Docking clamps released. Summary-Drive Engaged!
- Part 3 next week. More into on the specific Engineers in tomorrow's newsletter.
- 2.1 brings a fresh look to missions.
- Image and video shown for Emissive (sp?) Munitions upgrade. Envelops target vessel with energetic particles. Increases target vessel signature. Can be applied to different weapons. Used to counter silent running builds. More damage done = bigger signature. If sensors are degraded then using this upgrade will counter that. Weapons will become much hotter to fire when using this upgrade.
- Most engineers upgrades are more positive than negative in terms of effect on your ship.
- Lets talk missions shall we?
- New mission board screen (from dev. build, shown in last week's newsletter). Shows faction reps. The more you work with factions, the more likely you'd meet higher-ranking members of that faction. Faction reps will tell you how they feel about you and how their faction is doing.
- System states will have bigger effect on missions.
- Faction current, pending and previous state shown.
- Criminal factions will offer more illegal missions. However, other law-aiding factions may be more subtle in offering illegal missions.
- Reason for mission is displayed. Step by step description on mission objectives. Communication improved for why this mission is available. That plus pictures of faction reps aids players who are role-playing the game.
- Video shown of space-traffic control feature. Space-traffic control communicates with player in vicinity of station to aid in docking procedure and also when leaving stations.
- If you're hostile, space-traffic control will warn you that you will be fired upon on approach to station.
- Lots of different voice options for space-traffic control.
- Missions will pay more for higher-rank pilots. Rank will have effect on mission difficultly, and related rewards. FD will watch feedback for this for beta. Have to balance between new pilots and billionaires.
- Missions can also award special materials used by Engineers.
- Also another potential mission reward besides credits and materials. FD keeping that secret for now.
- Missions for military career paths have changed for 2.1
- FD aware of requests for Wing Missions. Not in 2.1 but since 2.1 has improved AI for NPCs you may want to wing up anyway.
- Brand new mission templates for 2.1. Existing mission templates reworked, mission branches replaced and improved.
- Comms inbox used more now. You will rarely have to drop out of super cruise to receive mission-related messages.
- Introducing Cordial - new rep. rank between Neutral and Friendly. New players will start at the high end of Neutral.
- SFX for all weapons determined by damage type and weapon.
- Ship insurance re-buy DOES cover Engineer-modifications to your ship.
- Incendiary Rounds Image and video shown. Damage converted to thermal, damage slightly increased as well. Especially good for projectile style weapons. No real damage to your ship when using this upgrade, but that might change.
- New mission scenarios and types in 2.1 - not loads more, but more.
- Chained missions - not part of 2.1, work in progress.
- Branching missions - almost all 2.1 missions have some sort of potential branch. For example, in an Assassination mission, you may get message from contact warning you that your target is aware that you are after them and has sent minions after you! If you do kill the minions, you get extra reward. Following the branch in missions will usually result in extra reward but its optional for you to do so.
- Long term vision for missions - moving towards more dynamic missions with personal narrative. But due to number of different factions, major factions, system states, faction agendas etc the mission system is procedural.
- Player designed missions? - That's a lot of work.
- Boot time for weapons shown in outfitting screen - time takes for weapons to turn on.
- Powerplay weapons staying for now.
- Potential Powerplay Engineers on the way!
- Ship transfer to another station - its on the to-do list.
- Missiles! Previously hit with nerf-bat. Now increased damage to shields, small buff before (in 1.5) and for 2.1, minor buff again.
- Missiles won't penetrate hull, but, when missile impacts on hull, splash damage is applied on nearby ship modules and hard-points.
- Guidance system for missiles has been improved too so, "time to bring back the point-defence!"
- Some Engineer upgrades can be applied to missiles!
- "We're looking to shake up everything!"
- Missile video shown. Canopy breached!
- THANK GOD! NPC ships harassing you with mission spam after mission accepted are gone for 2.1
- Ice mining video shown.
- Ice mining missions in 2.1!
- No exploration missions yet but they are planned.
- In-space missions can be given by faction rep. Plus there are a couple of new missions types for in-space missions. They are hidden away in beta and FD will be watching to see who finds those new missions.
- Scanning Nav beacon can scan whole system, for USS missions you will be told the body near the USS.
- New POI approach mechanic.
- Missions timers - increasing amount of time for mission. Certain branches in missions will potentially pay you more, but those branches will of course take longer.
- Feedback Cascade image shown. Interferes with shield cell operation and can disable target vessel's shield in the process.
- Feedback Cascade video shown. Fed Dropship activates shield cell, when hit by Feedback Cascade, Dropship's shields drop to 0%.
- FD have a bunch of options for this weapon if the effects are too great, that's what beta's are for!
- Engineer mods will be great upheaval for ED, in hindsight current Feedback Cascade effect may not be that deadly. Maybe it will just do damage to the shield cell. FD want to get this out there in beta and get the feedback.
- Missions can now ask you to kill people from certain factions.
- Illegal missions can ask you to kill clean targets (I assume legal missions won't)
- Enemy Ships should be closer in rank to you for missions. So, for assassination missions, if you're Mostly Harmless you won't be fighting an Elite Condy.
- Target type now given for missions (eg Pirate Lord)
- New video shown, ship landing at Engineer base.
- Some of the bases are unlocked at launch. Each base has a unique looks to fit the terrain, landing piers etc.
- Missions are scaled around your rank.
- Missions will display tips on equipment needed. Assassination missions for example will advise you to take a FSD Interdictor.
- New commanders will be given a welcome mission in their inbox. This is optional.
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