Hey @everyone!
Here we go - after a runtime of short 4 weeks we full wiped again because of problems you and we experienced and to address every problem we could in that short amount of time.
Not going in too deep details how and why and what - there are plenty of forum posts you can scroll.
Instead let’s jump straight into all new things:
New Third Server: HWS Sanctuary
As announced we moved all donator planets to a new third server (location Canada). EU and NA are the first time closer than ever.
However they are separated from the main servers EU and NA to not only provide a massive performance boost but also to experience a new journey on different servers.
Once again we have to see how this will work out. We (@Jascha) tried and did the absolute best we could. Technically created something extraordinary: within one Orbit called “Cross Server Warp” you can warp to two different servers.
The remaining issues such as 0 fuel and o2 after the CSW warp are for now still in. Also that you lose your signal / group formations.
Please be careful regarding this
New Supply Packages / Origin patch
Trader
Freelancer
Guardian
Pirate
Hunter
As you can see we changed (nerfed) Hunter to a Medium Armor and (buffed) Guardian to Heavy Armor.
We saw a too easy way for Hunter to play the big card while Guardians needed to earn their reputation the good way.
The packages reflect also an almost equal value along all Origins + giving each of them the little ontop benefits individually.
Attention: with the big CSW integration we had to change the start experience for all origins except Freelancers. That means that you have your armor straight away from the beginning and the walk to the Armor Locker is not needed anymore (but still grabbing everything from the Personal Cargo Box)
New universe
Now that is by far the biggest, dramatically and insane new thing we ever had in the whole 1+ year runtime of HWS!
Let’s see if this will be meta or not but our total universe Playfield size (reachable / theoretical opened PF at the same time) is 30! Yes, from over 100 we stripped it to 30. What sounds quite strange or critical was actually the most hardest job we had to do.
To think of where is the action. Where is the peace. The balance overall. How can we stay PvP focussed but additionally provide massive new boosts to newcomers and PvE / Builders.
Our Bounce rate (new people left HWS) was insane high. Of course not only because of the weather, iron meteorite drama or overall difficulty but also of the layout and other decisions we made.
If we knew all of this before 6.0 we wouldn’t had spent over hundreds of hours into it but with non-stop 177 players playing we discovered bugs, gameplay issues not addressed for these masses and more.
Picking the cherrys
What we did instead now is looking very closely to everything what worked very good and tried to implement it:
Golden Globe
We already teasered it but with that planet in mind we want to explain a new system we invented. You partially saw it already in HWS 6.0 on Lavaworld but we pushed it hopefully to perfection now:
the Sandwich planets
This means that we have almost no Indestructible planets anymore due spawn and user experience problems but instead a mix of both worlds: saving performance by no-cheese-drilled planets and still flatten / drill possibilies.
- You can see that the top layer is whatever fits the planet biome
- Then you see a Bedrock layer (red or white)
- After that you get drillable terrain (alien black in this case) till
- The bottom > Bedrock again
Now the interesting part is that you have entry points only by Deposits. From there you can break through the first bedrock layer so to speak and then either create massive tunnel systems or whatever.
We will see how this works out and maybe surface wipe if needed*
Aside from that Golden Globe is back - former known as Gold Planet (HWS 4) or Gold Federation (HWS 3.0).
We are not going to lie that your greed might have an enemy now. But not only that one, hm!?..
New Starter experience
The starters are refactored. Since we have only 5 starters we go mainly with the Story start now. However Pirates are Pirates and we had to at least provide one PvP start, right? So make use of your steering Escape Pod skills, loot the Prisoner Transporter and survive! (little Battle Royal aka PUBG feeling might come).
Other than that more resources, hopefully no buggy meteorites anymore and five planets in one Inception Space!
Help whoever you want to help but go your way -> you can’t enter the other origins starter planets.
And make sure to check out the orbit. Trading in Elemental Blackmarket brighter than ever before!
Peacekeepers
These friends are also back now! Two PvE parking orbits (with limitations of course).
For now not taxed but depending on the performance we might implement it in the future (with a new tax formula btw).
Reward Planets and PvE Planets
Reward Planets went a bit in shadows due unattractive resources and locations. We pushed the meaning of these planets more now so you might want to get these 100 / 150 RP.
The other PvE planets are there for our builders and PvE friends. But similar to Trinity or Noel you have to know how to survive in bad weather conditions. Not everything will be nice and easy but for that price worth it for sure.
Black Hole
Black Hole is back - more black than ever. Golden Globe is located in Black Hole!
That means that the Orbit will be wiped every 24 hours but Golden Globe stays strong with all its power and you can seek a hideout there or not.
HWS Donator Package change
After a long time we gently touched the donator package the second time again.
With nerfs but also valuable boosts.
Providing newcomers (if playhours are existent) still the needed little boost but also veterans the re-use / re-donation of the package by a lot:
New POIs and (PDA) Missions
Another big feedback along the adjusted weather were the POIs and partially Missions.
@Achilles will probably write about it on a separate place but he reworked all POIs in the Homeworld system. Don’t dare to think any of these there are known. Just fly there and find out yourself!
In the planet description you have now a bit different representation of the info. Make sure to read and respect them.
Additionally we implemented some new PDA Missions and adjusted few existent one.
But to be honest the time was just missing to rework most of them like the Elemental Space Race. It will be now my main focus to show you the real potential of Instances + PDA.
Guide up-to-date | Forum and InGame
Another complain / request was an updated guide. @hopskotch helped here massively so we can now provide you all new information in the Forum or Ingame PDA Guide.
Alright I better stop and doing the full wipe now but there are a lot more new goodies waiting for you. We recommend strongly to just discover them - alone or with your friends. We tried to fit every playstyle now.
Last but not least I want to thank @Jascha, @Achilles and @hopskotch for the big help!
We hope you can now fully enjoy a two month season in a tiny, action paced but still lovely, peaceful designed (we don’t think we need to tell anymore that everything on HWS is custom made) universe.
We are excited to hear feedback from you soon.
Your HWS Team
P.S: I just had no time but will now recover and finally and once for all finish all NPC Traders! Promise!
Inclusive a new feature / idea
just saying