix build, this time addressing builders and archers much more than knights.

Be wary of falling spikes!

Builders

• Repairing
  Builders can now repair damaged blocks for the cost of a full block, which helps avoid structures collapsing and makes maintenance much more convenient. Doesn’t work on doors/platforms/traps/spikes etc yet – just solid wood/stone blocks.
• Spikes
  Spikes now pass cleanly through 1 wide holes, and shouldn’t get “stuck” on background walls any more.
• Buggy Hitting
  A few more bugs have been fixed in builder hitting – there are a few more that will be getting attention in the next build, but most notably you should be able to attack enemy structures through team-mates again (no more asking knights “please move i cant hit the door”)
• One Hit Kill Mines
  Builders can now more easily defuse mines without mishap to allow offensive mines to be sensibly countered without interfering with their utility elsewhere.

Archers

• Triple Shot Changed
  The triple shot is no longer an inaccurate streaming 3 shots, instead it’s a 3 shot “shotgun”. Charge times are the same.
  This serves 2 purposes:
  • a little easier to use in support and CQC, as there’s more tolerance missing with a cone of shots than 3 relatively straight shots.
  • Reducing tower spam, as the enforced cone of fire means that firing mindlessly from a tower is hopelessly inefficient – firing at groups still works but you need to focus your single shots if you want to snipe, not just mindlessly overcharge.
• No “pierced” sprites
  We felt that this was just unneeded clutter and took the opportunity to remove the “stuck in arrows” – they were hurting FPS and sometimes obscured the team of various units (not to mention had crazy results with siege engines and boats)
• Can climb arrows in all structures
  Arrows should stick into all structures in such a way that you can use them as arrow ladders, this includes platforms, traps and doors.

Knight

• Only real knight relevant change is very slightly slower jabs – they may be able to be slowed more but they’re almost back to the previous build rates currently, going to move slowly on this one.

Fixes and Tweaks

• Clantags displayed differently
  They’ll show up in chat and on mouse hover, but not in the scoreboard; this is an experiment to see if it helps player identification, we might need a separate column in the scoreboard for clantag, feedback here is welcome, leave it in the forum thread. Clantags are also accessible by script for modders now.
• Arrows hit mines again (this was a bug).
• Flag blocks building in slightly smaller space.
• Fixed water stunning teamies on direct hit.
• A lot of stuff doesn’t decay or decays much more slowly.
• “Recent Damage” is tracked a little longer – no more missing kills for fire arrows.
• Pickup priority tweaks – still not perfect by any stretch but should be more predictable now at least, as it’s based on your position instead of a weird combination of cursor and player.

Have Fun!

Max/Geti