CCP has announced new improvements coming to Dust 514’s “Precursor” closed beta update on August 21st, calling it a “major milestone” in the game’s journey toward open beta. According to a post from executive producer Brandon Laurino on the PlayStation Blog, Dust is no longer running on a standalone test server but has instead migrated to EVE Online’s long-standing Singularity test server, known as “Sisi.” Thanks to the move, Dust players will be able to exchange in-game mail and chat in real time with EVE Online players.
Precursor brings a new “Instant Battle” option to matchmaking to jump quickly into battles, and also tweaks the matchmaking system to “intelligently place solo players and squads into matches based on skill.” The first framework has also been introduced for Orbital Strikes, which allow players to call in attacks from the warships above battle when they achieve certain conditions. “This is just the first level of Orbital Strike capability,” Laurino wrote. “In the near future, players on the ground in Dust 514 will be able to request strikes from ships piloted by EVE Online players. These strikes have the potential to do far more damage than the War Barge, their accuracy and power determined by factors like your Dust 514 Merc’s skills and what turrets the EVE Online pilots have trained and fit to their spaceships.”
In addition, new environments have been introduced. “Precursor brings our Galaxy system online, which assembles maps from components based on planetary attributes and what is built on the planet, for tons of potential combinations,” Laurino explained.” The update will also add the ability to use a USB keyboard and mouse, joining the DualShock and Move control options already available. Laurino notes that controller-based filters will make their way to Instant Battle and matchmaking in a future update.
Updates will continue to be rolled out for Dust, adding additional improvements to the game before it launches for all PS3 owners. A Vita companion app called Neocom will also launch, “to augment your gameplay experience and let you customize your fittings, train skills, use the market, browse the starmap, and much more, on the go anytime and anywhere.”
Beta sign-ups are still available on Dust 514’s official site. For an idea of what you can expect from the game, check out our impressions.
Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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