1. Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation
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  3. Ashes of the Singularity v2.99 Opt-In Update

Ashes of the Singularity v2.99 Opt-In Update

As 2021 gets underway, we've been working hard to polish up the final balance updates on our opt-in towards a final release. Here's the latest changes made with today's refresh of the public opt-in build.

If you'd like to check it out, just follow these directions:

  1. Select Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation in your Steam Library
  2. Click the gear icon in the upper right and select Properties
  3. Select the BETAS tab and then select 'opt-in' from the dropdown
  4. Click the Close button (hitting enter will not work)


[h2]General Changes[/h2]
  • Players now begin the game with 115 Quanta (up from 100). This is to help with the early game flow updates we made in the previous update.
  • Engineer/Constructor healing beam range increased to 450m (up from 200m)
  • Firing angles on weapons (especially beam weapons) adjusted to allow for better targeting of different elevations.
  • All drones sight range increased to 800m with radar of 815m (same as Tier 1)
  • Dreadnaught level up experience has been changed to reflect the changes to unit HP (which determines XP gain). New levels are:\
    • Level 2: 8,000 XP
    • Level 3: 28,000 XP
    • Level 4: 48,000 XP
    • Level 5: 68,000 XP

  • Juggernaut XP levels have been adjusted as well to double those of dreadnaughts.
  • PHC players now start the game with Metal/Radioactives storage capacity of 1,500 (up from 1,000)


[h2]AI Changes[/h2]
  • The AI has been updated extensively to account for the balance and unit changes made to the game across behaviors and difficulty levels.
  • The AI will now capture nodes and expand consistently. At lower difficulty levels, the AI will expand less efficiently, while at higher levels (Challenging +) it will highly prioritize node capture, building extractors, amplifiers, etc.
  • AI army groups have been improved, diversified and updated to their appropriate game options personality types. Default will tend towards air power, Crusher will focus on cruisers, Skirmisher towards frigates, etc. The AI will also switch up strategies as the game progresses based on conditions.
  • Note that per the above, we have adjusted the bonuses AI players automatically received on Insane. Insane AI players are geared towards multiplayer comp-stomps for advanced players, while lower level AIs should be well matched to various player skill levels.
  • We fixed a bug that caused the AI to stop building ground units when it switched to air production.
  • We updated the AI's approach to using air units. Many air units have been incorporated into standard armies as close air support, while larger gunship and heavy bomber reserves will show up in the mid-late game.
  • We fixed a bug that caused the AI to hoard huge forces at its Nexus. It should now push these units into the field in a timely manner (depending on economic income).
  • We fixed some map-specific AI behavior issues on Battleline Frenzy and Fast and Furious.


[h2]Campaigns[/h2]
  • Some campaign missions have been adjusted to reflect the changes made in this (and prior) updates including Escalation - Orion's Spur, Escalation - Betelgeuse, and others.


[h2]Ground Unit Updates[/h2]
[h3]Tier 1[/h3]
  • Substrate Saboteur: Squad size increased to 5; HP increased to 197 (from 40), Shields increased to 462 (from 45); Logistics increased to 10 (from 8).
  • Substrate Scarab: Updated leashing to improve formation behavior. HP increased to 124 (from 102), Shields increased to 270 (from 225), Logistics decreased to 10 (from 15)
  • Substrate Tormentor: Energy set to 60. Weapon cooldown decreased to 8 seconds (from 10), damage increased to 120 (from 80) with 20 energy per shot; weapon velocity increased. These changes are to help give the Substrate an answer to the PHC Artemis.


[h3]Tier 2[/h3]
  • Substrate Avenger: Updated the Discouraging Streamer weapons to only target T1 units. This was done because the Avenger was overperforming against other T2 and structure targets.
  • PHC Athena: HP reduced to 2,583 (from 2,870).
  • Substrate Mauler: HP reduced to 698 (from 853), Shields reduced to 1,627 (from 1,730), Energy reduced to 75 (from 100)
    • The changes to the Athena and Mauler were made to give the Hera, Eradicator, Skirmisher and Clutch of Eggs better positions as mid-game cruiser forces.
  • Substrate Destructor: Plasma Rain damage decreased to 14 (from 20), weapon speed increased to 320 - its anti-structure ability was a bit too good. Leashing updated to prevent the Destructor from running to the front of an army. Secondary weapon range increased to 1,400.
  • PHC Artemis: Harpoon cooldown increased to 6.5 (from 6), min firing range increased to 300m (from 100m), damage increased to 422 (from 200), projectile speed increased. Missile barrage range decreased to 1300m (from 1400m), damage decreased to 59 (from 70).
  • Substrate Eradicator: Sniper gun damage increased to 450 (from 400); plasma cannon damage increased to 10 (from 8); firing arcs adjusted so they can fire on more easily.
  • Substrate Falling Star: Stun on death ability now stuns buildings for 6 seconds (up from 3)
  • Substrate Clutch of Eggs: On death now spawns 5 squads of Spiderlings (up from 4)
  • PHC Nemesis: Weapons ranges reduced to 1200m (from 1400m)


[h3]Tier 3
  • PHC Cronus: Multiple updates to make this dreadnought a more viable choice.
    • Missile battery shots increased to 12 (from 8), AoE increased to 150m (from 100m), shot velocity increased. Visuals updated.
    • Rail cannons can now fire at targets more easily.
    • Death Blossom (ability): Range increased to 800m (from 600m)
    • Orion Cascade (ability): Range increased to 300m/1850m (from 400m/1200m), AoE increased to 75m (from 50m), damage increased to 120 (from 60), projectile speed increased; new visuals added.
    • Subsonic Demolish (ability): AoE decreased to 120m (from 150m), now Armor Piercing, visuals updated.
  • Substrate Overmind: Multiple improvements to make the Overmind a more lethal unit.
    • HP increased to 7,710 (from 6,417), Shields increased to 14,750 (from 11,375), Armor increased to 5 (from 4)
    • Drone leashing increased to 400m so they'll attack targets more easily.
    • Plasma Bolts: Cooldown increased to 2 (from 1.9), range increased to 750m (from 600), damage increased to 30 (from 10); weapon arcs/turret movement adjusted so these can now fire at more targets.
    • Various updates to improve unit movement.
  • PHC Hyperion: This unit proved to be a bit too strong and has been tweaked:
    • Laser Pulse Cannon: Damage decreased to 68 (from 80)
    • Autocannons: Range increased to 700m (from 600), damage decreased to 17 (from 20)
  • Substrate Retributor: The Retributor was underperforming compared to the Hyperion and so got some buffing:
    • HP increased to 11,340 (from 10,111), Shields decreased to 13,860 (from 15,800)
    • Particle Beam Cannons: Duration decreased to 3 (from 4); damage increased to 200 (from 150)
    • Plasma Cannons: Range increased to 700m (from 400); damage increased to 20 (from 6)
  • PHC Prometheus: Plasma and Autocannon ranges increased to 700m (from 400/600 respectively). Autocannon firing arcs updated to target more enemies. Overloaded Quad Cannon shot visuals updated.
  • Substrate Savager: The Savager needed to help in order to have the same anti-T3 capability as the Prometheus.
    • WMC damage increased to 75 (from 59); type changed to Bolt (from Explosive)
    • Executor (WMC upgrade) cooldown decreased to 4.1 (from 60), damage decreased to 150 (from 320); type changed to Bolt (from Explosive). The Executor upgrade replaces the WMC when taken, which made the Savager only able to fire its primary weapon once every minute; this is the reason for the cooldown update.


[h2]Air Units[/h2]
While air has become a viable strategy now, we noticed that players were using fighters to screen against damage and decimate ground forces.
  • PHC Pan: HP decreased to 210 (from 350) - this was an error and wasn't meant to be so high.
  • Substrate Searcher: HP decreased to 57 (from 105), Shields decreased to 132 (from 245)
  • PHC Instigator: Updated flying performance so these can properly capture nodes.
  • PHC Fury: HP decreased to 750 (from 1000)
  • Substrate Dominator: HP decreased to 225 (from 284), Shields decreased to 525 (from 615)
  • PHC Hades: HP increased to 1569 (from 1557)
  • Substrate Punisher: HP decreased to 445 (from 490), Shields decreased to 966 (from 1067), Metal cost decreased to 280 (from 310), Radioactives cost decreased to 180 (from 220)
  • PHC Air Marauder: HP decreased to 2755 (from 3190); Ripper cannon shots decreased to 17 (from 24), interpulse duration increased.
  • Substrate Rampager: HP reduced to 827 (from 1101), Shields decreased to 1928 (from 2089), Metal cost decreased to 580 (from 620), Radioactives cost decreased to 320 (from 440).
  • PHC Strategic Bomber: Weapon now uses the same targeting as the Hades. Cooldown increased to 9 (from 6), range decreased to 700m (from 1400), projectile speed increased. Don't let these changes fool you - this has improved weapon accuracy and the weapon deals 900 per attack!
  • Substrate Air Harbinger: HP decreased to 1953 (from 2343), Shields increased to 4557 (from 4166), Metal cost reduced to 1085 (from 1150).


[h2]Static Defenses[/h2]
  • Nexus: Both PHC and Substrate Nexus' now have an anti-air weapon with a range of 1100m.
  • Substrate Serpentine Turret: This turret was underperforming compared to its PHC counterpart. Damage has been increased to 85 (from 45) with a tweak to its pulse between shots.
  • Substrate Drone MRV: Range increased to 1600m (from 1200m)
  • PHC Falcon AA: Cooldown decreased to 1.5 (from 2), range increased to 1200m (from 1150), damage increased to 36 (from 29)
  • Substrate Starburst: Cooldown increased to 1.5 (from 1.2), damage increased to 36 (from 20)
  • PHC Barrager Turret: Damage increased to 75 (from 45); firing arcs adjusted so that 2 pods should be able to hit a single target.
  • Substrate Heavy Annihilator: Cooldown increased to 1.5 (from 0.5), shots decreased to 30 (from 40).
  • PHC Artillery Post: Range decreased to 2000m (from 2800); now requires Weapons Lab to build.
  • PHC Nova Tower: Range decreased to 2000m (from 2800)


[h2]Non-Defensive Buildings[/h2]
  • PHC Quantum Relay / Substrate Quantum Archive: Radioactives cost decreased to 285 (from 400).
  • PHC Refinery: Radioactives cost decreased to 350 (from 600), build time decreased to 80 (from 120). These changes are to help account for the Substrate's Harvester flexibility.


A special call out to the community members who've worked very hard with us to make these updates possible: Tarnished Knight, Resopmok, Drivver44, and fantstc
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