Hello pilots,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to our first major free update for EVE: Valkyrie!
Obviously the headline news here is the awesome new game mode Carrier Assault, but we’ve also included more new features, improvements, balancing changes, and bug fixes. Continuing to build on our strong foundations, and responding to community feedback to deliver the definitive VR combat experience.
In Carrier Assault we are delivering that hallowed trench run moment that has been etched into the minds of many a Sci-Fi fan. The video footage might look exciting, but nothing gets the pulse going like flying into the belly of the beast for the first time in VR.
We’re incredibly excited to hear your feedback and view the streams to see how the tides of war are turning during each battle.
Lock & load! ...and make every shot count!
Shields are down ;)
CCP ROO
NEW! Carrier Assault Game Mode
Carrier Assault is a brand new game mode that takes VR space combat to explosive new heights!
Until now the enemy’s carrier has been off limits. An impenetrable flying fortress that could cut you down before you even grazed its shields. Now, you will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with it! Battering down its defences and carving out a path to deliver the killer blow and put that clone vat out of action in an explosive finale.
In Carrier Assault you will utilise skills learned in Team Death Match and Control as you progress through the different stages of battle:
Stage 1: Skirmish
The first objective is to get the carrier shields down so your team can launch an attack. There are 3 Power Relay Stations located across the map, and if a team can take ownership of 2 Relay Stations they will disable the enemy carrier shields for a limited amount of time. This stage works in the same manner as the Control game mode – each player can deploy a drone at a control point in order to capture it, but players must be mindful and protect their own drones while also destroying enemy drones if they want to successfully capture a control point.
Stage 2: Attack
When the shields are down it’s time to launch an attack on the enemy carrier! Conversely, it’s time to jump to the defense if your own carrier is vulnerable to attack. Cooling Nodes vital to the ships defense system are located all around the carrier. These will be highlighted via your ship’s HUD. You will need to fly in and destroy them all in order to move to the next stage of the battle. While on the attack you’ll also need to avoid the carrier’s automated defense turrets, as well as the firepower from the defending team.
Stage 3: Breach
When all the Cooling Nodes are destroyed, the carrier’s Core will be exposed. The Core is located at the heart of the carrier and can be accessed via a trench-like access tunnel.
During this breach stage the attacking team must target the Core with all the firepower they can muster. With sufficient damage incurred the Core will go critical. You will then have a short window of time to escape the blast radius as this behemoth vessel breaks up in a ball of flame. A view not to be missed ;)
NEW! Boost Gates
Boost Gates are a new tactical option for the Carrier Assault game mode. They provide a one-way speed increase that can be used to get catapult you to mission critical objectives. Simply fly through the gate and brace for the Gs!
These are incredibly useful for getting to the Relay Power Stations (to bring down the carrier shields) ,attacking the carrier while the shields are offline, or just for getting into a skirmish when your team-mates are counting on you.
NEW! Crossroads Multiplayer Map
At the Crossroads, a range of ships from various factions and races have mysteriously converged in this location to meet their end. Overlooking the wrecks dispersed in and around an extensive asteroid field, a control tower known only as Station 27 stands nearby.
This is a brand new map that was previewed during the EVE: Valkyrie Tournament held at Fanfest 2016. The map is available for all multiplayer game modes.
NEW! Crossroads PVE Game modes
The new Crossroads map is also available in both Scout and Survival game modes. Learning every nook and cranny of the new terrain can give you the edge in combat. As a reward for this exploration you will discover new hidden Salvage crates (giving you crafting currency), and new Echoes that provide more back story on the history of EVE: Valkyrie and its characters.
NEW! Multiplayer Mode Selection
We’ve revised the flow between the Main HUB and the Multiplayer sessions to give you more options before you launch into combat. After selecting Multiplayer from the Main HUB you will be presented with the option to either launch using the default setting (all game modes), or configure the match making criteria to specify Carrier Assault only. You can also select which server region you want to connect to.
As our community of combat ready pilots increases we will continue to add more game modes to this selection. Selecting All will connect you to playlists consisting of all 3 game modes (TDM, Control and Carrier Assault on all maps), selecting Carrier Assault will allow you to play our newest game mode continuously, using all the available maps.
Moving to a manual launch from this Multiplayer HUB gives you a bit more time to prepare for combat and configure your Squad. When you are ready for launch, the HUB ambient lighting will change from a neutral yellow to an active red state. This signals that match making has been initiated. If a Squad leader selects launch, any members of the Squadron will automatically follow them into combat.
NEW! Match Bonus
All pilots will now receive a reward for completing a match. This bonus XP will be awarded regardless of the outcome (Victory, Draw or Defeat) during the post-match rewards screen. This bonus XP will be apportioned between the ship classes you used in combat.
Victorious pilots will receive an even greater Match Bonus in the form of a Win Bonus.
NEW! Tactical Menu
A new Tactical Menu (Pause Screen) has been added which displays the full list of active players in a match, what ship class they’re currently using, their current score, and K/D/A details. This is the same level of detail that is shown in the match results screen, but now it can be accessed at any time during the match.
Ship Balancing
We’ve made lots of balancing changes with this update, which is part of an ongoing process, and your continued input is helping us to find that magical sweet spot! Thanks.
Fighters: All Capacitor (tank) increases: Increased Maximum by 17% Decreased Recharge rate by 10% Decreased Boost Consumption rate by 24%
Fighter: Aegis Replaced ECM (Emergency Countermeasure) ability with the EMS (Electromagnetic Shields)
Fighter: Assuage Reduced the EMS shots required to disable an opponent by 20%
Fighter: Displacer Replaced the ECM ability with Spiderbot ability
Fighter: Sentry Increased the number of mines that can be deployed from 3 to 5
Fighter: Spur & Displacer Reduced mag cannon angle cone by 66%
Heavy: Gorgon & Goliath Increased missile max speed by 20% Increased the target lock range from 3km to 5km Increased missile expiry time by 25%
Heavy: Cyclone Increased the EMS direct shots to disable by 50% Increased the EMS partial shots to disable by 44%
Support Ships Supports have been rebalanced to fit into the roles of engineer or medic. Medics focus on healing and utility, whereas engineers are more combat focused.
Support (Medic): Banshee, Guardian, Warden, Sentinel Increased armour by 26% Decrease shield by 12%
Support (Engineer): Phantom, Revenant, Siren Increased armour by 32% Decrease shield by 44%
Support: All Increased the hit box (hit detection) by 10%
Support: Banshee Increased buff beam lock range from 2.2km to 2.5km Reduced buff beam repair rate by 17%
Support: Guardian Replaced buff beam with heal beam (focuses more on healing, than buffing) Increased heal beam lock range from 2.2km to 2.5km Decreased gatling gun’s rate of fire by 50%
Support: Sentinel Replaced buff beam with vamp beam (transfers 10% of a targets drained shields directly to its own) Decreased beam lock range from 2.2km to 1km
Support: Revenant Replaced buff beam with corrupt beam (applies 10% damage multiplier to target + any ship doing damage to the target enemy gets 10% damage boost) Ally armour and repair rates reduced by 77%. Decreased beam lock range from 2.2km to 1.5km
Support: Warden Replaced buff beam with drain beam (focuses on draining enemy shields) Ally armour and repair rates reduced by 77%. Increased shield drain by 17%
Various bug and stability fixes
These include: - Friendly Fire audio warning – reduction in frequency - Drone hit points rebalanced - Improved accuracy of ship statistics - Fixed an issue with the Accord’s projectiles expiring too soon - AI behavior improvements
If you need help updating, please visit our support center here.