Beta_16_Final_Final (3)

I jest! This is clearly the first (and hopefully better be the last) final Beta 16 build, here and ready for you now :D

Kudos to all those confronting the Unchained menaces so far and in some cases repurposing their gear, though the Unchained have killed enough patrons--it's about time to send them off to find fresh steel to melt and bury... then do it some more in a near-term 16.1 with the likes of V4-D3R, BL-1NK, and perhaps 1B-0RG?

Don't worry, they'll get first dibs on you, too.

Beta 16 launches this week, which by complete coincidence happens to be the timing of a big roguelike sale (no sarcasm or intent here, the stars really just happened to align).

You may or may not have noticed that our X2 version was updated several times with save-compatible patches, which I applied as I saw data coming in from runs. Those patches were in general timed to fix important bugs, though also included behavior adjustments for Unchained based on said data, and simply having more time to work over what was a slightly rushed release to get them out there in the first place.

This latest build makes yet more tweaks, and ideally is the same one that will release publicly within a couple days, but you can play it in advance if you like, and runs in this version do count toward the non-patron public Beta 16 leaderboards when that updates later on.

The changelog compared to 251015a (see all X2-specific changelogs here):

• NEW: 1 new achievement (hidden)

• MOD: Various Unchained behavior adjustments

• MOD: Sterilization of smaller maps does not trigger Unchained

• MOD: "Junior Dev" achievement cannot be earned while RIF installed

• FIX: Specific Unchained could release drones after losing required part

• FIX: Crash during certain Clone situational behavior

• FIX: "Force Of Scrap" achievement would not trigger if Scrap Engine inactive upon winning

• FIX: "Deadly Precision" achievement awarded based on incorrect critical tally

• FIX: "Network Effect" achievement awarded immediately on first success

Get Beta 16 RC

On Steam, the Beta 16 release candidate is located on a temporary new beta branch "beta_16_rc" accessible with the code "TasteOfUnchained", or if you don't have Steam and bought through FastSpring and would like to try the DRM-free version, send me an email at gridsagegames@gmail.com to be added to the Beta 16 cycle notification list if you're not already on it.

Saves are not compatible with previous releases.

However, know that anyone on the _rc branch come public release will eventually be automatically moved over to the default branch when the same version is available there, so future compatibility should be assumed once you make the jump.

Within the install you'll also find the complete changelog, now organized for final release, when I'll also be putting out the full release notes, though if you've been around here you'll already be familiar with most of what I'll be including there.

16.1

Also there's going to be a 16.1! Beta 16 is coming out with fewer Unchained than I'd prefer since I added all those achievements, so we'll be catching up by doing something I haven't done in a while, a "minor" release focused on just adding more content!

More Unchained will join the fray, and though the exact number has yet to be determined, I'm thinking we'll do a bit of playing around with them in prerelease builds while either weighting against the previous ones or even simply blocking them altogether so you have an easier opportunity to try out newer ones.

How many to add and how long it takes will in turn depend on their complexity, but I'll try to add a mix of simple and complex to keep it interesting. (Clone was complex and a bit crashy, but definitely fun :D)

I'll get started on that soon after Beta 16 is out, though I do have to keep an eye out for any issues given the wider accessibility of our newest version, and of course do a review of some player stats from Beta 15...