January Balance Update (#2!)

This month's updates mainly focuses on performance/stability improvements (in common with the Natural Selection 2 codebase) and balance. You asked for more detailed changelogs, so here's as much detail as we can muster!

Changelog for NS2: Combat January 2015 Balance Update 2

Released on 2015-01-28 Alien Tweaks:

• Hydra spikes damage decreased from 15 to 9

• Hydra fire rate decreased from .25 to .15

• Hydra health decreased from 610 to 475

• Hydra range decreased from 20 to 18

• Hydra fuel sap decreased from 17 to 12

• Hydra accuracy decreased 5%

• Gorge heal-spray reduced 15% for buildings.

Marine Tweaks:

• Flamethrower flammable target multiplier reduced to 2.25

• Flamethrower damage decreased from 15 to 14.5

• Flamethrower energy drain decreased from 2 to 1.7

• Grenade launcher building damage increased from 1x to 1.70x

A preview version of our next map, co_niveus, is now included in the public build for your exploring pleasure!

Update 1

Released on 2015-01-15 Bug Fixes:

• Fixed a hole in the ready room on co_nest.

Alien Tweaks:

• Hydra spikes now deplete Jetpack fuel at a rate of 17% per hit.

• Bile bomb damage to Command Chairs is reduced to 45% of normal.

• Clog health increased from 250 to 500.

• Hydra range increased from 17.78 to 20.

• Hydra armor increased from 10 to 13.

• Hydra health increased from 350 to 610.

• Hydras are now more accurate at hitting moving targets.

• Hydra minimum rate-of-fire set to 0.25sec.

• Focus unlock lowered from level 9 to level 5.

• Whip unlock lowered from level 9 to level 4.

Marine Tweaks:

• The starting Marine Armory (not the weapon cache!) now repairs armor.

• Observatory detection range reduced from 22 to 15.

• Flamethrower building damage reduced by half

• Grenade launcher building damage reduced to same as player damage

• Cluster grenade damage reduced from 75 to 50.

• Cluster damage no longer does double damage to structures.

• Revolver damage reduced from 40 to 38.

• Revolver fire rate increased to the same as the Pistol.

General Gameplay Tweaks:

• Increased Capture Mode points-to-win from 500 to 600.