Popular strategy sim Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is in store for a pretty hefty makeover in its latest update. Released last year, Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation came out as both a standalone game and an expansion of the original game, Ashes of the Singularity. In update v2.1, AI visibility and balance have been adjusted, and player requested features such as single-player observer mode have also been introduced.
Below is the complete changelog for v2.1:
Features
- Single Player Observer Mode– Ever wondered if the AI was better as the Substrate or the PHC? Or if a dozen normal AI’s can beat an Insane AI? Setup your own games and watch the AI battle against itself with whatever maps and settings you want.
- Supply Lines Game Option– Disable this when starting your game to remove the requirement that Regions have to be connected to your Nexus to provide resources. There are now over 4.7 million configurations of map options to play a game with (and that doesn’t even count all the possible maps or player settings).
- Unranked Match– Allows you to play a 1 versus 1 multiplayer game that is automatically matched, but your results don’t effect your ranking. Good for practicing new tactics or playing a more casual multiplayer game.
- Espana– New Medium Arctic map available for skirmish, multiplayer and ranked games.
- Rus– New Small Desert map available for skirmish, multiplayer and ranked games.
- Italia– New Terran Medium map available for skirmish, multiplayer and ranked games.
Balance
- Cygnus victory points reduced form 1500 to 750
- Deneb victory points reduced from 1500 to 750
- Europa victory points reduced from 1500 to 1000
- Maurn victoyr points reduced from 1500 to 750
- Proxima victory points reduced from 2000 to 600
- Pulaski victory points reduced from 2000 to 1000
- Pyn victory points reduced from 1500 to 600
- Spica victory points reduced from the 1500 to 600
- Thuban victiry points reduced from 750 to 600
- Tortuga victory points reduced from 1500 to 750
- Vega victory points reduced from 2500 to 600
- Canopus map update:
- Created additional routes between each peninsula to allow for more strategic diversity and flanking routes
- Reduced the size of the impassable terrain in the middle
- Added a metal relay in the middle of the outer pathways
- Ceres map update:
- Added two metal deposits to one of the nearby empty relays
- Deneb map update:
- Reworked the terrain layout in order to be more symmetrical
- Symmetrized the resource layout to be fair and balanced for both sides
- Replaced the side Turinium Generators with Radioactives
- Centralised Turinium generators to make Turinium acquisition more viable
- Knife Fight map update:
- Equalised the travel time from starting locations to first two resource points
- Opened up an additional pathway on the sides of the map
- Opened up an additional pathway on the top and bottom of the map
- Connected the resources points on the sides of the map
- Monaco map update:
- Moved player starting locations to map corners
- Reshuffled some of the resource layout to replicate a more standard starting location
- Created a wide Pathway in the centre of the map
- Centralised all the Turinium Generators to make acquiring Turinium more viable
- Regulus map update:
- Created a pathway at the top and bottom of the map with an empty relay
- Moved the starting locations to map corners to account for additional pathways
- Ulrich map update:
- Created a pathway between the centre of the map
- The middle now only has a single centered Turinium Generator
- Added Metal Deposits onto one of the empty relays near the starting locations
Fixes
- Fixed visibility related to elevation changes on some maps
- Crash fixes
- Fixed an issue where Oblivion and Eliminator Turrets weren’t showing up under light fog of war
- Fixed connection issues when starting a matchmaker game
UI
- Main Menu rescaled to look better and be more clear
In celebration of the update, Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is 50% off on Steam until March 3, allowing PC gamers to enjoy it for $19.99 USD.
