Hello "Epic" Spacers, we're making a number of changes to asteroid bases in our .42 update. If you haven't made it to this tier of gameplay, don't worry, you haven't missed anything. We're also adding avatar functionality which includes Kickstarter, Founder and Military Service Badges, and adding a new "Tactical Map" system.
Join us on Discord
Don't forget to get access to Tech Support or directly contact members of the community on our Discord Channel: https://discord.me/epicspace
What are asteroid bases?
Asteroid bases provide one major use: To receive goods while offline. Epic Space is about live trading, when you make a sale, you actually have to give it to the buyer by:
Trading with him at the main station
Or dropping a cargobox in space and emailing the buyer the coordinates (Risky).
Asteroid bases are the perfect alternative!
Before: Asteroid bases had to be built on platforms. (100 Tritanium Ingots each - Expensive!)
Now: Asteroid bases can be installed directly into an asteroid!
NEW: TACTICAL MAP
Designed to support our upcoming "Squadron Update", the tactical map will allow players to easily collaborate on various objectives in game. Pressing M will bring up the TACM.
NEW: AVATARS
This is something we never got the chance to polish in ES Classic. So we're so excited to talk about this feature -- Avatars. They play such an important role as they allow you to easily recognize other players. The awesomest thing? It supports animated gifs! No, the even awesomer thing? Is that they appear when you mouse over a ship!
February was a great month for us. We finally got the chance to take a detailed look at PVP combat and give it some much needed polish. We're very confident that players are going to have a blast killing one another and not feel too down when they lose. We're hoping they'll just grab another ship, some modules and go out again for another round. We've also added some interesting things for players to shoot at.
Here's a rundown of what went down last month in February.
THE BACKBONE OF THE VOICE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK Comm arrays have been placed in various parts of the AE and GN. These structures have immense strategic value and securing them will cause a % chance that an enemy voice broadcast will fail when they attempt to broadcast. The more enemy arrays you disable, the better for your team.
Note: Friendly communications will never be disrupted in the enemy sector.
BETTER FOR DEBUGGING, PLUS IT LOOKS COOL We've finally overhauled the main loading screen and applied some awesome screenshots from our new Screenshot Mode System. We also included some useless tips that randomize every 5-10 seconds.
BOOKMARK RENAMING Bookmarks can now be renamed! Also, creating new bookmarks without a name will give it a random name instead.
Don't forget: You can share bookmarks with other players.
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REPUTATION TWEAKS
BUYERS NO LONGER INCUR REP PENALTIES Buyers were being penalized for well... buying. We've put a stop to this. Now only sellers will incur a -Rep hit upon a sale, this -Rep hit goes away when the buyer submits some +Rep to the seller if the seller delivers the item.
Don't forget to deliver your goods to the buyer! Drop a cargo box in space and send the coordinates if you have to.
OH LOOK: SOMETHING NEW TO BLOW UP We've setup some logic that allows cargoboxes to be destroyed easily. This is also a good way to "throw" items away if you really think you don't need them. Simply jettison the item, shoot it, and watch the fireworks.
OOOOH LASERS... Part of our PVP polish efforts. Tracers have been added to all Rapture weapons. The colors also match the quality of the equipped weapon. From white, to green, to red, and so on. We've also added a number of sound effects for all turrets.
TO SUPPORT OUR PVP EFFORTS All ships in visible range now have a clear color coded indicator on the hud and will appear as Red for enemies, Blue as squad members, or Grey as friendly/neutral.
The ship's tail number and health are now displayed as well.
DID I HIT HIM? Now you don't have to guess! Hitting a ship or structure will show how much damage you caused. A little arcade-ish, but that was a small price to pay.
NOW WITH NEW EXPLOSIONS We've finally launched our new website over at http://EpicSpace.net. Here you'll find a link to our official Discord and all the major updates applied to the game.
BECOME A VETERAN -- FASTER Pilots are now scored in 5 different categories:
Docking Operations: The ratio of successful landings to failed landings while docking.
Gunnery Skill: The ratio of hits to misses while in combat.
Profession: The percentage of attributes acquired in the selected profession.
Reputation: The amount of positive reputation points vs negative reputation points a player has received from others.
Squadron Operations: The amount of flight hours a pilot has flown in a squadron vs flying solo.
Achieving any score above 90% will result in the pilot becoming certified in that category.
Achieving 90% or higher in all categories will reward the pilot with the title of "Veteran".
YEP, CHATTING IN GAME IS THE SAME AS CHATTING IN DISCORD We've integrated Discord directly into the game and is available in three channels: General, Trading, and Help. Players chatting in these channels will see each other whether they are on a Discord client, docked in a station, or in flight.
INTERESTING THINGS WE'VE NOTICED We've noticed that players are getting stuck on two different missions: Loans and Mount a Loot Detector. We're going to be addressing this in the next update. No longer will players "need" items to progress in the tutorial arc. Item's and modules should only make the missions easier and not be a requirement for completion.
We'll also completely take out the Loans mission until players are more comfortable with the game and are ready to seek out a lender.
EXTRA XP IS GIVEN MONTHLY FOR YOUR CRITIQUES Don't forget, you can submit feedback to us at any time using the in game feedback tool. Bug, Idea, Suggestion, Shower Thought? It doesn't matter. We're always checking the feedback pool.
TIME TO STRESS TEST SERVERS We're also working out the details on our upcoming free to play weekend. We're looking to completely meltdown our server infrastructure and are looking for you to help us with that.
WITH WORD OF MOUTH Like the game? Let us know in the comments below or on Discord.
See complete update at: https://www.epicspace.net/update-february-2017
Join us on Discord!
We now have an official Discord channel! Join us for Product Updates, Events, Community Help, and Developer Support. We've also integrated the marketplace into the Discord server so you can keep tabs on what's posted from out of game.
Click here to join our official Discord channel: https://discord.gg/Kq8ABBX
Incoming - Version 0.039
We are releasing an update that addresses some combat issues and activates the new Comm Array System.
Communication Arrays
- New! Communication Arrays. The backbone of the in game voice communication system.
- Can be disabled by enemy pilots and retaken by friendly faction pilots.
- When more than 3 arrays have been secured, there is a % chance that your broadcast will not send. (This does not apply to enemies securing comm arrays. Their communications will always send regardless of the network status).
- 100 XP is awarded for securing or retaking a comm array.
Loading Screen Love
- Polished the loading screen and gave it some special effects.
- Added a few screenshots submitted by our community to the loading screen.
Bookmarks
- Creating a bookmark without setting the name gives the bookmark a random name.
- Players can now rename bookmarks.
Reputation
- Buyers no longer incur a temporary hit on their reputation score after buying an item. Sellers still receive a temporary hit until the buyer posts a review.
Hangar Bays
- Pilots receive an in game email when an item is delivered to their Hangar. Includes the name of the item and amount dropped off.
Jettisoning Loot
- Pilots now have a dedicated button just to jettisoning loot. Instead of dragging and dropping items into space from their asset browser.
Have any issues? Can't connect?
Get support here: https://discord.me/epicspace
Ready to download?
Grab the client at http://EpicSpace.net
Happy Holidays - From Epic Space
It's been over six months since we've launched on Steam Early Access. We wanted to take a moment to thank our pilots for a great year.
Have a happy holiday, a Merry Christmas, and a wonderful New Year!
- Taurian
Epic Space: Online | The Alpha Company
http://TheAlphaCompany.net/forums
First installment of War Games available!
With release 8.4, the first rendition of War Games is now available.
War Games is the "Action Shooter" pvp module of Epic Space: Online. There are a variety of 16 player servers to join with different rules, but the objective is the same: Win the Jackpot of credits for your team.
Players must "Buy In" to games, with the winning team splitting a Jackpot of credits and the losing team walking away with nothing.
Players are motivated to harvest credits in the Infinite Universe, risk them in the War Games expansion, then use the revenue made to fund their expeditions in the primary universe.
Additions
Added a "View Outbox" option to the Station Messages interface
Added a new aiming reticule for guns when weapons are armed.
Enabled the new First Person Camera Mode. To turn off, use the command: "/camfirstperson disable".
The arrow on the radar contacts list will now always point to the object detected. This detection would always be accurate no matter where you are in the sector, as long as the object doesn't move of course.
Changes
A heading 000 now leads you north instead of east. This is a major change, but should make maps easier to navigate.
Heading now shows your true heading ( Direction of motion, not angle of ship ).
Bullet velocity has been increased to 1000 km per second.
The "Q" key no longer shows/hides the hud. This has been replaced by a F7 and console command "/togglehud."
Object Tags are now shown with the "Q" key.
Tab key shows/hides the War Games scoreboard.
Bug Fixes
Fixed various bugs and issues with the Station Messages interface.
Fixed an issue keeping players from seeing other players.
Fixed an exploit that kept Flak Cannons from disappearing when destroyed. Also note that merits are no longer awarded for destroying Flak Cannons or any other deployable object.
Updated developer diary is pending -- comments, questions? Post it below.
Illegal Goods, Distress Calls, Ship Scanning and Nightly Builds! Available now in Release 8.3
Distress Calls
When an Alliance Courier is attacked a distress call is sent. To receive these messages type /join distress in the chat box. We're working on a way for players to easily broadcast distress calls by selecting an option. See Developer Diary 09/29.
Ship Scanning
Pilots can scan Alliance Couriers for loot if their HT Score is 5 or higher. At level 10, you can detect contraband (to be used later for Alliance Police). The results of a scan will not currently show the details of the cargo, just the highest loot type (RT1, RT2, RT3, etc...).
Hundreds of Planet Names cleared
Tons of planets, nebulas, and various other celestial objects with the word "♥♥♥♥♥" as a name have been cleared. So there are a lot of "Unknowns" out there now.
Help Ticket System available in space.
You can now submit/manage support tickets from your cockpit. This is accessible from the PDA under "Help".
Note: Pilots can earn a 20% credit bonus when submitting bug reports from a Nightly Build.
Nightly Builds
Nightly Builds are versions of the game that are uploaded on a nightly or weekly basis.
These builds contain the latest features, changes, and bug fixes and are usually the last step before a build becomes stable. More info on Nightly Builds.
Assembly Weights
Increased the weight of space station assemblies from 1,000m3 to 10,000m3 to be more realistic.
Illegal Goods / Controlled Substances
Below are goods that are considered illegal to transport in mass quantity. ( Carrying more than 5 or any one item ).
Lurium Ore
Narcotics
Radioactive Material
FCS Processor Chips
Ammunition / Torpedoes / Missiles ( Unless carried in a cargo ship )
Leaderboards
Visit EpicSpace.net to check out the new Leaderboards. More are scheduled to be added throughout this development cycle.
Resolved Bugs
A bug keeping wreckage from being salvaged has been resolved.
Purchasing maintenance service without sufficient credits would sometimes zero out hp, ammo and fuel. This has been resolved.
Some issues relating to the new Support Ticket System have been resolved.
When using a scanner, the scan waves now point at the scanned target correctly.
Quitting now returns you to the Main Menu, in case you want to change servers.
Keep on the lookout for more bugs! We reward them! More info: http://wiki.epicspace.net/Submit-Bug-Report.html
Developer Diary 9/23/14
We tried this a while back but didn't get a lot of engagement on our News Portal. So we're trying it here. I'll do what I can to keep it short it sweet.
What we're working on:
NPC Couriers - Target Date: 09/29/2014
NPC ships that specialize in delivering cargo. You'll see them fly all around the Core and outlying sectors. But they aren't doing this aimlessly. They're actually trading... really... in real time...
Cops
Anyone can be a cop in Epic Space. Simply respond to a distress call made by an Alliance Courier. Once arrived, you will receive one Merit whether the courier is intact or not. You can also escort a ship to it's destination. Simply ask the Courier where he's headed. We're not entirely sure how you could 'get there' in time (unless it's just pure luck), but we're working on that.
Robbers
Alliance Couriers currently do not respond to hails. If you want their cargo, you'll have to take it by force. But be warned, attacking a Alliance Courier will send out an automated distress call. This spans the entire universe, so be prepared for lots of human contacts.
Robbing Alliance Couriers does have an affect on the Economy, and it's apparently a lot of fun, even for the developers.
Ship Broadcasts
Instead of typing out a message in the local chat box (something that may be going away). You'll have a number of predefined broadcasts to send other ships in your view. We also want players to use this as a method to communicate with NPCs:
Good Day!
Affirmative!
Negative!
Mayday!
Stop your ship!
You will be fired upon!
I Surrender!
New Steam Layout
We really like the changes Valve has made to Steam. Not only the updated branding, but the new 'Recommended' system is something we're all excited about. Hopefully if you see this game recommended to you, it's because you have a healthy interest in the genre, or simply have no taste at all.
Investor Questions
Ask a question in the comments below, we'll try to address it in the next Dev Diary if we like you enough.
What's up with the forums? - They're being completely redesigned so that they integrate into the game. They'll be back shortly. In the meantime, you can still submit tech support tickets, the Wiki has instructions.
What's the status on the Capital Ships expansion. - We're knee deep in this one. We're going to finalize War Games first, as it's a heck of a lot more fun with Capitals. We did A LOT of rushing pre-Early Access. No more of that! When this expansion is released it's because we think it's ready to generate fun, not just to meet a deadline --
everyone rolls their eyes*.
Release 8.2 Changelog
Additional changes, station additions, Wiki tweaks, and optimizations. The biggest addition is the new In-Game Support Ticket System. See below:
Founder Changes
There is a 30 day cooldown between Founder awards. Server now checks if you already have the item you requested in the following areas: Ship cargo bays, station cargo bays, and hangar bays.
In-Game Support Ticket System
Provides a more secure line of communication between players and the tech support reps. Players can provide sensitive information such as game exploits to the development team or solve billing related issues.
Health
The health alert switch on the hud only lights up when your health is below 100.
Crafting Window moved to Station Interface
The crafting window can now be accessed by selecting the "Craft" icon in the station interface. As a result the station "walk around" mode has been temporarily disabled.
Wiki
Numerous changes have been made to the Wiki such as the addition of a Item and Ship database. Wiki.EpicSpace.net
Bug Hunter Profession
Credits are now awarded for bug hunting in lieu of merits.
Jump Limit
Vultures cannot jump more than 25 sectors at any one time.
Merit Award Tweaks
Merit awards for Station Construction and Sector Claiming have been reduced substantially.
Additional Stations
Alliance Ore Processing (-1x1)
Alliance Station Parts (North) (-1x0)
Alliance Station Parts (South) (-1x0)
Clara Scrapworks (1x0)
Alliance Mining Equipment (1x0)
Alliance Security Office (-1x-1)
Alliance I.G.L. (0x-1)
Alliance Customs Office (0x0)
Trident Jump Technologies (-1x1)
The Red Wiki contains invaluable information. It will be your best resource on all the interworkings of Epic Space. Be sure to bookmark: http://wiki.epicspace.net
Release 8.1 Patch
This is a quick patch to polish off the latest changes brought in from Release 8. Simply restart Steam to grab.
Bank Status on Hud
Your bank account now appears directly on your hud. It's a reminder of every pilot's current objective: Raise as much money as possible.
View Market Details Option (Inventory)
When selecting an item in your inventory, there is now an option to view local Buy Orders for that item.
HTR Bonus details on Hud
HTR % buffs are now clearly visible on the hud when you mouse over your level bar.
Bank updates after a marketplace transaction
Pilot's bank accounts, following a marketplace transaction, now update immediately on the Hud. No need to log off to see the current balance.
Wreckage now contains a random amount of Burnt Scrap Metal
Station wreckage, obviously contains more.
Galaxy Map - Faster Loading
The Galaxy Map has been optimized for faster loading. People don't realize that they're looking at a map of over 900 sectors on the screen at once. Try it now at Galaxy.EpicSpace.net
Additional changes to the economy
All Alliance stations will soon hold no more than 10 buy or sell orders. Additional stations have been deployed in The Core to support this change.
The New Stations:
Planetary Resources Inc. (1x-1)
Xin Industries (1x-1)
Precious Metals Repository (1x-1)
Alliance Repair Facility (-1x-1)
Peak Defense Solutions (-1x0)
Alliance I.A.S. (1x1)
Core Junkyard Station (1x1)
Alliance Ship Parts East (1x1)
Alliance Ship Parts West (1x1)
The Red Wiki will be updated to contain more detailed information. It will be your best resource on all the interworkings of Epic Space. Be sure to bookmark: http://wiki.epicspace.net
Crafting, Radar 2.0, and Ship Wreckage (Yay!)
We're still finalizing War Games and shortly thereafter we'll be adding the Karatsu and LRTS (Long Range Transport Ship) to the primary universe. This update introduces a massive overhaul to the Infinite Universe Server and changes a number of important features based on player feedback. As usual, bugs can be submitted on the Alpha Co forums for merits.
Missions Disabled
Missions have been turned off while we take a more detailed look at the system and how it impacts the economy. Pilots are free to submit proposals on the newly designed petitions interface. Link is below.
Improvements to the Economy
There will now be Alliance buy orders available for any in game item at varying prices. So there should be no reason to hold onto items you don't need in your station's cargo hold. Check the Market interface on your PDA or on your Account page for more information.
Crafting - No Minimum rank requirement
Craft anything, with no limitations. If you have the parts and a space station, you should have everything you need to begin crafting any type of item. Pilots still receive various bonuses based on HT Level and station type.
Galaxy Map Updated
The galaxy map has been improved to better show pilots the direction they should be travelling to a destination. Keep in mind the map only shows "The Core". Everything out side of this zone is uncharted. Don't forget, you can also use the Galaxy Map out of game, we've included the parameters in the url below:
http://galaxy.epicspace.net/?pointa=3x-6&pointb=-10x3&pilot=2&angle=220
Loot Rarity
Loot comes in 5 separate color coded categories. You'll also receive better quality loot when scanning with a higher HT Level. This a very in depth game play change, you can find more information here: http://news.epicspace.net/Important-Changes-to-the-upcoming-War-Game-Update.html
Radar 2.0
The Radar system has been revamped and combined with the scanner. In space, hit the "RDR" icon to start scanning your current sector. When you encounter a contact, hit the contact's name on the right hand side of your Hud to begin scanning it for loot. Only celestial objects will yield loot. HT Rank increases your scanning range up to a maximum of 3km.
Improvements to Mining
Mining is now tied to the radar system. After an object has been detected, scan it, then select the "HARVEST" option to begin mining. The process will continue until the celestial object has no more health or you have no more cargo space.
Important changes to the Scanner
The Scanner and Radar have been combined into one single device and are automatically available on all ships. Increasing your HT Level increases the radar's range up to a maximum of 8km and the scanner's range up to 3km. Your scan range will always be half of your Radar range. (Minimum 1km).
Player Petition System
A place for pilots to submit petitions to the Epic Space development team. Currently only Beta testers can submit, vote, and comment on petitions. See the new petition system here: https://www.epicspace.net/account/petitions.php
Hud Change: Speed / Heading
Heading and speed now appear on the lower right of the Hud. As a result, the heading and speed indicators no longer appear near the ship and fade in and out as before. Note: This part of the hud will most likely be covered by the Steam Overlay unless you have this disabled.
Cannot disassemble ship if it contains cargo.
Used to be a great way to massively destroy items, not anymore... sorry.
Improved Full Screen Support
You can toggle full screen on or off in the PDA. The game will remember the next time you run it.
Market Interface
Items are now listed by distance from the player's current location.
Master Server overhaul
The net code for the master server has been completely redesigned for optimization and to better support upcoming expansions. We do expect to encounter problems while we test these changes during this phase of the Beta. The great news is that players will now be notified in game if we plan to initiate a server shutdown for maintenance purposes. This will also give pilots ample time to dock and tie up loose ends.
Have a Steam Key
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Ship and Station Wreckage
When a station or ship has been destroyed, there will be wreckage left behind that contains a small percentage of the target's cargo.
Combat Log
A list of events involving your ship or faction is now visible on the My Account page.
War Games Status
We took a different approach with War Games for the sake of simplicity. Most of which couldn't go into effect until the server overhaul was complete. This expansion is now due on or before Release 10.
Upon launch the following will be in effect:
Only High and Low Stakes Team Deathmatch games with 8 and 16 player servers will be available.
Low stakes will have a buy-in of 100 credits whereas high stakes will have a buy-in of 1k.
You need only be in the server and on a team at the conclusion of the final round to be eligible for your cut of the jackpot.
Purchasing extra ammo, ships, and health increases the amount in the pot.
If you don't have the necessary credits to buy into a game, you'll need to sell loot you've discovered in the primary universe.
We need to spend a development cycle updating the Red Wiki with the recent changes before we release the first rendition of War Games.
Restart Steam to grab this update. More information is forthcoming.
