KW Reloaded 1.8 Preview Changes news

It's been over three months since I last updated the news for this mod, so I hope you guys are patient once again. The next release date is still to be determined and only when it's done. I am attempting to polish as much content and changes as I possibly can. When it's done, this mod will be released into two parts and a guaranteed size of the biggest C&C3; mod so far at over 1 GB in size.

As skirmish/MP maps are concerned, there will be over 100 official playable maps for KW Reloaded with most of them used with permission. Blizzard's Starcraft II with the first expansion has 164 of them, all official maps!

So far most of the progress have been done for KW Reloaded 1.8, and possibly this may will be the final release if the changes I wanted do work in the mod. Most bug fixes have been done. However, changes like enabling the skirmish AI for sub-factions and changing the AptUI will not be in the final version.

So here are the revision 6 changes for KW Reloaded 1.8.

Map Changes
• Added C&C remake missions of GDI 1-4 and 14-15, NOD 1-5 and 13, and NOD Desperate Measures (aka Undersiege).
• Added C&C Tsun remake missions of GDI 1 and 12, NOD 1 and 12, and two Tsun demo missions.
• Added GDI Mission 30: Tiberium Alliances (a demo co-op mission map for the unofficial C&C3; expansion mod) -- a screenshot of this will be coming soon
• Added over 40 skirmish maps from Predatore. Some of them do not have scripts embedded with those maps.

Global Fixes
• Fixed an issue on which previous new support powers did not show up in-game since version 0.7 due to flag coding. However the Ion Storm support power has been removed until in another C&C3; mod release due to a conflict with other Scrin units using the Ion Storm ability.
• Fixed several issues on which epic units got extra weapon (sub-object) bones when built on the field. Now they are restricted to the weapon bones those epic units are specifically equipped with.
• Fixed an issue on which Hallucinogenic Grenades doesn't work for the Black Hand Confessor and Elite Confessor.
• Fixed an issue on which the Nod Armageddon Bomber cannot return to the Hangar.
• Fixed an issue where Hardpoints upgrade does not work with newly built Firehawks.
• Fixed the missing back booster engines for the Firehawk when moving, attacking and/or using the Stratosphere ability. Credits to Ravendark for this. EA did not include them on its initial C&C3; release.
• Fixed an issue on which the Adaptive Armor ability on Titan and Mammoth Tank winds up alternating color shades due to using the wrong shader.
• Fixed Mutant Ironback’s animations and is now replaced with a better punch weapon.
• Fixed Behemoth’s animation when entering out from the War Factory.
• Fixed Cobra’s tracer guns which weren’t visible when it attacked.
• Fixed Assault Mothership’s tracer guns which weren’t visible when it attacked. Replaced with a better weapon now.
• Fixed Defiler’s walking and attacking animations. Weapon remains the same. The original artillery weapon could not be added due to missing particle textures in the coding and had led to the Defiler not attacking on auto AI.

Global Changes
• New universal font change for this entire mod (menus and in-game), Eurostile URW. This font also needs to be installed in “C:\Windows\Fonts” (or equivalent) in order for the font to work in-game or else you will wind up getting the Arial Unicode MS font seen instead. Bug issue: It appears the only way to have this font totally working is by installing as many different types of Eurostile fonts (if you can download some of them as free) into Windows. I previously tried using Eurostile Next LT Pro opentype font and it doesn’t work, meaning that custom opentype fonts don’t work for C&C3; and possibly later C&C games.
• Some missing EVA sound events for some research upgrades when completed have been re-added. Also added the “Upgrade In Progress” EVA event to all upgrades. That EVA sound event did exist in C&C3; and was seen in C&C3;/KW Worldbuilder scripting but was barely used in-game.
• All refineries when built will gain 100 additional credits per ten seconds. Dock time for harvesters reduced to 3 secs. GDI/NOD refineries now get to hold 6000 Tiberium capacity. Destroyed GDI/NOD refineries get a 33% dying spawn of leftover Tiberium. Destroyed Scrin refinery gets a 15% dying spawn of leftover Tiberium due to unlimited Tiberium capacity on its refinery.
• Most unit abilities will now require a small cost of credits to use. This may affect some SP campaign missions. See each faction changes for details.
• Research time has been nerfed for all upgrades. (Some of them have their upgrade timing doubled and some cost values increased)
• Added Multifunctional Upgrades of speed, damage and armor (10% boost at a cost of 1000/30 each) for all tier-4 structures such as Space Command Link, Tiberium Liquidation Facility and Signal Transmitter. Those structures now have a build limit of one. However, only one upgrade can be applied to one faction in a skirmish/MP and mission.
• Added Resource Purifier for all GDI and NOD factions. Both Resource Purifier and Terraforming Nexus can increase production income from refineries and even Construction Yards, Barracks, War Factories and Airfields as well. Those tier-4 structures can be built at a limit of one and at a cost of 5000/50.
• Some structures have their power unit requirements increased because some of them are too low.
• Veterancy is now applied to all defensive structures. The ranking to defensive structures is the same as units.
• Previously missing experience level coding for some structures have been added in.
• All structures (except fake and defensive structures) will have limited radius gap space to build for other structures.
• Call for Transport for all GDI and NOD factions now cost 50 credits each to use instead of 100.
• Re-added 44 KW skirmish/MP maps and KW terrain textures into the mod.
• Added 20 Predatore, 4 Noodlesocks and several other user skirmish/MP maps. (all used with permission) Also added more new created skirmish/MP maps from myself plus several missions to play with. Those new and modified maps have been compiled for faster loading.
• Added or replaced 5 Frank Klepacki new tracks into the mod. Extended the score track for C&C3; with KW tracks. Also extended the total in-game tracks to 28 rather than 25.
• Some missing FX art and other art files have been re-added.
• Some missing module IDs to some units and structures have been added.

GDI Changes (*applies to all GDI factions)
• New Support Powers: Railgun Accelerator (only works with Mammoth Tanks, Titans and maybe Zone Troopers, BUT NOT Predator Tanks), Supersonic Air Attack, Orbital Strike, Zone Raider Drop Pods. Stats remain the same. Those tier-4 support powers require the Space Command Uplink.*
• Added Orca Paladin and Kodiak buildable for this faction. Same costs and requirements apply.
• Added Gauss Sheppard Tank as a tier-4 unit buildable from the Reclamation Hub. Also buildable for GAF and ZOCOM. Sound of Gauss Rifle firing is from Tiberian Sun and that also applies to the Mastodon and Gauss Titan.
• Added Missile Tank as a tier-2 unit and costs 1200/12. Also buildable for ZOCOM. Like the APC, it can be garrisoned by one infantry squad.
• Added buildable barricaded walls instead of cheap thin walls. Those barricaded walls can be destructible.*
• GDI Carryall can now carry and transport tier-1 and some tier-2 units from other GDI sub-factions.
• MARV’s new ability of Speed Up can now move up by 200% for 20 seconds with a 60 second cooldown. Cost is 250 credits. Bug Issue: When you use the ability, the MARV suddenly stops until you tell the unit to move again with the ability enabled. When the time is up, it stops. MARV also has the ability to harvest Tiberium with an invisible drone. Accumulation of Tiberium is 100 credits per mini-second.
• Pitbull now has a Sensor Scan and EMP Blast abilities. Stealth-detect range reduced to 100. The cost of using EMP Blast is the same as Enlightened/Awakened. Cost of the unit increased to 900/10. *
• Predator Tank now has its HEAT ability with a cost of 300 to use and a 30 second cooldown. (also applies to ZOCOM)
• Juggernaut and Battleship bombard ability now applies to GAF Sniper Squad, Nod Shadow Squad and MOK Shadow Squad. (also applies to ZOCOM)
• Shatterer now has the Overload Beam ability with a cost of 300 to use.*
• Hammerhead can now use the Sensor Scan ability.*
• Smoking Grenades ability now costs 100 to use.*
• EMP Grenades ability now costs 200 to use.*
• Stratosphere ability now costs 100 to use.*
• Bombardment for Juggernauts (including battleships) cost 100 to use.*
• All units using Sensor Scan or Sensor Pod ability will now cost 100 to use.*
• Repair APC is buildable and has mines to place on the battlefield.* (this ability issue has been fixed)
• Removed Smoke Grenade ability for the Riflemen Squad due to a tracer fire bug that isn’t visible on the battlefield and from a garrisoned structure.*

Steel Talons Changes
• Added Gauss Titan as a tier-4 unit buildable from the Reclamation Hub.
• Added Sniper Drone as a tier-2 unit. It can detect stealth and it is also stealthed. Also buildable for GAF.
• Mastodon now fires Gauss Rifles instead of Sonic Shells.
• Combat Engineer can now capture and revive fallen husks of Annihilator Tripod, Avatar, Juggernaut, Behemoth, Purifier and Reaper Tripod. (also applies to the GAF faction)
• Zone Raider Drop Pods support power will not be usable for this faction
• Adaptive Armor costs 100 to use with a 15 second cooldown. (also applies to GDI Mammoth Tank)
• Wolverine now has a Sensor Scan ability.
• Sandstorm now has a Sensor Pod ability.

ZOCOM Changes
• Replaced USA Patriot Missile with the modern version from Madin and now it has the EMP upgrade ability. The old Patriot Missile from C&C Generals is now being used as an extra neutral object.
• Added Allied Turret to replace Guardian Cannon.
• Added Allied SAM Site to replace AA Battery.
• Added GLA Quad Cannon to replace Slingshot. (it can detect stealth and can attack both ground and air)
• Removed Railgun Accelerator support power. (not necessary for this faction)
• ZOCOM Composite Armor upgrade now re-enabled for Rifleman Squad.

GAF Changes¬
• Added Gauss Sheppard Tank as a tier-4 unit buildable from the War Factory. Requires Space Command Uplink.
• Removed Railgun Accelerator and Zone Raider Drop Pods support powers.
• Talon now has a Sensor Scan ability. Stealth detect range reduced to 100.
• Shockwave now has the Overload Beam ability.
• Conductor now has the Sensor Pod and Placing Mines abilities.
• Armadillo firing its gun is now in sync with the sound and the time of the firing attack.

NOD Changes (*applies to all NOD factions)
• New Support Powers: Magnetic Mines, Bait Temple, Tiberium Vein Detonation. Stats remain the same. Those tier-4 support powers require the Tiberium Liquidation Facility.* Bug issue: Magnetic Mines are missing mines thrown off from the drop off point and Bait Temple doesn’t activate its nuke when destroyed.
• Power Signature Scan support power has been returned. Requires Operations Center to be built.
• Removed Master Computer Countermeasures upgrade slot for Tech Assembly Plant. Now works as Support Power.
• Added Avatar Mechanics upgrade to the Tech Assembly Plant where it costs 4000 in 2:30 min. It equips all Avatars an extra laser beam, flamethrower, stealth detect and stealth itself. Also it boosts Avatars 15% more armor and health. Avatar cost increased to 2500/25.
• Added Confessor, Salamander and Cobra in-game. Cobra costs 1600/16 and is a tier-3 unit. Confessor is a tier-2 unit and costs 1000/10 and requires Operations Center to be built.
• Banshee now has debris objects when destroyed in battle.
• Shadow Squad can now plant invisible Sensor Pods that can be bombarded by Specters. Both planting Sensor Pods and bombarding an area cost 100 credits each.
• Black Hands and all types of Confessors now have Tiberium Infusion upgrades added to their squads.
• Flame Tank can now use the ability to plant mines on the field. Also applies to Black Hand faction.
• Reckoner now includes GAF Sniper Squad and Shadow Squad for spotting bombardment.*
• Signature Generator for the Venom cost 50 credits to use.*
• Explosive Charge for the Shadow Team costs 200 to use.*
• EMP Burst for Raider Buggy and Kane cost 100 to use.*
• Rage Generator for the Redeemer cost 300 to use.*
• Disruption Pod for the Vertigo cost 100 to use.*

Black Hand Changes
• Confessor’s attack range is now the same range as Sniper Squad. That unit is now a Tier-2 unit with a cost of 1000/10 and requires Secret Shrine and Operations Center to be built.
• Added Khan’s Flame Tower as additional defense. It does not require power and is immune to EMP.
• Confessor and Elite Confessor Hallucinogenic Grenades cost 150 to use.

Marked of Kane Changes
• Added Basilisk and Cobra. Basilisk is a tier-4 unit and costs 3000/30. Cobra is a tier-3 unit and costs 1600/16.
• Replaced a modern version of the Turret and now includes a laser upgrade. Cost increased to 1200/12.
• Increased hit points for Cyborg Commando, Cyborg Reaper and The Awakened.
• Cyborg Commando will no longer use C4 explosives on buildings and will now rely on using its primary weapon. Primary weapon damage increased significantly on any unit or structure on impact. Pre-attack damage before firing has been removed. Hit points increased by 100. Cost increased to 3000/30.
• Cyborg Reaper can no longer attack enemy aircraft with its laser. (Why did I miss this earlier?) Also I decided not to add a rocket missile as a secondary weapon (as replacement to the laser) to attack aircraft just as you think it should be in Tiberian Sun: Firestorm since the unit itself was too clumsy for anti-air defense.
• Underminer is now buildable from the Redeemer Engineering Facility.
• Avenger Tank, Tyrant Tank, Underminer and Cyborg Reaper model sizes shrunk by 10%. They were still too large to be seen alongside smaller units.
• EMP Blast range cost 200 to use for both Awakened and Enlightened.

Scrin Changes (*applies to all Scrin factions)
• New Support Powers: Ichor Seed, Infestation, Devourer Swarm, Temporal Wormhole and Overlord’s Wrath. Stats remain the same. Those tier-4 support powers (except Temporal Wormhole) require the Signal Transmitter.*
• Buzzer Swarm support power has been returned as a tier-2 support power.*
• Seeker Tank Squad, Gun Walker Squad, Devourer Tank Squad and Corrupter Squad are to be built under the Warp Chasm as Tier 4 units. The only squads for this are 4 Gun Walkers, 4 Seekers, 4 Devourers and 4 Corrupters.*
• Terraforming Nexus is now available to be built for all factions as a tier-4 structure, but it cannot be built from a Foundry. Total hit points increased to 12000.*
• Added an EMP Blast range ability for the Disintegrators.*
• Manta, Defiler and Assault Mothership now have debris objects.
• Mastermind now has the abilities of using the Blink Pack and Booby Trap. Same goes to Traveler-59.
• Traveler-59 Prodigy can now use the Rage Generator ability in replace of Booby Traps and Transport Units.
• Manipulate object (mind control) cost 200 to use. Same applies to the Cultist.*
• Blink Pack for Shock Troopers and Mastermind cost 100 to use.*
• Ion Storm ability for Manta and Planetary Assault Carrier cost 250 to use.*
• Conversion Beam for Reaper Tripod and Devourer Tank cost 100 to use.*
• Tiberium Agitation for Stalkers cost 200 to use.*
• Teleport ability for the Eradicator cost 200 to use.*

Other Changes
• New crates added for surprises: Bomb Crate and Stealth Crate.
• Tiberium Field spawns from Harvester and Tiberium Silo death no longer affects exposure to all Scrin infantry and all GDI/ZOCOM Zone Troopers and Zone Raiders.
• Satellite Launch Facility now has a capture return of 500 credits and can see the entire battlefield radius up to 600000, removing the shroud.
• Added Kane’s Wrath and some RA3 ambient sounds into the mod as well as KW and some RA3 roads/sidewalks all usable for Worldbuilder.
• Civilian units that were not selectable in-game are now selectable and can be destroyed in battle. This is usable for single-player custom missions.
• Replaced a shader of the file shadow.fxo from C&C4; to C&C3;. This will make shadows look better in-game.
• Created a shader decal texture (the target decal version from C&C4;) for the Rally Flag Marker. Model is 10% bigger and added an animation spin loop.