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21
Games Discussion / Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Last post by Asid on March 18, 2024, 07:57:36 PM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - Diplomacy and Troublesome vassals
Fri, March 15, 2024



Even the most powerful of nations will need to rely on allies or vassals

In Kingdoms, even the most powerful of nations will need to rely on allies or vassals. Indeed, medieval Europe and the Middle East are tumultuous and hostile lands, where the small isolated state stands no chance of survival. Nations often have territorial claims against each other, exacerbating tensions. The two major religions of the Book are often in tension, creating fault lines where nearly half the map could be hostile to you, especially as holy wars, crusades, or jihads regularly appear.


Gelasius II, Head of the Holy See, wisely befriended the Knightly Orders and the Byzantines

Kingdoms offers a diplomatic model with more than half a dozen different treaties: Alliance, Cooperation, Vassalage, Royal Marriage, Right of Passage, transactions, gifts, insults, knowing that there are of course wars to declare and peace to sign, and transactions are actually a box where you can add different additional entries. For example, offering mercenaries, requesting territorial concessions, offering metal, etc.

The royal marriage is a novelty in Kingdoms, and will be an ideal opportunity to strengthen ties between two nations. Of course, you will need a daughter of marriageable age for this (i.e., 14 years old), and you must be astute, as a royal marriage can backfire on you. Upon the death of one of the sovereigns, it can lead to a division of the kingdom or even its absorption. Be careful to have the highest Authority, or you will suffer the consequences.


Having vassals also provide decisions to play with, with several outcomes

Right of Passage is also a novelty and is relatively easy to conclude compared to an alliance. It allows not only to transit through the territories of the other nation but also to resupply there, including the resupplying of ships. Generally, becoming allied with another country requires a gradual approach, initially made of simple cooperation, maybe a gift or two, and often the abandonment of all claims against that nation. Usually, all of this happens organically and naturally, because only nations in dispute will seek to claim the regions of the other. Know finally that different religions are a rather major obstacle to establishing good relations, but it remains entirely possible, with the right means.


Kingdom of Heaven, except they are now vassals of the Fatimids, as is Oultre-Jourdain. Only Antioch remains fiercely independent

But the main addition of Kingdoms in diplomacy is undoubtedly the vassalage relation, which is much richer in its possible aspects than the client state relations of Empires, the game preceding Kingdoms. A vassal is generally a plus for a suzerain, as it facilitates the progression of your kingdom towards a more accomplished and powerful Realm, and it can lend you troops. These will still bear the coat of arms of your vassal and will be returned to them in case of peace, but as long as the war lasts, you will have full control! Vassals also provide the opportunity to manage decisions with multiple choices with many different outcomes depending on the loyalty of the vassal and the abilities of the suzerain. Finally, a vassal will often show signs of independence and will not hesitate to let you know if you possess a land that they believe belongs to them.

Stay tuned for our next diary, which will deal with the special perks and game rules that major nations and culture groups have. It really makes for a different gaming experience depending on the country you play, and we can't wait to provide you with some juicy details on the perks we designed!

22
Games Discussion / Re: ICBM: Escalation : Gobal warfare and nuclear mass destruction
« Last post by Asid on March 18, 2024, 07:44:34 PM »
The Beta has begun + Dev Diary 6
Mon, March 18, 2024




Hi everyone!

In this dev diary, we’re going to be talking about our first beta! It’s just landed on Steam and we’re super excited to show off what we’ve been working on!


To start, we’re going to be working with a relatively small group of testers so we can dig in deep and get some really detailed feedback. The response we’ve gotten from the beta sign-up has been overwhelming and was much, MUCH bigger than we expected, so we’re grateful for all the support we’ve gotten so far. Unfortunately, this comes with the caveat that we can’t take everybody. But, don’t worry, because this is just the first beta test and as we make progress, they’ll get bigger and bigger with more and more participants. As of the time of writing, we haven’t named any names yet, but if you don’t get accepted early on, it might just be a matter of time. You’ll know if you’ve made it if you get an email from Slitherine with instructions on how to join, so keep an eye on your spam folder. Most of the administration for the actual testing is going to be on the official ICBM Discord, so make sure to drop in!

So! On to the beta itself! In our first round of testing, we’re going to be getting a feel for the pace of the game, the way the AI behaves, some of the strategies and how effective they are, and overall, just get some first impressions.

Our testers will have access to the original game modes from ICBM 1, including the original multiplayer experience, single-player skirmish matches, and a freshly redone tutorial explaining all the new mechanics. With 5 times as many technologies as the original, even more units, and a much, much more complex overall strategy and gameplay loop, the ICBM: Escalation experience should feel much different from its predecessor, so establishing how it feels early on is important. Our testers will also get a glimpse of the graphical facelift that the units, menus and map have received.

The AI is now capable of effectively leveraging land assets like special forces, armies and mobile launchers. Instead of just bases and installations, the war on the ground is going to get a lot more dynamic!

One of the crowning achievements of ICBM: Escalation is the introduction of conventional ground warfare, which adds an entirely new dimension to the game. Although players will have the choice of if they want to engage with it and attempt to invade other factions, they’ll have to be on guard, because the AI is now capable of using armies, and they’re ready and willing to invade anyone who’s not prepared! The new mechanic of escalation, from conventional warfare, to tactical nuclear warfare, and eventually total nuclear annihilation is the biggest step forward we’ve made, and also the focal point of the beta test.

ICBM may be focused around nuclear war, but that doesn’t mean that armies can’t pose a threat to you either!

So, hopefully all goes well with the first round of testing, and we can forge ICBM: Escalation into a top-notch nuclear wargame. A quick thank-you to our testers in advance before we get started, and remember, if you’re disappointed about not making it into the beta, it might just be a matter of waiting! We’ll see you again in the next dev diary!



23
Games Discussion / Re: Videos
« Last post by Rinix on March 17, 2024, 07:18:12 PM »
24
Games Discussion / Re: SAELIG
« Last post by Asid on March 17, 2024, 05:32:26 PM »
Update 45 - New map time!
Sat, March 16, 2024


Hello all!

I've got a wee treat for you :)

Bug Fixes
Eating from your pack will now remove said item from your pack, not your pockets.
Fixed a few pathing issues on some maps.
Hot keys will now save and load correctly.
Fixed a bug where fishing boats would vanish on loading.
Fixed a bug that made marrying into a higher class easy.
Fixed a bug where you could not vote for yourself if you were an Elder and a Reeve or Abbot.
Dead animals will no longer show as alive in map mode.
Fixed a bug for people who use left click rotation (like me) where after leaving map mode you would not be able to select or deselect something until you rotated the camera again.
Fixed an extremely rare bug where people would randomly burn to death when entering the bunkhouse.
Fixed a bug where if you bought a building while in map mode, your filters would reset.


Small Things
AI characters will now go into the forest and cut wood sometimes if they have an axe. Just like the player can.
When using automation, when possible and practical, carts will now preemptively source requirements for items that are currently being worked on, instead of only sourcing items when production stops.
When renting, you can now apply upgrades to the hut/house at the cost of increased rent.
When renting, you can now use the Butcher’s Table, Tanning Racks, and Fireplace to produce items. This was previously limited to huts and houses that you owned.
Carts will now carry over when redeveloping a building.
The Market Compare window will now adapt better to larger UI settings.
Added a sound that plays when you eat food.
People will now longer eat excessive amounts of food from their home.. (e.g. 4 pies at once).
Added predicted rental income to the ledger.
Skills will now be learned even if you fail the first attempt at doing something.
On becoming an outlaw you are kicked out of town, but now you will no longer be able to move back into a house in town until your outlaw status is cleared.
Carts shown in ‘Nearby Inventories’ will now show the custom name of the building they belong to.
You can now hire children that go to school, though this will remove them from school.
When you miss paying someone their wage they will no longer instantly quit, instead they will start to dislike you. Miss the payment enough times and they will quit.
When you have a cart selected you can now right click on any of your buildings to tell your cart to offload or offload and return home.
When the AI are hunting they can now use the Butcher’s Table in the home to process carcasses into meat.
When you are employed somewhere, you can now see the work hours of that building by clicking on it.
Added another upgrade for the Longhouse that adds archery and melee training targets.
Added tooltips to map mode when you hover over icons.
Tweaks to the decision making process for AI characters deciding what kind of buildings to build.
You and AI can now build civic buildings in towns that don’t already have such buildings. These include things like Learning Halls, Graveyards, Pits, Churches, Markets. These buildings will transfer to the town after being built and will be used by the people in the town. Each of these buildings unlock a unique benefit for the town.
Churches unlock the Abbot position.
Pits unlock Town-Reeve and Watchmen.
Learning Halls mean those punk kids will start going to school.
Graveyards will give the locals somewhere to bury their dead.
Markets will create another hub for trading goods (three markets max per map).


New Map
Created a new map named Defenascir, which is located around modern day Devon. As with all the other maps, these are all pure imagination. So apologies if you’re from Devon and this map looks nothing like Devon.
The new map has no buildings and no people.
You are be able to claim land and found towns then build buildings.
New people will be attracted to the map once you have built a market and have started renting or selling homes.
After they arrive, AI characters will start buying land building their own buildings at their own pace. I like to think of it as a kind of communal city builder where everyone who lives in town contributes to the development of the town.
As the town founder you will be a perpetual Elder of said town.
You can found a max of six towns.
As the population of towns increase they will automatically claim additional surrounding unclaimed plots of land.
All the standard mechanics you expect from SAELIG work the same.


A big thank you to the fans who keep me going.
If you've picked up the game recently, welcome and thank you! I hope you have a tonne of fun.

Let me know if you have any issues or questions.

Much love,
Atorcoppe.

25
Games Discussion / Re: Bargains / Sale
« Last post by Asid on March 17, 2024, 05:11:12 PM »
Spring is Here and So Are Freebies for Hearts of Iron IV Fans!

As the flowers bloom and the world awakens anew, the Hearts of Iron IV team is thrilled to announce a Spring Sale celebration. Everyone knows that long military expeditions should start in the spring, so with campaign season upon us, we are excited to share not one, not two, but THREE DLCs for absolutely free: Death or Dishonor, Together for Victory, and Waking the Tiger



https://store.steampowered.com/app/394360/Hearts_of_Iron_IV/

It is clear that the Hearts of Iron IV: Starter Edition has become the go-to choice for newcomers, and is recommended by the veterans of our community for its comprehensive introduction to the vast and intricate world of Hearts of Iron IV. In our quest to continuously improve the gameplay experience for new recruits and seasoned generals alike, we've decided to integrate the above-mentioned three DLCs into the base game, ensuring every player enjoys a richer, more complete Hearts of Iron IV journey.

Our view is that while the experiences they contain add a great deal to Hearts of Iron IV, parts of the content within Together for Victory, Death or Dishonor and Waking the Tiger
no longer match the scope and direction that has developed in the game over the last several years. In addition, there are numerous core mechanics that we would like to rely on in future content that are difficult to work with due to ownership limitations. By rolling these expansions into the core game, we open up new opportunities for utilizing the features they contain, and create new avenues for developing content our players are repeatedly asking for.

Why Redeem Now?
As we incorporate these DLCs into the base game by the end of the Spring Sale (21st March), failure to update your game could lead to disruptions, such as save game incompatibilities. Redeem your free DLCs now to ensure your conquests and campaigns continue smoothly without a hitch.

How to Redeem:
To claim your free DLCs, simply log into your Steam account during the Spring Sale 14th - 21st of March and visit the Hearts of Iron IV store page. From there, navigate to the DLC section where you'll find Death or Dishonor, Together for Victory, and Waking the Tiger ready for redemption.

26
Steel Beasts Pro / Re: Steel Beasts 5.0 Thread
« Last post by Rinix on March 17, 2024, 03:11:20 AM »
https://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/4546-steel-beasts-content-wish-list/page/338/#comment-238734
Quote from: Ssnake
I suspect that this is a case where we "invent" a dismount unit that's actually the vehicle commander, so in that sense we're technically not dealing with a duplicate ID. That said, V5 is all about getting rid of these hacks and organize things properly rather than squeezing functions from the last bit available in unit status bytes.
27
Games Discussion / Re: Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic
« Last post by Asid on March 16, 2024, 12:25:20 AM »
Special Report for the Community
Fri, 15 March 2024

Peter here!

As today is March 15, 2024, I've decided to personally write this community report. On this date, not only does my son celebrate his birthday, but so does my third baby - Soviet Republic. It has been five years since the game Soviet Republic was released. I want to thank all of you who play this game and provide feedback, fueling our passion for its continued development.


I must extend a special thank you to all my colleagues who jumped on board and helped me with this game. In particular, Martin, who implemented a massive amount of new features; Michal, who managed new features along with various rendering aspects; our graphics artist Vlado, who designs the buildings; and Karel, for the great new vehicles. Additionally, a heartfelt thanks to our publisher, Hooded Horse, and everyone on their team for their unwavering support and contribution to our success. Also, a big thank you to all modders. I believe this game is one of the record-holders in terms of the number of mods published. Thank you, everyone. We are a great and friendly community.



Full story
Special Report for the Community https://www.sovietrepublic.net/post/special-report-for-the-community

28
Games Discussion / Re: Flashing Lights - Police Fire EMS
« Last post by Asid on March 15, 2024, 12:06:36 AM »
Beast Swat Truck DLC + Small Bug Fix Update Now Available
Thu, 14 March 2024



Strengthen your police department forces with the Beast Swat Truck!



Hello all,

We're excited to reveal the Beast Swat Truck DLC, which is now available to purchase for $2.99/£2.99/€2.99.

Flashing Lights: Beast Swat Truck DLC
Flashing Lights: Beast Swat Truck DLC
PhysicsSimulationShooterCrimeRealistic
14 Mar 2024
Add to Cart
New
£2.99
Flashing Lights: Beast Swat Truck DLC

Strengthen your police department forces with the Beast Swat Truck DLC! The Beast is a massive armoured personnel carrier, providing outstanding protection for your police department in times of crisis.

Quickly jump on for a ride with the side rails or even get a better view of the situation from the roof hatch.



Alongside this DLC release we have also launched a small update to the base game in order to support the DLC and fix a few issues.


Fixes

- Improvements for vehicle menu loading (possible crash fix)
- Axe and chainsaw functions broke after breaking down a house door with halligan
- Revive menu got stuck after requesting NPC EMS
- Small optimizations for multiplayer client vehicles
- In game opening Settings>Graphics the resolution's confirm window popped up
- Weapon wheel breaking on larger resolutions
- Ocean water shader fix to render behind fog/volumetric light
- First person view in vehicle mirrors didn't render props


What's Next?

Following last month's big mission editor, bank and swat van update, and the following update, we are hard at work on delivering AI backup later this Spring, as a free update to the game.


Flashing Lights + DLC Discounts Now Available



Flashing Lights is currently available at 66% off as part of Steam's Spring Sale!

We've also got both the Thunder Sport Sedan Pack and Pickup Truck Triple Pack DLCs on sale at 33% off.

Make sure to check out these limited time discounts on the sale page

29
Steel Beasts Pro / Re: Steel Beasts 5.0 Thread
« Last post by Rinix on March 14, 2024, 10:41:49 PM »
https://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/4546-steel-beasts-content-wish-list/page/338/#comment-238696
Quote from: Ssnake
You are right, in the current code base such a "reverse search" is impossible to do. I'll try and make sure than in the new architecture this will be made possible.

https://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/4546-steel-beasts-content-wish-list/page/338/#comment-238698
Quote from: Ssnake
Ah.
Referring to party colors by one letter may not be the most reliable identifier, I'm afraid. Space constraints being the next impediment. Localization may eliminate the difference in first letter between (E)vent, (C)ondition, (T)rigger, etc.

Rather, I'd like to have something more luxurious in the future (=V5), e.g. you click on any such entry and it'll pop up a window with the option to directly inspect the condition, possibly marking it for change after the end of the test mode. Or have a mouse-over to create a help bubble that describes what it is/shows the name. Or something else entirely. This will be part of our user interface redevelopment project.

https://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/4546-steel-beasts-content-wish-list/page/338/#comment-238700
Quote from: Ssnake
Of course, these are all just immature, brainstorming-quality ideas. Whether this will actually be implemented and when, I can't say at this point. But we want to implement the new GUI framework so that GUI changes will be much easier than they are right now, and while we're doing that I want to remove as many restrictions that we identified with the old code as we can to regain flexibility - including copy & paste throughout the whole user interface without the quirky workarounds or selective implementations. When the original GUI was made, we simply didn't think of the full implications if Steel Beasts would remain in uninterrupted use for 30+ years.
30
Games Discussion / Re: Panzer Corps 2
« Last post by Asid on March 14, 2024, 12:12:45 AM »
Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines - Bulge Dev Diary #2 is out now
Wed, 13 March 2024



Welcome to the second Dev Diary for Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines - Bulge


In this part we are first taking a closer look at the campaign path and the battles included, and show updated screenshots that reveal quite some changes compared to those in the first Dev Diary.

Afterwards we are presenting various additions made for Frontlines - Bulge to give this campaign a more specific look&feel.

Campaign Progress

As we revealed in the first Dev Diary, Frontlines - Bulge begins shortly before the Germans launch their large offensive in December 1944.

The opening battle depicts a limited US assault directly at the fortified Siegfried Line close to Monschau. With somewhat over 40 core slots, and against enemy forces without much heavy equipment, this remains an easy task for the beginning.

A few days later everything changed. The same area has turned into the northern sector of the German offensive launched on December 16. Players are now confronted with increasingly heavy enemy attacks, and soon have to deal with highly effective German equipment which can unleash considerable firepower.



In both choices for the second battle we depict the initial German assaults on December 16 only, which allows us to break off and move to other important locations afterwards.

The third battle, to defend St Vith, represents the peak of the early German onslaught. The campaign has moved to the center of the front, where enemy attacks are even more ferocious.



The two choices after St.Vith lead to the last defensive battles, but now the US Army has managed to bring in substantial reinforcements: two elite Airborne Divisions have arrived.

While the 101st Airborne begins to fortify the perimeter around Bastogne in the southern part of the front, near Luxembourg, the 82nd Airborne supports the US effort to stop German armor in the north.



Shortly before the end of 1944 the tables have turned again, and the US Army is firmly on the offensive. Players can either lead the relief effort for Bastogne, or move back to the center of the front, where German armor almost reached the Meuse River.

Afterwards Bastogne comes into focus again as US forces seek to widen the rather narrow link they created before to relieve the town, but substantial German reinforcements thrown into the fight make this anything but easy.


The last stage of the campaign depicts the Allied offensive in January 1945 to erase the large front bulge created by earlier German advances.

At this point players can opt for the Battle of Bure, the only British-led scenario in this campaign. British forces here are set up as auxiliary units, and players can skip this battle entirely if they wish. However, they may also reap a number of bonuses if they achieve the secondary objectives at Bure in time.



In the last two battles the player’s core has grown well beyond 100 core slots. The final chapter of the campaign plays out as a combined offensive of US forces against both the northern and the southern ends of the Bulge, aimed to retake Houffalize.

Visual Additions

Since Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines - Bulge is the first content that features the US Army for the player’s side a number of visuals were added.

Like previous content this campaign comes with its own set of map images, for example to highlight the various path selections that are offered as the campaign progresses.



A new set of commander images has also been included, so that players can now pick one of various US officers for their portrait when they launch the campaign.

Another round of US hero portraits specifically made for this content has been added as well.



Last but not least the game now includes new briefing images specifically made for the Battle of the Bulge, and a new forest terrain set that is more fitting for the Ardennes, the main battlefield of this campaign. This new set is visible in various screenshots posted in this diary.



Units and Camo Patterns

The US has quite a large unit roster already, but a few new unit models have been added for this campaign. One is the A-20G, an improved version of the A-20 Havoc bomber in the main game.

The new G variant comes with improved soft attack stats due to the extra guns in the nose, but the aircraft remains a low-cost alternative to other tactical bombers available at this point.



The German side has not been lazy either, and introduces another version of their late-war, 8-wheeled recon vehicle - the SdKfz 234/4. Built on the same chassis as the previous 234/1 and 234/2 armored cars the new model is equipped with the long-barreled 7,5 cm PaK.

Due to its increased anti-tank capability this vehicle also became known as Pak-Wagen, and entered German service in late 1944.



Finally in rare cases players can apply new paint schemes to selected US aircraft as camo patterns.

This goes specifically for the P-51D which can be skinned to show the typical USAAF late-war look where aircraft appeared largely in pure-metallic, but often with colorful elements on the nose, tail or other parts.



Conclusion

That’s all for this part of the Dev Diary. We hope you welcome the extra campaign info, and that the new screenshots, as well as previews for new visuals demonstrate that this content has evolved quite a bit compared to the earlier DD. As you are reading this we’re gearing up for release, which can be expected soon!

Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines - Bulge is coming on March 21st!

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