Got the plans right here, Commander.

On Friday, we marked the one-year anniversary of our launch date. We recapped an exciting year and teased some big things we are working on for Tempest Rising, including map creation tools and new single-player content. We look forward to sharing more about this content in the future.

Today, we are releasing another batch of quality-of-life improvements, new features, and maps to the game, alongside our usual round of bugfixes and MP balance changes.

We continue to focus our efforts on directly addressing player feedback with these patches. This update notably adds long-requested features, including:

• New maps

• Bot-only matches

• RMB Freelook

• Insane Skirmish difficulty

• A new Adaptive AI behavior

• Saved Custom match settings

• Shift Queue Production Rally points

• Rally points for under-construction Structures

• Improved/reworked SHIFT+[Group keybind]
  

We have many more improvements and features to share, so let's dive into it!

New Features

Spectate Bot-only Matches

We’ve added the ability for players to launch ‘AI-bot only’ matches in Custom, with players able to watch using a Spectator slot. To set up a bot match, go to Multiplayer > Custom > Create Game, add AI bot players, and select Spectator.

RMB Freelook

Many players have requested that the camera ‘Freelook’ behave the same as in classic RTS games.

We have added a “Freelook Delay” checkbox in the Controls settings that assigns freelook to the Right Mouse Button (RMB), while preserving the “Issue Command” action for RMB (or the “Deselect Units” action if “Classic mouse controls” are enabled).

NOTE: As the name suggests, this checkbox introduces a small delay to prevent actions that use the same key from being triggered when players activate Freelook.

Seasons

With this patch, we’re introducing the ‘Seasons’ feature, which will allow players to observe statistics, older leaderboards, and their leaderboards placements for previous matchmaking seasons from the Player Profile.

Insane Skirmish AI difficulty

We have added a new, harder difficulty level for players looking for a serious challenge. The Insane AI is designed to push players' skills to their limit. It is built on the following key features:

• The AI has improved starting build orders for both factions to ensure a more stable and efficient start

• Turrets placed by the AI are more efficient, prioritizing attacks to hit the most advantageous targets

• A new behavior is added for both factions that leads the AI to capture player-controlled Tempest fields

• The AI receives increased income and production speed cheats to receive an unfair advantage against players

Adaptive Skirmish AI behavior

The new Adaptive Skirmish AI behavior is designed to adapt to the player's pace rather than following a fixed script. It is built on the following key features:

• The AI does not expand its territory beyond what the player controls. If the player stays in a small area, the AI does the same.

• The AI matches its economic growth to the player's. It will not outproduce or outspend the player through passive resource accumulation.

• The AI maintains a combat force roughly equal in size to the player's army. It avoids overwhelming the player with a massive unit advantage.

• The AI plays passively when the player is passive, focusing on slow development. When the player becomes aggressive (by launching attacks or pushing territory expansion), the AI responds with equal aggression.

• Behavior can be applied to any difficulty (including the newly added Insane difficulty)

This will give players the freedom to play at their own pace without the AI rushing too early or taking over the map if the player doesn’t. Newer players can learn without pressure, while experienced players can still trigger a challenging response by playing aggressively.

Skirmish/Multiplayer Maps

• Arena
  • Completely new symmetrical 4-player map
  • Ideal for players who prefer to focus on non-stop battles in the map center without worrying about expanding their map presence
  • Available in Matchmaking, Skirmish, and Custom matches

• Brussels
  • Asymmetrical 6-player map converted from Dynasty Mission 4
  • Best suited for team matches, with three starting positions at the top and bottom of the map
  • Available in Skirmish and Custom matches

• Plundered Riches
  • Asymmetrical 6-player map converted from Dynasty Mission 6
  • Scattered starting positions will create chaos on the battlefield in FFA matches
  • Available in Skirmish and Custom matches

• Sand Sea and Steel
  • Asymmetrical 4-player map converted from GDF Mission 10
  • Suitable for both FFA and team matches
  • Available in Skirmish and Custom matches

Quality of Life Updates

• Custom and Skirmish lobby match settings are now saved between sessions. When players create a new match lobby in the future, their previous match settings will already be populated
  
  • Added a ‘Restore Page’ button that will allow players to reset lobby settings to the default settings

• Added the ability to SHIFT queue multiple Rally Points for Production Structures
  
  • This sends units to queued Rally Points in order one by one, rather than directly to one location

• Added the ability to set Rally Points from GDF Structures under construction, so players don’t have to wait until they’re finished


• Added the ability to place multiple buildings of the same type for all factions while holding SHIFT
  
  • For GDF, it allows players to order the construction of multiple structures of the same type without clicking on the Build tab each time

• For DYN, it allows players to place multiple structures of the same type if they are ready for placement in the Construction Yards

• SHIFT+[Group keybind] action is reworked:
  
  • Now SHIFT+[Group keybind] will add selected units to the group, remove them from any other groups, and select the group

• Double-clicking on a unit/structure Portrait will now move the camera to its position

Additional QoL Updates

• Added "Random" faction selection for Skirmish/Custom lobbies

• Added existing Maps to the 1v1 Matchmaking pool to increase the variety of matches. Added maps include:
  • Road to Destruction
  • Prominence
  • Tropical Team Brawl
  • Dammed Strait

• Map Vetoes changed to address the increased map pool in matchmaking:
  • Map vetoes for 1v1 matchmaking increased to 6 (from 4)
  • Map vetoes for 2v2 matchmaking decreased to 2 (from 4)
  • This is to reduce the chances of all maps being vetoed out by 4 players, resulting in a match not being found

• Added the ability to set Rally Points for Air production buildings for all factions

• Salvage Van weapon effect now shows that it applies Tempest Charge

Balance Updates

As the game matures, we continue to monitor how each faction performs across the early, mid, and late stages of a match. Our balance changes this time are mainly targeting overperforming and underperforming units and strategies.

Global Defense Force (GDF)

Aside from tweaking the Drone Mauler and Queller, which have over-performed in our last patch, we are addressing the Drone Assassin’s difficulty in attacking some targets, tweaking tech timings, and making the Comms Rig a bit harder to kill.

Field Scout

With some changes coming to the Dynasty’s Tier 1 Infantry, we feel that a longer distance on the Field Scout’s Marking Mine throw will help maintain balance in the early game 

• Marking Mine throw Range increased to 2100 (from 1900)
  

Queller

Quellers have slightly over-performed against unprepared players as anti-harvesting harassment tools. This minor adjustment to Attack Speed, along with some anti-air tweaks, is designed to make Queller usage a higher commitment and give players more time to respond.

• Attack Speed decreased to 1.3-second intervals (from 1.25 seconds)
  

Drone Mauler

Losing its Marking weapon weakened the Drone Mauler, and in response to this, we gave it a Health boost in the last patch. This was an overcorrection, so we are removing some Health again to increase counterplay against it.

• Health decreased to 440 (from 470)
  

Comms Rig

We will continue to tweak Comms Rig usage, but in this patch, we are simply increasing its Health to make it harder to take off the field.

• Health increased to 375 (from 325)

Refinery

We are taking a bit of health off the GDF Refinery to make it a more enticing harassment target. Since we’ve also introduced a behavioral change to enable Harvesters to drop off at depowered Refineries, we are no longer allowing players to power them down manually.

• Health decreased to 2250 (from 2500)

• Storage Pod Cost decreased to 25 Intel (from 30 Intel)

• Can no longer be powered down
  

Drone Assassin

We are boosting the consistency of this unit.

• Assassin Drone can no longer miss.
  

Riot Medic

We aim to push the Riot Medic away from being a one-stop shop for all anti-infantry, requiring backup from better damage dealers in order to get the most out of his weapon.

• Damage decreased to 20 (from 25)
  

Satellite Uplink

GDF tech progression to Tier 2 is just slightly too fast in many games. We are offsetting this with a minor Cost increase on the Uplink.

• Cost increased to 1800 Credits (from 1600)
  

Data Core

GDF ‘fast-tech’ is just a bit too fast currently. We are increasing the cost of the Data Core to delay Tier 3 from hitting the field. The Tempest and Drone Pod Upgrades currently take a little too long to research, so we are decreasing the Research Time for both.

• Cost increased to 2200 Credits (from 2000)

• Tempest Pod Research Time decreased to 40 seconds (from 60 seconds)

• Drone Pod Research Time decreased to 40 seconds (from 60 seconds)
  

Tempest Dynasty (DYN)

Dynasty Infantry units are getting some overdue attention, and we are taking another pass at the Salvage system, aiming to increase its utility in the mid and late game.

Salvage Effect

The Salvage Effect, which returns a % of the damage a Unit deals to Vehicles or Structures, is intended to be a part of how the Tempest Dynasty scales their economy into the late game. We are expanding its use to more Unit types and increasing the resources you can gain when you utilize its effect.

• Salvage Effect increased to 20% of damage into Credits (from 18%)
  

Call the Guard

Call the Guard is a go-to strategy in both GDF and Dynasty matches, and we are adjusting it slightly to ensure it’s less overwhelming to fight against.

• Now spawns 1 Missile Trooper per Structure (from 2)
  

Dynasty Guard

The Dynasty Guard is powerful but struggles to make an impact due to its range. We are tweaking that a bit in order to make it easier to get favorable combat encounters.

• Attack Range increased to 1950 (from 1900)

• Grenade Range increased to 1800 (from 1700)

• Vision Range increased to 4000 (from 3500)
  

Missile Trooper

Missile Troopers are under-performing in their role as anti-tank and anti-air unit, so we’re boosting their damage.

• Damage increased to 55 (from 50)
  

Assault Gunner

Like the Missile Trooper, the Assault Gunner is underperforming as a deterrent and destroyer of enemy aircraft. We are rebalancing its damage to be a bit more front-loaded and improving its survivability.

• Health increased to 310 (from 290)

• Attack Speed decreased to 1.3-second intervals (from 1.2 seconds)

• Damage increased to 30 (from 25)
  

Barracks Infirmary Upgrade

We are reducing the Barracks Infirmary Upgrade timer to give Dynasty T3 Infantry a bit more time to shine.

• Research timer decreased to 23 seconds (from 30 seconds)
  

Specialist Bureau

We feel the time increase on the construction of the Specialist Bureau was overly punitive, so we’re shaving a little time off.

• Build Time decreased to 44 seconds (from 46 seconds)
  

Boar Tank

The Boar has needed a more interesting niche, and rather than simply increasing its stats, we are adding the Salvage effect to its weapon. This should differentiate it better from other ‘shield’ units, as a way to turn armed combat into resources for the Dynasty player.

• Added the Salvage effect to its weapon.

Hammerhand

We are happy with the new direction of the Hammerhand, though after reviewing usage data since the last update, we decided it needed minor adjustments.

• Cost decreased to 1900 (from 2000)

• Production Time decreased to 27 seconds (from 30 seconds)
  

Salvage Van

We are carefully monitoring this unit's usage rate and implementing a minor cost reduction to encourage earlier use of it in matches.

• Cost decreased to 1900 Credits (from 2000)
  

Physicist

While the Physicist’s weapon is formidable, its Electrical Field Generator ability is not used much due to its short range. We are increasing the effect area so it can serve as a more effective zoning tool for Physicist players.

• Electrical Field Generator Area of Effect increased to 3000 (from 2000)
  

Bug Fixes

General Gameplay 

• Fixed an issue where Harvesters sometimes could move through environmental objects and buildings when moving to a Refinery to deliver Tempest

• Fixed an issue where Harvesters were dropping harvest/deliver commands and idling near Refineries

• Improved the Refinery queue for Harvesters:
  • Full Harvesters will now more reliably move up the queue when closer to a Refinery relative to more distant Harvesters.
  • Harvesters will now prioritize the closer Refinery before moving to more distant ones when delivering Tempest
  • NOTE: One Refinery works most effectively with 4 connected Harvesters. Making more than 4 Harvesters per Refinery will cause some Harvesters to stall in Tempest fields when 4 Harvesters are already in the queue for that Refinery.

• Fixed an issue where Dynasty players could build 1 Superweapon per MCV with Superweapon limit enabled

• Fixed an issue where it was not possible to set a Rally Point to enemy Structures / enemy-captured Neutral Structures

• Fixed an issue where the Scrambler's "Tempest Chaff" ability radius circle appeared at the zero coordinates of the map when the ability was selected

• Fixed an issue where some unit abilities could be used while loading a garrison by issuing a command via Shift-queue orders

• Fixed an issue where the player couldn’t place Structures in a location where an enemy unit was located in Stealth with Hold Position

• Fixed an issue where the Tempest Sphere couldn’t attack some Structures

• Fixed an issue where it was possible to place units inside the garrison building being sold at the end of the sell animation in multiplayer matches

• Fixed an issue where Skirmish AI wouldn’t attack enemy Superweapons

• Fixed an issue where Air units with the Comms buff didn’t receive the additional resistances immediately after “Comms Rig Antenna” Doctrine was unlocked

UI

• Fixed an issue where ‘defeated’ players were shown a Defeat screen if their team won a match 

• Fixed an issue where the DYN Tempest Rig Refinery description contained the description of the GDF Refinery in the Codex for all languages

• Fixed an issue where player nicknames could be cut off in some languages in Custom lobbies

• Fixed an issue where the “Pin/un-pin” button in the Global Production Queue didn’t work when the Doctrine tab was selected

• Fixed an issue where the in-game chat tooltip didn’t display the button for switching chat modes

• Fixed an issue where keys assigned for the “Unit upgrade” option were not displayed in building upgrades

• Fixed an issue where a Defeat screen was shown for players in an ongoing 2v2 match if they lost all their Units/Structures

• Fixed an issue where the “Firing Slits” Perk wasn’t listed in the Perks card for neutral garrisons

• Fixed an issue where the “Enable/Disable auto-rearrange” keybind was missing in the Controls settings menu

• Fixed an issue where the lobby list didn’t automatically update when switching Public/LAN lobby types in the lobby browser

• Fixed an issue where the Selection shape for air units wasn’t displayed when the player hovered over an Air unit

• Fixed an issue where the ‘Defeat’ screen was shown for a few seconds if the player left a 4-player match through the Main Menu button

• Fixed an issue where text and medals were misaligned in the Chinese language on the Overview page in the Player Profile

• Fixed an issue where the word "Salvage" in the corresponding status effect was incorrectly translated in the Russian language

Text Missing Localization

The following new text strings have not yet been translated for this patch and will be localized in a future patch:

• Under “Control” in the Settings Menu:
  • The title and description for the “Freelook Delay” setting have not been translated into other languages yet
  • The text in English is:
  Freelook delay: Adds a short delay to the Freelook action to improve its behavior when it is bound together with another action on the same key. Enabling this option will set the Freelook binding to RMB. Disabling it will set the binding to MMB. The assigned key can be changed afterward.

• Under Bot Difficulty in Skirmish Lobby:
  • The bot difficulty level “Insane (Unfair)” has not been translated into other languages yet