The Long Awaited Update

[Sandern]

After a long time of working on this very update we have finally finished with it.
Most of you were already tired of waiting for it, so now we finally have it released! Many new different things have been implemented in it.

We reworked balancing (Most of the units and buildings have different statistics now). There were also new abilities added, like Saboteurs taking control of a Combine building and producing its units as Rebel's.
A new feature has been added: Match history. Players are now able to review their match via a graph and some stats provided. The match history is saved to our database so it stays there permamently. We still plan to add more to it, in fact.
New combine announcer has also been added provided by BlitherPaladin.
There is also a new animated background to make fit the atmosphere of the main menu better.

Many things were implemented and changed, here is the brief list of it (don't forget to check the full changelog below!)

• More flexible Engineer and Scout production: Rebels start with a Junkyard instead of an HQ, but it now produces Engineers and Scouts instead of DOG.
• HQ as a late game production structure: The Rebel HQ requires only a Triage Center, and its cost has been reduced. It now produces DOG and Vortigaunts, however DOG requires a Munitions Depot too.
• More practical costs: Late game units and buildings like Striders, DOG, and the Rebel Teleporter have been made easier to access, and they've had other changes as well.
• More forgiving explosives: Grenades and mines now have a larger radius, but they do less damage. This change makes them more reliable damage dealers but less volatile.

Also you can now access your match history by clicking your profile name in the main menu. For each match you can view the statistics and graphs, such as the unit lost/kill count and resource spending. We will expand the match results with more information in coming updates.

The full changelog is:

Lambda Wars Update 2 December 2024
Match results & history:
* Match history is now tracked. You can view your recent matches by clicking your profile name
* For each match basic statistics and graphs are available, such as unit kill/lost counts and spent resources (more are planned)

UI:
* New animated main menu background

Announcer:
* New Combine Announcer sounds

Gameplay & Balance:
REBELS

Junkyard:
* Replaces HQ as Rebel starting building.
* Builds Engineers and Scouts, no longer builds DOG.
* Provides 3 population.

HQ:
* Requires Triage Center.
* Cost decreased from (300 req, 100 sec) to (70 req, 40 scrap, 70 sec).
* Builds Vortigaunt and Dog, Vortigaunt Den removed.
* Provides no population.
* Set health to 1000.

DOG:
* Cost and build time reduced from (90 req, 150 scrap, 120 sec) to (90 req, 90 scrap, 90 sec).
* Damaged reduced from 100 to 50.
* View distance decreased from 1000 to 900.
* Dog unlock removed. Builds at HQ but requires Munitions Depot.
* Slam:
- Damage increased from 200 to 230.
- Radius increased from 160 to 200.
- Recharge time decreased from 10 to 2.
- Energy decrased from 25 to 15.
- Autocasts if 2 enemies range instead of 4.
- Constant bonus damage vs Strider increased from 50 to 100.
* Jump:
- Recharge time decreased from 10 to 0.
- Energy cost increased from 25 to 40.

Saboteur Sabotage ability:
* Time increased from 5 seconds to 12 seconds.
* Can take control of all enemy structures except:
- Starting buildings: Junkyard and Combine HQ.
- Late game production structures: Spec Ops, Rebel HQ, Synth Factory.
- Tech Structures: Armory, Munitions Depot, Triage Center.

Vortigaunt:
* Population count reduced from 3 to 2.
* Cost and build time reduced from (50 req, 36 scrap, 42 sec) to (40 req, 40 scrap, 40 sec).
* Bugbait ability:
- Throw range increased from 1000 to 3000.
- Recharge time decreased from 30 to 12.
* Bugbait antlions:
- Changed attack attribute from slash to shock.
- Melee attack damage reduced from 10 to 2.
- Melee attack delay reduced from 1.5 to 1.
- Leap attack damage increased from 15 to 120.
- Leap attack minimum and maximum range increased from (256 and 720) to (1200 and 2200).
- Health increased from 80 to 90.
- Viewdistance decreased from 730 to 600.
- Maxspeed decreased from 450 to 354.
- Scale decreased from 0.8 to 0.75.

Teleporter:
* Reduce recharge time from 80 to 16 seconds.
* Reduced teleport cost from (100 req, 45 scrap) to (30 req).
* Reduced build time from 80 to 50.
* Changed requirements from (Munitions Depot and Radio Tower) to (Triage Center).
* Reduced build cost from (60 req, 100 scrap) to (60 scrap).
* Reduced teleport time from 40 to 16 seconds (including windup time).

Radio Tower:
* Initial energy decreased from 100 to 50.
* Scan radius reduced from 1200 to 900.
* Scan energy reduced from 50 to 35.

Barracks:
* Tech requirement changed from HQ to Junkyard.

Billet:
* Population provided increased from 6 to 9.

Flamer:
* Increased explosion radius from 128 to 320.
* Increased view distance from 500 to 700.

Barrel trap:
* Launch cost reduced from 2 scrap to 0 scrap.

View distances simplified:
* Scout increased from 1215 to 1300.
* Saboteur decreased from 1320 to 1000.
* Partisan reduced from 825 to 800.
* Rebel soldier reduced from 818 to 800.
* Rebel SG increased from 710 to 800.
* Medic decreased from 1000 to 900.
* Rpg decreased from 1250 to 900.

Scrap gathering:
* Reduced salvage time from 12 to 9.
* Reduced salvage scrap count from 3 to 2.
- (Scrap gathered per minute decreased from 15 to 13.33).

Engineer build menu:
* Added support structures to defense submenu. (Aid station, Radio Tower, Teleporter).
* Organized economic, production, and tech structures into different rows.

COMBINE

Strider:
* Removed Strider Unlock, having Mechanical Factory unlocks Strider.
* Cost and build time reduced from (90 req, 120 power, 120 sec) to (90 req, 90 power, 90 sec).
* Reduced health from 2000 to 1700.
* Dark Energy Cannon:
- Increased range from 1000 to 1300.
- Decreased recharge time from 10 to 2.
- Decreased damage from 2500 to 350.
- Decreased radius from 220 to 150.
- Decreased energy cost from 75 to 30.

Mines:
* Explosion radius increased from 320 to 450.
* Damage decreased from 320 to 150.

Rollermine:
* Increased stun duration from 3 to 4 seconds.
* Set viewdistance to 800.
* Increased explosion radius from 128 to 160.

Elite:
* Accuracy reduced from High to Medium.
* Removed AR2 unlock requirement.
* Combineball recharge time decreased from 30 to 20.
* Combineball damage increased from 250 to 300.
* Reduced speed from 210 to 190.
* Decreased viewdstance from 1100 to 900.

Scrap powered generator:
* Power generation amount every 1.5 seconds decreased from 1.25 to 1.0.
- (Power generated per minute decreased from 50 to 40.)

View distances simplified:
* Hunter increased from 1056 to 1100.
* Riot Metrocop decreased from 821 to 800.
* Combine SG increased from 712 to 800.
* Manhack increased from 634 to 700.

BOTH FACTIONS

Grenade:
* Damage radius increased from 220 to 300.
* Damage decreased from 320 to 200.
* Unlock cost changed from (40 req) to (30 scrap) for Rebels and (30 power) for Combine.

* Multiple workers constructing becomes less efficient with more than 2 workers instead of 4.

AR2 Weapon:
* Range decreased from 820 to 800.
* Attack delay increased from 0.1 to 0.15.

Attributes:
* Metal:
- Bullet ScaleBonusDamage increased from 0.2 to 0.3.
- Pulse ScaleBonusDamage increased from 0.3 to 0.4.
* Synth: Bullet damagescale increased from 0.3 to 0.4.
* Removed Stun effect from Dog Slam attack.

Fixed:
* Dedicated Server getting in a stuck state when lobby/players request a missing map on the server

Translations:
* Add Ukranian translations
* Updated Russian translations

The Tournament

As we have finally released the update, we can now resume with the tournament. All the contenders will be notified of it.
Note, all the time schedule will be set by Mr. Darkness.
Info on the Loser's Bracket: https://lambdawars.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 451#p17449

[Varen]

What's the logic behind removing the scrap cost from the barrel trap?
As it is, with its huge range, it's already a siege tower that only needs to be built slightly outside the view range of the enemy. Is it not already far too powerful, when the Combine's 'artillery' buildings have a per-shot cost similar to an unit's cost?

[JJ]

What's the logic behind removing the scrap cost from the barrel trap?
As it is, with its huge range, it's already a siege tower that only needs to be built slightly outside the view range of the enemy. Is it not already far too powerful, when the Combine's 'artillery' buildings have a per-shot cost similar to an unit's cost?

Yeah. 2 scrap was pretty small, so I wanted to simplify things by removing that cost but making the building itself more expensive. But it looks like I didn't actually increase the cost of the building

At least it shouldn't make a huge difference for now.

[oHAKu]

The mine tactic can never be removed, no matter how much you nerf them.

[Mr. Darkness]

The mine tactic can never be removed, no matter how much you nerf them.

There is.
Just make the synth scanners slower

[AnubiS]

Выскажу своё мнение об обновлении. Ждал его с большим нетерпением и возлагал на него большие надежды. С первого взгляда оно показалось мне долгожданным возвращением баланса в игру, но я жестоко ошибся. Баланса как не было, так и нету. Сопротивление опущено ниже плинтуса и никакого шанса у него на победу нет. В начале они проигрывают из-за экономики (попробуйте наладить добычу металла и вести нормальные военные действия одновременно). В середине они проигрывают из-за БОЛЕЕ ДОРОГИХ(!) и МЕНЕЕ ЖИВУЧИХ(!) юнитов (здесь речь идёт в первую очередь об вооружении их AR2). В конце они бесповоротно проигрывают высокоуровневым юнитам Альянса (в частности, теперь легкодоступному страйдеру). В итоге, мы получаем прикольных солдатиков, которые весело бегают и стреляются, но не представляют никакой угрозы (при игре между равными по уровню игры оппонентами) для Альянса. Самая большая проблема Сопротивления в отсутствии металла. Его охрененно тяжело добывать и добываются его копейки. В обновлении была сделана попытка увеличить их добычу металла (снижение времени добычи с 12 до 9 секунд), но объём металла снизили с 3 до 2 единиц, что в целом повлекло к снижению скорости добычи (с 15 до 13.33 в минуту). Разработчики (мне сказали, что именно JJ) просто вбил последний гвоздь в гроб Сопротивления. Единственное, что может быть засчитано как "усиление" Ребелов, это бочки. Но это просто оборонительное здание и не больше (принцип бесплатной работы которого мне совсем непонятен). В целом, в обновлении было сделано много интересных и, по замыслу, выравнивающих баланс вещей. Но итог оказался плачевным: Сопротивление представляет собой неиграбельный класс. Любому человеку, который уверен в обратном, я могу и на словах, и, что намного важнее, в игре доказать, что вы не правы. А теперь пара нововведений, которые, на мой взгляд, помогут вернуть баланс в игру (конечно, всё надо тестировать, но это будет хоть какой-то сдвиг):
1. Увеличить количество металла, которое добывают инженеры, с 2 до 4 единиц.
2. Убрать прицеливание у арбалетчиков и снизить их урон. Т.к. при стрельбе разрывным болтом, им опять приходится прицеливаться... В общем, берёшь и выкидываешь деньги.
3. Снизить цену на AR2 для Сопротивления. Сейчас получается, что у них солдаты слабее, а оружие стоит дороже, чем у Альянса. Fuck the Logic.
4. Заменить активируемую способность медиков на постоянно действующую ауру, т.к. основная проблема в том, что они НЕ УСПЕВАЮТ вылечить солдат и они просто дохнут, когда медик благосклонно тянет к ним руку. Соответственно изменить улучшения способности медика сообразно новому механизму.
5. Увеличить количество муравьиных львов у вортигонтов до трёх. Также пусть на способность "феропод" бросаются сразу же все рядом стоящие муравьиные львы, а не 2 штуки. Из-за этого приходится постоянно применять способность, что ведёт к "тупняку" львов и невозможности использовать способность в замесе.
Это тот самый минимум, без которого я не вижу Сопротивление в метагейме. Само собой, что нужно всё тестировать, и я готов принять в этом самое активное участие. Но если разработчики не прислушаются к этому мнению, в скором времени игра из Lambda Wars превратится в Combines Wars.

[Mr. Darkness]

Выскажу своё мнение об обновлении. Ждал его с большим нетерпением и возлагал на него большие надежды. С первого взгляда оно показалось мне долгожданным возвращением баланса в игру, но я жестоко ошибся. Баланса как не было, так и нету. Сопротивление опущено ниже плинтуса и никакого шанса у него на победу нет. В начале они проигрывают из-за экономики (попробуйте наладить добычу металла и вести нормальные военные действия одновременно). В середине они проигрывают из-за БОЛЕЕ ДОРОГИХ(!) и МЕНЕЕ ЖИВУЧИХ(!) юнитов (здесь речь идёт в первую очередь об вооружении их AR2). В конце они бесповоротно проигрывают высокоуровневым юнитам Альянса (в частности, теперь легкодоступному страйдеру). В итоге, мы получаем прикольных солдатиков, которые весело бегают и стреляются, но не представляют никакой угрозы (при игре между равными по уровню игры оппонентами) для Альянса. Самая большая проблема Сопротивления в отсутствии металла. Его охрененно тяжело добывать и добываются его копейки. В обновлении была сделана попытка увеличить их добычу металла (снижение времени добычи с 12 до 9 секунд), но объём металла снизили с 3 до 2 единиц, что в целом повлекло к снижению скорости добычи (с 15 до 13.33 в минуту). Разработчики (мне сказали, что именно JJ) просто вбил последний гвоздь в гроб Сопротивления. Единственное, что может быть засчитано как "усиление" Ребелов, это бочки. Но это просто оборонительное здание и не больше (принцип бесплатной работы которого мне совсем непонятен). В целом, в обновлении было сделано много интересных и, по замыслу, выравнивающих баланс вещей. Но итог оказался плачевным: Сопротивление представляет собой неиграбельный класс. Любому человеку, который уверен в обратном, я могу и на словах, и, что намного важнее, в игре доказать, что вы не правы. А теперь пара нововведений, которые, на мой взгляд, помогут вернуть баланс в игру (конечно, всё надо тестировать, но это будет хоть какой-то сдвиг):
1. Увеличить количество металла, которое добывают инженеры, с 2 до 4 единиц.
2. Убрать прицеливание у арбалетчиков и снизить их урон. Т.к. при стрельбе разрывным болтом, им опять приходится прицеливаться... В общем, берёшь и выкидываешь деньги.
3. Снизить цену на AR2 для Сопротивления. Сейчас получается, что у них солдаты слабее, а оружие стоит дороже, чем у Альянса. Fuck the Logic.
4. Заменить активируемую способность медиков на постоянно действующую ауру, т.к. основная проблема в том, что они НЕ УСПЕВАЮТ вылечить солдат и они просто дохнут, когда медик благосклонно тянет к ним руку. Соответственно изменить улучшения способности медика сообразно новому механизму.
5. Увеличить количество муравьиных львов у вортигонтов до трёх. Также пусть на способность "феропод" бросаются сразу же все рядом стоящие муравьиные львы, а не 2 штуки. Из-за этого приходится постоянно применять способность, что ведёт к "тупняку" львов и невозможности использовать способность в замесе.
Это тот самый минимум, без которого я не вижу Мятежников в метагейме. Само собой, что нужно всё тестировать, и я готов принять в этом самое активное участие. Но если разработчики не прислушаются к этому мнению, в скором времени игра из Lambda Wars превратится в Combines Wars.

I agreed to translate this, so here we go:

I will express my opinion on the update. I couldn't wait for it patiently enough to remain calm about it as I also had very big expectations from it.
First I thought this would be long awaited game balance, but it seems I made a huge mistake. There was no balance as and now there still isn't any. Rebels were nerfed so bad that they haven't even got any chances anymore. In the beginning of the game they lose a lot due to the early-game economy (seriously, try to manage the scrap gathering and at that same time try doing well organized battles). In the mid-game they lose because of even MORE EXPENSIVE with LESSER VITALITY units (looking at AR2 units in the first place). In the end they lose to high-levelled Combine units (and even more to easilly obtainable Strider). The result is we get amusing soldiers, that run happily around and shoot but don't really display a great threat (in the perspective of two equally experienced opponents) to the Combine.
The major issue for Rebels is the lack of scrap. It is extremely hard to obtain, yet when it is obtained its obtained in tiniest amounts. In this update you attempted to increase the gaining of scrap (by decreasing the time of collection - 12 to 9 seconds), but the amount of obtained scrap was reduced from 3 to 2 scrap, which brings us to overall decrease of scrap gain (from 15 to 13,33 every minute).
Developers (precisely, I heard it was JJ's idea) totally destroyed the Resistance with all the nerfs. The only thing that I see as a buff for Rebels are the barrel trap towers, except its just a defense building (apart from that, I don't understand its principle of free barrels, i.e. they don't use any resource).
Overall, the update's interesting and in the logical perspectives things that bring balance. However, the result is sad: Resistance is now unplayable. However, if anyone still disagrees with me, I can prove my point of view verbally, or otherwise in-game to show you that you're wrong.
Now, a little bit of what I think should be implemented in the game, which I think would bring back the balance (of course, everything must be tested, yet its still a move in the right direction):

1. Increase the amount of scrap that engineers gain: from 2 to 4
2. Remove the aim positioning from Rebel Veterans and reduce their damage, i.e. when they shoot explosive bolts they must take the aiming pose again.
3. Reduce the cost for AR2 for Resistance. Right now the soldiers are weaker, but the gun is still more expensive than Combine's. Fuck the logic.
4. Replace the useable ability of medics from point target to a permamently active healing aura, because the main issue is that they don't have enough time to heal soldiers, so they simply die while medics get to heal them. According to that, change the upgrades of medic's abilities, parallel to the new mechanics.
5. Increase the amount of vortigaunt's antlions to 3, also let the pheropodes affect all the nearby antlions, not just 2-3 of them. Because of this yo must always use the ability which leads to hording of those antlions and making it impossible to use the ability when fighting.

That's the minimum, which I see needed for Resistance to be in the metagame. Of course, everything must be tested and I am ready to help with it. Otherwise, if developers don't listen to my advice Lambda Wars will soon turn into Combine Wars.

[oHAKu]

The mine tactic can never be removed, no matter how much you nerf them.

There is.
Just make the synth scanners slower :P

I can still use the tactic. Distract with Strider, Or use the mines as a distraction for Sanic Shotguns with 35 grenades.

[JJ]

Thanks for the feedback anubis. I decreased the ar2 scrap cost to the same as Combine. Will Increase scrap gathering count also and antlion count.

But if scrap gathering is increased to 4 scrap every 9 seconds, two Engineers would collect scrap faster than one Combine scrap power generator.

Currently, 1 scrap power generator generates 40 power every minute. Two engineers collecting at 4 scrap every 9 seconds would be about 53 scrap per minute. I'd rather make Combine a little lower and Rebel slightly higher than it is now, so people don't only build late game units, which was a problem before.

I think veteran's leaving steady position when using the explosive bolt is a bug or at least undesired behavior.

Changing the pherapod to affect all antlions would be useful too.

I'll play around with the medic and get it to become more useful.

I'm not sure about the barrel tower since someone else disagreed with the change.

Update:
Currently, I have changed:
- Scrap power generator decreased from 40 power per minute to ~34.
- Two engineers salvaging increased from ~26 scrap per minute to ~32.

[AnubiS]

Thanks for the feedback anubis. I decreased the ar2 scrap cost to the same as Combine. Will Increase scrap gathering count also and antlion count.

But if scrap gathering is increased to 4 scrap every 9 seconds, two Engineers would collect scrap faster than one Combine scrap power generator.

Currently, 1 scrap power generator generates 40 power every minute. Two engineers collecting at 4 scrap every 9 seconds would be about 53 scrap per minute. I'd rather make Combine a little lower and Rebel slightly higher than it is now, so people don't only build late game units, which was a problem before.

I think veteran's leaving steady position when using the explosive bolt is a bug or at least undesired behavior.

Changing the pherapod to affect all antlions would be useful too.

I'll play around with the medic and get it to become more useful.

I'm not sure about the barrel tower since someone else disagreed with the change.

Update:
Currently, I have changed:
- Scrap power generator decreased from 40 power per minute to ~34.
- Two engineers salvaging increased from ~26 scrap per minute to ~32.

JJ, thank you for having to listen to opinion of players. I understand that everything takes a long time to test and adjust to each other to achieve a balance. Just LW became more to me than the game in every way and I want to help the project. I hope for further mutually beneficial cooperation :)
Please forgive my lousy English - Google translator :)