Heya space pilots,

Time for another content update! We've been a bit quiet the last 2 months (there has been another big relocation within the team as well as the average health turmoil in 2022), but everything is back on track and most importantly, we have some new content that we finally want to share with you:

We're excited to introduce the promised deployable turrets feature, made all shields upgradable, took another deep look into cargo items (icons and sorting) and last but not least greatly expanded the German translation. During the constraints, we also took the time to revise general things like our website.

In addition, a lot of new content for the main story expansion has been created again in the background, which we are now focusing on completing – the wait will soon be over.

Safe travels, we look forward to your feedback!

Deployable Turrets

You can now place and upgrade turret platforms in space to protect your back. This is the basic version - functionality will be further refined and more types will be added in the future!

1. GET THEM – on CoC Greifswald, Thorn, Riga or Stargard
   
2. PLACE THEM – from your inventory
   
3. CALL DIALOG – for further options like equip, upgrade or undeploy
   
   Upgrading turrets is also possible directly from the inventory!

Upgradable Shields

You can now upgrade all regular shields for your ship! Also, more damage resistances have been added to shields (can be increased with upgrades) - for example, CoC shields now tend to get less damage when crashing into asteroids etc.

New Item Graphics

• Cargo icons: In the process of refining the way inventory items are sorted, new subcategories and more unique icons were created.
  
• Custom drop graphic for diamonds
  

Audio / VFX

• New fail sound added to all mechanic skill checks
  
• Turret placement sound effect
  
• Crystal asteroids have a custom destruction sound
  
• New upgrade sound effects
  
  
• Turret upgrade VFX
  
• Hokucho emitters (special engine, new front thrusters and signal lights)
  

Minor Story Improvement

It is now possible to decide against Kalypso when first crashing into her and join Caduceus at a later point in the story as well.

General

• Reworked a lot of dialog text
  
• Some location images polished up (Pluto Colony, Bars)
  
• Elzo Fartrader now uses the "follower" system when his sidemission is accepted
  
• Some camera movement added to various sequences
  
• Some NPC reactions changed during conversations with the player
  

DE Localization

Over 4500 lines were added to the German translation - bringing the interface back to 100% and the dialogs a big step forward. It's far from finished, but we aim to reach the full DE translation this year.

• Source translation from 50 to 100%
  
• Json translation from 45 to 100%
  
• Scripts and dialogs: +25%
  

Note for translators: All text color codes were replaced by variables to allow easier color handling.

World

• Travel Group: Improved affinity checks
  
• When traders' stores have been full for a while, their items are refreshed (and qualities randomized), allowing you to wait for a better version of a certain weapon
  

UI

• Inventory item sorting was completely reworked – less alphabet, more intuition!
  
• Character menu: Skill level is shown on the icon
  
• Some person sorting in location lists was improved as well
  
• Skill icons correctly y-centered
  

Mission item weight / price adaptions

• Default weight and price for mission items is 0 (keycards, persons & bodies, instruments, readables)
  
• Marcel Wallas mission item weights reduced to 1
  

Portraits

• J-12 random male #3 polishing / style adaption (incl. its 12 variations)
  

• The Tyrant - Proxy Vaudreuil will now follow the player again after defeating the rebels (if you have a savegame where this sidemission bugged, he will now continue to follow you as soon as you load your game - leading him back to his destination will finish the sidemission)
  
• Travel Group: Use the destination for random NPC groups too
  
• NPC ships do not follow through with docking on FTA garages
  
• Weapon target offscreen arrow is always shown with repair laser normal selection
  
• Turret auto-aim at next target stops working if the nearest enemy is the weapon target
  
• Make the weapon target nearest enemy shortcut also target negative "affinity of us" ships
  
• Map Marker name is shown in non-map mode
  
• Off-screen weapon target arrow appears on-screen after respawn
  
• Savegames: Weapon target settings are always reset
  
• Use damage type colors in shield tooltips
  
• Translation: Inspect window headline shows an untranslated name
  
• Translation: Landable person list names are not translated
  
• Translate the Map Marker accept button
  
• Translated ship names are not displayed in "scanned:" noti
  
• Analysis tooltip: Show pirate faction names without underscore
  
• Skill "Assisted Aim" could be applied multiple times
  
• Missing upgrade stats for Koumiyou weapon
  
• Professor Zolo now uses correct weapon equipment
  
• Death Battery illogical turn rate values removed (default used)
  
• Some regular non-mission readables could not be dropped or sold
  
• Vornoff's Soporiphic wrong icon
  
• In case anyone noticed: The Bartholdy's logo had a spelling mistake ;) and is now redesigned and adapted into a wide version for the interior image of the bar.
  
• First skill arrow rotation is off
  
• Assistant Demoror respawn reduced
  

Let's have a chat on Discord:



Learn more & stay tuned!

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