Hey everyone! Let's get the most important news out first. As announced in our Gamescom stream a few days ago: We are proud to announce our first DLC - the Black Markets! In addition to new content, we also added quite some improvements to the game that will be published in a free update at the same time as the DLC. Let's dive right in!
Docking
Did you know that in space, even a tiny little spacecraft can move something gigantic? Ships can now dock to something else and take it wherever you might want it to be - if the owners of said object have no objections. Move your own stations and those of your friends, dock ships and jump around or just grab the containers that you want to hack, but that are too well protected in their sectors.
And the best thing? Docking will be available for everyone as part of a free update!
Shady Business at Stations
You stole found a container that is protected by a good security system and can't hack it yet? Just take it to a Smuggler’s Market and they will open it for you - for a fee though. You should also check out the name-giving feature of this DLC: The new Black Markets. Discover the hidden identities of some inconspicuous looking stations and profit from what they have to offer!
Hacking
Have you ever wondered what might be hidden in those large container fields that can be found all over the galaxy? Now is your time to find out! Get ready to circumvent the security system of the containers and access the contents. You only need a hacking upgrade that is stronger than the container’s security level and you’re ready to go. But beware: the owners of the containers might not look too kindly on thieves.
New Events, Missions & Bosses
Experience a new storyline in over 30 new missions and events! Your actions are relevant for shaping the future of the galaxy. Make sure that you choose the right friends and make the right enemies, and most importantly: Never forget keeping an eye on your own best interests!
There's also going to be a new server-wide late-game event with a convoy venturing towards the center of the galaxy - with its own missions and opportunities. You can decide for yourselves if you want to protect them from pirates or maybe do something more ... evil - provided you have enough firepower.
New Weapons
We don’t want to spoil too much here, but we've got a few legendary turrets ready for you!
FAQ
Last but not least, we'll answer a few questions that have been coming up since our first announcement during the Gamescom stream:
Q: Will DLC owners and non-DLC owners be able to play together?
A: Yes! We don't want to split our community. Non-DLC owners will even be able to enjoy some of the DLC-only content while playing with DLC-owners.
Q: Will docking be part of the free update?
A: Yes!
Q: Can we jump around with objects or ships docked?
A: Yes!
Q: Will docking be a combat feature?
A: Docking will be a civil only feature. You'll be able to dock containers, asteroids, and the like, as well as your own or friend's ships. Docking other players (exception: alliances) will count as PvP.
Q: Will we be able to automate docking?
A: No. Due to a number of uncertain factors (AI, orientations, where to dock, which docks to use, etc), we decided against AI orders for docking. Everything else would result in finicky UI and would go beyond our scope.
Q: What else is in the update?
A: Together with the DLC content, we'll be releasing a free update for everyone which contains tons of performance improvements (servers especially!) that we spent a big portion of our time on, QoL improvements, and bugfixes.
Q: When is it coming?!
A: Fall 2020.
Q: What's the DLC going to cost?
A: We haven't decided on a final price yet, but it will be around 5 - 10 $/€.
If you have more questions, then you should definitely check out our reveal stream, where we're also talking about the DLC: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/725216666?t=00h59m22s