It's been a while - sorry for the wait! Update 18 for Combat Core is now out, and it includes a bunch of new content!

- New (11th) Character - ARES
- New Core Attack - Vortex Bomb
- Arcade Time Attack Leaderboards
- New Stage (Stage 7)
- New custom character options
- Improved AI
- Online 2v2 Team Battles
- Character Balance Changes
- Improved performance


For full patch notes, check out the discussion forum thread here:

http://steamcommunity.com/app/405670/discussions/0/1620599015866683266/

As always, players are invited to join the Combat Core community on Discord! It's a great place to find other players to play matches with:

http://Discord.me/CombatCore

Combat Core's Update 17 is now available!

This update brings significant bug fixes, balance changes, and 2 new characters from the web animated series, TOME!

For a full list of changes, see the forum thread for Update 17: http://steamcommunity.com/app/405670/discussions/0/133258593404251652/

As always, players are encouraged to join our Discord channel - it's a great place to hang out w/ other players or do match requests!

http://discord.me/CombatCore

Just in time for Christmas! "The Offensive Update" 16 includes a slew of gameplay changes and bugfixes that improve offensive mechanics and make the gameplay better than ever!

Want to try out the new characters releasing next month, before release? Hop in our Discord Channel at https://discord.gg/kWZXTsF and ask about it! It's also a great place to find players to match with online.

Thanks for your support!

Here are the full patch notes:



Gameplay/Mechanics


- Parry active window reduced from .27s to .17s (recovery time is now .33s)
- Roll evasion time reduced to .17s
- Can no longer attack during roll
- If stunned during a failed parry attempt, hitstun parry no longer available until player is no longer stunned
- Shield Energy cost reduced from 1.8x damage to 1.5x damage
- Shield Weapon damage reduction increased from 45% to 50% (in addition to normal shield increase)

Overall these changes should make it easier to consistently deal damage to opponents, and increase the risk of excessive parry usage by requiring
more precision, and also allowing greater punishment for missed parry attempts. Increasing the effectiveness of shields makes it a more
effective option against certain low-damage attacks or projectiles.


General Bugfixes/Menu fixes

- Match Settings can now be changed for both Public and Private rooms by the Room Host (1P)
- Fixed Random Stage selection when using gamepads 2-4
- Fixed a bug that would cause some online players to spawn without their model loading (invisible)
- Player 1 slot no longer T-Poses character at first load
- Fixed grayscale saturation for Game Over countdown
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to use light attacks during Diving Drill
- Throws now properly cause ragdolls in online play
- Can no longer trigger match settings after "Start Match" is pressed, which caused the game to not load characters correctly
- More performance improvements
- Fixed Christmas mode toggle
- Fixed a bug that would cause performance problems/crashes during Online "Ready" screen
- Fixed Timer showing "Off" correctly if timer set to higher than 300 in Match Settings
- Fixed camera zooming incorrectly in character editor
- Fixed instances when Match Settings menu was disabled when it shouldn't be
- Opening "Match Settings" during Stage Select will send you back to Stage Select, instead of the Character Select
- Players can no longer end match in Practice mode with 1 stock
- Fixed performance on Main Menu scene (was rendering multiple cameras)
- Fixed a bug that would cause inactive AI opponents to float in the air in practice mode
- Fixed a loading screen w/ updated information for Core Armor
- Match Settings button changed to "X" to avoid conflicting "E" input with color palette changes
- Fixed a bug that would not start matches even with 2 or more players after changing Match Settings

Visuals
- Some lighting effects (projectiles, etc.) now cast dynamic shadows
- Stage 6 lighting changed (brighter)
- Fixed brightness on Core Armor hit effect
- Fixed weapons sometimes not positioning/rotating correctly while attacking
- Cursor now hidden in practice mode (to change speed, use mouse scroll wheel or gamepad right analog stick)
- New Player status color tips + gameplay speed icons in practice mode




Characters/Weapons

Flash Blade
- Attacks/combo time are now faster (no parry window)
- Sword damage reduced to 30/45/35 (from 35/75/35)

The sword seemed only useful as a projectile weapon due to the slow melee attack speed. This should make the sword a more useful and a good melee option for many characters.

Core Staff
- Combo input time reduced on first X attack (no delay after hit)
- Stun time increased on all attacks (no parry window)

As with the sword, melee attacks with the staff felt too risky and unrewarding. This increases the staff's melee utility.

Skatie
- Tracking for 1st X attack increased slighty
- 2nd Y string attack now has knockdown

Skatie felt a bit underwhelming after her nerf a few patches back. This brings her closer to her original kit, but with less damage and tracking still not quite as good as before.

Jondo
- Shuriken energy cost reduced from 55/55/100 to 50/50/100

Ember
- Y kick startup now .02s faster to match animation speed

Combat Core has been updated! This patch focuses on more bugs and gameplay fixes/balance, along with the new match settings menu and a new stage.

For a full list of changes, check out the thread here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/405670/discussions/0/217691032433842166/

Some of the bigger new content assets (custom character options, 2 new characters, new weapons) were not quite ready for this patch,
but I felt it was needed to get a new patch out since it has been so long since the last.

I am currently targetting to get a new update with 2 new characters and other new content before the end of the year.

Thanks for the support! As always, I will try to be available for online play sessions every Monday starting at 9pm EST, and always hanging out in the Combat Cord discord chat here: https://discord.gg/kWZXTsF

This is a smaller patch to fix some small bugs and issues with online play/lobbies. Expect a bigger content update (Alpha 15) around the end of the month!

Alpha 14.2

- Private rooms now ACTUALLY private
- Join Friend can now join friends in private and quick match rooms, regardless of hosting
- Ping display for other players in room now available
- Fixed incorrect scaling for some hair meshes
- Fixed version compatiblity with some engine assets, should (hopefully) be more stable
- Screen shake now working properly for both local and networked players

On another note, players are encouraged to hop online on Monday evenings as part of the community play event! I will be personally be around in the US East server starting at 9PM EST and streaming on twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/mabmanz

This was a quick update for just a few more balancing issues and fixing the AI from the last update:


Alpha.14.1

- Fixed a bug that would freeze UI input attempting to join friends

- Re-enabled parry on wakeup (this is why the AI was so easy!)
- More aggressive AI parry logic - should break more combo strings at higher difficulty levels
- AI will now use evasion/armor defensive options more (Mist/Squaz)

- Bruizer X (2nd strike) stun time reduced from .8s to .5s
- Bruizer X (3rd strike) startup time decreased .45s to .4s
- Bruizer Y (3rd strike) startup time increased from .1s to .15s


- Pugi throw stun time reduced from .75s to .55s
- Pugi X (1st strike) stun time increased from .5s to .6s
- Pugi X (2nd strike) stun time decreased from .85s to .8s
- Pugi Y attack string damage increased from 60-60-60-60 to 60-70-80-90

- Jondo Y Slash attack stun time reduced from 1s to .833s

- Squaz wait time to combo out of Muscle Flex reduced (.1s to .083s)
- Squaz Muscle Flex damage reduction increased from 25% to 30%

- Core Armor damage reduction increased from 25% to 30%
- Core Armor active time increased from 4 seconds to 4.5 seconds

After the quick patch earlier this week, some critical issues that users reported have been worked on.

This patch includes also includes a slew of balance changes to characters, and updates to hitsparks and sounds to help with feedback on attacks.

Interface
- Fixed some issues with menus not activating/deactivating properly
- "Demo mode" timer increased from 75 seconds to 120 seconds

Online Play
- New Southeast Asia network region (Singapore)
- Region switch now works after playing a match
- Fixed a bug that would sometimes not receive your Steam name if you joined a room too quickly
- Fixed combos not working with Flashblade and Combat Staff
- Core armor will no longer stay active if taunt used while armor is active
- Friends list now working, but only for hosted private matches

Gameplay/Balancing

- Rolling now be done w/ a .2s button press (previously .3s) - this requires a quicker tap to execute roll, and prevent "accidental" rolls when you would prefer to use guard
- Parry recovery time increased from .1s to .15s
- Hitsparks are now solid white w/ outline and slightly larger
- Medium hit sound is changed
- Screenshake from all damage increased

Bruizer
- Fixed hitbox on Light Kick (Y)

Skatie
- Y (1st strike) tracking speed reduced from 7 to 3.5
- Y (1st strike) damage decreased from 105 to 80
- Y (2nd strike) string attack no longer has knockdown

Jondo
- Standing shuriken throws can now be executed next string .05s faster (previously .1s before next shuriken throw can start)
- Slash (1st strike) startup reduced from .41 to .375s
- Slash (1st strike) stun time increased from .65s to 1s
- Slash (2nd strike) stun time increased from .65s to .8s
- Slash attacks damaged increased from 70-75-85 to 75-85-95

Squaz
- X Attack recovery reduced from .4s to .3s
- Y Attack recovery reduced from .3 to .25s
- X Attack (1st strike) damage increased from 65 to 80
- Y Attack (1st strike) damage increased from 55 to 75
- Wait time to combo out of Muscle Flex reduced (.15s to .1s)

Pugi
- Big head is now 3% smaller

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On another note - I'd love to give a huge thanks to Almerino for creating a new in-depth guide on Combat Core! It's still WIP, but already has valuable information on the deeper mechanics of the game and some great character/core breakdown and tips!

Check out the new guide here: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=750164130


On another note, I encourage all players to join in the discussion forums with your feedback, or hop in the new Discord chat! I am always active in the chat room if you'd like some real-time feedback on the game at https://discord.gg/kWZXTsF

Alpha.13

Online Play
- A bug that would cause players to be continually kicked out of rooms has been fixed
- Grab logic has been changed to hopefully give better visual results
Gameplay
- "Pro" Arcade difficulty scaled down slighty. Now begins at 4.5 AI level and scales up to (was previously level 5)
- Core Armor active time reduced from 5 seconds to 4 seconds
- SFRX stats have been reduced (less energy/recharge, slightly less speed)
Misc
- Fixed Player 3 and 4 remaining lives not updating properly
- Exiting "Demo Mode" will pause the current match and mute characters/sound effects while loading back to menu
- Fixed a weird polygon weight issue w/ Bruizer's character model

Combat Core is now available on Steam! I'd like to welcome all players new and old! While the game is still in development, I hope that you enjoy it!

Please join the discussion forums to give your feedback, I'm always reading them!

For those keeping up w/ the pre-release alpha builds, here are the changes for the new Alpha.12 release!

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Alpha.12

- Engine updated to Unity 5.4.0f2
- Boss Man is now "Super Fighting Robot X / SFRX", new character model and voice
- New voices for custom characters (Alan Lee, Kira Buckland)
- "How to Play" Menu Section
- Credits
- Various UI tweaks, fixes
- AI tweaks
- Increased frequency of air recovery across all AI levels
- The AI had a tedency to allow itself to be beat down when ragdolled, now it will attempt to recover faster, more often
- Can no longer parry while parrying
- Previously this allowed the AI to parry 2 different attacks simultaneously
- VR will now automatically enable if a device is connected
- Fixed incorrect window resolution when VR is disabled
- Can now parry during get up animation
- Can no longer select characters with the same color palette (other than custom characters)
- More announcer voice clips/fixes
- Users can now manually select server regions to connect for optimal latency
- Many netplay bug fixes

Character/Attacks

- Area Blast max radius reduced from 85 to 70
- Area Blast damage reduced from 250 to 225
- Area Blast startup time increased from .55s to .625s

Jondo
- Shuriken Damage increased from 32 to 35
- Shuriken travel speed increased 25 to 30
- Shuriken energy cost reduced from 60-60-120 to 55-55-100
- Air triple shuriken release is now quicker from .275s to .25s