Posted June 20, 2009
I don't know if anyone here follows the news on the GiantsWD community site, but I thought it was worth bringing up that a beta version of a project aimed at modernizing and enhancing the game a fair bit has been released: Giants 1.5.
The current beta can be downloaded at this location. This patch renders GiantsHook obsolete, and disables GRM - a 1.5 compatible version of GRM will be released at a later date.
We're extremely interested in hearing of any problems associated with the patch, be they new or old, hardware or software oriented.
Changelist from 1.4 to beta 1.496:
Major multiplayer improvements:
• Integrated server browser, accessible from the Join Multiplayer Game menu.
• Integrated anti-cheat functionality for multiplayer games.
• Fixed all known multiplayer cheats/exploits.
• Giants now automatically loads .gck world modpacks created by GiantsEdit if they are placed in the Worlds folder. Maps can be automatically downloaded from the server host.
• Fixed a bug that could cause other players to appear to die and come back to life repeatedly when damaged.
• Fixed occasional crashing when using fully-charged adrenaline attacks as Kabuto.
• Smoothed out Reaper movement in multiplayer, fixed some missing animations.
• Increased player object update rates.
• Added full support for 3-team Mecc vs. Mecc vs. Mecc games.
• Weapon (un)availability can now be set by the host of the game through a menu in the multiplayer options screen.
Minor multiplayer improvements:
• Base build games are joinable in progress.
• Fixed a rare crash in 3-way games for late joiners before entering the game.
• Fixed a bug that prevented late joiners from damaging gyrocopters.
• Fixed various other problems for late joiners.
• Fixed a bug that could cause invisible Smarties to appear in the center of the map for late joiners.
• Fixed a bug involving the Reaper turbo ability that could cause them to become "floaty".
• Fixed some projectiles (including mines and some Reaper spells) not being removed when the owning player leaves the game.
• Fixed a bug that could cause the sound volume to be set to 0 when joining a game through GameSpy.
• Changed the behavior of the "-highbandwidth" command line switch. This is now a server-side only setting that will increase the update rates for
all clients, regardless of whether they have enabled the option themselves or not.
• Added more options for the max smarties setting.
• Vimp spawning can now be toggled on or off by the host in game.
• The world's terrain fog setting now limits the visible range of player markers.
• Fixed a bug that caused enemy player markers to disappear from some angles in 3-way games.
• The mute button now works properly.
• Removed "Lost World" restrictions.
Graphical improvements:
• Giants now uses 32 instead of 16 bit color for transparent textures when in 32-bit color modes.
• Included the DirectX 8 renderer that shipped with the GeForce 3 version of Giants. This is enabled by default on graphics
cards that support it, and can now be toggled on or off in the graphics options menu.
• Added "Very High" model and shadow detail settings.
• Added a "high" setting for enhanced water effects that uses a higher resolution water texture.
• Added an option to enable dynamic lighting on some effects.
• Increased maximum number of shadows and decals visible at once.
General changes:
• Weather is synchronized in multiplayer. Weather effects can now be easily added to custom multiplayer maps.
• Improved performance and appearance of weather effects.
• Minimizing the game in windowed mode should work better.
• Object limit doubled.
• Added a new command line, "-framelimit", to limit frames per second.
• Fixed a bug that could cause some objects to not be hurt by area damage in certain situations.
• Fixed projectile collision detection on many objects.
• Fixed some sounds that could get stuck in a loop.
• Fixed alt+tab problems under Windows Vista.
General balance changes:
• Mines left on the battlefield will explode after five minutes.
• Increased maximum mines per team to 30.
• Enemy party house buildings are no longer visible on the map.
• Gyrocopters and reaperskis now deal a small amount of splash damage to nearby enemies when destroyed.
Meccs:
• Sniper rifle: reduced range, damage, and ammunition.
• Repair pack: increased self-healing rate. Teammates are now healed more quickly.
• Repair pack: repair packs can now be used by gyrocopter passengers.
• Jetpack upgrade: increased rate of fuel recharge. Nitro is more powerful.
• Stealth bush: increased movement speed while bush is active.
• Gyrocopter: increased projectile speed, refire rate, and range of machine gun. Mortars now have a short delay.
• Machine gun: increased projectile speed, refire rate, and range. Reduced ammunition.
• Mortar: Grounded mortars detonate more quickly.
• Meccs can now enter enemy gyrocopters.
• Backpack items can no longer be activated while drowning in deep water.
• Unpiloted gyrocopters are now destroyed when they land in deep water.
• Headshots will now deal extra damage to enemy Meccs.
• Fixed proximity missiles not exploding when near objects if fired directly at a target.
• Fixed a bug that made it unusually difficult to hit small objects with the gyrocopter machine gun.
• Fixed a bug that could cause gyrocopters with passengers to randomly explode.
• Fixed name tags being shown for enemy Meccs in the stealth bush.
• Prevented homing missiles being locked on to enemy Meccs in the stealth bush.
• Fixed Meccs not dropping RPGs when killed if they are equipped.
Reapers:
• Repair: duration is no longer infinite when healing damaged objects.
• Firewall/Fire Circle: increased damage against Reapers and Kabuto.
• Slow time: area of effect reduced by 20%, and it now has a vertical limit.
• Slow time: the casting Reaper is no longer immune to the effects of their own slow time spells, but they are slowed by it less than enemies.
• Follow: reduced projectile speed.
• Cloak: spells and mines can no longer be used while cloaked.
• Sniper bow: reduced range, damage, and ammunition.
• Powerup bow: limited maximum range.
• Sea monster: increased radius and damage of projectile.
• All spells, mines, and flares now have a re-casting/throwing delay that cannot be avoided by jumping.
• Reduced maximum health.
• Increased turbo energy regeneration and movement speed.
• Increased swimming speed.
• Increased most spell recharge costs.
• Reapers now start with an RPG bow and full turbo energy in multiplayer.
• Headshots will now deal extra damage to enemy Reapers.
• Fixed Reapers being able to damage their own team's buildings with the sword.
• Fixed Seamonsters damaging team buildings.
• Fixed Reapers being able to jump while held by follow.
• Fixed a bug that caused swinging swords into steep terrain to push players backwards across long distances.
• Fixed player markers remaining visible when on cloaked towers.
• Fixed Meccs occasionally becoming permanently held by the Follow spell.
• Fixed weapons becoming visible after switching them while cloaked.
• Fixed target health bar being partially obscured by the turbo energy graphic.
Kabuto:
• Adrenaline: roaring now increases the rate of adrenaline recharge.
• Offspring: Offspring now defend each other and Kabuto from attackers, and will automatically attack nearby enemies.
• Offspring: eating enemies and vimp chunks now restores health.
• Kabuto can now pick up and throw small-to-medium sized palm trees.
• Kabuto can now grab smarties that have been ejected from damaged party houses.
• Meccs and Reapers can no longer switch weapons or use items when held by Kabuto or offspring.
• Young vimps restore less health when eaten.
• Vimp herds are now spooked when Kabuto eats them.
• Fixed Offspring occasionally becoming stuck in the tunneling animation.
• Fixed Offspring being able to pounce on enemies while tunneling.
• Fixed cluster spell being able to damage Kabuto's weakspot.
• Fixed adrenaline attacks damaging offspring weakspots.
Miscellaneous/minor changes:
• Fixed sun flares being visible during some weather effects.
• Fixed repeated egg laying sounds for Kabuto.
• Fixed rendering of gyrocopter shadows.
• Fixed Verm death animations.
• Fixed a bug that made Reaperman machine gun fire overly inaccurate.
• Fixed some issues when restarting singleplayer missions.
Beta 1.496 to beta 1.497
Bugs fixed from 1.496:
• Fixed weather only starting once on dedicated servers.
• Fixed vimp meat/soul energy not being displayed properly for late joiners in base build games.
• Fixed offspring responding to summons when dead.
• Fixed a bug that could prevent offspring from dying properly in multiplayer.
• Fixed a bug that allowed multiple players to join team Kabuto after a server switches from an MvMvM to 3-way game type.
• Fixed gyrocopters being unusually difficult to target with adrenaline as Kabuto.
• Fixed Reapers being able to cast Tornado while cloaked.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Kabuto from being able to spike Reapers.
• Players no longer lose points when killed by turrets.
• Solved numerous crash to desktop issues.
General:
• Attack notifications are no longer played when buildings are damaged by players on the same team.
• New players are now automatically assigned teams that will best balance the game.
• Fixed players getting stuck inside of dead offspring.
• Fixed host being able to enter build pad in base build games when other players are on it.
• Fixed a bug that caused offspring to take too much damage from the tornado spell.
• Fixed a bug that caused machinegun ammo usage to vary with framerate.
• Fixed objects occasionally being destroyed immediately after being thrown by Kabuto.
• Fixed Reapers being able to jump while casting fire circle.
• Fixed Reaperski ammo not being synchronized with other players.
• Fixed various problems with Reaper vimp soul collection in multiplayer.
• Fixed a bug that caused the Reaper teleport spell to be unusually difficult to cast in some situations.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Reapers and Kabuto from jumping while on some objects.
• Fixed a bug that could cause existing players to see an incorrect score for a newly connected player.
• The dedicated server utility now has the expanded Smartie count options.
• The patch installer should now be able to install to the Program Files directory under Windows Vista.
New multiplayer features:
• Left clicking teammates in the map menu will cause their name tag and health to be displayed at all times.
• Points are now awarded for returning your team's flag based on how close it was to being captured.
• The location of the enemy flag is now shown when a teammate picks it up.
• Added a voting system. Players can call votes from the multiplayer options screen (accessed by pressing F1) on dedicated servers if the host has enabled it.
Kabuto:
• Weakened offspring.
• Kabuto can no longer eat or feed trees to offspring.
• Rock generators now work properly in multiplayer. Added generators to several maps.
• Players are now awarded points for killing offspring in multiplayer.
• Kabuto's crosshair now properly reflects whether targets are in range of long-distance adrenaline attacks.
• Offspring can now attack players in Reaperskis.
Meccs:
• Reduced repair pack teammate healing bonus.
• Reduced range and speed of gyrocopter and handheld machine gun projectiles.
Reapers:
• Homing bow: ammo increased from 10 to 15. Projectiles are now louder and can be heard from farther away.
• Tornado: reduced maximum casting range and duration. Tornadoes will now disappear if the casting Reaper is killed before casting has completed.
• Tornado: reduced damage against base buildings and turrets.
• Firewall/fire circle: increased damage against Kabuto and offspring.
• Cluster: reduced casting delay and projectile speed.
• Added a sound to flares.
• Mines launched in mid air no longer have extra force.
• Fake Reapers created by the teleport spell now have player markers in multiplayer.
• Improved some visual effects.
Reaperski:
• Reaperskis are now spawned with full ammo.
• Reaperskis controlled by other players should no longer appear to move strangely when on land.
• Tweaked ski handling.
• Made it easier to do damage by ramming objects.
• Fixed some targeting problems with homing missiles.
• Increased health.
• Reapers now take damage when their ski is destroyed.
Singleplayer:
• Added weather to more singleplayer maps.
• Improved AI responsiveness on base building missions.
The current beta can be downloaded at this location. This patch renders GiantsHook obsolete, and disables GRM - a 1.5 compatible version of GRM will be released at a later date.
We're extremely interested in hearing of any problems associated with the patch, be they new or old, hardware or software oriented.
Changelist from 1.4 to beta 1.496:
Major multiplayer improvements:
• Integrated server browser, accessible from the Join Multiplayer Game menu.
• Integrated anti-cheat functionality for multiplayer games.
• Fixed all known multiplayer cheats/exploits.
• Giants now automatically loads .gck world modpacks created by GiantsEdit if they are placed in the Worlds folder. Maps can be automatically downloaded from the server host.
• Fixed a bug that could cause other players to appear to die and come back to life repeatedly when damaged.
• Fixed occasional crashing when using fully-charged adrenaline attacks as Kabuto.
• Smoothed out Reaper movement in multiplayer, fixed some missing animations.
• Increased player object update rates.
• Added full support for 3-team Mecc vs. Mecc vs. Mecc games.
• Weapon (un)availability can now be set by the host of the game through a menu in the multiplayer options screen.
Minor multiplayer improvements:
• Base build games are joinable in progress.
• Fixed a rare crash in 3-way games for late joiners before entering the game.
• Fixed a bug that prevented late joiners from damaging gyrocopters.
• Fixed various other problems for late joiners.
• Fixed a bug that could cause invisible Smarties to appear in the center of the map for late joiners.
• Fixed a bug involving the Reaper turbo ability that could cause them to become "floaty".
• Fixed some projectiles (including mines and some Reaper spells) not being removed when the owning player leaves the game.
• Fixed a bug that could cause the sound volume to be set to 0 when joining a game through GameSpy.
• Changed the behavior of the "-highbandwidth" command line switch. This is now a server-side only setting that will increase the update rates for
all clients, regardless of whether they have enabled the option themselves or not.
• Added more options for the max smarties setting.
• Vimp spawning can now be toggled on or off by the host in game.
• The world's terrain fog setting now limits the visible range of player markers.
• Fixed a bug that caused enemy player markers to disappear from some angles in 3-way games.
• The mute button now works properly.
• Removed "Lost World" restrictions.
Graphical improvements:
• Giants now uses 32 instead of 16 bit color for transparent textures when in 32-bit color modes.
• Included the DirectX 8 renderer that shipped with the GeForce 3 version of Giants. This is enabled by default on graphics
cards that support it, and can now be toggled on or off in the graphics options menu.
• Added "Very High" model and shadow detail settings.
• Added a "high" setting for enhanced water effects that uses a higher resolution water texture.
• Added an option to enable dynamic lighting on some effects.
• Increased maximum number of shadows and decals visible at once.
General changes:
• Weather is synchronized in multiplayer. Weather effects can now be easily added to custom multiplayer maps.
• Improved performance and appearance of weather effects.
• Minimizing the game in windowed mode should work better.
• Object limit doubled.
• Added a new command line, "-framelimit", to limit frames per second.
• Fixed a bug that could cause some objects to not be hurt by area damage in certain situations.
• Fixed projectile collision detection on many objects.
• Fixed some sounds that could get stuck in a loop.
• Fixed alt+tab problems under Windows Vista.
General balance changes:
• Mines left on the battlefield will explode after five minutes.
• Increased maximum mines per team to 30.
• Enemy party house buildings are no longer visible on the map.
• Gyrocopters and reaperskis now deal a small amount of splash damage to nearby enemies when destroyed.
Meccs:
• Sniper rifle: reduced range, damage, and ammunition.
• Repair pack: increased self-healing rate. Teammates are now healed more quickly.
• Repair pack: repair packs can now be used by gyrocopter passengers.
• Jetpack upgrade: increased rate of fuel recharge. Nitro is more powerful.
• Stealth bush: increased movement speed while bush is active.
• Gyrocopter: increased projectile speed, refire rate, and range of machine gun. Mortars now have a short delay.
• Machine gun: increased projectile speed, refire rate, and range. Reduced ammunition.
• Mortar: Grounded mortars detonate more quickly.
• Meccs can now enter enemy gyrocopters.
• Backpack items can no longer be activated while drowning in deep water.
• Unpiloted gyrocopters are now destroyed when they land in deep water.
• Headshots will now deal extra damage to enemy Meccs.
• Fixed proximity missiles not exploding when near objects if fired directly at a target.
• Fixed a bug that made it unusually difficult to hit small objects with the gyrocopter machine gun.
• Fixed a bug that could cause gyrocopters with passengers to randomly explode.
• Fixed name tags being shown for enemy Meccs in the stealth bush.
• Prevented homing missiles being locked on to enemy Meccs in the stealth bush.
• Fixed Meccs not dropping RPGs when killed if they are equipped.
Reapers:
• Repair: duration is no longer infinite when healing damaged objects.
• Firewall/Fire Circle: increased damage against Reapers and Kabuto.
• Slow time: area of effect reduced by 20%, and it now has a vertical limit.
• Slow time: the casting Reaper is no longer immune to the effects of their own slow time spells, but they are slowed by it less than enemies.
• Follow: reduced projectile speed.
• Cloak: spells and mines can no longer be used while cloaked.
• Sniper bow: reduced range, damage, and ammunition.
• Powerup bow: limited maximum range.
• Sea monster: increased radius and damage of projectile.
• All spells, mines, and flares now have a re-casting/throwing delay that cannot be avoided by jumping.
• Reduced maximum health.
• Increased turbo energy regeneration and movement speed.
• Increased swimming speed.
• Increased most spell recharge costs.
• Reapers now start with an RPG bow and full turbo energy in multiplayer.
• Headshots will now deal extra damage to enemy Reapers.
• Fixed Reapers being able to damage their own team's buildings with the sword.
• Fixed Seamonsters damaging team buildings.
• Fixed Reapers being able to jump while held by follow.
• Fixed a bug that caused swinging swords into steep terrain to push players backwards across long distances.
• Fixed player markers remaining visible when on cloaked towers.
• Fixed Meccs occasionally becoming permanently held by the Follow spell.
• Fixed weapons becoming visible after switching them while cloaked.
• Fixed target health bar being partially obscured by the turbo energy graphic.
Kabuto:
• Adrenaline: roaring now increases the rate of adrenaline recharge.
• Offspring: Offspring now defend each other and Kabuto from attackers, and will automatically attack nearby enemies.
• Offspring: eating enemies and vimp chunks now restores health.
• Kabuto can now pick up and throw small-to-medium sized palm trees.
• Kabuto can now grab smarties that have been ejected from damaged party houses.
• Meccs and Reapers can no longer switch weapons or use items when held by Kabuto or offspring.
• Young vimps restore less health when eaten.
• Vimp herds are now spooked when Kabuto eats them.
• Fixed Offspring occasionally becoming stuck in the tunneling animation.
• Fixed Offspring being able to pounce on enemies while tunneling.
• Fixed cluster spell being able to damage Kabuto's weakspot.
• Fixed adrenaline attacks damaging offspring weakspots.
Miscellaneous/minor changes:
• Fixed sun flares being visible during some weather effects.
• Fixed repeated egg laying sounds for Kabuto.
• Fixed rendering of gyrocopter shadows.
• Fixed Verm death animations.
• Fixed a bug that made Reaperman machine gun fire overly inaccurate.
• Fixed some issues when restarting singleplayer missions.
Beta 1.496 to beta 1.497
Bugs fixed from 1.496:
• Fixed weather only starting once on dedicated servers.
• Fixed vimp meat/soul energy not being displayed properly for late joiners in base build games.
• Fixed offspring responding to summons when dead.
• Fixed a bug that could prevent offspring from dying properly in multiplayer.
• Fixed a bug that allowed multiple players to join team Kabuto after a server switches from an MvMvM to 3-way game type.
• Fixed gyrocopters being unusually difficult to target with adrenaline as Kabuto.
• Fixed Reapers being able to cast Tornado while cloaked.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Kabuto from being able to spike Reapers.
• Players no longer lose points when killed by turrets.
• Solved numerous crash to desktop issues.
General:
• Attack notifications are no longer played when buildings are damaged by players on the same team.
• New players are now automatically assigned teams that will best balance the game.
• Fixed players getting stuck inside of dead offspring.
• Fixed host being able to enter build pad in base build games when other players are on it.
• Fixed a bug that caused offspring to take too much damage from the tornado spell.
• Fixed a bug that caused machinegun ammo usage to vary with framerate.
• Fixed objects occasionally being destroyed immediately after being thrown by Kabuto.
• Fixed Reapers being able to jump while casting fire circle.
• Fixed Reaperski ammo not being synchronized with other players.
• Fixed various problems with Reaper vimp soul collection in multiplayer.
• Fixed a bug that caused the Reaper teleport spell to be unusually difficult to cast in some situations.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Reapers and Kabuto from jumping while on some objects.
• Fixed a bug that could cause existing players to see an incorrect score for a newly connected player.
• The dedicated server utility now has the expanded Smartie count options.
• The patch installer should now be able to install to the Program Files directory under Windows Vista.
New multiplayer features:
• Left clicking teammates in the map menu will cause their name tag and health to be displayed at all times.
• Points are now awarded for returning your team's flag based on how close it was to being captured.
• The location of the enemy flag is now shown when a teammate picks it up.
• Added a voting system. Players can call votes from the multiplayer options screen (accessed by pressing F1) on dedicated servers if the host has enabled it.
Kabuto:
• Weakened offspring.
• Kabuto can no longer eat or feed trees to offspring.
• Rock generators now work properly in multiplayer. Added generators to several maps.
• Players are now awarded points for killing offspring in multiplayer.
• Kabuto's crosshair now properly reflects whether targets are in range of long-distance adrenaline attacks.
• Offspring can now attack players in Reaperskis.
Meccs:
• Reduced repair pack teammate healing bonus.
• Reduced range and speed of gyrocopter and handheld machine gun projectiles.
Reapers:
• Homing bow: ammo increased from 10 to 15. Projectiles are now louder and can be heard from farther away.
• Tornado: reduced maximum casting range and duration. Tornadoes will now disappear if the casting Reaper is killed before casting has completed.
• Tornado: reduced damage against base buildings and turrets.
• Firewall/fire circle: increased damage against Kabuto and offspring.
• Cluster: reduced casting delay and projectile speed.
• Added a sound to flares.
• Mines launched in mid air no longer have extra force.
• Fake Reapers created by the teleport spell now have player markers in multiplayer.
• Improved some visual effects.
Reaperski:
• Reaperskis are now spawned with full ammo.
• Reaperskis controlled by other players should no longer appear to move strangely when on land.
• Tweaked ski handling.
• Made it easier to do damage by ramming objects.
• Fixed some targeting problems with homing missiles.
• Increased health.
• Reapers now take damage when their ski is destroyed.
Singleplayer:
• Added weather to more singleplayer maps.
• Improved AI responsiveness on base building missions.
Post edited June 20, 2009 by z0pharx
