Optional Beta 0.22111 - Freeplay AI Saving, Fixes

MikeSlugDisco

Community Manager
Staff member
Community Manager
We’ve made big strides towards getting the freeplay AI save-able, and we’re at the point where we could do with some extra feedback before we declare it good to go. This opt-in beta build adds saving to freeplay games with AI colonies, which should make them much more viable in a long game.

If you would like to participate, the beta code is christmasants. You will need to be a 64 bit Windows Steam user to join. If you’re unfamiliar with how to activate a Steam beta and would like to, follow the steps below:
  1. Find Empires of the Undergrowth in your Steam library, right-click on it and choose "Properties"
  2. Choose the "Betas" tab
  3. In the box titled "Enter beta access code to unlock private betas", enter christmasants
  4. After the "Access code correct" information appears, make sure you've chosen "Open beta" from the "Select the beta you would like to opt into" drop-down menu
  5. Press close - the game will now update to the beta branch.

WARNING - We highly recommend you backup your saves before testing this beta build. This beta is primarily testing saving so this is more important than usual - there’s an above-normal chance of save files becoming corrupted. Save files are located at:

C:/Users/[YOUR USER NAME]/AppData/Local/EotU/Saved/SaveGames

Headline Features
  • Saving is now available with AI colonies in freeplay
    • Please keep an eye out for strange behaviours of the enemy or allied colonies after a save and load in freeplay; it is possible some of their behaviour has not been correctly restored. Please report these on our forums or Discord!
Fixes
  • Fixed some underground visual tile bugs
  • Fixed a minor issue with the slave maker button in battle arena
  • Swarm slave makers now have team colours working properly
  • Fixed a surface tile painting issue on The Dunes
  • Removed some specks of dirt that were floating on the open nest entrances in The Dunes
  • Fixed an issue where AIs that were cheating could only get a free hatch once per game
  • Fixed issues with the AI colony’s visibility of spawned landmarks (should lead to some more sensible landmark harvesting decisions)
  • Fixed an issue where surface tunnels could switch when a freeplay game was loaded
  • Fixed an issue where randomised caverns were not loading and saving
  • Fixed an issue where some creatures could freeze if interrupted during picking up another creature
  • Creatures eaten by other creatures will no longer drop invisible food
  • Festive Spider level funnel web kills now count towards your experience
  • Adjusted web size in Christmas spider level the better represent the area funnel webs can detect enemies
  • Webs in the Festive Spider level will no longer expand upwards covering the map
  • Webs stop increasing in size beyond level 9 in the Festive Spider level
  • Fixed an animation issue to do with wood ants rapid firing
  • In freeplay uber mole crickets now count towards the hunter victory condition
  • Can no longer tag and untag another colony’s tunnel exit for excavation
Optimisations
  • Optimisation added to creature spawning when looking up its class (should speed things up when lots of ants are hatching at once such as the beginning of a freeplay game)
 
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TheRexYo

Queen
Perhaps the next beta could be the Antpedia? It would make things a lot less confusing for the players. I can give some examples of common misconceptions regarding the less-used ants in the game:
1) There are people who believe that the Army Ant Major's damage bonus is a 'rage' effect, but it is in fact (at least according to a tooltip in 3.2 and John's dev-streams) an AoE damage bonus for all allied ants (including the major).
2) Almost nobody knows what Slave-makers are for, despite them being one of the best ants thanks to their extremely good stat curve when upgraded.
3) Wood Ant Melees are often used as fighters by new players, rather than as tanks. Their stats should really be listed in-game to avoid this.
 

MikeSlugDisco

Community Manager
Staff member
Community Manager
I'm in the process of writing the wiki, but there's a lot to write and some supporting systems left to implement for that. I wouldn't expect to see it until closer to full release.
 

TheRexYo

Queen
I'm in the process of writing the wiki, but there's a lot to write and some supporting systems left to implement for that. I wouldn't expect to see it until closer to full release.
Hey, I'm glad there's a plan. Perhaps if I get some spare time I'll do an 'Ant Analysis' series on youtube. If I do, I'll post it here.
 
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