Normally, I would wait publishing a guide until such time as its fully completed, but I have release this as a work-in-progress as the Beta evolves. Hopefully it will become a useful mini resource for the Beta community here on Steam.

At this stage there is not a lot here, but keep watching this space! Please be kind with your thumbs :)

Please let me know if I am missing anything, if there are any mistakes or if you have any suggestions on what I should add. I am sure there are plenty of things I don't know.

Thank you for checking out the guide & Thank you for your support!

Not all menus and setups have been enabled in the BETA UI at this stage. You have likely found out that the mouse can place towers, zoom and bring up info, but for those not familiar with the keyboard layout from DG1 (similar setup), you may find the following summary handy:




* Note, the F key is now a toggle and doesn't require you to hold the key down to use.

* Text chat is '\' key on European keyboard.

* Controllers are supported.

This is a quick summary of some of the new features that have been announced or are known from the current BETA releases.

As the game is still in Beta, this information will likely change as development continues.


Key Features, New in DG2:

• Multiplayer Support. (+Steam Matchmaking)
  
• User Created Levels:
  (Steam Workshop & DGArchitect Level Editor)
  
• Items & Specials (Power-Ups & Modifiers)
  
• Updated Scoring System:
  (Efficiency instead of Time based)
  
• Full 20* Level Campaign
  
• More TBA?

There are also some info at the DG2 Official FAQ[www.hiddenpath.com].

I'll go into more detail on these once information is available.

Further info on new Towers, new Map features and new Scoring System available in the following sections.

It's finally here! The 3rd of July beta update introduced the first iteration of multiplayer.




Here are some of the known features (both implemented or announced for future update):

→ Multiple Game Modes: Both competitive & co-op modes are planned. (More info below on some known game modes.)

→ No boring lobby or wait timer: You can play single player map while waiting for a multiplayer game and in the future it will also save your progress in single player when you join a multiplayer match so you can resume after!

→ Command Tower still available: Both players can still use the Command Tower to modify the map/platforms.

→ Press ~ to bring up chat, to type to other player.

→ There is no Fast Forward available currently in Multiplayer.

Known Game Modes:

(Competitive Co-op mode)

The map is split between the two players. Each player can only build on their allocated squares, but must work together to save the same cores. The scores & resources are not shared, and as such introduces a competitive element to each game. The player with the most kills will obtain the higher score, but will mean nothing if you don't work together to protect the cores.



(Competitive PVP mode)

Details TBC, but as the name suggests this will be a true versus mode where you will compete against another player on a map.



(Full Co-op mode)

None of the restrictions of Coordinated Defense, with both players working towards one score.


More TBA?

The Gun, Inferno, Laser, Cannon, Temporal Towers have all made a return in DG2 at this stage, but there are a few new additions to the family this time round.

The Concussion, Mortar & Tesla Towers will also make a return (at some point), although the Command Tower has been dropped from the roster this iteration (?).



Appears to be the modernised replacement from DG1, so technically this is not a new tower to DG, but I consider this a new addition as it performs a lot differently to the original.

Tower will now target both ground and air aliens making this a very versitile tower. Longer range capability with self guided rockets that can go over or around obstacles to hit their target. Works well to fill up your squares away from your path.

Upgrading is expensive at 1200 for RED, 600 for YELLOW but they do pack a punch!

Boost Towers

This is an interesting (and most welcome) new addition to your arsenal, that has many unique benefits.

The Boost Tower raises the height of the square providing a Line of Sight advantage (especially those behind the main line of your path).

It can also be used for creating your maze at low cost, although it can block line of sight to squares behind the Boost tower due to the hight increase (so place carefully).




You need to build the Boost tower before your Defensive tower, otherwise you will need to sell to build. You can however upgrade the Boost tower after placing a Defensive tower.

There will be 3 unique upgrade options available for the Boost Tower so it can be customised to your needs. These are:

Increases the damage output by 25%.

Reveals stealth units & will disrupt shields.

Increases the reward for killing an alien.


Generally, I find upgrading your Boost tower is most benefitial once your Defensive tower is Yellow or Red. It will offer a cost effective interim DPS boost over earlier upgrading to the Red Tower.

This tower is unique as it has only one upgrade level, not the usual two. Also, you can only upgrade one of the three boost upgrades per tower.

Use minimal Boost Towers on your initial waves (only use sparingly & strategically). It can be easy to overspend creating your maze when you should be spending them on defensive towers.

There is not a lot to report on new map features, but one has been identified that is pretty nifty!

Command Module:

Although many of you may be sad to see the Command Tower has been retired in DG2, there is a new Command Module (that building falls from the sky at the start of the level). This has been available on all the levels so far to grant you some help.

Along with a range of statistical information on your current run, it also allows you to modify parts of the map to allow more towers to be built (ie raising new platforms from under the ocean) or move existing towers to a more effective location (ie slide platform closer to entry point).

The number of modifiers varies from level to level, but all seem to cost 200 to build.

These map modifiers are available anytime from the start of the level.


Above pictorial shows the Command Module & menus for the original 2 Beta levels (Story 14 & 15):

Hidden Path have recently announced improvements to the scoring system for DG2.

They have summarised it better than I possibly could so here is their description:
"New Scoring System Details:

Philosophically, we want score to reflect both your efficiency and how well you hold on to you cores. The top scores should be those that save all cores while spending the least amount of resources.

We’ve used an interest mechanic (resources tick to score at a regular rate) to be a marker of efficiency, but we’ve found several flaws in this approach - score was weighted far too much towards efficiency and not enough towards keeping cores (it was better to let aliens escape near the end of the game). In addition, there was an incentive to keep games going as long as possible to continue to receive more score, and to micromange the selling of towers at the end of the level.

In response, we’ve made several substantial changes to the score system:

• Score is no longer based on time
  
  
• When you kill an alien, you get score for that alien and bonus points based on the value of your resources, the sell value of your placed towers (efficiency) and how many cores you’ve held on to (defensive success)
  
  
• The resource drip stops on the last wave of the game, but you’ll receive a large resource bonus by finishing the wave before, to spend on the last wave

As a result:

• Not killing an alien will result in a substantially lower score than you would get by killing the alien. You will miss out on a score tick.
  
  
• Selling your towers makes no difference to your score. Building new towers does lower your efficiency a little (by 25% of the tower cost)
  
  
• Keeping your cores is very important. They both impact your score immediately (you lose out on the score you’d get for the alien who escape), and later (all subsequent bonuses are reduced)
  
  
• Juggling is still a viable strategy, but now only if it takes less towers to kill the same number of aliens, not just for lengthening the time aliens are on the map

Try it out and let us know what you think.

Thanks so much for your continued support!"

On the BETA levels seen so far there has been a number of 'usual suspects' returning from DG1.

What's new? You can now see how long it will take for the alien to complete its trip to the cores and back out of the map.

Also, you will notice that there is an Auras section which would suggest power-ups or buffs. The nature of these Auras is yet to be confirmed as doesn't appear to be implemented in current BETA release, but would expect they will modify the strength or weaknesses of each alien providing more variation and potentially some more lethal combos in conjunction with other Auras.


Wave 9 shows your current aliens incoming | Waves 10 -> 15 shows what is coming next.


You can also get combinations of aliens in one wave as seen here.

Specifications for PC version (From Defense Grid 2 website):


Currently in the Beta, only PC version is available.

For release DG2 will also be available on Mac, Linux / Steambox, Xbox One, and PS4.

Change Log | Notes

AUSSIEDROID'S CURATOR @
http://cs2bus.com/steamstore/curator/6857016/

AUSSIEDROID'S WORKSHOP CONTRIBUTIONS @
http://cs2bus.com/id/aussiedroid/myworkshopfiles/?section=guides

TRUE BLUE REVIEWS (Find More Quality Guides) @
http://cs2bus.com/groups/TrueBlueReviews


If you are new to Defense Grid games, there is also a lot of information in my DG1 guide,
much is still relevant, although I am sure more will change over time:
http://cs2bus.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=121597561

Want More? Want to delve deeper into the Making of Defense Grid 2[www.polygon.com]? Check out the link to the Russ Pitts' Polygon series which contains an exclusive, unprecendented behind the scenes look into the creation of DG2. Also worth keeping an eye on is the Hidden Path YouTube Channel for some of the latest news & beta footage for DG2. More at the Hidden Path Forums[www.hiddenpath.com], also more at the Official Site[www.hiddenpath.com], and last but not least the Hidden Path DG2 Blog[www.hiddenpath.com]. Also don't forget the original Kickstarter campaign for Defense Grid 2.


* 0.8 - (31st Oct 14) - Updated Follow Me in Appendix & Guide description. *
* 0.7 - (12th July 14) - Boost Tower upgrades update, Multiplayer added & various small changes. *
* 0.6 - (8th June 14) - Added new Command Module under Map Features section. Thx NitroZark *
* 0.5 - (6th June 14) - Added Official FAQ link under What's New section. *
* 0.4 - (3rd June 14) - Edit & BETA WIP Published. *
* 0.3 - (2nd June 14) - Added Scoring, Aliens & Appendix plus remaining Artwork. *
* 0.2 - (28th May 14) - Added some New Features, KB Shortcuts & New Towers. *
* 0.1 - (25th May 14) - Created BETA guide draft. *
* 0.0 - (16th May 14) - DG2 Beta release on Steam. *