[Released] JKGalaxies 1.3.23

[Futuza]

We're more than halfway through another year and with it a new set of features is coming to Jedi Knight Galaxies with version 1.3.23.  You can try out the new release by going to the download page here.  A subsequent beta patch will likely be made in a few weeks, but we hope to move our focus onto development of the next major milestone v1.4 (yep that's lightsabers!).  You can find a list of full patch notes here.

Here are some of the new features!

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New/Improved Systems:

• Falloff Damage.  Guns now feature falloff damage, meaning that if you fire at something beyond the weapon's range rating, damage will be exponentially decreased over distance.
• Toggleable crouching has been added!  You can now set a binding (Ctrl by default) to set and forget (c still uses the old method of hold to crouch).
• Overheating has been improved both mechanically and visually.  Each gun that generates heat (most blasters), has a custom defined threshold (default: 75% heat) at which point you will begin to hear a warning noise and see steam coming off the gun.  If the gun reaches 100% heat it will overheat disabling use of the weapon until it can cool down to the threshold level (more steam efx will also occur during this point).  Additionally it takes longer to swap to a different weapon if the weapon has more than 50% heat built up on it.
• More debuff/buff types added.  This includes some new ones with new movement mechanics: slow and haste.  Sting blast weapons will add a stacking (up to 50%) slow debuff to targets hit by it.  This also includes EMP debuffs which will short out certain equipment preventing their use for its duration (such as jetpacks).  Other buffs can also affect movement in different ways, such as taking spice which poisons you but also increases your movement speed.
• Updated Lua API/system to reflect current game features introduced in recent years: can now use new features like shields, debuffs, etc.  This is not going to affect current gameplay much, but lays a good groundwork for later Phase II systems for things such as quests.
• The Lua admin system has been improved and lots of bugs with it have been fixed.  New commands and functionality has been added, use /admhelp cmd in game for more information.
• The emote system has been readded.  You can type in /emotehelp to get a list of different emotes that are usable .  Using 'u' will give you access to the action chat menu which emotes can be called from directly (along with other cmds).  For example, try out /thumbsUp to gesture with a thumbs up.
• Most items now have item description with interesting factoids or lore information.  Note: This feature is still in development and will be improved in subsequent versions, especially with UI changes down the road.
• Weapon descriptions now display what type of ammo they are compatible with.
• Dice rolling system.  Want to gamble, play D&D, or yatzee inside of JKG?  Now you can with the dice rolling lua minigame.  Use the cmd /roll in the chat or console to try it.
• The client's server browser now shows which version of JKG each server is running (uses the 'gameversion' cvar).
• Deathmessage improvements.  Centerprint death messages brought back, and the game will inform you if you got a headblow (or were killed by a headblow).
• Melee mode is now toggleable for each individual ACI slot, instead of globally.  You can now set an ACI slot to melee and leave the other ACI slots unchanged (or have multiple slots assigned to melee).
• Pray and Spray.  Automatic and burst weaponry can now be fired while rolling (but good luck hitting anything!)
• Item Tiers.  While this feature will be mostly unused in this patch, items can now be assigned a tier to help player's determine their value/rarity.  See this concept thread for more information about how tiers will work in the future.
• Knockdown Stuns.  The standard-stun debuff now causes knockdown instead of freezing the player in place.  The old style has been restylized as 'stasis-stun', and is much less commonly used.
• Healing Grenades (such as the bacta grenade) now have a different armed sound, to help you tell the difference between helpful grenades and dangerous ones.
• ACP Weapon Type implemented.  The ACP damage type can partially bypass shields, with a % of their damage piercing through any active shield to do direct damage.  The default ratio is 50% (half impacts on the shield and the other half does direct damage).
• Weapon swap time is no longer hard coded (swap time is how long it takes for you to switch between weapons in your ACI), and can now be specified manually by each weapon file. Additionally Grenades, melee, and pistols have 25% reduced swap times from other weapons.

New Items:

• The IR-5 Intimidator Blaster Carbine. This cheap automatic blaster provides potent firepower for the fraction of the cost of higher quality carbines such as the E-11, however it is prone to overheating.  We hope this weapon will provide a good blaster alternative to compete with the Lt-60 Carbine in the early stages of matches.  A slightly more expensive version features a scope, with slightly better stats and heat management.
• Bacta Grenades have technically been in the game in the while, but have been missing their models.  They are now all properly dressed up now!  They also now heal more aggressively over time, and less instantaneously.
• Jetpacks: Merr-Sonn V-Burst Jetpacks have received their own model, and a JT-12 Jetpack (made famous by Jango Fett - model by Neomarz) has also been added.
• New clothing has been added including: Pilot Goggles, Capes, Gloves, a new rebel helmet (forest camo), and an Imperial Officer's hat.
• New Armor Set: Kessler Armor created by Noodle.  Designed for Bounty Hunters or mercenaries.  Provides decent protection for an affordable price.
• New Armor Set: Galinolo Huntsman (model by Neomarz and HellKobra, skin by Darth Phae) armor created by Noodle.  Designed for Bounty Hunters or mercenaries.  Slightly more expensive, but better protection than Kessler armor.
• Other misc armor items: Boba Fett's helmet, Bousshh's helmet, a Mabari Helmet (Zam Wessel's), and a traditional Weequay Cuirass.
• Westar Blaster Pistol.  Jango Fett's famous blaster pistol. It provides a very good fire rate and reload time, but also runs a little hot. While a little more expensive, it remains useful against even blaster carbines or rifles. By Silverfang (model).
• A simple Spice variant has been added and can now be used to give yourself a speed boost at the risk of poisoning yourself.

Map Changes:

• Most maps have had new vendors added to them (or the vendor locations adjusted).  Most will feature different types of vendors in each base, such as medical vendors (which sell first aid equipment like bacta), supply vendors (which offer equipment like grenades of ammunition types), etc.
• Maps now have an ambient heat value (default is 100), hotter maps make it harder to cool down overheating weapons, and fire debuffs are more effective.  Cooler maps allow weapons to cooldown faster, while making cold debuffs more effective, etc.
• JKG_Spaceport now has turrets.
• All maps except JKG_Taris (and those already with CTF Flags) have had CTF flags added in.
• Fixed JKG_Nightfall spawns (no more spawning in the enemy shop!)
• Fixed floating Tusken vendor in JKG_Jawa_Fortress

Bug Fixes, Quality of Life Improvements, and Balance Changes:

• Across the board balance changes to all weapons, most weapons have been buffed in some way either by being made more accurate, damaging, better cooling rates, or less expensive.
• Weapon accuracy improved across the board.  Especially for rifles or snipers or when using ADS (aim down sight).
• Several crashes fixed.
• Bacta now checks if client is at full health before allowing consumption.
• Bacta is now more reliant on a healing over time (buff) than instant heal.
• Carbonite debuff now also reduces damage received by 50%.
• Fixed tripmines chain explosions (along with other entities)
• Items now have weight (this doesn't affect anything yet).  You can check this by using /debuginventory.
• Fixed jetpack x-axis orientation acceleration not applying.  Jetpacks are now much easier to use.
• Consumables now have item descriptions.
• Fixed rolling from a fall or jump not removing fire debuffs
• Fixed dodge rolls and optimized code.
• Fixed some broken Lua animation handlers
• Player names now have drop shadow in the pazaak UI.
• Entities can now be marked with the 'busy' flag (such as when they are playing pazaak, or shopping). eg: If you challenge a player currently in another game, you'll receive a busy response.
• Removed "Press E to pick up weapon" messages on base weapons.
• Shader's for poison efx are no longer partially visible through/behind walls.
• Added a binding set for next/previous weapon in the control menu.
• Shields and Jetpacks can now be equipped to ACI with the number keys.
• It was possible for standard-stun to penetrate shields in certain circumstances, this is now fixed and shields should now always protect you from stunning as long as they have a charge. This bug would also cause the player to be frozen indefinitely.
• You can no longer change equipment while stunned/frozen by movement locking debuffs (such as standard-stun).
• Fixed exploits regarding using jetpacks or shields to gain an extra ACI slot.
• If you purchased/equipped a new shield, while you still had current shield charge and the new shield's max capacity, was less than your current shield charge, the shield would not be fully charged unless it was at exactly 100%.  This no longer happens.
• Shields now protect from fire debuff, but will not remove the debuff if the shield recharges while the player is still on fire.
• Fixed: Bacta grenades do not let you switch weapons until after they detonate.  Unfortunately this bug made it in and survived.
• Grenades are no longer in melee mode by default.  (This occurred after changing to individual melee aci slot assignment from a global system).
• While cooking a grenade, you are no longer able to sprint.  Thanks to Awec for reporting this, and George for the fix!
• Fixed crashes from invalid gametypes, you can no longer vote for invalid gametypes either.
• Fixed can't switch back to weapons with mousewheel after switching to melee
• Fixed exploit allowing multiple armors to be stacked on the same location.
• Assists and some other notices can now be seen while dead.  (For example if you kill another player after dying, you can see the notification for it now).
• Fixed exploit with armor not removing extra hp after unequipped.
• When at maxhp, and swapping armor sets, if the the new set increases maxhp, your current hp is now set to the new maxhp.
• Fixed player's names being hidden by certain armor sets.
• Armor vendors are now possible.
• All item descriptions have been improved with more accurate and useful information.
• Fixed bug where a spectator viewing a player that is killed would have their chat message cut off (like what happens to the player who died mid message).
• Fixes for various exploits regarding /pay command.
• Fixed various lua exploits.
• Fixed various auto aci assignment exploits.
• Fixed disintegration efx's not showing up on players.
• Fixed cinbuild.
• New item types added
• New filtering options for inventories/shops added
• Fixed ammo overrides not working with certain ammo hierarchies. 
• Fixed bad behavior when overheating in the middle of a burst round.
• Ammo overrides now also override 1st person efx (such as the muzzleflash).
• Jetpacks can no longer be activated while the player has an emp debuff active.
• And much more!
  
  JKG Contributors and Credits

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Both new assets, binaries, and most maps will need to be updated (we have updated both of the map packs).  Follow the instructions on the download page to patch/install. 

As a note, aside from a follow up patch (v1.3.25) for major bugs or balance issues discovered during the beta test, this will be the last planned major release for version 1.3, then we will be transitioning our focus to v1.4 (some work has already been done for that).  v1.4 will introduce the highly anticipated saber combat elements of JKG and we think all of us are looking forward to that.  v1.4 will be a big step in bringing JKG closer to the end of Phase I, and closer to the completing the core combat gameplay, after that there will be only a few more core elements left (such as skills, skill trees, force powers, etc) before we are ready to start working on Phase II.  Those interested may want to view our project roadmap located here.  We want to again express our appreciation for everyone that helps contribute to and support our favorite modding project. 

May the force be with you!

[Futuza]

We will be also running official community scrimmage matches on the following days and times:

• Friday August 26th @ 4am UTC.  Countdown #1 .
• Saturday August 27th @ 4am UTC.  Countdown #2.
• Saturday August 27th @ 4pm UTC. Countdown #2½.
• Sunday August 28th @ 7pm UTC.  Countdown #3.
• Saturday Sept 3rd @ 3pm UTC.  Countdown #4.

 

If you prefer watching other people play games, the developers will also be hosting Twitch Streams during and after the most of the matches, so feel free to also join us that way.  We highly recommend joining our Discord if you would like to play alongside with us or participate in our Q&A afterwords or if you just want to keep up to date on the latest happenings with JKG.  Hope to see you in game!

Edited September 8, 2022 by Futuza
Updating completed matches.

[Futuza]

As an update, one additional scrimmage time has been added: Saturday August 27th @ 4pm UTC. Countdown #2½.

[Futuza]

This is now the latest stable release!  Thanks for everyone's help in helping test it.  The mirrors here on JKHub should be updated shortly.  Hopefully we'll have a new beta out soon as well.