Palis Airuta

Hey.
 
PvP in DU is a complicated topic that has to be split into smaller chunks if we want to discuss it properly. I don't want to discuss it for too long because I have the feeling that no one from NQ reads that anyway. But in case I'm wrong I'll just add my minimized Feedback for them here.
Basic principles of combat mechanics in DU It's not an arcade type of the gameplay, instead we have a slow paced tactical approach where a cold blood and wise decisions are much more valuable then players skill and reflexes. You can like it or not but I love it. In my opinion this is something that positively distinguishes DU from other games  (just my personal preference here). Much of the combat is focused on handling your ship. Building mode and repairs during combat, venting shields, patching the hull, refilling the rocket taks and so on. This is also fantastic for me. Unfortunately after introducing shields, allowing remote controller and makeing honeycomb weaker this part of the gameplay almost dissapeared. I think that this could be brought back by better balancing stuff. Quality of the delivery It's so bad that I don't know where to start. Very poor balance, memory leaks, ship acceleration related to game session time, No RPS mechanics, the ship stopping still while the player switch view and so for, and so on... Combat Depth It is very shallow right now in terms of interesting combat mechanics. Lacks stuff like aiming at something specific, systems countering systems, electronic warfare etc. ...fortunately it is partially saved by the ship building mechanics that allows players to create a bit different strategies based on their designs. However poor balance and no RPS makes this part quite flat as well. Meaningful PvP For me Meaningful PvP means giving players a good reason to have it in game. In my opinion DU delivers it really well. This whole asteroid thing really do the job here.  I would like to see more missions in space that are well paid and not boring as package carring that gives players high reward but take place in the pvp zone. Railguns Why the hell you can putt only 3 railguns when you max your skills ?!   (I'm gonna add this to all my posts Carthage style ) To sum up. For me it's one of the best space PvP i ever played even though it's delivered in quality so bad thatyou coul write a book about it. Personally I would never change the basic principles here, just elaborate and polish until it shines.
 

Mining units are one of the key features that will be introduced in the upcoming Demeter update. What are they? How do they work? How will they impact the gameplay of Dual Universe? Read on for the answers to those questions and learn more about these handy-dandy little ore vacuums. 
 
HOW DO MINING UNITS WORK?
Let’s start with the basics. 
 
Mining units are new elements that you can deploy on your static constructs on the surface of planets. They need to be linked to an output container and, once started, they will autonomously dispense ore at regular intervals into this container without the need for you to be connected to the game. 
 
There is one mining unit for each tier and they are large elements. Each tier of mining unit is able to mine ores of the same tier. In addition to these five large mining units, there is also a small one for tier 1 only. This special small mining unit is intended for beginners.
 
Let’s have a look at these beautiful beasts in action.
 

A minimalist mining building with an active mining unit and its best friend, the container
 
These mining units work only if the mining ray you see in the screenshot above is not obstructed and can reach the ground. The mining ray has a maximum range of 50m.
 
Once the mining unit is deployed, linked to an output container, and in range of the ground, you can select what ore it will mine and start the machine. Once calibrated (more on that below), It will then mine regularly and deliver a batch of ore in the output container every hour. To further automate the process, the output container can be designated as the entry point of an industry line. (Note: If the container is full; the mining unit will no longer collect ore, so you’ll need to empty the output containers from time to time or have them feed directly into an industry line.)
 
There are two primary considerations when deploying mining units. First, you need to make sure the territory where they are deployed actually holds enough ore underground and the units will need to be calibrated before they will begin collecting ore.

TERRITORY POOLS
Various types and tiers of ore are dispersed with limited availability across Dual Universe. You won’t find them all grouped together in a particular place. 
 
To represent that, each territory in the game can provide up to a certain volume of ore each hour. That’s what we call the ‘ore pool’. A territory scan can show the kinds of ore present on a territory tile and their yield rates in liters per hour.
 

This territory is capable of providing a variety of tier 1 ore
 
The image above illustrates the territory-based maximum rate for each ore on this territory. Since there’s a maximum yield per hour, adding more and more mining units becomes useless past a certain point. Each active mining unit “consumes” a part of these available resources. These territory pools represent mining rates, not a total volume of available ore. For example, if a territory has a pool of 100 l/h of a given ore and each mining unit is capable of extracting 50 l/h, then you need two mining units to maximize your extraction capacity, and any additional mining unit beyond two won't give you more yield.
 
Unlike the previous ‘manual mining’ system, the new ore pools are infinite. You will always be able to mine these ores at this rate for as long as you have a calibrated mining unit running here.
 
These territory ore pools are varied and different. On a planetary basis, this new repartition should match more or less the previous allotment for manual underground mining. There are a few changes, but basically a planet that used to contain some tier 3 ore will still contain some tile-wise though, the issuance is very different between low and high tier ores, even from territory tile to territory tile. Typically, you should find tier 1 ore in abundance on nearly every territory tile in the system, but tier 5 ores are only on a few small spots on the most distant planets.

ACTIVE TERRITORIES
For mining units to work, the territory must be active. That simply means that the territory tax for it must be paid. That’s right, if you want the shiny rocks, you gotta pay your taxes. You can learn more about territory upkeep in an upcoming devlog. 

MINING RIGHTS
If you share your territory tile with your friends or organization, you might want to keep the precious underground ores for yourself or, conversely, allow only specific people the ability to operate mining units on your territories. For this purpose, we’re adding the Mining Unit Right. Without this, mining units belonging to other players are unable to access the ore pool and cannot mine on your territories. 

ADJACENCY BONUS
Mining units are social. They like to be around friends. That’s why if you own several active territories near each other, the mining units working on them get an ‘adjacency bonus’ to yield a greater amount of ore beyond the ore pool in each batch. Note that the territories must be owned by the same entity. If you find a great tile with precious ore under it, it might be worth it to own and maintain a few adjacent territories.

EXTRACTING AND CALIBRATION
As explained above, mining units are fully autonomous, doing their appointed duties regardless of where you are and what you’re doing, including when you’re offline having real-world adventures (which you should be enjoying from time to time). The reality is just a bit more complex as mining units need to be calibrated to work efficiently.
 
Each mining unit has a ‘calibration score’ and slowly loses calibration over time if kept unchecked. When the calibration score is below 100%, the mining unit will produce less ore; at 0%, it won’t produce anything at all. To remedy that, it must be calibrated.
 
To calibrate, you will need to enter a specific interface where you will manually probe the territory in search of underground ore. This is ‘extracting’.
 

Manually extracting ore and calibrating the mining unit
 
In this extracting session, you will use several tools to probe the territory tile, but you will need to keep a look at the probe battery at the same time. The goal is to find the optimal point with the best ore density that you’ll select at the end of the process. Depending on the quality of the location, this will have two effects:
It will increase the calibration score so that the mining unit can continue to do its job. It will also extract a few ore rocks in the process and those will pop to the surface of the tile at the selected location. These may be harvested manually at your convenience; they don’t expire.   
Calibration is not unlimited. Each player generates calibration charges at the rate of one charge every few hours. You can use your charges on the mining units owned by other players or organizations as long as you have the rights needed to access them.
 
Finally, a single mining unit cannot be extracted twice in a row. There’s a 24-hour cooldown period before calibrating it again. The upside is that mining units will not lose calibration for two days after being calibrated.

MINING UNIT TALENTS
Since mining units are a big new thing for Dual Universe, they come with a variety of new talents to complement their use.
 
You will have talents that improve the:
mining unit efficiency, on element deploy base mining rate, on element deploy speed at which your character will regenerate calibration charges  maximum mining charges your character can hold amount of ore extracted when calibrating  
GETTING TO THE CORE OF TERRAFORMING
One change we do want to make you all aware of comes as part of the terraforming changes where previously a number of players had dug down to the center of certain planets or moons. Each planet or moon will now have an impenetrable core at the center that forms about 80% of the planet's radius with a minimum digable depth of 5 km below its “sea” level.
 

 
As such, some constructs may be located below this line after the incoming terrain changes. In these cases, we will raise those constructs up to the relevant planet’s surface. (See this article about preparing for the geometry reset for directions on how to request assistance.) 

A CHANGE OF HEART, THE REMOVAL OF SCAN RESULTS
We received a considerable amount of feedback from players who were opposed to keeping old scan results relevant. And following some internal discussions on the topic, we feel that it is indeed in the best interest of the game to provide a clean slate when it comes to mining data to prevent the hottest of hotspots from being immediately taken. As such, we will be clearing all scan results from the game when Demeter goes live. 
 
We realise that this will inconvenience some of the players who have large amounts of scan data; however, we do believe it is the right thing to do.

DO YOU ‘DIG’ THE MINING CHANGES?
Mining units are a significant departure in how mining is done in Dual Universe. The old underground mining system is gone, replaced by mining units and asteroid mining. We hope that you will appreciate the new feature, from territory management and optimization to the extracting sessions. We really think that the new state of mining in DU is more sustainable and hope you’ll agree. Share your feedback here. 
 

Given that the new system does not need to reseed the ground to reset the ore. NQ could always make it a feature of the land efficiency maps changing/resetting to new values every 3-6 months or so.  This will drastically lower the need for hefty safe zone territory taxes and give new and returning players an even chance to discover the rare territories later on in the game. ?‍♂️ 

We have been adding a lot of features to the Lua API following the additions of shields and core combat stress in addition to the docking and boarding changes. We have taken a lot of your feedback and suggestions into consideration and have made a few changes to improve some of the consistency and implementation of Lua.

These changes are minor; we can't rework the whole Lua API without breaking most of your scripts. 

With this in mind and to finalize the implementation of the Lua API associated with docking and future changes to other mechanics, we have decided to adjust a few parts that may be major for Lua creators, both for the addition of new features and the improvement and consistency of the API as a whole.

In this first part of a three-part devblog, we’ll cover the recent Lua changes and additions, including some related to docking and the deprecation of quaternions. 
 
You can read up on the other parts here: Part 2 & Part 3
 
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS
First, we have decided to rework the way the repositories associated with constructs and elements are managed.

Previously, some functions returning position or orientation information referred to the center or even a corner of the construct, others to the position of the core unit in the construct.

Going forward we have standardized everything. Once these changes go live, all functions will be based on the reference frame of the construct whose origin is the center of the build zone. Further, in order to guarantee the functionality of the flight systems and to safeguard the gyro unit, we have integrated in a clearer way of representing orientation.

An orientation unit is an element that is used to define the orientation of your construct. There are two orientation units in the game, the core unit and the gyro unit. As a construct cannot exist without a unique core unit, the core unit is always the default orientation unit. By pressing F on a gyro unit, you can switch to using the gyro unit as the current orientation unit.

You can see that the marker and arrow displayed when you enter the build mode will indicate the orientation given by the active orientation unit. 
You can activate a gyro unit by pressing F on it and so use its orientation.
 
See examples below:


For these changes, we have added:
<int> core.getOrientationUnitId() : Returns the UID of the currently active orientation unit (the core unit or the gyro unit). We have also modified the following functions:
<vec3> core.getConstructOrientationForward() : Returns the forward direction vector of the active orientation unit in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getConstructOrientationUp() : Returns the up direction vector of the active orientation unit in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getConstructOrientationRight() : Returns the right direction vector of the active orientation unit in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getConstructWorldOrientationForward() : Returns the forward direction vector of the active orientation unit in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getConstructWorldOrientationUp() : Returns the up direction vector of the active orientation unit in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getConstructWorldOrientationRight() : Returns the right direction vector of the active orientation unit in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getConstructWorldPos() : Returns the position of the center of the construct in world coordinates (instead of orientation units position).
  REMOVAL OF QUATERNIONS
 
Quaternions are the quotient of two directed lines in a three-dimensional space or the quotient of two vectors.  In looking at how players were using Lua and reading their feedback, , we realized that very few players were familiar with this mathematical notion of representing rotation. 
 
Therefore, we decided to deprecate quaternions from the Lua API and instead expose the direction vectors of objects.
 

 
While this leads to the addition and change of some functions, deprecated functions will remain backwards compatible and will display a deprecated message in the Lua console.
 
<quat> core.getElementRotationById(<int> uid) : DEPRECATED <vec3> core.getElementPositionById(<int> uid) : Returns the position of the element, identified by its UID in construct local coordinates (instead of the construct corner). <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerRelativePosition() : DEPRECATED <quat> unit.getMasterPlayerRelativeOrientation() : DEPRECATED And we have added the following functions:
<vec3> core.getElementForwardById(<int> uid) : Returns the forward direction vector of the element identified by its UID in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getElementUpById(<int> uid) : Returns the up direction vector of the element identified by its UID in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getElementRightById(<int> uid) : Returns the right direction vector of the element identified by its UID in construct local coordinates. <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerPosition() : Returns the position of the player currently running the control unit in construct local coordinates (relative to the construct center instead of the control unit). <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerWorldPosition() : Returns the position of the player currently running the control unit in world coordinates. <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerForward() : Returns the forward direction vector of the player currently running the control unit in construct local coordinates. <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerUp() : Returns the up direction vector of the player currently running the control unit in construct local coordinates. <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerRight() : Returns the right direction vector of the player currently running the control unit in construct local coordinates. <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerWorldForward() : Returns the forward direction vector of the player currently running the control unit in world coordinates. <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerWorldUp() : Returns the up direction vector of the player currently running the control unit in world coordinates. <vec3> unit.getMasterPlayerWorldRight() : Returns the right direction vector of the player currently running the control unit in world coordinates.  
DOCKING-RELATED LUA API ADDITIONS

With the new docking mechanic, we wanted to empower players to manage the parent-child relationship between constructs. 

Some of the additions were added in  the Ares (0.26.12) update;  however, we still had more changes and additions planned and these will be included with the Lua changes release

We have added and modified the following functions:
<vec3> core.getVelocity(): Returns the construct's linear velocity, relative to its parent, in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getWorldVelocity(): Returns the construct's linear velocity, relative to its parent, in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getAbsoluteVelocity(): Returns the construct's absolute linear velocity in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getWorldAbsoluteVelocity(): Returns the construct's absolute linear velocity in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentPosition(): Returns the position of the construct's parent when docked in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentWorldPosition(): Returns the position of the construct's parent when docked in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentForward(): Returns the construct's parent forward direction vector in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentUp(): Returns the construct's parent up direction vector in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentRight(): Returns the construct's parent right direction vector in construct local coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentWorldForward(): Returns the construct's parent forward direction vector in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentWorldUp(): Returns the construct's parent up direction vector in world coordinates. <vec3> core.getParentWorldRight(): Returns the construct's parent right direction vector in world coordinates.  
Questions? Comments? 

We’re sure some of the Lua-enthusiasts in our community will have questions and comments about this blog. Post them here so our resident Lua expert, Ligo, can discuss them with you.
 
Watch for Part 2 next week. It’s got great information about radar changes, the library database, an in-game atlas, and an event handling system. 
 

Could we get the option to stop the general chat notifications? Because I couldn't really care less what's going on in that channel, never have.

ALL ABOUT ASTEROIDS 
Ahh, those crunchy little rock nuggets, filled with fabulous sweet surprises. *nom nom nom* Okay, so they aren’t so little, and they probably aren’t all that delicious, but those sweet surprises are very, very real. Some say they smell like quanta.
 
Let’s take a look at asteroids, one of the key features coming in Apollo (0.26), now available on the public test server. What are they? What’s in them? How do you find them? How will they impact the gameplay of Dual Universe?
 
WHAT ASTEROIDS ARE, WHAT THEY HOLD
Asteroids are small, temporary celestial bodies. You will be able to track, discover, and mine them. They respawn in dispersed batches weekly, and asteroids in each batch will initially spawn over the first 24 hours.  
 
The addition of asteroids will bring some spicy elements to gameplay as they provide a real incentive for PvP other than mere pirating (not that there’s anything wrong with that if that’s your thing). Another upside is that locating and mining asteroids, along with transporting their bounty, will encourage cooperation and interaction between different groups of players. One can never have too many friends, right? 
 

 
At the end of the life cycle of these asteroids, they will be despawned, to make way for a new batch to spawn. For testing purposes, this is set to one week but is subject to change based on community feedback. 
 
And, last but not least, it’s always good to have another way to acquire resources. Asteroids are also more resource-rich than your average mining territory. The ore they contain is of varying tiers, depending on the area in which they are discovered. Higher tier ore will be found in the more dangerous PvP zones. The greater the risk, the higher the reward. 
 
HOW TO FIND THEM
Although it is technically possible to discover an asteroid as you’re roaming around in space, it’s more likely that you’ll need some mechanical assistance. 
 
Say hello to the deep space asteroid tracker (DSAT). It serves two general purposes: to display all existing asteroids in the system, regardless of their state, and to track undiscovered asteroids. Once an asteroid is discovered, you’ll use the DSAT to set a series of waypoints to it. 
 

 
The DSAT display panel shows: 
Rumored: Asteroids that exist but have not been discovered. Discovered: Asteroids that have been successfully discovered. Broadcast: The shared location of discovered asteroids.  Discovered countdown timer: The length of time remaining before broadcasting the location of a discovered asteroid. Scan: Click to begin scanning for an asteroid’s location.   

 
Information about the specific asteroid being scanned is displayed in the box above. The Rarity field shows the type of ore you will find there, ranging from Basic, Uncommon, Advanced, Rare and Exotic. 
 
From there, you can select an asteroid to track. The DSAT will ask you to scan several information points in the target area in order to zero in on the final location of the asteroid. These information points are unique for each player; sharing them won’t enable anyone else to speed through the scanning process. Once you have reached and scanned all the information points, the location of the asteroid will be revealed.
 
When someone touches down on the asteroid, the time starts ticking. In four hours, the location will be revealed in the Broadcast section of the DSAT display, visible to anyone with a DSAT unit.  
 
(Important note: The four-hour time limit is subject to change based on testing results and player feedback.) 
 
DIG IN
Good news for the lone wolves of the world: Single-player asteroid-hunting is completely feasible. It is about picking the right amount of risk and having a well-designed ship for dig-and-run action. A major perk of being the first to discover and begin mining an asteroid is that you’re pretty much guaranteed to pull out a few nodes of higher-tier-ore from the get-go. A tier-3 asteroid might contain a couple of tier-5 veins.
 
How long it will take to fully deplete all of the asteroid’s resources depends on a wide range of variables. How large is the crew? How good are they at working together? What equipment are they using? A well-oiled machine of a team with top-line equipment has the potential to complete the task before the four-hour broadcast timer dings. (Potential being the operative word there.) 
 
A more likely scenario is that you’ll have competition. Being the first to successfully locate the asteroid doesn’t give you exclusive rights to it. Anyone else can scan and locate it, too, or stumble upon it out of sheer luck. 
 
SWITCHING THINGS UP 
Although the basic mining gameplay and mechanics are in place, a big change for miners is that asteroids have extremely low gravity and no atmosphere to speak of, giving you the option to mine and dig entirely in jetpack mode if you so choose. 
 
Another significant departure is that with asteroids having the potential to spawn in PvP zones, this will also be the first time players can mine and fight in the same general area.
 
CHOICES
With plenty of options related to asteroids, you’ve got some important choices to make. 
Is your sole business to find asteroids and sell the location information to others before they are publicly broadcasted? Will you stick to the safe zones and leave the dangerous resource gathering to others? Do you use the Job Forum to hire help to mine and transport ore? Will you scour the skies looking for miners to loot?   These are simply a few possibilities. There are countless more, and endless stories of victory and defeat waiting to be told. 
 
What will your asteroid glory story be? Share it in the forums. 
 

Earlier this year, we presented our plans for the future of Dual Universe, following player feedback from the beta. Along with these plans, we had an internal roadmap, which we thought needed further refinement before being able to share it publicly, as we want to be able to give our community a reliable view of our plans. We now feel that this time has come, so here is the roadmap for the remainder of 2021. 
 
A few important things to note: 
This is a work in progress.  Dates may shift.  Features may be added or removed.  
Please also note that there is more further down the line, past 2021. We just want to be realistic about content and timings and start with delivering what we think is important for 2021. We hope to be working with you, our community, to deliver fun and interesting new features and improvements, thanks to our “new” release process, which includes the PTS, and to your ongoing feedback.
 
Which features on the roadmap are you most excited about? 
 

We invited you to ask questions about 0.25 and 0.26 for a Q&A, and you did not disappoint! Here are the responses to some of the most commonly asked questions. 
 
The community also expressed curiosity about issues related to schematics and voxels. Those are both important topics that we think would be better served in separate, focused discussions. We’ll hit those for you soon. 
 
Big thanks to everyone who submitted questions. Let’s keep the conversation going! 
 
1. Will the PTS receive a newer image when the next iteration comes through?
Our most important consideration is to ensure better, smoother releases. (Can we agree that Hermes went pretty well?) Unfortunately, that means that migration to PTS is not on the priority list. Migrating the database from the live environment to the PTS requires a lot of work from our DevOps and Production teams, among others. These resources are scarce in the company, and, as usual, it’s about choices. 
 
We’d like to remind you, though, that playing on PTS comes with a lot of perks, such as dispensers with infinite resources, the ability to change skills at-will, millions of quanta, etc. 
 
2. Are there going to be any changes to nerf the ability to use multiple alts with the hauling missions?
We don’t currently have plans for that. We consider the cost of moving a package being the movement of the mass. You still need a bigger ship to move a larger amount of cargo. That said, we will consider the question of alts carefully for future mission types.

3. Will you be adding a way to identify which packages belong to which mission?
This is a great suggestion! We definitely see how it would bring quality of life for mission-takers out there. It seems quite doable although it’s unlikely we can include it with Apollo (0.26) since that’s already underway internally and should come to the PTS soon; however, we’re in the process of discussing how we can add it to a future release.
 
4. Are org changes coming with 0.26?
Following feedback from the community and discussions with some of the major org leaders, we announced this week that the org changes have been postponed. While we still need to address issues caused by nested organizations, we also want to make sure that we approach the changes in a collaborative manner with the players. With more options to consider and more conversations needed, it’s highly unlikely that these changes will come with the next major version, Apollo (0.26).

5. Will you please elaborate on what you mean by "PvP balance changes"? Will you be improving combat with smaller cores/stopping cube designs, etc., or just adding shields?
We’ll share more details as the Apollo release date gets closer. To give you a little sneak peek now, we can say that overall it will feature weapons changes (including cosmetics), PvP-related bug fixes, the introduction of shields, and quite a few changes to the overall balancing of PvP. We would like to manage expectations by stating that this will be the first wave of changes and that we will have more heavy PvP-focused releases in the future.
 
6. Is passive mining coming before asteroid mining?
Planet/passive mining is planned for the release after Apollo, codenamed Demeter. With Apollo, we are focusing on the introduction of asteroid hunting and mining gameplay. We’ll communicate more about it once Apollo is out of the way, but rest assured that these changes to mining are not too far in the future.
 
7. Do we get to have mining elements for ships?
With Apollo, we will introduce one new element called the DSat scanner, which will be used to hunt down asteroids and discover their location. Mining itself will work as it currently does on planets though. More info on Apollo features coming soon. 

8. Will asteroid mechanics still put a huge red arrow over your head by broadcasting the position through the universe, removing any need for PvPers to put effort into finding those who go out and find asteroids?
To clarify, some asteroids will be in the PvP zone and some won’t. Asteroids in the PvP zone will have higher chances of including higher-tier ore and, as such, will be more valuable. But asteroids in safe zones should be worth your while, too. 
 
There will be a countdown between the time an asteroid is discovered by a player and the moment when its location is broadcast to other players. (Currently, the gap is four hours but this may change once we get feedback from players.) It shouldn’t be enough to completely deplete an asteroid of all its ore, but it should be enough to mine all the good stuff first. Once the location is publicized, it’s up to you if you want to stick around to finish mining the asteroid or move away before the pirates show up. 
 
We think this will provide interesting collaboration mechanics (mining while others protect the miners, for example) and, yes, additional PvP opportunities. We don’t think it will become an easy targeting system for pirates, though, as there’s no guarantee miners will still be on site by the time they arrive after learning of an asteroid location. 
 
9. Will the asteroid system use the current land mining system, 400m manual scanner and hand-operated vein or will it be blocks of pure ore?
Yes, asteroid mining will use mechanics similar to the current on-planet mining gameplay. Think of them as mini-planets with valuable ores.
 

The three-part devblog series we published in April, “The Future of Dual Universe”, addressed the cost of doing business and our plans for the ramp-up to launch. We took the first steps in delivering on those changes in May with the incremental 0.25 updates, adding more gameplay content and improving both performance and visuals.
 
Our 0.25 updates brought players:  
Voxel compression  Constructs LOD  Hauling Missions The Job Forum The first of a series of Challenges The integration of PopcornFX for visual effects And, of course, many bug fixes and additional improvements  
If you haven’t had time yet to check out these changes, we released some videos showcasing them. Watch this video for a closer look and missions and challenges and this first look at the new visual effects. 
 
About the latter, It was fun to watch the real-time reactions from our Twitch streamer community as they saw the changes for the first time. 
 
Now that 0.25 is wrapped up, development is underway for our next big milestone. Codenamed Apollo, the update centers around the first phase of a major mining revamp. The addition of asteroids will provide rare and precious ore, which in turn will create opportunities for conflict as the hunters become the hunted. To that end, PVP will receive a first wave of balancing changes and the introduction of shields. Keep an eye out for devblogs on these topics! 
 
In the meanwhile, we’d like to invite you to post your follow-up questions about the changes we introduced in 0.25 in this thread. In turn, we’ll take the best questions for an upcoming Q&A. Your insights and constructive feedback go a long way not only in helping us identify any lingering issues that should be addressed but are also helpful in how we can make things better in future updates. 
 

We recently introduced the first wave of an ongoing effort to enhance the visual effects (VFX) in Dual Universe, thanks to the integration of PopcornFX, a middleware solution for creating stunning particle effects. 
 
Players celebrated the difference when the first VFX improvements debuted as part of the 0.25.8 Hermes update on June 18th. This video showcases just some of the cool new effects, from ‘sparklier’ particle explosions to ‘glowier’ holograms. 
 
 
The Novaquark Art and Rendering teams took a few moments away from their visual ventures to talk a bit about the PopcornFX implementation and what it means for the DU community. 
 
Q: How will Dual Universe players benefit from the new visual effects? 
Our primary goals have been to improve immersion and increase the wow factor. Being an MMO, immersion is key, a layer of life added to our game. For that reason, we are always exploring different ways to improve graphics to make the world more believable and give it a sense of spectacle. Our new VFX are made with PopcornFX Editor. It gives us full control and makes it easy to experiment and iterate new versions that will improve the player experience.
 
Q: Why did Novaquark choose PopcornFX?
Dual Universe is being developed with Unigine, which we like since it allows us to do heavy modifications to achieve the desired results; however, those modifications have also prevented us from being able to benefit from Unigine’s latest visual improvements. PopcornFX is the perfect solution to fill that gap. It has exactly what we need technically for its implementation, top-notch visuals, and excellent performance results. (We promise they didn’t pay us to say this!)
 
Q: Considering the proprietary technology behind DU, implementing off-the-shelf technologies can be tricky. What technical difficulties had to be overcome with this integration?
It required several iterations and cross-team collaboration to ensure that integration was working properly so that it would be in an acceptable state for rollout to players. It first took the effort of the Rendering team to have the main pipeline working, from loading an effect file, launching the particle simulation, getting the buffer data back, and directing them to the right places and the right shaders. We’ve been able to build onto this and support more and more features requested by the Art team. We also worked with the Gameplay and Tool teams to supply a clean integration with variables from the game to provide a deep connection between the effects and the game itself by exposing all the parameters VFX artists can use.
 
Q: Which VFX are we currently focusing on and what is the roll-out plan for future VFX updates?
Our most recent update, Hermes, included a long list of our first PopcornFX-generated graphics. 
 
Tools: harvest, mining, directional detector, scanners, deploy ground element, refuel, maneuver, flatten, build mode tools. Industries: assembly lines, refiners, electronics, chemical, refiner, glass furnace, smelter, honeycomb refiner, printer, metalwork.  Decorative constructs: plants, holograms. Miscellaneous: Arkship effects, elevators, an element explosion.  
Our goal regarding VFX is to apply them in almost every aspect of the game; sometimes they may be quite noticeable and others may be so subtle they are almost imperceivable. The layering is what adds that necessary depth of flavor to be well-rounded. 
We will continue to introduce new VFX to enhance the gameplay experience, for example the piloting experience and the PVP experience, and to breathe more life into some older elements that need it while introducing new elements along the way, too. We’ll also give some motion to the HUD and our complex interface that we know can really improve the immersion.
 
Q: In addition to the VFX improvements, what other visual enhancements can players look for in the coming months? 
Since we began using PopcornFX, we've been seeing the game world through a new lens, brainstorming the possibilities and prioritizing all the improvements we want to make. The stellar views within the universe will be even more stellar as our ‘biome beautification’ efforts continue. The compliments we’ve been receiving from the community have been inspiring and encouraged us to take DU’s visuals to the next level. 
 

We’re making some changes to the way organizations work. 
 
Currently, organizations can cascade within themselves thus making it possible to create a near-infinite multitude of sub-organizations. This poses a problem from both a design and cost perspective as it removes any form of scaling limit to the amount of constructs and organization that can be in the game. It also leaves the door open for various ways to circumvent limitations needed for balancing. 
 
These changes will address these issues as well as clear up a number of anomalies that are affecting some existing organizations. They will be included in the 0.26 update, which gives you more than a month to reorganize as needed. 
 
New regulations for organizations will be:
Each organization must have a player as its super legate. An account can only be the super legate of one organization. Nested organizations will still be possible but will require a player as super legate of that organization, and that player cannot also be the super legate of the parent organization.
  To ensure a smooth transition and have things set up the way you prefer, we encourage you to restructure your org(s) accordingly. Organizations that have not been updated will undergo an automated modification process. This will be done in a prioritized order as described below. 
 
For players that are the super legate of multiple organizations:
One organization will be selected as the player’s primary organization according to the following parameters: The number of players in the organization. The number of constructs in the organization. The age of the organization. The player will become a designated legate for any other orgs to which they belong.
  To address situations where an organization is nested within another so that there is no player designated as super legate, these are the solutions we’ll pursue: 
The legate with the most seniority that is not already a super legate of an organization and has connected over the past month at the time of the change is promoted to super legate. If no legates exist, the oldest member that is not already a super legate of an organization and has played within the past month at the time of the change is promoted to super legate. The oldest legate that is not already a super legate of an organization is promoted to super legate. The oldest member that is not already a super legate of an organization is promoted to super legate. If none of the above apply, the organization will be disbanded.
  Constructs and territories for any properly structured organizations or organizations that are assigned a new super legate will be unaffected and remain in ownership of that organization. The constructs and territories of disbanded orgs will be reassigned to the first former super legate in the chain of organization parenting. Any other construct will be abandoned, and territories will be unclaimed.

 

Yes, but "fun" is subjective
Yes, but still subjective
Why?
 
DU is a game based around a low tick server tech, it has massive built in latency to be able to support the core functions of the game. In that context a fast paced PVP style simply will never work.
 
I really feel that too many have expectations from the PVP implementation in DU that simply can not ever be met in a reliable way. NQ has really not been able to set the correct expectations and at the same time recognize that what they have been trying to make work regarding combat PVP for a long time now simply will not deliver the expected outcome.
 
My expectations are that combat PVP will move much more towards strategic gameplay, almost turn based, than towards more action based. And I absolutely believe that this change can still be fun and exciting. Realistically speaking the whole periscope idea is just not effective, it presents challenges that are extremely hard, if not impossible to overcome. And realistically, combat in the context of a game like DU would mostly be conducted as a controller, not as a participant on/in the field and your information would be symbols and data on a screen, not a visual of the target.
 
Would that approach turn away certain players? Yes, it would for sure but at the same time these players would eventually be disappointed anyway as what they expect is simply not going to be achievable so why waste time and resources on something that you know will not work in the end, just to appease those that will eventually leave anyway. This is a concept that appears to be missed by the NQ game designers and managers who decide what the developers are tasked to do.
 
Moving to a more strategic approach would, especially when combined with other mechanics to achieve this, shift the potential player base more in the direction of RP style gameplay and that is market which is largely untapped but massive with often mature and financially secure players who are able and willing to sink time and money into their hobby. And the RP community at large is _very_ hungry for a proper SciFi style playground.
 
I honestly believe that DU as a proper MMORPG has a far better chance of success than as an attempted FPS-MMO

Dear Noveans, 
 
We’d like to take a moment to talk about the communication on the forums and in Discord. We appreciate the passion each of you bring to our community and don’t want to diminish it; however, we’ve seen an increase in negativity, specifically attacks, unconstructive complaints, and disrespect to fellow players and our team. This is not okay. 
 
We’ve always invited community members to speak their minds. We’d like to remind everyone that we require a certain level of decorum and respect. Participants in our community areas (forums, Discord, and our social media accounts) are expected to voice criticism and concern constructively and communicate with courtesy and respect.
 
This is a warning that we won’t tolerate attacks on staff, volunteers, or members of this community. If you can’t play nice, and with respect, then this isn’t the community for you. 
 
With love,
SpaceMom
 

Despite our recent efforts to expand and clear out Market 6, we are still getting reports about performance and clutter. We want to assure our players that we understand your frustration and are still working to find better permanent solutions. 
 
Meanwhile, we will be addressing clutter across Alioth this weekend. Our plan is as follows:
Dynamic constructs that have not had direct interaction with their owner over a set duration (currently 30 days*) will be hidden.  Constructs at the market that violate our rules,  Code of Conduct and EULA will be removed.
If your construct is hidden, you can unhide (recover) it by using the Fetch tool. To do this, right-click on it in the Construct list on your Map screen. Any constructs that you own, whether visible or hidden, will appear on this list.
 
Fetch functionality now works for organization-owned constructs as well. For hidden constructs that belong to your organization, your legates can retrieve them via that same functionality. 
 
Our customer support team is at the ready if you still need assistance recovering your constructs. Simply ping our Live Support staff in the in-game help chat with “@GM” or file a ticket on our support page and we will dispatch help right away!
 
Please note that this is intended only as a temporary measure to aid performance and improve your experience when visiting these areas. 
 
We look forward to seeing the results from these changes over the weekend.
 
May your frames be plenty.
 
 
*Duration may change based on our findings 

---This script uses program board to read player name who activated it and check to see if they have permission to enter a door while recording the name on the second screen and making sure its not a duplicate before writing to inside screen. If list exceeds screen you can right click screen and copy html and view elsewhere such as notepad

Requires:
1 databank
2 screens
1 detector unit
1 door

How to Install
 
Paste config and install links in order.

Edit Lua Parameter and Put Player name in parenthesis.
To add more players go into Lua editor and duplicate the line containing "Enter Name Here"
 
Slots                       Hook up in this order and rename slots.
slot1 --> databank
slot2 --> screenIN
slot3 --> detection
slot4 --> screenOUT
slot5 --> fdoor
 
Basic Security Fix 11/30/2020 Json Paste
{"slots":{"0":{"name":"databank","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"1":{"name":"screenIN","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"2":{"name":"detection","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"3":{"name":"screenOUT","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"4":{"name":"fdoor","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"5":{"name":"slot6","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"6":{"name":"slot7","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"7":{"name":"slot8","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"8":{"name":"slot9","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"9":{"name":"slot10","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"-1":{"name":"unit","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"-2":{"name":"system","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}},"-3":{"name":"library","type":{"events":[],"methods":[]}}},"handlers":[{"code":"known_players = {}\ntable.insert(known_players,database.getPlayer(id).name..[[]]..database.getPlayer(id).id)\nlocal Detectedhtml = \"\"\nfor _, name in pairs(known_players) do\n\ndatabank.setStringValue(\"Detected\",\"<div style=font-size:5vh>ID\"..\"&nbsp;\"..database.getPlayer(id).id..\"&nbsp;\".. database.getPlayer(id).name..\"<p>\")\ndatabank.setStringValue(\"ChkDet\",database.getPlayer(id).name)\n\nend \nfdoor.deactivate()\ndoorhtml= ([[<svg class=\"bootstrap\" viewBox=\"0 0 1920 1080\" style=\"width:100%; height:100%\" <svg width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\">\n <g>\n <title>background</title>\n <rect x=\"-1\" y=\"-1\" width=\"1922\" height=\"1082\" id=\"canvas_background\" fill=\"#000000\"/>\n </g>\n\n <g>\n <title>Layer 1</title>\n <text font-weight=\"bold\" font-style=\"italic\" xml:space=\"preserve\" text-anchor=\"start\" font-family=\"'Courier New', Courier, monospace\" font-size=\"100\" id=\"svg_18\" y=\"500\" x=\"668.233333\" stroke-width=\"0\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=]]..OrgColor..[[>]]..OrgName..[[</text>\n <text font-weight=\"bold\" font-style=\"italic\" xml:space=\"preserve\" text-anchor=\"start\" font-family=\"'Courier New', Courier, monospace\" font-size=\"100\" id=\"svg_19\" y=\"600\" x=\"426.333278\" stroke-width=\"0\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=]]..SecondaryTitleColor..[[>]]..SecondaryTitle..[[</text>\n </g>\n</svg>]])\nscreenOUT.setHTML(doorhtml)\n\n\n","filter":{"args":[{"variable":"*"}],"signature":"leave(id)","slotKey":"2"},"key":"0"},{"code":"playerna = unit.getMasterPlayerId()\nplayernamesdoor = system.getPlayerName(playerna)\n---Basic Security Fix(Player Requested)---\nOwner = \"NEWMidgetMAN\" --export:Main Owner\n\n\nPlayersOnList = {Owner,\"PrincessKitty\",\"Enter Name Here\", \"Enter Name Here\"} --Enter Name Here are Examples.\nlocal function contains(table, val)\n for i=1,#table do\n if table[i] == val then \n return true\n end\n end\n return false\nend\n\nif contains(PlayersOnList, playernamesdoor) then\n\tdoorhtml = \"\"\n\tdoorhtml = doorhtml .. \"<div style=font-size:10vh> Access Granted <br> Welcome Back : <br><p><div style=font-size:15vh>\" ..playernamesdoor..\"\\n\"\n\tscreenOUT.setHTML(doorhtml)\n\tfdoor.activate()\nelse\n \t doorhtml = ([[<svg 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d=\"M697.61,510.57H727q9.62,0,14.39,4.57t4.79,13q0,8.67-5.22,13.56t-15.91,4.88h-9.69v21.25H697.61ZM715.38,535h4.33c3.42,0,5.81-.59,7.19-1.78a5.72,5.72,0,0,0,2.07-4.55,6.38,6.38,0,0,0-1.79-4.57c-1.2-1.25-3.46-1.88-6.76-1.88h-5Z\"/><path d=\"M753.23,539.25q0-14,7.81-21.84t21.76-7.81q14.3,0,22,7.67t7.74,21.51q0,10-3.38,16.46a24.08,24.08,0,0,1-9.77,10q-6.39,3.57-15.92,3.58-9.69,0-16-3.09A24.13,24.13,0,0,1,757.18,556Q753.22,549.29,753.23,539.25Zm17.7.07q0,8.67,3.22,12.46a10.9,10.9,0,0,0,8.77,3.79q5.7,0,8.83-3.71t3.12-13.32q0-8.09-3.26-11.81a11.15,11.15,0,0,0-8.85-3.73,10.75,10.75,0,0,0-8.59,3.78Q770.93,530.57,770.93,539.32Z\"/><path d=\"M822.8,510.57h17.74v57.27H822.8Z\"/><path d=\"M853.35,510.57h16.52l21.56,31.68V510.57h16.68v57.27H891.43L870,536.4v31.44H853.35Z\"/><path d=\"M915.85,510.57h53.79v14.14h-18v43.13H933.9V524.71h-18Z\"/></svg>]])\n screenOUT.setHTML(doorhtml) \n \t fdoor.deactivate()\nend\n","filter":{"args":[],"signature":"start()","slotKey":"2"},"key":"1"},{"code":"data = databank.getStringValue(\"dlist\") \nDetectedhtml = \"\"\nDetectedhtml = Detectedhtml ..data.. \"\\n\"\nscreenIN.setHTML(Detectedhtml)\nfdoor.deactivate()\n","filter":{"args":[],"signature":"stop()","slotKey":"-1"},"key":"2"},{"code":"unit.hide()\nOrgName = \"Team Rocket\"--export:Org name\nOrgColor = \"Purple\" --export:color for Org\nSecondaryTitle = \"Edit Lua Parameters\"--export:Seccondary Title\nSecondaryTitleColor = \"Blue\" --export: color for Secondary Title\nDetectedhtml = \"\"\nplayerna = unit.getMasterPlayerId()\nplayernames = system.getPlayerName(playerna)\ndatabank.setStringValue(\"ProgBnamechk\",\"<div style=font-size:5vh>ID&nbsp;\"..playerna..\"&nbsp;\".. playernames ..\"<p>\")\ndatabank.setStringValue(\"ProgBnamechklist\",playernames)\n\nknown_players = {}\n\nplayercheckstr = databank.getStringValue(\"Detected\")\nplayerlist = databank.getStringValue(\"dlist\")\nchkdet = databank.getStringValue(\"ChkDet\")\n\n\nif string.find(playerlist, chkdet) == nil then\n finalplayerlist = playerlist..playercheckstr\n databank.setStringValue(\"dlist\",playerlist..playercheckstr) \n elseif string.find(playerlist, chkdet) ~= nil then \nend\n\nunit.setTimer(\"DoorChecker\",0.08)\n","filter":{"args":[],"signature":"start()","slotKey":"-1"},"key":"3"},{"code":"playercheckstr = databank.getStringValue(\"Detected\")\nplayerlist = databank.getStringValue(\"dlist\")\nchkdet = databank.getStringValue(\"ChkDet\")\n\n\nif string.find(playerlist, chkdet) == nil then\n finalplayerlist = playerlist..playercheckstr\n databank.setStringValue(\"dlist\",playerlist..playercheckstr) \n elseif string.find(playerlist, chkdet) ~= nil then \nend\n\n\n\n","filter":{"args":[{"value":"DoorrChecker"}],"signature":"tick(timerId)","slotKey":"-1"},"key":"4"},{"code":"databank.clear()","filter":{"args":[{"value":"option1"}],"signature":"actionStart(action)","slotKey":"-2"},"key":"5"}],"methods":[],"events":[]}  

Sorry for the wall of text...
TL/DR: Consider the wider player base first (on both sides of the pvp line).
 
In regards to the issues of:

-How stuff played in backer week / when "X" bug existed:
It was imperfect, it needed fixes, and for the most part they were implemented. Wanting to wipe the world because some folks got lucky and played an easy meta for a bit without breaking the rules is like wanting a wipe because you aren't the greatest after joining a persistent world late.
 
Wiping the world to deal with the guys that abused an actual bug somewhere to get absurdly wealthy must be weighed against the loss that would be suffered by all those that didn't break the rules. Yes it is possible for portions of the gains of such problems to survive anything short of a wipe, but is completion-ist "the fruit of this bug was totally removed" worth burning everything everyone else has when some more targeted responses against just those abusers can be used to deal with the majority of the gains? Barring some extremely good reasons a lot of players would probably just quit if they had to lose all their stuff they spent all this time collecting (and worry about losing it again) because some other guy abused a bug and got an L-core cargo-block's worth of fuel/voxel/ect...
 
-Automated Mining:
This is a mixed bag. Mining is tedious, but more or less required for most of us to actually be able to afford to do things. The game needs a reduction in mining tedium in a bad way, and automating mining will help with that, but as with every change people that are better prepared to make use of it will have an advantage over those that are less prepared.

-"The Warp Problem":
Much as it annoys pvp'rs, the care-bears need somewhere to play, and the Alioth system is supposed to be DU's equivalent of EVE high-sec. Additional systems are supposed to be free of safe-zones, and interdiction will let you tag people that get careless with warp. It's on their to-do list, just got to wait for it.
 
-NPC stuff:
Part of where the game suffers right now is a simple lack of stuff to do. There are no missions, nothing to gain from exploration other than sight-seeing, no points of value for pvp players to fight over, ect... Players can make content, but until they do NQ has to pick up the slack to keep the player-base interested.
 
-PvE combat specifically:
There is no simple way to work this. NQ doesn't want one guy flying an ISD armored with script/AI-controlled guns (and, I do mean armored with guns, if you've played SE and seen someone coating every flat exterior surface of a death-brick with turrets you know what I'm talking about), or worse one guy commanding a fleet of drone ISD. They can work around it, but it wont be a short few lines of code if they want to keep a player-ship/station's crew requirement. 
 
Personally, I wouldn't mind some manner of pve combat if they added it in (properly, killing static targets by out-ranging them or abusing respawn gets boring really fast, and tricking reckless L core NPCs in to killing themselves with a ram would both get old quick and break the economy again). It would give care-bears that combat-lite many of them enjoy long-term, and it would generally be another thing for the wider content-starved player base to do.

THE FUTURE OF DU
We’ve seen a lot of positive feedback following the release of our devblog series on the future of DU. We’re  thankful to our community for the great feedback and encouragement. We’ve collected what seem to be the most burning questions following the publication of the blogs and wanted to do a follow-up to address them the best we can. Not all questions have an answer at this point, and we’ll try to fill in the gaps as we’re able in future communications. 
 
Are you going to launch the game in 2021? 
Realistically speaking, we have too much to do with the time that’s left  this year to get to a state where we feel the game is ready for launch. Our current plan is “at some point in 2022”, and we’re targeting mid-year. That projection is tentative, depending largely on our progress and  the feedback we get from our community, so please don’t hold this as a commitment. It could be sooner, it could be a bit later. The state of the game will dictate the date.
 
Why is the game not working on Shadow (cloud gaming platform) and do you plan to support it?
We believe cloud gaming platforms are a great way to enjoy DU if you want to play the game but don’t meet the proper PC specs or want to benefit from the latest hardware improvements without investing in upgrades for your gaming rig; however, we need to clarify that we are not yet officially supporting cloud gaming platforms, including Shadow. Our releases are not tested on these platforms or Windows emulations on Mac and Linux, and we can’t guarantee compatibility at this point. The game is still in beta, and we are focusing our efforts on native Windows PC support.
 
We plan to officially support these platforms at some point, and would like to ensure that when we do we are able to offer ongoing compatibility with adequate testing and collaboration with the platform holders to make a long-term commitment. 
 
We recently started working with a cloud gaming platform in an official manner, and we are hopeful to announce our official support of that platform soon. In the meantime, compatibility with cloud gaming platforms can’t be guaranteed. We log bugs and look at potential quick wins, but we can’t commit to a timeframe for fixing them. Please also note that there is a waiting list of one year to have access to one of the machines of Shadow, which makes debugging all the more difficult.
 
Will there be an updated roadmap?
At the moment, there is no plan to release an official roadmap with dates. We tried to explain why in the three devblogs. We’re changing many things in the way we develop DU, and it’s hard right now to have a clear idea of our future velocity. We don’t want to give you dates that we might not hold. We think it’s more important to have the freedom to adapt to your feedback rather than trying to hit the dates on a public roadmap. We hope you will see this as a sign that things are changing for the better and that we’re being more realistic in our approach.
 
Why don’t we have more frequent releases?
Dual Universe is an extremely complex game to develop. Many of the systems we have already in place are interdependent, and changing or adding a feature has ripple effects on other features and systems both in terms of code and in terms of feature design. For example, RDMS has to be carefully considered in many things we do, as does  the role of organizations in the introduction of new features, etc. Most of the tech we use is custom and not off-the-shelf. It’s one of the secret sauces of the game, and it also makes features much more difficult to work on because we develop the tech AND the features at the same time.
 
Now, with the introduction of the PTS, we hope to make more frequent releases, including releases of prototypes, such as the Lua technology for screen units. How frequently will depend on what goes in these releases and how much work needs to be done after we receive feedback from the PTS. We estimate that you can expect three to four additional major releases in 2021, and smaller releases in-between, but that’s only a ballpark estimate for now.
 
What’s going on with long-standing beta bugs? Are you going to fix them?
Yes we will fix them as quickly as possible although we aren’t able to pinpoint an exact date. Some bugs are easier to squash than others, and some even require a rework of an entire complete backend system to resolve. These processes need to be scheduled accordingly, also taking into account that we want to avoid reworking the same thing multiple times if we suspect that the development of an upcoming feature will force us to rework the same system again. The more critical the bug, the higher the priority. When we’re focused on fixing bugs,  that means we’re not working on the plan we presented to you, so it’s a balancing act. We wish we could give you a list of bugs and a timeframe for each one, but that would be highly unrealistic. These bugs are not being forgotten, that’s the best we can tell you right now.
 
Can we expect a more frequent communication from Novaquark?
We’d love to, just understand that the frequency of our communications really depends on the cadence of the game releases. The way it works is that as soon as the content of a new release is established (at least a content draft), we sit down and make a plan for how and when we’re going to talk about these features/this content. Often we have to wait until a feature is stable enough in terms of game design and/or coding to be able to talk about it or show it, as a feature can evolve a lot along the development process and the unfolding of our sprints. We simply want to ensure that the information we give you isn't misleading, as early communication means the end result may differ significantly once development is complete and the feature is released.
So between releases, there is indeed a communication gap. 
 
There are different general topics we could discuss between releases, but they wouldn’t really bring anything concrete to the table and that communication could be seen as shallow and vague. It’s actually an interesting topic we’d like to explore with you: what is it exactly that you expect in terms of communication? How can we balance having meaningful content to present with what seems to be the need of our players to see ongoing communication? Based on reactions we’ve seen in the past, we  believe that communicating simply for the sake of it when we have nothing really new to talk about is never well-received.
 
What about PvE? Are you planning to add PvE features to make the game more varied?
Our current focus is on enabling emergent content between players. PvE is not one of our priorities at the moment. This doesn’t mean that it won’t ever come to the game, but it is not going to be added before the official release of the game. That said, one could potentially consider the challenges that we’re currently working on as some form of PvE, though not in the sense that you’ll be shooting NPCs or wildlife.
 
Will we see a return of NQ employee Interviews and AMAs?
We would love to do things like livestreams and AMAs again when the time is right. We feel like these formats are better suited when there is a clearly defined topic to focus the discussion, such as a major release for instance. It is duly noted that these interactions with the community are appreciated, and we will include them whenever possible.
 
You mentioned the changes in the industry gameplay, but it wasn’t clear if schematics will stay or go?
The honest answer is that we don’t know yet. When we introduced schematics, it was a major disturbance in the forc… in the economy of the game.  We don’t want to rush into more changes after that, especially given that players invested a lot of hard-earned quanta in buying them. Removing schematics is ONE of the options we’re looking at, as well as changing their prices or adding more recipes. Reverting to the way it was before the introduction of schematics is also on the table. We know we want to do something with the current state of the industry to add back some of the fun that was taken away with 0.23, but how exactly we’ll do it is yet to be decided.  
 
Is there going to be a wipe?
We see that the debate on the topic has been pretty hot in the community for a while, and it’s about the same at Novaquark. We’re uncertain if the changes we are planning to introduce will require a wipe or not, and we’ve started (intense) internal discussions on the topic. Our priority is to try to preserve the time and effort that our players have put in the game since the beta started. Once we’ve got a better idea of how much the changes we discussed in the third  “Future of DU” devblog will impact the game’s economy, we’ll make a decision. If there is a wipe (and it’s a big IF), it may be a partial one only affecting certain aspects of the universe. Our  priority will be to mitigate the impact for long-time players.

Join us in our feedback thread here!
 

----------WELCOME TO UTOPIA STATION----------
-----brought to you by the Utopia Spacing Guild-----
 
The future of humankind is in the stars, and we present to you the first of many steps to broaden the horizons of all Noveans.
 
The first of it's kind, a 2.6 kilometre long space station right in the middle of the safe zone. Less than 80SU from Alioth, Madis and Thades, this new commercial hub offers free access to the station's Warp Beacon and the future USG Warp Network.
 
Phase 1: The Ring, offers 4 KM of space over 192 medium space cores, ideal for shops, display rooms, factories, storage and offices.
 
Core rentals start from just 1,000,000h a month, equivalent to just 1 week of NQ pocket money. (below prices are incorrect)
 
Visit the station via VR: "Utopia Station Visitors" or request a tour via our associates discord: https://discord.gg/BUm8ceYv78
 

 
 
Phase 2: To begin construction - Central commercial 'high street' core of the station with markets & storage.

 
 



 
*Utopia Station is not affiliated with any political parties or associations and remains neutral in any military conflict.

Do I feel that warp should be looked at while NQ are finally addressing the lack of PVP content? Damn right I do. The Get out of pvp free card needs to end and replaced with counter measures. Warp needs to be more dangerous to use, not a free pass. 

[Updated Nov 19, 2020 @ 3:02 PM EST]: The rules outlined below apply to teleporting both avatars and constructs. This means that, outside of the list of approved scenarios, we won't be able to fetch your ship and bring it to your location. 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Good day fellow Noveans,
 
I come bearing support-related news! More specifically, I’d like to address teleportation requests with all of you.
 
For a while now, we’ve allowed players in need of a port to say the word on Discord and - voila - your wish would be granted! ✨
That worked well for a time, but our Discord support channel is now beginning to slip under the veritable wave of port requests… and we’d like to rescue it and all those in need of a ‘lift’.
 
As of November 19th, we would like everyone in need of teleport-related assistance to use the in-game chat support, or submit an official support ticket. By using the in-game chat function instead of Discord, you’re likely to receive an answer quicker because our GMs are ready and waiting for you there!

Having said that, we’d also like to inform everyone that we will no longer grant port requests if you’re simply out of fuel, stuck in one of your own constructs, or just generally stranded. All port requests will now be investigated, verified and potentially denied if the request falls outside of approved scenarios.

Some examples of when to ask for a port (approved scenarios):
 
if you’re stuck in an Aphelia construct if you’re trapped in any other player-owned tile (unable to dig) if you’re unable to get past the loading screen upon logging in
  What to do if you’re just stuck/out of fuel/stranded: 
 
Don’t forget: there are plenty of player organizations available to assist in your travels through space! Be sure to check out the organizations and services provided on Discord and our Forums. Some organizations will be happy to provide you with transportation, refueling, repairs, building help and so much more!! ?

How to contact support:

To access in-game chat support, simply click the “support” tab in-game, as depicted below.


 
From here, it’s as easy as typing up your request, starting the message with "@NQ" and sending it off!
 
To submit an official support ticket, please click HERE. ?

Then, select the hyperlinked text that says “submit a request” in the top-right corner of the page. Once you see the screen featured below, select the appropriate category for your issue and go to town!


 
(Quick note for those submitting crash reports: PLEASE do not forget to include a crash log and/or XML logs with your ticket!!)

And there you have it! Let’s all do our part to keep the Discord server free and clear of port requests so that players with big ol’ bugs and other issues to report can receive the visibility they deserve.

~NQ-Naunet

PS - I want to give a special shout-out to all of our support staff for everything they do!! Thank you, all!!
 

Hello Noveans,
 
We realize that the districts currently represent a performance bottleneck, as they are a choke point between markets, institutes and the starting zone for new players. Even though we have identified performance improvements that should help solve these issues, we have decided to make some immediate changes to prevent these issues from affecting the performance for new players, until we are able to roll out these improvements.
 
So we are making some temporary changes such as relocating many of the services you have come to know and expect in the districts: 
New Stand Alone Markets will be moved approx. 2km from the associated district.  All pending orders will be transferred to the new market building.  All institutes will be removed from districts on Alioth and Sanctuary.  A new single Institute will be created near the Arkship.  Transport stations will be placed at all Districts to be able to get to the Institutes.   
The institutes appear to be a heavy driver of performance issues, by removing them from higher traffic areas we hope to provide a better market experience for players overall. 
 
Players who log out on one of the affected construct buildings may find themselves in a new location when returning post maintenance. We recommend bookmarking important places and construct locations. 
 
As always, we appreciate your patience while we work, and welcome your feedback on the changes and performance improvements once complete.  We expect these changes will occur over the next few update cycles during October. 
 
Sincerely,

The Novaquark Team