NEW HEIGHTS major milestone adds all new Skyrise mission environment
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[/p][p]Knights and mercs, we just shared a big recap of the crazy last 6 months of updates and just how much we've expanded the game together - so we thought, why not moar? Let's take these heists to the top of the towers, let's go luxury, let's go Skyrise! So without any more messing around, let's do this. Let's add another major milestone update![/p][p]The NEW HEIGHTS expansion adds the Skyrise mission location, an entirely new type of map environment, prop set, and set of map design rules. The Skyrises are the cloistered, isolated enclaves of the rich and powerful megacorporate citizens. Only a Cyber Knight and their quantum rider stand a chance pulling off a job here, but they better do it fast. [/p][p]This NEW HEIGHTS expansion starts with the new Skyrise mission environment, 2 new mission maps, 2 new multi-stage proc-gen jobs that send you into the Skyrise, 2 new Skyrise-only security devices, new Skyrise soundtrack, a new Sec AI for Skyrise and a cool new dynamic decal setup that lets locations be tagged by faction to help identify and strengthen the sense of place and faction ownership.[/p][p]Our small team works really hard to bring you all these free updates and expansions. If you'd like to give back, we'd love for you to take a few minutes to leave a review. Thank you![/p][p][/p][h2]Our Save Game Policy and Updates[/h2][p]Since you'll always be seeing a lot of updates around here, we want to reiterate our saved game policy so everyone understands our commitment to your games. No saved game will ever be invalidated by an update. All new content and features will be added immediately to all saved games (with the reasonable exception of New Game options). You never have to restart if you don't want to. This is a studio commitment that we have made and kept for many years and games. We stand by it. So do not stress about the deluge of updates that is coming your way - heist on my good heisters.[/p][p][/p][h2]Skyrise Location and 2 New Maps[/h2][p]![]()
[/p][p]The New Boston Dome is nearly a mile high at its apex, and is held up over the crumbling mega-city by massive towers rising across the dome, built by the megacorporations as part of the city's founding charter. While some of these towers are architectural in nature, many play a dual purpose, acting as a home, playground or gilded cage for the wealthiest, reclusive or most protected corporate citizens. [/p][p]Only a Cyber Knight has the chops, the gumption and the quantum rider capable of pulling off a heist against such rare territory. The skyrise towers are hard to even access - they will always be at least the second stage of a mission - and have their own unique map theme set, props and design rules.[/p][p]Skyrise towers are large locations, defined by wide open spaces and hallways, more dead-ends than you are using to dealing with, and littered with highly advanced security devices and threats. You will want to arrive, move quickly across the dangerously open territory and get your job done before ghosting into the night.[/p][p]With the NEW HEIGHTS expansion, we've dropped the first two Skyrise maps - Skyrise Haven and Skyrise Data Site. The haven features a tower-side hoverpad balcony for those clientele and visitors who would never dream to use something as dingy as an elevator, and features a set of wide, interconnected hallways between private rooms, entertainment spaces and tucked away security rooms and HQs. The Data Site is a mix of working-residence, where the most heavily guarded and important megacorporate citizens (scientists, quants, etc) are both employed, pampered and protected.[/p][p]We can't wait to hear your feedback on this new map paradigm![/p][p][/p][h2]Skyrise Multi-Stage Jobs[/h2][p]![]()
Skyrise comes with special set of proc-gen mission and objectives and more will be coming online as more maps are added to the Skyrise set. First, Skyrise locations are never accessed directly. They are always the second stage of a multi-stage mission, with the first stage acting as a gatekeeping stage. In the current Skyrise jobs that are coming online with NEW HEIGHTS, that means your first stage you may need to kill a powerful military commander who has been tasked with protecting the upper levels of the towers or hack and spike the CPU of a quantum network that is slaved to preventing access to the towers themselves. Either way, you've got your work cut out for you and need to try to minimize Security Tally and Level during this first stage to reach the Skyrise with as little trouble as possible (see below, Sigma 9 Sec AI!)[/p][p]The future for Skyrise jobs is bright - new maps, new unique objective types, more multi-stage proc-gen missions and then inclusion in stories and Power Play storylines as well. But for now, we're rolling out the multiple new proc-gen combos that draw up on the small pool of Skyrise maps to deliver strong starting replayability. [/p][p][/p][h2]Moving Cameras and Shock Fields[/h2][p]![]()
The sleek halls of the most opulent towers are not blocked by glowing laser meshes, teethless pressure sensors or pedestrian rotating cameras. Oh no, their halls are guarded by electrocuting Shock Fields and cameras sliding along rails to surveil large swathes of the corporate zone.[/p][p]The Skyrise updates introduces two new Skyrise-only security devices:[/p]![]()
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We're super excited to roll out a major expansion to the game's music with the Skyrise Soundtrack expansion. This one goes all the way back to the Kickstarter and was part of the Skyrise stretch goal. So a huge thank you ːsteamhappyː to all the Kickstarter backers who helped fund the creation of this new reactive music.[/p][p]The new Skyrise soundtrack expands the reactive music in the game by about 20% and while the music was designed and produced under the budget of the Skyrise Soundtrack stretch goal for the Kickstarter, we will be using it across the game to increase the variety of music. So, keep your ears open for new tracks and riffs![/p][p]We will get the Cyber Knights Soundtrack updated with the new songs from the Skyrise soundtrack soon. They aren't up yet, but in the next week or two we will finish that addition and update the track list with 4 new songs.[/p][p][/p][h2]New Sec AI "Sigma 9"[/h2][p]With the Skyrise update, we've pushed the previously extremely rare Sigma 9 Sec AI into regular rotation. The previous chances of running into Sigma 9 AI were so low, we're not sure most of you have encountered this beast. Sigma 9 is more security-, matrix- and drone- focused than other high challenge Sec AI (like Sigma BLACK) and does not have the double reinforcements Escalation that Sigma BLACK has but still is a nasty Sec AI, generally getting really angry really fast if you aren't careful.[/p][p]Only the second stage of the Skyrise jobs have the Sigma 9 Sec AI, the lower facilities and entry levels feature either Sigma 5 or 7 depending on faction and Power Level of the mission.[/p][p][/p][h2]Dynamic Faction Signage[/h2][p]![]()
[/p][p]With the Skyrise update, we've added a new system for signage and decals that allows the game to dynamically swap out decals depending on the faction. Rook facilities can now be decorated with Rook faction logos, signs and wall marks and then later the mission map can be redecorated if you're facing Warner Braun or Brave Star. [/p][p]This new dynamic decal system is only in Skyrise maps at the moment, but we're working on the scheme to allow maps to have different graffiti and Syndicate tagging if they are street and then a different set of official looking signs and marks for milsec and corporate. More on that soon![/p][p][/p][h2]Mountain of F10 Fixes[/h2][p]With this big update, we've also completed a large number of F10 fixes. Big thanks to all the community members hitting F10 to send in bugs, suggestions, balance ideas and more. [/p]
- [p]Moving Cameras - capable of sliding to different positions and rotations along rails affixed to the top of walls, moving cameras cast their threat over a much larger area. As they are also capable of spotting a merc while sliding at the end of a Turn, they feel more unpredictable (where will they slide next!?) and sometimes can catch more than one team member in a single movement. They do expose their track with the physically visible rail and are just as weak against disabling Talents, Items and Leverages, so be sure to pack your bags correctly when heading up into the glittering heights.[/p]
- [p]Shock Fields - guard an area of floor and any unauthorized access is greeted with a friendly - really? deadly! - arc of electricity. Unlike Laser Wires that give you a single point of damage when passing through their mesh, Shock Fields dole out damage the longer you are moving across them. If you have to cross one, look for the shortest route, skirting corners or dodging through doors. Especially if the Sigma 9 Sec AI bumps these fields up to Lethal mode, they can put a major hurt on your team. They only electrocute moving targets, so if you are forced to stop in the middle of one, you'll be damaged again whenever you start moving. These Level 1 Security Devices can be hit by Talents, Items and Leverages as well, but can rapidly take out a merc who isn't careful so pack both your disables and your healing gear.[/p]
- [p]Targeting for medkits (etc) is better! It now sorts nicely to the character most in need of healing and refuses to select characters who are at 100% HP.[/p]
- [p]"Run Behind" stealth exploit is fixed! There was an exploit where you could run at an enemy at a certain angle and they would start to turn just as you passed them... in this way, you'd end up behind their new turned angle, still Hidden. Sorry, fixed![/p]
- [p]Fixed Grenade calls everyone! There was a mistake where grenade explosions were too high priority and might draw every guard in a level, especially if used early. Now only nearby guards will immediately investigate and the rest is left up to the discretion of your local friendly Sec AI.[/p]
- [p]Matrix Talents like Spoof not getting/keeping Tokens! There was a mistake where matrix Talents like Spoof sometimes didn't start with the enough tokens or sometimes their tokens were used too fast. Both bugs are now fixed.[/p]
- [p]Fixed Hover Tanks and VTOLs might freeze game on fast forward! If you had the always fast forward option selected, some scenarios with flying drones might cause the game to freeze. These are now resolved.[/p]
- [p]Fixed Jammed Drones still showing movement alerts! If a drone is jammed and below Spotted alert level, they won't see your mercs. However, the movement alerts were still showing. Lies, all lies. Fixed![/p]