This season's CAL finals coming up this weekend: it's Terror vs Exigent.
Head over to the CAL NS site for details.
In response to a number of minor issues with the recent release, we present you with Natural Selection 3.01, a server-only update to 3.0.
It fixes the choke issues experienced by the operators of larger servers. On our test servers, we saw performance improvements of more than 20%. Additionally, we removed an exploit of the updated mapvote system, and fixed a bug that hindered the commander from dropping structures on a specific occasion.
If you are a server operator, please download and install the new files from here. You do not need to install or download anything if you are not hosting a server.
Enjoy!
Since the release of NS 3.0 we have received a lot of feedback, most of it very encouraging. We also have reports of a possible server performance issue. We are taking this very seriously and are currently investigating it.
Server operators with information on this are encouraged to submit feedback here in the re-opened forums. With your help, we hope to resolve this and any other minor issues quickly. Until that time, we recommend a reduction of the amount of player slots on your server to reduce the impact of any possible problem.
Thanks for your patience and support!
After more than a year of development, countless fixes, one new game mode, five public betas, hundreds of tweaks and several new features, we are proud to finally present you the final version of Natural Selection 3.0.
For a list of all available mirrors of the game, click here. If you are running a server, you can download all necessary files from one of the locations listed here. While you download, we encourage you to take a look at the new [file=comm_manual/index.html]community manual[/file]. Also, view the dramatic trailer if you haven't already.
We have taken the forums offline for the weekend to make sure everyone can read the news and download the game. If you have questions regarding the game, we compiled a FAQ for all your 3.0-specific questions. If you have technical issues or just want to discuss the game, we invite you to join our IRC channel, #naturalselection, on GameSurge.net. You can also contact us at community@unknownworlds.com, but please allow for certain delays.
Control the resources. Defend your base. Listen to your commander. Be prepared to face more and more powerful alien foes. Learn their many forms and abilities, and how to counter them. Find the heart of the Kharaa threat, and eradicate it. The battle begins now. Its outcome rests in your hands.
Luck and victory to us all.
It's finally ready. NS 3.0 (final) will be released to the public on Saturday, March 5th. If you would like to mirror any files after we release, submit your mirrored file here (link removed temporarily).
Thus, we conclude a long and colorful product cycle with a as we believe very worthy batch of features and updates. For details, read the [file=changelogs/v30-changelog.html]changelog[/file] since NS 3.0 Beta 5.
The development of 3.0 saw a number of personnel changes on the extended team. We'd like to take the opporunity to thank Max "maxwell" McGuire, Spencer "voogru" MacDonald, Tom "ElvenThief" Grim, as well as the trainees, contributors, testers, and other volunteers we worked with during this version's development, including those who had to move on.
We, specifically myself, would also like to thank Greg "Wither" in den Berken and Jim "JazzX" Olson for taking over on managing the Playtester program, as well as Nicolas "Marik_Steele" Winocur for taking the community management position, thus allowing me to concentrate on my role as project manager on the NS team.
Special thanks go to NiteOwl, whom we have to thank for our outstanding new manual (to be released shortly).
NS 3.0 is in many ways an end to an era and marks a reorientation of big parts of our development procedure. As a first marker of this, I'd like to welcome Petter "tankefugl" Roennigen on the team. Petter, an outstanding programmer, and first of a number of trainees to become a full developer, will help us in creating the future of Natural Selection.
It's been a crazy ride so far and we're just getting started. We're glad to have you with us.