Lightbox Interactive is gearing up for the release of the next Starhawk patch. In this patch you’ll find many new balance changes along with improved networking and the enabling of the complaint system.
What’s included in the next patch:
- B&B OutPost cost reduced from 8 to 4 Rift
- Field Mechanic Skill now auto-repairs Hawks far more slowly
- OX Tank HE Shell direct-hit damage reduced by 33%
- OX Tank HE Shell blast damage reduced by 33%
- OX Tank HE Shell now has slower rate of fire
- OX Tank HE Shell accuracy has been reduced a small amount
- OX Tank vehicle construction cost increased from 2 to 4 Rift
- Hawk Cluster Bomb blast damage reduced 40% per bomb
- Hawk Cluster Bomb blast damage area reduced from 30′ to 20′
- Hawk Cluster Bomb blast damage fall-off increased
- Hawk Shield damage absorption-capacity has been reduced by 50%
- Hawk Cloak time has been reduced by 33%
- Hawk Homing missile Max speed has been increased by 25%
- Hawk Homing Missile target acquisition speed has been increased by 70%
- Hawk Homing Missile thrust-delay reduced by 50%
- Player Complaint System is enabled
- SkillScore now factored-in for Matchmaking
- Updated “Player-Danger” icons & logic for server-list
- Auto-Turret dismantle now twice as fast
If you would like to read more on the reasoning behind each of the changes, make sure to visit the official patch note page.
As for networking errors, the team is still working hard on it and this patch should improve it just a bit. However, expect bigger fixes in the next patch as it’ll improve stability along with adding a new network error system that’ll automatically send errors to them. With this system, they should be able to pinpoint where issues are happening the most and how they could fix it.
The team is also working hard on those free maps that they have promised and hope to have information in the coming weeks. Along with new maps, they are also working on some brand new game modes and have teased that they are currently beta testing one called “Flight-CT”. According to the team, this game mode plays similar to that of Quidditch (Harry Potter):
“Team-based air-combat, 1 ‘ball’ in the middle of the sky and 2 goals one at either end of the map. You score points by getting the “ball” and flying through the goal. The prototype was early and rough but it was hella-fun and we’ll keep you posted on how it develops, and when it looks like we’ll release it for all of you guys to get your hands on!”
That’s all the Starhawk news for today. If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out my multiplayer review of Starhawk.