Zero-K v1.8.8.2 - Construction Plates and Archer Rework

Some players like parallel build queues, some want more ways to optimise production, and some just think a base with lots of factories looks cool. All these desires are satisfied in this update with the introduction of construction plates - efficient mini-factories that must be placed near a main factory to function. They can be used in the campaign and teamgames to take advantage of allied tech, while in 1v1 they should make it easier for factories access their heavy units.

The rest of the update focuses on the balance of three area; Kodachi, Amph, and dense team games. Kodachi has received nerfs to rein in the range bestowed by the fire prediction AI from v1.8.5.0. Archer takes over the role of sea riot from Scallop, with Archer gaining a sonic blaster and Scallop losing torpedo power. Funnelweb, Lance, Gauss and Big Bertha have various nerfs to open up the options in dense team games.

In other news, there is a 1v1 tournament this weekend. Click here for details and post to sign up: https://zero-k.info/Forum/Thread/31918

Balance

Construction Plates are parallel build queues that offer an alternate method of increasing production. Hover a factory blueprint within 420 elmos of a factory of the same type to place a construction plate.

• Cost 150
• Health 1000 (1500 for Ship)
• Build Power 10

Scorcher regains some of its damage.

• DPS increased by 5.6%

Bolas has slightly more range to help it against Kodachi.

• Range 225 -> 230

Kodachi has a nerf to take fire prediction into account.

• Cost 170 -> 180
• Range 230 -> 215
• Reload Time 0.466s -> 0.5s
• Moved 13% of on-hit damage to groundburn damage.
• Projectile Velocity increased by 117% (reduces prediction overshoot).

Welder is more vulnerable to raids.

• Health 2000 -> 1800

Scallop torpedoes are relegated to sidearm status.

• Range 260 -> 270 (both weapons)
• Can fire torpedoes from underwater.
• Torpedo DPS reduced by 60%
• Torpedo AoE reduced by 62%

Archer takes on the role of sea riot.

• Replaced Water Cannon with Sonic Blaster.
• Can fire into water, must float to fire.
• Reduced Speed and increased DPS.

Lance is easier to catch.

• Speed 55.5 -> 52.5
• Turn Rate reduced by 9.4%
• Range 1020 -> 1000

Funnelweb takes on a tankyness more appropriate for a constructor.

• Cost 3000 -> 3500
• Health 6500 -> 4500

Gauss is worse at tying up artillery.

• Bunker Regen 20hp/s -> 10hp/s

Big Bertha is less generically powerful in dense team games.

• Cost 5000 -> 6000
• Reload 7s -> 8s
• AoE reduced by 8.3%
• Projectile speed reduced by 4.5%

Fixes

• Scouted Caretakers and Strider Hubs no longer radar wobble.
• Fixed metal reserve erroneously disabling repair.
• Fix commander speed when walking in formation.
• Various fixes to shared unit control mode.
• Disabled shift append to groups by default.
• Change disambiguation of space+click context menu.
• Likho is better at avoiding obstructions when aiming.
• Fix Grizzly float-to-fire AI in some edge-of-range cases.
• Fixed manual queuing with Auto Reclaim/Heal/Assist widget.
• Fixed an issue with auto-retreat for planes.
• Fixed repeated screen resolution changes causing some UI widgets to be lost under the minimap.
• Fixed zero volume music logic.
• Fixed rare spectator panels crash.

There has been a lot of talk about the mechanics of BB work through energy. The BB should require 40 energy per second. The BB must have its own energy storage, which requires a connection through the grid, the storage is filled at 40 e/s, it requires 320 energy for a shot, no energy, no shot. I don't understand why the energy is being ignored, but instead just increasing the amount of metal required for build.

thanks for your dedication!

lances were clumsy before. well lets see how this plays out. bertha is still the best riot.

There is a difference and it is as follows:

- energy takes up space demanding it protection, single unit, easier to protection
- energy absorption, reduces income, which makes planning energy expansion
- your team provides energy by paying your costs, which allows you to not pay for energy
- energy from winds is random, which will turn off what is consuming energy
- solar colletors is a wall that blocks invisible units
- any actions/units/objects that absorb energy affect other actions/units/objects, disabling them:
1. lack of energy disables ultimatum, widow
2. Repair units with requires high costs, somewhere the funneweb will not be able to buf shields, will lower all the energy to 0, due to which there will be no metal overdrive

All of the above makes the mechanics of energy work serious, the simple calculation that this can be translated into a metal/energy equivalent value sounds strange, because the work of energy dynamically affects a huge cluster of mechanics of game.

From here it comes out that the attacking unit does not require energy, the defensive unit devours it on a huge scale

As a kodachi fan, I approve this update. Though it still feels like rovers have been inferior to the tank factory with the recent updates. Maybe I'm just a fan of units with a high health pool and survivability, which is true.

Hidden nuke buff as it now kills Funnelweb.

Bertha denying mex across the whole map is quite silly in what is essentially a capture the point game.

I'm very excited by some of the smaller footnote fixes than the actual update itself. Looks like people who play more than me like the balance changes too. Much love!

I have to say whoever made those tiny factories did a really good job.

Just curious, why do you need a construction plate for the strider hub?

You can literally plop down 2 nanoframes if you want. The Q modifier to only place nanoframes works with the strider hub.

EDIT: I successfully tested that a moment ago and now I can't do it anymore because Q selects athena... wtf? W/E you can still manually place down 2 nanoframes.

EDIT2: Ok Q modifier works if you swap to the special build tab because Q is not a shortcut for anything there, so you can use it to plant a bunch of strider nanoframes.

You can also repeat command build, say, one ultimatum one funnelweb: set factory on repeat, select ultimatum, hold shift, place the frame, select funnelweb, hold shift, place the frame. Bingo, you now have a hub constantly producing an ulti followed by a funnel.

I don't see what a plate for strider hub would acheive a single strider hub doesn't already do.