1530 UTC

Improvements:

• Deployment screen improvements to make squad play more visible

• Several matchmaking improvements to increase matchmaking speed.

• Improved matchmaking rules so players will not be deployed to Insurgencies that are almost over.

• Closed backfill on sandbox servers when session escalation reaches Stage 3

Defects Fixed:

• Fixed an issue where NPCs would be found standing still after being killed

• Fixed an issue where deployments could fail

• Fixed a number of rare client and server crashes

1600 UTC

Improvements:

• Stability and Performance improvements

• Several rare crash fixes

• Improved Militia behaviour

• Updated strings for Deployment descriptions, menus and buttons.

• Various audio mixing improvements.

• Added an ‘always show tracker’ setting for the contract tracker.

• Additional System information added to UI for Havoc Insurgency Deployments

Defects Fixed:

• Fixed an issue where the game would sometimes hang on deployment.

• Fixed an issue where NPCs would reappear after death.

• Fixed an issue where the MCC markers would display with wrong colours.

• Fixed an issue where the summary screen would fail to display extracted item icons.

• Fixed an issue where UI showing the names of minable minerals was not aligned to the reticule

• Fixed an issue where the Skyhook was missing from the Skybox in Solstice and Maelstrom

• Fixed an issue where the Golden Crates Activity was not functioning on Carrion and Aftermath

• Fixed an issue where some of the Lore pickups would not display the code for the Golden Crate.

• Fixed an issue where the login screen will appear and disappear

• Fixed an issue where SFX from the contraband Equipment would remain after the Activity is finished

• Fixed a rare crash with skin entitlements

• Fixed an issue where NPCs could spawn infinitely during the Salvage Site Activity

• Fixed collision issues where players could get stuck at specific locations in Carrion

• Fixed an issue where items players extracted with were not shown in the Income Report

• Fixed and issue where the team leader in contraband will not get rewards for completing the Activity

• Fixed an issue where Broadcast Jacks will be incorrectly named ‘Broadcast Nodes’ in some contracts.

• Fixed an issue where the Contraband Activity would not reward all contributing players in the squad.

• Fixed an issue where AI could infinitely spawn.

• Fixed an issue where UI could display the player as having insufficient recourses for some Development and Fabrication costs.

• Fixed an issue where the weapon could disappear in the fitting screen.

• Fixed a number of issues with the social panel.

• Fixed an issue where AI would not respond after taking damage.

1200 UTC

The Star Map

• Vanguard can now select deployments across New Eden.

• Deployment opportunities rotate as Forward Operating Bases enter and leave orbit above crash sites.

• When Insurgencies erupt in EVE Online systems, these will become active for Vanguard operations, allowing players to engage and make their mark on the wider conflict.

Insurgency Deployments

• A 9v9 PvP faction warfare skirmish

• Choose to fight as either Pirate and Anti-pirate forces and impact the balance of power in ongoing Insurgencies in EVE Online.

• Vanguard forces must capture and hold orbital cannons to unleash powerful strikes against enemy Mobile Command Centers (MCCs), turning the tide of battle with each controlled

The Black Market & Industry

• Multi-stage Manufacturing between deployments.

• Item Blueprints can now be Acquired from the Black Market and Fabricated into vital Chipsets, ammunition and Equipment.

• New resourses and items added and balanced across four map variant meaning players will need to explore them all to build all the post powerful items.

• Full Icon Pass on all items, equipment, and resources.

NPC Militia

Local resistance forces skilled in ambushing Vanguard and Upwell troops.

• Raiders/Scouts - Ranged fighters armed with Core-80s.

• Breacher – Explosives experts armed with grenades

• Ghosts – Aggressive melee fighters armed with Knives.

NPC Drones

Upwell Drones deployed to protect workforce operations and assets.

• Sweeper – Surveillance and detection Drone

• Guardian – Shielded Primary Combat Drone

• Reaper – Proximity Explosive Drone

• Sentinel – (Boss Drone) Shielded High Durability Defence. Spawns Reapers and deals AOE melee.

Map Variation

• Four Map Variants across two environments

• Each Map Variant features unique weather, Activities, Contracts, NPC Configuration and Resources.

  • Carrion is BACK! Not seen since First Strike.

  • Solstice returns with significant visual improvements and fixes.

  • Maelstrom – Solstice variant with intense Monsoon Weather effects.

  • Aftermath – Carrion variant with striking daytime lighting.

• Extensive visual and gameplay improvements have been applied to both variants.

Activities

• Contraband

  • Construct and sustain a stealth field for dropships, enabling covert transport of Contraband Cloning Materials found within large containers on Carrion’s surface.

  • Defend against Upwell troops attempting to intercept and prevent your smuggling operations.

• Fluid Mining

  • Refine valuable Solvent found on Solstice and Maelstrom’s surface into valuable manufacturing resources for dropship extraction.

• Off-Shore Mining

  • Call-down and calibrate offshore mining vessels for valuable rewards.

Music

Original music added the deployment flow.

Personal Mining

• Personal Mining has been completely reimagined.

• The Banana Gun is no more! New Cutting Tool mesh added along with laser and impact VFX and SFX.

• The Cutting tool can now be loaded with multiple ‘Mining Crystals.’

• Mining Crystals must be matched with Surface Minerals for optimum mining efficiency

• The ‘Adaptive Weaponry' System has been expanded to the Cutting tool, allowing players to upgrade it with manufactured or looted chipsets.

• A New AR prompt highlights cuttable objects.

Deployment Flow

• Completely new deployment flow that adds more context and narrative while bringing the menus more in line with our vision for the UI with updated styles, Icons, buttons and more across the game.

• Intro video sequence ‘Syncing with the Fulcrum Interface’

Full Inventory Persistence and Banking

• All Manufacturing items from Player Inventory can now be extracted or banked.

• Players can add any of their items/equipment to their 'Deployment Hold’ which is transported along with the Vanguard down to the planet Surface.

NPC vs NPC Combat

• Upwell troops can now be found battling Militia forces in various locations on Maelstrom.

Throwables

• Locus Grenades now available to Vanguard Warclones for manufacturing and crafting.

Upgraded Textures and Loot

• New High-Quality Escape Pod

• New High-Quality shipwreck wall panel

• New Loot crates with full, partially full and empty states

Deployables and Radial Menu

• Nova Charge Deployable now available to Vanguard Warclones.

• Deployables can now be prepared for deployment from a radial menu while in session.

Contracts

• The contract system has been overhauled, featuring several new objective types.

• Contracts now draw from a diverse, randomised objective pool, increasing mission variety.

• Each contract includes three objectives, rewarding players with Kredits for each completed objective and a bonus for completing all three.

Melee

• Vanguard now brutally stab enemies with a Nova Knife.

Threat Visor

• Visual Improvement to the threat visor making enemies stand out.

Death Immolation

• When killed Vanguard Warclones and Humanoid NPCs ‘Immolate’ into a Nanite Cloud - which is now how Biohybrids are collected; automatically by walking into the cloud.

Spawning

• Improved spawn rules so that Vanguard now spawn a min distance from enemy players.

Audio

• Full SFX soundscape pass on Solstice Monsoon.

• Improvements to weapon audio for all fire-modes and firerates.

• Projectile whizz-by updates and improvements.

• Height based audio obstruction.

Fixes and improvements to existing Activities Secure Salvage and Mining Rights

End of session report Improvements and fixes

Upgraded to Unreal Version 5.4.4 

• Fixed misplaced/unreachable objects/interactables in both environments

• Fixed collision issues in both environments

• Fixed issues where ESC would not work to go back in some UI menus

• Fixed low repro server and client crashes

• Fixed issues with squad/invites/favourites UI

• Fixed issues where enemy squads could spawn next to each other

• Fixed audio issues with single and burst fire chipset modes

• Fixed issues with the inventory UI in sessions

• Fixed issues and inconsistencies with the persistence of items extracted

• Fixed an issue where equipping multiple semi-auto chipsets would fire multiple bullets

• Fixed issues with the settings menu

• Fixed 1st and 3rd person animation issues with the Vanguard suit

• Fixed issues with NPC animations

• A number of performance fixes and optimizations