Cyber Knights: Flashpoint News

Welcome to the weekend of Turn-based RPG Fest on Steam! Welcome to all the new Knights rolling into the New Boston zone. We are here all the time if you have questions for us and we are working hard to improve the game off your feedback. With Update #154, we've rolling out the first big step toward finish the Contact Limit Break system with Compromised and Power Play tags - which will basically allow Contacts to step up into a higher tier of power for their future Limit Breaks. We've also added a new proc-gen Legwork story with new Contact types involved and new merc skills and backstories that will be called on to pull it off. Finally, a heap of nice F10 bug fixes, so thank you!

To everyone playing, we thank you! Please, consider taking a moment to leave a review, especially if you enjoy how we are conducting our Early Access phase - always busy, always improving!


[h2]Power Play and Compromised[/h2]
Not all Contact Limit Breaks are committed equal! When your Contacts Limit Break for good or bad, new options are appearing that allow them to take on a Power Play position or to become Compromised. These two tags can be added by story as well (see story Tag results from Snitch Snuff Obligation storyline, Octane's Kingmaker's Hand tag, or the Illicit Nexus tag) but can also be added by Limit Breaks directly.


Once a Contact has a Power Play (or another variation of the tag) or Compromised tag, then their matching Limit Breaks are about to be more exciting or risky. In Update #154, we are rolling out simply the system for Power Play and Compromised tags, but we will follow directly with a couple of big new options that are key to the entire underworld simulation working.

While these are not in the game yet, the Power Play / Compromised system is first required for some of the following effects to come online:

• Compromised Contacts will able to die. If they are friendly, you'll usually get some opportunity to try to save them, but if you can't or won't, then that will be there end.
  
• Power Play Contacts will be able add entirely new services. Maybe a Power Play Gunrunner can start offering a new series of weapons or a Doper might gain access to the Blue Juice supply through the Ricksham. This will both help Contacts you prefer to work with gain access to services to round out their offering but also allow your allies to gain completely new services that no one else has.
  
• Compromised and Power Play Contacts will be able to gain new permanent Traits.
• If they don't like you, Power Play Contacts will be able to send Head Hunters after you.

Be careful though, as these tags - whether or not added by story or the Limit Breaks - can be removed by the other Limit Break type. An Exposure Limit Break might remove the Power Play tag or might remove Octane's Kingmaker's Hand Tag (!?!). In the same way, if you have know a Contact who becomes Compromised, an Influence Limit Break can give them the chance to get out of that before something dramatically bad happens.
 

[h2]New Proc-Gen Legwork[/h2]
In Update #151, we added a system for proc-gen Legwork, allowing contacts who are less likely to offer regular missions a new way to offer you work that benefits them their underworld affairs and therefore you can gain in return, Favors and Influence, as well as learn more about
the New Boston and 2231 story.

With Update #154, we've added a third proc-gen legwork option with some new angles, new types of contacts who are interested in it and it will call up on different mercs to attempt it. The new premise is about bribery at a spaceport, so keep an eye out for Contacts involved in smuggling hi-tech space or who are obsessed with getting offworld to proc this storyline.


[h2]Contact Limit Breaks Order[/h2]
We've fixed a key bug that was causing the options you were offered to change whenever you spent a Favor. The intention is that spending a Favor will add a new option but not change anything that was already selected. In Update #153, this rule broke but it is back now again and paired with even better insurance that if you spent a Favor - even on an Exposure Limit Break - you will get an additional option.

[h2]Tri-Anks Fix[/h2]
We fixed the Tri-Anks cybernetic implant that had an unexplained special code effect.

[h2]Equipment and Roster Fixes[/h2]
If you sent a merc to treatment for a wound the Treatment tag wasn't showing up immediately - now fixed! If you looked at Blueprints in the NanoFab list, they didn't remove their "new" yellow dot - now fixed! If you compared two weapon mods and one had better optimal range, it was displayed with the flipped color and annotation (as if shorter was better) - now fixed! If you were carrying an E-Rifle there was some ugly text and image overlap in the HUD - now fixed!

[h2]v1.8.119 - 19/5/2024[/h2]
- Added third proc-gen Legwork offered by Contacts in smuggling, hi-tech or who are obsessed with space/gleamers
- Added new Contact Limit Break options for Add/Remove Power Play and At Risk status for Contacts
- Added new Contact Limit Break options for Exposure breaks to lose up to 5% Trust (might be lesser of X evils)
- Fixed issue with Contact Limit Breaks where spending a Favor for a new option would change existing options
- Fixed issues with throwing grenades and item not being removed from Talent list
- Fixed issue with Treatment tag not appearing immediately on roster after sending to Wound Treatment
- Fixed issue in NanoFab Blueprint listing not properly managing new yellow dot upon viewing
- Fixed incorrect comparison Optimal Range bonuses for weapon mods (higher is better for max optimal)
- Fixed issue with overlapping elements in weapons with limited reloads (E-Rifles)
- Fixed unexplained ability in Tri-Ank 1 cybernetic implant (Special Code -5)

This one has come out rapidly on the heels of Update #152 because of a critical bug with legwork created in #152 getting stuck on the timeline. You could see a lot of events pile up at 0h and never complete. With this patch in place, everything will complete back-to-back without the need to really advance the turn.

In way of apologizing for the bug, we've also completed a nice big set of QoL improvements and bug fixes for other parts of the game as well.

it's late after a long day of polishing the game - so we're kicking this patch and QOL fix without too much fanfare or screenshots.


[h2]Legwork Fix[/h2]
If you're seeing events pile up at 0h hours, Update #153 is for you!

[h2]Favor for Nothing?[/h2]
There were some cases in Contact Limit Break where you could spend a Favor to try to "steer" there decision to something else and you would not receive an additional option. This has now been fixed with new options becoming more prevalent and also ensuring that the Favor spend is not offered if you won't gain from it.

The Contact Limit Break options to increase Power Level and Trust % are going to show up more regularly now.

Also, Contacts who are in Hiding due to an Exposure Limit break will not offer missions.


[h2]New Proc-Gen Map Combo[/h2]
In the grind to expand the proc-gen content, we've enabled another map and objective cross - this time allowing the Interchange H level to play out the Siege objective. This helps the Interchange H map appear in 3 objective types and to expand the possible maps Siege can happen on to 5. The map can make for a very dynamic siege on the move, depending on which direction reinforcements are coming from, you may need to shift with the wind to find a new defensible position.

[h2]Improved Mods Display[/h2]
We've expanded the capability to display extra weapon mods to just encompass all mod counts. In the rare and lucky case that you have 4 Intrinsic mods added due to crafting, we've ensured that the UI can show them all.


[h2]Auto Save Slots[/h2]
There was a bug where Auto-save slots were not being displayed if the difficulty save mode was Automatic Only. This is now fixed.

[h2]v1.8.117 - 10/3/2024[/h2]
- Fixed critical bug where all new Legwork hangs at 0h and won't finish (:facepalm:)
- Fixed Contact Limit Break bug that would steal your Favors and not give more options
- Contact Limit Break options to increase Trust % and Power Level now offered more readily
- Added new proc-gen map and objective combo: Interchange H and Siege Objective
- Improved support of displaying weapon mods, always show all crafted/intrinsic mods, don't stop at 3
- Fixed bug preventing auto-save slots (Restore before Mission, etc) from showing when difficult setting was "Automatic Only"
- Fixed issue with Trait Adrenaline Junkie unfairly causing Stress when the mission was Hack-only (1 Hacker)
- Fixed bug where Contacts in Hiding would continue to offer missions / storylines
- Fixed bug in Dusted Hover-Evac X Kill 3 Captains objective where you could auto-extract at start
- Fixed a heaping pile of typos and minor text mistakes

As Steam's Turn-Based RPG Fest rolls on this week, we're back with another update to fix some of the issues that snuck out the door with Monday's ERA storyline update, add a new proc-gen legwork option, improve legwork results and fix other minor bugs. Hopefully this will clear the deck from story bugs and we'll be back to adding new new new.

As always - thank you for playing our game or wishlisting if you're waiting. If you have given the game a try and like the way we are conducting Early Access (152 updates!?!?) and are enjoying the game, please leave a review. The small team here thanks you!


[h2]ERA Story Fixes[/h2]
We've turned around two important fixes for the ERA content with Update #152. The first was that during one of the stories, two mercs could end up becoming friends but ... each is friend only with themself. How funny yet lonely :D This is now resolved in all games old and new, they are friends with each other!

The second major issues was - depending on a few factors - the recruitable characters could have some key implants switched. The Hacker had the Scourges special implant ... thievery! Give that back! And ... fixed in all games, old and new.
 
Third, there were some points in the story where a character's Loyalty was boosted but a code bug prevented it from happening. This will have positive affect with a few other storylines in the game as well as this Loyalty bump was globally being skipped in certain storyline paths.

Fourth, we fixed a heaping pile of small dialog mistakes, flubs and name switches. Thanks for the F10s to help us clean up and improve here.


[h2]Proc-Legwork[/h2]
In Update #151, we added a system for proc-gen Legwork, allowing contacts who are less likely to offer r regular missions another way to offer you work that benefits them, offers Favor and Influence and tells more of a story about how the New Boston Underworld works.

With Update #152, we've added a second proc-gen legwork option with some different twists in it, new options and a new premise around a megacorporate employee who is illegally supplying your Contact who is involved in medical, drugs, crafting or hovertruck transport with stolen goods and data.


In addition, we've pushed proc-gen Legwork (which we see as something that has a very healthy road for expansion) to be on its own "story schedule." In Update #150, it shared the schedule with regular story Vignettes, so drawing a proc-gen legwork would bump a story vignette back a bit and proc-gen legworks (few in number) were competing with the larger pool of vignettes and not appearing enough. So, we've pushed them to their own throttled story schedule and you should see them more regularly.


[h2]Legwork Results / Favors[/h2]
In addition, we've done more work to improve event logs around Legwork to capture all the changes in world / contact / character state in the log event. And, finally we've bumped the standard Legwork result of gaining +1 Favor up to +2 Favors which feels a lot more valuable and makes it worth the time for your merc and your risk.

In addition, we've reinforced the negative result of taking Injury Time as a result of Legwork. If you end up with Injury, you always make a Stress roll as well (resisted by Stress Res) to suffer an extra +10% Stress.

[h2]v1.8.115 - 10/2/2024[/h2]
- Fixed issue with mercs becoming friends with themselves in latest Era storyline
- Fixed issue with Scourge and Hacker recruit sometimes having swapped implants (!?!?)
- Fixed issue with some moments in the story failing to grant Loyalty bonus as described
- Adjusted proc-gen Legwork schedule so that it doesn't compete with story vignettes
- Added second proc-gen Legwork offered by Doctors/Splicers/Dopers/Crafters/Hovertruck Operators
- Standard legwork bonus for Favors has been raised from +1 Favor to +2 Favors
- When failing legwork and taking Injury time, make +10% Stress roll
- Improved logging of Legwork success / failure and results
- Fixed rare bug that could cause a reinforcement squad not to appear at all for megacorporate enemy
- Fixed a heaping pile of typos and minor text mistakes

Welcome to Steam's Turn-Based RPG Fest! We're going to have a crusher of a week with a ton of new content coming online and we are kicking it off with a blast of new stories for the Treaty '31 ERA in New Boston. These new storylines include new recruits, new challenges, new types of map interactions and of course, chances to make new enemies, allies and form bonds within your team and beyond that will last into the rest of your career. We've also added an exciting proc-gen Legwork system that has been cooking for a while and more.

Thanks to everyone playing, wishlisting and reviewing Cyber Knights. We're in Early Access right now and we're BUSY. So, if EA isn't your think, wishlist us. If you're in playing, please take a minute to leave a review when you get far enough to help share your experiences with others. If you have an issue, hit F10 in the game to send in a bug report or feedback.


[h2]ERA Storylines[/h2]
As in our previous RPG, Star Traders: Frontiers, the major story events of the world and New Boston are organized into "Eras". These major story happenings stem from a compelling event and then having lasting ripples and tremors that can have major story effects on your team and contacts.

The first ERA, the Treaty '31 Era starts with the major political and economic shift that allows the major German conglomerate Warner-Braun to establish sovereign territory in New Boston and operate within its economic zone. For a treaty city that has had a mostly static megacorporate landscape for the last 30 years, this is a major shake up and the power players on both sides of the line are scrambling to find their new footing.

This ERA sets the context of a lot of the proc-gen missions that you can play in the game and a number of the existing storylines. But with Update #151, we've added another big batch of storylines that can stem from it.

Of course, as is always our goal, this content will immediately be added to all saved games - old and new. For older saved games, the storylines might feel a little disconnected from where your team is at, as they are designed to be filtered into the game during the beginning of the Treaty '31 ERA, but they should play very nicely.

[h2]New Recruits, New Traits[/h2]
The ERA '31 content includes the possibilities to pick up 2 new recruits to help round out your squad. This is a continual growth point for the game, which does not yet feature proc-gen recruits. These new recruits are both accessible via larger storylines and come with their own hefty backstories and baggage.

We'll leave you to the fun of finding them!


[h2]Proc-Gen Legworks[/h2]
With this update we've released the first set of proc-gen Legworks. These non-mission tasks that your team takes let you investigate, intimidate, steal, bribe and manipulate the underworld and its denizens in ways that aren't exactly tactical.

Up until now, Legworks have all been part of larger storylines or associated with missions. With Update #151, we've rolled out the first repeatable Legwork, which is a new pathway to gain Favors and Influence with Contacts who are less likely to ask for missions from you. This Legwork can attached to be and be offered by Contacts like Street Docs, Splicers, Dopers, Drug Runners and Moneylenders. After a generous cool-down, it may reappear in the game again with slightly changed parameters and probably offered by a different contact.

More of these will be coming which will give you more chances to keep your team busy, actually be too busy for your own good, and to earn those key Favors for later.


[h2]Enemies Dropping Keys[/h2]
We're excited to add a new possible wrinkle to levels that involve Red, Blue or Gold key doors. The new mission content for the ERA '31 storylines includes a map in which enemy captains can drop a Red Key on death. While there are other ways to get the Red Key door open, surprising and quietly killing or just guns-blazing steamrolling either of the enemy captains may be your your way of getting the key and progressing farther into the mission.

We will not be using this feature for regular or valuable loot, it will be reserved for keys and other story relevant items. Especially in a turn-based game, we don't to require you to be spending turns running around picking up stuff off the ground.


[h2]New Cyberware Services / Implants[/h2]
Some of the storylines in the new ERA Treaty '31 content may introduce you to splicers who offer new services for implanted cybernetics. These services will branch off their own way, providing different set of options, improvements and increase in service level via Contact Limit Breaks like all services.

The service levels currently offer 6 new implants, among which you'll find 2 entirely new classes of implants added - HeadMem and Recoil Tri-Anks). Both fit into slots that are already in use (fast brain and legs) which ups the competition in these areas for what you'll build out. HeadMem allows Hackers to consider other balance angles on how to run their deck and Recoil Tri-Anks offer the foundation of a Recoil solution for non-Soldiers or ... offer to make your Full Auto Soldier even more ridiculous than they already are!


[h2]On-going Map & Balance Tweaks[/h2]
We're continuing to review the maps, patrol paths and reinforcement points for all levels in the set. We've made some tweaks to Wreckspire and Dusted Hover-Evac starting setups as well as fixed issues with reinforcement points that were oddly placed or only producing 2 enemies in a number of levels.

For the recent add to the Free Streets Compact (FSC) faction, we've adjusted the Po-Bot's HP totals, which were too high for their "refurbished drone" status.

[h2]v1.8.113 - 9/30/2024[/h2]
- Added 3 new storylines that fill in the Treaty '31 Story Era - new missions, new allies, new enemies
- Two new recruits stemming from Treaty '31 stories
- Additional Treaty '31 stories and a capstone story will follow soon
- Added proc-gen Legwork system, some legworks can occasionally repeat, new paths to gain Favors/Influence with Contacts
- First proc-gen Legwork offered by Doctors/Splicers/Dopers/Moneylenders
- Added new cybernetic service for Imported Implants and 6 new implants, 2 new types (HeadMem, Recoil Tri-Anks)
- Adjusted / reduced the recovery time for some classes of cybernetics by 10-20%
- Added 2 new Hacker-focused character Traits - Synth Weaver and Fortified Receptors
- Added new ability for specific enemies to drop Red/Blue/Gold Key on maps when they die
- Improved description of Sniper's Deathwatch reaction shots
- Improved balance and HP pools for FSC Po-Bot enemies who were too tough
- Fixed some reinforcement points that were spawning odd 2 enemy groups

Sunday is a nice lazy day for an update! We're excited to be hitting a point in the balancing cycle to be coming back to some systems and giving them a second pass of improvements. Probably all of these major areas will get a few more passes before they've really settled, but this is great time to be really tweaking and tuning. In the last few updates, we've been hammering on loot and Blueprint distribution and Account selling for Influence and today it is time for Secondary Objective rewards. We've rebalanced the requirements (Sec Level or Turn count atm) and increased the rewards (more Favors, more Influence, more XP, etc) and tweaked the weighting for all the reward types (better Blueprint distribution, Influence more likely). It should be a nice upgrade to help make these stick out and be very attractive to work harder to get.

Thanks to everyone stepping up to post an F10, post a thread on the Steam forums, join our Discord and especially for posting a review. We are a tiny indie studio, so your energy, your shares, and just talking to you goes a long way to keep us moving forward at this pace!


[h2]Secondary Objectives: Extended, Boosted, Re-weighted[/h2]
We've hit a number of big points within the secondary objectives system. These are to help balance out the options, rewards and limits that are in place today but also to prep the system for new types of secondary objectives and rewards that will be coming online in the following month.

First, we've increased the top range of all of the rewards. Where you could only get 10% extra payment or XP before, it can swing as high as 20% now. You can get +2 Favors instead of just +1, and the Influence Bonus can go as high as +30%. The variation in rewards is nice to see but when they hit high, it is great to put extra spotlight on the value of that objective.

We've also adjusted the weighting when picking what reward should be paired with which objective. For Blueprint rewards, we've cut Item Blueprints completely out of the rollers (they were rare, but did exist) and put the priority on Weapons and Weapon Mods with Armor being a bit rarer now.

Also, we've pushed the chances that Favor and Influence are picked as secondary objective rewards over Contact Trust. This dovetails nicely with other work to provide more paths to additional Influence - when you see a +30% extra Influence bonus on a secondary objective to stay under Sec Level 2 ... and the mission comes with a standard +10% Influence ... if you can pull this mission off in a stealthy style, you'll net basically half a Limit Break in one swing! Get the Vanguards!

We've also addressed a number of places where the map wasn't providing enough detail to the secondary objective system to help it adjust limits - like how many Turns you need to CPU Spike a matrix host in the Trucker HQ ... you need more Turns! Hopefully the adjustment will make these challenging but always within the envelope of possible.

As mentioned above, the next time we return to secondary objectives will be to add more variation in the objective types which will be exciting to see other types of demands that can be side-loaded into mission for that extra spice and challenge.


[h2]Fixing Account Issues[/h2]
There were a number of different issues with selling Accounts that could cause the Influence gains of +20% not to work. In Update #149, the full +20% only applied if you traded the Account for Favors and also if you sold repeatedly to the same Contact, the Influence boost could be erased.

We've resolved all of these issues with #150 for a much smoother Account handling experience and also improved the UI so that the type of account you're selling is front and center on the sale window.
 

[h2]Better Job Expiration Logs[/h2]
The event log for an expiring job now includes the Contact who offered it along with the name, making the log significantly more useful in tracking the action.


[h2]Looting Hack Missions[/h2]
Some looting hack missions continued to reference CPU Spiking in their dialog even though there was no need to spike any CPUs. This is now resolved in Update #150.

[h2]v1.8.111 - 9/28/2024[/h2]
- Improved secondary objective mission rewards - larger rewards, better variation, improved max Turn limits
- Rewards for secondary objectives have more variation and can go higher (+10-20% XP/Profit, +10-30% Influence, or +1-2 Favors)
- Chances of rolling bonus Favors or Influence for secondary objective reward higher than bonus Trust
- Adjusted weighting for secondary objective mission reward Blueprints - Weapons and Weapon Mods most likely, Armors more rare, never Items
- Improved/fixed some cases where Secondary Objective for Turn Limit was basically impossible on some maps
- Sale offer for Epic/Legendary Account states which one it is, fixed bug where Influence boost might not be granted
- Expired mission log event now includes name of the job and the contact, if there was one
- Fixed dialog at end of Hacking for Loot mission that said you Spiked the CPU