Metalstorm 5.0 is Released

Z2 has launched Metalstorm Online 5.0 as of  this past friday.  At first glance, it looks like there are several fairly big changes.

1.  Multiplayer matchmaking is supposedly improved.  From the looks of Z2s facebook page, the matchmaking is off to a rough start with many players waiting ... and waiting...   Hopefully there really is some improvement here once they work out the initial issues that they're having. From what I've read in some of the forums, this should be a big improvement in removing most of the hackers in this game!  They have switched to a new server which may cause auto-match waiting delays until things settle.  This morning I had to try a few times but eventually got a vs match so maybe it is improving.

Note from the CEO

2.  Boosts have been removed.    I didn't see the problem with boosts - added a little variation to the game, but alot of players didn't like them.  They are no more!

3.  New Currency.  "Medals" have been added.   Oh great, now we get to keep track of credits, coins and medals. 

Now I'm sure that the use of "medals" will enhance the playing experience of the game right??   Doubtful.  At first glance, it appears that all upgrades are now credit and medal driven which could be good since you can earn medals quicker than coins.  But the amount of medals needed for the upper level upgrades look very excessive.  See the following info from one reader (thanks for the post!):

From my calculation, it now takes 1865 medals + credit coins to fully upgrade a plane. (correct me if wrong)  It use to take 160-170 blue coins to fully upgrade a plane and now they're like asking 450 blue coins for the 1800+ medals...? Like wtf?
 
On the good side, all you have to worry now is to save blue coins just to buy new planes (and/or buy coin missiles meh).

Places to find medals:
Campaign - 10 medals per stage (only tested the first two. I received no medals when I didn't complete the three missions for the stage)

Versus - none, or 1-15 medals; 5 medals/game on average(?). This is based on winning all my matches and I usually received them every 3-4 matches with different opponents.

Survival - the best place to collect medals, esp. if you can reach wave 20.
When I reach wave 20, I usually gain 35 medals on average at 80% chance (sometimes it doesn't reward you). So far, I've experimented and received 15-20 medals (similarly around 80% chance) when I gave up sometime in between 13-19 waves.

Thanks again - great post!

4.  Additional bug fixes, crash fixes, stability and graphics improvements ...   I hate when developers add this line (which is pervasive).  It is just lazy.  Give a few examples as to what your talking about here.   At least list one example of what bug you fixed, what crash situation you fixed, what stability issue that you fixed, what graphic improvement that you made.  Else don't mention it at all.

Overall, version 5.0 does not get me very excited.  I find it a bit discouraging that Z2 again is looking at new ways to fleece its players.  Getting rid of hackers is great and long overdue, don't get me wrong, but where are the cool new capabilities?  New campaigns?

Lets hear from you guys - Are you seeing less hackers in vs matches?  Are there bright spots to version 5.0 that I'm missing?

Upcoming Plane Release Schedule

Thanks to Liu Howard for posting.  Below is the upcoming plane release schedule.  These are all re-releases.  Links have been made to the plane reviews on this site to allow quick access.  Start saving those coins for your favorite:

03/11~03/17 R-19  Cost: 205 coins
03/18~03/24 WM-10 Cost: 180 coins
03/25~03/31 TK-44 Cost: 205 coins
04/01~04/07 FireFly Cost: 205 coins
04/08~04/14 NV-7 Cost: 205 coins
04/15~04/21 LM-22 Cost: 205 coins
04/22~04/28 E-41 Cost: 160 coins
04/29~05/05 F-301 Cost: 205 coins
05/06~05/12 M-53 Cost: 205 coins

Make Way for the Helix

P-33 Helix - Red White and Blue

The Helix has been re-released .  

As we look at the Helix, we see that we have a plane that is tied for BEST-IN-FLEET in Missile tracking - tied with the Liberty.  Damage will be same as the Hawken (thats a good thing).  Outstanding Lock Range (not quite as good as the Eagle but close) and lock speed that is the same as the Hawken.  Overall, a formidable Weapons Class plane.  Missile tracking especially is a potent stat - more kills and less misses.

At 180 coins, it is a decent plane but honestly, I am at the point where I really don't see the point in buying plane after plane.  My advice is to perfect your skills with the planes that you have and then fully UPGRADE a select few planes.  Buying the plane of the week is really not going to improve your skills.

As you can see, of course, we have another re-skinned Hawken here.  The skies have blackened with all of the re-skinned hawkens flying over the metalstorm landscape like swarms of locust.

Have You Been Banned?

Over the past few weeks it seems that Z2 has made a concerted effort to identify hackers and cheats and ban their accounts.  To this, I say its about time!  I've played against cheaters and hackers with pumped up planes way too many times (after awhile you can tell pretty quickly if a plane has been hacked, am I right?). 

From what I've seen, there have also been some innocent victims that have been banned.  Some claim to have only hacked their image and not modded the plane stats (you know the players - they have their own mug as their image or some other non-standard image - Jim Careys come to mind).  I feel a little bad for these guys but not too much - if you download a hacked version of the game, you should not be too surprised if Z2 shuts it down, even if you aren't "using" all the cheats (how does Z2 know if you are using the cheats or not?  If you have a hacked version that is capable of pumping up your planes, your account should be banned, plain and simple).  So lets hear from you.  Have you been banned lately?  Vent away!!

Missile Parameters Corrected

Some of you may have noticed that the missile stats have changed in the recent update.  Below is a table that compares the old stats (that have been outdated for quite awhile) with the correct stats.  The column on the far left are the old stats that were visible in the game.  The middle column (from Z2 forum website) and the far right column show the correct parameters.  Green dots are placed next to values that have changed.

Thanks readers for straightening me out on these! (I was thinking that they had actually changed the missiles performance here)  Click on image below to enlarge.

Missile Stat Update (Click to Enlarge)

BTW, sorry for blocking out the capability to do anonymous comments.  It had gotten to the point that this blog was getting multitudes of spam comments per day.   If you'd like to comment, you can still easily do so, it just takes a very quick login process with blogger or using OpenID.

Adder has been Added! Does it Add Up?

CN-13 Adder

It looks like Z2 has been gettin busy again with our favorite game.  Besides a software upgrade and the firefly, Z2 has also just released the CN-13 Adder.  Another of the favorite Agility Class but this one is a credit charge of only 20K.    Lets take a look at the stats:

Energy: +12%:  4th in class
Damage: +8%:  4th in class
Speed: +12%:  2nd in class (tied with several)
Armor: +6%:    3rd in class

Overall, not a bad plane for 20k credits.  Its not a class leader and no agility boost for an agility class plane is a negative to me, but the armor and speed aren't too bad.  Nice paint job.  Does anyone know what the symbols say?  Lets hear your thoughts!

The CN-13 Adder has been added to the Comparison Guide  and also to the Fleet at a Glance - check it out! 

Z2 Goes Retro - Wingman Name is Gone

There was an update over the weekend to version 4.3.2.   I can see 2 major changes:  First, Metalstorm Wingman has reverted back to its old name of Metalstorm Online (which was the original name back in 2011).    Dang - I need to dig up my header file and rename this website!  Curious if anyone notices any different feel in gameplay?  Many loyalists felt that the Wingman update was never as good as the original Metalstorm Online (MSO) version. 

Second change is the bundle packages available for purchase - you can get a bargain if you buy planes/weapons together.  Buy one vympel, get one free (you get the idea).

Lets hear from you all - how do you like the update?  

Is there a Firefly in your Future?

Firefly

The Firefly has finally lit up our screens.  This plane has been leaked at least twice in the past, latest being last November.  Lets take a quick look at the stats:

Damage: +10%:  Tied for Second in class behind Striker
Agility: +12%:  Lower/Middle of the Agility pack
Critical Strike: +6%:  First in class
Missile Reload:  +10%:  First in class tied with Sparrow

We have another agility class plane that wants to be a weapons class plane when it grows up.  With boosts in critical strike, missile reload and damage, the Firefly can be looked at in two ways:

1.  An agility class plane with mediocre agility characteristics but with weapons boosts
2.  A low-level weapons class plane with lots of agility and speed.

The mix may be pleasing to some players that want a little bit from both classes, although you don't get the best of either class. 

The Firefly has been added to the Comparison Guide  and also to the Fleet at a Glance - check it out!

The Widow is back in Town

Originally priced at 180 - the Widow now costs 205 coins

Well, it looks like Z2Live has gone and brought back the Red Widow which should make some of you readers very happy.  This beast has always been one of the best of class in the weapons genre.  Originally released on 2/3/12, the "Red Widow" has excellent Missile Reload and Agility and solid damage boosts also.  Throw in +5% critical strike and this sucker is a tough plane to beat.  The only thing that the Red Widow may be lacking is missile lock speed.  Critical strike rating increases the probability of getting 2X damage on a hit.


See the Red Widow perform in the YouTube video below:

See PLANE COMPARISON TABLES for detailed assessment of all the planes performance ratings including the Red Widow which has been added.

You may recognize the Red Widow as the plane of our beloved VARGAS in the campaign.

 The Red Widow, just like the Marauder, is based on the real life F-35 Lightning.

Real life shot of an F-35

Underbelly of an F-35 with weapons bay doors open

Click here for more real life picts of the F-35 Lightning

The Wobblin' Goblin is Re-Released

WM-10 Striker

Alas, a long time favorite of many fighter fans has finally been added to the MSWM lineup.  The WM-10 Striker is modeled after the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, nicknamed the Wobblin' Goblin in its early years due to flight control stability issues.

Lets take a look at the stats:

Damage +12%:  This is Best in Class for Damage, overtaking the Sparrow by 2% and similar to the Sparrow, is comparable to lesser weapons class planes in the damage category.

Agility +13%:  In the middle of the pack, but only 2% behind Reaper and Stilletto which are both tops in fleet for agility.

Speed +12%:  Tied with 3 other planes for second in class behind Reaper which edges it out by 1%.

Armor +7%:  2nd in class behind Wasp and one of the few agility class planes to have armor upgrades.

Overall, once again, Z2 has pushed the envelope and produced a top agility class plane that is one of the best in class.  Identical boost categories as the Reaper (which has been my favorite agility class plane), the Striker is slightly behind Reaper in agility and speed, but packs more damage and has better armor than Reaper.  I think that I still like Reaper better since I value speed and agility the most for an agility class plane, but the Striker is a great plane also and has considerable more style than the boring F-4 based Reaper skin.  A great new addition to the fleet, although kinda funny that the stealth fighter has no stealth.

The Striker has been added to the Comparison Guide  and also to the Fleet at a Glance - check it out!

The Striker is based on the real-life F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter.