USC: Counterforce - sequel to top-down sci-fi tactics Ultimate Space Commando

[Parsimonious cook]

Shieeeeeeeet negroes, just finished the first operation and here is a quick update:

Damage and medical system

• this stuff is again more autistic/deep than one would probably expect, there are several types of negative status effect your soldiers (as well as enemies) can suffer from, so far I have seen: burning (what you would expect, stops burning after a few turns on its own), acid (similar to burning, does special damage to armor), toxin (this is very brutal as the aliens and enviromental hazards cause it a lot, doesnt go away on its own unless treated), paralysis (removes APs, can be caused by some attacks, but more importantly is caused as a side effect of some medications), panic (caused when your team gets fucked up too much, soldiers lose their AP and flee)
• Each of the special negative status effects have medications that cure them, however some of the medications have negative effects of their own (for example some cause paralisis), which means that your medic needs to pack tons of shit and sometimes you need to employ coctails of drugs (this is p. realistic in fact, kinda like the adenosin/epinephrine coctail used in contemporary militaries) to cure what you need to cure while also neutralising the negative effects of the original cure
• Anti-Toxin is especially important, because lots of aliens do toxic damage along with many enviromental hazards (see below) and if you let the toxin levels build up you can find yourself in p. bad situation when you have to keep wasting other medical supplies to restore HP, without addressing the poisoning itself (ie you keep getting DoT every turn)

Enviromental hazards and interaction

• you can pull and push objects such as barels and crates to create barricades, most strong aliens can break through anything (including the walls!), so combat in the interriors can develop in surprising ways, with you barricading yourself somewhere only for the aliens to make their own entry, still pushing things around is p. vital and if you use it smart, it will give you considerable advantage
• there are also explosive barels and some munitions for grenade launcher can start fires or spread acid over an area
• there are many types of envirmental hazards, some are there by default, some can be created by use of your weapons and gear, some are created by aliens (usually when they explode on death), you have to be very careful when moving through interriors especially - your soldiers can jump over tiles with hazards, but you have to order them to jump manualy, or they just walk through shit and get hurt

Hacking and electronics

• your electronics dude (and there should be one on your team) has access to multiple hacking tools you can buy, these allow interactions with locked doors, but also reactors (turn on/off the lights), terminals (can open multiple doors) and computers (give you intel for bonus rewards)
• the better tools mean better chance of success

From what I have seen but havent tried out yet, there are also welding torches (probably for Alien-style welding of doors), sentry guns, kits that allow you to repair armor during missions and plenty of other stuff. You can apparently craft and upgrade gear in the squad management screen (successful ops reward you with various raw resources among other things), though I am not sure whether this is functional in the current build. Your soldiers also get medals that give them some bonuses.

Shit is so cash thb fam.

 

[Parsimonious cook]

Early road map:

Revealing our Early Access roadmap!

Hey Marines!

USC: Counterforce has been out for a week, and we appreciate all of the positive feedback from both players and the press! We would also like to thank everyone for the detailed feedback we've received while we work on expanding the game.

Roadmap
With the missions following one another and the bodies of aliens and marines piling up since launch, it's time to share the objectives for the next few months! We keep developing new features for you to try out.
Find out all we have planned for the first phase of Early Access
in this much anticipated
roadmap
!

The roadmap promises a number of major features, including a
new game mode
and
new environments
. With each update, you will also notice overall improvements, including the introduction of smaller features, Quality of Life changes and bug fixes.

We encourage and value community feedback
, feel free to share your honest thoughts on the game. Because we are currently in Early Access and unforeseen events may affect the game's development, the features on the roadmap may be subject to change.

The
new game mode
and
spaceship environment
are now at the top of the list, as they are
scheduled for this Summer
. Following that, numerous major additions, including
new environments
,
enemies
, and
weapons
, as well as a
new Operations mission
, are
planned for
the
Fall
. We want to work with our community to develop and improve the game, so we welcome community suggestions!

Thank you for joining us on this journey once more. We can't wait to show you all the other things we have planned for you.

Bug reports & feedback
As a reminder, please share any bug reports and your feedback, ideas and suggestions in the Steam Discussions or via our Discord.

Interesting stuff, especially boarding actions. Its a pitty we will have to wait for the campaign until the next year though.

 

[udm]

Parsimonious cook How pozzed is it?

 

[Parsimonious cook]

Not at all, though it might come later when the campaign/story elements are in.

The only relevant thing I noticed in the game so far is that you can edit the gender characteristic (just like all other aspects of the characters) however you like (ie there is no slider or preset options) and so you can have a character identify as an attack helicopter if you are so inclined.

It has no bearing on the game though, since all the characters are space muhreens in armor and look the same on the map. You can also edit voice pitch of the characters, so I guess people could fuck around with that if they wanted to.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/3690190108158048965

First major update on August 28 and Steam Strategy Fest!
Our first new major update is on the way, plus we'll be participating in this year's Steam Strategy Fest!
Hey marines!

We are excited to announce that USC: Counterforce will be participating in the Steam Strategy Fest, a Steam event celebrating strategy games.

The
first major update
will be
available
on
August 28
! Discover new content and features like “Defend the Base” mode!
Here’s a reminder of what’s coming for this update!

Play USC: Counterforce in Early Access and discover the new content!

The USC: Counterforce Team

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/3732978744255590792

Spaceship environment and new content!
Time to jump into the spaceship environment along with new additions with this update!
Hey Marines!

The second round of the Defend the Base! update is live! Explore the
new environment
: the
spaceship with its unique game mechanics
!

This new environment brings
two unique map types in Single Mission mode
: "
Recon vessel
" and "
Ring space station
". The environment and map types not only provide fresh looks, but also a completely new level of gameplay dynamics and tactical complexity. Single Missions provide you with more materials in this spaceship environment.

Spaceship environment and mechanics
Adapt your strategy to these
new gameplay mechanics exclusive to the spaceship environment
:
hull breach
and
decompression
!

• When the outer wall of a spaceship environment is destroyed, you'll experience hull breach and decompression. The hull breach causes progressive air loss. Decompression increases movement action point costs for all units, making navigation through the spaceship tougher and more dire. Warning lights and sounds, along with grid overlay information, will alert you to this critical situation.
• With space void comes cold! After an area is completely depleted of air, fires are instantly extinguished, incendiary and acidic damage and effects are nullified, and all units in the room receive Cryo buildup.
• These pesky aliens are smarter than they look, they won't attempt to destroy outer walls. You can limit the chaos by sealing the room, closing a door in a decompressed zone will instantly restore the atmosphere in the sealed room.

With this environment comes a
new Operations mission
on the spaceship environment:
Onboard invasion
!

Defend the Base!
We listened to your ideas, the
Defend the Base!
mode
will
now have barricades
to protect your marines as you collect resources. We also
added a high-caliber turret
,
radar
&
medical station
to expand the possibilities regarding the construction and management of your base.

New icons
As part of the
visual improvement of the game
, all the
item icons have been reworked
.

Read the full patch notes here.

Prepare to board the spaceship and encounter new challenges. Stay tuned for details on
upcoming additions during Early Access
!

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/3702580714446426645

Sneak peek at the new aliens!
There are more threats and enemies to come and content to discover lurking in the shadows!
Hey Marines!

We're thrilled to share
a glimpse of the new content to come for the next major update
, featuring
new enemies and threats
to celebrate Halloween!

The fallen marines served as gruesome inspirations for a
new breed of aliens
.
The horde is not only expanding its ranks but also growing stronger
. These new foes come with
unique gameplay mechanics
and require you to
review your tactics
. Ready your weapons and prepare for battle, as your missions are about to become even more perilous with the discovery of these
fearsome alien entities joining the fight
.

Among them lies the "
Organ Shepherd
," a creature that seems to
mimic human physiology
with remarkable
agility
and
deadly AoE attacks
. These new enemies come with
distinctive behaviors
and
attack patterns
. Marines, stand strong, study their actions and gather intelligence on these emerging threats.

Equip yourselves to exterminate these menacing bugs, and be prepared for the upcoming encounters and trials that await. These aliens will be nightmare fuel for your marines.
Stay tuned for further updates on the upcoming content!

The USC: Counterforce team

 

[JarlFrank]

You can also edit voice pitch of the characters, so I guess people could fuck around with that if they wanted to.

>set gender as attack helicopter
>set voice pitch to be Microsoft Sam
>SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/3883854408804767159

Dev Diary #1—Campaign Feature Preview
Here's a small gift for you! Learn more about the Campaign in this sneak peek at some of its features!
Hey Marines!

The
Campaign
in USC:CF will feature a
grand strategic layer
on a planet map,
persistent global inventory management
,
unit progression with XP gains
and
permadeath
, narrative elements with lore & choices, and even more, compared to the non-Campaign game modes. But how will the Campaign start, what choices will the player have in creating a Campaign session, and how will those affect the course of the game? Today, we’re going to tell you a bit more about this.

Starting a Campaign

From the Main Menu you’ll find yourself on the Campaign setup screen. The Campaign will feature a
slot-based save system
, but that doesn’t mean you can’t save manually or
have multiple saves if you’re not playing on Hardcore
(“Iron Man")—the main purpose of this system is to let you easily differentiate between save files belonging to different playthroughs!

In addition to the
Difficulty setting
known from the other game modes, which will not only control enemy number and strength but also the amount of loot and some other elements (don’t forget, in the Campaign, what items and ammo you spend will remain spent—you'll have to find means to replenish the stock!), there’s the Campaign length/complexity setting that controls how big a war you’re getting yourself into. With the
Story option
, the background simulation that runs the alien hordes and controls the flow of the whole Campaign will be more simplistic, letting you follow a clear path and finish the story in 15-20 hours if everything goes well. On
Normal
, you’ll see much more alien activity and more battles, will have to make more strategic choices, and will have to be wiser with your spending and overall management to be able to complete the story in about 50 hours. Full-scale is for the real strategy enthusiast who is not afraid to micro-manage everything—many, many battles await against an enemy on multiple fronts, against the scarcity of resources, and the weight of all choices that cannot be unmade.

Affiliation

As a Fleet Commander of the USCF, you’re not above the intricacies of global politics and corporate espionage. The greatest mega-concerns that run Earth in 2308 have a huge stake in all United Space Command activity, and not everyone is always playing by the book—of course not! At the beginning of the game, you’ll have to
choose an affiliation
—
or you can choose not to have one outside of USC
. This choice will
affect your Relations and Renown
, two new systems that will be important during the Campaign. By navigating the world of politics, agreeing to or rejecting (or failing!) secret missions, selling information to, or withholding intelligence from the different firms, your Relations with them will change. A good relationship will grant you perks, like access to exclusive weapons and items. Renown, on the other hand, measures your dignity as an officer, and if you don’t engage in fishy agreements with non-military agencies, that will boost it dearly.
Renown may be used in a far subtler way than Relations
, like facilitating a resolution between warring factions, requesting additional reinforcements, or holding the morale of your crew high even when things go awry.
The Relations and Renown system will be a secondary layer to the Campaign
, one you can mostly ignore if you’re only interested in the war strategy, but it will give your choices even more weight in certain situations. And of course, every mega-concern may have a hidden agenda that can influence the course of the war, so you’d better be prepared!

Personal avatar

You didn’t think you could wage war remotely on a planet many lightyears away from Earth, did you? You, as Commander, will be among your marines aboard the deck of your flagship and will have the option to go into battle with them when you want, or when the necessity arises. At the start of the Campaign, you will be asked to
customize your avatar
.
This avatar will be one of the many units on the roster
, representing you, personally. You can choose not to go into battle yourself, and if everything goes well, you’ll never have to; but fighting alongside your marines can boost their morale and your Renown. Some secret missions from affiliations will also require that you oversee the operation in person. And, of course, if the flagship—horribile dictu!—ever gets attacked, you’ll have to fight for your life alongside your fellow crewmates.
If your avatar dies, the game is immediately over
—but, of course, you
can always reload a previously saved game
… granted you’re not playing on Hardcore!

Stay tuned for more updates on the Campaign
. We're not done sharing sneak peeks at what we're working on and what's waiting for you!

 

[Luka-boy]

Shamessly fapping. That sounds great.

 

[udm]

I'm very interested in this, but will wait for the full release before buying just in case they pull one of those "lul we're adding pronouns" dickhead moves.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/3953665275846593226

Hydroponic Hell major update!
Happy New (hellish) year! Your marines are far from being out of their nightmare with the new challenges ahead!
Hey Marines!

Happy New Year, marines! A
new major update
is
live now
—forget your new year resolutions and just appreciate that your marines get to live to see another day!

Our new major update brings an
end
to the
limited-time Xmas event
. Time to discover your rewards! Explore the murky waters of the
new environment
: Hydroponics, and face a
new insect-like flying alien
!

New alien
Acidya
: An insect-like flyer and quite a nasty bug.

• Its
  flying abilities
  allow it to avoid ground hazards.
• This one will prefer to target you from afar with
  highly acidic ranged AOE attacks
  .
• Interestingly, you won’t see it in previous Operations, but it’ll show up in Single Missions and
  Defend the Base!
  mode.

New environment
Hydroponics
: This new environment adds its share of changes in terms of gameplay with an
environmental modifier
! Single Mission mode now has
two new map types
: Hydroponic Labs and Hydro-engineering level. A
new Operation
is now available in the Hydroponics environment too.

• Flooding
  (in Hydro-engineering level map type and in specific missions in the new Operation for now): Water reaches you at waist-height. Your movements and aliens’ are hindered, costing more APs. Because the area is flooded, fire doesn’t affect you in this watery environment.
• Good news is, you won’t find Scorpions, Skitters, Swarmers, or Leeches there! Bad news is, your Flamethrower and Bio-rifle are not a good fit in such a place, since dispersion won’t work there.

End of the limited-time Xmas event
We hope you enjoyed your presents and that they lifted your marines’ spirits! Here’s the
list of the rewards
depending on the number of presents you’ve collected during the event:

• 100+ presents: "Rambo Ducky" squad logo
• 125+ presents: "Golden Ducky" yellow squad livery
• 150+ presents: A Commanducky-inspired, modified Assault rifle, the "Quacker" (simultaneously better and worse than the default AR, we’ll let you discover this piece of weaponry and see if it suits your needs! Quack quack!)

Community suggestions
Your
feedback
allowed us to add a
new way of unlocking gear
without completing missions in higher difficulties by gathering
Gear Tokens
and spending them on the Squad Assembly screen. Gear Tokens can be obtained by completing a game in any non-Campaign mode, and the amount received depends on the difficulty level. You can still acquire items by completing the corresponding challenges (and while also obtaining Gear Tokens).

Read the full patch notes
here
.

Over and out! Stay on the lookout for more updates on USC: Counterforce and challenges to face!

 

[Serus]

Attack helicopter aside this looks decent*.
Interested. Waiting for full release, as usual.

*I want a special voice pack! Maybe even more than one, after all AH-64 Apache sounds different than say Mi-24. To not add those will be something-phobic

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/4197988091803658640

The Weapon Prototype system
Learn more about the Weapon prototype system!
Hey Marines!

Time to do some math! We’re going to break down the
weapon prototype system
. You can improve your gear with prototypes. When you successfully complete a Single Mission within the given bonus deadline, you receive 1 or 2 randomized Prototype Weapons. These are enhanced versions of a weapon already available to you in Squad Assembly, with some additional and/or modified properties.

The number of Prototypes you get depends on the mission
Difficulty
AND your
Performance Score
. To know your exact chance of getting a second Prototype (one is guaranteed under the conditions stated above), multiply the Difficulty level (0–6; 0 for Beginner, 6 for Ultimate) with your Performance Score (0–100). If this value is less than 250, you will only get 1 Prototype. If the value is between 250 and 449, you have a chance for a second one, proportional to how close you are to 449. If the value is 450 or above, you are guaranteed to get 2 Prototypes.

Each Prototype you get is first assigned a
Mark (I–IX)
and an
overall Quality Level (1–100
). The Mark of a Prototype determines what kind of properties it can potentially have. The Quality Level determines the quality range of each of its properties and also factors into how many properties the weapon will ultimately have.

Mark is a random value between Difficulty + 1 and Difficulty + 3. On Beginner, you can only get a Prototype up to Mark III. On Ultimate, you will get a Mark VI in the worst case.

Quality (Q) is calculated by the following formula:

• Q = 15 + Difficulty × (Performance Score / 10) + [a random integer between -25 and (Performance Score / 2)], clamped between 1 and 100

The number of enhancements (properties) is a random value between (Mark / 3) × (Q / 100f) and (Mark / 2) × (Q / 100f), plus 1. The maximum number of properties is 5. (The “f” after 100 here denotes that we’re keeping the fragments in the result for that operation; otherwise, we’re always flooring the results.)

Then, for each enhancement the weapon will have, its exact type and individual quality are determined. This individual quality (q) is a random value between Q / 2 and Q (the weapon’s Quality Level).

Below you find a table of all the possible enhancements (properties). In this table, Mark refers to the minimum Mark a weapon must have for the chance to get the corresponding enhancement. Min. and Max. show the minimum and maximum values between which the enhancement’s effect will get its actual strength, based on its quality (q = 1: minimum; q = 100: maximum; 1 < q < 100: linearly proportional value). Values are generally added to the weapon’s respective property value.


Enhancement
Mark
Min.
Max.
Info
Ammo capacity
1 (I)
1.10
2.00
multiplier*
Melee Combat Value
1 (I)
5
15

Spread
1 (I)
-3
-10
not on Flamethrower
Bleeding per hit
2 (II)
5
25

Reload APs
2 (II)
-1
-3

Accuracy
3 (III)
2
10
not on Flamethrower
Effective range
3 (III)
1
5

Minimum range
4 (VI)
-1
-2

Tranquilization
4 (VI)
5
25

Acid damage
5 (V)
25
50
not on Flamethrower/CryoBlaster
Impact force
5 (V)
10
20
not on Flamethrower
Armor Penetration
6 (VI)
1
10
not on Flamethrower
Fire damage
6 (VI)
25
100
not on CryoBlaster
Roll damage
6 (VI)
1.05
1.50
multiplier*, not on Flamethrower
CDF
7 (VII)
0.25
1.00

Poison damage
7 (VII)
5
15

Base damage
8 (VIII)
1.05
1.50
multiplier*, not on Flamethrower
CHC
8 (VIII)
1
10

Cryo damage
8 (VIII)
3
10
not on Flamethrower/NHC
Attack AP cost
9 (IX)
-1
-2

* Applied to the weapon’s default respective property.

The crafting cost of a Prototype depends both on its Mark and its overall Quality Level. The common four materials are always required, but Portable batteries are only needed for Mark IV and above, Electrical components for Mark V and above, Asura-49 for Mark VI and above, and Deothonit for Mark VII and above only.

Note: Don't worry! The game will handle the math behind the prototype system. Your task is to acquire these prototype weapons and eliminate the enemy.

Example:

You complete a mission on Intense difficulty (3) and gets a Performance Score of 80. 3 × 80 = 240, which is less than 250, so they will only get a single Prototype. They have the chance for a Prototype between Mark IV and Mark VI – let’s say they get a Mark V. The Quality Level (Q) is 15 + 3 × (80 / 10) + [a random integer between -25 and (80 / 2)]. Let’s say this random roll is 11; so, Q is 15 + 24 + 11 = 50. Oh, and they get an Assault rifle—this was also determined randomly.

The next part, to get the number of enhancements is a bit trickier. We’re going to floor the results of the Mark divisions, but use fragments for the Quality divisions (that’s what the “f” after 100 denotes): random between (5 / 3) × (50 / 100f) and (5 / 2) × (50 / 100f), plus 1 thus becomes random between 1 × 0.5 and 2 × 0.5, plus 1. So, the random part is between (we’re flooring again for the final result) 0 and 1 – and we’re then also adding 1. Thus, if we’re lucky (50% chance in this instance), this Prototype can have 2 properties. Let’s say we are!

It’s a Mark V, so we can get any of the properties up to Impact force. Let’s say we get that, and Ammo capacity for the second one. For each property we get a random quality (q) between 25 and 50: say we got 33 and 40. The range for Impact force is between 10 and 20; q = 33 means it will have a final value of 13. Ammo capacity is between 1.1 and 2.0; with q = 40, it will be ((2.0 – 1.1) / 100f) × 40 + 1.1 = 0.009 × 40 + 1.1 = 0.36 + 1.1 = 1.46. (We calculated the value that is 40% “halfway” between 1.1 and 2.) The default ammo capacity of the Assault rifle is 40, so this will have a capacity of 40 * 1.46 = 58.4, floored to 58. And each attack with it will have +13 Armor Penetration compared to whatever it would otherwise be.

Summary
: The higher the completed mission's difficulty results in a higher Mark rank Prototype blueprint that can be crafted of the looted materials. Using these weapons means extra abilities are applied during combat! So, you can assemble a more effective Squad, and thus, you can complete higher difficulty levels.
Now you're all set! Stay tuned for more updates on the game development. We're not done sharing sneak peeks at what we're working on and what's waiting for you!

We read all your comments and feedback, so feel free to
share your thoughts
and help us in making USC: Counterforce the best game possible!

There's no more time to waste, Commander! A lot of bugs are waiting for you. Dismissed.

The USC: Counterforce team

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/4148449764369282493

Wrath of Zeus major update!
Discover the new content of this major update with new features based on your feedback!
Hey Marines,

A new
major update
is live now! Spring approaches and the sun shines a little longer to fill your marines with hope as we bring a fair share of new gear and mechanics to fight back the alien threat! Enjoy the
Steam Spring Sale
, the game is discounted (
40% off
) from today to March 21!

Special delivery for your marines (signed with your feedback)! This major update brings two new weapons, a new mechanic, UI improvements, and more unlockable items with the Gear Tokens.

New weapon & new shield
We organized a vote on Discord and Twitter to let you choose the next weapon you’ll experiment with, and you chose the
Energy Rifle
! The arsenal of the USC commandos has received yet another significant upgrade with this weapon and a
new shield
!

• Energy Rifle
  : A marvel of high-tech engineering designed to give your marines the upper hand on the battlefield. This expensive and "electrifying" small arm, available without unlocking, is a powerful weapon. It deals a lot of damage and can set aliens on fire. This weapon comes with two attack modes:
  • "
    Controlled impulse
    ", a single-target attack in a star pattern with a low AP cost and significant damage potential.
  • "
    Discharge
    ", a 3x3 area with a free pattern attack, capable of inflicting substantial damage.
• This weapon doesn't deal electric damage (because this damage type doesn't exist in the game), but rather Tranquilization and Fire damage! So fear not, you can fire at will even in flooded areas of the Hydroponics environment!
  
  
• Energy Shield
  : A more expensive alternative to the Riot shield, with added benefits: better protection from Shadow damage and better defensive values.

This Energy Rifle relies on
Energy Charge ammunition
. With these two new additions to your gear, you'll be prepared to exterminate even the toughest of aliens!

See? No problem zapping aliens around in the flooded areas!


Community-based features and balance
Thanks to your suggestions, we designed and added a
new mechanic
using a set of small arms with a shield. This mechanic is called "
Close Quarters Weapon
" (
CQW
).

• It allows your marines to wield a
  small arm while holding a shield
  . They will now benefit from
  defensive bonuses
  even when not in melee attack mode.
• The CQW weapons are the following: Self-Defense Pistol, Bulleteer, Shotgun, and QuadSeeker. All the weapons that are classified as CQW have a "pistol" icon (they are still considered "small arm" weapons).

Make the most of this new mechanic to adapt your strategy and operate differently on the battlefield!

To continue expanding the possibility of unlocking gear with
Gear Tokens
, you can now also obtain
crafting recipes
but at a considerable cost, since these are end-game progression items for non-Campaign modes.
As a reminder, Gear Tokens can be obtained by completing a game in any non-Campaign mode, and the amount received depends on the difficulty level. You can still acquire items by completing the corresponding challenges while also obtaining Gear Tokens
.

The
Defend the Base!
mode has been reworked and balanced, with aliens now being
more aggressive
towards structures, creating shortcuts, and destroying crucial objects to hinder your objectives. The initial design of the first AI wave has been reintroduced with balance tweaks, with aliens
attacking
again during the
AI first turn
. AI can skip turns on arrival, reducing movement AP costs by 1 for one turn.
More aliens
will arrive during the first turn of each wave, and turrets are slightly more expensive. Structure and object value amortization rates per wave have been increased, making it more important to plan your initial base accordingly, as relocating is now more costly.

UI improvements
The UI has also undergone improvements, and we designed a new in-mission feature:

• The
  Squad Overview Panel
  . It provides a comprehensive view of all active (alive) units across multiple squads, allowing for better coordination and resource management during missions.
• The panel is also available during the Construction phase in Defend the Base! mode, providing the much needed information to make better decisions about what supplies to order, etc.
• We have also added the possibility to change to
  hotkeys
  for the
  UI and information display
  of this new panel and other tactical view markers and outlines in the Settings > Interface and Settings > Misc. menus, respectively. Customize and adapt the interface to suit your playstyle!

Read the full patch notes
here
.


USC: Counterforce EventThu, March 14, 2024
Content update -- v0.70.0a (b240304)
USC:CF v0.70.0a build 240304 NEW New weapon: Energy rifle Small arm Uses Energy Charge as ammo Controlled impulse: single-target, star pattern, low AP-cost attack with a...


Get the game at a
40% discount
from today at 7 PM (CET +1) to March 21 at 7 PM (CET +1)! Upgrade your marines' gear with the Energy Rifle, use a shield with a Close Quarters Weapon, and customize the UI!

All clear for now! Keep your eyes peeled for further updates on USC: Counterforce and the challenges that lie ahead!

The USC: Counterforce team

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/4211502692132648548

Dev Diary #2—Campaign Mechanics Preview
It's been a while! Let's talk about the Campaign mechanics in this sneak peek!
Hey Marines!

The
Campaign
is progressing nicely, and we're still burning the midnight oil on it. As we explained in our previous Dev Diary, it includes a
grand strategic layer
on a
planet map
. And it's high time to talk about the planet map and how it works. Let's dig into the
general mechanics
and strategic map layer in today's dev diary!

General Campaign mechanics
The
Campaign progress
in USC: Counterforce will be completely
separate from
the other
game modes
. This means you don’t need to unlock items or gather resources before you can attempt a playthrough, as all content will be available to you from the start—though some items or options will be tied to other Campaign-specific conditions. The Campaign will feature a partly
narrative-driven
,
open-ended story
that plays out on a planetwide strategic map, allowing for a great deal of tactical and diplomatic choices along the way, as well as for managing your inventory and units on a persistent basis. Your marines will gain XP and ranks, your items and ammo will deplete and need to be restocked by looting during missions and crafting, and the dead will stay dead (but, of course, you’ll be able to reload a previous save unless you play on “Hardcore”).

The strategic layer
There will be a lot happening on the strategic map. Time in the Campaign is divided into
Mission Time Phases
(MP for short), each taking up 3 Earth hours, adding up to a total of 15 hours per day on M-8322, consisting of 5 distinct daylight phases. An MP is like a Turn during a mission, but on a global scale: when you’ve performed every action you wanted, you pass it, and the next MP begins—and between the two, of course, the aliens and the environment also get their “turns.” Alien hordes will move, join together, or disappear into subterranean caves, nests will grow, evolve, and expand to neighboring sectors; sandstorms and electromagnetic storms will pass through the desolate wastes of the planet.
In your turn, you can scan the surface to discover ruins and nests, or pinpoint the movement of hordes. You can utilize your nuclear arsenal from orbit to obliterate the surface of any sector—but be warned! Not only do you have a limited supply of nuclear warheads, but bombing left and right has other, long-term consequences, both trivial and latent.

You can also take direct control of any sector by landing squads and
establishing an outpost
. You can use these to set up defenses in anticipation of a horde passing through, or, what is even more important, to start mining Deothonit, the single most valuable material in the known universe (also the most valuable crafting material in the game, that can be converted into anything except Asura-49, which comes from alien specimens).
Base building mechanics
are based on the
Defend the Base!
game mode, but instead of having to defend a base wave after wave, you can pop in and out to manage it, and an actual “defense phase” will only take place when it is attacked. Building bases and mining is a good way to gather crafting materials, but it’s not mandatory. There are other ways to get enough supplies if base management is not your cup of tea, or you just prefer another approach in a playthrough.

Sending squads to the location of known nests or hordes to attack them directly is also an option. Nest-busting missions are
multi-phase operations
where you have to infiltrate an underground cave system. From time to time, other mission options will also pop up: you can be contacted by USCF Command or one of the mega-concerns to help their bases or perform some other assignment on their behalf. These are good opportunities to gain their favor and special support—but never mandatory to do if you have other plans!

The progress of your campaign is measured by
3 global gauges
: Intelligence, Control, and Threat. None of them are “victory/defeat conditions” on their own, but they play a great role in shaping your story. A high
Intelligence
means you know a lot about the planet, enemy behavior, and other important topics; this can open up additional avenues to what you think victory means for you. Similarly,
Control
measures your effective power over the planet: the sectors you actually control, have cleansed, or rebuilt. The
Threat gauge
is also complex: of course, it will go down if you continually eradicate aliens, but they also have their agenda and “victory conditions”, and some other actions you take—or fail to take in time—will advance it. But whatever happens, the Campaign is not about filling a gauge. These are just data that help you comprehend the situation. The fate of the planet (and maybe Humankind) is always determined by actual, tactical gameplay scenarios.

Missed our previous dev diary on the Campaign? You can read it here:

USC: Counterforce AnnouncementWed, December 13, 2023
Dev Diary #1—Campaign Feature Preview
Here's a small gift for you! Learn more about the Campaign in this sneak peek at some of its features!

Stay tuned for more extra details about the Campaign. We're not done giving you sneak peaks into what we've been focusing on and what awaits you!

The USC: Counterforce team

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/4177728871882209718

corched Planet major update!
Discover the new content of this major update with new features!
Hey Marines,

A
new major update
is live now! Time to unveil our
last major update before the 1.0 release
, packed with new feature, weapon, items, and challenges! We're thrilled to be part of the
Steam Endless Replayability Fest
, the game is discounted (
40% off
) from today to May 20!

New weapon
Introducing the
Laser Scorcher
, a powerful addition to your collection. This heavy arm packs a burning punch, using Energy Charge as ammunition. With devastating attacks like Disintegrate and Line Scorch, bypassing full target armor, it promises highly destructive firepower! Just make sure you bring enough ammo—this one eats up a lot!

• Disintegrate
  : a single-target, free-pattern, high damage attack with additional fire damage.
• Line Scorch
  : a very high damage, star-pattern attack that can damage ALL units in range in a single shot.

Advanced ammo
Upgrade your ammunition arsenal with advanced versions for dire situations! HCB MK III, Energy Charge (Condensed), SuperShell MK II, BioShell MK II, and Hydrazine (Inferno Mix), these offer increased power and efficiency for the most challenging encounters, but at a higher cost. Unlock them through Single missions on Hard difficulty minimum or with Gear Tokens.


New items
Need health restoration or extra defense? Look no further than the
Regenerator
and
Force Field Emitter
! The Regenerator restores health and mitigates bleeding by 25% on each turn, while the Force Field Emitter triggers an impassable, indestructible barrier on a single grid for time-limited strategic advantage during 5 turns. Keep them ready for any situation!


New feature
Ever found yourself just a few materials short of crafting that crucial piece of gear? We've now added the
Crafting Material Converter
! Now you can convert specific crafting materials into others, from the Squad Assembly screen, by clicking on the material icons in the top right corner. Conversions are loadout-locked, a new loadout won't have the converted materials, but all the default available materials. This feature will you help craft items, in exchange for high conversion rates, to avoid devaluing the diversity of materials.

New map and challenges
Prepare for new risky deployments in Single Mission mode with the introduction of the
Desolate Canyon
map type and the
Quack! difficulty level
. Test your skills in rugged environments and face even greater challenges for the ultimate test of your tactical prowess and resourcefulness with this new highest difficulty setting.
Long live the Quackers!

Multi-squad missions
Take your commanding and coordination skills to the next level with
3-player mode
in Single Mission games. Command three squads of four marines independently, bring and team up with another friend!


Overall balance changes
This update also brings a lot of balance changes to
Defend the Base!
mode, the Heavy arm skills, multiple weapons and items, as well as weapon upgrades and prototypes.

Read the full patch notes
here
.

USC: Counterforce EventMon, May 13, 2024
Content update -- v0.80.0a (b240506)
USC:CF v0.80.0a, build 240506 NEW New feature: Crafting Material Converter You can now convert specific crafting materials into others Available on the Squad Assembly screen by...


Get the game at a
40% discount
from today to May 20! Make the best of the new tactical options you have, torch enemies with the Laser Scorcher, play up to 3 squads, and try out new challenges!

All clear for now! Stay alert for further updates on USC: Counterforce and the 1.0 release!

The USC: Counterforce team

 

[Parsimonious cook]

Looking great! I am just waiting for the main campaign to drop before I jump back in, got so much stuff to play nowadays its insane.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/4177728871885654808

Updated roadmap & Dev Diary #3—Campaign Squad Management Preview
Two important pieces of news packed into one article! Our new roadmap and latest Dev Diary on Campaign Squad Management!
Hey Marines!

Yesterday, we pushed the last major update before the 1.0 release. We know that some of you have questions regarding the Campaign. As a reminder, the
Campaign is still scheduled and will be added with the 1.0 version
. On our side, we are still making good progress on it, and we really are excited to know your thoughts when it launches, and we think it's time to share our
new updated roadmap
until the 1.0 release! As you can see, we plan to
release the game in July 2024
, so be ready for the Campaign coming soon!

Now, back to today Dev Diary about the
general mechanics
of the
squad management
!

General Campaign mechanics
Squad management

The Squad Assembly screen you know from the preparation phase of a mission in the other game modes will be familiar, but with many, many changes that befit the new and changed mechanics of the Campaign.

One of the most important differences is that you have a fixed starting roster of 30 marines, including
your avatar
, the returning crew of U.S.C. Wraith (15 marines), and 14 (randomized) marines from your fleet. All of them have preset skills and ranks, with some spare skill points left, so you can start training them in the direction you want to from the get-go. Unlike non-Campaign games, units will gain
Experience Points
(XP) for all kinds of actions they perform and, with that, achieve promotions that give them new skill points and other perks. “Demoting” or re-organizing their skills will not be an option, nor will resurrecting the dead (yes, we are talking about
permadeath
!). Sometimes you’ll have to wait until you can re-deploy a marine (if they are seriously injured or assigned to a somewhat longer task or mission, etc.), so you’ll have to make sure you don’t only have an “A-Team” of 6 killing machines but more reliable individuals to send on missions.

The other big difference is how
global inventory
is handled. In the Campaign, all items are
“status persistent”
, which in this case actually means that if they’re gone, they’re gone. There are no “loadout configurations” that are reset after a mission, as every bullet you fire or medikit you use is spent forever; your inventory can change swiftly, and you have to work with what you have, not with what you’d think is optimal. You will, however, start with a great assortment of weapons, ammo, and equipment, as well as a good pool of crafting materials; you’ll feel powerful and unstoppable… until you realize that reinforcements are weeks away and your supplies deplete quickly. The time will come to clear the dust from those good old, reliable .44 pistols! Of course, you will be able to craft anything if you have the resources. And don’t forget, “status persistence” for items also means that what you pick up and bring home is truly yours to keep (or to disassemble for materials…)!

With that, “squad configurations” are also gone. For each mission, you can decide freely who to deploy. You can configure up to 3 squads of 6–6 marines in many cases. Having good intel will help you decide how many marines to bring and what equipment they should carry for a specific mission.

Missed our previous dev diaries on the Campaign? You can read them here:

USC: Counterforce AnnouncementWed, December 13, 2023
Dev Diary #1—Campaign Feature Preview
Here's a small gift for you! Learn more about the Campaign in this sneak peek at some of its features!

USC: Counterforce AnnouncementFri, April 5, 2024
Dev Diary #2—Campaign Mechanics Preview
It's been a while! Let's talk about the Campaign mechanics in this sneak peek!

Stand by for more information about the Campaign and upcoming sneak peeks!

The USC: Counterforce team

 

[Luka-boy]

Fapping cautiously furiously.

 

[Tomas]

At last - a game developer that knows what players want. If the campaign is anywhere near the quality to what is already released: the tactical combat and squad management then this is shaping to be a great game.

 

[Haba]

Attack helicopter aside this looks decent*.
Interested. Waiting for full release, as usual.

*I want a special voice pack! Maybe even more than one, after all AH-64 Apache sounds different than say Mi-24. To not add those will be something-phobic

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1574870/view/4259923998301587494

Campaign mode Beta update!
Dive into the Campaign Beta and its new and unique content now!
Hey marines,

A
new update
is live now! And as the Summer has just begun, it is time to start your mission and the long-awaited
Campaign mode Beta
! It's an
open Beta
, you can try this new mode and let us know your thoughts! The Steam Summer Sale is starting, and USC: Counterforce is
40% off until July 11
!

Explore what the Campaign mode has in store for you and experiment with its exclusive mechanics and features! You will be able to create your avatar, choose your affiliation, manage your marine roster, and go on the first missions of the Campaign, both on a global and small scale, with the strategic map!

Here are some important elements to know before you dive in:

• The translation in Simplified Chinese for the Campaign is still ongoing. This means that the Campaign Beta is currently only
  partially localized in Simplified Chinese
  and will default to English for currently untranslated terms.
• The Campaign Beta previews its exclusive mechanics but
  lacks final narrative content and objective progression
  . Expect potential issues, and
  saved progress won’t carry over to v1.0
  . Full features will launch with the final update.

Player Avatar Creation and Affiliation System
Customize your Campaign and make impactful choices that influence your tactical opportunities while offering diverse pathways and outcomes, making each journey distinct and impactful.

Avatar creation
: In the new update adding the beta version of Campaign mode, you can now enjoy the feature of creating your own avatar and customizing it to reflect your unique style and preferences.
Affiliation system
: Additionally, you will be able to choose your affiliation. You can buy different upgrades, prototypes, and even nukes through each unique affiliation and make use of the black market for acquiring critical resources.

Strategic Map and Persistent Mechanics
The Campaign mode introduces the strategic map with global dynamic events but also small-scale sector-based missions. Your progression in the Campaign mode is persistent, this includes your inventory and marines.

Sector-based missions
: Each sector presents its own challenges, and you must strategically build and defend your bases against the ever-moving hordes of aliens! These missions will let you engage against alien hordes with a task force, explore derelict sites, and eradicate nests on-site.
Strategic map layer
: The map also features a dynamic weather and day-night system that affects outdoor missions, adapt your plan to the events of the map. Take direct control of any sector by landing squads and establishing an outpost, and also manage on a global scale by monitoring any activity on the planet, including alien hordes and weather events. Gather information and organize your course of action by scanning the sectors and nuking dangerous areas.
Persistent progression
: What you obtain, lose, and consume is persistent throughout the whole Campaign. This works for both units and inventory, which means that a
death is permanent
. All your marines are unique and have their own XP bar and leveling systems, along with a status system tracking their availability, injuries, and condition, adding depth to the roster management and making each of your decisions critical for your long-term success or demise.
New environment
: Step into the crystal caves, available in nest missions!

Upcoming Features
The Campaign mode Beta already brings a big part of what you will find in the full version on July 18. However, while the beta version showcases many new features, several key elements are still under development and will be available in the full release. These include the general campaign progression, the story and narrative with special missions and multiple outcomes, and your personalized avatar mechanics, including the game over and personal stake. Other content like corporation-given missions tied to the affiliation system, cutscenes, the Campaign tutorial, and the in-game help system are not yet implemented. It's also important to note that
save files from the Beta will not be compatible with the final release
!

Read the full patch notes
here
.

USC: Counterforce EventThu, June 27, 2024
Content update -- v0.90.3a (b240625)
USC:CF v0.90.3a, build 240625 NEW CAMPAIGN MODE -- TECHNICAL BETA A technical beta version of the Campaign mode is now playable!


During the making of the Campaign mode, we've published Dev Diaries introducing in details its content and mechanics, read them here to learn more!

• Dev Diary #3—Campaign Squad Management Preview
• Dev Diary #2—Campaign Mechanics Preview
• Dev Diary #1—Campaign Feature Preview

Get the game at a
40% discount
from today to July 11! Experiment with the Campaign modes and its new and unique features!

We can’t wait to know what you think about the Campaign, feel free to share your feedback with us in the Steam discussions! Stay tuned for the full launch of the Campaign and the 1.0 release!

The USC: Counterforce team

 

[udm]

Ok, I'll bite. Work has been pretty good and I just (kind of) got a raise. It doesn't look like it's pushing any mental illnesses and the gameplay looks solid. Plus it's my birthday in 3 days. Might as well treat myself.

 

[udm]

Lol

You can change the Gender though (it's a typable field).

Also:

Spoiler