Cyber Knights: Flashpoint News

Update #45 brings a new story event, improvements to cyber surgery replacement, class tree improvements and new upgrade nodes, some key UI tweaks requested in your F10s and more.

We had a few days break from updates because back at Trese Brothers HQ, we're hard at work on the next major roadmap milestones. Coming up will be a complete Tutorial refresh for stealth and combat (and Matrix to follow after) as well as an improved lighting engine, Mac OS support, and safehouse base building. We've got an ambitious schedule for Q1 2024 but are excited that we'll start really checking some of these big boxes soon.

If you're liking the progress and think we're heading in the right direction, please leave a review to help us continue! You can always edit it later to add more details or thoughts.


[h2]New Story, Growing Depth[/h2]
With Update #45, we've added a new echo story event that can come after your Syndicates Debts origin storyline. The long-arm of the D-Cartel law is not easily avoided, so you'll find yourself scrapping to avoid consequences. As always, this will appear in new and existing games.

We're continue to work on growing the depth of the story simulation to the point where the Casting Director and the contact simulation can really start swimming. Without enough options in the hopper, the paths that Director can pick are limited. In addition, new key factors are coming into play from more angles -- Obligations and Head Hunters are all burgeoning on the horizon. With the latest storyline, you may find yourself with a few more of both burdens, and soon these will be joining the game both as a sudden and demanding story mission and as a dangerous and surprising threat mid-mission.

With Update #45, we also fixed an odd little story "miss" where your Knight wasn't being healed along with the story event where the Face and Knight discuss it.


[h2]Cyber Surgery with 6 Implants[/h2]
We've fixed a common issue players were having where once you reached 6 implants on a character, you could no longer replace them. Now, while the other limitations are still in place, you have the option to try out new builds, swaps and upgrades for your heavily cybered mercs.


[h2]Class Tree Improvements[/h2]
With Update #45, we've completed another big quality sweep on the class trees. There are so many small details, and we appreciate players who are pointing them out, discussing Talent and upgrade balance and helping us tune and tweak the trees.

• We've improved the Knight's Interference Spike Talent to allow a second charge if trained to its max
  
• The final upgrade for Soldier's Savagery that increases the duration to 2 now costs 2 leveling points
  
• We've fixed a ton of formatting issues where you'd get a sudden negative stat (such as -10% Evasion) instead of the expected positive (+10% Evasion) if a Talent didn't include that stat (Evasion) in its original bonus set. This affected Aegis, JTAC, Entrench and more.
  
• We fixed the upgrade node to the Hacker's Overclock that stated it was reducing the AP cost by -5 when Overclock already costs 0 AP.
  

[h2]UI Tweaks[/h2]
With this update, we've improved the dialog interaction to allow you to click anywhere on screen (not only some central, unexplained hitboxes). We've also fixed the Contact screens to show a reasonable number of decimal places (unless you need to know that Origami's Power Level isn't 7.00 its ... 6.998888854).

Finally, we fixed the Delay button being enabled if you had 0 AP but still had MP. In order to Delay you must have Action Points left.

[h2]Map and Pathing Improvements[/h2]
In some levels where lootboxes were optionally added, they could "ghost" and still cause pathing issues around them. This is now resolved for lootboxes, terminals and other objects that had the same issue.

Under the hood, we've expanded the optional system to now include Terminals, which is going to make for some exciting new arrangements of levels and challenges possible.

We've also resolved a number of odd corkscrewing actions that re-appeared on stairs after we improved their colliders and mesh rules.

[h2]v1.2.45 - 1/26/2024[/h2]
- Added new story event: the Long Arm of D-Cartel Syndicate
- Raised the level point cost of Savagery's duration booster to 2
- Added 6th training upgrade for Knight's Interference Spike to add a second charge
- Fixed formatting issues for many Talents including Aegis, JTAC, Entrench turning a potential buff shown in yellow into a debuff
- Fixed issue with Overclock upgrade giving -5 AP cost when AP cost was already 0
- Fixed issue with Replace in cyber surgery not working once you had 6 implants
- Fixed issue in some levels where inactive lootboxes or terminals could cause pathing issues
- Improved dialog interaction - click anywhere to advance dialog
- Fixed bug allowing Delay option with 0 AP when you have unused Move Points
- Fixed extreme decimal places shown in Contact Power level
- Fixed small miss with timing of Cyber Knight healing at start of game
- Fixed some issues with corkscrew pathing on stairs

Hello weekend! Update #43 is here with new cybernetic implants, a new stand-alone inventory screen, improved cyber surgery tags and rules, improved enemy thinking for Carnivore mission (no more standing around!) and other cases and some great improvements to the Matrix to help avoid mistakes while hacking.

If you're enjoying the steady stream of updates and seeing improvements, we hope you'll leave a review to encourage more, more more!


[h2]New Cybernetics[/h2]
With Update #43, we've added 3 new cybernetics, both offering an improved version for your Bone Grafts and all new types: the Display-Link and Neural Accelerator.

The upgrade to Di-Aluminum Bone Grafts adds extra Strength, Hit Points and Wound Resistance at the cost of a little Move Speed.

Display-Link implants integrate into the optic nerve, transforming the function of the eye to include real-time data streams superimposed onto the natural sight, including instantaneous trajectory calculations and tactical analysis. These types of implants grant bonuses to ranged Accuracy, Critical %, Crit Dmg Bonus and are very common among Soldiers and Snipers.

For the Hacker, Neural Toner implants fine-tune neural pathways and intensify synaptic responses to create a high-velocity synergy between the brain and a Matrix-Link, Now we've added the other option, the Neural Accelerator implants optimize pathways in the amygdala and brainstem to supercharging physical reaction speed. Neural Accelerators add to stats like Evasion, Initiative, Tech and Reaction and are great for anyone constantly on the move and in the heat of combat.
 

[h2]Cyber Surgery Improvements[/h2]
As new cybernetics and new types of cybernetics are rolled into the game, we've made a much needed first round of upgrades to the cyber surgery screen.

First, you can now replace a cybernetic implant with another one. By going into cyber surgery, picking an implant and picking Replace, you're able to swap it out with another. This is a more restrictive process because if it is a class-specific implant like the Chameleon Skin it cannot be replaced except with another Chameleon Skin. This enables things like replacing the Cyber Knight's Dermal Plating with Chameleon Skin to allow for a Cyber Knight + Vanguard multiclass.


In addition, when browsing to add new implants, we've fixed all the conflict cases to be more clear - if you're installing a new implant, you can't install Dermal Plating for example because you have a Chameleon Skin already in the Skin Slot and you can't install a Chameleon Skin because you already have that exact implant.


[h2]New Inventory Screen[/h2]
The investigation as to why there was never a stand-alone Inventory screen in the first place has conclude. All fingers point back to an UltraTek design team claiming that "Inventories aren't cool anymore" back in 2227. From there, multiple SVPs signed off on the change and the megacorp resolved to usher in a brighter future. Now, in 2231, that design team and all those SVPs have had their citizenship revoked and were recently unceremoniously dropped off on a street corner in the worst part of Ward 4. And now, we have an inventory screen lol.


From the top header, your Inventory can be easily accessed to browse and sell all your gear. You can still see notation of how many you own (let's say 3) and how many are carried (let's say 2) shown as 2/3, but none of this is mixed in with what is for sale.

We've swapped up some filters - the Market now offers only an "Already Owned" filter so you can consider repeat purchases. And the inventory offers a "Can Sell" which lets you find things you own that you want to sell quickly.

If you go from the Market to Inventory or Inventory to Market, your category is remembered, so you can quickly drop between shopping and checking what you have.

In addition, we've toned down the ability of the market to remember filters, as it was a little over-aggressive. Now, when you leave the screen the filter is forgotten. We'll continue to work on this, but for now a temporary memory (as you swap between types) is helpful enough.


[h2]Carnivore Improvements + Enemies Standing Still[/h2]
We've fixed a big issue that could occur near the end of the Carnivore mission. What should have been a highly challenging arrival of some late joiners turns out to be a non-issue as they just ... stood around ... for Turn after Turn ... doing nothing! This didn't always happen but when it did it was very non-climactic in a story moment that should have been very climactic :D

Now this is fixed, so watch out - they are coming in hot.

The fix has also addressed a number of other edge cases where enemy might end up standing around all silly like.

[h2]Matrix Unload Confirmation[/h2]
There is a rare case where you might want to unload a program in the Matrix. But clicking to unload is a bit too easy and usually would be a mistake for a player. We've added a confirmation pop-up to unload a program to help you avoid misclicks.

We've also fixed a little visual glitch in Matrix hacking on the second Turn where loaded programs are shown just offscreen a bit.

[h2]v1.2.43 - 1/20/2024[/h2]
- Added 3 new Power Level 2 cybernetic implants: Di-Aluminum Bone Grafts, Display-Link, Neural Accelerator
- Improved cyberware clinic display, tags and conflict text
- Fixed rules for upgrading and replacing cyberware
- Fixed issues with stacking cyberware in the same slot
- Added stand-alone inventory screen matching market
- Browse and sell your owned equipment from inventory screen
- Adjusted filters - Inventory has "Can Sell" to quickly find items you can sell
- Adjusted filters - Market has "Already Owned" to items for sale you already have in your inventory for repeat purchases
- Fixed issue with Market filters being remembered too aggressively, now forgotten on closing screen
- Fixed issue with some buttons along top of Market were not clickable in their upper half
- Fixed issue in Carnivore where some enemies were staying in their starting positions
- Fixed a number of other situations in which enemies could not move / skip their turn
- Improved appearance tab to avoid flashing of colors while mousing over color palette
- Added matrix confirmation dialog if you click to unload a program - are you sure?
- Fixed matrix bug where loaded programs were shown off screen at start of second hacking turn
- Fixed issue with Legwork where all character levels were shown as 0

Welcome to all the new Knights who joined this week during the sale - the New Boston Zone is here to chew you up and spit you out if you don't keep your cards right. Exciting to see so many new players piling in, posting, and hitting F10 for everything you'd like to see in the game. To that end, we've got a big update here with #43 - a rewrite and clarification about the rules for CPU and APU Spiking in the matrix, now allowing duplicate program builds for your Cyberdeck, new proc-gen matrix host templates, improved safehouse UI for story conversations, timeline event icons to help read the timeline better and more.

Thanks to everyone leaving a review! Remember you can always edit your review, so if you feel like we're heading the right direction (and at the right pace!) with 43 updates, please drop a review to let us know!


[h2]Spiking CPU and APU[/h2]
Update #43 improves and clarifies the rules around spiking CPUs and APUs.

• Every Matrix Host has a CPU, the heart of the system. Spiking it can complete mission objectives, will result in a reduction of the Q-Sec Level by 50% (Q-Sec Level 4 becomes 2) and a zeroing out of all current Q-Sec Tally. This reduction likely takes the Q-Sec Tally below an Escalation that has already happened (you Escalated at Q-Sec Level 4, spiking the CPU takes you back to Sec Level 2, Tally 0) then the Escalation will not be repeated (to your advantage).
  
• Matrix Hosts that have APUs are directly tied into the Sec AI's brain. Spiking an APU will reduce the Sec Tally by 10 points immediately. If this reduction takes the Sec Tally below an Escalation that has already happened (you Escalated at Sec Level 2, spiking the APU takes you back to Sec Level 1, Tally 5) then the Escalation will not be repeated (to your advantage).
  

[h2]Duplicated Program Builds[/h2]
With Update #43, we've fixed the limitation (and bug) that prevented you from installing exact duplicates of the same program on a matrix cyberdeck. Previously, installing Attack I twice over would make the second one impossible to use during a hack. This issue has been unwound and now your hacker builds have more freedom than before to develop new strategies.

[h2]More Proc-Gen Matrix Hosts[/h2]
We've completed the design and testing for another 2 matrix host templates for proc-gen hacking missions, continuing to expand the digital catalog of missions you can end up on. The meatspace proc-gen mission catalog is next up for an expansion.


[h2]Safehouse Story Conversations[/h2]
With Update #43, we've updated the result when clicking directly on a character in the safehouse. If there are story conversations available, they now display immediately in a pop-up window for easy access to chatting. The window has a hotkey and clickable option to proceed to their Roster entry. If there are no story conversations to be had, then we skip you into the Roster immediately.

We've been holding off a bit on safehouse story conversations with characters until we could get this update done, as the click > roster > find conversations list was not the most comfortable flow. We've also improved that flow a bit, adding a matching icon and story conversation count to this area in the roster so that you can visually match it to the conversation icons in the safehouse and timeline to help reinforce the connection.


[h2]Timeline Event Icons[/h2]
It may look minor at a distance, but updating all the timeline icons to a specific type icon - healing, cyberware, mission, legwork, etc - is a very nice change for the safehouse timeline. When checking out a larger list of icons - especially once the details are "below the fold" - its nice to have some instant visibility into what type of events we're talking about here.

[h2]F10 Round up[/h2]
We also completed a big round-up of your F10s -

• Vanguard's Refract was too short to block a lot of Security Cameras, now taller!
  
• Sometimes dead mercs persisted in the Mission assignment screen. Zombie sighting confirmed!
  
• Weapon mods were not clear enough (using + and -) whether adjustments to Reload AP cost were good or bad
  
• Sometimes we used Armor Crit % and sometimes we used Armor Shred %, now clearer
  
• Added a missing combat log when we are fired on by enemy overwatch
  

And certainly more! Check the full change log for everything.

[h2]v1.2.41 - 1/17/2024[/h2]
- Revised Matrix Hacking's APU and CPU Spike Routines
- CPU Spike reduces reduces Q-Sec Level for matrix host by half and zeroes out the Tally
- APU Spike reduces Sec Tally in real world by -10
- Hacker Cyberdeck can now use duplicate programs (Attack I and Attack I) without issue
- Added 2 more Matrix proc-gen host templates
- Added additional Combat Log entry for hostile overwatch attacks
- Added timeline event type icons to the timeline bar
- Increased height of Refract wall to better block cameras
- Upgraded story pop-up when directly clicking on a character (instead of defaulting to Roster)
- Upgraded roster's notation of story conversations to match icon and count from safehouse
- Fixed very short Legwork in new Southie Strut storyline
- Fixed Matrix Host attempting to unload unloaded programs
- Fixed "Armor Crit" vs. Armor Shred confusion
- Fixed issue always showing all characters as Level 0 in Legwork selection
- Fixed save slots bug when using default faces without customizing character
- Improved display of Reload AP to reduce confusion
- Fixed bug allowing hacking of some security devices even if not enough AP
- Fixed issue where recently dead mercs could show up in mission planning lists

Update #42 follows in the footsteps of #41: Kickbacks with a whole lot of F10s fixed, improvements, closing a final memory leak in appearance and more. Your Knights are descending on New Boston and playing a lot right now, so we're taking extra time to cater to your F10s right now.

If you like updates and you know it, leave a review!

[h2]Go Loud! Community Challenge[/h2]
Also - we are excited that @Liviana has just share the latest community challenge for Cyber Knights: Flashpoint. The previous challenge was swords-only and was a real exciting affair, a while ride of blood and keen edges. This one is a bit louder, boom, boom, go go go! Hope you'll join in the fun and share your team and after-action-reports!
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1021210/view/6770665671988890022


[h2]Appearance Updates / Close Memory Leak[/h2]
For a while, we have had reports of a memory leak in the appearance tab if a player worked in there for 10-15 minutes. It has finally bubbled up to priority and we found he offending textures that were being created and then leaked. This is now fully closed up and the memory bucket is no longer leaking! A big thanks for players hitting F10 on this one!

As part of the work here, we've improved the quality of the headshots for new game characters even if you are using lower Texture Quality. Unfortunately, before the face shots were getting pretty munged until you customized. Now, they're nice and clear.

Extra bonus, we fixed some lighting conditions between the New Game and Safehouse so that the headshots created in either screen will be consistently lit and presented. Finally, we've updated some of the lighting to get a better and cleaner look for all the portraits.

This feels like an eternal quest - we're just going to keep improving the character visuals and portrait captures. Some of the next items include a rim light shader tweak that will help punch them up more and better texturing for skin.


[h2]Proc-Gen Adds[/h2]
With Update #42, we've added another 2 hosts to the Hacking-only proc-gen missions. As the pool grows, your chances of encountering the same host multiple times is starting to slip into the shadow. We'll keep improving here until its a long forgotten memory.

For raid proc-gen missions, we've updated the objective to be more clear with its language between Lockbox (as seen in the hover) and lootbox (a meta hallucination). When raiding, you want to "Loot the
lockboxes" and "Extract your team" before it gets too hot.


[h2]Matrix Locker IC[/h2]
The Locker IC lost its powers after the big SCU update allowing you to re-up the security device disables. Now, its back with full force! If a Locker IC is present and enabled in a node, you will be unable to disable any devices until you've dealt with the troublesome little pest.


[h2]Weapon Mod Adjustments[/h2]
We're catching up on a few fixes from Update #40's new weapon mods. The Rostock Suppressor will now correctly slot into the barrel of your Sniper Rifle. The MaxCap Magazine mod is now correctly priced - it was so cheap!

While talking pricing, we've adjusted a few more cyberdeck prices to get everything where it needs to be.

[h2]Legwork 0%[/h2]
We've fixed a bug that was keeping Legwork chance shown at 0% when the merc was able to do the Legwork due to certain types of faction relationship or backstory tag.

[h2]v1.2.39 - 1/16/2024[/h2]
- Fixed memory leak in Appearance customization
- Improved quality and lighting of headshots during Appearance customization
- Improved quality of default headshots for new game characters if your settings are lower, not using Best Texture Quality
- Improved clarity of raid proc-gen mission Objectives, fixed language around Lockbox vs. Lootbox
- Added 2 more Matrix proc-gen host templates
- Fixed bug with Locker IC not preventing security device disabling
- Fixed odd visual overflow of Matrix AP near the Connect/Scan button
- Added Message Icon / Count in the Roster screen to help highlight character messages there
- Fixed bug causing Rostock Suppressor to attach to scope mod slot
- Fixed pricing for MaxCap Magazine Mod
- Fixed Legwork success chance displayed as 0% when using a faction background/relationship
- Fixed cyberdeck pricing oddity that made Nikklon Cylor 11.0 the cheapest of all

[h2]End of Month Wrap Up[/h2]

(Description of challenge below)

Hello, Knights! Over the last month you all have been sharing pictures and stories as you "Go Loud" on your heists in New Boston. If you would like to catch up on the fun, you can check out the Steam discussion thread and hop over to our Discord to check out #go_loud_challenge.

A few highlights from the month:

Dheran wrote up detailed and fun After Actions Reports including serving up one big meanie extra crispy with their energy rifle!

gear_head went loud by tossing grenades to take all multiple guards all at once. A good strategy to open your path and allow you to move quickly as the reinforcements are coming!



And a shout out to val whose sniper left behind *quite* the body count as they picked off enemies from a distance.

Thank you to all of you who shared about your how your Knights and team of mercs made it while forgoing stealth in New Boston! Though this challenge is over, feel free to tackle it any time and share how it goes for you!

Stay tuned for more community events in the future!

-------




Hello, Knights! It's time for another CKF Community Challenge. Last time we challenged you to go quiet using only Swords to get through your heists. This time we are going the other way and want you to go in guns blazing in our "Go Loud" challenge.



There are two requirements for this challenge:

- Complete a mission (or missions) going loud by turn 2 (going loud means using guns, grenades, anything that makes noise).
- No silencers or suppressors are permitted.

You can use swords and any other weapons, but you must make noise with a loud weapon by turn 2 at the latest.



As always, we want to see and hear about your adventures tackling the challenge so here are some ideas for what we’d love to see:

- Screenshots of squad during the mission, the guards after you are done with them
- After Action Reports of your missions, challenges you faced
- Your strategies for telling with going loud immediately in a mission
- Any other creative ways you want to share to tell us about the operating in the underbelly of New Boston with only loud boom-boom: memes, interpretive dance, gifs, etc



No matter what you choose to share, please share at least one screenshot of your squad mid-mission so we can see what they got up to!

We’ve opened up a discussion here on Steam in the General Discussion forum for aIl of your posts. If you post in our Discord, head to #go_loud_challenge to join in on the conversation!