With
Phoenix Point due next week, a new
November Development Update prepares us for the release of this science
fiction strategy game from Julian Gollop, father of the X-COM series. They have
a complete outline of how preorders and backer rewards will be fulfilled for
their December 3rd launch. They also have a rundown on balance changes this will
include:
We’ve been going through feedback from our forums, in-game
reporting tool and Discord server, and have been making gameplay tweaks based on
what the players have been telling us.
A few of these include:
- A complete rework of faction weapon stats. Weapons from the three
factions will feel more like an upgrade than just a slight variation, and
weapons that require research to acquire will be much more powerful.
- A reduction in the frequency of Haven attacks. This will make it
easier to explore without having to return to defend Havens too often.
Havens can still get attacked more frequently if they’re in the operating
range of multiple Pandoran nests and lairs, so you will still have to keep
them protected.
- Stamina loss based on mission length. In Backer Build 5, soldiers
lost 10 points of stamina after every mission, eventually requiring them to
return to base to rest. We wanted to find a way to reward players for
pushing forward in missions, without being a punishment for those who like
to take their time. Now, soldiers lose 1 point of stamina for every turn the
mission takes, but can still only lose a maximum of 10 per mission. If your
squad is involved in a quick fight, they’re not going to be as tired.
- Aircraft now have pathfinding and can automatically plot
refuelling waypoints on their way to the destination, which removes the need
for the player to leapfrog between points of interest.
- The fumble mechanic has been limited to melee weapons - so there
will no longer be a chance of wasting an action on trying to fire a ranged
weapon which fumbles (you can still miss though).
- Missile and launcher based weapons now have some inaccuracy, so
they’re less overpowered. If you use them near your own squad you run the
risk of hitting friendlies. Grenades haven’t been affected by this change.