CSC Developer Update July 2020
Greeting Commanders!
Its been a little while since we last did a dev post so we will have a lot to cover on this one. Overall it has been an exciting few months here in CSC with lots of fixes, updates, content additions, and features in the works for future builds. Today, I am going to take a little time, recap the last few months, and go over what is to come in CSC. So without further delay, let us get started.
Star Trek Picard Event Recap
In the last few weeks, we completed our second Star Trek crossover event! This event introduced a new series of Star Trek ships into the universe plus we created fun community events where players battled borg cubes. This being our second opportunity to bring Star Trek into the CSC universe, we decided to try a few different things on how we handled auctions and distributed items via supply crates.
This recent event provided us with some great data points for CSC. It uncovered some limitations in our NPC system and allowed us to improve it significantly. Auctions were another thing we learned a lot from this time around. For this event, we ran an English style auction on the blockchain for the 1:1 Star Trek ships. This change was done to compare and contrast both auction types, as we had done a dutch style auction for the previous Trek event. From this event, we learned there are hard limitations to using the ETH network for an English style auction completely on-chain. Network delays, MetaMask errors, and UI issues all lead to mixed results for this last set. While we attempted to address these during the event, it becomes clear that trying to do an English auction all on-chain isn’t the best approach. We know there were bidders out there that missed their opportunity for these ships. We apologize for the issues and will be addressing these problems or returning to a dutch style in any future auction event.
MEA / Pre-Alpha Ore Distribution
Well, it was a LONG time coming for some players who have been around CSC since the beginning, but we were happy to fulfill our MEA rewards finally. For those who were not around almost two years back, MEA was a mini-game we launched shortly after announcing CSC and selling the first set of First Fleet ships. In the event, players paid ETH gas fees to mine some star systems and collect / process ore. This mini-game ran for several months with players accumulating a good amount of ore. At the end of the event, that ore was transferred to the players in the form of EC-20 tokens.
Pre-Alpha started shortly after MEA and ran for about two months. Pre-Alpha launch was the first downloadable game-client for CSC. In this release, we tested a lot of the fundamentals of the game. In pre-alpha, players got the opportunity to mine ore as you mine today. However, at the end of pre-alpha, none of the mined ore was saved to the user’s accounts. Of all the ore mined, only Trilite was to be brought forward into the final game once we had ore conversation rates locked in.
Fast forward two years, and a lot has changed in CSC. With ore distribution rates now balanced and crafting recipes locked in, we decided now was the time for MEA/Pre-Alpha distribution. Ore amounts did get adjusted to account for inflation in the game economy plus recipe changes in-game from what we had initially specified two years back. Today I am happy to say the majority of MEA ore and all of Pre-Alpha ore has been distributed. The remaining MEA ore is currently being store in a few ETH addresses with are not linked to a CSC account. If you have one of these addresses, please link it to your CSC account and contact us via our support system. We will be happy to process those requests as they come in.
The final distribution for Pre-Alpha and MEA are listed below.
Ship Skins
Ship skins have been something we have been talking about for a few months now. We showcased and even teased a few of the Ship Skins in live stream, plus two lucky commanders discovered 2 of our Exotic skins as loot drops. We are now happy to announce that Ship Skins are ready for release and tie nicely into a whole new loot system we will be introducing in the coming weeks.
Skins come in 5 categories (common, uncommon, rare, ultra-rare, exotic). These categories also determine a skins Tech Level (1–5). Skins CANNOT be crafted, but they CAN be deconstructed for new resources we are introducing to the game in a future update (more on these resources below in the new loot system section). The quality/tech level of skin will determine what new resources you will get, and those new resources can be crafted and traded to NPCs for new technology, modules, or even a different skin. Skins cannot be DROPPED upon destruction. Skins are always returned to your home station inventory. Skins can be traded, sold, or checked out as they are NFTs in the game universe.
This first set of skins will be sold via supply crates with each crate distributing five random skins of various qualities. There will be ONLY 1 skin crate available for this release, and drop rates won’t change dynamically when rare skins are discovered. Twenty-four of the currently available twenty-six skins will be available via the theses crates with the two pirate skins remaining as ultra-rare drops / incorporated into the new loot system.
Finally, this new Skin crate will go on sale for $5 a crate on the CSC website and in the game client. Deconstruction of these skins will not be available until the new loot system is live in the coming weeks.
Skin Crate Sales will start NEXT WEEK!
CSC Loot 2.0
Next, I want to cover our new and improved loot system coming into CSC within the next few updates. This new loot system will significantly increase the value proposition for NPC hunting (and the TBA Seek & Discover Mission Types). Also, this system provides us the platform we will be used to introduce new tech, modules, weapons, skins, and ships as the game gets ready for its 1.0 release.
With the Loot 2.0, we will be introducing ship wreckage as a drop when destroying NPCs (and eventually player ships). Wreckage is a stackable FT item that is deconstructable into new components called Unstable Matter Shards.
The quantity of shards you get from wreckage differs depending on the wreckage type (initially, there will be two types of wreckage). These UMS components can be crafted in a workshop into Matrixes that hold the raw subatomic particles of matter, also known as WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles).
WIMPs are the subatomic particles that are not made up of ordinary matter. They are “weakly interacting” because they can pass through ordinary matter without any effects. They are “massive” in the sense of having mass (whether they are light or heavy depends on the particle). The prime candidates include neutrinos, axions, and neutralinos.
WIMPs matrix are beneficial to talented engineers and crafters in the CSC universe. Using these raw components of matter, they can create various items without the need of raw resources. These Experts at matter manipulation can be found throughout the universe at stations both in Core and Fringe Space. Depending on their specialty, and the size of the matrix you can provide, they will be able to create various items. These creations are rarely specific, though, so always, these experts warn you that there is still some randomness in the outcomes. You can find these experts in the mission tab when dock at a station under the Offers section.
There are five levels of WIMPs matrices that be found or crafted in the CSC universe.
- UDW Matrix — Ultra Low-Density WIMPs Matrix (Common)
- LDW Matrix — Low-Density WIMPs Matrix (Uncommon)
- SDW Matrix — Standard Density WIMPs Matrix (Rare)
- HDW Matrix — High-Density WIMPs Matrix (Ultra Rare)
- EDW Matrix — Extra High-Density WIMPs Matrix (Exotic)
Each level is significantly harder to craft or find, but the reward is considerably better. Crafting an LDW requires several UDW; SDW requires many LDW, and so on. Low-level WIMPs matrices (UDW’s) can be purchase from GFI for Galatic Reputation Pips. These can then be crafted into higher quality Matrices.
Crafting is one method of getting a WIMPs matrix. You will also find that NPCs have a chance of dropping WIMPs matrices or UMSs. NPCs will continue to have low odds of dropping blueprint / skins as they currently do.
Once you have a matrix, the next step is to find an expert that can transform it into an item for you. Low-level WIMPs experts can be found in systems near Sol, more advanced WIMPs experts are further away from Sol and can also change location or show up at random stations. Hidden stations and outposts may also have rare Experts that trade-in non-galactic standard equipment or ships. These experts don’t stick around for long, so be sure to keep a matrix or two handy to take advantage of their offers.
Season 1: Expansion Wars — Update
Finally, today I wanted to give you all a peek at some new characters being introduced and details about the upcoming Expansion War event (AKA: CSC’s first full Content Season).
Expansion Wars will allow Commanders to take a side between the primary factions in the CSC universe, the Free Space Coalition (FSC), and Galatic Federation Industries (GFI). A new star system has opened up to the CSC Universe, and both factions are fighting to control it. GFI is attempting to establish a new station in this system and requests all Commanders to assist in bringing Personnel, Equipment, Resources, and Components to complete the construction of this new station. FSC wants this system to remain neutral and would prefer it to stay out of GFI control. Commanders in the CSC Universe will get to decide what happens and reap the rewards for helping one or both sides.
During this event, the various factions inside FSC will be introduced. Commanders will need to learn the objectives for each faction and, by doing so, may uncover the riches they can offer. The four primary FSC factions are
Coalition for Fringe Sovereignty (CFS) — This trade faction is the elite of the Free Space Coalition. They are the most lucrative of the other factions. They create order where there is chaos.
Titans of Juno (TOJ) — Titans of Juno are a collective of industrialists who were some of the first industrialists in space that colonized the moon of Juno. They created the first sublight ships and made their way to Proxima, where they built the first Jumpgate from Sol to Proxima. When the GFI started extending their reach, the Titans fled to Fringe space to withhold the power they had over themselves — they were never going to be servants to another entity.
Association of Independent Merchants (AIM) — These are the everyday trader. They are made up of traders who deal more in Black Markets and are the leading supplier to the Pirate Factions in the Free Space Coalition.
Dark Revenants (DR) — There are many Pirate Factions in Space. But there is only one Pirate Faction in the Free Space Coalition. They don’t see themselves as Pirates, but more as the Free Space Coalitions Military. They do not conform to any sort of ideals like the Galactic Federation. They are the Law in the Lawlessness of Space. They shake down CFS & AIM for protection money and keep a close relationship with the TOJ.
As season one of CSC unfolds, expect to see more about these factions and how the universe will unfold.
That is all for today, Commanders! Thanks for taking the time to read up on what we have in coming up in the CSC universe. Fly Safe!
