ΔV: Rings of Saturn News

[h3]Aftermarket MAD HUD unlocks spread across older ships[/h3][p]The recent MAD thruster retrofit kits exposed enough of the proprietary API for third parties to build adapters capable of connecting hardware that previously required a full cockpit refit. Independent yards on Enceladus are now shipping more aftermarket Machines Astro-Dynamiques kits, and some early adopters already report clean installs with MAD Cernunnos II overlays. Machines Astro-Dynamiques legal counsel repeats that unauthorised modifications void warranty and service contracts, but with ring operations under no clear jurisdiction, enforcement is limited.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]R-Sport ring-rage spike under review[/h3][p]Station logs show a spike of ramming and charging incidents during R-Sport heats this week, and organisers are reviewing footage and telemetry with Vilcy observers to separate intent from racing incident. Several teams, including two Obonto sponsored skiffs, allege retaliation after heats and say escort coverage at the events is thin. The R-Sport organisers say provisional penalties and grid drops are on the table pending data and ask teams to submit onboard recordings. Vilcy's spokesman announced a limited discount on weregilds posted by registered R-Sport participants with a clean incident log.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Bounty stacking loophole closed and audited[/h3][p]Several crews discovered a loophole that let them stack duplicate bounties for a single incident and with single payment, but the Vilcyt investigator team deduplicates claims and cross checks hails against recorded timestamps. Investigators confirm fraudulent payouts will be voided and offending accounts may be suspended, while honest misreports can be corrected via voluntary disclosure without significant consequences. Outstanding duplicates are under manual review and captains who cooperate keep fines administrative rather than criminal. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Maintenance Logs[/h3]

• [p]You can now purchase Machines Astro-Dynamiques Cernunnos II HUD.[/p]
• [p]Added new encounter.[/p]
• [p]Difficulty is now stored in the save file. If you change the difficulty with no save loaded (main menu) it will adjust the default difficulty.[/p]
• [p]Hailing a miner who is afraid of you over and over again won't make them post multiple bounties anymore.[/p]
• [p]Fixed fonts on the equipment and tuning simulation charts.[/p]
• [p]Ships that are not equipped with weapons will not try to ram you if they are angry at you anymore.[/p]
• [p]Racing team will only challenge you to a race when it's neutral or friendly. If they don't like you, they will not discuss races anymore. Combined with the behaviour change for unarmed ships, this will also cause them to not try to ram into you while mockingly challenging you to a race. Instead they will now act more mature, and post a bounty instead.[/p]
• [p]Limiting the distance of the nanodrone systems in tuning will now take into account your ships centre of mass instead of the location of the drone launcher. This will not affect the hardware limitations of the laser propulsion, which are still based around the location of the laser array. This makes the area of effect of the drone system on the maximum tuning non-circular, but makes setting up non-overlapping drone areas much easier.[/p]
• [p]Adjusted some Obonto dialogue trees which presented reply options in different order if you inquired about some things.[/p]
• [p]Some classes of moonlets, including ones with caves, caused the mood to shift towards mystery when you astrogated to them after the initial discovery. This triggered music changes and accompanying accessibility visual cues about mystery to discover when there was none.[/p]
• [p]Updated translations, fixed some typos.[/p]

[h3]MAD releases retrofit kits[/h3][p]Machines Astro-Dynamiques has released retrofit kits for the Cheval 5.0 torch and Luciole 1.2 RCS, renowned propulsion systems of the Cernunnos II series heavy recovery tugs. As dedicated recovery hardware, these engines feature not only impressive thrust and remass economy, but also dedicated active safety protocols, which use built-in radar to cut the thrust if a hull is detected within the exhaust area.[/p][p]The company stressed these retrofits are built for heavy recovery craft, where high thrust can be crucial. Excavation crews are urged to be cautious: the Cheval’s power, even with safeguards, may be excessive for delicate mining operations.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3][/h3][h3]Mandatory medical screening for rescue ops[/h3][p]Scrapwright Recovery Operations has mandated ADHD screening for all directly employed pilots after repeated mishaps during recovery runs. In several cases, crews became distracted even before a derelict was secured, leading to fatal accidents and profit loss. Officials argue that medical screening, combined with better fatigue management, will cut down on preventable failures.[/p][p]Veteran captains note that exhaustion, long shifts, and split-second distractions already make rescue work one of the hardest jobs in the rings. SRO insists the new measures are not punitive, but a safeguard to keep operations focused when lives are on the line.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Omaewamou-Shindeiru false advertising scandal[/h3][p]Market regulators have accused Omaewamou-Shindeiru of falsifying specifications on its Nanoparticle Activated Nuclear Incinerator. Officially marketed as a mining device, the NANI has long been notorious for its dual use as a weapon, and is still illegal in the inner system. Field tests confirmed its true range is far shorter than advertised, prompting charges of false advertising and fraud. Crews who bought NANI units under inflated claims may now pursue damages.[/p][p]The scandal has renewed criticism of the company's practice of exploiting legal loopholes to sell equipment as “mining tools” while knowing full well their frequent combat applications.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Maintenance Logs[/h3]

• [p]Machines Astro-Dynamiques just released retrofit kits for their high-performance MAD Cheval 5.0 torch and MAD Luciole 1.2 RCS. Designed for heavy tugs, these might not be practical on smaller excavation crafts, outside of specialised requirements.[/p]
• [p]Added extended safety protocol support for thrusters and torches, which can limit the power output of a thruster when built-in radar detects metallic objects, like ship hulls. MAD CERF torches are now equipped with new safety protocols.[/p]
• [p]Search and Rescue pilots now have mandatory ADHD screening. They used to be quickly distracted as soon as a derelict even touched their cargo hold, resulting in many botched recoveries.[/p]
• [p]Improved AI for docking manoeuvres. AI can now recognise if a ship it's attempting to dock into is stuck in a cargo bay.[/p]
• [p]Improved performance around derelicts.[/p]
• [p]Lifted some autopilot limitations on CERF ships, which were placed to improve odds of derelict recovery even when pilots got distracted. As a side effect, pirate-operated CERFs might now be more dangerous.[/p]
• [p]ATK-225 had some drone systems installed in docking bays that stuck out in unexpected ways. Now they will stick out in expected ways instead. This slightly changes areas on which they operate.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a dialogue bug that could allow you to pick if the captain of the ship you meet liked or disliked your current crewmembers.[/p]
• [p]NANI effective range was listed wrong.[/p]
• [p]Grinder audio feedback is now based on actual speed the grinder rotates, so you'll hear when it struggles with something.[/p]
• [p]Catching a derelicts ND-LIS Kitsune with a vacant cradle arm will not prompt your crew to attempt to board it over and over again.[/p]
• [p]Catching a ND-LIS Kitsune with a cradle and keeping it there for a while will not cause it to gain power, boot up and attempt to fly away while still attached to your ship. It will still refuel on a cradle compatible with re-fuelling, and should you release such derelict it will boot up and attempt to execute the last order given to its autopilot by the previous crew, which will most likely cause the derelict to get lost.[/p]
• [p]Changed the way "reduce flicker" accessibility option works on a full processed cargo manifest. The mineral blinking will now be pronounced, but slow, so it should be clearly visible without triggering any photosensitivity issues.[/p]
• [p]Miners you encounter at the edge of the rings will be curious about your operation again and will approach you to discuss it. Their whole purpose is to introduce new players to comms and to guide them further into the rings.[/p]
• [p]Limited the traffic on the edge of the rings by 50%. While the miners will be approaching you now when you just sit on the edge of the rings, there will be fewer of them.[/p]
• [p]Miners you encounter on the edge will not cause the storyteller to suspend other events if you decide to fly along them.[/p]
• [p]Updated translations.[/p]

[p]ΔV has always been about hard science, accurate physics, and the brutal beauty of Saturn’s rings. But maybe that’s not what you came here for. Maybe you just want to blast rocks, dodge lasers, and feel like a hero in a space opera where fun matters more than Newton. After all, games are supposed to be fun, not science homework. [/p][p]If you ever dreamed of dashing captains, swashbuckling crews and laser battles that light up the void the way old space operas promised, we are working on something just for you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Completely different flavour of the rings[/h2][p]It’s the ΔV you know, with the hard science dialled way down and the spectacle turned up. Perfect if you want quick, cinematic action or just need a break from rocket science.[/p][p]Not a fan of the cargo bay simulation? We'll remove it. No sound in space sounds boring? We are adding the thundering explosions and sonic booms in. Annoyed by lack of colour? We got you covered.[/p][p]With this DLC, you'll be able to experience an completely different, arcade take on the rings. Or switch back in to gritty space realism. Whatever rocks your ship, we'll have you covered.[/p][p][/p][p]Want to be kept up to date on development of this expansion? Wishlist now![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]