May 12, 2020

Armoured Commander II - Rev. Sudasana

I've uploaded a build of version 4.0.0 for closed beta participants, and this should be the version available to everyone from Thursday onward. There's no major updates from the previous release candidate, and saved campaigns from the previous version are still compatible. My thanks to everyone who reported issues with the previous beta and RC builds.

Changelog from the previous public release (3.0.2) follows:

Version 4.0.0 Changelog

General

ADD: New option to display in fullscreen with either 16px or 8px font
ADD: New unit definitions for turret traverse speed: Fast / Slow / Restricted Slow
ADD: Crewmen in smaller turrets cannot operate gun or MG when CE
ADD: Panzerschreck teams for AI in Canada's Best and Patton's Best campaigns
ADD: Crew skills can define a list of antirequisites; if crewman already has 1+ skill in list, cannot add this skill (used for when effects would be the same or worse)
ADD: Campaign Records for Commanders of completed campaigns; Player Commander must be active to be added to records
ADD: Completed combat days now recorded for campaign
ADD: Error message if unable to log in to Steam
CNG: Fate Point system redesigned: player always has a set number per day, but must choose when to use them for incoming attacks and AP rolls
CNG: Redesigned the end of campaign display
CNG: Improvements to layout of campaign journal
CNG: Decorations only awarded at end of campaign if Player Commander is active
CNG: Knowledge stat now modifies crewman's exp gain rate rather than modifying skill effects
CNG: Experience points now only awarded at the end of the day
CNG: For attack and movement rolls, only the best possible skill modifier from each crewman will be applied
CNG: Most fire direction, movement direction, and movement crew modifiers are at half effect if crewman is BU
CNG: Campaign logs now exported to a subdirectory in the user's home directory
CNG: Updated some sound effects
CNG: Tank nickname can now be changed after being set for first time
FIX: Continue and Load options correctly greyed out if no compatible saved games found
FIX: Improved display of Fast Turret Traverse on unarmoured vehicles

Campaigns and Campaign Calendar

ADD: Ability to scroll list of crewman in Field Hospital
ADD: Campaigns can set VP multiplers for certain tank models
ADD: Display of region in Campaign Selection menu
ADD: Option to be assigned a random tank model
CNG: Improved appearance of Load Campaign menu
CNG: Crewman in Field Hospital now ordered by minimum length of stay, then maximum length
CNG: List of possible campaigns now scrolls to handle longer lists of options
CNG: Revised and updated: Poland Campaign, September Campaign, Liberation Campaign
FIX: Crash if player chose to change tank during refitting, but then kept the same model in the Tank Selection menu

Campaign Day

CNG: Hex zone capture check procedure
- no limit to number of zones that can be captured each check
- base capture odds depend on number of adjacent enemy-held zones
- multipler to enemy-capture and friendly-capture odds depends on current day mission
- if an enemy-held zone is cut off and has no enemy-held zones adjacent to it, its strength is halved (rounding up)
CNG: Target of Opportunity hex zones less likely to be captured by friendly forces
CNG: Zone capture messages now combined into one
CNG: Increased number of hexrows per Spearhead VP capture value increase

Scenario

ADD: Pop-up message and animation for when enemy units move on the scenario map
ADD: Units with no LoS to any enemy unit at the end of their activation may become concealed again
- precipitation will increase this chance
ADD: Player squad is automatically spotted at start of scenario if ambushed
ADD: If Ready Rack for current ammo type is empty, weapon will automatically switch to reload from General Stores before next attack
ADD: Movement sound effect for AI units; not all movement types have an effect yet though
ADD: Pop-up message when an enemy unit moves but not far enough to enter a new hex
ADD: Sound effect for destroyed infantry squad / small team
ADD: Sound effect for penetrating hit on player, regardless of how it's resolved
CNG: Small teams (eg. anti-tank rifle team) now only spawned alongside infantry squads, separate list of spawn odds
CNG: Removed "enemy unit recalled" random event
- enemy armoured units now only recalled after a close armour save
- units hit in turret with RST more likely to be recalled
- no notifcation to player that an enemy unit is being recalled
CNG: Removed "random concealed enemy unit is revealed" random event
CNG: "Unspotted" units now called "Concealed," same effect
CNG: Close Combat teams will now be more agressive in closing the distance to the player
CNG: Decreased base crewman bail out chance
CNG: Player squad will no longer fire Smoke ammo
CNG: Message for a broken player unit weapon now a notification, player must press Enter to dismiss
CNG: Reduced overrun area fire attack bonus
FIX: Bug where player squad would have new terrain generated at start of enemy action phase
FIX: Bug with text notifications about sniper attacks
FIX: Skill modifiers that have been reduced to 0 (eg. from fatigue or injury) are no longer displayed
FIX: Resolving firepower on concealed enemy units no longer shows the odds or calculation, could have possibly revealed unit's class
FIX: Player squadmates on Overrun will now have LoS correctly regenerated so that units in the overrun target hex are in LoS
FIX: Enemy units that do a Close Combat attack now lose all Acquired Target statuses

May 12, 2020

[May Community Vote] Blades of the Old Worlds - The Selection

Solasta: Crown of the Magister - Myzzrym

When humans fled to Solasta it was not a matter of country or culture, it was a matter of survival. Centuries passed and much was lost, but more remains - if not among the living, then among the dead. Every ruin tells a story, but to the untrained eye of a looter, every blade is a sword. Most adventurers know better: a heritage, a legacy, many a thing can be found in a scavenger's bag.

Hello and welcome to May Community Vote everyone!

This time we have prepared a very special topic for our martial-loving friends: Exotic Weapons... And more specifically, Exotic Blades. Most of those who are familiar with Tabletop RPGs know that popular settings are often based on western culture - fairly logical considering most writers and players are American & European. I think it's safe to assume that it's much easier to introduce most players to a game where they can choose between a sword or a mace and run at the enemy, rather than have to explain the difference between a shamshir and a takoba (don't ask me, I'm not a specialist).

Now, 5e has streamlined quite a few rules to the benefit of game's flow, removing a lot of obscure and very specific rules. However, there are some of us who miss the large variety of weapons offered in 3.5... which led us to think "hey, why not add an exotic weapon to our game?". And here we are, with a selection of five blades from different cultures! Of course we'd love to implement all of them, but as usual we have to be careful not to overburden our development plans - so you'll have to choose which one makes it in! Note that I am by no mean an expert in ancient weaponry, so I apologize in advance if some of my descriptions aren't completely accurate (and if so, please feel free to mention it in the comments so that I can fix it!).

You have until May 25th, 11:59pm PST to vote!

Our first contender is the Khopesh (ḫpš). A one-handed Egyptian sickle-sword which apparently evolved from battle axes, the Khopesh is truly an ancient weapon - with the earliest known appearance dating from 2,500 BC. Sharpened on the outside portion of the curved end, the inside curve of the weapon could be used to trap an opponent's arm or pull their shield out of the way. Sadly, this fascinating weapon fell out of use around 1,300 BC.

Our second contender is the only non-human weapon in the list. The Elven Thinblade is a one-handed weapon that can be found in ruins of the old, now defunct elven empire - more often than not imbued with powerful magic. Very light and expertly crafted, many would kill to get their hands on such a weapon (and sometimes quite literally). On Tabletop, the Elven Thinblade first appeared in the Races of the Wild sourcebook (2005), and was quite ahead of the power curve when you consider that it was a weapon that dealt 1d8 dmg (like a longsword), had a 18-20 crit range (like a rapier), was versatile (could be wielded 2-handed for more damage) AND allowed weapon finesse (to swap strength for dexterity for damage). Now before you rogues and rangers start drooling, it will most likely not be as powerful in Solasta. Consider yourself warned!

Our third contender is the 2-handed Katana (刀) from Japan. Amongst all the foreign weapons, Katanas are probably the most well-known: a curved, slender, singled-edged blade with a long grip protected by a guard to accommodate two hands. With that said, the oldest Katanas from the 12th century may have been quite different from the popular image we have of it, as its design evolved multiple times over the centuries. They are rumoured to be among the finest cutting weapons in history, although many contest that statement.

Our fourth contender is another two-handed blade from Asia, the Chinese Da Dao (大刀)... which literally means "Big Blade" (大 = Big, 刀 = Single-edged blade, although nowadays it's mostly used for "Knife"). For those who are curious, it is indeed the 刀 from Katana - there are quite a large amount of words in Japanese and Chinese that are visually the same, although the pronunciation (and even the meaning) can differ. This large broadsword is characterized by the rings on the back of the blade (note that not all Da Dao have those), their purpose left to speculation. Some believe the noise helped intimidating opponents, others that it is a symbol of honour as the noise would prevent the wielder from attacking enemies in the back.

Last but not least is the 2-handed Falchion. There are many different type of falchions - cleaver falchions, cusped falchions... We decided to go with the blade illustrated in the 13th century Maciejowski Bible as we loved its design - although we swapped the handle for a more standard one (the original has a hooked hilt, which most likely would have caused clipping issues with character models). In 3.5e, Falchions were like the 2-handed version of scimitars - slashing, 18-20 crit range... however they only dealt a measly 2d4 damage, compared to the 2d6 (19-20 crit range) greatsword. Not to mention they were also more expensive (75 gp vs 50 gp) and weighted the same (8 lbs)! A cool weapons that definitely deserved a bit more spotlight.

So, which one tickled your fancy? Make sure to vote in our Official Forums!

May 12, 2020

Game Announcement: The Commission 1920

The Commission: Organized Crime Grand Strategy - 302 Interactive

Good news, the books are opening up! The Commission: Organized Crime is expanding with a
professional remaster. The five families are seeking out promising new leadership. They’re
looking for level-headed loyalty with the power moves to match. So, it’s time for decisions,
decisions. Who’s your clan? How will you run your administration? Prepare to get your hands
dirty in the criminal mafia world because the action begins later this summer. And remember,
there’s always room for one more in the family.

From New Shore with love…

As you may have already guessed we have a love for the strategy and grand strategy genres the 302 and 2:30AM teams have hundreds of hours on titles like Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Total War, Age of Empires, etc. The Commission and Commission 1920 are our dive into the genre. We have matured a bit as a studio since our last release, taking lessons learned, feedback and reviews into consideration. We are excited to apply all of these things to this next iteration.

A word from our team and our Lead Developer, Zachary Goodless,

“I'd like to give a huge thanks to everyone who played the original Commission. It's been hard work, but I'm excited for you all to see the definitive version of the game, based on your feedback and our own internal wishlist of features. Hope you're all equally as excited to revisit the city of New Shore!”

The Commission is a turn-based grand strategy game where you play as one of many mafia families operating in the city of New Shore. Invest in illegal rackets and recruit associates into your family. Will you take to the streets and claim your territory through brute force? Or will you be an unseen influence, bribing city politicians into your grasp? Either way, climb the ranks of the Commission and become the boss of all bosses!

The Commission 1920

The Commission 1920 gets a new logo! In this iteration, we take inspiration from 1920’s art deco elements. Mafia life is violent and in those days it was even more so. We’ve added the Cityscape of New Shore and blood splatters to represent the violent history of the mafia. Although The Commission 1920 is a re-imagining of the previous game we still wanted to incorporate the older game’s art deco elements. You’ll see a similar style in the updated logo.

What’s new?

The Commission 1920 will be released with a number of improvements and new features.
Rackets (illegal activities which generate profit) and traits have been rebalanced, with some new
ones to discover!

Want to dig up some dirt on other families? You can now gain intel on opposing families and
target enemy units for assassination or recruitment. You can also reward units for their hard
work by assigning titles, granting benefits, but also fueling the jealousy of their disloyal peers.

Caporegimes are the direct subordinates of the Don, and are in charge of recruiting your
family’s forces. You can manage their unique agendas to keep the cash flowing!

In The Commission 1920, the Commission ranking system has been completely reworked! The
families of New Shore are now ranked among mafia families from across the country. Those
who manage to stand out among the 14 families will reap the benefits. Strive to be the boss of
all bosses, and solidify your legacy within mafia history!

Stay Tuned!

Tip your newsboys and read your daily newsfeeds for more information and updates about The
Commission 1920. We will continue to provide intel via blogs, dev logs, newsletters, our studios’ website, and our various social media channels. As development continues, we would love to address any questions/feedback you may have about the upcoming release.

Give us a shakedown. We promise not to order any messages through the mouth. We would
love to hear your thoughts and input about the coming game release. Consider this an offer you can’t refuse, an opportunity to possibly change the course of history (or feature in the game).

Thank you again for your continued support, as we all look forward to getting our hands dirty!

Grazie