Forts News

G'day Forts fans!

Recently, Forts turned three years old. It's been a great ride, thanks in no small part to you, the players, and to celebrate, we chose this time to finally releasing Forts Trading Cards.

We have added twelve trading cards, five backgrounds, five emoticons as well as badges, which can all be earned and crafted through playing Forts. To paraphrase Valve, Trading Cards are collectible cards you get by playing games on Steam. By collecting the entire set of cards, you can earn items that help you customize your profile and show off gameplay.

For veteran Forts players, check your Steam Inventory for new loot, and for more information on trading cards, read the Steam blurb here.

Thanks for playing Forts!

Cheers,
EWG

G’day, Forts fans!

Last week saw the end of Season 4 of Forts ranked multiplayer. We'd like to congratulate WIG_W11AWA for coming top of the 1v1 pile. As for 2v2 ranked multiplayer, that honour goes to WIG_273. Well done!

These players will receive an in-game gold medal for their heroics, with the second and third placed players receiving silver and bronze medals respectively. On top of this, all players who finished in the top 20 will receive a medal to reflect that. The top 20 of each leaderboards are as follows:

1. WIG_W11AWA
   
2. KnuffigesPuffi
   
3. WIG_Rothes - 肉丝
   
4. WIG_Wydbee
   
5. M4r0x | WIG
   
6. zhangshiliang502
   
7. Matteo0160
   
8. samsam
   
9. HTBED
   
10. CNFT_0437残月
    
11. WIG_伞皇
    
12. Jorge-Stoom
    
13. MoYan
    
14. CNFT_SkyWalker
    
15. QASAklim_
    
16. Teutonick
    
17. WIG_273
    
18. boberetoGaming
    
19. milomill
    
20. Land Planters
    

1. WIG_273
   
2. FYFT-编号203
   
3. WIG_Rothes - 肉丝
   
4. Matteo0160
   
5. zhangshiliang502
   
6. KnuffigesPuffi
   
7. EnderCorp
   
8. 42 scientist
   
9. WIG_YUPUIP
   
10. CNFT_副营长郝萌
    
11. CNFT_摄像机
    
12. HTBED
    
13. WIG_W11AWA
    
14. samsam
    
15. CNFT_DuskDawn
    
16. Trekjeft
    
17. WIG_\(^o^)/
    
18. felixwoelmuis
    
19. WIG_小熊宝宝
    
20. WIG_五十已到
    

The leaderboards have been reset, and Season 5 is now under way, ending on Sunday May 31st. As mentioned in the Update 1.6 notes, the end of Season 4 also sees the end of the 2v2 ranked multiplayer leaderboard. Sadly, the participation levels didn't warrant the development maintenance. Now we can focus on 1v1 and make that the best it can be. Past 2v2 medal winners will keep their prizes.

Thanks for playing Forts, and good luck for Season 5!

Cheers,
EWG

G’day, Forts fans!

We're taking the chance this season roll-over provides to bring you some much needed fixes and updates. Among them is a favourites system for mods and maps. Use the star buttons on the left to mark favourites, then the filter menu to list only them. This will make it easier set up your most beloved battlefields.

We've also added the much requested ability to play multiplayer with alongside AI team mates, which broadens the range of maps for some players. Just select the new 'Team Deathmatch +AI' game mode in the lobby.

Ranked play has seen a few changes as well. The 2v2 competition has never been popular, and yet still consumes some of our time and attention. To better focus on the main attraction, 1v1, we have decided to discontinue it. We apologise to fans of this mode. Medal owners of previous seasons will retain their prizes.

Following some feedback on the maps used in ranked play, we have removed some, updated others, and added Stalactites 1v1. This should make the competition more consistent and focussed.

In addition, we have updated the way ranked games are scored in order to combat players disconnecting themselves and ducking a loss. Unfortunately this has seen some teething problems, and a bug with the initial patch caused enough scoring faults to warrant a reset of the leaderboard after a day of play. We believe this is fixed but are aware of some other issues which we are looking into. Please bear with us while we work to make ranked 1v1 the best it can be.

Check out the list below for more details.

[h2]Release 2020-04-03a Changelist[/h2]
Add: Team Deathmatch +AI multiplayer mode, fills in empty forts with AI players
Add: star buttons to 'favourite' maps and mods, which can be used as a filter
Add: support for up to 10 weapon groups outside of campaigns
Add: Stalactites 1v1, new map for ranked multiplayer
Add: show weapon reload timer in replays
Add: FlipVertOnLeft flag to SpriteEffect
Add: copyright warning to Workshop Upload dialog
Add: blank 'draw' banner for when a player disconnects in ranked without a big enough damage difference
Add: FindUpgrade and RemoveUpgrade Lua functions to device_list.lua and weapon_list.lua
Add: screenshake to Howitzer firing
Add: Map Maker Tournament champion medal
Add: Flying Forts champion medals

Balance: AP snipers can one-shot shotguns (+100% damage)
Balance: increase minigun damage against shotgun (+200% damage)

Improve: update score during play with technical winner to discourage disconnection
Improve: tweaked Workshop Upload dialog to make German translations fit better
Improve: move menu backgrounds and base HUD skin to their own folders for substitution
Improve: texture paths can be substituted at run time to support menu and HUD skins
Improve: map name edit fields (map editor and upload dialogs) clamped to 30 chars and 350 pixels width
Improve: tweaked map name text fields in map editor, upload dialog and chatroom to be consistent (16 pt font, 350 width)
Improve: tweaked Campaign list box to clamp campaign names to 445 pixels (including localised "(In Progress)" suffix)
Improve: moved the following constants to "db\constants_user.lua":
- Game.LogGLErrors
- Game.LogDisplayModes
- View.UserScreen.TransitionTime
- View.UserScreen.EaseFraction
- Effects.VerboseLogging
- FileDetailsCache.VerboseLogging
- Mods.VerboseLogging
- Workshop.VerboseLogging
Improve: moved DedicatedHost to settings_hardware.lua
Improve: players can switch sides to sabotage the enemy
- Set lock teams on by default
Improve: explicitly define ranked map list in constants
Improve: overview and team screens are set to something sensible when not set by the map author
Improve: Pillars - Added extra armour to defend against Buzzsaw rush

Fix: edging sprites can be drawn at huge random sizes
Fix: AI can change target while firing beams
Fix: GetProjectileGravity doesn't return default gravity when it's not overridden
Fix: single point terrain blocks can still cause spurious device collisions
Fix: projectiles cause effects when hitting overridden blank surfaces
Fix: HUD ground texture doesn't update when cycling selected block
Fix: mod scripts are registered & executed twice
Fix: when devices are enabled by script HUD item visibility is adjusted regardless of the local team
Fix: .wav and .mp3 files are not correctly searched for when preloading samples
Fix: audio samples can't be loaded from pack files
Fix: \reload_effects causes effect preload errors
Fix: mod script.lua doesn't have its path variable set
Fix: when menu background texture fails to load the textures being loaded are cycled instead
- added ui/textures/invalid.tga to display instead of texture id 0
Fix: some display name issues suggesting workshop maps in lobby
Fix: Firebird icon for smokebomb is missing
Fix: disabled effects can delete child effects with no active particles
Fix: when deleting characters from IME it will also delete from console and editbox
Fix: ranked score can be reset incorrectly in some circumstances
Fix: saving default preview screens in editor doesn't correctly account for world extents
Fix: ranked score update sometimes doesn't match that shown to user
Fix: minigun, mortar2, rocket, shotgun upgrades were not modded/priced correctly due to loss of string key in 'Upgrades' table
Fix: some 'disable' mods for upgrades not updated to loss of string key in 'Upgrades' table
Fix: Moonshot campaign objectives are missing information about requirements and unlocks in Chinese
Fix: minor translation issues with commanders
Fix: AI deletes fuses before they burn out, preventing progress on the Goldberg mission
Fix: mod filters for multiplayer chatroom
Fix: issue with map/mod select state tests when refreshing file select screen
Fix: (Phantom) dummy devices still cost 30M rather than 20
Fix: reactor health doesn't cause a tie break in low damage match
Fix: mapping and flying champs don't show up in trophy cabinet
Fix: tutorial 2: poor turbine placement doesn't provide feedback
Fix: HUD skin_dlc1 texture errors when loading a ranked replay

Remove: ranked 2v2
Remove: outdated and inappropriate maps from ranked 1v1

[h2]Release 2020-04-19a Changelist (HOTFIX)[/h2]
Add: save a backup campaign save (*.cbk) if the save was successful, and there is either no current backup or the backup file size is smaller than the new save
Add: Console error messages if a broken campaign save is detected (i.e. failed to load campaign save script)
Add: yes/no message box to restore from a backup campaign save if a broken save is detected, and a backup (*.cbk) exists
Add: "VerboseLoggingSound" to settings_hardware.lua and "Sound.VerboseLogging" to user constants:
- logs various fmod initialisation and bank loading steps to main game log.txt file
- (debug build only) logs internal fmod informational, warning and error messages to [userdir]\fmodoutput.txt
Add: data.MissileAimingDelay variable to specify the missile firing delay the AI uses
Add: '®' to Forts logo

Improve: validate campaign saves after they are written. Display an error message if they fail.
Improve: prevent panning when window not in focus

Fix: abandoning a campaign save would not write a backup (*.bak) if one already exists
Fix: issue with fmod->setAdvancedSettings() using incorrectly initialised FMOD_ADVANCEDSETTINGS structure
Fix: deserialising audio streams (i.e. replays and joining in progress) would play music regardless of EnableGameMusic setting
Fix: crash when using the GIF/video buttons in a replay
Fix: invalid console message "Error: Replay file 20200405_192959 is of the wrong version (0, should be 153)"
Fix: damage to reactor just before destruction can prevent ranked winner getting points
Fix: corrupt ranked scores can be uploaded
Fix: ranked draws count as a loss, affecting players win/loss ratio when the connection times out
Fix: host in ranked can switch team to spy on enemy commander selection
Fix: multi-projectile burst weapons (e.g. shotgun) can be fired without reload if projectiles are blocked
Fix: RankedMatchScreen still depends on the Multiplayer2 leaderboard to function correctly
Fix: when a node is created but obstructed it doesn't clear the standin node, preventing further construction
Fix: missiles can be launched from after the owner has changed
Fix: cursor can get stuck in pan mode when dropping out of multiplayer
Fix: weapon auto door preview can be out of sync with construction
Fix: strut drag/replace, and context convert, reclaim and repair menu show inconsistent expense signs
Fix: device reclaim and upgrade context menu show inconsistent expense signs
Fix: (Spire) difference in ground blocks AI script on team 2

Thanks for playing Forts.

Cheers,
EWG

G’day, Forts fans!

This past Saturday saw the sixteenth official Forts tournament take place, and what an event it was! Sixteen competitors from all corners of the globe battled it out over four rounds and two battle modes to decide the new Forts Champion.

Congratulations must go to Switzerland's KnuffigesPuffi for coming out on top and adding a tournament champion medal to the various medals he has earned over the last three ranked seasons. Both Matteo0160 and Nøxx did France proud, coming in second and third place respectively, in a fiercely competitive championship.

Indeed, the standard of competitor and the variety in strategy far exceeded that of previous tournaments, with no one default tactic emerging, and players having to adapt to the circumstances that the high level of opponent and map design presented. If you missed the live event, below are links to the streams from regular tournament commentators Project Incursus and Frazz, as well as that of emerging Forts streaming stalwart SynergyGamingTV and the ever-supportive Communauté Véritable Twitch Channel (FR). We thank them all for their support and efforts in making this tournament such a success.

Project Incursus Frazzz SynergyGamingTV Communauté Véritable Twitch Channel (FR)

Last, but by no means least, thanks must go to 42scientist for organising the tournament and allowing it to go so smoothly, while at the same time putting in a valiant effort as a competitor.

Until the next tournament, thanks for playing Forts.

Cheers,
EWG

G'day Forts Fans! We're back with a new tournament announcement, but first we'd like to bring your attention to the recent map making tournament that took place this past weekend.

[h2]Map Making Tournament[/h2]
One of our biggest supporters Cronkhinator from the Official German FORTS Discord, along with help from 42 Scientist organised the very first Forts Map Making Tournament. The winner was M4r0x with his map MMT1F M4r0x (for which he will receive an in-game medal seen below in recognition), with SamsterBirdies coming in as the runner up.



Huge congrats to everyone involved for branching the Forts Tournaments into an interesting and exciting new direction. You can watch the chilled out tournament from two perspectives, via Smash Gaming (Frazzz) and Project Incursus streams...

[previewyoutube]Smash Gaming (Frazzz)[/previewyoutube][previewyoutube]Project Incursus.[/previewyoutube]










You can see the final scorecard here.

[h2]Forts Tournament XVI[/h2]
It's been over half a year since our last official Forts Tournament and the time has come to see who is the the current top Forts player in the world!

This will be a 1v1 Moonshot Tournament with regular and capture point maps. It is being organised by the ever helpful 42 Scientist @ [FR/Official] FORTS Communauté Véritable, and is open to everyone and all languages. Once again, the battle maps will be chosen by audience vote during the live stream. You can vote here.

The tournament stream will be hosted by the endlessly supportive Project Incursus and Frazzz, with a cameo appearance by Nozehed as himself.

In order to participate, you must do the following...

• Join the FORTS Discord
  
• Send a direct message on Discord to 42 scientist#6023 saying you want to compete.
  
• Your name on Discord and Steam have to match.
  
• No long, obscure or offensive names allowed.
  
• At this stage you will be entered into the tournament bracket as a competitor.
  
• Log into the Tournament channel on the Forts discord during the tournament.
  

• Tournament starts March 7th, 2020 at...
  
• 12pm (PDT West Coast USA)
  
• 3pm (EST East Coast USA)
  
• 8PM UTC/GMT (London)
  
• 9PM CET (France)
  
• 5AM AEDT March 8th (Eastern Australia)
  

• The FORTS multiplayer lobby
  
• The FORTS Official Discord
  
• The FORTS Tournament XVI Challonge Site

• 1v1 Moonshot Standard Battles and Capture Points
  
• Single Elimination
  
• 15 minute battle time limit
  
• Maps chosen by audience vote
  
• Ton of Guns enabled
  
• Moonshot enabled
  
• Portals enabled
  
• Commanders enabled
  
• Draws decided by core damage inflicted (total damage if same core damage)
  
• 16 competitors max
  
• No suicides
  
• 2nd round is in capture point mode
  
• 3rd round and Finals are normal best of 3 with capture point tie-breaker
  
• Late or missing players instantly forfeit
  

Project Incursus Youtube Channel Smash Gaming Youtube Channel

(chosen by viewers during the tournament)

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE NEXT MAP

Abyss

note: Earthwork Games reserves the right to make changes to this event as needed