Star Traders: Frontiers News

Welcome Update #331, where we are continuing the drive to add more high powered ship components to the game to help you design the perfect ship for whatever profession you chose in a wide range of mass categories. We've also added a new rare Salvage Armor type, the Wolf Eight-Plate and fixed a number of bugs and community reported QoL.

If you're enjoying the on-going free updates to the game years after launch, we hope you'll consider leaving a review!

[h2]Our new turn-based tactics RPG![/h2]
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, our stealth & squad tactics heist RPG, launched into Steam Early Access and how is marching to Update #30 as it battles through its ambitious public roadmap. We've just completed the first major roadmap milestone with the Hacker's Nest and are preparing to complete the second milestone with Proc-Gen Missions and Custom Difficulty (even better than STFs!) If you're looking for a story rich, squad-based RPG, take a minute to follow, wishlist or try Cyber Knights!

All support for Cyber Knights ultimately results in a brighter future for Star Traders, so hope you’ll check it out and spread the word!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210/Cyber_Knights_Flashpoint/


[h2]New Cargo Holds[/h2]
We're still not done expanding the scope of ship design options and components for our Captains, and this update adds another top-end option for cargo haulers, Cargo Hold 7. This oversized large component can individually hold 70 units of cargo, making it the largest hold to date. As we press towards Rank 10 Cargo Holds, ship architects are warned that our designer's ability to cram even more Water-Fuel storage into these spaces has hit a upper limit. For Captains that demand more fuel storage and longer range for their cargo haulers, look to the upcoming large size fuel tanks instead of Cargo Hold 7 and beyond.


[h2]Advanced Hangar Bay & Rename Thulun's Hangar[/h2]
Update #331 also rolls out the new Advanced Hangar Bay, a medium sized component capable of holding 1 craft, boasting the best Electronics boost among Hangars (+2), the highest Fuel Boost (+20) but also the highest HW Jump Cost (+10).

Also, we've renamed the Thulun-specific hangar bay to 'Fidelis Hangar' so the Faction ownership is more clear.


[h2]Storied Wolf Eight-Plate[/h2]
This new armor set provides superior protection and mobility, ensuring your team is ready to face any challenge in the galaxy. Keep an eye out when you're salvaging for this rare drop!

[h2]Bug Fixes: Thanks community![/h2]
Last but not least, we've implemented additional bug fixes and gameplay adjustments. We've resolved an issue causing seized AI ships to incorrectly display zero available cargo space, and fixed a bug that sometimes led to the unexpected drop of Templar Exemplar Command armor as loot. Also, we've added +1 Armor to the Jyeeta Cargo Hold II, enhancing the Jyeeta's resilience and make this terrifying race of "space slugs" even worse!

We've also caught up to a long running bug that could result in seized AI ships having 0 available cargo space.

[h2]v3.3.73 - 12/7/2023[/h2]
- New Ship Component: Cargo Hold 7
- New Ship Component: Armored Cargo Hold 5
- New Ship Component: Advanced Hangar Bay
- Renamed Thulun specific hangar bay to 'Fidelis Hangar'
- New Crew Armor: Wolf's Eight-Plate
- Fixed issue that could cause seized AI ships to have 0 available cargo space
- Added +1 Armor to Jyeeta Cargo Hold II, making upgrade Jyeeta slightly stronger

If you'd like to nominate Star Traders: Frontiers for a Steam award, we're a labor of love. With Update #330 just out, the labor continues, and it does so do to love of the game.

Thanks for all your support, reviews and shares!
Andrew & Cory & the whole Team

Update #330 arrives with some new Trait changes, new Trait mutation opportunities, new gear for your characters, and improvements to both new game and mutiny options. A huge thanks to everyone who has helped us get to 330 updates and continually improve the game with new features, balance and content.

If you're enjoying the continued free updates, please remember to leave a review and share the game with a friend!

[h2]Save 20% On our newest game in Early Access![/h2]
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, our stealth & squad tactics heist RPG, launched into Steam Early Access last month! With Update #20 already out, we're doing it in a style you'll recognize from Star Traders: Frontiers. Fast, relentless improvement and expaions! We've just completed the first major roadmap milestone with the Hacker's Nest and are preparing to add a new Story Era (sound familiar, Star Traders?) and proc-gen missions to the new title. If you're looking for a story rich, squad-based RPG, take a minute to follow, wishlist or try Cyber Knights!

All support for Cyber Knights ultimately results in a brighter future for Star Traders, so hope you’ll check it out and spread the word!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210/Cyber_Knights_Flashpoint/

[h2]Self-Taught Trait[/h2]
We've pushed the longtime Trait, Self-Taught into more exciting territory with Update #330. First we've increased its chance to grant double XP to 15%, allowing it to compete more directly with other powerful Traits like Brilliant. With Update #330, we've also added Self-Taught to more Trait rule sets, allowing it to proc in recruits from the clans, low Economy zones and other places where it is impossible that Brilliant will proc.

While the Brilliant character may gain additional XP due to their sheer intelligence, a Self-Taught character gains extra XP from necessity to survive and excel (or whatever other motivation you'd like to RP!)



[h2]Further Mutiny Tweaks[/h2]
We've spent a few weeks working on Mutiny as one of the focus areas and with this update we've buttoned up a few final issues. We've ironed out a few of the Traits that should or shouldn't allow Talents and fixed some bugs where the total amount of money required for Large Pay Raise was miscalculated.


[h2]Starting Contacts[/h2]
While in most situations, starting contacts are well spread around, there are still map seeds that could result in them ending up in a pile. With this update, we've further improved the situation even in those odd maps seeds to make this more optimal, more of the time.
 
[h2]v3.3.71 - 11/21/2023[/h2]
- Buffed "Self-Taught" Trait to 15% chance of Double XP
- Independent Recruits have increased chance to have "Self-Taught" Trait
- Added new chance of "Self-Taught" Recruits for Clans and low Economy Zones
- Increased chance of "Self-Taught" where "Brilliant" can't proc
- New Gear: St. Leena's Bangles
- Fixed Dread Legacy description, buffed XP and Rep Bonus
- Fixed text issues with "Large Pay Raise" option during Mutiny
- Fixed issues with some mutinous crew Talents being available
- Fixed issue with "local" starting Contacts all being placed in a single zone
- Fixed ship pricing display bugs during Starport Expansion rumors

Update #326 follows-up on a number of awesome community requests for improvements - new Talent cooldown visibility, new medium slot Fuel Tanks, new HUD details about paying your crew and more. A huge thanks to everyone posting and sharing to help improve the game!

If you're enjoying the on-going support for your favorite space captain RPG, please take a minute to leave a review and share the game with a friend!

[h2]Our new game has started Early Access![/h2]
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, our stealth & squad tactics heist RPG, launched into Steam Early Access last month! We've just completed the first major roadmap milestone with the Hacker's Nest and are preparing to add a new Story Era (sound familiar, Star Traders?) and proc-gen missions to the new title. If you're looking for a story rich, squad-based RPG, take a minute to follow, wishlist or try Cyber Knights!

All support for Cyber Knights ultimately results in a brighter future for Star Traders, so hope you’ll check it out and spread the word!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210/Cyber_Knights_Flashpoint/


[h2]Talent Cooldown Displays[/h2]
With Update #329 we've made the cooldowin details for all ops Talents -- Exploring, Spying, Patrolling, Blockading and Salvage -- visible when hovering over a Talent before use. For these Talents especially, as you're often trying to plan out a certain sequence of Talents to ensure you come off cooldown quickly enough to never have to play without a talent -- this is highly valuable! Thanks for the great suggestion @rzwicaksono!


Since we were adding it for the ops Talents, we've also included cooldown details for Talents in ship combat. As these Talents go onto cooldown for extended periods of time, you can make quicker decisions about using them, especially if you have some idea of the level of risk you can currently take or the chances of another ship fight just around the next star.

[h2]New Fuel Tanks 5 & 6 [/h2]
Update #329 has added 2 new medium slot Fuel Tanks to the mix. While neither of the new tanks adds any additional Skill Pool to your ship, they do add sizeable chunk of Fuel in total for the trade of cost, at 105 Fuel and 130 Fuel respectively.


[h2]Crew Payment HUD[/h2]
We've added details about how many crew need to be paid to the hover over the alert bar at the top of the HUD. While crew payment doesn't have enough priority to demand its own icon up on this bar, the information is just always available if you hover. This can provide a quick way to know if you can level your crew, or use the Traits that rely on paying crew to your advantage.

[h2]And Bug Fixes[/h2]
With Update #329, we also fixed a problematic pricing issue with the Wolf Vector's and reports bugs and issues from the forums.

Thanks to everyone reporting bugs and issues!

[h2]v3.3.67 - 11/15/2023[/h2]
- Improved Talent Displays: Added Cooldown to Explore, Orbit, Ship Combat
- Improved Ship Alerts: Now shows count of Crew waiting on payment
- New Components: Fuel Tank 5, Fuel Tank 6
- Fixed displays of some Small Craft Crew buffs from Gear
- Fixed: Wolf Vector price bug
- Fixed bugs and rendering issues

Update #328 adds the new Cargo Hold 6, improves a Zendu Trait and also adds another set of deepening simulation connections between game systems and Rumors - Rumors and Black Market, Rumors and Rare Trade Goods

[h2]New Cargo Hold[/h2]
Cargo Hold 6 is a beast - the top of the line large cargo hold for your merchant's cargo long hauler. The expansive fuel capacity pairs well with the recently updated Longhaul Engines. So whether your running Salvage or Explorer with a Javat mining rig, or just hauling cargo for credits, this is the upgrade for you. Load up on expensive Permit-only goods or seeking out even more difficult to obtain Rare Trade Goods, the Cargo Hold 6 is a big investment but helps keep those merchanting margins high.

[h2]Improved Black Market[/h2]
Overall, we've pushed the chances of drawing access cards - which are the success cards int he Black Market - about 5% higher with a bit of a bias toward higher level access cards.

In the case of Rumors like Spice Festival and Civil Unrest we've made the Black Market access cards - in which you reach the market - twice as likely to be drawing in to the hand of 5 cards. Also, access cards with higher level of access are now more prevalent.

[h2]Rumor + RTG Intersection[/h2]
We're expanding Rumors effects by allowing them to interact with the Rare Trade Good generation and economy. This is another exciting intertwining of important systems and we're excited to continue to make changes in this regard that deepen their relationship.

For example, Shortage Rumors on the planets responsible for Rare Trade Good supplies will trigger spikes in prices for the goods as the news travels. We've mapped out some more cool ideas for Rumor interaction like with Civil Unrest and Xenos driving supply and pricing changes as well.


[h2]Contact Simulation[/h2]
To help protect high powered Contacts, we've added some new rules that prevent low Influence Contacts from actually making an attempt at killing them. This helps strengthen the simulation and improve the chances for higher Influence Contacts to outlive their peers.


[h2]Zendu Lineage[/h2]
This Zendu Trait has gained a full point of +1 Initiative. The memories of your lineage's past, regardless of how fragment give you nearly preternatural reaction time, now for a total of +3 Initiative.
 
[h2]v3.3.65 - 11/10/2023[/h2]
- New Ship Component: Cargo Hold 6 (yw, merchants)
- Reduced rate of low-influence Contacts attempting to assassinate high-influence rivals
- Rumors on RTG origin world can now cause market and pricing changes (more soon)
- Balance Change: Black Market overall +5% Success Rate
- Double Success Rate for Black Market Under Spice Festival, Civil Unrest
- Contact Influence spent on Rumor duration is return to Contacts if the Rumor ends early
- Buffed: Zendu Lineage Gains +1 Init for +3 Total
- Nerfed: Relic Deathward looses -5% Bleed Res