Cyber Knights: Flashpoint News

Mercs and Knights - Update #198 is a short one with a focus on getting us back on track for our Weekly Map Release schedule! We have a new map - Broken Highway - and two other small improvements to deliver today with better objectives in your bodyguard missions, improved Sec AI rules about buffing their forces and a fix to how Ignore Recoil is formatted for armor and cyberware. Also, we fixed a huge number of minor typos and issues in story and lore text, so thanks for all of your F10s!

If you like the constant stream of new, improved, polished and added during your Early Access, please remember to leave a review!

[h2]New Weekly Map: Broken Highway[/h2]

We missed a week over New Year's due to vacation and flu, but we're back on track now, and the maps will flow. Our 10th weekly map release is Broken Highway, a long stretch of open highway where warring factions constantly trade hands and soak in blood. A warning—the highway is wide, cuts through the map, and provides no cover! Stay off the road if you can, working its edges and crossing it quickly when you must.

With all the new maps - and Broken Highway - we are dedicated to supporting every proc-gen objective (all 8) with absolute maximum variation inside each option (there are more than 32 ways to play this level!!) The new 8 proc-gen combos offered with this map brings the total to 121 proc-gen combos and represents another 6% increase in map variety. Broken Highway also includes support for the Assassinate VIP objective which brings the mission maps supported for that objective type up to 10 and is no longer really an underserved objective type (victory day!).

[h2]Objective Update for Bodyguard Missions[/h2]

The bodyguard missions needed a small update to their objectives to properly indicate when the escort had successfully Extracted from the map. This tweak is now delivered to all bodyguard missions, present or future.

[h2]Ignore Recoil Bonus Correction[/h2]
There was a mistake in the display of the Ignore Recoil stat when it was shown on Armor or Cybernetics, where it would read as +0.3 which doesn't make sense in the Recoil system. When properly formatted, it should read as Ignores Recoil +3 which means that the armor or cybernetic grants an immediate 3-point reduction to Recoil all the time - making moving or firing a little less impactful to your next shot.

[h2]Sec AI is Picky[/h2]
Previously, if the Sec AI ran an Escalation that buffed their team, these buffs could be applied to Head Hunters, any enemy faction on the map as well as the local faction forces. We have adjusted these rules to ensure that only the local faction that the Sec AI is supporting is buffed.

[h2]v1.9.77 - 1/10/2025[/h2]
- Added new proc-gen map "Broken Highway": a wide open stretch of dangerous highway constantly contested by warring factions that supports +8 new proc-gen combos (Heist a CPU, Steal 3 Files, Scavenger, Kill 3 Captains, Bodyguard, Assassinate, Siege and Battle Striker
- Fixed display for Recoil bonus on armor and cybernetics incorrectly using +0.3 instead of +3
- Improved objectives for all bodyguard missions to correctly mark when VIP is safely extracted
- Sec AI buffs will not help enemy factions or Head Hunters
- Fixed one missed controller guidance in the tutorial for Steam Deck

Before we release the next map, we've got an update fully focused on closing F10s and polishing the game. We've got so much cooking, it's good to take a moment just for bug fix and QoL at times before the next big release cycle starts. Update #197 fixes issues with armor, buff stacking, improves the tutorial for Steam Deck and controllers, improves the Benches tag in the safehouse, fixes mod attachment issues and makes Revolver's special rules about mods more clear.

Thanks to everyone playing, posting up F10s and leaving a review on the game! We're working on improving and adding to the game in large and small ways - so if you like what you're seeing, be sure to leave that review!

[h2]Armor Initiative and Move Speed[/h2]

With Update #197, we've fixed some older issues with armor bonuses failing to join into the buff and debuff displays for your characters. Armor's Move Speed and Initiative modifiers were not being counted into these summaries for display and in addition, the Initiative penalty or bonus was not being used during combat missions when Initiative was rolled (while Move Speed was correctly used). Both the display issue and the rules issue are now resolved with Update #197.

[h2]Buffs Stacking Bug[/h2]
In mid-December a regression crept into the codebase that allowed some buffs to stack. This has now been fixed, and buffs will no longer stack. You cannot have two copies of Coordinated Charge buff on you at the same time, offering double the bonuses, sorry! If you've been relying on that, apologies, this new reality will seem harsh, but it is fair. If you re-use a buff on an already buffed character, it will refresh the duration on the buff.

[h2]Steam Deck and Controllers in Tutorial[/h2]

It was brought to our attention last week that the new tutorial has a major, glaring fault. It did not customize its text and instructions if you were playing on a controller or Steam Deck! We have hurried up to fix this, ensuring that all mention of controls (press this, click that) are now swapped over dynamically to provide controller keybindings, such as press (X). We've also added a few extra lines of helper text in the case of Steam Deck or controller to point out some of the basics right away.

[h2]Benches Built Tag[/h2]

The tag in the safehouse over rooms that said "1/2 Benches" and was causing so many F10s has now been updated to read "1/2 Benches Built" as that is what it is showing you. You can build new benches if you want!

[h2]Mod Attachment Fixes[/h2]

With Update #197, we've resolved the visual issues that were happening with the new Rook Prototype Weapons (see Power Plays) new shotgun model and new UAR model. Their scopes and barrel attachments will now correctly attach to the model and look cool!

In addition, we've changed the display for how Revolver shows mods that are incompatible. Previously, when you were trying to equip a new Scope or Body Attachment for a Revolver, we automatically hid all incompatible mods like Silencers and Ammo Extenders. This could be confusing, so now we've brought them back but when you select them, the Equip button switches to Incompatible and their special rules column includes the rule listing about Revolver limitations.



[h2]Map Fixes[/h2]

There will always be more map fixes :D New maps are flowing so the fixes must flow too! We've fixed issues with Lockdown Station and the Gold Key room having objective files inside it, with auto-extraction zones in a few maps including - most popular - Wreckspire, and places in Urban HQ where Prox MInes were spawning in the walls.

[h2]v1.9.75 - Update #197: Gleamer Polish - 1/8/2024[/h2]
- Armor Move Speed and Initiative Penalty correctly displayed in all status summaries, used in Initiative Roll
- Fixed bug that allowed buffs to stack - buffs do not stack, using a second copy of a buff will refresh duration
- Improved Tutorial with Steam Deck and Controller focused steps discussing defeault keybindings
- Clarified safehouse "1/2 Benches" tag as "1/2 Benches Built"
- Improved handling of Revolver mod limitations when working in inventory - now shown as incompatible with rule displayed
- Fixed 3D attachment of mods to new Rook Prototype UAR and Shotgun models
- Fixed issue where auto-extract was often not happening in Wreckspire mission map at elevator
- Fixed bug where Lootbox Hunt files could end up in Lockdown Station's Gold Key room (bug with that specific map)
- Fixed Proximity Mine starting inside barrier in Urban HQ mission map

Happy New Year, Knights! Things have run a bit slowly here at the start of 2025 with a third of our team on holiday, a third of our team sick and a third working away. But we're getting things moving again with Update #196, celebrating with new outfit options, new hairstyles, +15 new matrix host templates, improved Matrix host progression that includes the size of the host, boosted mission pay, tweaks to the balance of Truck Job and fixes for old F10s and reported bugs.

A huge welcome and thanks to everyone who is playing and joined up during the WInter Sale! We've had an amazing influx of input, feedback and reviews and we appreciate every bit, scrap and ːsteamthumbsupː

This will be a big year for Cyber Knights getting all grown up and launching on Steam, so let's go ːsteamhappyː!!

[h2]New Cosmetic Options[/h2]

To ring in the New Year, we've added 2 new outfit options for your characters as well as 4 more hairstyles. It's always exciting to see this catalog grow - and it will keep growing - so a few more of the looks shown in the game's concept art have stepped out into the game world.

Look sharp, mercs!

[h2]+15 Matrix Hosts and Host Size Progression[/h2]

There have been a lot of ways that Matrix Hosts scale along with the Power Level of the challenges you are facing - upgrading their Color and their Q-Sec AI until they are Red Pit Vipers or worse. Also, the IC that spawn into matrix hosts increase in threat and toughness as the challenge level goes up and the Escalations that the Q-Sec AI get more and more threatening as well.

One area that has not been affected by the current challenge level (which your Team Power Level modified by all difficulty and mission specific settings) is the matrix terminal map itself. These maps could be generated large or small regardless of your point in the game, which has been a weak spot for the Hacking subsystem and the game.

After a deep analysis and talking to a lot of players, we've realized that some of the players who have hit the Matrix and skid to a full stop did so because their first hack was a 25-node sprawling monstrosity of a system.

With Update #196, we've connected another set of systems - plugging the Matrix Host's Power Level into the matrix map generator to ensure that we are getting hosts that make sense in size as well as power for your point in the game's progression.

We are looking forward to hearing your feedback on this big change!

[h2]Mission Pay Bump[/h2]

As a gift for the holidays (j/k, because of balancing) we've bumped the pay for Missions from Power Level 1-5 again by a slight margin, from 8% to 15%. These pay raises in missions can help fund a little extra EQ for your mercs, help you squeak out a safehouse room or save up for that Cyberdeck with a ribbon on top -- but all in all, they help the cash flow in the early game and make it a little less depending on looting. Happy heisting!

[h2]Truck Job Balancing[/h2]

With a big influx of new players, we've heard a lot of great feedback about balancing, progression and difficulty spikes. With the last update, we made some adjustments to the Dead Drop Hit job that was an unexpected spike and have made some (more minor) changes to the Truck Job with Update #196. We'll follow up with update to starting enemy layout and counts with some additional changes to the introductory dialog to make your options and the timing pressure more clearly emphasized by your Face at the start.

[h2]Weapon Crafting Bugfix[/h2]

There was an old and odd bug in crafting weapons with the NanoFab where the exact placement of your weapon mod blueprints could reduce the number of Intrinsic rolls that were made. Specifically, if you locked in 2 blueprints for weapon mods in the first 2 spots of the craft, you wouldn't get a 3rd intrinsc. This oddity has been resolved for future crafts!

[h2]Other Bugs and F10s![/h2]
No saved game is left behind and no F10 is forgotten. Thanks to everyone for sending in F10s, last week fixed bugs and made improvements off F10s that were submitted in March and July of 2024 to improve the game. So keep sending that feedback, thank you!

[h2]v1.9.73 - #196: Happy New Year - 1/5/2024[/h2]
- Added 2 new outfits options for characters - street and corp style
- Added 4 new hairstyle options
- Adjusted rules for generating matrix hosts to take size into account in comparison to challenge Power Level (lower level hosts are smaller)
- Added 15 new matrix templates for hosts across a variety of size and complexity
- Bumped Mission Payment for Power Level 1-5 by 8%-15% roughly
- Improved balance of Truck Job with better starting enemy layout and counts
- Minor tweak to Nuke II (HOT), reduced Connection Dmg to -6%
- Fixed old bug causing some Weapon crafting configurations to not roll Intrinsics due to placement of mod blueprints
- Fixed rare old issue with possible dead character in legwork
- Fixed misleading program files in Code Compilation Files sets that create Nuke II (HOT)

Happy New Year, Knights of New Boston! Thanks to everyone for a great year of playing, improving and expanding the game. Early Access would not be any fun without you and your feedback, so thank you for showing up and sharing so much with us this year - your time, your energy, your encouragement and your bugs.

What better way to round out the year than a new update? Update #195 opens new critical pathways to gain Influence with your Contacts to help them Limit Break, fixes issues with the Rook Prototype Weapons Power Play service, adds some new awesome weapon models and looks to the game, improves the Power Slice bonuses for the new high-level blades available through the Fadelight Blades Power Play storyline, and makes some other smaller improvements to the display of Glancing Hit rules and fixes an ancient and odd "why do I have 20 Favors with my enemy?" bug.

Happy New Year! We hope you'll leave a review as we roll into 2025.

[h2]High Rarity Blueprints Boost Influence[/h2]

As a Cyber Knight in the New Boston underworld, you're ability to execute your high-risks heists are highly dependent on your network of Contacts being able to source and sell you the right gear, equipment, medical services, cybernetics and more. So, it is just as important that you pick and chose allies among the underworld Contacts and help those Contacts climb in power, Influence and reach.

There are multiple ways to help your Contacts grow in Influence - including running missions they offer, completing additional secondary objectives on these missions, completing Legwork they offer and selling them Epic or Legendary Rarity Accounts.

Accounts has been the only flow from looting to Influence but Update #195 expands the pathways in new ways to connect a lot more of the world's valuable loot to your Contact's Influence. Accounts are basically locked to the Matrix, so getting these to "feed" your Contacts required Hacking. Now with the addition of Epic and Legendary Blueprint sales adding +10% to the buyer Contact's Influence, there are new options stemming from both the matrix and regular lootboxes.

Unlike Accounts, either high Rarity of Blueprint sell for +10% only but you have a lot more chances to draw these Blueprints, so it easily makes up for the difference.

If've you been sitting on a cache of high-end Blueprints, it might be time to flush the ones you don't want and help some of your best allies LImit Break a few times.

Our next step here will be to introduce additional Epic and Legendary Item Blueprints into the game, as those are very hard to find and limited mostly to combat drugs. This will add additional ways to get Influence to harder to reach Contacts like Doctors.

[h2]Rook Prototype Power Play Weapons[/h2]

The major Power Play milestone that recently went live included the Rook Prototype Weapons storyline. The result of this storyline was unfortunately a service from your Contact that was disconnected from any weapons being sold! This is now fixed with all service levels and weapons now correctly connected.


We've also updated the 3D models for a number of the higher-end weapons being sold with new shotguns and UARs appearing in the game.

[h2]Improved Blade Power Slice Abilities[/h2]

For straight blades - and especially the higher Power Level blades sold in the Fadelight Blades Power Play storylines - some of the Power Slice abilities have been oddly weak compared to lesser blades. This is now resolved with Update #195, giving a powerful upgrade in Pure Dmg delivered with each new blade you can afford.

[h2]Glancing Hit Rules - Easier Read[/h2]

We've adjusted the Glancing Hit rules shown in your weapon's detail block to include the % in the title so that you don't need to look into the text block to know if its 80%, 60% or 0% (melee).
 
[h2]v1.9.71 - #195: Influence Flows - 12/31/2024[/h2]
- Selling Epic or Legendary Blueprints to an interested Contact increase their Influence +10%
- Fixed issue with Power Play "Rook Prototype Weapons" service not offering weapons
- Improved some of the Rook Prototype Weapons, improved 3D models
- Improved Blade Power Slice balance - Nine, Zero, Nightsong, Tigerfang and others all gain better Power Slice Pure Dmg
- Improved display of Glancing Hit rules for weapons so that the % is shown in the title for easiest read
- Fixed very old bug that could grant enemy Contacts +20 Favors inexplicably
- Fixed minor map issues with recently released maps

Knights! We're here to wrap up the weekend and almost the year with Update #194 which includes a 9th weekly map release, major rebalance to Dead Drop Hit, a ton of improvements and critical fixes to Leverage, better UI for Contact buy and sell services, map fixes and more.

Every week the game is growing, gaining features, improving balance and progression and getting a little more QoL polish. We hope you're enjoying the Early Access process we've got going - relentless updates, never invalidate a saved game.

Please consider leaving a review - our small team needs your help to spread the word!

[h2]New Weekly Map: River Street Bridge[/h2]

Here we are on our 9th week of our weekly map release goal with the new map - River Street Bridge. This new map has a central, large bridge splitting the street district. The river cutting the district, the central bridge and the other ways across it will play key roles in all of your missions.

With the River Street Bridge, we are dedicated to supporting every single proc-gen objective (all 8) with absolute maximum variation inside each option (there are 32!! ways to play this level). The new 8 proc-gen combos offered with this map brings the total to 113 proc-gen combos and represents another 6% increase in map variety. River Street Bridge also includes support for the Assassinate VIP objective as well, which brings the mission maps supported for that objective type up to 9.

[h2]Dead Drop Hit Rebalance[/h2]

The storyline where you attempt to recover some E-Rifles leads you to the Dead Drop Hit job which has become a bit infamous for being unbalanced and too hard for the point in the game it appears. We've made some helpful changes to get it where it needs to be - a nasty, fun fight instead of an unexpected and crushing spike in difficulty.

The changes include upgrading the mission to allow 4 mercs to go, adjusting the starting area to give some more cover options for your defensive position and tweaking the starting spawn counts on enemies.

Finally, we've pushed the minimum Team Power Level that this story will appear at up to 3. That is exciting because that also means we've pushed the E-Rifle rewards up to Power Level 3 E-Rifles instead of Power Level 2. This is a change that will benefit all saved games - new and old - so enjoy your bumped up E-Rifles, Knights!

[h2]Major Leverage Fixes[/h2]
With Update #194, we've fixed a widespread set of issues with Leverage where they were often actually running for 1 Turn less than they promised. This hit a wide range of Leverages, including both passive and active Leverages. Now all the Leverages will run as long as they promise!

We've cleaned up the language and game terms used throughout the set to really get consistency and be sure the Leverage is using all the right terms to match the rest of the game.

In addition, we've improved Alarm Malfunction so that it simply removes an amount of Sec Tally equal to one Escalation and drops the Sec Level by 1, which means the next time the Sec AI would usually Escalate, it is skipped. This is equivalent to Spiking an APU in the Matrix, so its pretty powerful delay action.

Finally, we've fixed an issue where a Leverage that disabled security systems might also cause the sleeping security devices to wake up when the duration ended. This was a big issue in some levels using sleeping devices, so this is a critical bug to fix to push Leverages to their most useful slot.

[h2]Contact Buys and Sells[/h2]

With this update, we've split a Contact's services into two groups for clarity - what they Sell and what they are willing to Buy. This helps us cut down on repetitive words ("Buys ...") and also show the dual nature of some services (if a Contact sells any type of weapons, they always buy all used weapons back).

As the services lists are getting more in depth and starting to change with Power Play options, it is important to make sure the UI helps clarify what you've got and what you might be working on. We'll keep improving these UIs to help cut down the amount of checking and screen transitions you need to get the most important info for strategic decisions.

[h2]Map Fixes Galore[/h2]

With this update we fixed places in Slumroad Junction where doors in exterior buildings were blocking line of sight and we fixed and tuned up the rotation and placement of a ton of spawning locations for enemies and your merc team across a wide set of maps. Every release, we're improving, tweaking and tuning the map set so a huge thanks goes out to anyone sending in F10s that help us improve!
 
[h2]v1.9.69 - #194: New Map Release "River Street Bridge" - 12/29/2024[/h2]
- Added new proc-gen map "River Street Bridge": a street region straddling a bridge soaked in blood of the last centuries battles that supports +8 new proc-gen combos (Heist a CPU, Steal 3 Files, Scavenger, Kill 3 Captains, Bodyguard, Assassinate, Siege and Battle Striker)
- Improved Contact list and hover to separate Buys and Sells services more clearly
- "Dead Drop Hit" mission now allows 4 mercs instead of 3 (it came from a simpler time...)
- Improved cover positions and reduce enemy starting spawn counts in "Dead Drop Hit" to even its difficulty
- Adjusted requirements for "Dead Drop Hit" (fetch E-Rifles) mission to not proc before Power Level 3
- Improved rewards - E-Rifles from "Dead Drop Hit" upgraded to Power Level 3 (all games, new and forever)
- Further improved progression of maps via proc-gen to avoid harder maps on earlier Power Levels
- Fixed Alarm Malfunction so that it correctly reduces Sec Level by 1 and prevents next Escalation
- Fixed Leverage bug with disabling security devices that could result in sleeping devices being woken
- Fixed duplicate dialogs at the end of Siege missions
- Fixed tagging issue in Roster where damaged Cyberdeck ("Cyberdeck 90%") would cause "Loadout" to be shown as well
- Fixed map issues in Slumroad Junction with doors blocking lines of sight from rooftops
- Fixed typos in Hacking Tutorial