Corebound
A goal in the centre of the galaxy
Our second playtest was honest: "I don't really see what the goal is – it feels like a big spreadsheet." Fair. So this round of changes is about direction and calm.
The core
In the centre of every galaxy lies the core, marked with a golden ring that is always visible – even before you have explored that far. It sits seven sectors from every start zone and is held by one of the strongest pirate garrisons. Whoever holds it earns season points every hour.
The season
Season points come from three things: every sector you hold, every battle you win and every hour with the core. A season lasts six weeks from the day the galaxy opened. A line above the map shows your rank, your points and the time left; Ranking lists every commander in your galaxy, Core takes you there on the map.
A calmer map
The map used to colour every sector in range. Now your sectors are blue, worthwhile targets carry a traffic light – green easy, yellow even, red risky – and everything else fades into the background. Sectors that are too strong for your fleet no longer shout at you.
Smaller things
- The battle simulator and New game moved from the top bar into the settings.
- Ships can be scrapped in the hangar for half of their build cost.
- The view from the bridge no longer shrinks when you open a station.
Next
Pilots as people: faces, names, traits with strengths and weaknesses, experience and ranks.