Cyber Knights: Flashpoint News

Update #18 rolls out some key improvements for the timeline and your ability to look back on your team's past activity as well as a ton of new improvements throughout the game. While we're waiting a few more days for the first wave of Proc-Gen Missions to hit, your F10s and suggestions on our Discord and here on the Steam forums are keeping the update pipeline firing on all jets.

If you're enjoying the pace of improvements and updates to the game please leave a review - nothing is more helpful for us to keep improving and sharing the game.
 
Also, we're excited to announce the first Community Challenge -
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1021210/view/5454483600070048449
We've rolled out our first community challenge for everyone to try and enjoy. Nothing strict, just a different spin on how you play the game to put some focus on a certain playstyle and get players chatting about meta and melee.

How long can you survive in the game only using blades? Sneaky, quiet, stabby? Check! Out ranged, out gunned, pinned down - hopefully not. Let's see what your sword-only team can do.


[h2]Timeline History[/h2]
The small button to the left of the timeline (if you are on page 0) has now activated to show a history of timeline events. Events like cyber surgery, mission expiration, mercs recovering from injuries, and more all appear within the list. We need to keep adding more events to get full coverage but you'll be able to see a wealth of history about your activities already.

In addition, events that were previously invisible can now be checked out in the timeline history, like the specifics of a failed Legwork attempt, Trait mutations for your characters (as negative and positive Traits gain or drop in power level) and when Injury devolves into a true Wound. These events will soon have a confirmation pop up that makes such important events even more clear, but for now exposing them in the history is a big move.

As a new feature, this list will start empty for your team. Events that occurred before Update #18 will not appear here.


[h2]Quit from between Missions[/h2]
If you've completed a level, won a mission or are just anywhere in between levels on a multi-stage mission, you can now choose to easily exit to the main menu.

We recognize that levels are long and so often, getting to the end of one is the full play session and maybe your mission isn't over but you'll have to pause and come back later. ESC can get you back to the main menu and when you resume play you'll drop right back into the stage or mission victory.


[h2]Cyberdeck Health[/h2]
Your Cyberdeck's health % is now visible in all screen related to cyberdecks. We've fixed a few places were buttons were not clickable in the Cyberdeck management screens (specifically install and delete programs). We've fixed some issues where the storage bar for your deck wasn't always updating correctly and also now if you select an already installed program, we will highlight how much space it is taking up in the deck's storage bar in yellow.

Also, if you're out cruising the matrix you can now pan the matrix map with the same hotkeys (WASD, left stick by default) as the main mission map.

[h2]No Transitions Camera Mode[/h2]
This option was rolled out a few releases ago to allow you to play in a mode where the game took as little control of the camera as possible. It has had a few issues, specifically with the Cybersword's Slashslide and with Hacking, both of which are now fixed.

[h2]Appearance Improvements[/h2]
When setting up your character's looks, we've made some fixes and improvements as well. You can now rotate your character while looking at their face detail. We've also fixed an issue where switching between sliders when changing the aspects of their face would reset the previous slider.

[h2]v1.1.5 - 11/17/2023[/h2]
- Added timeline event history to saved game, review details and timing of past timeline events
- Turn events like Legwork fail, Trait mutation, Wounds from injury now visible in logs
- Added option to return to the main menu from the Victory screen, allowing to resume there later
- Now pan Matrix with same keybindings (default WASD / right stick) as main mission map
- All displays of Cyberdeck in market, inventory and deck management now display health %
- When forcibly disconnected from the matrix, a popup explains reason (deck hacker, burnt out deck, cut connection)
- Fixed cybernetic implants that were showing +/- with their buff or debuffs
- Fixed issue where changing between face sliders in appearance would reset previous slider value
- Now allow rotating character in appearance while focused on face
- Fixed issue with Blueprint count sometimes being wrong in Cold Storage (missing item will appear)
- Fixed issue in Cyberdeck Mgmt where deck's storage bar was not always updating correctly
- Fixed issue in Cyberdeck Mgmt where some buttons we're clickable
- Fixed issues with No Transitions option for camera with Slashslide and Hacking
- Improved rendering performance for market and other long lists

[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 of your sword-only advenstures through 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 #swords_only_challenge.

A few highlights from the month:

Doomfluffy not only wrote up detailed and fun After Actions Reports on their swords only missions, but also themed their entire team around the Princess Bride. The codenames and outfits complete the whole picture!



If you are going swords only, you of course thing of Kill Bill, and therefore must dress appropriately jotwebe paid homage to the movie, outfitting their entire crew in yellow and they slashed their way through New Boston.



And a shout out to metalsonElVikings who played this challenge on Chrome Ironman difficulty and managed to get everyone in and out alive with careful play.


Thank you to all of you who shared about your Knights and team of mercs' adventures in New Boston with only their swords! 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! As our first foray into CK:F challenges we are going to do a what I’m calling a mini-challenge or to be more on theme, a nano-challenge. These nano-challenges will run for just a couple of weeks and have less specific requirements that our bigger challenges. Our first nano-challenge is Swords Only and will run until December 8th (though freel free to do the challenges any time you want, we always love hearing about people tackling them).




There is really only one requirement for this challenge:

- Complete a mission (or missions) using only swords as your weapons. If you are unable to afford all swords, you can take other weapons along but you cannot use them.
- You may use any combination of mercs, talents, and items, but your only weapons are to be swords.

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 sneaking up on guards, sneaking past guards
- Any other creative ways you want to share to tell us about the operating in the underbelly of New Boston with only your sword: 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 #swords_only_challenge to join in on the conversation!

Update #17 lands in the short minute between Hacker's Nest release and the upcoming release of Proc-Gen Missions. It's a monster of a polish release, squashing bugs and F10s left and right. Even as we add new features and content, we're working hard to increase the overall polish and ease of play.

For the full list of fixes, check out the entire change log below. We'll hit some highlights here.

If you're enjoying the pace of updates, please leave a review and share the game with a friend!
 

[h2]Attack Program Resize / Rename[/h2]
We've done some balancing from the early feedback we've heard on cyberdeck builds that has reduced the size and program rating of some of the Attack programs to help them better fit into your strategies, and better allow for multiple Attack program strategies that are already developing. In addition, there we some places where "AOE Attack" was showing instead of "Nuke" and those are now resolved.

We also resolved an issue where some programs were incorrectly showing a recharge Turn counter once they had some charges used up. Programs do not work this way - you refresh their charges by reloading them through your IO buffer. Fixed!


[h2]On-Going Story Fixes[/h2]
Any time we get a report of a story bug that causes a permanent defect, we'll be working to issue a story fix that will resolve it in all games new and old. Last update, we resolved an issue with the corrupt cop from Carnivore not appearing as known after the missions. In Update #17, we've resolved a bug report that Dr. Ashe could end up with the Greedy Trait instead of the Partner Trait. This is fixed for all future and past games, so if you've previously played through this section and paid for the clinic, check Dr. Ashe for the Trait upgrade.


[h2]Heat Generation[/h2]
For a few releases, Heat generation from missions has been way off -- just too high all the time. We've fixed the bug and adjusted the range. The lowest Heat any mission can generate from Security Level is 2 (even if your Sec Level is 0) and the highest you can generate from Security Level is 14 (which is Sec Level 7 and up). This fixes the bug first and foremost, but also widens the range to further reward very quiet players and also give incentive to louder players to keep moving quickly.


[h2]Improved Tutorial & Rooftop[/h2]
We've made some balance changes to the tutorial to ensure we're giving an easy space to learn, make mistakes and play. We've tweaked the rooftop starting setup and dialog to reinforce the different options of sneaking OR fighting your way through the different challenges.
 
[h2]v1.1.3 - 11/15/2023[/h2]
- Reduced program size and rating for Attack Programs
- Fixed issues with Nuke Program not always being named correctly
- Removed incorrect recharge turns being shown on loaded programs
- Fixed Clinic Expansion story issue where Dr. Ashe was getting Greedy Trait, now fixed to Partner in all games
- Fixed Forward Op navigation issue - you can squeeze through the 2 trucks now
- Fixed bug with weapons / swords not showing expanded ammo capacity in HUD on missions
- Fixed missing sprite for max reloads for weapons like E-Rifle
- Fixed bug with minimum Heat generated by missions being way too high
- Fixed issue with Knight's "Rewind" Talent bonus getting undone if you Retry Turn the next turn
- Added hovers to the Play and Fast forward buttons in safehouse timeline
- Fixed issue with no automatic movement camera mode, reduces hitches in pan/rotation while changing Turns
- Fixed issue with camera panning or rotating while typing into F10 feedback form
- Improved Training screen display of Training Points / Talent Limit to make training more clear
- Improved starting setup on Syndicate Debts Plan B rooftop level
- Improved balance of tutorial enemies
- Fixed issue where Roster would incorrectly report "1 Injured" sometimes, randomly
- Fixed missing label for high ground accuracy bonus (+10%) when at least 2m above target
- Fixed forward ballcap cosmetic for all masculine faces

We've been hitting an aggressive pace of 1 update every 2 days since launch, so you know when a few days go by -- it's gotta be something big! And indeed, it is - Update #16 delivers on the first Roadmap Milestone for November, the Hacker's Nest. This update also includes multiple other improvements for hacking the matrix as well as the first use of a self-healing system for Contacts which will help us continue to deliver on the promise of never invalidating saved games.

We've got a packed roadmap schedule for the rest of November with the first wave of proc-gen missions coming and some big updates to the existing tutorial, and we'll be working on new content, features and polish in between those larger roadmap milestones, so stay tuned to this stream right here.

If you're enjoying the progress the game is making and the pace of updates, we hope you'll leave a review and share the game with a friend!


[h2]Hacker's Nest[/h2]
The features for the Hacker's Nest are a combination of the ability to browse, swap out and upgrade your cyberdeck's programs from your roster plus the market options to shop for and buy cyberdecks and programs. This now gives you autonomy over how you want to setup your Hacker's and their cyberdeck's programs. It's a big win for the Roadmap and for the matrix and hacker meta, letting you plot your own course in the matrix now.

In addition, we've introduced new program types include Nuke (which damages all IC in a node) and utility programs like Data Filter and Trace Vector. Utility programs grant a buff when they are loaded and remove the buff if they are unloaded. So, loading them into your cyberdeck's Active Memory and paying the IO cost for the first Turn of loading can net you a powerful multi-Turn buff. Check out the new options with Utilities and higher level Scan, Attack, and Nuke.

When building our your deck's, one limitation you have to plan around is Deck and Program Rating. Simply put - a Deck cannot install a Program the exceeds its DecK Rating. Therefore, a Rating 5 program requires at least a Rating 5 Cyberdeck. Also - keep in mind that installing a program on a deck permanently burns it into the quantum chips and removing it is a permanent delete.


[h2]Contact Self-Heal[/h2]
Contacts and the services they offer are very dynamic - as the game progresses, each Contact has the opportunity to level up or downgrade their services (such as paying Dr. Ashe to upgrade the medical clinic and cybernetic options) as well as adding new services altogether, or even temporary or one-time services (like Origami Joe's special rifle).

With all this possible change and depth, and as we add entirely new service offerings to the game, we need a tool to be able to fix Contacts who missed something due to the age of a saved game or fix a mistake that was made at some point. So, with Update #16, we're rolling out the first set of Contact self-healing changes. There was a mistake where Syndicate Bosses, Blades and Financiers all sold Cyberdecks - that's not great. Now in all games - new and old - that will be fixed immediately on load. Also, your friendly neighborhood Wireghost was not selling enough of the options for Programs and Cyberdecks, so we've upgraded all Wireghosts in all games - new and old.

Protecting your saved games and letting you play them forward without concern for loss or invalidation is a commitment we take into account whenever we do anything technical related to saved games. This new self-healing system took some time to get just right it is another piece of the puzzle to deliver on our promise.

In addition, we've made a fix in story self-healing so that if you've previously played Carnivore mission but ended up without knowing the corrupt cop in your Contact list, that is now resolved the next time you return to the safehouse.


[h2]CPU Spike[/h2]
We know CPU Spiking has caused a lot of questions - as we have helped field them too! With Update #16, we've upgraded the UI around CPU Spiking so that it appears in the list in the same size and style as an IC or a Door in an RCU. In addition, we've included clear rules about the requirements to Spike the CPU - that is, you must destroy (and not just disable) all IC within the node before you can spike.


[h2]Respec Fixes[/h2]
If you multi-class into a cyber-class by getting a cybernetic implant, we've fixed a loophole that would let you Respec out of that class. In the future, we may enable this option if you confirm it and can have the cyberware removed, but right now it was causing bugs and needs to be protected against. So, take your time considering spec'ing into a cyber-class like Vanguard or Hacker, you can't Respec out anymore.
 
[h2]v1.1.1 - 11/14/2023[/h2]
- Hacker's Next: Cyberdeck and Program Management now available
- Purchase and upgrade your cyberdeck to better models
- Install, delete, upgrade and strategize with your program set
- New program types and levels available - Nuke, Trace Vector, Data Filter
- New utility programs provide a buff while loaded into active memory
- Install CPU Spike is better formatted, lists rules and displayed above IC
- Fixed all pricing issues with Cyberdecks and Programs for sale
- Fixed issues with Contacts like Syndicate Boss incorrectly selling Cyberdecks in all saved games
- Fixed typo in Matrix Attack programs damage, now clearly 37-50 Dmg (etc)
- Fixed issue Respec'ing with multi-class cyber classes like Hacker or Vanguard - no longer removes root node
- Fixed all games - if you've completed Carnivore, corrupt cop is now a Known Contact

Update #15 drops with a number of option improvements, further polish on the tutorial, tweaks to the new Forward Op and some of the most recent F10s. If you're enjoying the pace of fixes, tweaks and improvements - please leave a review and share the game with a friend!

[h2]Mouse Rotation Options[/h2]
The mouse rotation option did not have a wide enough or granular enough range to take into account all the mouse configurations and sensitivity settings that players might be using. We've cranked this open to 4X what it used to be and broke the granularity down from steps of 25% to steps of 10%. Also, the default is double speed. It should help a lot - if you it still isn't enough for your setup (too fast, too slow) please just let us know.

[h2]Camera Transitions: None[/h2]
For those players who want the game to take over with as little automated camera movement as possible, we've added a new camera transition option: None (no automatic movement). If you select a Talent, we won't focus on the target. If your character starts their turn, we won't focus on them. During an enemy's turn, there are no changes to the camera unless you make them with input. If you're a player who prefers this option - let us know how we did! If there are further changes needed, we'll keep improving.

[h2]Tutorial Improvements On-Going[/h2]
We're going to keep improving and polish the tutorial. Some big changes are coming to its structure and how the information is presented that will make it even better and easier to use at your own pace. For this update, we've fixed an issue where some of the objective markers could disappear at the wrong times. Also, - if you rack up any Security Tally (unavoidable) or Sec Level (avoidable) , this Security status is reset at the end of the tutorial so you don't suffer the consequences (and Heat!) of any early learning mistakes you might have made.


[h2]Hacker Blank Screen[/h2]
If you were getting a blank screen in hacking, this is due to some incorrect variable management which is now fixed in Update #15. One common cause was using the ESC menu to retry the turn when the character was also hacking the matrix as the same time

[h2]v1.0.43 - 11/10/2023[/h2]
- Improved option for mouse rotation speed, doubled default and now can crank it to 400%
- Improved option for camera transition control to include "None (no automatic movement)"
- Fixed ESC key to correctly cancel movement or Talent before opening game menu
- Fixed issue in Forward Op mission where camera could get stuck outside the bounds
- Fixed issue with disappearing objectives in stealth tutorial
- Fixed issue with Security Tally and Level carrying over from tutorial level to rooftop
- Fixed issue with retrying turn or reconnecting to Matrix could result in a blank screen