Onslaught CE V0.1.8

A newer version is out: the current release is always at releases/latest. 0.1.8 updates itself: start it and choose Update when it offers the new version. 0.1.10 fixes a way to lose a career when saving over an existing name on Linux, and a start-up crash of this version's Linux launcher when zenity is missing (see the 0.1.10 notes). Please install the current release rather than this one.

Getting 0.1.8: download it once, then it updates itself

If you have any earlier Onslaught CE (0.1.0 to 0.1.7):

1. Close Onslaught CE.
2. Back up your careers and settings: copy the folder ~/.local/share/onslaught-ce (Linux) or %APPDATA%\Onslaught CE (Windows; paste that into the Explorer address bar) somewhere safe.
3. Download the 0.1.8 package for your system below.
4. Extract it into a new, empty folder.
5. Run onslaught-ce (Linux) or onslaught-ce.exe (Windows) from the new folder. Your careers and settings are picked up automatically. Point your shortcut at the new folder.

Keep the old folder and your backup until you are happy, and never run the old launcher again. If you set BEA_USER_DIR before, set it the same way now. Anything unusual? See the detailed steps.

Why by hand, this once? The updater in 0.1.0–0.1.6 tidied up at startup by deleting any folder next to the game folder whose name started like it (for example Onslaught CE.old-backup). We know of no case where it deleted anything of a player's, but it could, so 0.1.7 switched updating off. 0.1.8 has a new updater that only ever touches its own two folders (versions inside the Onslaught CE folder and update-v2 in your user folder), never anything beside them, checks the signature of every update before using it, asks before installing, and can go back (--rollback). Old launchers cannot reach it, so this one download is by hand. From 0.1.8 on, Onslaught CE updates itself.

New players: download the package for your system, extract it into a new empty folder and run it. You need your own PC copy of Battle Engine Aquila (testing uses the Steam edition); no game files are included.

What's new

• Updates are back, done safely: a signed update feed, your permission before installing, your previous version kept for --rollback, and nothing touched outside the updater's own folders. Onslaught CE > Updates shows whether checking is on and where ce.ini is; update_check=0 turns it off.
• Readable HUD at high resolutions: the radar, portrait, messages and aiming circle scale with the screen. BEA_PORT_HUD_SCALE=0 gives the original size.
• Windowed or fullscreen in Video Options ("Display mode", applies when the game next starts).
• Tutorial help names the dodge and zoom controls for your current keys.
• A small command panel: press the grave key (left of 1) during play; help, status, and camera for the free camera when that cheat is on.
• Cheat switches explained in Options > Cheats; console key binds fixed.
• Better problem reports: the log now lists your displays, controllers and audio devices and the settings in use (names as your system reports them; your account name is hidden). Nothing is ever uploaded automatically.
• The version shows as Onslaught CE V0.1.8, menus tidied (Onslaught CE page: About, Report a problem, Record sessions, Updates, Special Thanks).
• Special Thanks: Stuart Gillam (desimbr), Jeppi, BermudaMaster and the other early testers, and everyone contributing, including work made with their own AI coding agents.

Gameplay is the faithful port as before.

Downloads

• Linux i686 package
• Windows i686 package
• Stable latest links: Linux, Windows
• ce-update-v2.json and its .sig are the signed update feed the launcher reads; you don't need to download them.

Linux needs the documented 32-bit Vulkan driver and system libraries. The Windows executable is unsigned, so SmartScreen may warn you (More info, then Run anyway).

Validation and limits

• Both packages were built twice from the public source and are byte-identical; a clean rebuild from the public repository reproduces them byte for byte.
• Gameplay matches the original game exactly on the recorded checks for levels 100, 200, 221, 400, 512, 521, 611 and 860, and the long multi-level check reaches the same known difference point as earlier releases. The Windows build was checked under Wine on level 100 (directly and through the launcher).
• Moving from an older version was tested on Linux and on Windows 11 (in a virtual machine, software rendering). The user folder held a real career save and a ce.ini, as an older version left them. 0.1.8 was extracted into a new folder and started normally:
  • the career appeared in Load Game;
  • the game folder and windowed setting came from ce.ini;
  • the save and ce.ini were byte-for-byte unchanged afterwards;
  • the old install folder and the folders, links and junctions beside it were untouched.
• Updating was tested by the launcher's own tests on Linux and Windows (signature checks, tampered and wrong-key feeds, interrupted updates, rollback). Offline, the launcher reports that no feed was reached, installs nothing and opens no connection (Windows 11 network capture). --apply is refused.

Not tested: physical AMD, NVIDIA or Intel graphics on Windows, physical game controllers, other Linux distributions with these packages, and audible sound on a real device.

If a problem occurs, choose Onslaught CE > Report a problem (or open an issue on the Issues page), say what happened and roughly when, and attach onslaught-ce.log from your CE user folder (details). Look the log over before sharing it.

Related work: Companion, Godot rebuild, decompilation, preservation documentation.