Welcome back once again, commanders.

We’re excited to share another major update, marking the completion of our January roadmap! 🎉 Not only are we two weeks ahead of schedule, but we’ve also had the chance to implement some extra features and polish based on your invaluable feedback. A heartfelt thank you to our Discord community for your continuous support, insights, and creativity. Here’s what’s new in this patch:

New Features

• New VFX On Objects: Enhanced visual effects breathe new life into the game world, making objects more dynamic and engaging.
  
• Territorial Markers on Gates: Clear visual indicators now show which faction controls each gate, aiding in navigation and strategy.
  
• Landing Strip Lights: Aesthetic and functional, these new lights guide you during landings, adding a polished, cinematic feel.
  
• Map Enhancements: The map now displays stations and resources in explored sectors, providing a more comprehensive overview for strategic decision-making.
  
• New Tutorial with Key Prompts: Guided by the wonderful @CaptainCollins, the revamped tutorial includes key prompts for an intuitive learning experience.
  
• Tutorial Keys with Hint Text: Key prompts now come with helpful hints, making it easier to grasp game mechanics quickly.
  
• Rumours Offering Star Charts: NPCs sharing rumours now occasionally offer star charts, opening up new sectors and enhancing exploration opportunities.
  
• Mission Modifiers: Defense and Seek & Destroy missions now feature modifiers like faction reinforcements or hazardous environments, adding complexity and variety.
  
• Camera Shake: Battle scenes are now more intense with the introduction of camera shake, adding a visceral edge to combat.
  
• Proper Wordwrap: Texts across stations and menus now wrap correctly, ensuring a clean, readable presentation.
  
• Hit Indicator: A new indicator provides instant feedback when your shots connect, enhancing the combat experience with clear visual cues.
  
• New Weapon Blending Modes: Updated blending modes create visually stunning weapon effects, making combat encounters more thrilling.
  
• Mining Station Upgrade: A visual overhaul of the mining station brings a fresh, modern look to your resource-gathering activities.
  
• Map Display Updates: Story and sector information is now included in the map display, enriching the narrative experience and deepening immersion.
  
• New Animation and Emitter System: Smoother animations and a revamped emitter system enhance the overall aesthetic and performance.
  
• New Mining Effect: Mining feels more rewarding with a visually upgraded effect, making resource collection more satisfying.
  
• Crimewatch/Bounty System Overhaul: A rework of the crimewatch and bounty system introduces new dynamics for handling lawbreakers and collecting bounties.
  
• Pirates Taking Over Ships: Pirates can now commandeer other ships, presenting new challenges and dangers in your encounters.
  
• Upgraded Mouse-Movement Controller: Improved mouse movement controls provide a smoother, more responsive gameplay experience.
  
• New Help: Window for the Controls, both in the Settings Windows and directly with F1
  
• NPCs now use [REDACTED]: You'll see...
  

Changes

• Ship Loadout Adjustments:
  

Keon: Gains an additional turret slot for increased offensive capabilities.
Cobalt: Now has two more turret slots and 500 additional base armor, but loses one defense slot to balance its power.
Pyxis: Boosted with 1000 more base armor, though it sacrifices two propulsion slots for this enhancement.
Aegis: Gains an extra weapon slot, but loses one utility and one defense slot, adjusting its role on the battlefield.

• Increased XP Requirements: Leveling up now requires 10% more XP exponentially, balancing progression and challenge.
  
• Secrets and Locations Display: Improved displays make discovering secrets and locations more rewarding and intuitive.
  
• Sun Graphics Update: The sun now stays static relative to the ship, providing a more realistic visual experience.
  
• Faster Loot Pickup: Increased Loot Scoop Speed by 300%
  
• Sector Size rebalance: Shrunk XXL Sectory by 33%
  
• NPC Value Display: Doubled the distance you see NPCs from
  
• Major Reputation System Update: instead from -50 to +50, the reputation System now goes from -300 to +300. Please make sure that you start a new game, should you not want to be hated by every faction.
  
• Added a Combat Shipyard to Matane
  
• Mission Balancing: Destroy and Defend Missions now scale enemy amount and rewards with the players level.
  
• Mission Balancing: Trade and Mine Missions now scale rewards with twice the price of the requested wares + a level-dependent bonus
  

Fixes

• Docking Offset Correction: Fixed an offset issue with the Trade Station preset, ensuring smoother, more accurate docking.
  
• Mission Spawning Fix: Resolved issues with missions spawning incorrectly in static areas, ensuring they now appear in appropriate locations.
  
• Armor Upgrade Typo: Fixed a typo that caused armor upgrades to incorrectly affect shields, ensuring upgrades function correctly.
  
• Gun Sale Bug Fix: Addressed a bug that allowed guns to remain functional after being sold, maintaining gameplay balance.
  
• Scanner Range: Fixed a bug that disallowed Scanning outside certain positions for higher tier things.
  
• Tutorial Bug: Fixed a bug with the scanning part of the tutorial for Terran Players
  

Looking Ahead: Preparing for the February Roadmap

With Version 0.4.3b successfully launched, we're thrilled to share our plans for the next two weeks as we gear up for the February roadmap. This update promises to be one of the most exciting yet, bringing major new features and enhancements to the game. Here's a look at what you can expect:

The Wanderer’s Veil Storyline
Embark on a thrilling new adventure with the Wanderer's Veil storyline. This expansive narrative will take players to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, uncovering ancient secrets and facing formidable challenges. With a rich backstory and immersive plot twists, this storyline will be a must-play for any explorer looking for a deeper connection to the game's universe.

Expansion of TOASt
We’re enhancing TOASt (Tactical Oriented Artificial STupidity), the backbone of our NPC controller system. This update will bring smarter, more dynamic NPC behaviors, improving interactions and making every encounter more engaging. Expect more tactical depth as TOASt evolves to offer richer gameplay experiences.

New Station Announcer Lines
In addition to functional updates, we’re bringing some fun to your station visits with new announcer lines. These lines are designed to add a touch of humor and character, making your time in stations not just a stopover, but an entertaining experience. From witty quips to quirky alerts, the new station announcements will keep you amused and immersed in the game’s world.

New Ships and Consumable Items
Prepare to expand your fleet with new ships that cater to various tactical needs, whether you're looking for speed, firepower, or defense. Additionally, a range of new consumable items will be introduced, including energy and shield boosts, repair nanobots, and other vital tools for navigating the dangers of space.

Potential Early Releases
For our dedicated patrons, early access to upcoming features is just around the corner! Typically available 3 to 4 days in advance, these early releases offer a sneak peek into the new content, giving our patrons the opportunity to experience fresh features before the general public. This period allows us to iron out issues and bugs with your valuable feedback, ensuring a smooth rollout for everyone else.

Your ongoing supporT and feedback HavE from You made All of this possible, and we REally Can’t wait fOr you to experience everything MagnIficieNt we've been workinG on. Here's to Possible moRE adventures and unPlAnned discoveRiEs as we journey forward together!