Ashes of the Singularity is receiving a substantial update on August 24. Alongside this update is a free piece of DLC, which contains a few maps specifically designed for co-operative play. There hasn't been a better time to hop aboard the massive real-time strategy (RTS) train.
So just what has been improved in version 2.4? A lot. Everything from the UI, to unit balancing and modding capabilities, have been touched by the developers. Here's a quick look at some of the changes:
- UI — A full menu reworking makes the game more accessible with new orbital ability icons, improved chat displays, and more.
- Campaign and scenarios — Several scenarios and all three campaigns have been updated to refine difficulty levels, adjust to the changes of previous updates, and improve the user experience.
- Modding — Modders have access to more parts of the game and will benefit from several changes that make modding more intuitive.
- Balance — Changes to air units, anti-air, drones, and dreadnoughts will improve strategic diversity. The Substrate receives some additional changes in order to differentiate themselves from the PHC.
- Vulkan support — This graphics-rendering API offers enhanced OS compatibility and performance.
- Updated benchmark — The benchmark has been updated so that players can see how well their PC runs under Vulkan.
It's a fairly major release, boosting the game's appeal to those who may have overlooked Stardock's RTS offering due to a few concerns surrounding balancing or the limited modding support. After installing 2.4, not only will players be able to enjoy the latest in DirectX technology, but also Vulkan. A total of nine maps will be included in the free co-op map pack DLC, which will be released alongside the update.
As noted above, all this new content will be rolled out on August 24 for about $34.
