Hex of Steel News

Hello everybody :)

We are almost ready to launch the PlayTest of our new game: Beasts of Steel (Plays as a TotalWar but set in WWII. Hexagonal strategic map, battles resolved in first person).
In the meantime, one more patch for Hex of Steel :)

[h3]ADDED[/h3]

• Possibility to duplicate items in the basket. YES. Finally :) Just click on the item and it will duplicate itself. No more need to purchase the same unit over and over again and clicking everywhere, single click is enough now.
  
• New key bind to clear/cancel attacks for a selected unit. This will prove useful mostly for anti air units. Why? Well let's say you want to move to a tile, but an enemy plane is on this tile. You will be forced to attack this unit before you can move in the tile. Now, when you press the key, the potential attacks will be cleared and you will be able to move freely without being forced to attack anything.
  
• New event: Peace Loss VP. Country losing a specific victory point will make peace with the country capturing this VP.
  
• Added list of achievements in the game + which are locked and which are unlocked in the main menu.
  
• New key binding + feature to make a sub start underwater in the map editor.
  
• 4 new commanders for Canada.
  
• Light infantry 43 for Romania.
  
• Scorched earth policy (new military tactic): When an enemy captures one of your victory point, it gets immediately destroyed for 3 turns.
  
• German commander: Kurt Student.
  

[h3]CHANGED[/h3]

• AI planes quantity being purchased (reduced).
  
• Special AI new purchases weight for year priori to 1900 (will buy less artillery).
  
• When opening a save in the map editor, under water subs will be shown as such.
  
• Achievements are now sorted by locked first so you know which ones are left to unlock at a glance without needing to scroll endlessly (there's quite a lot of achievements in the game).
  
• Updated graphics of 3inch M3 AA gun and M1 90mm AA gun, M19 MGMC for USA.
  
• Reduced purchase amount of engineers for the AI.
  
• Updated graphics for: Light infantry, Light infantry 43, Heavy infantry for USA.
  
• Updated paratrooper graphics for GB.
  
• AI planes now take into account the HP of units around their target. It used to treat all units as 100HP ones meaning it would not attack some units in some certain cases.
  
• Graphics of BL 4.5 inch and Cruiser Mk. VIII Challenger and light infantry 43 from the British.
  

[h3]FIXED[/h3]

• Ground troops armour was taken into account for airborne ones (Example: American light tank Locust M22).
  
• Waypoints key binding could not be set to something else/new.
  
• Europe maps Finland borders issues.
  
• Changing faction while in the store would not refresh the store, meaning you could swap faction from neutral to axis and still buy from the allies. This worked only until you closed the store, next time you opened it it refreshes. Now I force refreshed it when changing faction.
  
• If your unit had no movement points and hadn't moved during the turn, refuelling it would not give it its movement points back you had to wait one extra turn.
  
• PBEM multiplayer broke down. Took a long while to fix, apologies!
  
• 2 back/return buttons missing in the multiplayer menu (sign up + password request).
  
• Couldn't untick 'player playing first' when hosting a multiplayer game.
  

[h3]ADDED:[/h3]

• Manchukuo (Country + units).
  
• Manchukuo to Pacific 1941 map.
  
• Fade to season change transition. Looks better.
  
• Added 203mm gun for Finland.
  
• Added Canon de 194 GPF to France.
  
• Light infantry to Mongolia.
  
• Light infantry 43 to Canada.
  
• New setting: Show unit number on counter (Thanks @CarbonDevice for the idea).
  

[h3]CHANGES:[/h3]

• Small adjustment to OOB of Finnish-Soviet border on Europe 39 map.
  
• Changed buildings units icon type to building icon (instead of tank icon for bunkers for example).
  
• No more fuel loss due to bad weather for units being on a victory point. They will still lose their movement point.
  
• AI ships will no longer try to move across the Earth anymore. I have set a maximum of 100 tiles to reach their goal. If the number of tiles to reach their goal is higher than 100 tiles, then they will abandon their goal and stay where they are. This will prevent the soviet ships moving from murmansk to attack GB for example or stuff like that. Or the Soviet Navy moving from the black see to Europe…
  
• Finnish Heavy infantry graphics.
  
• Japanese Type 96 15cm artillery graphics.
  
• Japanese Type 88 75mm AA graphics.
  
• Defensive unit shield graphics (map editor only).
  
• Added bunker NATO counter.
  
• Order of battle research not case sensitive anymore.
  
• Operation Barbarossa South balance changes.
  
• Changed Churchill Mk. II, Churchill Mk. VI, Churchill Mk. VII, Churchill Mk. VIII, graphics.
  
• When the app loses focus, the weather and music sounds will now be stopped and resumed when the application gains focus again.
  
• Added Manchukuo to Battle of Khalkin Gol campaign scenario.
  
• Graphics of Canadian heavy infantry.
  
• Graphics of Finnish light infantry and Engineers.
  
• British heavy infantry graphics.
  
• British engineers graphics.
  
• British 2pdr graphics.
  
• Graphics of Australia Light infantry and engineers.
  
• For modern wars mods purposes, I am now adding all neighbours to the launch site if the unit is of type Plane. This allows modern planes to launch missiles.
  
• Units with a max purchase limit will be available again once destroyed/killed.
  
• You can now have the AI to play first in real time multiplayer.
  

[h3]FIXES:[/h3]

• Finnish coastal defence ship cost 0 manpower.
  
• Units in landing crafts could overrun ground units.
  
• Torpedo equipped planes made a torpedo sound against ground units when attacking.
  
• No more AI war declarations because of ships.
  
• Chuikov was a Soviet Union ground hero.
  
• Jungle villages could spawn all types of units (except planes).
  
• Ships could move across other ships in the FOW and overlap (if they were not at war).
  
• Visibility / FOW bug when right clicking over an enemy unit while deploying own units.
  
• AI fighters was escorting friendly barrage balloons.
  
• Issue with renaming a unit, font size and some more weird behaviours.
  
• AI planes while starting above a potential target would not attack it and simply move away.
  
• Showing selected unit in OOB.
  
• Convert save to map small issue with alliances and wars not being properly reset.
  
• BIG BIG BIG issue with AI and ... right clicking ... :)
  
• Modified base units and tiles stats were not kept after playing a scenario and going back to the main menu.
  
• End of scenario stats charts were not generated if you had twice the same country in a scenario (two germany's for example).
  
• AI planes were attacking targets right beneath them without checking if they would die by retaliation fire or supportive fire (only when they started their turn above a target).
  
• Jungle tiles turning black when snow starts falling.
  
• Using the 'remove all units' button in the editor didn't take into account units with a max purchase number.
  
• Real time multiplayer is now limited to 20 players max. You can host a map with more than 20 players, but the rest will be AI controlled.
  

Alright, I got tired to update 6.6.7's change log day and night so I'm creating a new game version haha

[h3]ADDED:[/h3]

• Added animation to XP earning (will from down to up and disappear in a fade).
  
• Added animation to ammo and fuel depletion (will disappear in a fade).
  
• Added animation to unit level up (scale from 0 to 1 and disappear in a fade).
  
• Added animation to surrendering flag (will now wave left and right).
  
• Added animation to Overrun Retreat and Surrender text (fading).
  
• Added animation to capturing a victory point (Fading and scaling).
  
• Added animation to units you can attack (bullseye).
  
• Added animation to deploying a unit (fading and scaling).
  
• UI feedback showing when a unit levels up + little animation.
  
• Engineers for the British Raj.
  
• Visual feedback on wether or not a unit's purchase limit has been reached.
  
• Stalingrad 42' custom scenario (44 x 30).
  
• 2 new achievements for completing the Stalingrad 42' custom scenario as both Axis and Allies.
  
• Added a track record of which scenarios have been completed at least 1 time (small icon will show up).
  

[h3]CHANGED:[/h3]

• Replaced 'browse saves' button in the in game load menu by a folder button icon.
  
• New Zealand light inf. graphics.
  
• USSR heavy inf. graphics.
  
• Changed bullseye image (edited it a bit to give it some volume, looks way nicer now).
  
• AIs paratroopers might not just go and get to the closest VP anymore but also help on the ground.
  
• Graphics update for the following units: Sturmpanzer II, Panzerwerfer 42, Pak-40, Marder I, Marder II, SU-85, SU-100, SU-26, SU-14, BM-13 Katyusha, 45mm M1937, SU-122, 6-pdr, 17-pdr, BA-6, BA-10, Pak 43, Pak 44, IS-2, ZiS-2, Zis-3, BM-31 Andryusha, BA-64, ISU-122, T-60, T-26, T-26 1931, T-28, T-35A.
  
• Special characters like '.' or '_' are now hidden in game from scenario's/maps names. This allow for having your map/scenario at the very top (because the file's name starts with a special character) but the players will see a normal name in game.
  
• Eastern Front 1944 balance changes.
  
• AI will play faster now (In Fast AI mode) and with less lags.
  
• No more negative amount of money. Minimum is zero.
  
• Stars '*' in city names will not be shown anymore in the city names on the map (still shown in editor though).
  
• Aspect ratio of tiles categories in map editor (bottom left).
  

[h3]FIXED:[/h3]

• One instance of AI freeze when its faction was being changed.
  
• AI targeting it's allies VPs when historical focus was turned OFF.
  
• Instance of AI leaving its victory point even when there are enemies around (paras, or tanks).
  
• Instance of AI artillery going to close contact.
  
• Research panel % research was too wide compared to the units slots.
  
• Camera follow AI will now work properly and the AI will wait until the camera is focused on its unit before it starts moving/attacking.
  
• Heavy bombers not bombing the right tiles.
  
• Issue with paratroopers that did not drop.
  
• AI units could some times retreat into enemy VP tile and get ambushed. They will avoid that now.
  
• AI freeze because of paratroopers drop.
  
• AI buying way too little fighters compared to bombers.
  
• One instance of AI unit stack/overlap (planes) !!!!!
  
• One instance of AI freeze with certain settings.
  
• AI making WAYYY too many engineers in some cases.
  
• AI would deploy barrage balloons above reinforcement tiles (useless).
  

Over 400 updates have been made (in reality way more, it's just it's only the ones that have a change log..), and it's not over just yet!
On average, that's 1 update every 3 days, NON-STOP.

[h3]ADDED[/h3]

• Poland 1939 big map 144 x 93 (no USSR).
  
• Poland 1944 big map 144 x 93 (Late war soviet winter offensive).
  
• Shock infantry for USSR (1944 and onward infantry unit).
  
• 4 new achievements for completing each new Poland scenario as both Axis/Allies.
  
• Engineers for New Zealand.
  
• You can now save changes to base game tiles in your mod(s). Meaning you can edit the tile's stats and make a mod out of it.
  
• Added double click on save to load (after 3 years, about time LOL).
  
• Added double click on map in map editor to open it.
  
• Lithuanian ANBO IV and ANBO VIII (planes).
  

[h3]CHANGED[/h3]

• Updated graphics of all tiles, I can now use compression and this allowed me to ... cut the weight of the game in half! Yoohoo! 700 MB instead of 1.3 GB
  
• AI planes will not suicide anymore by attacking things they shouldn’t (like bombing a tile that has 3 AAs around it and would destroy the AI plane).
  
• AI minors plane buying rate. They will buy more now.
  
• Trains can now go and embark/disembark in refinery tiles.
  
• Ambush during bad weather for planes have been disabled. No more ambush, planes will just blocking the way.
  
• AI if historical focus is turned ON in the settings will not use landing crafts anymore (Specific list of countries that should not be using them, example: Yugoslavia, Finland…)
  
• AI will now trigger the purchase of engineers if some of its units are blocked by a river (units cannot reach goal because of a river).
  
• Changed a bit the behaviour of anti tank and artillery units when set to defensive mode. They will not longer leave their position and break their cover, they will stay put (unless they can capture a VP or need to defend one of its VPs).
  
• AI will not buy barrage balloons if the enemy doesn't have any bomber.
  
• AI will not buy recon planes if it doesn't have air supremacy and needs to buy planes.
  
• Improved AI's planes attack behaviour (which target to choose and most importantly, which target NOT to choose).
  
• AI recon planes will try to stay off victory points to allow for bombers to do their work and be more active (not staying in one place as it could be the case before).
  
• Improved AI's artillery attack and movement behaviour, less suicidal, will stay away from the enemy but still in range.
  
• Improved AI's use of terrain features. Will try to always have the high ground or stay in forests. Tanks will try to stay in the open.
  
• Slightly improved AI's performances (CPU).
  
• Small edits to Europe 1939 and Crimea 1944.
  
• Changed weight of fighters purchases for AI (was buying more bombers than fighters). It is now even.
  
• Replaced 'open maps folder' button in quick game menu in main menu.
  
• Size indicator for each scenario, QoL.
  
• Optimized AI planes second move.
  
• AI will less rely on landing crafts and prioritize alternative land routes.
  
• Optimized AIs pathfinding performance CPU cost. Will play faster and with less lags.
  
• AIs Armoured trains will now disengage if they need to be repaired.
  
• AIs artillery will now shoot before retreating.
  

[h3]FIXED[/h3]

• Mails not being sent when playing PBEM multiplayer (or when trying to set up a new password).
  
• Entrenchment wasn’t taken into account anymore.
  
• AIs engineers not being engineers when newly bought. Behaved as regular infantry.
  
• Walther von Reichenau was a german hero (in reality he was a Field Marshal... oops).
  
• Instance of not being able to end your turn (on tutorial map as the USSR, first turn).
  
• Glitch when AI is playing at high speed and human player doesn't have quick movement, when a human unit retreats it could get stuck because AI would move its unit over it (air unit) and completely freeze the movement of the retreating ground unit underneath it. This would in the end result in an unskippable turn end.
  
• In the map editor, if a unit had a max purchase limit, if you were deleting it from the board it would not get you that unit back (+1).
  
• In the map editor, when using the 'spawn units on VPS' or similar, it would not check for max purchase limit.
  
• End of game visualisation data tanks count was wrong, it included bunkers, coastal batteries etc.
  
• Sound settings always closed themselves when closing in game menu.
  
• More stats small panel at the bottom left always closed himself after deselecting a unit.
  
• Graph bar end of game stat data visualization missing graphics (all bars).
  
• AI and engineers purchase, only purchasing if bridges were blown up and not just to cross a river.
  
• Non movable units were blinking when camera zooms out even when they attacked, but since they cannot move, they would never stop blinking.
  
• Fixed units in some cases that would get 3 action points.
  
• AI would somehow target land mines and try to move to attack them and end up stuck in one place because well you cannot attack a land mine.
  
• AI artillery or commanders would flee from the battlefield when being around a land mine (which they technically CANNOT see...).
  
• Midway campaign scenario was not finishable.
  
• Corrected city name Zielena Gora in Grünberg.
  
• Surrendering units would see their range set back to 1 (annoying for artillery..)
  

666, haha

Alright so in this version I am trying to update the version of the game engine (Unity 2021.3.0 -> Unity 2021.3.17)
Last I tested it worked on MacOS and Windows without issues, now some things might go wrong so I'm relying on your feedback on this one :)
If something seems off / is broken, please let me know so that I can either fix it if it's fixable, or simply revert to the previous branch
As always, you can always manually revert to the previous stable release!

[h3]ADDED[/h3]

• New event type: Spawn unit at turn. Instead of spawning a unit at a given date, it will be based on the turn.
  
• New setting for units in the unit editor: Max purchase amount.
  
• New setting to hide the battle preview (was asked in order to play a more hardcore version of the game, why not). Turning this setting ON will hide completely the little UI part that tells you what damage are done to each side when you hover with your mouse over an enemy.
  
• Barrage balloons for the USSR.
  
• New setting: Permanent blinking. Without this option turned ON, units will blink only when at a certain distance from the camera (units having action points left). Turn this ON and they will always blink, regardless of the distance to the camera.
  
• AI behaviour will ignore staying on trench tiles for scenarios taking place between 1914 and 1919.
  

[h3]CHANGED[/h3]

• HP modifier is now being calculated and applied BEFORE the encirclement modifier.
  
• Made the AI purchase barrage balloons more often in losing air war situations.
  
• Barrage balloons turn to produce reduced to 1 (instead of 2).
  
• Panzergrenadier stats.
  
• Volksgrenadier stats.
  
• Updated manual (political units).
  
• Inverted zoom scroll for Windows users.
  

[h3]FIXED[/h3]

• Supply units that were upgraded passed this on to the newly upgraded unit. Ex: Upgrading/Downgrading a supply plane into any other plane would make this plane a super supply bomber!
  
• Units that had no suffix even though the option was turned ON.
  
• Units' names not being updated after an upgrade (linked to the issue above).
  
• Upgrading a unit from one that had less max HP than the new one would result in the unit being upgraded not being full HP (keeping old HP).
  
• You could upgrade barrage balloons.
  
• Prices in research panel were wrong (All).
  
• Commanders not being given back when deleting them in the map editor from the deploy panel.