Weekly Development Activities (March 8, 2004)

[Ghryphen]

This week, most of the Development Team's time remains committed to hammering out any issues that may be surrounding Capitol Buildings. We're still aiming to get this update out this week, and so everything is committed toward that goal.

New Items this week:

• Core Combat Enhancements went into testing.
• Fixed an exploit that allowed Routers and telepads to be deployed at extreme distances from each other.

Upcoming Release Notes:

Gameplay

• Capitol Buildings are currently in testing. Read more about them here.
• Core Combat Enhancements are also in testing. Check them out here.
• If a Cavern is locked, then any friendly surface facilities connected to that cavern (via the lattice through the Geowarps) will act as if it had all six modules installed.
• Hand-held AT weapons now have "recharge capacitor units" (Ancient Tech "ammo") that you can buy at AT equipment terminals or at facilities with the Equipment module benefit.
• Phalanx Wall Turrets now have a great upward pivot, allowing them to more easily targeting incoming aircraft.
• Certification Terminals can now be destroyed.
• Double-clicking on a Warpgate will now zoom to its linked continent.
• Hand Grenades will now come in clips of three, though they will require the same amount of inventory space as before. i.e. A clip of three grenades will take up the 2x2 inventory space that a single grenade consumed before.
• TR Burster will only do direct damage to non-aircraft targets. It will no longer inflict splash damage on infantry and ground vehicles.

Bug Fixes

• High Resolution Textures will display properly again.
• Enhanced Targeting will now show the status of enemy Flails beyond 15 meters.
• Fixed a bug that was causing Infiltrators to remain completely invisible when using the Flail's targeting laser.
• Infiltrators will now be as visible when using the Flail laser as they would while using any other piece of support equipment.
• Pistol slot items will no longer be visible in an Infiltration Suit.
• Hotswapping items will no longer cause infiltrators to become more visible.
• The Infiltration Status Icon will function properly, giving a visual indicator of how "cloaked" a player is.
• The nature of the Empire-specific Infiltration Suit models caused some suits to be more visible than others. We have adjusted parameters for each Empire to compensate for this.
• Damage Decals will no longer show up on water.
• Scorch decals on a door will not remain stationary when a door opens.
• Fixed an issue that would cause players to lose Outfit points.
• Outfits can invite players with a �J or �K appended to their name through the Outfit Window.
• Fixed an issue where newly created characters could not receive send or receive /tell messages or be added to friends list.
• Teleporting through Router telepad will no longer cause Darklight to appear with normal field of vision.
• Energy weapons will leave a damage decal on surfaces again.
• Wall Turrets that are destroyed and repaired will display the proper textures.
• Drivers will no spawn in a vehicle with only 1 shot remaining in the vehicle�s weapon clip.
• Manual binds will no longer remain after deleting character and creating another.
• Fixed an exploit that allowed Routers and telepads to be deployed at extreme distances from each other.
• Fixed an issue where an avatar could remain in the world after being disconnected.

Other

• Levels of visibility have been honed for each of the different actions that Infiltrators can take � running, walking, crouch-walking, jumping, and shooting, etc. Further, the level of visibility has been adjusted to account for multiple simultaneous actions, such as jumping and shooting.
• Infiltrators will remain cloaked when they mount a vehicle, but will be partially visible as long as they occupy the seat. This adjustment does not apply to the wraith, which will remain fully invisible when sitting still, and become more visible at higher speeds.
• A glow effect and a laser sight effect have been added to the Decimator.
• Wheeled and Treaded brakes were adjusted in order to allow shorter stopping distances. Vehicles affected: Harasser, Skyguard, Enforcer, Marauder, Lightning, ANT, Deliverer, AMS, Sunderer, Vanguard, Prowler, Wraith, Basilisk. (NOTE: Gearboxes have been tuned to allow "rolling" on hillsides. If the vehicle driver desires to stay in a single spot, simply apply the brakes (spacebar) and the vehicle will stop unless you're on a particularly steep hillside.)
• Hover vehicle brakes were modified to allow brakes to function more efficiently. Vehicles affected: Magrider, Thresher, Router, Flail, Switchblade.
• Low-ratio gears (first and second gears) were adjusted (slightly) on the following vehicles in order to increase their torque (starting power) when trying to start moving uphill from a dead stop. Vehicles affected: AMS, Sunderer, Vanguard, Prowler, Magrider, Router, Flail.