The core of the new faction system arrives this update. The current faction system includes the near minimum systems required to create faction gameplay so don't expect any drastic changes this update. Captains can now select a faction from a list of their available steam groups after selecting a ship and before launching an expedition. Faction affiliated captains will automatically ally captains in the same faction. Captains gain "influence" for their faction and drain influence for other factions in locations across the map by completing various activities.



Currently faction captains apply influence to the map by...

• Completing contracts given by providers near a location.
  
• Completing deliveries to a location.
  
• Claiming bounties near a location. Collecting bigger bounties apply more influence.
  
• Defeating faction affiliated ships in a location controlled by that faction. Bigger firepower faction affiliated ships apply more influence.
  
• More in future updates...
  

Once a faction reaches 600 influence in an area they will control the territory. The benefits of faction control are incredibly slim right now and will receive the most expansion of the core faction systems. Besides your randomly generated banner hanging at outposts in the territory, any naturally spawning AI ships will spawn belonging to the faction that controls the territory if a player from that faction is in the server. These ships will aid faction members in battle and allow allies to freely offload their cargo.



Three preset public factions are provided by default but it is possible to create your own custom factions. Custom factions are linked to any Steam Groups you have joined. Custom factions will use the name of the Steam Group and randomly generate faction colors and a banner consistent across all servers.

Future updates will continue to expand on factions and further integrate them into other parts of the game. Future faction changes will stay purely faction relative and will not directly affect non-faction gameplay. Over time the differences in faction gameplay will shift such that a "weak" faction will be detrimental compared to no faction and a "strong" faction will be beneficial compared to no faction.