A Path Beyond APB 3.5.0.0 Changelog

[Pushwall]

Download the W3D Hub Launcher to get your hands on the latest update for Red Alert: A Path Beyond!

Here are the changes coming with version 3.5.0.0

General

• Increased font size for player list.
• Light dazzles blinding you at very specific angles is (hopefully) fixed.
• Fixed a crash when a person being followed by a spectator dies.
• Reduced the performance impact of the "opaque" gap bubble (for when you're looking at a GG/MGG that doesn't belong to your team).

Bots

• Added a few more kill/death taunts.
• Bots no longer have cheaty no-gravity versions of weapons, as they can now compensate for gravity.
• Tanya bots will now place C4 on building MCTs if they make it inside.
• Bots now use translated names instead of preset names when referencing units (for example, they will say they purchased a "Light Tank" instead of "Allied_Light")
• Bots will now respect the vehicle lock system; if you lock your vehicle (!lock or !bl) friendly bots will not steal it.
• Vehicle bots with limited turret traverse (Heavy Tank, Tesla Tank) turn towards their target more efficiently.
• Vehicle bots do not shoot targets that they cannot aim at due to limited turret tilt.
• Defensive bots will no longer buy vehicles and stay stuck in the base forever.
• Bots shooting MCTs will no longer think they are stuck.
• Bots with an excess of money now favour the most expensive options available to them.
• Engineering bots will now attempt to repair auxiliary buildings (such as defenses and silos).

 

 

Infantry

• Sneaking now only works when stationary; you will cancel sneaking and appear on radar when crouch-walking or jumping. However, sneaking now takes 1 second to activate instead of 3.
• Fixed first-person hand animations resetting when switching between third/first-person.

 A-Bomb Flare

• Damage radius down (100 -> 75m).
• Disarm points down (750 -> 500).

 Demolitions

• Fixed missing "explosive charge placed" EVA voice.
• Engineer Shovel now only has 5 "shots". Like most other limited-ammo weapons, you can replenish it with a Supply Truck.
• Engineer Shovel now clears AP mines within 12m and AT mines within 8m (was 10m for both).
• C4 now has ever so slightly less hitpoints so Repair Tools will disarm it 1 second faster.
• Engineer C4 is now worth 100 points when disarmed and Tanya C4 200 points (was 50 for both).
• Fixed an issue with Golden Wrench idle animation in widescreen.

 Rifle Soldier

• M16 and AK-47 have returned to having their old alternate fires (M16 having the "instant" trishot which is more consistent at its job, and the AK-47 having the spray with improved ROF but worse accuracy and no extra DPS on hard targets).

 Spy

• Rifle/Technician/Sniper Spies can now be crushed by vehicles. Shock spies are still uncrushable, though they retain their slower rate of movement.

 Volkov

• Volkov has been largely reverted to his old self, but with some other experimental stuff.
  • AT cannon primary has the same stats that it had before the big Volkov overhaul (1 shot per 0.75 seconds, 70 damage, 90m range) except that it has the new Volkov's nerf of using the Light Tank warhead, causing it to deal reduced damage to the shields of heavier vehicles.
  • Volktillery still does not exist; the scope from new Volkov remains, and while it is useless for sniping since the AT doesn't have sniping range anymore, its zoom strength has been increased from 3x to 20x making it useful for scouting.
  • AP cannon primary has the same stats that it had before the big Volkov overhaul (1 shot per 1.5 seconds, each shot is a 10-pellet shotgun totalling 50 damage) except that its range is only 40m instead of 60m.
  • The napalm grenade secondary for the AP cannon has returned, based more on the 1.2 iteration (uses 6 ammo per shot, splash damage is roughly equivalent to 1.5 pre-LPO50 flamethrower fireballs). They won't fall through microscopic gaps in building meshes anymore, but they're also easier to track as they have a smoke trail (and the greater presence of interior props means they're still likely to bounce into a spot where most of their damage gets muffled anyway).
  • Volkov's weapons no longer have any accuracy penalty from jumping.
  • Volkov now jogs at 8m/s (one stage faster than tanya, thieves, etc) but cannot sprint. This gives him better mobility during combat or reloading but makes him worse at getting around in danger-free situations.
• Fixed him being referred to as an RPG Trooper in the quick help popup.

 

Vehicles

• Vehicles' "crush speed" (how fast they need to be moving to crush infantry) has been globally reduced and standardized based on the units' armour class. All naval units, the Forklift, and all ground vehicles with "mammoth armour" except the APC crush at 2m/s (was 2-4 depending on vehicle), everything else that isn't the Ranger crushes at 5m/s (was 6-9 depending on vehicle), and the Ranger crushes at 10m/s (was 12).
• All vehicle-mounted homing missiles (Chrono Tank, Destroyer, Longbow, Mammoth Tank tusks, Missile Sub AA, Phase Tank) now have "lockon decay" like the MiG (if you stop aiming at a unit, you'll still lock onto them if you fire within a certain time window) - though for these the window is only 0.05 seconds instead of 1 second.

 APC

• Damage to main buildings reduced by 20%.

 Chrono Tank

• Price down (2400 -> 2000).

 Mammoth Tank

• Fixed targeting range (and by extension, tracking range) of Mammoth Tusks unintentionally being lower than that of the cannons. (The actual projectile range was always fine, but the script update that made primary/secondary fire modes update targeting ranges based on the positions of your different weapons instead of just using primary targeting range for everything broke things, because the Tusk launchers are about 8 metres behind the cannons...)
• Readded the blinking red antenna lights that were lost in the model update.

 Ore Truck

• AI controlled variant's wheels now visually turn when steering.

 Phase Tank

• Damage type downgraded from Rocket to Shell. (Same damage type as Light Tank; -10% damage to buildings, -20% damage to heavy vehicle shields, -40% damage to mammoth vehicle shields)

 Ranger

• Damage to main buildings reduced by 25%.
• Damage to auxiliary buildings/defenses reduced by 16%.
• Resistance to Hind damage reduced (50% -> 25%) making it worse than other light vehicles.
• Resistance to Tesla damage removed (25% -> 0%) putting it on par with other light vehicles.
• Maximum speed down (19 -> 18m/s).

 Tesla Tank

• Updated help string to point out its radar jamming ability.
• Anti-infantry splash damage increased (15 -> 20).
• Health up (200 -> 250).

 V2 Launcher

• Fixed model sometimes disappearing when aiming it skyward.

 Boats

• Added smokestack and propeller bubble emitters.
• Destroyer/Cruiser radar dishes are now animated.
• Destroyer's missile pods are now open.
• Cruiser range reduced from 240m to 225m (equal to V2/Arty)
• Depth charges are now launched at a -15 degree angle to the height you're aiming, making them more capable of hitting deeply submerged subs but less capable of being used as "artillery".

 Subs

• Halved rotation speed.

 Longbow

• Maximum speed down (24.1 -> 22.5m/s).

 Planes

• MiG physics reworked to be basically the same as the Yak but with higher speed, since it's probably the physics that are causing the horrendous lag.
• Both planes have their maximum reverse thrust raised from 5% of the max thrust to 20% to improve runway repositioning.
• Planes can no longer reverse throttle in midair, making the speed loss from exceeding the flight ceiling or "air braking" slightly less severe.
• Yak maximum speed down (40 -> 38.5m/s).
• Yak splash damage increased (22.5 -> 25).
• MiG maximum speed down (50 -> 47m/s).
• MiG damage to buildings increased by 25%.
• MiG damage to heavy vehicles increased (135 -> 150).
• MiG damage to mammoth vehicles increased (135 -> 165).
• MiG damage to boats increased (105 -> 120).
• MiG damage to cruisers increased (135 -> 150).

 

 

Buildings

• Improved the texture for the "RA1 interior" brown metal tiles and the chainlink fence.

 Pillbox

• Fixed model disappearing when killed sometimes.

 Gap Generator/Tesla Coil

• Made projectile collision on the upper parts more generous (you can hit in between the coil's rings and between the gap's fork).

 Gem Silo

• Fixed missing thief zone (only affects Wasteland).

 Radar Dome

• Added an extra collision mesh coating and ever so slightly hovering over the external ramps and the wall supporting them. HOPEFULLY this will do something about the problem with people getting stuck on those ramps.
• Added chainlink fence over the basement ramp in the position where bots looooove to fail at pathfinding.

 Naval Yard

• Added some extra collision around the MCT stairway, to stop bots from getting stuck trying to leave the building and players from getting stuck on top of the crate on the lower floor.

 War Factory/Power Plant

• Made chainlink fences look slightly less awful (basing them on the Naval Yard ones).

 

 

MapsGuard Duty

• Made Soviet Barracks hill blockers more aggressive.

Hostile Waters

• Purchased Allied helicopters will no longer attempt to land on the Refill Pad.
• When a naval factory dies, the opposite team's one will become indestructible before the game ends, ensuring that the winning team actually wins.

Keep Off the Grass

• Removed the Soviet ore shaft <-> Radar Dome underground entrance.
• Cliff overlooking Soviet Construction Yard is now completely inaccessible to vehicles instead of only being inaccessible on one side.
• Reduced amount of trees and big rocks in the play area, mostly around the two "direct" routes.
• Fixed a pathfinding issue that was causing the Soviet OT to waste about 10 seconds per trip staring at the Construction Yard.
• Changed some of the texture-blend masking rocks out for bushes that don't block vehicle movement.

Pipeline

• Fixed terrain seam in beach near Soviet base.
• You can no longer climb up the sides of the oil wells.
• Reduced amount of big rocks, mostly around the pumpjacks.

Ridge War

• Added vehicle blockers behind the Allied AA shack.
• Removed Allied turrets.

Siege

• Removed the walls that were near both teams' landing pads.
• Added an extra wall near the Soviet CY to restrict phase tank movement.
• Added no-flare zones on the rocks at the shore near Soviet CY and on a lightpost that I missed previously.
• Cannonball props in the castle are now using the same texture as the cannonball projectile.

To the Core

• Replaced the texture-blend masking tree stump near the Soviet Tesla Coil with a bush that doesn't block tank movement.

Volcano

• Added more traversible "ground" to the southeast beach (in the shallow water).
• Reshaped part of the cliff near the Refinery-Airfield SAM site so infantry (i.e. engineers/tanyas) can't jump up onto it.

Under

• Reduced amount of trees in the play area, mostly around the area between the two ore fields.

Zama

• Reduced amount of trees in the play area, mostly around the Soviet PP/Allied WF routes.

[blurb]Red Alert: A Path Beyond has been updated to version 3.5.0.0 on the launcher! Along with some fundamental changes to Sneaking, Volkov and Mine Defusal, there are a myriad of other changes which you can read about right here![/blurb]

[Rulue]

Tanya bots placing C4 on MCT is so interesting, but it can be a challenge.

[forg0ten1]

bring back sneaking or else I will die

[GaryOak]

9 minutes ago, forg0ten1 said:

bring back sneaking or else I will die

This

[FRAYDO]

14 minutes ago, forg0ten1 said:

bring back sneaking or else I will die

[OWA]

32 minutes ago, forg0ten1 said:

bring back sneaking or else I will die

[Killing_You]

43 minutes ago, forg0ten1 said:

bring back sneaking or else I will die

You can still be sneaky sneaky cheeki breeki, you just have to be a lil smarter about it.  

[des1206]

Why the Phase Tank nerf? It has paper armor to begin with.

[Voe]

31 minutes ago, des1206 said:

Why the Phase Tank nerf? It has paper armor to begin with.

It's good vs everything and invisible on top of it. Now with lower range Volkovs the PT could've become oppressive.

[Trollek]

The worst update since... whatever.

I have no words for that shit.

[Voe]

3 minutes ago, Trollek said:

The worst update since... whatever.

I have no words for that shit.

[des1206]

I like most of the changes! But i'm also against the Sneaking and Engineer shovel changes.

Crouch sneaking into a base has always been a fun, high-risk/high-reward and heart-pounding strategy to try to pull off. Why the change?

Allies lay TONS of AT mines on maps. If anything Soviet engineers should get an even bigger disarm radius along with unlimited ammo.

Edited August 27, 2020 by des1206

[Voe]

19 hours ago, des1206 said:

Crouch sneaking into a base has always been a fun, high-risk/high-reward and heart-pounding strategy to try to pull off. Why the change?

Because it's unfair towards the base defenders. There is no mechanic in game which would allow the defenders to spot the crouching infantry, and on maps with clutter and/or tunnels, the defending team may be AWARE of a Tanya in their base, and yet be completely unable to find her. This threat potential can cost the match. Think Tanya+Spy sneaking through the tunnels on KoTG, avoiding the mines.

19 hours ago, des1206 said:

Allies lay TONS of AT mines on maps. If anything Soviet engineers should get an even bigger disarm radius along with unlimited ammo.

Allied Minelayer is a huge time sink, which requires multiple repeated trips to refill. At the same time, the minelayer is unarmed and vulnerable to all forms of damage, which costs in repairs and repurchases. In return, 1 soviet player could buy a mammoth tank + engie and effectively clear the whole map in one go. It's completely disproportionate in terms of time and risk invested. Now, the soviet engie can still do it, but he needs a supply truck instead of a tank, which gives the minelayer a form of counter play.

[des1206]

3 hours ago, Voe said:

Because it's unfair towards the base defenders. There is no mechanic in game which would allow the defenders to spot the crouching infantry, and on maps with clutter and/or tunnels, the defending team may be AWARE of a Tanya in their base, and yet be completely unable to find her. This threat potential can cost the match. Think Tanya+Spy sneaking through the tunnels on KoTG, avoiding the mines.

Thanks for the explanation. C&C mode is suppose to favor attackers and discourage defending/turtles. If a Tanya is able to sneak into a base past the mines, or with the help of a spy on KotG, good for them! If two Soviet engins are able to slow walk and C4 a MCT, good for them! They should be rewarded with such high-risk team-based plays. Speaking of KotG, i'm against getting rid of that Soviet ore-field entrance for the reason i just mentioned.

There is a very rewarding thrill when you try to pull off a covert op. You don't really get this with other FPS games. I sincerely feel taking out crouch-sneaking takes out half of the fun as an attacker.

3 hours ago, Voe said:

Allied Minelayer is a huge time sink, which requires multiple repeated trips to refill. At the same time, the minelayer is unarmed and vulnerable to all forms of damage, which costs in repairs and repurchases. In return, 1 soviet player could buy a mammoth tank + engie and effectively clear the whole map in one go. It's completely disproportionate in terms of time and risk invested. Now, the soviet engie can still do it, but he needs a supply truck instead of a tank, which gives the minelayer a form of counter play.

Based on my experience, one dedicated Allies minelayer can shut down almost the entire Soviet armor usage on maps. Allied Minelayers can deploy 5 mines in quick succession on the move, and reload instantly on the SD. It takes a lot of time for Soviets to hop out of tanks to de-mine, giving up one attacking infantry, and Allies can put down another 5 mines for the time it takes a Sovet engin to find and disarm 5 mines. Minelayers are also nimble enough to get away from any danger most of the time. I feel AT mines make the game less fun because it is so one dimensional.

If anything, I really suggest we give minelayers a deploy, reload, and refill delay, and maybe a dmg nerf. 

If anybody feel differently based on their playing experience, i would be interested in hearing your view.

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by des1206

[FRAYDO]

2 hours ago, des1206 said:

Speaking of KotG, i'm against getting rid of that Soviet ore-field entrance for the reason i just mentioned.

I for one am beyond glad that ore-field entrance has been axed. Even when you see it coming, it is no fun as a Soviet player to stand guard there only to be gunned down by the superior Tanya. I saw a gameplay video with KOTG and that exact scenario played out. Swirly rightfully anticipated the Tanya/Spy sneak because that's what Silverlight/PXD2000 (or literally any duo of Allied players who know to cheese that route) always do without fail, and it's a guaranteed success. Even in the narrow corridor that it plays out in, no Flamer or Grenadier is a good enough deterrent.

Yes, there is a rewarding thrill to pulling off a covert op. Cheesing that route was ridiculous, and this cheese happens without fail and there is absolutely no fun in standing guard against that. I can't wait to see how KOTG plays out now with this change.

[Voe]

6 hours ago, des1206 said:

If a Tanya is able to sneak into a base past the mines, or with the help of a spy on KotG, good for them! If two Soviet engins are able to slow walk and C4 a MCT, good for them! They should be rewarded with such high-risk team-based plays.

There is no risk in sneaking the whole way radar-invisible and your name tag missing. Your opponents can't see you, thus they can't counter you, thus you're taking absolutely no risk. Now that it's changed, you'll need to at least show yourself on radar if you want to blow someone's production structure up. I reckon it's a fair trade?

6 hours ago, des1206 said:

Allied Minelayers can deploy 5 mines in quick succession on the move, and reload instantly on the SD. It takes a lot of time for Soviets to hop out of tanks to de-mine, giving up one attacking infantry, and Allies can put down another 5 mines for the time it takes a Sovet engin to find and disarm 5 mines.

This statement is just wrong on so many levels. I can assure you it takes less time to press E to jump out of your vehicle and then swing your shovel, than it is to spend 60 seconds driving to refill and back again in your minelayer. Unless you can't find the E key on your keyboard every time you should want to exit your tank, i suppose.

Not to mention that giving up 1 infantry for the attackers for the 30 seconds it takes to clear the entire rush path is a lot smaller time sink than for the defenders to give up a whole player (unless someone can be in two different places with both their infantry and their minelayer) for the 8-10 minutes it takes to mine.

[NodGuy]

12 hours ago, FRAYDO said:

I for one am beyond glad that ore-field entrance has been axed. Even when you see it coming, it is no fun as a Soviet player to stand guard there only to be gunned down by the superior Tanya. I saw a gameplay video with KOTG and that exact scenario played out. Swirly rightfully anticipated the Tanya/Spy sneak because that's what Silverlight/PXD2000 (or literally any duo of Allied players who know to cheese that route) always do without fail, and it's a guaranteed success. Even in the narrow corridor that it plays out in, no Flamer or Grenadier is a good enough deterrent.

Yes, there is a rewarding thrill to pulling off a covert op. Cheesing that route was ridiculous, and this cheese happens without fail and there is absolutely no fun in standing guard against that. I can't wait to see how KOTG plays out now with this change.

 

I agree with you. I too am excited to see how KOTG is now with Silverlight on the Allied team.

[Silverlight]

On 8/28/2020 at 12:38 PM, NodGuy said:

I agree with you. I too am excited to see how KOTG is now with Silverlight on the Allied team.

It will be fun, we just need to find new teamwork ways, depending on the team we could lock the gems and bombard dome with arties... Or sneak behind the soviet ref with rockets or lights, or deploy MRJ while phase rush advances, or use the other tunnel entrances... Or maybe ranger rush the coil... Or rocket rush the coil... Or rifle rush the coil...

We used the tunnel a lot but... but there are a lot of options... Which we could try... If people started playing APB more...