*Disclaimer, this is not official post since Dorado is moving new and announcement into Discord*
DevLog #28: A Sizzling Roadmap for 2023
devlog_28.png
As Malta's heatwave turns up the temperature, our studio continues its work on
Conflict of Nations with a refreshing cocktail in hand. We're ready to share a look
back at our achievements over the past six months, and a preview of our future plans.
So grab a cocktail, feel the Maltese heat, and dive into our three-pronged approach
to efficient project management.
In order to better focus on getting things done and levelling up CoN to the next level,
2023 began with everyone jumping into work on different projects and initiatives.
Specifically, we decided to focus work on three different tracks in order to remain as
efficient as possible, while still having some fun along the way.
1. Live Operations (LiveOps)
2. The Unified Project
3. The Add-ons track
LiveOps
Our LiveOps team is key to the daily upkeep and running of CoN. It’s not just about
keeping the servers running and getting some fixes out every now and then, but the
team is also working on other goodies along the way.
What have we worked on?
For those of you who’ve been following us for a while, you all know about Update
Intake and if you don’t, the link is there for a fun read. Yes, it’s actually still around and
still going strong. Our dedicated dev has so far survived the ordeal and we’re sure
he’ll still retain his sanity by the end. So wish him a big round of applause and pour
another cocktail for him.
Another massive initiative which we felt was too important to stay on the shelf was
our Hardening Sprint. This was a really exciting time for all our devs (/s) where they
got to break CoN as best they could and find underlying problems which could spell
trouble for the future. All sarcasm aside, it did reveal inconsistencies in our code base
and also allowed everyone on the team to get a better understanding of how to best
optimise the game going forward, providing us with a good set of teachable
moments.
And yes, we haven’t forgotten about 10x. You guys still talk about it to this day and
we’re listening. Thanks to your engagement across the board, we have a lot of data to
sift through and this is something we’d like to continue building on. While we don’t
see it coming anytime soon given our current goals, we will be much more prepared
to offer a more consistent speedy gameplay experience when the time comes!
So now what?
To add to all this, our design team has also been hard at work focusing on a number
of tasks, including balancing units, putting out new maps like Rising Sun as well as
working on a new unit for Season 11. We won’t reveal much at this stage, but let’s just
say this will be a gamechanger and you can look forward to more information around
mid-August. Which reminds me, a big thank you to everyone who came forward with
feedback across our socials. Your participation gave us a lot of ideas and shaped the
new unit we will be introducing!
They’re also thinking long-term and so working on some handy internal tools to make
daily tasks easier and more streamlined. This opens the door for new possibilities
thanks to the time these tools will save, and we’re currently brainstorming some
exciting stuff for the coming year. We can’t say much yet on this, but we’re excited to
open the floodgates to all the wonderful things we’ll be able to work on!
The Unified Project
It has been more a year since we last spoke about this in a Dev Log, so for both the
newbies and the veterans, it’s best if we get into this a bit. Our players have always
had the option of playing on either mobile, or on a desktop browser/Steam. However
this poses a problem for us because it means we have to constantly work on two
different platforms (or clients if you will) to keep the game updated as best we can.
The solution is to grab them both, have a stern word with them about sharing, then
mash ‘em together in order to create a new, more modern look for the game, which is
consistent throughout.
What does this mean for you as a player? Well, you’ll get a snazzy new interface on
both platforms with all the bits and bobs you’d expect being available everywhere,
rather than having to always use desktop to manage your global queue. Yes yes, we
know it’s annoying. Player feedback from last year also played a pivotal role in helping
us shape where we wanted to go with this particular project so we thank you once
again!
We expect you’re curious, so we’re strapping a ton of information to a very special
pigeon that will hopefully reach you all in the coming months. Given Malta’s penchant
for hunting, a pigeon isn’t really the best way to do this but luckily, our studio is next
to the beach (where else would I be sipping cocktails from?) so it should be a
relatively safe journey. It’s not like someone will be waiting with a sniper, right? ….
right?
So when can we actually see it?
But I digress. The team is currently working on finalising our new Main Menu while
working on the actual game interface. While you will get a good taste of what’s to
come, we aim to have all core features ready to go by end of year, so that we can
continue our polishing into 2024! We’re excited to show you what we’ve been up to!
We even brought in some additional friends to help us out and get everything done
much faster without sacrificing work on the other tracks!
The Add-ons Track
Between working on live-ops and having dedicated people snazzing up a new
interface, it doesn’t really leave much time for new and exciting features to make their
way into the game. So while all that is going on on a daily basis, we added yet
another development track to manage and focus on new features. In fact our beta
testers are currently playing around with and breaking the first of these new features:
Missions!
You’re probably anxious to hear details right? Well we’re happy to give them to you
for a price here and now! CoN isn’t the easiest game to learn so it’s very easy for
brand new players to hop into their first game and find themselves completely
overwhelmed. We’ve been there too! So our new missions feature will provide brand
new players with a set of tasks to help guide them on their way into the game. Not
only will they help new players along, but they will provide key information on core
mechanics to start giving our players better insight into the game. The learning curve
for CoN is tough yes, but this is a fun way to make the going a bit easier. The sky’s the
limit (the pigeon would agree) and this is a feature which can be expanded on in the
future!
Our aim is to also help new players stick around more, resulting in more competitive
matches rather and more active games. We hope this will contribute to a more
consistent game experience and create a more realistic warfare experience!
Once we’re done with Missions, the Add-ons team will be jumping into a new
challenge and while we can’t say much (Aquela has threatened us with stabbing if we
do), let’s just say friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.
Think about that how you will.
That’s all folks. Now please excuse me while I go find an air-conditioner. I’m either
delirious from the heat or a goose has actually started feeding me grapes. In the
meantime, go ahead and discuss all this juicy info on our socials! We’re always happy
to hear from you
*note by playbabe: TLDR; more rebalancing, next season(?), Mobile port to replace desktop, beginer mission.
Comm-link - Artillery balancing
We know our skilled players have mastered the 'hit&run' strategy with artillery and airforce. So, to spice things up, we're making some changes.
First off, we're tweaking Mobile and Towed Artillery costs. Before, Towed artillery was pricy and Mobile artillery cost about the same as infantry. We thought that was a bit off. Now, Mobile artillery costs more, like armored units, while Towed artillery is cheaper but more fragile.
We've also made some changes to their roles. Mobile artillery is now more effective against armor, while Towed artillery is a powerhouse against infantry.
Our popular friend, the Multiple Rocket Launcher (MRL), is also getting a makeover. Its mid-game range of 100 gave players a huge advantage, so we're slowing down its tech progression and pushing its airlifting to T3.
We know these changes will stir things up and might bring other strategies to the forefront. We're ready for it, and we'll keep tweaking as we go.
Want to chat about the changes? Join our Discord! We've got beta testing and teacher groups for players who want to get involved.
The Updates:
Towed Artillery: Now costs supplies + components, like infantry. Damage is better against infantry. EASTERN Towed Artillery now specializes in anti-infantry.
Mobile Artillery: Now costs components + electronics, like armored units. It’s great against armor. All doctrines get a basic HP increase. EUROPEAN Mobile Artillery’s HP bonus is trimmed, but it’s better at damaging armor. Airlift has been added to T2.
Multiple Rocket Launcher: Early damage against infantry and armor is balanced. It's a bit slower now, and airlift is at T3.
*note by playbabe: MAA will also get a buff after artillery rebalance, and stats details of each arti is not yet finalized.
DevLog #28: A Sizzling Roadmap for 2023
devlog_28.png
As Malta's heatwave turns up the temperature, our studio continues its work on
Conflict of Nations with a refreshing cocktail in hand. We're ready to share a look
back at our achievements over the past six months, and a preview of our future plans.
So grab a cocktail, feel the Maltese heat, and dive into our three-pronged approach
to efficient project management.
In order to better focus on getting things done and levelling up CoN to the next level,
2023 began with everyone jumping into work on different projects and initiatives.
Specifically, we decided to focus work on three different tracks in order to remain as
efficient as possible, while still having some fun along the way.
1. Live Operations (LiveOps)
2. The Unified Project
3. The Add-ons track
LiveOps
Our LiveOps team is key to the daily upkeep and running of CoN. It’s not just about
keeping the servers running and getting some fixes out every now and then, but the
team is also working on other goodies along the way.
What have we worked on?
For those of you who’ve been following us for a while, you all know about Update
Intake and if you don’t, the link is there for a fun read. Yes, it’s actually still around and
still going strong. Our dedicated dev has so far survived the ordeal and we’re sure
he’ll still retain his sanity by the end. So wish him a big round of applause and pour
another cocktail for him.
Another massive initiative which we felt was too important to stay on the shelf was
our Hardening Sprint. This was a really exciting time for all our devs (/s) where they
got to break CoN as best they could and find underlying problems which could spell
trouble for the future. All sarcasm aside, it did reveal inconsistencies in our code base
and also allowed everyone on the team to get a better understanding of how to best
optimise the game going forward, providing us with a good set of teachable
moments.
And yes, we haven’t forgotten about 10x. You guys still talk about it to this day and
we’re listening. Thanks to your engagement across the board, we have a lot of data to
sift through and this is something we’d like to continue building on. While we don’t
see it coming anytime soon given our current goals, we will be much more prepared
to offer a more consistent speedy gameplay experience when the time comes!
So now what?
To add to all this, our design team has also been hard at work focusing on a number
of tasks, including balancing units, putting out new maps like Rising Sun as well as
working on a new unit for Season 11. We won’t reveal much at this stage, but let’s just
say this will be a gamechanger and you can look forward to more information around
mid-August. Which reminds me, a big thank you to everyone who came forward with
feedback across our socials. Your participation gave us a lot of ideas and shaped the
new unit we will be introducing!
They’re also thinking long-term and so working on some handy internal tools to make
daily tasks easier and more streamlined. This opens the door for new possibilities
thanks to the time these tools will save, and we’re currently brainstorming some
exciting stuff for the coming year. We can’t say much yet on this, but we’re excited to
open the floodgates to all the wonderful things we’ll be able to work on!
The Unified Project
It has been more a year since we last spoke about this in a Dev Log, so for both the
newbies and the veterans, it’s best if we get into this a bit. Our players have always
had the option of playing on either mobile, or on a desktop browser/Steam. However
this poses a problem for us because it means we have to constantly work on two
different platforms (or clients if you will) to keep the game updated as best we can.
The solution is to grab them both, have a stern word with them about sharing, then
mash ‘em together in order to create a new, more modern look for the game, which is
consistent throughout.
What does this mean for you as a player? Well, you’ll get a snazzy new interface on
both platforms with all the bits and bobs you’d expect being available everywhere,
rather than having to always use desktop to manage your global queue. Yes yes, we
know it’s annoying. Player feedback from last year also played a pivotal role in helping
us shape where we wanted to go with this particular project so we thank you once
again!
We expect you’re curious, so we’re strapping a ton of information to a very special
pigeon that will hopefully reach you all in the coming months. Given Malta’s penchant
for hunting, a pigeon isn’t really the best way to do this but luckily, our studio is next
to the beach (where else would I be sipping cocktails from?) so it should be a
relatively safe journey. It’s not like someone will be waiting with a sniper, right? ….
right?
So when can we actually see it?
But I digress. The team is currently working on finalising our new Main Menu while
working on the actual game interface. While you will get a good taste of what’s to
come, we aim to have all core features ready to go by end of year, so that we can
continue our polishing into 2024! We’re excited to show you what we’ve been up to!
We even brought in some additional friends to help us out and get everything done
much faster without sacrificing work on the other tracks!
The Add-ons Track
Between working on live-ops and having dedicated people snazzing up a new
interface, it doesn’t really leave much time for new and exciting features to make their
way into the game. So while all that is going on on a daily basis, we added yet
another development track to manage and focus on new features. In fact our beta
testers are currently playing around with and breaking the first of these new features:
Missions!
You’re probably anxious to hear details right? Well we’re happy to give them to you
for a price here and now! CoN isn’t the easiest game to learn so it’s very easy for
brand new players to hop into their first game and find themselves completely
overwhelmed. We’ve been there too! So our new missions feature will provide brand
new players with a set of tasks to help guide them on their way into the game. Not
only will they help new players along, but they will provide key information on core
mechanics to start giving our players better insight into the game. The learning curve
for CoN is tough yes, but this is a fun way to make the going a bit easier. The sky’s the
limit (the pigeon would agree) and this is a feature which can be expanded on in the
future!
Our aim is to also help new players stick around more, resulting in more competitive
matches rather and more active games. We hope this will contribute to a more
consistent game experience and create a more realistic warfare experience!
Once we’re done with Missions, the Add-ons team will be jumping into a new
challenge and while we can’t say much (Aquela has threatened us with stabbing if we
do), let’s just say friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.
Think about that how you will.
That’s all folks. Now please excuse me while I go find an air-conditioner. I’m either
delirious from the heat or a goose has actually started feeding me grapes. In the
meantime, go ahead and discuss all this juicy info on our socials! We’re always happy
to hear from you
*note by playbabe: TLDR; more rebalancing, next season(?), Mobile port to replace desktop, beginer mission.
Comm-link - Artillery balancing
We know our skilled players have mastered the 'hit&run' strategy with artillery and airforce. So, to spice things up, we're making some changes.
First off, we're tweaking Mobile and Towed Artillery costs. Before, Towed artillery was pricy and Mobile artillery cost about the same as infantry. We thought that was a bit off. Now, Mobile artillery costs more, like armored units, while Towed artillery is cheaper but more fragile.
We've also made some changes to their roles. Mobile artillery is now more effective against armor, while Towed artillery is a powerhouse against infantry.
Our popular friend, the Multiple Rocket Launcher (MRL), is also getting a makeover. Its mid-game range of 100 gave players a huge advantage, so we're slowing down its tech progression and pushing its airlifting to T3.
We know these changes will stir things up and might bring other strategies to the forefront. We're ready for it, and we'll keep tweaking as we go.
Want to chat about the changes? Join our Discord! We've got beta testing and teacher groups for players who want to get involved.
The Updates:
Towed Artillery: Now costs supplies + components, like infantry. Damage is better against infantry. EASTERN Towed Artillery now specializes in anti-infantry.
Mobile Artillery: Now costs components + electronics, like armored units. It’s great against armor. All doctrines get a basic HP increase. EUROPEAN Mobile Artillery’s HP bonus is trimmed, but it’s better at damaging armor. Airlift has been added to T2.
Multiple Rocket Launcher: Early damage against infantry and armor is balanced. It's a bit slower now, and airlift is at T3.
*note by playbabe: MAA will also get a buff after artillery rebalance, and stats details of each arti is not yet finalized.
This post was made by Leader of the Church of ROAD
