So much to talk about!
Greetings captains! It's been a busy few months here at Shrimp Fried Games, as we've been heads down to get the public demo out and prep for a 2026 game release (if all goes well!).
There's too much awesome new content and feature additions to talk about, but I'll do my best!
NPC Fleets and Behaviors
First off, NPC ships now often travel as fleets in specific formations. Everything from small 3-frigate scout fleets to battleship-led battle forces, these ships now stay in formation and prove much more difficult to fight against than lone ships trickling in one at a time. It also looks awesome.
Most of the time, fleets will break formation when combat truly starts and carefully plodding ship formations descend into the chaos of battle. Below you can see the beginning of a pirate fleet running headfirst into a Coalition task force.
This also means that missions where you either have to attack or defend transports feature guards that escort them from close range and will intercept any missiles you send their way, making those fights much more dynamic.
Additionally, fleets apply to the player as well! In the Campaign, as you earn the respect of allies or simply pay for mercenary support, you can bring in allied ships to help you with challenging missions. This means instead of approaching solo against an entire fleet, you can assemble your allies Avengers-Endgame style to go up against the big bad ;)
A pirate fleet in all its plundering glory.
That's not all, NPC ships also continue to go to flight school and level up. In addition to using special equipment like flares, point-defense turrets, and EMPs, they can now use their boost and attempt to self-repair when out of combat. This makes your allies more capable and your enemies trickier to take out.
A pirate battleship engaging at close range vs an Imperial frigate.
New NPC Ships and Ship Roles
With the introduction of fleets, most NPC ships have specific roles. Previously, we had frigates and cruisers in the playtests, both of which were generalists. Now, however, frigates will adopt a more skirmisher-like mindset owing to their high speed and low health relative to other ships.
This means they actively patrol the outskirts of combat, screening larger ships against hostile missiles, and will try to keep their distance from enemies, choosing to unleash volleys of missiles and retreat to reload - much like a player would in their situation.
A Coalition Swordfish-Class Frigate and also the poster child of The Last Captain :) (Fun fact: this ship class has been renamed 5 times)
Cruisers remain relatively similar, providing the primary "punching power" of a fleet and therefore should never be underestimated.
A pirate Battle Barge. Essentially a hyper-modified transport, this is their equivalent of a cruiser.
Battleships remain a rare sight, and essentially act as hyper-powered cruisers. They carry an immense armament, are difficult to take down, and generally should be approached by captains sporting heavy anti-capital ship weaponry or a fleet of their own. Preferably both!
An Atlantis-Class Coalition Battleship armed with both heavy cannons and long-range javelin missiles.
A new class of ship is the artillery ship. These are long-range, relatively fragile ships that need to align with the enemy by rotating their entire hull. Once they get a lock on you, however, they send a torrent of either cannon fire or missiles to pummel their targets into submission. These guys essentially form the counter to battleships that have difficulty maneuvering out of the way.
Pictured below is the Imperial Onager-class artillery ship. If it lines up on you, a massive salvo of autocannon fire is about to land.
And finally, we have support ships, which will actively augment allies, making their targeting relays more accurate, and provide repairs and spawn satellites to help control the flow of battle. These are awaiting addition to the game!
More Campaign Additions
I've added a full dialogue system to The Last Captain. This means friendly captains will reach out to you, and hostile captains will send you angry messages in the midst of heated combat.
You'll also be able to properly chat with different factions throughout the campaign and decide who you want to help and who gets on your nerves. These decisions matter, however, as they not only impact what upgrades and resources you get access to, but who will ally with you to drive off the menace plaguing the Pyre Sector. Factions that really don't like you will also eventually send mercenary hit teams specifically to take you out. So tread carefully!
Below is one of the early missions where you assist stranded colonists against pirate marauders.
And some more good ole pirate combat. With a few notable exceptions, pirates are not interested in parley.
Closing Thoughts
There is still a ton to go over - like the different factions, new missions, 3-way battles, and even a stealth system that allows you to hide in dust clouds- but this dev log is already running a bit long.
I'm most excited to show off the new Starmap, which is currently being overhauled. A new UX designer has just been onboarded to help with the final campaign flow, and we're focusing heavily on both the starmap and ship customization to make both experiences feel incredible for you - the player.
Not to mention, co-op and PvP multiplayer are still on the table and will be revisited soon ahead of the game's release, so stay tuned for all these exciting announcements, and if you haven't already, please wishlist The Last Captain!