Release Notes for FC.31.20140303.1:
Vehicle Upgrades:
Existing Vehicles have been classified as "Mark 1". Mark 1 Vehicles may be upgraded to Mark 2 with a Tune-Up Kit which will be available from the C-Store. Mark 2 Vehicles have higher Attack, Defense, and Speed, and generally have improved Slots, as follows:
All Mark 2 Vehicles with the 10% Bonus have 8 slots (4 Weapon, 4 Support/Defense)
Mark 2 Hover Tanks and Chariots have 7 slots (4 Weapons, 3 Support/Defense)
Mark 2 Hawkwings, Grav Bikes, Exocets, and VTOLs have 7 slots (3 Weapons, 4 Support/Defense)
The Arrowhead and Adder grav bikes are classified as "Mark 2". New and existing Arrowheads and Adders will be automatically updated to Mark 2 stats, with no action necessary. In the future, some Vehicles will be released as Mark 2.
Prototype Hawkwings are not upgradeable.
How Upgrading Works:
After obtaining a Tune-Up Kit, take the kit and your Mark 1 Vehicle to a Vehicle Mechanic (for this PTS build, there is one near the Debugger), and use his store. Weapon systems and Mods will be removed from your Vehicle at no cost and placed in your inventory, and you will recieve a Mark 2 version of the same Vehicle. The new Vehicle will come with no pre-installed Weapons or Mods, and will be unbound.
Combat Speed:
Vehicles now have two speeds: Combat Speed and Top Speed. Like travel powers, while you are firing weapons, your vehicle is restricted to Combat Speed. A few seconds after leaving combat, your Vehicle will return to Top Speed. There is no ramp-up time to use Top Speed, except immediately following combat.
All Vehicles moving at Combat Speed have improved handling (Traction and Friction). Hover Tanks also gain a faster turn rate while at Combat Speed.
Combat Speed is activated by firing a Vehicle weapon.
In this build, Prototype Hawkwings do not yet have the Combat Speed adjustment. Expect this in an upcoming build.
Boost:
Boost has been redesigned as a toggle that drains energy rather than as a 6 second buff with a 30 second recharge.
Boost provides +40 Top Speed for Hover Tanks; +30 Top Speed for Chariots and VTOLs; and +20 Top Speed for Hawkwings, Grav Bikes, and Exocets.
A full energy bar will provide 4 to 5 seconds of Boost at a time.
Reload may not be used while Boosting, or for a few seconds afterward.
Vehicle Mods:
Vehicle Mods that previously improved Flight Speed now improve Flight Top Speed.
Vehicle Mods with +Armor Penetration now work correctly.
Vehicle Mods with +Max Ammo (Energy) now provide a fixed bonus instead of a percentage bonus.
Vehicle Mods with +Max Ammo (Energy) now increase Equilibrium as well.
We have investigated Crit and Severity Vehicle Mods, and found them to be working.
We have investigated Dodge and Avoidance Vehicle Mods, and found them to be working.
Gravity Pulse now has a 1 second recharge time between taps.
Incendiary Round is now capped at 5 targets.
Plasma Beam now shares stacks of "Plasma Shear" across ranks.
Plasma Beam's bonus damage for Plasma Shear stacks has changed. The first 25 stacks give double damage. Stacks 26-50 on a target give normal damage, and stacks 51+ have no additional effect.
Questionite Weapons Store:
Mk3 weapon systems are now available for 295,000 Q.
The prices for Mk1 and Mk2 weapon systems in the Questionite store have been standardized to 90,000 Q (Mk1) and 165,000 Q (Mk2).
Added Heavy Cannon Mk1 to the store.
Other Bugfixes:
Exocets (Mark 1) were not getting their full HP and resistance values. This is now fixed.
The Widow grav bike had some white detailing when ridden by male characters. It is now the proper black and red as it appears for female characters.
PTS Debugger:
Added a variety of Vehicle testing items to his store, including Mods, the Tune-Up Kit, and a selection of Mark 1 Vehicles.
Added the Mammoth, a Mark 2 Hover Tank to the debugger.
