Zero-K, a free and open-source real-time strategy game, has been updated to v1.14.9.0.

The update’s centerpiece is the completely new Magpie, a fighter-bomber hybrid with a slow effect and an ammo system. On top of that, the old distortions system has been replaced with a modern graphics engine, bringing more effects and better performance.

This update started as a set of small Shieldbot buff but spiralled out of control when I decided to both overhaul a major graphics system and add an almost entirely new unit. The new Magpie replaces the old one and works quite differently, while the recently, and less drastically, overhauled Dante has received some tweaks and buffs. There are a few other balance changes as well as many small fixes.

The other main feature of the update is the replacement of the old distortions system with a more modern one. This puts us beyond the halfway point for our longer-term goal of fully removing our old shader framework, which should come with a significant performance boost as well as much fancier effects. There was also an engine update a little under a week ago to fix a crash and some minor graphical issues.

New Magpie

The new Magpie is a fighter-bomber hybrid that can slow ground and air targets while dealing a small amount of normal damage. It is meant to support other units, rather than snowball out of control by itself, and uses an ammo system which lets it fire 30 bursts before reloading.

Balance

• Dante: Health 15k -> 16k, Flamethrower range 320 -> 340, Rocket ground burn time 15s -> 3s, non-salvo rocket range 420 -> 485, reduced salvo rocket spread by 40%.
• Bandit: Health 340 -> 350.
• Rogue: Area of effect radius 37.5 -> 48.
• Thug: Speed 57 -> 60.
• Outlaw: Health 1100 -> 1200.
• Puppy: No longer shoots backwards, reduced turret turn rate by 15%, range 170 -> 168.
• Imp: Damage 2500 -> 2800.
• Harpy: Overslow 0s -> 2s.
• Disco Rave Party: Turns roughly four times faster up to about 40% spin, twice as fast up to about 85% spin.

Unit Behaviour

• Added a new state toggle called Attack Style for Swift, Raptor and Magpie (Loopback vs. Strafe).
• Fixed Artemis being able to be tricked into shooting at terrain.
• Grizzly now tries to keep Recluse and Rogue at max range when told to use tactical AI.
• Locust target priority is now lower than that of ground-based raiders.

Graphics

Our previous distortion system has been replaced by a much more modern one originally written for BAR. Aircraft jets have likewise been completely replaced with a new version. Performance should improve on most hardware and there are many more distortion effects, including heat waves from flamethrowers and napalm, wiggling lightning and disruptor beams, and dust and shockwaves from Jugglenaut and Detriment footsteps.

Interface

• Allied Retreat Zones can now be set to be displayed and this is enabled by default for spectators.
• Improved Phantom, Emissary, Dominatrix, Recon and Engineer unit icons.
• The Engineer blueprint menu now uses the new square unit icons.

Other Fixes

• Fixed aircraft not regaining their speed if slow wears off while on an airpad.
• Fixed Auto Reclaim/Heal/Assist causing incorrect idle constructor count.
• Fixed one-pixel gaps in the UI that could be caused by some interface scaling values.
• Fixed unit colours after loading a saved game.

Source: Steam