Status of the Mod as of Nov 18th

[smurfbizkit]

Current Progress

For the past 6 months, MEC2's progress is best described as; "We can see the finish line, its only a couple of steps away...but with each step we take, it also moves away a step". We've completely underestimated how much work, and how much time is required to obtain the level of polish we want...and even then, R1 will likely have tons of unseen imbalances.

Overall though, we are very close to a release. Across the board, we're mostly just wrapping things up...and redoing/fixing any issues that pop up.

Voices - Mentioned in the last update, these are all completely recorded...just waiting on them to be cut up, with headset filters applied.

Code - Korona's been working on the Nethia Vehicle and he's also stepped up and done all of the new particlefx we have (including our brilliant bloodfx).

Animations - Donnie has a good chunk to do, including getting the buildups ingame...and updating the Jinn art...however he's in the middle of finals.

Balance - I need to sit down and take a big balance pass yet, plus we need testers to go in and make sure there aren't any huge imbalances.

There are a ton of other tiny little things that need done yet, things like; AI tweaks, new menu backgrounds, infantry icons, a few more soundfx, website needs overhauled (content-wise), etc. etc. By and large, most of the work is done...


Game Design

There is an interesting new rush potential now...the Jihadist rush is back, however this time if you include their "spawns IED on death" upgrade it makes them very useful for destroying enemy vehicles. I've found that if there are enough vehicles...just run the Jihadists in front of them as they are moving, so they crush the Jihadists...but the IED is then dropped, so the tanks die.

Several IDF units have had design overhauls;

The Merkava is one of our most-tweaked units. Initially it was going to have an apc slot + the medivac upgrade, then it had the "spawns health decreasing, but superpowered/faster Merkava", then it became the "when its health is in the red, it deals more damage" (which it still retains)...but also now, upon death the Merkava's crew pops out (and is basically a Reservist squad).

The APC also gained the ability to eat Camera Drones...giving them another purpose. I can't wait to test out and see how possible it is to use hit and run attacks with the APC...soley due to getting the drones close enough to the enemies to earn cash.

The Gideon also has tweaks, we moved the smoke screen ability from the AWACS to it...so the Gideon now has 2 abilities (smoke screen + white phosphorus (building clear)).

Of course there are tons of other changes...but these are probably the most interesting ones to you guys.

Beta Phase 2

I'll admit, that I dropped the ball here. About a month or two ago, it became easier for us to essentially put the closed beta on hold...and focus on finishing up the insane amount of art + content needed. We will be relaunching the closed beta shortly...possibly opening up applications again. However, this will be a short closed test, maybe even as short as just a week or two.


Release?

Most stuff is done, just depends on how quickly the rest of it comes together. Current plan is; relaunch the closed beta, while thats in testing...finish up the other stuff, then release the open beta, work on all the newly found imbalances while we add in the UN.

[smurfbizkit]

note: we have a HUGE news update coming soon...its typed up, but needs someone from Isotx to set it up and publish it

[Saladin]

Great news!!
What about the storyline? Will we get some infos about it in the next Newsupdate?

[smurfbizkit]

We have plans for a cool way to showcase story material, but thats a ways off. We may end up putting some faction history up when we do the site-content overhaul though.

[supjay]

How big would the installer be? I mean the size? Will there be a custom installer like those in early RA games??

[smurfbizkit]

We're trying to do a cool custom installer...depends on time, but we'll have something there at least. (more-so than the usual installisheilds).

The size of the mod right now is around 60mb (in rar form)...but the voices aren't in. I'd guess we'll hit somewhere between 90-120mb or so.

[TagDaze]

There is an interesting new rush potential now...the Jihadist rush is back, however this time if you include their "spawns IED on death" upgrade it makes them very useful for destroying enemy vehicles. I've found that if there are enough vehicles...just run the Jihadists in front of them as they are moving, so they crush the Jihadists...but the IED is then dropped, so the tanks die.

I must honestly say that I do not appreciate this idea.

[The Mr Z]

the rush i do not like the sound of. i hope they are fragile enough to halt without much difficulty.

so if we keep the tanks still they should be fine?

[Advantage]

Ouch... that sounds bad. Although, if you kill them w/ aircraft after they get that upgrade, it should be no problem. Also, if you kill them at their base, the IED might damage their structures.

It also sounds like the IDF is gonna be one heck of a pain mid to late game. Some mass camera APC harassment + Merkava/Mechanic Drone strikes, as well as Gehenna spotting... well... that's just game over. 


Great job!! I can't wait for this to come out (on my b-day, right? ).

[smurfbizkit]

the rush i do not like the sound of. i hope they are fragile enough to halt without much difficulty.

so if we keep the tanks still they should be fine?

Tunguska's can spot the mines and can destroy them without too much issue, the catch is you have to be on the ball..once you notice the infantry are dropping ied's, stop crushing the infantry.

It also sounds like the IDF is gonna be one heck of a pain mid to late game. Some mass camera APC harassment + Merkava/Mechanic Drone strikes, as well as Gehenna spotting... well... that's just game over. 


Great job!! I can't wait for this to come out (on my b-day, right? ).

Yea right now...IDF late-game is very very powerful, especially on the larger maps, where you can hid gehenna's off to a corner. We may have to tweak it actually, so that the MiGs are more of an end-game weapon than they are now...or at least so they are far less vulnerable to thel-weaponry.

[Galorian]

the rush i do not like the sound of. i hope they are fragile enough to halt without much difficulty.

so if we keep the tanks still they should be fine?

Tunguska's can spot the mines and can destroy them without too much issue, the catch is you have to be on the ball..once you notice the infantry are dropping ied's, stop crushing the infantry.

It also sounds like the IDF is gonna be one heck of a pain mid to late game. Some mass camera APC harassment + Merkava/Mechanic Drone strikes, as well as Gehenna spotting... well... that's just game over. 


Great job!! I can't wait for this to come out (on my b-day, right? ).

Yea right now...IDF late-game is very very powerful, especially on the larger maps, where you can hid gehenna's off to a corner. We may have to tweak it actually, so that the MiGs are more of an end-game weapon than they are now...or at least so they are far less vulnerable to thel-weaponry.

You could compensate by giving them a late game ability that wipes out a small area but is either too expensive or has too long a cooldown to be used for mundane purposes (a scud G strike or somesuch), then all they have to do is locate the gehenna.

[KniveZ]

Napalm missile might be good. Leaves an area burning for like 5 minutes obliterating anything, but as golarian said, it would have a long cool down. Or, maybe an ability where they fire a single missile that can hit anywhere on the map (like JDAAM) and can destroy any target in one hit (again long cooldown)

[The Mr Z]

the problem is that the IDf will be able to replace the Gehenna faster than the cooldown. and by the looks of those pics, they can get quite a few at a time.

also, once you know where they are, they've probably already nuked you.

range limitation?

Siganal scrambling: if in range of a GOI controlled digital port (telecom tower or equivalent) then the signal/missile gets hacked and the AWACs can't spot in that area. or perhaps the Jiin could do something to prevent it.

problem with these is the UN will still be vulnurable when they're introduced. i think some sort of nerf may be the way to go, rather than a counter for each side. if a unit needs a specific counter then it's probably a balence problem.

[Advantage]

Well, since the Gehenna is an artillery unit, I assume it follows the typical weaknesses of either 1) lacking close-ranged defensive ability or 2) suffers from low survivability. I guess I can just build some AA to keep the AWACS from seeing your base properly... and then just charge some fast units at any Gehenna(s) coming uncomfortably close to my base. I hope it is possible to "intercept" their missiles, though, with some AA or something. I believe the THEL can, right?

Also, a few strategies can be used against the Gehenna... like pincers, kiting, harassment, flanking, or even aircraft. Micro is possible, too... just space your units so you'd lose one or two a shot. Or use fast units to attack, and making them GTFO of the way when a missile is launched. Hey... works with V4s, right?


It's also pretty cool how the abilities of IDF units help along with a sort of "policing" role. Like camera APCs patroling the streets of Israel, gaining you money when it spots an enemy... a few Gideons can fly around and take out minor threats (like some sort of gunship for the police) and keep threats from flaring up. Also, the IDF would have multiple outposts around its main base, all loaded with Reservists and Merkavas...


Sort of feels like a good mission in the campaign! *hint hint* 

[KniveZ]

Wait, the mujahadeen are stealthed or not? eitherway, why not let them spot for the katyushas, and then just bombard the gehenas.