Hi everyone,

We’ve noticed that some players are experiencing a freeze issue after defeating enemies. To address this, we’re running a beta test branch with a patch that may help resolve the problem.

If you’re facing this issue, we’d love for you to join the beta and help us test the fix. Please remember to back up your save data before participating.

Here’s the beta access code:
mangotest0905

Thank you all for your support!

Hey! Welcome to another game update, as promised.

Virtual Memory Usage/GPU

I noticed that EOTB currently lacked some major performance tweaks for memory usage. This is why now every texture is being stored differently into memory thus decreasing the VRAM usage up to 500MB on some levels like the Hotel and Laboratory.

User Interface

Also since the Optimizer tool was created for mostly for fiddling with experimental features like DLSS Frame Generation or very specific graphical tweaks. It only made sense to add it first as the main visual settings tool, even though it is not as user friendly. This is why now the game has a quick visual settings box where you can just change from 4 graphical presets: EPIC,QUALITY,PERFORMANCE and MEDIUM, no writing anything, just pressing a button.



Visual Tweaks and Audio Improvements.

Since the game is created to mimic the movie style rendering, it now has sharper quality rendering (texture details are sharper, no image blur) ,a new anamorphic lens flares system and a more accurate calculation of film grain simulating a high ISO camera setting.







Dolby Atmos Audio spatialization has been replaced with Steam Audio Spatialization since its causing unwanted crashes.



Level 0 now has acoustics working correctly. (Missing probes and voxels on specific areas of the level)



Level Poolrooms can now render reflections better (Lightning Strikes are being reflected correctly)
Also water now doesn't emit light when inside a dark area of the level (correct volume scattering)



Level Laboratory has now more cinematic lighting (added light projectors in the PowerPlant 007 Machine)

That's pretty much it!

Please message me on discord if you experience any bugs or major issues while playing the game. Of course you are free to let me know from a review here in Steam too either negative or positive.

-Fixed Rita Wellman so you don't get stuck on her
-Fixed being able to walk on tower of School of Magix
-Fixed door in Jade Shore Inn in Woodpine Village when you go to sleep and want to leave you get "break in" prompt

FIXES:

Fixed issue preventing Albert's clothes shop event from triggering.

Fixed Jane not dressing up after the clothes shop changing room event.

Fixed park's men's toilet moving Jane to the women's toilet.




ADDITIONS:

Implemented pants/skirt detection, so some dialogues will now mention a skirt instead of pants.

Added a new HJ animation on the ground.

Added a new event with Albert in the clothes shop involving some touching and either vaginal or anal sex.

Added a new event with a homeless person in either the slums or the park, featuring a HJ followed by a BJ.

Added a small event reminding Jane of the option to disable pregnancy.



CHANGES:

Increased interaction distance by 20%.

Removed the unstuck button.

Removed dialogue mentioning a rotor, as it's not in the game.



FIXES:

Fixed several small bugs and issues.

Fixed issues with Rick's events when updating the game with old saves.

Fixed some older Rick events overwriting data from new events.

Fixed an issue where the flat was enterable despite Jane being homeless.

Fixed the script not checking whether a shirt or pants are currently equipped.

Fixed a bug treating bras as shirts in some cases.

Fixed breast sort order in multiple animations.

Fixed occasional black screens after falling down in the gym.

Fixed an issue where interactions with the world were impossible on ultra-wide screens, although they are still not officially supported.

Fixed cooking healthy food not adding the item to the inventory.

Fixed an issue where the bed didn’t replenish energy after the Bald Guys home event.




ADDITIONS:

Expanded the clothes shop event to include fingering, HJ & BJ.

Added an auto-save feature, which can save the game either before a location transition or any kind of interaction. This feature is disabled by default.

Added a spit sound effect to a few BJ scenes.



CHANGES:

Made some small tweaks for the purpose of the Steam release.

Shortened file names, reducing the chance of encountering a "too long file path" error.

Added a small countermeasure that prevents lips from changing animation during a BJ.

Change Log

• Added vote menu for shutting down power attacker side
  
• Fixed prone movement audio missing
  
• Fixed Storm Harbor map spawn selection incorrect in planning table
  
• Improved weapon vertical audio & volume
  
• Improved heavy breathing player audio volume
  
• Improved bullet casing impact volume & range
  
• Slightly reduced weapon audio volume
  
• Reduced match point penalty for losing a match that you just joined while on-going

Thank you for your patience, please make sure to report Toxicity, feedback & suggestions in our Discord server using the following links.
Discord Global Community : Zero Hour Official
Discord French Community : Zero Hour France

Hello everyone!

Just a small announcement to let you all know that a Wiki for the game has been created on Fandom, direct link: https://hex-of-steel.fandom.com/wiki/Hex_of_Steel_Wiki

It is open to the community to edit and develop, so, if you have some extra time and knowledge about the game, and would like to share it with the community, then the Wiki will be the place to do it :)

Let me know if you have any questions

Have a great Sunday!

Val

• Added "Target Padlock" : enable option in Settings and press "Center View" keybind when a target is selected
• Added "Deselect Last" target : press "Cancel Target" once to deselect last, hold "Cancel Target" to deselect all
• Added "Turret AI toggle" : long press on "Next Weapon" cycles between hold fire and engage at will.
• Fixed CI-22 Cricket skins appearing faded/washed out
• Added new HUD UI for turret mounted weapons
• Fixed roll and yaw auto-trim behavior working incorrectly
• Added 25mm flexible mount gunpods for SAH-46 Chicane

• 12.7mm gunpods, 20mm gunpods, and T/A-30 Compass 25mm gunpod now match aircraft livery color
• New downwash effects on terrain and water for helicopters
• Improved particle effects for fires and fireballs
• Fixed orientation of enemy units being updated on map even when they are not observed
• Added muffling of audio effects during g-induced blackout
• Added Target info on TacScreen : speed, altitude, heading, relative speed and altitude - player name if applicable
• AGM-48 missiles now use datalink to acquire targets and can be fired from behind cover
• Increased FS-12 Revoker capacitor charge rate
• Fixed AI aircraft only attempting to notch radar missiles by flying to the left
• Fixed AAM-29 Scythe failing to lock onto missiles and bombs
• Added ability for AAM-29 Scythe to reacquire targets in terminal phase within 2 seconds of signal loss
• Added crossed icon on screen and TacScreen when friendly targets are selected
• Added notch angle indicators on map when incoming radar missiles are detected
• Added separate warnings for active radar homing missiles in datalink mode and terminal homing mode
• Added lines on map to indicate incoming missile directions
• Fixed misaligned landing gear doors on T/A-30 Compass
• Added detailed cockpit for SFB-81 Darkreach

• Fixed nuclear bombs aiming upwards towards airburst point when dropped at very low altitude
• Added wingtip, overwing and supersonic vapor effects for KR-67 Ifrit
• Fixed taxiway navigation issues at North Boscali airbase
• Added individual blade damage model for turboprops
• Increased SAH-46 Chicane tail rotor thrust by 50%
• Added information on map when hovering above units, buildings and airbases icons on map : weapon range circles, airbase status
• Added Target Info on map : name, speed, altitude, heading, distance
• Added Spectate panels, to follow status of each faction : score, funds, warheads, airbases, units, players...
• Fixed vehicle machine guns sometimes being inaudible
• Fixed Chicane main rotor striking the inside of the Hyperion forward elevator during startup
• Fixed bug where the delete key in the mission editor could occasionally also delete the cursor
• Increased supersonic drag of PAB-80LR glide bombs
• Added 18 x PAB-250 weapon mount option for Darkreach inner and outer weapon bays
• Increased radar cross section for PAB-80LR glide bombs
• Updated Targeting and Weapons tutorial for more in-depth introduction to these systems
• Added Landing, Infrared Countermeasures and Radar Countermeasures tutorials
• Increased strength of Compass radar jammer
• Increased rudder authority of Compass
• Added CI-22 Cricket theme music (also available on Steam Soundtrack)

Hey, everybody!

In this article, we will talk about the update and new mechanics.


We continue to improve and develop the story mode in the game. You now have the opportunity to answer some emails, which will lead to various plot developments!




Some players asked us to add this setting, and we granted their wish.

-Improved German translation. Thanks to a person called Launemax
-Corrected the appearance of interior elements in the asphalt
-Corrected mouse behavior at low FPS or statters

Hello everyone, this is the first major update in September. First of all, I wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival. Secondly, I want to say sorry to everyone: this update did not complete the previously promised Luodian scenario as scheduled. The main content of this update is still balance adjustment.

Due to the rush of time, the small update on September 2 was not tested sufficiently, which made it difficult for the Chinese army to defeat the Japanese army by means other than cutting off supplies. Corresponding adjustments were made in this update.

The specific contents of this update are as follows:

• New Option Card: ‘Focus On Defense’
  
• New Event: ‘Wartime reinforcements’
  
• Slight increase of the hit rate in card ‘Torpedo Boats Attack’
  
• The cost of two commander cards has been reduced from 2VP to 1VP.
  
• The hit dice of heavy artillery units have been adjusted from two to four.
  
• Each IJN naval unit sunk will bring 3 (Natori, Notoro Komoi ST Sqd) or 5 (1st Carrier Division, 2nd Carrier Division, Izumo) VP rewards.

• The cost of two commander cards has been reduced from 2VP to 1VP.
  
• Removed the Veterans attribute from most Japanese units, except for the 3rd, 9th, 11th, and 16th Divisions' Infantry Battalions, Independent Engineer Regiment, and SNLF Infantry Battalions.
  
• Removed the 2-point damage per hit effect of IJA Elite Infantry Units, and replaced it with two separate hit dice, causing 1 point of damage per hit.
  
• Removed the 2-point damage per hit effect of IJA Heavy Artillery Units, and replaced it with two or four separate hit dice, causing 1 point of damage per hit.
  
• Slightly lowered the combat factor of Japanese Elite Infantry Units.
  
• Increased the upper limit of the IJA Infantry Battalion's strength level from 6 to 8.
  
• Increased the stacking value of the IJA Infantry Battalion to 2.
  
• Split the reinforcement groups of the non-infantry units of each IJA division into the reinforcement groups of each infantry regiment.
  
• Strengthened the air defense capabilities of IJN Izumo, Natori, Notoro Komoi ST Sqd.
  
• Slight adjustment of the IJN battleship gunfire range area.
  
• Changed parameters so that he Japanese fleet box stays on the map.
  
• Cancel the VP penalty for the loss of the SNLF HQ

Modification of the land battle rounds, the regular battle rounds are changed from the first and third rounds to the first two rounds, and retreat is not allowed; the Veterans shock round is changed from the second round to the third round, and retreat is allowed.

• Fixed the bug of the landing zone being cut off from supply.
  
• Fixed the bug that the 6th Battalion of SNLF could not be displayed normally in the initial setting of each scenario.
  
• Fixed the bug that China can repeatedly obtain the score of the SNLF HQ occupation in the campaign scenario.
  
• Fixed a bug that some units were immune to the out of supply effect.
  
• Fixed a bug that the morale modifiers for the cards ‘Determination’, ‘War Correspondent’and ‘Mrs Chiang Visit’ were invalid.
  
• Fixed a bug that the card ‘Fortified Position’ combat correction was invalid.
  
• Fixed a bug that the card ‘Mud’ movement penalty was invalid.
  
• Fixed a bug that the card ‘Rest’ prohibition of movement effect was invalid.
  
• Fixed a bug that the garrison units of both sides could not counterattack during the assault round.
  
• Fixed a bug that the Japanese card ‘Trench’ may incorrectly provide mortar reinforcement.
  
• Fixed some garbled characters caused by incorrect text citation of some units and events.

Hello everyone!

As before, I'll cover the work done last week, and my future plans for this week. I was travelling this last week so I'm a bit late in posting this. However, you know what they say: better late than never!

So let's get to it!


The UI this week just got some finishing touches. Confirmation popups for quitting or exiting to prevent accidental clicks that would effectively end your game. And the main menu screen was redesigned a bit with new buttons and placements for discord & wishlist. You can see this below!



I've also added a warning indicator when allied structures are under attack. That's right, there are now allied structures on missions as well!




I've also changed the gun behavior so the turret now rotates 360 degrees to face the enemy and fires a projectile. The projectile also got some love and was updated with vfx. You can see the end result below with allied structures defending themselves!



That's it for the big things! There were a lot of other minor things & tweaks done.

There's still a bit left to do, but the playtest will be sometime soon, so stay tuned!