The next update is almost complete and soon it will be available for testing on the Public Test Server. But in the meantime, we offer you the chance to familiarize yourself with the most notable innovations:

Leagues

Many players have noted the imperfection of the current players ranking system. We carefully studied and analyzed your proposals and now we are glad to present a complete replacement - Leagues, as well as a new type of game - rating battle.

Unlike the "player vs. player" in the rating battle matchmaking is not based on level of equipment but on the players' rating. In addition, since the update 0.28, the player's rating will change only when playing in the rating battle. Also there are differences in the item drop after a match. If in the "player vs player" mode, reputation and silver are multiplied by a factor depending on the level of battle, in the rating battle this ratio depends on what League you play in.

There are six leagues: Newcomers League, Survivors League, Researchers League, Veterans League, Master League and Legendary League. After the update we’ll reset the current rating of all players and will also start the first season, which will last for several weeks. At the conclusion of the season, players will receive a unique reward, the quality of which depends on the League, in which a player ends up in the season finale.

New Factions Structure

Large-scale changes will come to the factions in the game. Scavengers and Black Market will receive high level items, and the Renaissance Army and the Fringe Settlers will get starting weapons and equipment. Also now the Renaissance Army and the Fringe Settlers will be available for players immediately. This change will affect many elements of the game, and the short format of the preview cannot reflect all the planned changes, so we will focus only on the main points.

The amount of reputation required for unlocking rank in factions will increase the total amount of time required by the player to achieve maximum level will remain unchanged. Players will retain at their current rank with factions.

We’ve reduced the maximum level of equipment from 15 to 10. On average, the level of items is reduced by half.

Some items were moved from one faction to another. This was done because of the need to match the supply of various types of weapons for the factions. Players who have already purchased an item from the current faction will keep it after the update, when this item is sold by another faction.

You can view the new distribution of items in factions and level below.

Random Anomalies

We are pleased to announce a change in the anomalies in the update 0.28. Anomalies will now appear randomly, overlapping the passages and changing the topology of the level. The size of the anomalies will be small, from 6 to 10 meters in diameter, but they will deal very high damage, able to kill you in seconds if you don’t have the right protection (running through the anomaly just will not work). Moreover, the anomalies will “be born” in several stages closely associated with the artifacts.

The first stage of the anomaly is the generation stage. It is not dangerous for the player and is more likely an indicator that this place will soon have an anomaly. The second stage is "maturing" of the anomaly. It starts to deal damage. The third stage is the stage of maturation. An artifact appears in the center of the anomaly that can be picked up by the player. If someone manages to get the artifact the anomaly will lose its power and disappear.

The type of anomaly depends on the type of artifact that appears at the end. Thus, looking at an anomaly you can clearly say what kind of artifact will appear there, and what damage it causes. We expect that this change in the anomalies will increase the impact of anomalies on the gameplay and the importance of anomalous protection equipment. Because now players wearing it will clear important passages from anomalies.

New Items Search System

The current system has proven itself very well as a way of providing players with a variety of equipment, as appropriate for their play style, and vice versa, offering different items. At the same time, it has several limitations, such as excessive randomness and the impossibility for the player to influence the search process.

In the update 0.28 after a match each player will be asked to search in one of the five available places. You’ll be aware in advance what items can be found, but it is unknown where the items are hidden. A player can search in no more than three places, while searching one place is always available to him, the other two – only by using a stash map.

Quick Commands

Coordinated teamwork is the key to success. Though, communication is one of the most difficult questions in matches with random players. In the upcoming update we are introducing a system of quick commands to allow players inform teammates about their plans or what dangers ahead. All quick commands, according to their purpose, are gathered in three groups of four commands each: attack commands group (F2), defense commands group (F3) and general commands group (F4).

Remember that it's not all the changes that await you in update 0.28. A more complete list of changes will become available upon the start of the test server.

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