Battery cannons gain a 65% stronger variant this update with the new heavy battery cannon. The new cannon is slightly wider, heavier and faster firing thanks to its bonus barrel. The terrain updates that began with the new cliff faces continue with bushes, small rocks, and even sea weed being added to Atoll, Table, Lookout, and Spears. These same features and some new ones will be added to other islands over time.
Added a double barrel variant of the battery cannon.
Minor Features
Added new map terrain details to Atoll, Table, Lookout, and Spears.
Bug Fixes
Fixed whales being unable to move.
Fixed projectile explosions appearing out of nowhere.
Fixed the grappling gun appearing equipped on turrets, dragoons, and control stations when it is not.
Airmen 1.15.6: Steering Wheel Indicators
This week's update replaces the old pressure gauge and weapon group indicators on the steering wheel. The new indicators bring the gauge's helpful information closer together and improve the clarity of the pressure gauge specifically.
A round of persistent bugs have also been fixed, most importantly the cause of cargo appearing without a name. For players with motion blur enabled projectile explosions should now appear correctly instead of smearing across the screen.
Updated the steering wheel pressure gauge and weapon group indicators.
Added a submersible rod and armored balloon rod.
Minor Features
Removed the perquisites of the mining introduction quest so information about mining every resource is immediately visible.
Increased the parcel drop rate of all resources when mined by 50% so resources are more dense.
Updated the extraction beacon to show the extraction symbol from the map.
Bug Fixes
Fixed parcels that existed before joining a lobby sometimes appearing unnamed or not appearing at all.
Fixed projectile explosions blurring incorrectly when they hit a ship while motion blur is enabled.
Fixed parcel resyncing creating unnamed resources when they are added to cargo pads.
Fixed a bug that caused parts to be tilted when placed.
Fixed some rocks on Horizon missing collisions.
Airmen 1.15.5: Save Browser Overhaul
The save browser gets a new look and upgraded functionality in this weekly update. The browser now features four handy tabs for keeping your ships organized and a sidebar for giving some quick stats about the selected ship. Ship stats will not update automatically so be sure to load and save any ships whose stats your are interested in. If there are any ship stats or usage stats you'd like to see in the sidebar, leave a comment with your idea.
Each save tab works uniquely so here is a quick breakdown of their functionality:
All: Lists every ship excluding those added to "Archive". Favorites: Lists every ship you've added to "Favorites". Workshop: Lists every ship downloaded from the steam workshop. Ships downloaded before this update will not appear in this category unless you delete them in-game and then restart the game. Archive: Lists every ship you've added to "Archive". Ships in the archive category do not appear in the "All" category.
Added a preview window to the save browsers that displays some basic ship stats.
Minor Features
Added random fire delay to pigeon missiles so they are less likely to collide midair. Reduced reload speed to compensate.
Added new functionality to ship saves so stats can be stored with them.
Optimized ship part arrays so they are exactly as big as they need to be. As a side effect, high part count ships should function more reliably when forced into sandbox.
Airmen Update 1.15.4: Sticky Explosions
Airmen 1.15.4 is a mostly under-the-hood update with no flashy features. The most apparent new feature this update changes explosions to stick to ships they explode on. Previously, projectiles would explode and remain stationary in space as they fade so a crew on a fast moving ship could barely notice the effects. Now, a well place volley barrage can easily obscure an enemy captain's vision.
Explosion effects now stick to ships instead of being left behind as they move.
Minor Features
Added rocks to high tide and spine.
Reworked the part orphaning algorithm and networked projectile damage systems to reduce server load.
Bug Fixes
Fixed a bug where the player camera would be oddly positioned for a few frames while mounting or dismount a turret.
Fixed 3rd person turret bodies not immediately being in the proper position when they appear.
Fixed projectile damage/distance falloff applying after damage reduction instead of before.
Airmen 1.15.3: Battery Cannons
This week's update introduces a new weapon: the battery cannon. The battery cannon is an adjustable weapon that functions similarly to a flak or quad cannon with a handful of differences. The battery cannon has lower firepower cost, massively reduced size, and medium range (275m). Unlike its larger counterparts, it should be easy to slot into a ship without reserving a massive chunk of space. The battery cannon is available without any research requirements since its small scale will likely make it an ideal adjustable on lighter ships.
The stockpile UI also gets rounded out this update with descriptions for every resource. The descriptions give a basic breakdown of the resource's function and any unique ways to acquire it so new players can better know what they are looking for.
Added the battery cannon. A new class of adjustable weapons.
Minor Features
Moved resource descriptions from the research UI to the new stockpile UI.
Removed the research requirement for the control station and gunner wheel.
Bug Fixes
Fixed some expedition menu buttons appearing over top the expedition settings menu.
Fixed slowly descending while on a ladder.
Fixed a bug where you could not activate anything when the gunnner steering wheel is destroyed while you are using it to aim guns.
Airmen 1.15.2: Stockpile UI
Due to the recent addition of 2 new resources many of the common ways to keep up with the size of your resource stockpile were removed. Airmen 1.15.2 compensates for the loss of stockpile visibility by adding a new interface for browsing your stockpile. The stockpile UI can be accessed while building, directly from the main menu, and even while on an expedition. A future update will migrate the resource descriptions in the research UI to a new home in the stockpile UI.
Forts also receive some minor tweaks this update. Forts will no longer persist on the map after you leave a server. While the feature was convenient for fort users, it is easily replicated with a single teleport after connecting and prevented forts from working the same between online and offline expeditions. If you do end up returning to hangar unexpectedly, your fort (and ship if nearby) will automatically extract providing the appropriate resource refund.
1.15.2
Major Features
Added a stockpile UI accessible from the splash menu, build menu, and expedition menus.
Minor Features
Removed the distinction between lever and swivel control stations.
Removed swivel control stations since lever stations can now control both types of adjustables.
Forts can now extract even if they took damage recently.
Forts now leave the server and refund their cost when you do. Extracting in this manner does not share cargo on the fort with the crew.
Slightly reduced the damage of the glowing green demon ship's demo drones.
Mutually allied airmen will change their body lights to blue.
You now spawn looking the same direction as your ship in sandbox.
Bug Fixes
Fixed the spookening undying challenge requiring exactly one death instead of zero.
Airmen 1.15.1: Spookening Cosmetics
This week's update further fleshes out the spookening with two new cosmetic sets. These new sets are tied to the event but will remain available to unlock along with the activity and its other rewards. The new cosmetics can be unlocked by completing challenges under the "Battle" category and require defeating new variants of the demon ships.
Two new breeds of demon ship have arrived from their distant dimension just in time for the spookening. The alternate variants feature tweaked weapon loadouts and can be distinguished by the color of their glowing veins. The variant ships have a random chance of spawning in place of the original with equal odds for every version.
Added 2 variants of the demon ship. The alternate ships can spawn randomly in place of the original.
Minor Features
Added a bone cosmetic set unlocked by defeating a demon ship.
Added a meat cosmetic set unlocked by defeating all variants of the demon ship.
Gave whales the ability to turn in place.
Bug Fixes
Fixed siege ships not returning to the siege island if they get distracted.
Fixed a second body becoming visible when toggling of orbit camera while piloting in sandbox.
Fixed the players head not displaying when toggling orbit camera while piloting in sandbox.
Fixed single bounty collection daily challenge not being completable.
Airmen 1.15.0: Return of the Spookening
The Spookening has officially begun with this week's update! A terrifying new activity has been added to the archipelago along with grotesque rewards for success. This year's Spookening will be active between October 17th and November 3rd and next week's update will further flesh out the event with more cosmetic rewards.
Rotting carcasses have washed up on the shores of the south-eastern islands of the archipelago and their flesh and bone can be harvested with axe for two new materials. Extract enough demon flesh and ancient bone to unlock the new bone blade rams and bone cannons. Carcasses spawn randomly like any other resources so watch those coast lines and move around the map to find them. Sightings have been confirmed on the islands Igloo, Spearhead, Copse, and Burrow.
With the addition of two more niche resources, many of the existing resource displays have been reworked to only show the relevant resources. Ship costs in custom ship select will only display the resources the ship needs now. Due to the reduced visibility of your own stockpile values, a new way to easily view your hoard of resources will be added in the future.
Added flesh carcasses across the south-eastern island coasts of the archipelago. Carcasses can be mined with an axe for demon flesh and ancient bone but will summon a powerful guardian.
Minor Features
AI ships without fixed weapons and turrets on the top or bottom will prefer to be above or below their target rather than attempting either.
Demo drone explosion effects now stick to the ship if they explode on a ship.
Moved one of Den's tunnel entrances to directly beneath the fort.
Added cargo mounted variants of the blade rams. They are automatically switched to based on the desired placement surface.
Reworked Spookening challenges that cannot be achieved through expedition.
Reworked the ship cost list in custom ship selection to only show costs greater than zero and scroll if too many resources appear.
Reworked cargo haul breakdown to only show resources that were used or gained.
Bug Fixes
Fixed projectile trails not appearing for the first few shots of every weapon.
Fixed the lever steering wheel not animating based on ship state.
Fixed mechalodon shard missiles not properly animating in their silo.
Fixed the orbit camera snapping immediately to your homeship after death.
Fixed abandoning a rescue or capture contract breaking delivery points on an island.
Fixed the obelisk being selected for harvest drop offs.
Fixed a bug that prevented the mag beam from damaging standalone parts and subparts (commonly used on whales and mechalodons).
Airmen 1.14.15: Turret and Steering Wheel Animations
Steering wheels and turrets receive an animation overhaul this update. Airmen hands are now visible and manipulate the controls based on input. These new animations apply to both first person and third person airmen and come with a few minor tweaks to accommodate their integration.
The lever steering wheel has been reworked to turn faster and stop at a neutral point whenever it would cross it. When a lever stops it won't move again until a controlling key is pressed again so pilots can quickly return a lever to neutral without looking at the wheel or reseting all levers at once.
Airmen use their hands to control steering wheels.
Minor Features
Restricted camera rotation while in a turret so it may not go far from the forward direction.
Repositioned the player camera on all turrets to match the 3rd person model's head location.
While using a steering wheel the camera is now oriented relative to the steering wheel.
While using a steering wheel the camera with shift slightly based on the velocity of the ship.
Reworked the lever steering wheel. The levers now stop when crossing the neutral position.
Bug Fixes
Fixed stabilized turrets not rotating when a menu is open and snapping to the correct rotation when closed.
Fixed airmen stacking many cosmetics over each other rather than applying one set once.
Airmen 1.14.14: Hangar Stat Tooltips
Every hangar stat now has a tooltip as part of the ongoing effort to improve the accessibility of ship building. The tooltips automatically appear on the crosshair when each stat is looked at and contain a brief description of the stat and its important effects.
This year's scariest event, the Spookening, will officially begin with the weekly update on October 17th. New content added as part of the spookening will remain after the end of the event on November 3rd. Look forward to a new scary activity and spooky rewards!
1.14.14
Major Features
Added tooltips with brief explanations of every stat on the side chalkboards that appear when looked at.
Overhauled the way player cosmetic data is stored and used. While this doesn't introduce new features at the moment, it makes the system more performant and easier to add to.
Minor Features
Visually improved the steering wheel speedometer.
Added a cargo connection to the bottom of the steering wheel and tightened the hitbox on the bottom in battle.
Added a variant of the ladder top that connects to the edge of armor rather than wrapping around and consuming an extra grid space.
Added an adjustable weapon category to the part list.
Bug Fixes
Fixed sails providing too little thrust when close to the water depending on their orientation.
Fixed sails not losing thrust when the whole ship tilts upwards.
Fixed the antique cannon incorrectly using the canvas color on its base.
