Beta 2.3 is now available for download, and it's a big update! The first thing you'll notice is that we have changed the name of the mod to Lambda Wars. This is in preparation for Steam Greenlight - we'll have more details about this later this week, so stay tuned!
Beta 2.3 of Lambda Wars features four new maps. Told you it was a big one! Three of the maps are multiplayer 4v4 maps, called camp, abandoned and waste. Get some friends together and check them out! The other map is called sp_radiotower and is the first dedicated singleplayer map besides the tutorial to be featured in a release since way back in 2008. The tutorial mission has also been extensively revamped. Here's a peek at the new maps (more on our ModDB profile):
In addition to the new maps, this release includes improved lighting, the addition of the new Saboteur Rebel unit, and a wide array of balancing changes and bugfixes. See the full changelog at the end of this post for more details on Beta 2.3.
Download the full Lambda Wars Beta 2.3 files here from Moddb in 7z archive format (extract to your Steam/SteamApps/SourceMods directory).
If you are having trouble downloading from Moddb use our mirror instead: click here to download 2.3. Let us know on our community forum if you are willing to help us out and host a mirror for our releases!
Lambda Wars 2.3.0 changes
NEW:
* Name change to "Lambda Wars"
* Updated lighting: a mix of lightmaps and swarm-deferred project
* Rebel unit "Saboteur" with new abilities "Sabotage" and "C4 Explosive"
* Added Main Menu background music track "Divorce"
* Added "Patrol" ability
Maps:
* NEW: hlw_abandoned (4 vs 4 player map)
* NEW: hlw_camp (4 vs 4 player map)
* NEW: hlw_waste (4 vs 4 player map)
* NEW: sp_radio_tower
* UPDATED: Tutorial map (redesigned from scratch)
* UPDATED: hlw_mine
* RENAMED: hlw_synth to hlw_antarctica
Balance and Gameplay:
* Reduced range Antlion Worker from 1024 to 820
* Reduced costs of Shotgun to 1 requisition + 1 power for Combine and 1 scrap for Rebels
* Reduced costs of AR2 to 2 requisition + 1 power for Combine
* Reduced damage of "plasma" attribute (Combine Sniper) from -50% to -75% against buildings
* Reduced damage of "shock" attribute (Vortigaunt) to -50% against buildings and synth
* Increased bonus damage "rpg" attribute against buildings and synth to 180 and 150
* Reduced bullet damage against synth to -85% and pulse against synth to -55%
* Increased flame thrower damage against light and medium
* Increased explosive attribute damage against light and building to 30 and 100
* Reduced damage explosive attribute against synth by 25%
* Reduced costs Combine Armory to 4 requisition and 2 power
* Reduced costs Rebel Armory to 4 requisition and 2 scrap
* Reduced costs Combine Spec Ops to 6 requisition and 6 power
* Reduced costs Rebel Spec Ops to 6 requisition and 6 scrap
* Reduced costs Combine Synth Factory to 6 requisition and 7 power
* Reduced costs Vortigaunt Den to 5 requisition and 6 scrap
* Increased costs of Combine Elite to 6 requisition and 2 power and reduced build time from 70s to 65s
* Reduced population cost of Combine Sniper to 2
* Increased damage of Strider cannon from 200 to 1000
* Increased damage Hunter charge from 200 to 500
* Increased Charge speed by 20% for both Antlion Guard and Hunter
* Increased Stalker construct range from 150 to 320 and slightly increased movement speed
* Reduced costs Hunter to 5 requisition and 6 power and reduced build time from 60s to 50s
* Reduced costs Strider to 10 requisition and 12 power and reduced build time from 120s to 100s
* Reduced costs Combine Sniper to 5 requisition and 5 power
* Increased base damage of Rebel Flamer from 5 to 7 damage
* Reduced build time Combine Soldier from 40s to 36s
* Increased Rebel Scout view distance to 1200
* Increased costs Rebel RPG from 2 scrap to 4 scrap
* Changed costs Vortigaunt to 5 requisition and 7 scrap
* Added "infiltrate" ability to Combine Sniper
* Rebel Engineer now requires time to salvage scrap and in return carries more scrap back to the HQ
* Units now have a 50% scrap drop chance and buildings and combine mines no longer drop scrap at all
* Removed unlock requirement Combine Elite and Combine Sniper
* Removed unlock requirement Rebel Veteran and Rebel RPG
* Grenade ability now applies explosive attribute (more damage against buildings, less against synth)
* Increased healing rate of Vortigaunt Inward Focus ability to 200 hp per second
* Grenades and Combine Mines now do friendly damage
Improvements:
* Cloaked units are now less noticeable
* Units now move back to their last idle position by inserting a move order. This ensures they will go in cover again after autocasting an ability (e.g. heal)
* Units are now always drawn on top of control points on the minimap
* Replaced old VGUI based sandbox panels by HTML based versions
* Updated main menu mission list
* Updated Combine Power Generator radius overlay
* Updated Turret direction overlay indicator during placing
* Added direction indicator overlay for placing Barricades
* Replaced selection circles by Particle based versions
Fixed:
* Crash on exit in fullscreen mode
* Units play the grenade throw animation but they do not actually throw a grenade. Also it does use resources and the ability needs to recharge
* Control Points initially not visible/explored in multiplayer matches due receiving full network updates
* Main Menu cut off partially at 800x600 resolution
* No longer possible to repair/construct neutral buildings
* Neutral medics incorrectly healing units from other owners
* If you try to upgrade the unit's weapon (metrocop SMG/Rebel or soldier shotgun and AR2), the upgrade sound is played even if the upgrade failed due to unsatisfied requirements
* Cannot deactivate rebel scouts infiltrate ability if the energy is below 20
* Glow Team coloring is not updated when toggling team coloring modes
* Incorrect population count displayed in hud
* Silhouette of combine hopper mine might still be shown after cancel placing the mine
* Lasers of enemy stalkers can be seen through the fog of war
* Missing Combine soldier die sound
* Activate sound incorrectly played when requirements are not fulfilled
* Damage of Strider Cannon ability incorrectly applies using the "pulse" attribute, doing too little damage against buildings
* Rebel scout does not shoot the active enemy after deactivating the infiltrate ability
* Fixed missing textures on combine bridge model, used on or_city
Misc:
* Updated Chromium Embedded Framework
* Updated embedded Python to 2.7.6
* The main menu "offline" tab now shows a tutorial video
* Added a "Bonus" button the Main Menu
* Added icons to steam
* Added commands "spectator_freeroam" and "spectator_strategicmode" for in Spectator mode
Why the name change?
We are gearing up to put the mod on Greenlight for free and the name change is in hopes of avoiding any IP conflict with Valve (for instance you'll remember they asked Black Mesa to remove "Source" from their name).
Does anyone not like the new name? I can't think of anything better.
Yeah) At last I can stop using the awkward tongue-twister that HL2W was ;)