New features and adjustments for all star systems:
1. Introduction of the New 3D Space Mechanism:
1) The new mechanism will allow fleets on the expanse to be at different heights, creating a three-dimensional action space.
2) A fleet will actively adjust its height to avoid collisions when encountering other fleets during the voyage.
3) You can now enter the Surround View mode by pinching out. It allows you to view around fleet targets and select operation targets in 3D space to issue commands.
4) A single fleet can interact with fleets at various heights simultaneously. At the same time, Blockade and Strategic Strike will be effective against fleets at all heights.
5) Buildings on the map (such as Bases, Outposts, Space Stations, etc.) can be attacked by fleets from all heights, and battles against Space Stations will allow more fleets to participate than before.
2. Space Station Defense Fleet Adjustments:
(1) The number of Defense Fleets for Lv. 5 and above Space Stations will increase. Among them:
For the Node Recovery Agreement, Galactic Mutual Cooperation Agreement, Trojite Crystal Collection Agreement, Data Rescue Agreement, Star System Rescue Agreement, Dawn Exploration Agreement 2.0 star systems:
An Lv. 5 Space Station will have 72 extra weaker Defense Fleets on top of the existing 24 Defense Fleets;
An Lv. 7 Space Station will have 93 extra weaker Defense Fleets on top of the existing 31 Defense Fleets;
An Lv. 9 Space Station will have 111 extra weaker Defense Fleets on top of the existing 37 Defense Fleets.
For the Dawn Exploration Agreement star systems:
An Lv. 5 Space Station will have 36 extra weaker Defense Fleets on top of the existing 24 Defense Fleets;
An Lv. 7 Space Station will have 46 extra weaker Defense Fleets on top of the existing 31 Defense Fleets;
An Lv. 9 Space Station will have 54 extra weaker Defense Fleets on top of the existing 37 Defense Fleets.
(2) Reduced the maximum number of fleets that aggressive space stations can dispatch simultaneously when defending.
This will only be effective for the upcoming star systems and will not affect star systems currently being explored.
Developer Comment:
In the Pilot Server, the 3D space mechanism significantly alleviated the congestion issue when Space Stations are occupied, making it much smoother to capture Space Stations and more challenging to defend Space Stations. To ensure balance and fair strategic experience for the attacking and defending sides, we added more Defense Fleets to assist in defending higher-level Space Stations. Although the number of newly added Defense Fleets is large, a single fleet is significantly weaker than the existing Defense Fleets.
At the same time, we're also aware of the oppressiveness caused by aggressive Space Stations when defending based on feedback and data performance we collected from the Pilot Server. So, we properly limited the maximum number of Defense Fleets that can be dispatched.
We also learned that some Explorers are very concerned about whether the number of Captor Fleets will increase in the Star System Rescue Agreement star systems. In this patch, there is no boost to the strength of Captor Fleets, nor will there be an increase in the number of Captor Fleets.
3. Blueprint Apex Level Gameplay Is Officially Live
"Apex Level" is a new attribute for blueprints that provides permanent attribute growth or enhancement level cap increases, further boosting the blueprint's strength.
1) Unlocking Authentication Credential and "Apex Level"
Explorers can unlock the "Apex Level" by spending Authentication Credentials to perform Apex Authentication on ships.
The methods to obtain Apex Authentication Credentials are as follows:
Control Operations on certain buildings (first time), Privateers' Secret Meeting, Loot Distribution, Personal Identity Agreement Evaluation, and Star System Development Rating.
After obtaining the credentials, you can go to the City of Antontas and use the corresponding Apex Authentication Credential at the Strategic Assets Identification Center to enable the Apex Level gameplay for a ship.
Strategic Assets Identification Center in the City of Antontas
Enabling Apex Level
2) "Path to Apex" Series Mission Rewards
After enabling the Apex Level feature, you will receive the "Path to Apex" series missions:
Mission Type: Leveling up, system adjustment, submitting Military Prestige, accumulating via battles
Reward: Apex Proficiency
Bonus reward for the first series mission of the Super Capital Ship: 10 Exclusive Tech Points
“Path to Apex” Series Mission
3) Apex and Ship Cosmetic Item Customization Feature
Activating the Apex Level will grant a new ship cosmetic item (available when the main version number reaches 2.0) and enable the Apex Ship Cosmetic Item Management feature;
Apex Ship Cosmetic Item Management
When a ship's Apex Level reaches 5, 10, 15, and 20, 4 types of cosmetic items including exclusive titles, ship backgrounds, exclusive advanced titles, and exclusive liveries will be unlocked.
Exclusive livery at certain Apex Level
4) Proficiency Acquisition
After completing the first Path to Apex series missions for a specific ship, Explorers can continue to accumulate Apex Proficiency for that ship via the following methods:
① Re-authentication
You can re-authenticate an already authenticated ship with Authentication Credentials to receive the "Beyond Apex" EX series missions. Completing these missions will further increase your proficiency. Each ship can only be re-authenticated once per exploration.
② Tech Points Conversion
After you complete the first authentication series missions for a specific ship, the feature of converting Tech Points to Apex Proficiency will be enabled for that ship, allowing the conversion of unused Generic/Exclusive Tech Points of certain ships into Apex Proficiency.
5) "Apex Level" Attribute Bonus Effect
Raising the "Apex Level" will provide the following bonuses to all variant models of the ship: HP, warp speed, standard speed, new enhancements, and increased level caps for certain existing enhancements. At the same time, each Apex Level Increase results in higher ship production costs and longer production time to maintain the balance among different Explorers' strategies.
Ship Blueprint with Apex Level bonuses
4. Prospection Interface Interaction Optimizations:
1) Added a list of prospection missions. After you sign the Prospector Agreement, the prospection targets in the prospection report will be displayed in the mission list.
2) Optimized the results display of Resource Nodes for Exploration: A notification will pop up if no hidden resource reserve is found after prospection.
3) Optimized the status display during prospection voyages: Added the display of the time required for prospection and the estimated completion time.
This change will not affect the rewards of the Prospector Agreement or the difficulty of the prospection targets, only the interface.
5. Returning Explorers can choose 1 Super Capital Ship and 1 Capital Ship/Aircraft when selecting temporary blueprints.
6. The chat channel on the Expanse no longer has a yellow dot to indicate new messages.
7. Optimized the prompt text when the allocation of ships from the Dockyard to Squad members cannot be completed due to insufficient Aircraft Hangar capacity or remaining Command Point limit on the receiving end.
Bug Fixes:
1. Fixed an issue where the pop-up window for map object details conflicted with the buttons on the legend list.
