HwKeeper
The new big patch has been released (v. 0.81.02). The main addition is the new Alliance system for PvE and PvP. Allied players can act with simultaneous turns, share fog of war, see each other’s planned movement, exchange armies and artifacts, and send or request resources. Remote Footholds and Pocket Dimension can also be used to access shared Alliance storage.
If one allied player completes the map’s victory conditions, the whole Alliance wins. New Alliance templates have been added, including 5 Quick Start templates for playing with an AI ally. Team formats such as 2v2 are supported in Multiplayer.
A Fully Random Map Generator has been added to single-player Quick Start. Maps are generated from scratch instead of using existing templates. Players can configure game mode, map size, number of players, Alliances, richness, difficulty, symmetry and win conditions. The existing template system remains available for more predictable generation and PvP.
The Save & Load interface has been redesigned. Each match now has its own save profile, saves can be sorted and filtered, more information is displayed, and saves can be loaded directly without returning to the lobby. Bulk deletion has also been added.
The Emoji Wheel is now available on the global map, in combat and in towns, with more reactions and improved customization.
The matchmaking system has been updated and the leaderboard has been reset. All players now start at 1000 rating. Rating gains and losses depend more strongly on rank and opponent rating difference. At the lowest rank, a win gives 40 points and a loss costs 10; at the highest rank, a win gives 10 and a loss costs 40. Automated cheater detection and a low-priority system have also been added.
The current patch also fixes several combat and AI issues, including freezes involving the Energy Phoenix, trap behavior, Reality Distortion, healing-prevention effects, AI portal and city interactions, and a rare save-loading problem.
Several smaller gameplay changes were also made. The alternative combat camera position is now preserved between battles, siege traps take priority over other traps, maximum HP bonuses no longer reduce summoned Fire Larvae, and the Emerald Resonance Controller now protects temporary creatures from banishment. Sacred Lands has been replaced by Sacred Protection.
Revealed plans: a major balance update is planned next, including a rework of the Temple faction skill, changes to percentage-based damage bonuses, and new artifacts and skills. A public beta branch is planned before release. New PvE maps, improved AI tactics and new adventure-map creatures are also in development, with more PvE news planned for October.