Update #200 deserves to have some BOOM. So it took a few extra days, but we made sure it packs a huge punch with a new story event, 3 new grade 7 craft, a new ship and a major new recruiting feature! For big #200, we made sure there was some boom, bam and a lot of extra content for our captains to enjoy.
Before we move on to reviewing each part of Update #200 in detail, we want to make sure our players -- old and new -- hear about our next project, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint!
Our next project, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint Kickstarter is currently on Kickstarter and you can jump in to get a discounted pre-order, join the alpha team or jump into the game to create a recruitable character and more. Cyber Knights is a tactical RPG that plunges you and your team of hackers, mercs and thieves into the neon-soaked future of 2231. Hire the right team under the crumbling New Boston Zone and mix stealth, hacking and combat skills to claw your way to the top of the criminal heap.
The campaign funded in the first 12 hours and is now smashing through stretch goals -- next up the new Skyrise environment -- so we want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who has jumped in to support us. If you are on the fence, know that Cyber Knights: Flashpoint will be cut from the same model as Star Traders: Frontiers -- developed with passion, deep mechanics, dynamic story, hundreds of updates, free expansions and no DLCs. If you enjoy that type of game, we hope you'll pledge today!
If you don't want to support the Kickstarter, you can wishlist or follow the game on Steam!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210/Cyber_Knights_Flashpoint/
Recruiting Review
For those captains who want to recruit carefully and focus on finding only the best, we've added a new key recruiting feature that will help speed up play, reduce clicks and make recruiting more fun. There is a new option checkbox in every screen where you can recruit -- Spice Hall and at Contacts -- that allows you to review each recruit.
When enabled, as soon as the recruit is taken on to your ship you get a pop up dialog that shows you their Attributes, Skills, known Traits and Initiative. You can decide to keep them or dismiss them (making space for another recruit attempt) with a single click. We know for those captains looking for a fast, combat-ready swordsman this might save a lot of time and effort so we are glad to finally deliver this improvement!
While it isn't recruit pooling (looking at a pool of available recruits before recruiting them), this is about as far as we can take it in Star Traders: Frontiers based on limitations of the historical saved game format. We're excited to say that Cyber Knights is starting with pooling right out of the gate -- so thanks to everyone who gave that feedback loud and clear!
Grade 7 Craft Story Event
In Update #200, you may now encounter a new story event - the Clan Skyline Trade Accords - which join three powerful clans into a major Trade Alliance and spur on the release of grade 7 craft of all 3 types to faction Starports. The Clan Skyline Trade Accords will only come after the Zuden Techno Trade Concord which opens up grade 6 craft from some of the powerful syndicates and Thulun. I think everyone wants to know -- when will Alta Mesa make their comeback?
New Horizon Cruiser
Unlocked the "Brood Slayer" achievement on Normal difficulty, the Horizon Cruiser is a new 6000 mass ship built specifically for anti-fighter devastation. It comes off the starport lines with as a flexible cruiser with good anti-fighter capabilities and very high hull points for its mass class. It's base shielding helps protect its large crew complement and its 9 small, 9 medium and 5 large slots make it a medium-to-large focused hull. As always, the ship design is designed off of successful player configurations that captains have shared with us and suggestions coming in from captains in the void.
The AI enemy captains do not yet have access to the Horizon Cruiser but we'll be working on releasing it to them once we've seen how it is put through its paces.
v3.0.41 - 2/15/2020
- New Ship: 6000M Horizon Cruiser (Interdictor Cruiser)
- Unlock Horizon Cruiser with "Brood Slayer" -- defend the quadrants from Jyeeta to unlock this
- Added recruit review feature - new checkbox to enable reviewing each recruit as they join your crew in Spice Hall and Contact Recruiting
- Enable to be check a recruits Attributes, Skills, known Traits and Initiative while recruiting, disable to recruit quickly
- Added new story event -- Clan Skyline Trade Accord -- which creates a triple trade alliance and releases grade 7 craft
- New Interdictor: Trifex Assault Mk2 (grade 7; Javat)
- New Shuttle: Blackhall Ultra (grade 7; Moklumnue)
- New Bomber: Trident DX9 (grade 7; Zenrin)