Just a few days ago, Ronimo released their latest updates to Awesomenauts and their Starstorm expansion DLC, Patch 2.4! Through this update, are introduced to the third new playable character: Sentry-X58 (simply known as "Sentry"). A red robot with a strange fetish for telephones, Sentry is an extremely good character with a wide range of abilities and support options. He was so good, in fact, that they had to nerf him within a day due to the community feedback.
His first ability revolves around an energy shield that absorbs a set amount of damage when hit. Once the shield is charged to a degree, he can then launch a long range black hole projectile. The singularity created pulls in nearby opponents and then explodes with damage according to the amount absorbed by the shield. Depending on how much incoming damage Sentry risks for his shield charge, the black hole will certainly return the favor with solid returning damage and insane trapping power.
Sentry's second ability allows him to place an indestructible energy beacon on the map; on the ground or in the air, it doesn't matter. Once set, he can then can teleport to the beacon's exact location at anytime he chooses (without being hit within 2ish seconds) This is great for returning to the front lines from purchasing upgrades, or ambushing weakened enemies from behind.
Apart from the other tweeks made in the patch, players will have the option to save replays of their matches! This feature is one of Ronimo's steps to bringing players a full-fledged Spectator Mode to Awesomenauts, even though it can technically be accomplished now with a little work. Please read on for the full list of patch notes to know what I'm talking about:
Patch 2.4
14-5-2014
NEW character: Sentry
This character is part of the Starstorm DLC, so you need to own Starstorm to play Sentry yourself. Everyone can play against Starstorm characters.
Sentry is a robot built for infiltration, fooling enemy troops by mimicking anything from an umbrella to a phone booth. After re-activating aboard the Starstorm and finding it overrun by hostile mercenaries, Sentry chose to join them undercover. Biding his time to exact revenge, gathering enough Solar to buy a very serious tank. One with a shark printed on the front!
Skill: Black Hole Sun
Enables a damage collecting black hole that can be placed with a second press, pulling enemies toward it and dealing the collected damage.
Skill: Teleport Beacon
Sentry deploys a beacon to which he can teleport. Sentry deals a damage dealing pulse at arrival.
Basic attack
Warbots from the X-58 line come with a high powered photon mine launcher.
Jump:
Standard warbot energy thruster, for short leaps in combat.
NEW: replays
The game now stores your matches on your hard disc so you can watch them back! With an awesome interface for looking around, zooming in and out, slow motion, rewind, and many more features! To share, rename or remove replays, click the Browse Replays button in the replays menu. Each folder is a separate replay, so you can rename and delete folders, and you can send replay folders to friends.
The replay player recognises files that are newly added to the replay while playing. This can be used to make a real-time spectator mode with a friend by mapping a folder on your hard disc to someone else’s replay folder on another computer. This is pretty technical but it is possible using for example DropBox.
NEW: Particle forces
Certain skills will now affect certain particles around them. For example, Ayla’s rage bubble will now pull sparkles and smoke towards it. Effects have been added to: Sentry black hole, Froggy dash, Clunk explosion, Derpl nuke explosion, Ted McPain shotgun, Ayla rage, Yuri timebubble, Vinnie & Spike dive, Penny pounce and Coco ball lightning.
General
-Tweaked league sizes to fit current playing patterns. Leagues 2 and 3 have been made 15% smaller, leagues 4-7 have been grown.
-Starting the next season league sizes will be dynamic to match the changing playing patterns during the first few weeks of a new season.
-Fixed that the spawn sound of stealth orb on Aiguillon was not audible throughout the entire level
General balance
-Droids will now slowly heal over time
-Baby Kuri Mammoth now also affects amplified damage
-Power pills, health reduced from 15% to 12%
Genji
-Butterfly shot returning butterfly will now return to Genji’s staff instead of the location it was shot from
Ayla
-Fixed an issue where Ayla’s evil eye would hit targets behind her instead of the front
Leon
-Pinot noir, now correctly heals +100 hp per minute in combination with med-i’-can
Ted McPain
-Jump height slightly increased
-Space air max now shows the correct speed increase
-Shotgun, spread and range slightly reduced
-Baby Kuri mammoth replaced with Starstorm Statue
-Angel wing toilet paper, price reduced from 195 to 145 Solar
-Angel wing toilet paper, reload reduced from 4 to 2 shells
Swiggins
-Space air max now shows the correct speed increase
Gnaw
-Weedling parts now keep regenerating after completing the first weedling
Penny Fox
-Energy pulse, damage per charge reduced from 10 to 8
-Energy pulse, cooldown increased from 6s to 7s
-Energy pulse, base amplify damage effect reduced by 5%
-Pounce, removed invincibility during pounce
-Increased collision box slightly
-Heartshaped net, price reduced from 165 to 115 Solar
Voltar
-Fixed an issue where continuous firing of suicide drones would block the skill completely after having max drones
Derpl
-Deployment pads, fixed a bug where derpl could pulse multiple times in siegemode
Raelynn
-T-800 Dome, droid health reduced from 60 to 40
-T-800 Dome, price increased from 145 to 200 Solar
Patch 2.4.1 (Hotfix)
15-5-2014
Sentry X-58 balance
- Not So Serious Tank, price increased from 175 to 215 Solar per stage
- Tactical Vest, reduced lifesteal from 25% to 20%
- Tactical Vest, price increased from 180 to 205 Solar
- Dog Tags, increased price from 145 to 190 Solar per stage
- Disguise Moustache from 10 to 8 dmg
- Bug Detector from 100% to 75%
Sentry X-58 looks and sounds
- Improved description of Circuits Of Time
- Made team colour of Black Hole Sun more clear, as well as team colour for characters in the Black Hole Sun
- Made bullet graphics for standard attack a bit less millions-of-bright-explosions-in-your-face-cluttering-the-entire-screen
- Made voice lines for skills only audible when you are near Sentry, and play less often in general
- Reduced volume of jump sound
- Fixed teleport animation towards Beacon
Ted McPain
- Commando Ted Figure, price increased from 175 to 190 Solar per stage
- Made voice lines for skills play less often and less loudly
Penny Fox
- Made voice lines for skills play less often and less loudly