Factions

Updates during this phase of development focused heavily on Factions and their larger role within the game. This included UI changes, feature expansion, fixes, and polishing of existing mechanics. Full list of changes below!

Changes

• Reputation System: Now incorporates external metrics such as wars, assets, and faction activity
• Influence System: Now calculated based on internal factors, including member progression and engagement

Additions

• Faction Treaties:

  • Factions can form treaties with multiple factions
  • Treaty members can transfer weapons between factions (fees applied)
  • Treaty members can participate in allied faction wars
  • New treaty members require unanimous approval

• Faction Customization:

  • Factions can upload custom symbols
  • Added banner system (cover-style visuals across faction pages)
  • Tier 2: Leaders can now set Faction Tag
  • Tier 2: Leaders can now grant custom ranks for members

• Faction Invitations:

  • Leadership can send faction invites at a CR cost
  • Cost scales based on faction tier
  • Citizens can opt out via Settings → Game Preferences

• Faction Restrictions:

  • Leaders can define sector access limitations for members

• Faction Scoring - Influence = members + controlled hex tiles + civic tile influence - Reputation = war record + arsenal + faction age - Faction Score = influence + reputation

War Grid

We introduced the War Grid - a mechanic that allows Factions to fight for control over areas of their own Sector, and others. Each sector has a balanced amount of tiles and what benefits those tile provide when a faction has control over them.

This will be a feature that requires extensive development cycles. It opens the game up to simualted combat across the terrains and landscapes of the five Sectors. Early rollout will see the reveal of the Hex Grid (aka, the Battle Grid). A map that shows the future of the battlefield. Additional features such as defensive and offensive assets will be released into the game, eventually tying in battles for sector tiles and control!

Improvements

• Faction Browser:

  • Redesigned interface
  • Added filtering capabilities

• Faction UI:

  • Redesigned faction overview page
  • Improved administration interface
  • Admin tab state now persists between sessions

Fixes

• Fixed incorrect labeling of faction tiers

Skills

• Faction Management:

  • Reduces invite cost when used by sender

• Faction: War Planning [new skill] - Allows players to see more details on War Grid

Items

Introduced scarcity mechanics to reinforce economic control and supply dynamics.

• Personal Data Display:
  • Now enables tab in My Pod to store and take notes

Changes

• Shop Inventory:

  • Items are now limited in quantity per location
  • Restocking occurs on scheduled intervals

• Personal Data Display

  • Now usable in My Pod as a note taking device

Additions

• Oliver's Weapon Shop:
  • Replaces previous vendor temporarily

The Agency

Improved the design and fixed many bugs across the ad systems

Changes

• Added queue and scheduler logic for ads
• Clarified ad types

Inventory

Improvements for usability and expanded functionality.

Changes

• Added ability to use consumable items from inventory

Fixes

• Fixed bug that crashed inventory when using last of item
• Fixed dispaly of right panel when switching between primary/equipped weapons and armors

City Map

Improvements

• Improved zoom handling
• Added live weather panel
• Improved weather animations

Game Engine

Improvements

• Asset Loading:

  • Reduced load times across the game

• Weather System:

  • Introduced new weather conditions
  • Improved transition realism and pattern flow

• City Map

  • Fixed bug that caused building data loss when adding new buildings after game build

Battle Arena

Changes

• Access Rules:
  • PvP opt-in now applies only to PvP combat participation
  • Players can view the arena without opting in

Fixes

• Fixed incorrect "exhausted" state display

Player

Additions

• Custom Avatars:
  • Upload via Settings → Game Preferences

Changes

• Regeneration:
  • HP and Energy now regenerate over time
  • Vitality now influences regeneration rate

Forums

Fixes:

• Fixed UI when replying to post

Armor

Changes

• Classification System:
  • Updated armor tiers: 10 => Covered 20 => Reinforced 30 => Guarded 50 => Shielded 70 => Fortified 90 => Hardened 120 => Bulwarked 160 => Plated 180 => Bastioned 220 => Aegis