This update brings lots of new content, balance changes, and new mechanics!

Featured changes:

• A research system. Many things are unlocked or improved via research tree
• A better flagship base building. Most modules are now upgradable (need to be researched first)
• Government quests - an extra source of missions if you have good reputation with a faction
• Pirate root - be their ally or make them your sworn enemy (an optional root with 2 paths)
• Artifacts - rare (hard to get) items that grant unique bonuses to your vessels
• A limit fuel combat mechanic
• New boss-like encounters with immobile enemies ("battle stations")
• A semi-automated trading with Market Monitor base module
  

Content additions include new equipment parts (weapons, wings, body parts, artifacts, engines), new missions, new base modules, new pilot traits, and more.

Research

Research system allows a more gradual power growth. Instead of starting with all flagship modules (being overwhelming and obviously overpowered), you can research the ones you want one at a time.

It also provides new player boosts that were not available before. It partially compensates the ever increasing game difficulty (especially at higher difficulties).

The research system has some depth to it - you can pursue different branches and balance the amount of currently active research projects. More active projects is good in the long-term, but focusing on a single research can give you the desired technology much faster.

It also integrates with the world as you can use your superior tech level to boost one (or multiple) dominion factions tech level.

Artifacts

Artifacts are a rare equipment parts that give different unique bonuses.

Some of them give a flat bonus, but other may adjust the existing equipment part stats. Some artifacts may even have a downside that usually allows for an alternative vessel build style.

You can get artifacts from boss battles, as a random (low chance) reward for some quests, and from some missions.

Quests

The "contact the government" option on planets is now enabled. The new feature allows you to take quests at planets if you have a positive (+1 and above) reputation with them.

There are only a few quests added for now, but their amount will increase with the upcoming updates.

The rewards, conditions and even quest resolutions are randomized - some quests have several possible outcomes!

Changelog

Programming:

• Added an implicit YES/NO argument to num_targeters command
• Added fuel-related commands
  

New equipment:

• 7 new weapons
• 4 new engines
• 4 new wings
• 6 new bodies
• 13 artifacts (a new category)
  

Campaign:

• Start by designing a custom first vessel
• Hard difficulty is now even more brutal
• Implemented a game over screen - you can be defeated now
• Added many more vessel designs, factions evolve for much longer now
• Reworked the way missions spawn
• Cult spawns missions in a much more interesting and smart way
• Improved/expanded onboarding plot missions
• New planet events (e.g. Mercenary Duel)
• A "stalemate" combat can be restarted for free (0SP cost)
• Slow weapon on-hit effect is now cheaper
• Enemy pilots have slightly more variety in their behavior
• Added pirates-related events and missions (e.g. visiting a pirate station)
• A normal (unpgraded) hangar now has a vessel mass limit of 200
  

Rebalance:

• Adjusted panic-based mechanics. Pilots without ammo retreat more reliably now
• Reworked Scavenger trait, it should be more useful now (esp. against larger vessels)
• Ion weapons deal more battery damage
• Engines rebalance
• Rebalanced production points generation
• Mercenary pilots are now more responsive
• Bolter weapons are buffed
• Firefly missile gets a slight homing ability
  

Graphics:

• The fog of war in astroscape now reflects the nebula color
• Improved engine trails effect
• Added ghost effect to the arriving ("jumping") vessels
• Improved floating text alpha change
  

Pilot traits:

• Removed Weapon/Navigation mastery traits, now INT controls the accuracy/movement instead
• Added new traits (about 5-6 of them)
  

Missions:

• Many missions have different spawning/placement mechanics now
• A new mission - Cult Base
• A new mission - Cult Ritual
• A new mission - Cult Ceremonial Battle
• A new mission - VIP Protection
• A new mission - VIP Assassination
• A new mission - Caravan
• A new mission - Pirate Lord
• Added new options for some existing missions
  

Base building:

• Most modules have a progressive cost now
• Added new modules (e.g. subhangar and more)
• Many modules can be upgraded now (Radar, Turbo, Computing Center, etc.)
  

Sound:

• Added button click sounds for most UI elements
• Added extra combat music track
• Added impact sounds effects for most weapons
• Improved some weapon firing sounds effects
  

Misc:

• "Credits" main menu button is now implemented
• Added a new tutorial elements (contextual info pins)
• Planet tooltip now shows ETA
• +1 vessel color palette
• Game tracks various stats now (shown at the "game over" screen)
• Pilots now have a faction associated with them (with some mechanics taking that into account)
  

UX:

• Scouting (left-click without a mission targeted) now leaves a pseudo-marker for scouting
• Tab focuses the camera on player at astroscape
• An ability to disable autocamera in combat
• Added movement limit aura on astroscape (double-line circle)
• Made radar scan area effect more easy to understand
• Preserving new game settings between the re-runs
• Re-arranged UI elements in astroscape
• Added notification pins
• Added a ping effect when centering a camera around an object
  

[ 2025-08-19 14:05:13 CET ] [Original Post]