Horror From the Abyss
The main feature of Update 15.10 is a new Operation-based PvE event. Its narrative pits a team of players, operating as part of a secret organization, against a shadowy cult as they investigate strange phenomena in the Bermuda Triangle.
Event Structure and Progression
The event runs across two Updates. Four consecutive operations unlock weekly throughout Update 15.10, while all four operations will be in a random rotation with some twists to their mechanics during the first two weeks of Update 15.11.
A bit more about these operations:
- Vanished Expedition: scout the enigmatic territory, clear enemies, capture key areas, and evacuate.
- Madness Crusade: hunt down the cult's transport ships fleeing from the center of the Grim Islands, along with their escorts.
- Origin of Terror: escort a scientific expedition in, defend a key area while clues are gathered, then escort your transports safely back out.
- Harbingers of Doom: hold the center of the Grim Islands map against approaching cultist airships eager to finish the ritual.
Each operation puts a team of 7 players against multiple bots. There will be islands that change height from scenario to scenario, bringing some changes between the operations, and local weather effects on some of them that can damage ships venturing inside area of effect.
To progress through the event's reward track, you must gather Stars, which can be earned by completing each Operation's main and secondary tasks. Rewards include new themed content such as several permanent camouflages with pulsing runes, the Shadow Blades enemy destruction effect, and other items, valuable resources, a temporary currency called Relics (see below how to spend it), as well as event-specific module levels and slots for Commander talents. Extra levels each week will award more Relics.
Event Mechanics
Unusual happenings require unusual measures! The event brings back some armament and equipment from previous events and adds new pieces on top.
Returning are missiles, which can now be launched in packs and have a variant that deals splash damage to all ships in an area of effect—the farther a target from the epicenter, the lower the damage. You will additionally have access to high-velocity shells which travel in a straight line and hit instantly. They will also have a variant with a splash damage. On top of that, welcome back the shield mechanic—this time with a full physical model as shields now collide with incoming shots.
Some new additions are worth shouting out:
- Overheating: each shot raises the turret's temperature. Heating a turret to a certain threshold temporarily improves its parameters. But push it further and the turret cannot fire at all until it cools down. Heat status will be represented above the crosshair.
- Event consumables: a set that includes refined returning consumables such as Shield Regeneration and Flotilla Repair, alongside five brand-new ones.
- To give you an example, one of the newcomers is the Omniscient Surveillance Radar, which works as a normal Surveillance Radar with an additional twist: all enemy ships affected by the Radar take some damage over time. We will reveal all the new event consumables later.
Expeditioner
The event is played on a single rental ship, Expeditioner, or rather, 3,125 ships in one. A dedicated, gloomy event Port gives you an extensive customization system built around five modules: main battery, auxiliary armament, hull, consumable sets, and shields.
Each module has five branches, unlockable with Relics, each offering a completely different weapon layout, parameters, and playstyle. Swapping branches also changes the ship's appearance. On top of that, each module can be leveled up two times to improve parameters across all its branches. And finally, each module can then equip up to two upgrades from a wider pool available for Relics to finetune the ship even further to your liking.
And as you progress through the reward track, you'll unlock several event Commander talents that function similarly to those of Unique Commanders.
All together, this can create combinations ranging from your classic run of the mill sturdy work-horses to builds straight out of your dreams (or nightmares). Aircraft, missiles, high-velocity shells, lots of HP, no maneuverability, and detectable across the map? Sure, why not!
To see other news, visit our Devblog:
Please note that all information in the development blog is preliminary. Announced adjustments and features may change multiple times during testing. The final information will be published on our game's website.