[SilverAngelX]

Hello everyone,
it's been a while since I released the first chapter of my campaign named "New Path" and since completing the finishing touches on it I have been working on Chapter 2. As life has a tendency of getting into your way it was more of an "on and off" kind of work, so it took a while to get Chapter 2 ready, but now I'm happy to say: It's almost done.

Today I uploaded beta version 1.9.9-beta1 to Nebula and everyone is invited to try it and give me feedback. So, what can you expect? I'm glad you asked.
The new campaign features of Chapter 2:

• 17 playable missions
• 3 new live action cutscenes (not part of the beta)
• new ships and models
• more new anims for Command Briefings and the Intelligence section of the Tech DB

While the campaign is complete in a lot of aspects, it still is a beta release, so it's not fully complete. It's missing most of its cutscenes (as stated above). They will be added for the final release. It's also missing the final polishing. I have tested all the missions myself several times, so hopefully I've ironed out most of the more obvious bugs. But one thing I learned is that it only takes one other player with a different playstyle to find bugs I have never even thought of looking for. Not to mention balancing issues with different playstyles.

So, that's what I ask of any player who takes part in the beta: feedback on bugs and balancing.
If you find any bugs or want to give feedback, please post here on the forums, write a DM or contact me via Discord (Username SilverAngelX).

There's also on other thing I'd like to have feedback on: I have used several models in this campaign that don't come from the MediaVPs. I used the download links provided in the Wiki to get those models, but since those links don't always get updated immediately there might be newer versions of some of theses models already in other mods I don't know of. If you notice one of the models is outdated, please also let me know.

Since I haven't updated the credits of my mod for Chapter 2 yet, everyone who takes part in this open beta will get a spot in the QA section of the credits. 

Last point: How much time do you have? I haven't decided on a definitive end date for the beta yet, but I will most likely use the christmas break to finalize the release, so beta will end somewhere around the end of the year (latest).

Thank you in advance for anyone taking part in this, and I hope you enjoy this campaign.

KR, Silver

[SilverAngelX]

What a great start... It seems the VP of the Core package got corrupted during the upload to Nebula, so it was unreadable and nothing worked... I deleted the 1.9.9-beta1 and will replace it with a new version 1.9.9-beta1a. Let's hope that one works better...

Edit: Nope. It seems my packages have gotten to the point where VPs are no longer feasible due to size. So much for the nostalgic value of those old containers... Let's try without them then. 1.9.9-beta2 incoming.

[Goober5000]

Glad to see this, and glad the beta release is now working.   Highlighted.

[ryanchealth]

Thanks for the Fred2 videos!

[Mobius]

Great news! Speaking of the models, do you mind posting a more detailed list of contents here? It'd be much easier for modders to keep you up to date on any existing/WIP updates of these spacecraft/ship models.

[SilverAngelX]

Thanks for the Fred2 videos!

You're welcome.

Great news! Speaking of the models, do you mind posting a more detailed list of contents here? It'd be much easier for modders to keep you up to date on any existing/WIP updates of these spacecraft/ship models.

Sure. I already have a list of all the models for the Credits.

GTF Leto
GTF Durandal
GTCa Hera
GTT Wyvern
GTI Nareos
GTI Silex
GTGS Anteus
GTGS Polemos
GVI Abydos

Those are the ones I added for Chapter 2. But I can also add the ones from Chapter 1, so everyone can crosscheck those:
GTF Kulas
GTB Rhea
GTSh Mercury
GTI Bretonia
GTT Corsair
Intrasystem Jumpgate
GTC Hyperion (Stratcomm's version, not Aesaar's Blue Planet version)
GTC Garm
GTI Chamelion
GTI Asteria
GTI Veles
GTI Ceres
GVF Anouke
GVF Reshef
GVC Newet
GVT Qeb
PVI Cheops

[Colonol Dekker]

Really good updates.  Great work and keep it going:D

[Thivvs]

Hey,

I really liked part 1 and decided to give part 2 a shot.

So far I found 1 minor issue and 1 breaking one which blocks proceeding in the campaign :/

- docking points between drones and argo transports seem to be off
- BREAKING ONE: Mission which introduces Hera carrier - The carrier is invulnerable. When I removed the invulnerable flag with cheats I was able to "destroy" it. It disappeared and a freighter appeared (which was also invulnerable)

[SilverAngelX]

- docking points between drones and argo transports seem to be off

That is a problem of the models, so unfortunately I can't do anything about it, except using different models, which I honestly don't think is warranted here.

- BREAKING ONE: Mission which introduces Hera carrier - The carrier is invulnerable. When I removed the invulnerable flag with cheats I was able to "destroy" it. It disappeared and a freighter appeared (which was also invulnerable)

All of that is intentional, except that if you follow the directives given to you the invulnerabilities should be resolved by the mission. So, it appears that you did something I didn't anticipate, so that the mission logic couldn't play out. Maybe try the mission again and if it doesn't resolve the invulnerabilities, give me some more details so I can check why it doesn't work.

KR, Silver

[Thivvs]

All of that is intentional, except that if you follow the directives given to you the invulnerabilities should be resolved by the mission. So, it appears that you did something I didn't anticipate, so that the mission logic couldn't play out. Maybe try the mission again and if it doesn't resolve the invulnerabilities, give me some more details so I can check why it doesn't work.

Hey, tried it two times again and got the same result. More info below:
- Got objective "Destroy Hera" straight from the beggining but it's invulnerable
- 2 wings of Erinyes jump in, we destroy them and second objective is success
- there are only messages about Hera being disabled and that it has broken weapons
- nothing else happens in the mission

Let me know if I can help you in some way with the debugging

[SilverAngelX]

Have you actually fired any secondaries at the Hera?

[Thivvs]

Have you actually fired any secondaries at the Hera?

Yes, default artemis loadout. Cyclops do nothing and I can spam them forever.

[SilverAngelX]

Interesting. I just tested it again and as soon as the first torpedoes hit the Hera, the event triggered the associated dialogue commenting on the torpedoe's ineffectiveness and then a new directive to ram the Hera appeared.
The event is triggered by firing the secondaries in bank 2 or 3 and being within 900m of the Hera. Did you stay too far away from her maybe? I mean, I can add a time-based fallback to trigger this event anyway, but I would really like to understand why you have that problem and apparently no one else so far...

[Dan1]

Game breaking bug:

Mission: Finding the Mole.

Killed all fighters and the drones all jumped out.  Primary Obj complete.  Secondary never does.  Also don't receive instructions to jump out and when I do get the you don't have authorization to leave message.

NOTE: Didn't lose any drones so maybe that's why?

Tried this 3x just to be sure.


EDIT:  Just did this again and let one drone get destroyed.  Looks like continued as normal and did get the jump out request as well as sec obj complete.

Also, a possible suggestion for playing.  Once transports are disabled / disarmed maybe mark them as friendly?

[SilverAngelX]

Game breaking bug:

Mission: Finding the Mole.

Killed all fighters and the drones all jumped out.  Primary Obj complete.  Secondary never does.  Also don't receive instructions to jump out and when I do get the you don't have authorization to leave message.

NOTE: Didn't lose any drones so maybe that's why?

Tried this 3x just to be sure.

I got this one also via Discord. I think it's a conflict between the objective and the stop condition once there's nothing left to protect for the hostile fighters. Do you remember which wings and how many waves of them had already arrived?

KR Silver

[Dan1]

Game breaking bug:

Mission: Finding the Mole.

Killed all fighters and the drones all jumped out.  Primary Obj complete.  Secondary never does.  Also don't receive instructions to jump out and when I do get the you don't have authorization to leave message.

NOTE: Didn't lose any drones so maybe that's why?

Tried this 3x just to be sure.

I got this one also via Discord. I think it's a conflict between the objective and the stop condition once there's nothing left to protect for the hostile fighters. Do you remember which wings and how many waves of them had already arrived?

KR Silver

I want to say it was Cancer...?    Waves kinda varies.    Maybe getting them all evaced out quickly before all waves have a chance to jump in and complete screws something up so the secondary doesn't complete and no evac approval comes through?  just guessing.

Also,

Just did this again and let one drone get destroyed.  Looks like continued as normal and did get the jump out request as well as sec obj complete.

Also, a possible suggestion for playing.  Once transports are disabled / disarmed maybe mark them as friendly/neutral so they don't keep showing up on my enemy targeting when trying to go after enemy targets?

[Dan1]

Mission : Close Proximity

Request:  Can you make the transport when disabled (and disarmed.. wasn't a directive but did it anyway) turn to neutral prior to the docking of the amazon transport?  Just to get it off the enemy list for targeting incoming fighters ?   

[Dan1]

Just finished part 2 and I must say this was very fun to play through.  Thanks for making it and looking forward to any continuations.

[Thivvs]

Interesting. I just tested it again and as soon as the first torpedoes hit the Hera, the event triggered the associated dialogue commenting on the torpedoe's ineffectiveness and then a new directive to ram the Hera appeared.
The event is triggered by firing the secondaries in bank 2 or 3 and being within 900m of the Hera. Did you stay too far away from her maybe? I mean, I can add a time-based fallback to trigger this event anyway, but I would really like to understand why you have that problem and apparently no one else so far...

Now when I used the logic of shooting < 900m to Hera the event triggers (double tested to be sure) and I was able to complete the mission.

To be honest I'm not 100% sure what was the case previously. Maybe I was just a bit over 900m to the target, which is not hard as cyclops targer from much further away and you don't bother going closer as Hera doesn't shoot you back . We'll see if anybody else will come with same issue like me.

[SilverAngelX]

Maybe I was just a bit over 900m to the target, which is not hard as cyclops targer from much further away and you don't bother going closer as Hera doesn't shoot you back .

Well, there could be another issues since the internal distance calculation might differ slightly from what you see in your HUD... As I said, I will add a time-based fallback, so that the event happens anyway.

Mission : Close Proximity

Request:  Can you make the transport when disabled (and disarmed.. wasn't a directive but did it anyway) turn to neutral prior to the docking of the amazon transport?  Just to get it off the enemy list for targeting incoming fighters ?   

Noted for both missions.

Thx for the feedback.