Welcome to the Version Highlights for Steel Hunters v0.39! In these sneak peaks we'll be highlighting the big changes coming in each new version, before the Changelog releases. For version 0.39, this includes a revamped New Player Experience, a streamlined Starfall Harvest, and the 'biggest' include (in size, not scope), a total rework to Colossus! With that said, let's get into it!
One of the first things that you might notice is that all Hunters have a shorter cooldown on their dash and jump, allowing more freedom in both navigating the map and evading enemy fire. The slow and tactical feeling of our gameplay is important, so we look forward to hearing how this effects your experience!
After our last playtest, we received a lot of feedback on the shortcomings of our Tutorial mission, so we're very happy to unveil our Training 2.0! Comprised of Hunter Training and Battle Training, this two part experience sees a fully voice-acted Trenchwalker companion teaching you the ropes of both Steel Hunters & the Starfall Harvest game mode! While these missions cannot be completed with a friend, we're also happy to announce that in v0.39 you'll be able to squad up as soon as you finish Hunter Training!
Along with the the Training changes, we've continued iteration on our Account Progression UI. As we steadily move towards launch, we're constantly looking to improve clarity and polish in all parts of the Steel Hunters experience. But that's not the only progression system we've been working on. We've taken a look at our Hunter Leveling and sped it up noticeably, making it easier than ever dive deeper into the Skill Trees and compete at higher Arena Tiers. Now's the perfect chance to test out those loadouts you've been theory crafting!
We're trying something a bit different with our Starfall Harvest game mode in version 0.39 by removing the third wave entirely. We've paired with this is an increased number of towers spawning in the first wave, adding unpredictability to early game encounters. We know that the pacing will be different, but as we are in Beta we thought we'd shake things up a bit. For all you fans of the old Starfall, don't worry! Nothing is set in stone. We'd love to hear your feedback about this Streamlined Starfall Harvest as we strive for the best possible experience!
Last, but certainly not least, our devs felt that Colossus was overdue a tune up. Despite its strength, a constant complaint from players was that the simplicity of its kit led to a boring play experience. We want you to feel like a boss while transformed into Colossus, and so nothing was left untouched. The machine guns? Missiles launchers. His spear stab? Now the Spear Throw ability(!) with different effects based on what it hits! However, everything comes with a cost, and we're sorry to announce that Colossus no longer holds its trusty shield. It will be missed. Check out our devs talking about Colossus in our latest Dev Kitchen here!
Thank you for joining us in this brief look at what's on the horizon in v0.39! From Training 2.0 to Colossus, there's a lot to be excited about for both new and returning Hunters! Look out for a playtest announcement on our Discord, where you'll have the opportunity to give these changes a spin and share your feedback. We look forward to hearing from you — and seeing you on the battlefield in the near future!
