Sandstorm v1.14 Release Notes: Stunning Stunner stun effects | Forums

[AlexRocaSanchez]

Improvements and additions

• Included option to select between Sand-Cruisers inside Explore menu.
• When activated, Stunner Systems now hit once rather than repeatedly, consistent with other support Systems.
• Added visual effect for player's stunned Systems during battle.
• Improved visuals of PvP countdown and other UI elements.
• Tweaked scroll speed in Pirate Arena.
• Improved click areas for various User Interface elements.
• Added Weibo social network support for Chinese players.
• Other minor internal tweaks and improvements.

Fixes

• Fixed a few issues that caused crashes under some circumstances.
• Resolved an issue where missions could occasionally be missing from certain Taverns.
• Fixed issue where Sonic weapons charge continually and fail to shoot.
• Fixed animation when receiving Bolts/Power Cells.
• Solved several minor UI related issues.
• Other minor internal fixes.

Extra improvements and fixes (added 24/03/2016)

• Reduced cost of ship repair.
• Rebalanced level 5 to 10 enemies.
• Rebalanced enemy matchmaking in Tavern missions.
• Fixed an issue in PvP where energy fails to recover under certain circumstances due to high lag.

Extra improvements (added 19/04/2016)

• Stunner Systems have been nerfed due to popular demand.
• Level 6-10 Rocket Systems and Level 7-10 Blaster Systems tweaked to improve game balance.

Extra tweaks (added 26/04/2016)

• Repair Drone rate of repair improved.
• Energy cost increased for Sonic and Tesla Systems.

Extra improvements (added 03/05/2016)

• Difficulty adjusted for non-boss enemies in main missions.
• Grapeshot System nerfed.

Pirate Arena tweak (04/05/2016)

• New and improved matchmaking system deployed for better, fairer opponent matches in the PvP arena.

[Ubi-Deb]

Dear Friends,

when they go to repair the problem sound of the engines of the ships in Tyrant zone?
It looks like an old silent movie.

Best regards!
engineer Mark F Sanchez
MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)

Note: the paralyzing gun It takes too long to load and takes very little. It has become an unhelpful element. It was important to cope better armed enemies, It is now useless. Sorry.

Hi Mark, happy to hear from you!

The sound issues in the Tyrant zone will be fixed in the next update, thanks to your report.

We've recently tweaked the Stunner system following high levels of feedback of them being overpowered, and multiple Stunners dominating the Pirate Arena. However, we're constantly tweaking ships and Systems, so please keep your feedback coming, we're taking note of all of it!

[Ubi-Deb]

Hi Mark!

Thank you for your feedback on the Stunner Systems. What changes would you like to see in place of the ones we have made?
Balancing many Systems is a work in progress!

I like the suggestion of military-style skins, we're really focused on improving the ship customization features for the players, and adding new skins whenever we can! The same can be said for additional Ships, we'd like to expand the fleet as soon as possible

A feature such as purchasing black-market Systems from the Tavern barman is an interesting idea, and definitely one we haven't heard before. I've taken note of it!

Feedback is really useful for us, so thank you again Mark!

[Ubi-Deb]

Hi Mark,

Thanks again for the comments! We're also planning to look the balance of the Sonic Systems, they are a work in progress too.

We enjoy your suggestions always, you don't bore us, so don't worry about that! Likewise, your English is not a problem either!

We're taking note of everything, and we make sure to discuss all suggestions and comments with the team. Anything that can improve or add more variety to the game is of high value to us! A number of things that you suggest we have thought about previously and consider adding some time in the future, so please keep watching for updates!

[NicQ1970]

Speaking as a gamer, a game developer and someone who has been coding for 30+ years, I'm sorry to say that there is no other way to a successful game but to constantly tweak if not outright change the functionality of game systems as it evolves through time as users use and abuse said systems : what you call "rules changing" is absolutely necessary.
And while your preferred solution of adding a system to counterbalance might work, it is NOT a generally advisable solution to that problem as it adds complexity exponentially to the game as a whole ( every new system must be balanced to every other system it interacts with ), which makes it harder to manage, evolve and maintain.

Saludos de Montreal !
N.

[Pronofunk]

[QUOTE=AlexRocaSanchez;11512503]

• Grapeshot System nerfed.

Sweet.
Combined with the Raven booster, the level of overpowered silliness was much much much greater than stacking Boomers was back in the day; (because Grapeshot is an "instant" effect, opposed to a "channeled" effect).

Regarding the old Boomer mechanic and how it had an increasing effect when stacked, someone might want to look into lower leveled (L2-L4 so far I've noticed), Rocket Launcher systems.
In the spirit of competition, Idon't want to go into too much detail, but I am crushing everyone; (but the occasional Gecko with that annoying Rocket Launcher/Cannon strat).
The damage seems a bit much with Raven booster, but like the Boomer, they wouldn't see much use by anyone else if the damage or rate of fire was reduced.
Perhaps flare systems could use a buff. More flares per energy at lower levels would help. Would force players to consider trying to destroy or disable a flare system instead of overwhelming the other player by spamming rockets.

Edit: Well, I just encountered a Gecko with two flare systems, and it did manage to counter my Raven rocket spam and the added damage from the booster. Once he stopped launching drones and saved his energy to have flares restocked for my boost, and spammed rockets with extra energy generated, he was able to deal and mitigate far more damage per second than I could...so my change suggestion for Flare systems wouldn't work. Can't think of any solutions to suggest at the moment; and usually keep my mouth shut till I do, but now at least you're aware of it if you weren't.

[Ubi-Deb]

Thanks for this Pronofunk, glad to see you're keeping up with the tweaks we've been making recently (about to add another to the list )!

I've taken note of the low level Rocker Launcher + Raven Booster combo, we'll look into that! Actually, I'm passing your entire message along to the team, balance suggestions and feedback are always very useful!

[AlexRocaSanchez]

Speaking as a gamer, a game developer and someone who has been coding for 30+ years, I'm sorry to say that there is no other way to a successful game but to constantly tweak if not outright change the functionality of game systems as it evolves through time as users use and abuse said systems : what you call "rules changing" is absolutely necessary.
And while your preferred solution of adding a system to counterbalance might work, it is NOT a generally advisable solution to that problem as it adds complexity exponentially to the game as a whole ( every new system must be balanced to every other system it interacts with ), which makes it harder to manage, evolve and maintain.

Saludos de Montreal !
N.

Thanks for the feedback, NicQ1970! It's an honor to have something that experienced in our community! I'm pretty sure your feedback is going to be really helpful to continue improving the game.

As you can see with the tweaks we did for the current game update mentioned in the OP, we're constantly evolving and tweaking the game. Sometimes by adding new content, and sometimes by tweaking the stats of the current ones.

Typically we rebalance stuff considering the player feedback, our internal statistics and ideas to solve exploits and balance issues, but sometimes we do it to prepare the game for future content to be included soon.

We periodically add new content and features or change existing ones, but not only to rebalance the existing items. Sometimes we do it to keep the game fresh, providing new tools to the experimented players giving them new items to discover and collect, new strategies to learn, new challenges to face, etc.

[F_WRLCK]

Improvements and additions
Pirate Arena tweak (04/05/2016)

• New and improved matchmaking system deployed for better, fairer opponent matches in the PvP arena.

Some comments here:

1. Since this went in, I have been consistently matched against higher level ships. For example, my level 5 Gecko vs. a level 8 Sturgeon.
2. I won against the level 8 Sturgeon, which doesn't really say good things about ship/module balance. The player was awful, but still.
3. When facing higher level opponents, I get FEWER arena points than when I fight a same-level opponent. This seems wrong.
4. On the rare occaision that I fight a lower level opponent, I get MORE arena points than I do when I fight a same-level opponent. This also seems wrong.

[Ubi-Deb]

Dear Friend Ubi-Deb,
Sorry to delete my post.
From Redmond they suggest me not to give advice to competition. But I dont care.
The new enhancements are excellent, except the new ships. They are ... beyond description ... very bad.
They could have based the planes suggested by my especially about the design of cabins. They more adjusted to an apocalyptic world.
No industries and armed cruiser sand with traces of other equipment, in theory.
They got to fly a submarine of World War II complete with wire antennas (Tyrant), but a wooden boat is too much.
It was preferable make new military skins old world potencies (USA, French, Russian, etc.) with their badges threadbare by time.
the new ships do not conform to game, in my humble opinion, out of tune.
The other settings excellent, especially the new drones.
I am very picky about the details (obsessed). I participated in Euro Truck Simulator, Flight Simulator, etc.
The details are important, they must be harmonious and coherent with the story of the game. For example in a world devastated the most expensive are not the lug nuts, is the water and the fuel.
Please recalls the subject of black market for arms. It is interesting and requires buy any weapon at very high prices, but can be purchased sophisticated weapons.
Best Regards!
Mark.

Hey again Mark! Nice to see that you've returned!

Hope you didn't get into any trouble about your feedback

We're sorry to hear you don't like the new Sand-Cruisers, but glad that you're enjoying the other enhancements we've recently made to the game!
The ships are indeed a very different style from the others, but were already designed much before your suggestions. They're both designed to fit new factions in the world that we have not yet introduced... The attack drones are much closer to what we already had and I personally really like them. Have you been using them?

I like the black market idea, we've taken note of that before, your idea of buying weapons from the barman in the tavern.

It's great to see you back in the forums with your feedback Thank you!

Some comments here:

1. Since this went in, I have been consistently matched against higher level ships. For example, my level 5 Gecko vs. a level 8 Sturgeon.
2. I won against the level 8 Sturgeon, which doesn't really say good things about ship/module balance. The player was awful, but still.
3. When facing higher level opponents, I get FEWER arena points than when I fight a same-level opponent. This seems wrong.
4. On the rare occaision that I fight a lower level opponent, I get MORE arena points than I do when I fight a same-level opponent. This also seems wrong.

Hey F_WRLCK!

Thanks for your feedback on this, we haven't had many players let us know how they're finding the new matchmaking system yet.

We're constantly tweaking the balance and matchmaking, with another revision coming soon, so don't hesitate to give us more feedback along the way.

And regarding the arena points system, this is something else that we plan on reworking as soon as possible, as there's a number of things needing improvement there.