Preview Next Big Update - [PTB] Public Test Branch

[p]Hello everyone,[/p][p][/p][p]We are ready to start deploying, little by little, all the content that will arrive on our next big update > Update 11 (name to be revealed 😎)[/p][p][/p][p]As we will be releasing the content in pieces, you will notice that some of the big elements are not ready today.[/p][p]But no worries, we will be updating this blog with all the content.[/p][p][/p][p]The ✅ means it's available right now, while ❌ means it will take "a couple of days to arrive to PTB"[/p][p][/p][h3]\[✅] Retake Necrophage Economy [/h3][p]We will go more into details on release, but the idea behind this it is that we wanted to give more "uniqueness" to major factions (in general). Therefore, here is our first step with the Necrophages. Please share your thoughts. How does it feel? [/p]

• [p]We have introduced a couple of Districts that will cost only Corpses, so it will creating an interesting decision between using the resources for your army or focusing on your global economy. [/p]
• [p]There will be a dedicated district that will act as "level up everything that surrounds it" in Era 2. Very different compared to the rest of the factions.[/p]
• [p]Feedhole will have a yield Multiplier when devouring the land (the more you have, the more you get)🌲[/p]
• [p]Necrophages will no longer be able to have district level 3 (it was something unique to them, but no worries, this will be part of another faction in the future)[/p]
• [p]City Hall + Nests will generate Corpses every turn[/p]
• [p]... Plenty of changes and modifications[/p]

[p]
[/p][h3]\[✅] Game Speeds[/h3][p]We introduced all the different game speeds. This will impact on all costs, duration of some actions, pacing of recess, monsoons and the turn limitation[/p]

• [p]Fast (200 turn limit)[/p]
• [p]Normal (275 turn limit)[/p]
• [p]Slow (350 turn limit)[/p]
• [p]Endless (400 turn limit) [/p]

[p]As a reminder, you can still keep playing after reaching the urn limit, but it's "at your own risk"[/p][p][/p][h3]\[✅] Treaties will be temporary + you can compliment/insult 🤬​[/h3][p]We are making some changes in diplomacy to make it more engaging and dynamic.[/p][p]Now you will be able to compliment and insult the other factions. This will give players more ways to change public opinion from others.[/p][p]
[/p][h3]\[✅] Pacification Quest Flow Rework[/h3][p]We mentioned we have a plan to improve the narration of the game, as we know it is one of the main weaknesses for the game. This is the first step to improve the situation! [/p][p]We improved the flow to make it less "clicky" (just pressing Next for 8 times) but more closed to how is on EL1. Now we will have an initial paragraph that works as a setup of the situation, followed by two or three lines of dialog based on your faction, and then it goes straight tot he objective.[/p][p] [/p][p]Let us know what do you think about this change![/p][p][/p][h3]\[✅] World Generation[/h3][p]There are 2 main changes that will have a big impact on all your games. We would like to get your thoughts.[/p]

• [p]Increased territory size by 30%[/p]
• [p]Improved Major Factions spawn on Continent and Pangea maps
  It should spawn farther away and more on the coast. This will alleviate the feeling of "spawning 2 territories away"[/p]

[p][/p][h3]\[❌] New District Construction Flow[/h3][p]We have made a huge change in how players will handle construction. Instead of clicking the tile to select, then the building (which was counter-intuitive to many players), now you will first select the district you want to build and then select the best spot (we will display a tooltip showcasing the earnings on each of them). This is closer to how it was in our previous games.[/p][h3]\[🆕✅] Aspects Improvements​[/h3][p]Not at the same level as Necrophages, but the team has made big changes here as well here. There won't be any Merchant's House District (Dust district), but no worries, you will have other ways to generate Dust. The idea is that they should struggle to maintain large armies. [/p][h3]\[🆕✅] More Adjustments to Heroes and Skills[/h3][p]Our game designers are "non-stop" keeping the balance of different skills, equipment, etc. One more surprise here, the Terror passive will become an active skill to perform by units. This will give the player the tool to decide when it is the best time to use it in combat (as pushing the enemy was not something always desirable).[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]✨I will update this blog with any additional updates to the PTB ✨[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]One last thing before the entire changelog of the PTB 👀[/p][p]It is time to vote for the visuals of the community minor faction 🗳[/p][p]Vote Here[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Major Factions[/h2][h3]Necrophages
[/h3][p]Reworked Necrophage economy with the following changes [/p][p] [/p]

• [p]Technologies adjustments: [/p]
  • [p]Corrosive saliva (era 1) => Changed to: Unlocks action devour the land, +10 Yield Multiplier when devouring the land, +1 Cadaver income on capital, Unlocks feedhole. [/p]
  • [p]Stonework (era 1) => now unlocks the defensive tentacle instead of military district. [/p]
  • [p]Fungal Lab (era 2) => Changed to: Unlock Matriarch eye District, Unlock Chitin vat, +1 Cadaver income on capital [/p]
  • [p]Matriarch’s Rise (era 3) => Changed to Unlocks: Chitinous Matriarch, +20 Hp to non-hero units, + 1 Cadaver income on capital [/p]
  • [p]Matriarch’s Orison (era 3) => Changed to Unlocks: Fungal Garden, + 1 Cadaver income on capital [/p]
  • [p]Matriarch’s Glory (era 4) => Changed to Unlocks: Memory Well & Ocular evolution, + 1 Cadaver income on capital [/p]
  • [p]Accelerated Larva (era 4) => Changed to Unlocks: Scavenger lair & Deeper Cavern, + 1 Cadaver income on capital [/p]
• [p]District and city adjustments: [/p]
  • [p]City center now gives +1 Cadaver per turn [/p]
  • [p]Admin center now gives +1 Cadaver per turn [/p]
  • [p]Remove the modifier of the strip tile yield multiplier that was 10 too high [/p]
  • [p]Necrophages can no longer level up their district to level 3 nor their city center to level 4 [/p]
  • [p]All appendages can be built an infinite number of times. Their cost rise for each district of the same type built. [/p]
  • [p]Districts don't level up due to 4 district adjacencies. [/p]
  • [p]Necrophages lost the military district, the defensive tentacle now replaces it in the tech & keep the same base effects. Cost changed to 30 Cadavers + 30 cadavers per defensive tentacle. Cost 0 industry. Damage set to 30 per district level. [/p]
  • [p]Feedhole effects changed to => +5 Food per level, +3 Yield multiplier per level when using devour the land action. Cost adjusted to 30 cadavers + 30 cadavers per feedhole. Cost 0 industry. [/p]
  • [p]Matriarch eye Changed: Now gives 10 influence & raise the level of all adjacent non-matriarch eye districts. Cost changed to 30 Cadavers + 30 cadavers per Matriarch eye. Cost 0 industry. [/p]
• [p]Improvement Adjustments: [/p]
  • [p]Mycology Lab => changed to "+5 Food, +2 Food per admin center, +5 Industry, +2 Industry per admin center" [/p]
  • [p]Larval Pulp => changed to "+10 Food, -30% Specialization cost (Dust, Cadavers, Resources)" [/p]
  • [p]Chitin Vats => changed to "+5 Food, +2 Food on Level 2 district, +5 Industry, +1 Industry on Level 2 district" [/p]
  • [p]Memory Well => changed to "+5 Science, +1 Science per admin center, +10 Dust, +2 Dust per admin center" [/p]
  • [p]Scavengers Lair => changed to "+10 Money, +25 Health regen on unit in territory, +1 Movement speed outside of battle on units" [/p]
  • [p]Deeper Cavern => changed to "+5 Science, +1 Science on Level 2 district, +10 Dust, +2 Dust on Level 2 district" [/p]
  • [p]Fungal Gardens => changed to "-30% food cost to grow pops, + 10 Food, + 1 Cadaver" [/p]
  • [p]Chitinous Matriarch => changed to "+1000 Fortification, + 30 % Health to guards, + 20% Damage to guards, + 25 % Experience to non-hero units." [/p]
  • [p]Ocular Evolution => changed to "+20 Influence, +3 Vision range on Admin center and city center, - 25% cost on foundations, - 25 % cost on Nest evolution" [/p]
• [p]Fix councilors’ effects: [/p]
  • [p]Corrected minor despot feedback and behaviour (not working) [/p]
  • [p]Adjusted Siegemaster feedback and behavior (not working) [/p]
  • [p]Corrected hard bargainer (not working) [/p]
• [p]Fixed the trait Glory to the Swarm which gives -25% Industry cost in the main quest[/p]

[h3]Kin of Sheredyn[/h3]

• [p]Fixed and issue where the quest’s chapter 3 would fail if you merge your armies [/p]

[h3]Aspects[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the required territory in the main quest’s chapter 3 would be already occupied [/p]

[h3]Last Lords[/h3]

• [p]Improved the tooltip for the Lord Estate district to add information about the round-up action[/p]

[h3]Tahuk​[/h3]

• [p]Added 5 new Clergy council traits [/p]
• [p]Improved explanation of the Dignitaries faction trait in its tooltip [/p]
• [p]Balanced called population bonuses [/p]
• [p]Updated the Sages’ Will trait to focus on the Devotee unit making it cheaper to produce and free to specialize in upward paths[/p]
• [p]Fixed missing text in Chapter 3 of the main quest[/p]
• [p]Fixed the icon of the Tahuk’s festival [/p]
• [p]Fixed armies not spawning in the main quest [/p]
• [p]Fixed wrong 3D models for Dean Bayang Jalo [/p]
• [p]Fixed wrong portrait highlighted in the main quest dialogues [/p]
• [p]Added details to the tooltip of the technology “Beings of Aether” in the main quest [/p]
• [p]Fixed a missing localization in the main quest [/p]
• [p]Fixed swapped objectives bold and open in the main quest [/p]
• [p]Fixed objective reward in the main quest chapter 4 [/p]

[h2]Game Speeds​[/h2]

• [p]Added 3 new game speeds: + adjused the number of turns. [/p]
  • [p]Fast (200 turn limit) [/p]
  • [p]Normal (275 turn limit) [/p]
  • [p]Slow (350 turn limit) [/p]
  • [p]Endless (400 turn limit) [/p]
• [p]In each game speed we change:  [/p]
  • [p]All costs (units, district, technologies etc.) [/p]
  • [p]The duration of some action and the status [/p]
  • [p]The pacing of recess and monsoon [/p]
  • [p]The turn limit [/p]
• [p]Added costs scaling for everything using strategic and luxury resources[/p]

[p][/p][h2]​Diplomacy [/h2]

• [p]Updated treaties and declarations to be temporary with 30 turns [/p]
• [p]Updated Open border to be a treaty that must be agreed upon to open the borders of the two empires that have signed it [/p]
• [p]Scaled Treaties and declaration costs on the number of recesses rather than Era, up to a maximum of 8,000 influence [/p]
• [p]Added a new Compliment declaration providing +25 Public Opinion and lasting 15 turns [/p]
• [p]Added a new Warning declaration providing -25 Public Opinion and lasting 15 turns [/p]
• [p]Removed prerequisite link between Cartography Exchange and Vision Exchange [/p]
• [p]Updated the cost of the Force Truce to increase it by 500 influence each time it is used against the Empire for the Aspects [/p]
• [p]Improved declaration and treaty appearance for legibility and coherence [/p]
• [p]Updated the diplomacy notifications to feedback better the leaders concerned [/p]
• [p]Added a Roman number to differentiate leaders of the same faction [/p]
• [p]Removed the display of a cost for white peace [/p]
• [p]Improved the Public Opinion tooltip [/p]
• [p]Improved navigation with right click inside the diplomacy screen [/p]

[h2]​Military [/h2]

• [p]Removed unlock of heroes with eras to be instead locked behind specific technologies [/p]
• [p]Added the preview of the attack range before moving the unit [/p]
• [p]Removed the confirmation popup when selling equipment (except for legendary ones) [/p]
• [p]Improved military “experience” tooltip explanation[/p]
• [p]Improved technically how sieges & subjugations are handled [/p]

• [p]Fixed Unwell status’ tooltip [/p]
• [p]Fixed VFX on heroes’ skills in the hero view [/p]
• [p]Fixed showing identical stats in equipment as negative [/p]

[p][/p][h2]City Economy[/h2]

• [p]Balanced camps, burrows and coral spores[/p]
  • [p]Camps now provide +4 Dust[/p]
  • [p]The scaling of camps’ cost is halved, up to a maximum of 600 influence[/p]
  • [p]The scaling of camps’ cost of Burrows is reduced by 10%, up to a maximum of 800 Dust[/p]
  • [p]The base cost of Coral Spores has increased from 30 to 40 Dust[/p]
  • [p]The scaling of camps’ cost of Coral Spores has been reduced by 10%, up to a maximum of 800 Dust.[/p]
• [p]Reduced Alchemical Genius’ effect from +5 to +1 Science on Districts[/p]

[p][/p][h2]AI [/h2]

• [p]Implemented the use of warnings and compliments by AI in diplomacy[/p]
• [p]Improved AI’s decision to battle if an army has reinforcement [/p]
• [p]Improved how AI spends their influence on foundations [/p]
• [p]Increased the AI’s motivation to expand their empire [/p]
• [p]Reduced the AI’s motivation to meet other empires [/p]
• [p]Encouraged AI to bribe minor faction villages more to improve their armies [/p]
• [p]Increased the AI’s motivation to build armies in early game [/p]
• [p]Improved how the AI follows quest objectives which requires armies [/p]
• [p]Improved the handling of Marquis Galardi in armies (stopped making it go fight and die right away) [/p]
• [p]Fixed a minor issue in our Army management algorithm [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the AI would think a non-fortified Borough has a Militia to beat[/p]
• [p]Fixed AI regroup army management [/p]

[h2]​UI [/h2]

• [p]Improved the middle click lock mode for tooltips [/p]
• [p]Improved the clickable zone in heroes’ management screen [/p]
• [p]Added FX to multiple UI elements: Academy screen, Heroes screen, Last Lords’ asymmetry, narrative victories’ key beats [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where after locking the tooltip, it would disappear and never appear again [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with locking the tooltip with shift wouldn’t lock it [/p]
• [p]Fixed locking the tooltip after a certain time not working on units’ and status’ tooltips [/p]
• [p]Fixed tooltips not closed when opening the evolution panel [/p]
• [p]Fixed cadaver display in the HUD [/p]

[h2]​World [/h2]

• [p]Increased territory size by 30% [/p]
• [p]Improved Major Factions spawn on continents and Pangea maps
  > It should spawn farther away and more on the coast. This will alleviate the feeling of "spawning 2 territories away"[/p]
• [p]Improved fortresses spawn on different map sizes [/p]
• [p]Balanced competitive deeds [/p]

[h2]Victory conditions & endgame [/h2]

• [p]Improved narrative events’ rewards display [/p]
• [p]Fixed misleading industry gain with the victory condition’s building “Monument to the Lost” [/p]
• [p]Fixed missing tooltip in the reward of the event “Corrupted defenses” [/p]

[h2]​Visual [/h2]

• [p]Applied the FIDSI colors with alternative color scheme options [/p]
• [p]Displayed the city buildings over units when selecting the city [/p]
• [p]Fixed fortress model disappearing after engaging in battle with[/p]
• [p]Fixed VFX for damaged buildings in Siege  [/p]
• [p]Fixed VFX repeating themselves (on the start game button for example)[/p]

[h2]Sound [/h2]

• [p]Added a sound when selecting a major faction in the lobby [/p]
• [p]Fixed missing sounds in protectorate window [/p]
• [p]Added a sound when locking the tooltip [/p]
• [p]Added multiple missing sounds for Steam Deck UI [/p]

[h2]Steam Deck [/h2]

• [p]Fixed heroes’ portraits cut off in heroes management screen [/p]
• [p]Fixed navigation issue between stat’s details and stat attribution in skill tree [/p]
• [p]Fixed first focus in settings in Audio [/p]

[h2]Quests & events [/h2]

• [p]Rewrote all pacification quests (generic and specific) (English only for now)[/p]
• [p]Reduced the number of narrative events triggered[/p]
• [p]Improved the overall display of the tab “the story so far” in the victory conditions screen[/p]
• [p]Fixed the pacification quest “The Message” objective [/p]
• [p]Fixed mismatched dialog lines in events [/p]
• [p]Fixed missing mandatory action when closing a minor faction quest [/p]
• [p]Updated the icons on the quest panel for each type of quest [/p]
• [p]Fixed tooltip in events’ rewards [/p]

[h2]Multiplayer [/h2]

• [p]Updated the “creator” column in lobbies list into “host”[/p]
• [p]Fixed the battle auto resolving although a player chose manual battle [/p]
• [p]Fixed terrain flickering when another player is watching a cinematic [/p]
• [p]Removed ready state when going into faction selection screen [/p]
• [p]Fixed a desync happening with equipment [/p]
• [p]Fixed cooldowns in diplomacy [/p]

[h2]Tutorial [/h2]

• [p]Added hints for population collection bonuses [/p]
• [p]Added hints for tormented features [/p]
• [p]Added hints for rifts [/p]
• [p]Added hints for marketplace [/p]

[h2]Misc [/h2]

• [p]Fixed missing localization in the elimination countdown immersive popup[/p]
• [p]Fixed typo in localization in the construction menu failure flag[/p]
• [p]Fixed missing localization in Natural Wonders submerged tooltip[/p]
• [p]Fixed missing localization in curiosity collected tooltip[/p]
• [p]Fixed 15 technical issues [/p]

[p][/p][h3]Known Issues[/h3]

• [p]The Blackhammer minor faction’s quest end restart the whole conversation when you validate it (but you still validate it)[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]There are plenty of areas we would like your thoughts 🧠[/p]

• [p]How does the Necrophages changes feel? [/p]
• [p]What about Game Speeds? Share your thoughts on specific ones (we know there are fans of Endless and other players that prefer faster games[/p]
• [p]Do you noticed the difference on the base territory size and the spawn locations?[/p]
• [p]How do you feel about the new pacification quest flow?[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Have a nice weekend 😊[/p]