OpenRA News and Updates

New Site

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:26:40 -0800

Welcome to the new OpenRA website. It looks much like the old one but you might notice a few changes, the most noticeable being the news list. We're using an Open-Source Content Management System called SilverStripe which allows us to easily keep you up to date with news and extend the site with new interactive content.

In the coming weeks, we will be implementing a map repository, allowing map makers to upload their maps for easy distribution. A mod repository for doing much the same with mods and finally a master server browser allowing you to see who's playing without having to launch the game.

Release 20110207

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:30:00 -0800

Another month has passed, which means that it's time for another mega OpenRA release!

This release sees several large changes to our underlying game engine which have allowed us to introduce some awesome new game features.

The highlights of this release are:

5 infantry per cell!
The platform specific launchers have been replaced with an ingame package downloader and mod switcher
Scatter command (bound to the 'x' key)
"Pop up" SAM sites in cnc
3 new maps, by our IRC regulars nudalz and [Arcturus]
Many bug and desync fixes

The full user-friendly changelog can be found on the forum, or by viewing the commit log on github.

Release 20110320

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:10:29 -0700

We have just released the (long overdue) release-20110320 build.
The focus of this release was to fix several long standing desyncs, and put in place the foundations for some major new features that you will hear about soon.

A few highlights of this release are:

Packaging fixes for Ubuntu and Windows XP
Range circles when placing defense structures
Improved healthbar and selection effects
Visual cash indicators on oil derricks, harvester unloading, selling buildings
RA tech tree overhaul
RA aircraft behavior overhaul
Viceroids in cnc
Several crash and desync fixes
Many more improvements and polish fixes

The full user-friendly changelog can be found on the forum, or by viewing the commit log on github.

Release 20110511

Wed, 11 May 2011 03:03:44 -0700

We have just unleashed release-20110511, based on playtest-20110502-2.

This release is aimed at fixing several problems with release-20110320 and adding support for Ubuntu 11.04.

Notable changes:

Fix installation under Ubuntu 11.04
Improved AI
Fix keyboard shortcuts being fired twice
Fix 'exploit detected' messages when using hotkeys
Support 'home' and 'end' keys for navigating within textfields
Fix a crash when a building under repair is killed
Fix spawnpoint selection on >8p maps
Fix crashes when installing mix files
(RA) Supply Truck unit for donating cash to other players
(RA) Bounties for killing enemy units
(RA) New Map: Pressure by Seru
(CNC) Commando is more vocal when being built and killing units
(CNC) Viceroids are (much) more vicious

Stay tuned for our next release which will add some really great new features!

The full user-friendly changelog can be found on the forum, or by viewing the commit log on github.

Release 20110906

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:43:51 -0700

We have just unleashed release-20110906, based on playtest-20110904.

This release includes a totally reworked UI for C&C, many new maps, and many bugfixes.

Stay tuned for our next release which will add some really great new features!

The full user-friendly changelog can be found on GitHub.

Release 20111013

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:53:00 -0700

Just released the October update - 20111013. Highlights of this release:

Lots of new maps
New map chooser UI
Improved modding tools
Added naval transport in RA (!!!)
Repair your ally's buildings
New controls: doubleclick to select all units of the same type; Z to cycle unit stances
Improved AI behavior
Many small bugfixes and balance changes

The full user-friendly changelog can be found on GitHub.

OpenRA Game List Gadget for Windows Vista/7

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:32:49 -0700

Holloweye has spent the last while building a desktop gadget for Windows Vista and Windows 7, which puts the gamelist right on your desktop. Download it, or check out the source at GitHub. Stay tuned for an engine update to allow launching directly into a lobby from an external gamelist like this, and also new versions of the Gadget code for Mac and Linux users.

Updated OpenRA Game List Gadgets

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:04:00 -0800

Holloweye has released new versions of the gamelist gadgets for Windows and Mac. Download the latest versions here:

Windows

Mac

Release 20120315

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:41:31 -0700

A new release of OpenRA is available! Head over to the downloads page to check it out.

Here are the changes since the previous release:

8 new community made RA maps

Base under attack notifications ('spacebar' focuses screen to last event)

New unit stance: Defend ('Z' cycles unit stances)

Improved aircraft logic

- Aircraft will assign themselves to empty airfields/helipads when returning to base

- Aircraft can now use ally airfields and helipads

UI Changes:

- New server browser for RA and CNC

- Changed layout of RA's mod chooser

Option to toggle the shellmap on and off

Added executable args:

- Join a server on game start up: Game.ConnectTo=ip:port

- Limit framerate: Graphics.CapFramerate=bool

Improvements to bots

- Bots now maintain aggro with players

- Bots repair their own structures

- Moved some bot configuration into system.yaml

Editor changes

- Menu item to set up default players in map editor

- Added dropdown in editor for choosing owner of new actors

Gameplay balance tweaks

- MiGs fire in bursts of 2 instead of 4, damage increased

- Longbows fire in bursts of 2 instead of 1

- Mammoth regenerates health differently (25hp/second, if 10 seconds since unit was last damaged)

- Tesla tank costs less, armor increased

- Flamethrower tech requirement lowered

- Minelayer (Anti-Tank) holds 3 mines instead of 5

- Submarine, Missile Sub and Stealth Tank have a 'HoldFire' stance by default

Many various tweaks, bug fixes and mod support changes

- Allow units to pass over both types of mines

- Helicopters bob in flight

- Game remembers last map played

- Team color pickers between CNC/RA mods were unified

- SpawnMPUnits initial unit is now configurable

- Added support for negative prerequisites

- Fixed a crash when playing with AI online

- Fixed a crash in the CNC lobby

- Fixed the writing of empty replays

- Fixed a bug with RepairableNear where ships would repair from anywhere

8 new community made RA maps
Base under attack notifications ('spacebar' focuses screen to last event)
New unit stance: Defend ('Z' cycles unit stances)
UI changes
- New server browser for RA and CNC
- Changed layout of RA's mod chooser to match CNC's
Option to toggle shellmap on and off
Added executable args
- Join a server on game start up: Game.ConnectTo=ip:port
- Limit framerate: Graphics.CapFramerate=false
Improvements to bots
- Bots maintain aggro with players
- Bots repair their own structures
- Moved some bot configuration into system.yaml
Map Editor tweaks
- Added a menu item to set up default players in map editor
- Added dropdown in editor for choosing owner of new actors
Gameplay changes
- Aircraft assign themselves to empty airfields/helipads when returning to base
- Aircraft can now use ally airfields and helipads
- MiGs fire in bursts of 2 instead of 4, overall rocket damage increased
- Longbows fire in bursts of 2 instead of 1
- Mammoth Tanks regenerate health differently - 25hp/second, after 10 seconds since last unit damage
- Tesla Tank cost was decreased, armor increased
- Flamethrower tech requirement was lowered
- Minelayer (Anti-Tank) mine count reduced from 5 to 3
- Submarine, Missile Sub and Stealth Tank have a 'HoldFire' stance by default
Many various tweaks, bug fixes and mod support changes
- Allow units to pass over both types of land mines
- Helicopters now bob up and down when in flight
- Game remembers the last map played
- Team color pickers between RA and CNC mods were unified
- The 'SpawnMPUnits' initial unit is now configurable
- Added support for negative prerequisites
- Fixed a crash when playing with AI players online
- Fixed a crash when joining a CNC lobby
- Fixed the writing of empty replays - we only write once a game has started
- Semi-fixed a bug with RepairableNear where naval units could repair from anywhere on a map

Release 20120504

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:53:22 -0700

We have released a new version of OpenRA! Head over to the downloads page to grab it.

List of changes since the previous release:

Maps
- Added a new RA Map by Nukem: Tainted Peak
- Dropped three RA Maps: Daejeon, Mjolnir, and No Fly Zone.
Added a Sound Engine game setting: Sound.Engine=AL.
- "AL" uses OpenAL, "Null" gives you no sound.
Warnings are shown to lobbies when a DEV_VERSION client joins.
General gameplay changes:
- Buildings now take 10 seconds to capture.
- New units now attack-move to the designated rally point.
RA changes:
- Spy
  - Can infiltrate Refinery: Steals 50% of a player's cash, minimum $500.
  - Can infiltrate Radar Dome: Resets exploration for the enemy team.
  - Is equipped with a Silenced PPK. Use force-fire to assassinate an enemy unit (careful, your disguise will be dropped).
- Gap Generator made available to Allies.
- Tanya made available only to Allies.
- Pillboxes now include a rifle infantry when built. Pillboxes are garrisonable, so swapping the unit inside changes the weapon fired.
- Camo Pillbox was removed (temporarily).
- Artilleries have a 75% chance of exploding on death, down from 100%.
- Flamethrower received new art for its flame effect, as well as an overall damage increase.
- AI: Replaced Normal AI with two new AIs: Rommel and Zhukov.
  - Zhukov is a turtle, but sends large attacks with Artillery and V2.
  - Rommel is a modified Hard AI; sends Artillery and V2, but doesn't like light vehicles.
CNC changes:
- A10's speed increased, Napalm Drop damage increased.
- Chinooks now carry up to 10 passengers.
- Sight of all infantry was increased by 1 tile.
- Chem Warrior/Flamethrower/Grenadier damage vs certain armor types increased.
- Artillery's attack range was doubled.
- Guard Tower's attack range increased by 1.
- Increased sight of Construction Yards and MCVs.
- Construction Yard armor type changed to Heavy (previously Wood).
- Harvester armor type changed to Heavy (previously Light).
- Reduced the probability of SpawnVisceroid from 10% to 2%.
- Reduced the damage and size of Grenadier death explosions.
- Units no longer target buildings when attack-moving or when idle. They still target defensive structures (except SAM sites).
- AI is now reasonable and playable.
General mod support and bug fixes:
- New CloakPaletteEffect trait for adding a shimmer effect to cloaked units.
- Cargo trait now allows initial passengers when units are built.
- Capture time length is adjustable
- Custom starting units can be used for each faction.
- General engine tweaks.
- Main menu no longer vanished after a lobby disconnect.
- Fixed a crash with capturing/selling buildings at the same time.
- Fixed a crash in server in StartGame if there were unvalidated connections.
- Fixed a crash in the CNC replay viewer.
- Fixed a bug in CNC where radar would not be shown if dead/spectating.
- Fixed a bug where passengers could shoot from transports.
- Improved error messages given with bad MiniYaml indentations.

Release 20120630

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 20:14:53 -0700

A new release of OpenRA is available! Grab it on the downloads page.

Both mods:

Added a server banlist setting (e.g. Server: Ban: IP1,IP2,IP3).
Comments can be placed at the end of lines in YAML files (comments are prefixed with #).
Improved error handling for multiple definitions of the same field in YAML files.
(Gameplay) Missiles lose guidance and run out their remaining fuel if the target dies.

RA:

Camoflauged pillbox is back, with the same garrison features of the original pillbox.
- The camoflauge effect requires power - the unit inside the structure will still attack even if power is low.
Added a setting to disable the CashTick sound played when producing structures and units. Setting can be set to Extreme (default), Normal, or Off.
Minor AI improvements.

CNC:

Exposed the option to toggle the shellmap.
MRLS cost increased from 800 to 1200.
APC's gun damage was increased, to be a bit more effective against helis.
Several buildings had hitpoints modified. Construction Yard, Airfield, Weapons Factory and Advanced Powerplant all received a bonus to their armor, while defensive walls received a reduction of health.
Serveral units had movement speed adjusted. Notably the Nod Buggy, Recon Bike and Humvee all received a boost, and Medium Tank was slightly slowed.
Landed helicopters were made targetable by units.
Production hotkeys changed from YUIOP to QWERT (a la C&C 3).
Mammoth Tank has an 8-sec cooldown for heal (like RA).

Bug fixes:

Spy entering radar dome will no longer reset GPS if up.
Players cannot attempt to capture buildings if that same player (or friendly ally) is already capturing.
Barrels are no longer capturable/sellable.

The next release should be a large one, stay tuned.

Release 20121019

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:04:42 -0700

We've finished release 20121019 - with four months worth of patches making their way out, there's a ton of new stuff.

Highlights of this release include:

Added Dune 2000 mod (fronted by Matt)
Dedicated server support
UPnP support for multi-player
Option to pause the game (hit F3)
Two re-imagined RA missions are included, Allies01 and Allies02 (by Scott)
Improved logic for Harvesters and Ore Trucks
New map editor tiles to use for RA's temperate theme (by Harisson)
Selection tool in editor for copy-pasting terrain
Four new RA units: Demo Truck, Sniper, Volkov and Chronotank
Seven new community made RA maps
Snow tileset for CnC (by Nyerguds)
Plenty of RA balance changes

The full user-friendly changelog can be found on the forum, or by viewing the commit on github.

Release 20130514

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:38:08 -0700

Today we're announcing our long-overdue "Mammoth May Madness" release.
In the last 7 months, 26 authors have contributed more than 1,100 individual changes and improvements.

Some of the highlights in this release include:

Significantly improved AI.
UI improvements to the menus and lobby.
New UI for replays, spectators and defeated players.
New construction radius limits for C&C and D2K.
Repairable bridges.
Desert theater for RA.
Left-click mouse controls (beta).
5 new missions for RA.
20 new multiplayer maps across all three mods.
Significant balance improvements across all three mods.
More bugfixes than you can shake a tesla coil at.

A Composite screenshot showing the new lobby tooltips and player color selector in the Dune 2000 mod

The Red Alert mod includes a new main menu and desert-themed shellmap.

The C&C and D2K mods now require buildings to be constructed near a construction yard, reducing the effectiveness of multiple-building-queue base-walking strategies.

Bridges can now be repaired by sending an engineer into the rubble.

Click through to see the human-optimized changelog or the full list of commits.