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#11 Golden Skull Level

Highway

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Arrr Space Pirates,

We finally have something ready to outline to you about our plans for the next bigger updates. As we had already teased earlier, Golden Skulls will play an important role in obtaining amazing new tech. Initially we had planned Skulls to be interconnected with the previously mentioned “player invasions” system, but we changed the roadmap in favor of another gameplay element that we think suits the regular flow of the game much better. It also enables us to make smaller consecutive updates instead of having to do “one big thing”, achieving shorter release cycles as a result. In addition, it will provide us with a good foundation for future extensions! Ok, time to show the design outline we have planned so far:

PG Goldskullflow.png

Player & Clan Ladder

Goals:

  • Make obtaining Warscore less exploitable and offer a variety of tasks
  • Make obtaining Golden Skulls easier for pilots that have no or low Skull level
Changes:
  • Golden Skulls = Skull level
  • After winning an additional Skull level, pilots will be moved back to the entry division
  • Warscore rewards get lowered when the same actions are repeated over and over again (killing the same unit, playing the same Reactor Challenge, etc.) within the evaluation period (1 week)
  • More activities for gaining Warscore are added (replaying missions, collecting BPs, PVP, OTB …)
  • The less Golden Skulls a pilot has, the more Warscore they gain (global Warscore boost) up to a max soft level of around 25 Golden Skulls
  • Clan Golden Skulls can be given out to members (~10 per month)
  • Warscore can only be gathered with Pirate Mode on or in competitive game modes (like Conquest, Reactor Challenge)
  • Adjust divisions in terms of amount, Golden Skull spots, relegation/promotion slots to better fit a server’s player base

Pirate Mode Change

Goals:

  • Make Pirate Mode more flexible to use, less unfair and better integrated into gameplay
Changes:
  • Remove bounty system and allow Pirate Mode to be enabled/disabled freely when not on a planet (no more automatic disabling when getting killed)
  • Do not allow landing on planets with wrong tech with Pirate Mode turned on (lower tech allowed on high level planets)
  • Pirate Mode state cannot be changed as long as a mission is active
  • Enabled Pirate Mode can only be seen once the ship gets attackable on a planet (not shown in orbit or while landing protection is active)
  • Pirate Mode mission achievements will not contain cross system quests anymore to allow them to be finished

Special Skull level Items/Tech (Skull Blueprints)

Goals:

  • Add elements to the game pilots will enjoy experimenting with
  • Try to maintain the balance of the existing economy/gameplay
Changes:
  • Items can only be gathered after finishing the last story mission
  • Items require a certain Skull level to be able to build them
  • Special Skull BPs are single-use (they get destroyed with the item’s construction, but require only a few parts on the other hand)
Tau Ceti Variant Items
  • Add Tau Ceti items that follow the scheme of the Sirius variants (new visuals for the weapon meshes)
  • Items require Tau Ceti Rares as dependency (including the dependency inherited from the Tau Ceti Rare themselves)
Ship Slot Upgrade Kit (9th Item Slot)
  • Multiple ship slot item upgrade kits can be found (one per skill item, except blaster, collector, repair droid)
  • They will add a 9th item slot to the ship they are installed into
  • A skill upgrade kit can only be installed into a ship that does not have the corresponding skill of the kit already
  • 9th skill use will have a general weakness to balance its power better. (longer cooldown, shorter active time, global cooldown increase, etc.)
  • 9th slot installation has a fixed Cryonite price and Skull level requirement (replaceable with other 9th slot upgrade though)
  • Slot can be equipped with one of the regular already available blueprints of the item
Ship Engines Trails
  • Introduce different ship engine trails to be found that can be installed into a ship
Skull Item Carrier

Goals:

  • Offer additional gameplay to obtain new tech/items
  • Gameplay that is fun and follows the formula PG pilots enjoy from past content
  • Spread pilots across all star systems
Changes:
  • Special enemy ships spread across all story planets (balanced to the max tech of the system they are in)
  • They are only visible after defeating the final Mantis queen story mission and having Pirate Mode activated
  • They will fly around and their positions are unknown, but they leave traces in the game world that make them easier to locate
  • There are multiple enemies that require different strategies to find and defeat them (bosses with support squads, stationary bases etc.)
  • Once defeated, they will drop special Skull BPs and spawn again at a random planet/location


The first update will bring the Ladder and Pirate Mode changes. Let us know what you think and feel free to ask if something is unclear etc. Looking forward to getting these plans realized and released to you.

Happy hunting :D
 

Sebasti0n

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That sounds 200% better than the Sirius Update :) , which honestly seemed a little pointless.

Anything that stops the Robot getting a Gold Skull is a PLUS in my opinion...

Looking forward to this new Challenge ... Well done to Highway & the Team :)
 

hektor.barbossa

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As I understand it, this is an option for both pve and pvp players?
There not be favorite fast "get all" for pvp players ?
Good to see more flexible way for pirate mode
 

GOTIL0N

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Question, in the case of erebos, some missions are optional, does that not affect the skull item carrier? Please tell me what does not affect it?
 

Jaax

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I will say one thing. I like the update however PvP players have used Terasa/Venar LZ as designated PvP zones for a literal decade, with new PM changes this is no longer possible. Please designate a planet, can just be literally a large flat area with moutains around as a border for a PvP zone. Make it close to the star gate, like Terasa - and if possible make it no energy consumption.
 

WoW

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Goals:
  • Offer additional gameplay to obtain new tech/items
  • Gameplay that is fun and follows the formula PG pilots enjoy from past content
  • Spread pilots across all star systems
Nice
 

Dreadnouhgt

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One question, will we still have a Skull Ladder and only one Person per Week can get one or do i understand something wrong here?

Cause if it is like the current System i dont have a chance to farm one, im working so i can pay for my Membership...
 

Kryptonit

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Seems to be a goodroadmap so far.

I will say one thing. I like the update however PvP players have used Terasa/Venar LZ as designated PvP zones for a literal decade, with new PM changes this is no longer possible. Please designate a planet, can just be literally a large flat area with moutains around as a border for a PvP zone. Make it close to the star gate, like Terasa - and if possible make it no energy consumption.
Maybe the workaround is, to make some kind of pvp arena planet in vega like, where players can accept pvps against each other and then land on a designated instance of this planet
 

Dreadnouhgt

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It's an excellent idea, I would like to suggest a pass system in Pirate Galaxy would be very interesting, with some cosmetics.
they could do it like Warframe, a Free Season Pass you need to play the game to get Points, you cant buy points with money, this could bump up active player numbers and if they wanna do stuff faster they can buy Boosters then ;)
 

NinjaFlow

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There are many players who let a "bot, macro" play for them, as for these players, will the new system of decreasing points by killing the same units reach a point where they won't earn anything by staying in the same place for too long?

The ladder system will remain the same, resetting every week, with the addition of those in the 1st division having to wait 11 weeks to fight for the golden skull again? I don't see this as a good thing, it's a long time to climb the skull level. With the new system, will the skulls we collect be reset?

In short, we will have to hunt the units spread across the planets with the technology of the specific system to drop the special skull items, but we can only equip them if we have the required skull level?

Is there also any possibility of making use of achievement points? As for Sirius, we will be able to land on the planets with a TC ship with and without pirate mode? And there will be some improvement in the cryo drop? Which currently leaves a lot to be desired.

Will there be a test on the PTR to get a better look before it hits the final server?

In addition to the post and visibility, would it be possible to exchange the current energy spheres for a simple energy zone where just by being in that location your energy will be gradually reestablished?Would it also be possible to transform the Drone Plus into a permanent cryo booster?

Include more mini-events in the game, like global weekend boosters.
 
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Poland

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Good topic to start Pirates' Voice season 2, not gonna lie. Fine steps to start the endgame pg content that players can enjoy doing :)
 

Highway

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As I understand it, this is an option for both pve and pvp players?
There not be favorite fast "get all" for pvp players ?
Good to see more flexible way for pirate mode
Yes its a mix for pvp and pve players. There is a risk reward using the Pirate mode if you want to gain warscore. The the actions itself are still PVE most of the time. Reactor challenges can also be played for warscore without needing to use pirate mode.

One question, will we still have a Skull Ladder and only one Person per Week can get one or do i understand something wrong here?
Player Skull ladder will be removed and only the achievement hall of fame will remain. As for clans the skull ladder will be converted into a CQ wins ladder.

I will say one thing. I like the update however PvP players have used Terasa/Venar LZ as designated PvP zones for a literal decade, with new PM changes this is no longer possible. Please designate a planet, can just be literally a large flat area with moutains around as a border for a PvP zone. Make it close to the star gate, like Terasa - and if possible make it no energy consumption.
Yes later we could add such zone that forces PVP for everyone that joins for some easy PVP matches. Similar ruleset as the Vega Arena used on Tournaments recently.
 

Highway

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There are many players who let a "bot, macro" play for them, as for these players, will the new system of decreasing points by killing the same units reach a point where they won't earn anything by staying in the same place for too long?
Yes rthats correct, botting/macros will not be of any big use anymore after that changes as the points. Players must find a good flow around the different channels the game offers. Even playing missions again would be a good source of warscore.

The ladder system will remain the same, resetting every week, with the addition of those in the 1st division having to wait 11 weeks to fight for the golden skull again? I don't see this as a good thing, it's a long time to climb the skull level. With the new system, will the skulls we collect be reset?
Structure will be adjusted as noted in the devshack. Most likely less divisions and more gold skull slots on division 1
Currently collected skulls will remain and not turned into the leagacy skulls.

In short, we will have to hunt the units spread across the planets with the technology of the specific system to drop the special skull items, but we can only equip them if we have the required skull level?
yes you need a certain skull level to build the skull item BPs.

Is there also any possibility of making use of achievement points?


Achievemens are for the hall of fame and are after the removal of the skull ladder even more dominant.

Will there be a test on the PTR to get a better look before it hits the final server?

For this feature set we will only run a closed PTR for our testers and gms.
 

Redthorne

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I will say one thing. I like the update however PvP players have used Terasa/Venar LZ as designated PvP zones for a literal decade, with new PM changes this is no longer possible. Please designate a planet, can just be literally a large flat area with moutains around as a border for a PvP zone. Make it close to the star gate, like Terasa - and if possible make it no energy consumption.
If Venar allows TC tech and under that means pretty much any tech, no?
 
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