It is finally done. Although the testing is still in progress, we have decided to release the patch and to let you enjoy the new Temple Arena. Here is a list of the most important changes.

CONTENT: 

• The Temple Arena has become smaller and you can now enjoy a new landscape.
• Added two more mercenary classes: Medics and Leviathans
• All units have been completely re-designed and adjusted to the new systems which are explained below.
• New Counter System: All mercenary classes have one of the armor types “Chitin”, “Crystal”, “Steel”, and “Flesh”. There are 4 mercenary classes per armor type. Each one counters another by doing 20% more damage than normal.
• New Mercenary Role System: All mercenary classes have been assigned to the damaging, tanking or supporting role. Damaging mercenaries gain more damage from damage upgrades and have less hitpoints and HP gain from health upgrades. Tanking mercenaries gain more hitpoints from health upgrades but have a weaker attack and lesser damage gain from damage upgrades. Only medics are of the supporting role. Their heal improves by researching damage upgrades.
• New Damage Reduction System: Armor now grants the units a percental damage reduction instead of an absolute damage reduction like in normal SC2 games. This prevents units from becoming nearly immortal for weak units.
• New Upgrade Panel: You can now access all upgrades that are available in Temple Arena with the hotkeys “G” and “0″. Grid users should use “0″ instead of “G” to open and close the upgrade panel, because “G” is the hotkey for your Energy Nova.
• Added more than 50 new upgrades to the game. Each unit type now has 4 special upgrades. Hero Health, Energy Regen and Health Regen upgrades have been temporarily removed.
• New Mercenary Panel: You can now access a menu to buy and switch mercenaries or to inform about the different armor types and mercenary classes. The hotkeys to open and close this panel are “N” and “L”.
• New Camera Distance Setup: You can now adjust your camera distance as you like with the help of the camera distance panel. Access it with Ctrl + C.
• Improved Voting System: You can now vote for and against events and and you don’t have to use the vote button anymore. In addition, a timer has been integrated to the voting dialog.
• New Supporting Units: You can now buy supporting units for minerals with a cooldown instead of using energy. Also Siege Tanks are new to the game.
• New Defense System: You can now buy different kind of turrets for your defending platform. You can choose between Railgun, Rocket and MG turrets. Only one turret can be active at a time.
• New Tutorial: All beginners will now be offered a tutorial at the beginning of their very first game. (currently deactivated, still in testing)

IMPORTANT CHANGES:

• All shields have been removed from the game and are now part of the special upgrade system.
• Maximum unit supply set to 150. Each unit consumes 1 supply (except for Zerglings: 0.5).
• Standard upgrades don’t increase in costs with higher levels anymore.
• HQ: Energy maximum reduced from 750 to 300. Chrono Boost costs reduced from 45 to 20 energy. Scan costs reduced from 30 to 15 energy.
• HQ: Hitpoints reduced from 12000 to 5000.
• HQ: Dual rocket launcher range raised from 9.5 to 11.
• Mercenary structures: Hitpoints reduced to 3000.
• Nova Split Missile now hits 20 targets at maximum.
• All heroes and base defenses have permanent armor penetration.
• Mercenaries: The spawning speed of all mercenaries are now equal.
• Mercenaries: You can choose your first mercenary class at the beginning of the game for free.
• Hundreds of other changes.