Game Reset
This release (1.48) marks a milestone in the progress of Hannon. Sadly this also means a reset on you're part. We have made many significant background and storyline changes that requires us to ask you to restart your Hannon Early Access journey.
During Early Access we hope to keep this to an absolute minimum and only expect another 'possible' reset when we move to 'Cooperative online play', but that's a way off and still only theoretical depending upon Early Access support over time.
A lot has been added and changed since the initial release so it's probably as good a time as any to get you to do a restart and start afresh.
Also, a lot of the Early combat and missions have been rebalanced to make it a 'better experience' - Feedback, as always is very much welcome. Come visit us in our Hannon Discord Server
HTA Terminals
I have spent the time now to completely revamp the Human Trade Alliance terminals. First off, they should now ALL function. H.T.A. Missions can now be randomly chosen from any terminal to deliver Communiques to NPC's all over the game. Repeatable earning credits and Faction XP.
The Human Trade Alliance terminals will offer missions based on your level. Which should mean you don't get missions to go into deep space early on but as you rise in rank these will come up for offer.
As I said above these missions are repeatable so it's worth starting to note down who's where' and what locations are in each system.
Mining
I have decided to go back on my lockout of the Autocannon for use in mining.
You can now use the Auto Cannon to mine with 'If you so choose'. It is still not an effective method of mining and is in my mind a costly approach, but it is handy to chip away those last few HP sections of an asteroid.
Bare in mind that the initial Mining laser is just a starting weapon for the mining of Asteroids and will be followed by others. But for now feel free to 'chip away' at roids with your Autocannon if it pleases you.
This was partly from Feedback and partly from self testing, it just goes to show that YOU can have an affect on a game during its development.
Wesbec Medical Services
I have revamped all the Medical Terminals. These are now all cctive and linked to 'Wesbec Medical Services'. If you have completed enough of the base storyline to unlock the Jump Gates you can take delivery missions from these terminals.
Deliveries have to be made to 'other' Med bays through the current Galaxy. These missions are repeatable and gain credits, captain XP and faction XP. Again time to start making notes of where locations are in relation to the systems.
I have added the Wesbec Services to the 'Faction screen' now so you can begin to track that faction.
New NPC's
You will now find many new NPC's dotted throughout the current Galaxy that are accessible once you reach a certain levels of Faction. Such as with the Human Trade Alliance, Ashar and Wesbec Medical Services.
I'll leave you to locate these and work out their activation points. again you may want to take a note of these for later use as you come across them.
Changes
- Sector 9 collect Novastone mission. This is no longer a static mission and simply becomes a repeatable hand in like some of the others we have been adding over the last few releases.
- Starbase-51 Operations deck has been given a makeover making it easier to get back to the docking bay from the med bay and also to the cargo deck.
- I have edited Ashar missions for the early stage to make them easier to take. Initially starting very close and spiralling out as you gain Ashar Faction. This should make it easier to begin to gain Ashar Faction early on in the game. Once you open up access past Feris Central and then the Jump Gates, you will start to be offered mission much further afield. Don't forget these are also linked to your Ashar Faction. So you will need to put in the time delivering these and raising that faction.
- Fixed spawns in Sector 9, they seem to have stopped after completing the main storyline mission there. They are now back to normal spawns, including the pirate mining rockhoppers.
- Redone MOST of the movement toons. So, where the NPC's are wandering around, almost all these have been redone. Along with a new dozen or so added throughout the game. All of these have now been sent to 'non-pass' so you can't walk through them. I have done this to enable stopping them (to talk to) FAAAR easier. I have also ensured that they don't overlap or trap you. Sure you may have to wait for a few seconds for them to exit your path but they won't impede your overall progress.
Overview
So it's now been six months since we have had Hannon out on Steam in Early Access. In that time I have quadrupled the locations / systems and added over 60 NPC's with just under 200 specific missions. This does not include Terminal based missions added in the 1.48 release.
I have managed to cram in Mining, Salvage, Refining and Crafting. Created a storage system and increased the collectable items in the game to 363 (last count).
I have added multiple weapons systems for the Shuttle and 14 different handheld weapons for Hannon to defend himself.
I added exploration for Planets and exploration for Derelicts. Allowing for more looting and challenges, plus the collection of weapon Schematics.
Alongside the planetary exploration, I also added 'Harvesting and Mining' again allowing for the collection of more resources for crafting and NPC missions.
I created a Galactic Database and added 152 entries including starter guides.
But I'm FAR from done...
What we have now form's a solid backbone for the game to begin to grow. More systems, more bad guys, many more planets and derelicts for exploring.
The scope for crafting is pretty much-unlimited thanks to SMO's excellent crafting schematic system.
If we get enough support through Early Access I still intend to add into the Mix Cooperative gameplay, with players playing in the same Universe, trading and aiding each other in the Pheonix Galaxy.
Meanwhile, I am working on the Ship Yard. This will allow you to swap out your primary Six weapon mounts.
More Aliens, More territory for you to traverse, more planets to land on and simply 'More' of the Phoenix Galaxy. With your Feedback (via our Discord Server and steam Community pages) I hope to continue onwards developing Hannon for you.
Catch you in our Discord Server
Coops