A new update has landed, bringing one of the most requested additions to Silica: Cooperative Strategy game mode, alongside a major overhaul of the Commander AI and a whole set of new command options for RTS players.
Fight Side by Side
The new Cooperative Strategy game mode lets you team up and take on AI-controlled forces together, with selectable difficulty so you can find the challenge that suits your squad.
This mode is still "work in progress", so expect it to keep evolving with your feedback.
A Smarter Commander AI
The Commander AI has received one of its biggest upgrades yet.
It now captures points of interest such as bunkers, expands its territory using Nodes and HQs, and dynamically creates unit groups while evaluating how well they perform in battle. Base attacks are properly staged before being launched, and if an assault starts taking too many losses, the AI will abort and retreat instead of throwing everything away.
It also builds and uses repair vehicles to support its attack groups and keeps its own structures repaired. The result is an opponent that feels far more deliberate and far more dangerous.
Repairs on the Battlefield
Two new units join the fight: the Repair Rig and the Repair Truck, both dedicated to keeping your vehicles in the fight.
Damaged armor no longer means a long trip back to base.
More Control for Commanders
This update gives Commanders a lot more direct control over the battlefield.
You can now command static turrets in RTS, select multiple production structures at once, and use the brand new unit order panel in the bottom right for commands like attack and move. Double clicking a unit selects every unit of that type currently on screen, and structures can now be sold instead of simply destroyed.
Infantry That Reacts
Infantry now respond to stimuli such as taking fire, seeking cover where appropriate, while bombers have improved approach and drop behavior, and the Dreadnought now circles its target.
Smoother Large-Scale Battles
We've also spent considerable time on performance.
Collision avoidance detection has been optimized for much better performance in battles with many vehicles, units and structures are now pooled ahead of use to reduce placement stutter, and building placement no longer causes a framerate hitch.
More Improvements Across the Board
Alongside these new features, this update includes a wide range of optimizations, gameplay improvements, bug fixes, and quality-of-life changes to make your experience on the surface even better.
Be sure to check out the full changelog below for all the details.
Haven't joined the fight yet? Grab Silica on Steam and see how these new systems play out for yourself.
See you on the battlefield!
Full Patchnote:
Silica V0.9.47:
Known Issues:
Cooperative Strategy game mode still work in progress
Commander AI can build refineries and production structures in places that block their exit, leaving units stuck
Gameplay:
Added: Cooperative Strategy game mode including difficulty
Added: Repair Rig and Repair Truck units for vehicle repair
Added: Double clicking on objects in RTS selects all of that type currently on screen
Added: Selling of structures instead of destroying them
AI:
Added: Commander AI now captures bunkers etc
Added: Commander AI dynamically creates unit groups and evaluates their performance in battle
Added: Commander AI expands using Nodes and HQs
Added: Commander AI stages base attacks before sending them in
Added: Commander AI aborts and retreats a base attack if it takes too many losses
Added: Commander AI builds and utilizes repair vehicles to assist attack groups
Added: Commander AI utilizes structure repair
Added: Ability to command static turrets in RTS
Added: Dreadnought circles around target
Improved: Infantry react to stimuli such as being shot at and take cover where appropriate
Improved: Bomber approach and drop
Fixed: Commander AI not taking over when current player Commander disconnects
Fixed: Monument Valley navmesh where soldiers and light vehicles were not excluding balterium fields
Optimization:
Optimized: After a building was placed there would be a short framerate stutter
Optimized: Wheeled vehicles applied steering to joints at all times, now only when changed
Optimized: Collision avoidance detection algorithm, increasing performance with many vehicles
Optimized: AI unit aiming throttled to reduce performance impact
Optimized: Units and structures are pooled ahead of their use, reducing stutter for actual placement
UI:
Added: Production structure multi-select
Added: RTS unit order panel in the bottom right for commands like attack/move etc
Fixed: Resource areas were shown for a fraction of a second when assuming Commander role
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