[b]Update 0.7.0[/b] will be available for troopers to download today [b]April 10th, 2024[/b] at [b]10:00 AM PT[/b] ([b]GMT-7[/b]). This patch is a collection of content, performance improvements, and numerous bug fixes. [b] PLEASE NOTE:[/b] There may be [b]server downtime[/b] at release for upwards of [b]15[/b] minutes. This is due to changes to our new [b]Mission System[/b] and our [b]Matchmaker[/b]. This downtime should only be present at release, and we do not expect it to be a long-term issue. There will also be a [b]Class XP reset[/b] with this new class update. This will be the last XP reset as we further develop ST:E. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43269229/f8f287a7e58c5a722265f1a97e760330a37d8a87.jpg[/img] [h2][b]The New Vanguard [/b][/h2] With the release of 0.7.0 the current 3 classes [b]Operator[/b], [b]Bastion[/b], and [b]Hunter[/b] will be retiring, and we will be introducing the [b]New Vanguard[/b]. [b]6 new classes[/b] will bring a new arsenal to the fray. Our goal is to have each class specialize in a specific role; we have curated progression tracks that include new weapons, utilities, and perks. The 6 new classes you will experience are as follows: [list][*] [b]The Sniper[/b] [*] [b]The Ranger[/b] [*] [b]The Guardian[/b] [*] [b]The Demolisher[/b] [*] [b]The Medic[/b] [*] [b]The Engineer[/b][/list][h2][b]Armory Upgrades[/b][/h2] We have added a plethora of abilities, weaponry, utility, and perks to the New Vanguard, which include the following: [h3][b]Abilities[/b][/h3][list][*] Jump Pack [*] Barrage [*] Siege Mode [*] Personal MBU [*] Medical UAV [*] Boost Jet[/list][h3][b]Weapons[/b][/h3][list][*] E-pulse 44-A2 Rifle [*] E-pulse 88 CSW [*] E-pulse A1 Pistol [*] FU-17 Flamethrower [*] TDW-99 Morita Tactical SMG [/list][h3][b]Utility[/b][/h3][list][*] Scan Dart [*] Scan Pulse [*] Lure Grenade [*] First Aid Dispenser [*] Stim Pistol[/list][h3][b]Perks[/b][/h3][list][*] Triage [*] High Ground [*] Extra Primary [*] Bug Deterrent [*] Reinforced Repairs [*] Regenerative Matrix [*] Trauma Auto-Injector [*] Synthetic Under-armor [*] Hardened Ceramic Plates [*] Powered-Up Build Tool [*] Bloodlust ([b]Reworked[/b])[/list]We plan to add more levels and content to class progression on a regular cadence post-1.0 launch. Go out there troopers, and show those Bugs what the New Vanguard is all about! [h2][b]Side Missions[/b][/h2] Four new side missions have been added to the game for [b]ARC Slam[/b] game mode for troopers to discover and experience. [h3][b]Reinforce Overwhelmed Troopers[/b][/h3][list][*] Brave troopers operating in the area may ask for the Vanguard's help while they’re out on the field. Trooper squads will call for assistance in defending themselves against the Bug menace. Reaching these troopers, they will be under your command for the remainder of the mission. Bring them home, troopers! [/list][h3][b]Escort Specialist[/b][/h3] [list][*] Be ready to move out as specialist troopers familiar with the area will call and guide the Vanguard in our missions. These experts can lead us to hidden caches of vital equipment and weapons. The Arachnids will pose significant challenges, throwing everything they have against our Vanguard. Safeguard the specialist at all costs en route to the destination to secure crates of essential gear for our operations.[/list][h3][b]Rescue Pinned Squad[/b][/h3][list][*] The Vanguard, while exceptional, can’t reach every Trooper squad in time. Reports indicate that bugs are closing in on our brave troopers. We must prioritize rescuing these pinned troopers and ensuring their safety from Arachnid retaliation. Once rescued, these troopers will integrate with your fire team seamlessly. [b]No one left behind, trooper![/b][/list][h3][b]Tear Down Structures[/b][/h3][list][*] Command has authorized the deconstruction of old field fortifications during this operation to reclaim valuable ore for reuse in our fight against the Bugs. However, the Bugs won't let us reclaim these resources without a fight. They'll swarm towards the abandoned structures, aiming to destroy them before we can salvage the ore. It's imperative that we act swiftly to dismantle these fortifications before the Bugs can sabotage our efforts.[/list] [h2][b]World Event[/b][/h2] This update will also feature our first World Event which troopers can now experience as they play through a mission. This World Event has been added to [b]ARC Slam[/b] and [b]AAS [/b]game modes. [h3][b]Plasma Bombardment[/b][/h3][list][*] Plasma Grenadiers have coordinated to fire onto sections of the map from outside the area, intensifying the danger significantly. Skilled troopers must navigate these perilous zones with agility, dodging the plasma bombardment while staying focused on completing their objectives. A single misstep can lead to lethal consequences for our brave troopers. [/list][h3][b]Patrolling Royal Guard[/b][/h3][list][*] Royal Guards are now patrolling for new Hive locations on Valaka. Stay Frosty Troopers![/list] [h2][b]Reinforcements[/b][/h2] The Federation introduced the reinforcements system to make sure Troopers were supported out in the field by completing their mission objectives. More meat for the grinder! [h3][b]Reinforcements (Tickets)[/b][/h3][list][*] Respawn tickets are a shared team-wide resource. Ticket amount will vary based on the difficulty and game mode played. These tickets will deplete whenever a trooper dies. Tickets will not be lost if a trooper is revived before the incapacitated timer ends. Troopers can gain back tickets by completing side objectives during a given mission.[/list] [h2][b]Weapon Mastery[/b][/h2] We have added a secondary progression system for troopers to work towards. Weapon Mastery sees that all weapons can progress through experience points and ranks. Experience points can be gained by doing your duty as part of the New Vanguard and exterminating the Bug menace! As weapons ascend in rank, they unlock a variety of attachments that can alter their performance on the battlefield. Furthermore, players can customize their weapons with unique skins, adding a personal touch to their arsenal. Most notably, attaining rank 10 with a weapon will see troopers achieve Weapon Mastery, granting the ability to use that weapon across all classes as long as you’re at the right level. Weapon mastery transcends class boundaries, ensuring that once a weapon is mastered, its proficiency applies across all classes. This means that players won't need to repeat the progression track to unlock modifications when switching between classes. [h2][b]Mission Select and Quick Play[/b][/h2] We will be introducing a revamped UI and Mission Selection Screen upon launching the game. The primary objective of this change is to streamline matchmaking by guiding active players into more populated matches. The new menu will see missions rotate every hour across the available planets. Players will be able to select what missions and planets they wish to play on based on the available rotation. In general, the following missions will be available to troopers.[list][*] [b]AAS [/b]missions with difficulties: [b]Easy[/b], [b]Medium [/b]and [b]Hard[/b] [*] [b]ARC [/b]missions with difficulties: [b]Medium[/b] or [b]Hard[/b] [*] [b]Horde [/b]missions with difficulties: [b]Medium[/b] or [b]Hard[/b] [*] [b]Hive Hunt [/b]missions with difficulties: [b]Easy [/b]or [b]Medium[/b]. [b]Hard [/b]is [b]not currently available[/b] but we aim to have it returned to rotation soon.[/list]You may have seen above a change in that we have decided to simplify the terminology used for difficulty tiers, and we have moved away from the labels "[b]Recruit[/b]," "[b]Trooper[/b]," and "[b]Veteran[/b]." This change aims to enhance accessibility and clarity for all players, eliminating any confusion regarding the meaning of each difficulty level. Moving forward, as we introduce higher difficulty tiers beyond "Hard," we will look to introduce new in-universe names that better reflect the challenges players will face. Last but not least, troopers. [b]Quick Play[/b] will be making a return for players who want to jump into the action and aid the Federation, as well as the addition of [b]Mutators [/b]in “[b]Normal[/b]” difficulty game modes. Starship Troopers: Extermination thrives with a full squadron of 16 players per server, and we aim to help players experience that while at the same time eliminating the guesswork from matchmaking, facilitating easier connections for parties with fewer participants during off-peak hours. We will be closely evaluating data on this new system in regards to the missions, difficulty, mutators and more and seek to adjust accordingly. [h2][b]Re-Enlistment[/b][/h2] In the upcoming update, troopers will have the option to boost their [b]Re-enlistment Tier.[/b] By opting for this, they will reset their Career Rank and all associated Classes. Troopers can conveniently navigate to their "[b]Profile[/b]" to undertake this re-enlistment process. As a reward, they will receive a brand-new Career Badge, unlock a Custom Loadout Slot, and gain the chance to progress through Ranks and Levels once more. [h2][b]A New Bug Menace![/b][/h2] "Troopers! Bombardier bugs have been spotted on the battlefield! Keep your damn ears open for the sound they make when they launch through the air!" Command reports that these new little pests will appear at [b]Threat Level 2[/b]! These new arachnids that have joined the fray are dubbed the [b]Bombardier[/b]. Despite their diminutive size and fragility, these pests should not be underestimated. We hope you’ve spent time at the range as these tiny Bugs launch themselves through the air to get to their targets. They come equipped with an explosive trait that poses a significant threat. It's imperative to eliminate them before they draw near, and if you find them at your feet already, your service to the Federation is in jeopardy. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43269229/3feca135081001becb900c8b9c07857bfe42b3c9.jpg[/img] Exercise caution, however, as Bombardiers are particularly sensitive to premature detonation under certain conditions. Before firing, ensure you're aware of what you’re using to dispatch these creatures, as E-pulse, shock, and explosive weaponry may lead to lethal consequences for you and any friendlies. [h2][b]Localization Support[/b][/h2] We have added localization support in Starship Troopers: Extermination for the following languages:[list][*] German [*] Russian [*] Japanese [*] Simplified Chinese[/list] [h2][b]Quality-of-Life[/b][/h2][list][*] [b]Double XP[/b] will be active for all troopers and will last until Update 0.7.1. [*] Sentry turrets placed by players will [b]no longer deal[/b] friendly fire damage.[/list] [h2][b]Tuning[/b][/h2][h3][b]Federation Tuning[/b][/h3] The Federation is tightening its grip on the war budget, and the following changes have been made: [list] [*] FOBs are being deployed with only [b]200 [/b]ammo resupplies compared to the previous [b]5000 [/b]ammo. [*] The [b]Morita XXX Sniper Rifle[/b] now has bullet penetration. (Line up those drones, trooper!) [*] Dropship gun turrets have been replaced with a cheaper model, effective up to [b]40m[/b]. [*] [b]Reduced[/b] the damage increase buff from [b]Scan Utilities [/b] from [b]2x[/b] to [b]1.25x[/b]. [*] [b]Reduced [/b]XP gained from destroying eggs to [b]2 XP [/b]per egg. [*] [b]Reduced[/b] XP gained from destroying Inferno Bugs to [b]50 XP[/b] per kill. [*] [b]Removed[/b] self-damage from overcharge. [*] [b]Decreased[/b] how far troopers can throw canisters by[b] 25%[/b].[/list][h3][b]Bug Tuning[/b][/h3] The Arachnid horde has made adjustments to its strategies, and the following changes have been documented:[list][*] [b]Reduced [/b]the range Inferno Bugs can attack from [b]1000m [/b]to [b]150m[/b] [*] [b]Reduced [/b]the movement speed for bugs moving backward by [b]40%[/b] [*] [b]Reduced [/b]the Damage-over-Time duration of Fire inflicted by Inferno Bugs from [b]13 seconds[/b] to [b]4.5 seconds[/b]. (This was done for performance reasons, and we will continue to investigate this change.) [/list] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43269229/bdce70c237e0e8a9ff494b1e373f027aeba8fc0d.jpg[/img] [list][*] Fixed an issue that would cause large frame drops when entering the loadout screen on the Main Menu. [*] Fixed an issue where the wrong objective cards were showing during Horde missions. [*] Fixed an issue where the game would hang when entering the Main Menu and the First Match. [*] Fixed an issue where the game would crash when a user in-game accepts a party invitation from a friend. [*] Fixed an issue where troopers would continuously take lava damage when not standing on lava. [*] Fixed an issue where players were unable to close the map or interact with an opened player menu while being attacked. [*] Fixed an issue where some users are sent to the spectate screen while still alive after a new objective spawns. [*] Fixed an issue with the After Action Report screen audio to play repeatedly. [*] Fixed an issue where Controller Cursors could not drag on the TacMap. [*] Fixed an issue where Bugs would spawn underneath the Fuel Depot. [*] Fixed an issue where players would see Bug spawning dust particles in locations where Bugs should not be spawning. [*] Fixed an issue with the Plasma Grenadier walking animation not playing correctly. [*] Fixed an issue with the Plasma Grenadier's charging SFX, which can still be heard when the attack is canceled and it's walking away from the player. [*] Fixed an issue where the Royal Guard would be stuck and could be seen clipping under terrain. [*] Fixed an issue where Inferno bugs would get stuck when they backed away from players. [*] Fixed an issue where Inferno bugs were not playing their firing animation when over 100m away. [*] Fixed an issue that caused all decals to appear low resolution. [*] Fixed an issue that caused the Mobile Build Tool ability to be disabled when re-triggering the ability [*] Fixed an issue for the terms used for difficulty text being inconsistent on the Scoreboard and After Action Report. [*] Fixed an issue that could cause users to enter the Twin MG at long distances when using the Long Range Repairs perk. [*] Fixed an issue where character lighting was too bright in the trooper select screen [*] Fixed an issue causing the dropship mesh to flicker on the Main Menu. [*] Fixed an issue where the initial sprinting animation for the shotgun would break. [*] Fixed an issue where, for automatic weapons, the time between single shots is not respected. [*] Fixed an issue where the “[b]We Got Bugs[/b]” mutator would use the ARC Slam voice lines. [*] Fixed an issue where dead trooper bodies can become stretched when they go into a ragdoll state. [*] Fixed an issue regarding invisible collision on Agni Prime [*] Fixed an issue where some rocks in the “[b]Refinery[/b]” of Agni Prime would not have collision for troopers. [*] Fixed an issue where grass would clip through the Deployment Dropship in specific locations. [*] Fixed an issue on Valaka where invisible walls would be present on ramps [*] Fixed an issue where the “[b]Apply[/b]” button for settings would not appear when changing the “[b]Resolution Scale[/b]”. [*] Fixed an issue where Intel and AMD machines would experience different audio. [*] Fixed the incorrect text for XeSS Image Upscaling. [*] Fixed the incorrect description text for the V-Sync setting [*] On hover, the class buttons should now preview information on the side panel [*] Swapped the names for the “[b]Navy[/b]” and “[b]Forest[/b]” uniform color palette[/list] [h2][b]Known Issues[/b][/h2][list] [*] Pressing the [b]~ (tilde)[/b] key to bring up the console in release builds will cause you to lose game focus, You will be [b]UNABLE [/b]to close the console unless you [b]HOLD RIGHT CLICK[/b] and [b]PRESS ~ (tilde) TWICE[/b]. [*] The armor on Inferno Bugs is not working, and they will have less protection than expected. [*] The [b]Hawkeye Sniper Rifle[/b] currently has a 2x scope that is not functional and is not intended to be there. [*] The [b]FU-17 Flamethrower [/b]cannot fire through small gaps. (Bunker windows, small walls) [*] The [b]FU-17 Flamethrower [/b] will have hit detection issues when firing at targets very close to the player. [*] The “[b]Watkin’s Trigger[/b]” perk will reduce the reinforcement ticket count. [*] Players will find their Loadouts are not reset when re-enlisting. Please [b]RESTART [/b]the game to fix this issue.[/list] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43269229/644fcbd088b3a7933c47f86c9a6d60fa3a99a37f.jpg[/img] [h2][b]Client Performance Improvements[/b][/h2][list][*] Improved [b]Texture Streaming[/b]. Clients should generally see less VRAM usage and less blurry textures when on “Low” settings. There may be cases where Texture Resolution switching will still occur during loading and respawns.[/list] [h2][b]Map Performance Improvements[/b][/h2][list][*] Agni Prime should see frame rate improvements as we have implemented [b]Nanite [/b]for geometry and [b]Virtual Shadow Maps (VSM)[/b] for shadows on our landscape and assets. [/list] [h2][b]Other Improvements[/b][/h2][list][*] Added Graphic Customization Presets in the Settings for players to choose between [b]Performance[/b], [b]Balanced [/b]or [b]Quality [/b]mode to customize their play experience.[/list]─── Thank you troopers for your support of Starship Troopers: Extermination. We hope you enjoy the update, and as always, you can keep in the loop on our development and get the latest news by joining the [url=https://discord.gg/starshiptroopersgame][b]ST:E Community Discord![/b][/url]