Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Discussion about the game and its default mods.
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Sleipnir
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Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Sleipnir »

The experiment to release limited test builds to the forum/discord community for feedback and testing between playtests worked really well for release-20190314, so time to try this again for the "summer" 2019 build.

The next release is going to be even bigger than the last, bringing several major UI changes and a complete rewrite of the code that controls how units move, attack, and interact with each-other. The new unit behaviour fixes many long-standing gameplay bugs, but, like we found with the attack changes last time, has almost certainly also “fixed” popular but unintentional features that emerged from the interaction between those bugs.

By playing games on the test build and raising any bugs or unexpected behaviours you can help us fix any show-stopper bugs before the "real" playtests. This will save us time and effort, and make sure that the playtest builds will be stable enough to properly evaluate and, if necessary, tweak the game balance to keep MP games interesting and fun for the eventual release.


The devtest-20190824 build is based on this github tag, which applies several yet-to-be-merged PRs to the upstream bleed branch. This first test build may contain major bugs (it definitely has some minor ones), but I hope that with your help we can find and fix the worst problems within a couple of weeks and a couple of builds in time for an official playtest in early September. Two MP servers are available for each mod.

Download devtest-20191006:

Download for Windows (64 bit)
Download for Windows (32 bit)
Download for macOS
Download for Linux: Red Alert, Tiberian Dawn, Dune 2000

Important changes between devtest-20191006 and playtest-20190824 include:
  • Fixes for most reported issues
  • RA balance changes
  • Refinements to the spectator UI
Important changes between devtest-20190824 and devtest-20190818 include:
  • Fixed units not immediately responding to move orders
  • Fixes for several crashes
  • Removed the color (including white for neutral) from walls on the minimap
devtest-20190819 contains a fix for a serious crash in devtest-20190818 plus other minor changes

Important changes between devtest-20190818 and devtest-20190810 include:
  • Fixed Attack-move behaviour
  • Fixed transports / teleporting engineers
  • Fixes for two more crashes
  • Restored single-observer spectator chat
  • Refinements to the new Hotkey UI
  • Fixed aircraft movement in waypoint mode (groups no longer freeze up at the first waypoint)
  • Fixed aircraft not being able attack multiple targets in the same pass
  • Smarter harvesting behaviour
  • Improved Minelayer behaviour
  • Fixed a long-standing bug that caused unit vision to lag their actual position
Important changes between devtest-20190810 and devtest-20190807 include:
  • Fixes for two major crashes
  • Refinements to the waypoint mode UI
  • Refinements to Attack Move queuing
  • Refinements to harvester behaviour
  • A collection of other minor tweaks
Important changes compared with release-20190314 include:

Unit control changes:
  • All orders can now be queued
  • New waypoint mode / queuing UI
  • Target lines are displayed by default only in Waypoint mode (+ settings menu option to restore previous behaviours)
  • Fixed many bugs with attack-move, harvesters, service depots, aircraft
  • Force-move modifier (alt) allows you to undeploy and move a Construction yards in a single order
  • Transport helicopters remain airborne unless (un)loading passengers
  • Helicopters can be forced to land using the force-move modifier (alt), and will now occupy space / collect crates / crush infantry
  • Aircraft support the scatter command
  • Fixed several issues with the “opportunity fire” behaviour for tanks
  • New modifiers to prioritise support units (alt) and ignore priorities (ctrl) when selecting units
  • New hotkey (disabled by default) to remove units from a control group
Other UI / game changes:
  • New spectator UI
  • New hotkey configuration UI
  • Improved building placement previews
  • Map previews in the lobby now show trees and structures
  • System messages (e.g. player has quit) are now coloured to avoid confusion / spoofing
  • Load/Save support for missions and skirmishes
  • New lobby option to add a match time limit
RA-specific changes:
  • Spy plane, paradrop, parabomb support powers can be ordered with a specific direction by dragging the cursor while targeting
  • Crates can once again appear in water
  • Added two more missions from the Counterstrike expansion
  • Hind has been replaced with Black Hawk
  • France can now build a Fake Allied Barracks
  • Simplified stealth detection mechanics
  • Unit veterancy is visible to all players
  • Thief moved to Radar tech and restored Spy refinery cash stealing
  • Various Health, Cost, and build time tweaks
TD-specific changes:
  • New sidebar interface
  • Air strikes can be ordered with a specific direction by dragging the cursor while targeting
  • Various Health, Cost, build time tweaks
D2k-specific changes:
  • Death Hand missile is now a cluster missile as in the original game
  • Starport Frigates now correctly land vertically
  • Added building placement indicator for footprint cells without concrete
Windows-specific changes:
  • 64 bit installers are now available
  • Default support directory for new installs has changed from Documents to the "ProgramData" directory
Linux-specific changes:
  • AppImages no longer depend on a system Mono installation
  • Solved crashes caused by the system Mono installation on Debian 9 and Ubuntu 19.04
  • Default support directory for new installs has changed from "~/.openra/" to "~/.config/openra"
macOS-specific changes:
  • Minimum macOS requirement is now 10.9 (Mavericks)
  • No longer depends on a system Mono installation
  • Fixed the black screen startup freeze after updating macOS or Mono

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4mfie
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by 4mfie »

Excellent timing! I'm glad this was unveiled today. I was able to successfully host a couple of US dedicated servers on Debian 10 for the RA mod. Planning on getting a good amount of test matches in tonight. Cheers!

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Upps
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Location: Germany

Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Upps »

All unload actions from vehicel Phase Transport, Chinook, Transport (Naval) etc. are faulty. The units spawn short on the position where there entrance the transport.
I test it multiple times this Screenshot shows what happend when you load a transport on different places and then unload.

Image

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Upps
Posts: 44
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Location: Germany

Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Upps »

Its possible to "fast" repair Navalunits, but not in the old release!
Just spamclick with your damaged ship the Sub Pen/ Naval Yard or spam the repairkey + click next to one of those buildings and you can exploit the repair function.

I didn't can reproduce this with the Service Depot, Mechanics or with rearming air units ;)

I think tester should test really everything which comes in their mind :D

abcdefg30
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Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 6:00 pm

Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by abcdefg30 »

Thanks for the reports! Two PRs were filed that hopefully fix those bugs for the next version.

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Upps
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Upps »

On the pre-playtest a new grid got added for the IC/Chronosphere in yellow.
Request can we get other colors too? One of my main playercolors is yellow this makes the player color yellow to a bad choice if you ask me^^

Also the colored grid intensify for me the visual "glitch" of half cuting buildings and actors, when you hold the IC/Chronosphere over them.

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Punsho
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Location: Lithuania

Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Punsho »

Yaks behave very weirdly with queued attack orders. Sometimes the skip over the first target on the first flyby and if on the path attack the second queued one. Then on the second flyby they actually target the first queued target and follow queue chain

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Sleipnir
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Sleipnir »

A second devtest build is now available:
  • Fixes for two major crashes
  • Refinements to the waypoint mode UI
  • Refinements to Attack Move queuing
  • Refinements to harvester behaviour
  • A collection of other minor tweaks
Download for Windows (64 bit)
Download for Windows (32 bit)
Download for macOS
Download for Linux: Red Alert, Tiberian Dawn, Dune 2000

eskimo
Posts: 333
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:59 pm

Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by eskimo »

Couple of things i noticed on the new build.

Specs can't see GPS timer. Think the status thing is in the way.
gps.jpg
gps.jpg (5.73 KiB) Viewed 11634 times
Harvesters sometimes fall into control groups when you drag select over your army.

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Sleipnir
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Sleipnir »

eskimo wrote:
Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:49 pm
Harvesters sometimes fall into control groups when you drag select over your army.
Are you sure that you aren't holding ctrl while selecting the units to add to the control group?

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Blackened
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Blackened »

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dc4d7vjmg0jqa ... rarep?dl=0

attack move bug happens around 15 minutes in in the front of orbs base. You can see me try to use my tanks to take out his v2's and then I attack move my infantry but they run a lot more than they shoot.

eskimo
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by eskimo »

Sleipnir wrote:
Sun Aug 11, 2019 9:28 pm
eskimo wrote:
Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:49 pm
Harvesters sometimes fall into control groups when you drag select over your army.
Are you sure that you aren't holding ctrl while selecting the units to add to the control group?
I guess this is probably the case. Haven't had it before, so i guess it's a new thing.

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Sleipnir
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Sleipnir »

A third devtest build is now available:
  • Fixed Attack-move behaviour
  • Fixed transports / teleporting engineers
  • Fixes for two more crashes
  • Restored single-observer spectator chat
  • Refinements to the new Hotkey UI
  • Fixed aircraft movement in waypoint mode (groups no longer freeze up at the first waypoint)
  • Fixed aircraft not being able attack multiple targets in the same pass
  • Smarter harvesting behaviour
  • Improved Minelayer behaviour
  • Fixed a long-standing bug that caused unit vision to lag their actual position
Download for Windows (64 bit)
Download for Windows (32 bit)
Download for macOS
Download for Linux: Red Alert, Tiberian Dawn, Dune 2000

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Sleipnir
Posts: 878
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2002 11:52 pm
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Sleipnir »

Hot on the heels of the last one, a fourth devtest fixes a major crash and includes several other minor changes:

Download for Windows (64 bit)
Download for Windows (32 bit)
Download for macOS
Download for Linux: Red Alert, Tiberian Dawn, Dune 2000

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Sleipnir
Posts: 878
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2002 11:52 pm
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Re: Summer-2019 pre-playtest preview

Post by Sleipnir »

A new and possibly final devtest is now available:
  • Fixed units not immediately responding to move orders
  • Fixes for several crashes
  • Removed the color (including white for neutral) from walls on the minimap
Download for Windows (64 bit)
Download for Windows (32 bit)
Download for macOS
Download for Linux: Red Alert, Tiberian Dawn, Dune 2000

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