We hope this message from the stars finds you well. Here in the northern hemisphere we’re looking forward to the summer weather - and bringing you the next major update to Exogate Initiative!
As we mentioned in our anniversary message, we’re releasing the 4X update before the 1.0 launch, so we can test the feature, gather your feedback, and make it the best it can be in time for Exogate activation. We’ve been hard at work bringing this to fruition, and we expect to deliver it by the end of July.
But today let’s step through the Gate and talk about alien factions - including the first one you’ll encounter, which will be released alongside the 4X features in Patch 0.9.
Expect some gameplay and lore spoilers below!
Alien Factions
Though you’ve encountered many alien races already in your explorations of the universe, none have possessed the power and technology of the Exogate Initiative - until now. (Apart from perhaps the Sqarbs, and a certain other Earth organization).
The full game will feature 4 new alien factions, whom you’ll compete with on the star map. Each run will be configurable, so you can choose as many or as few of them as you want (including none at all, if you’d prefer to expand without competition), and what level of challenge you’d like. These factions can do everything you can do: send teams to new worlds, meet aliens, exploit resources, collect artifacts, claim sectors. Should the circumstances arise, they’ll also be able to declare war on you. And you can do the same.
Each faction has its own unique identity, appearance, backstory and culture, which you’ll discover through events. How you interact with them, both in events and as you contest territory on the star map, will affect diplomatic relations and your own sphere of influence. Each faction also has a unique leader character, whom you can contact directly for trade and diplomacy, once you’ve discovered (or negotiated the location of) their homeworld.
Apocalyptic Archive
The first faction we’re introducing to the game is called the Apocalyptic Archive. It’s an archival organization representing an imperial, insect-like race called the Decae. Their society crashed due to massive overpopulation on their homeworld, and they lost much of their history and culture. This necessitated their expansion to the stars, which they now traverse in vast ark ships, living museums where they meticulously and obsessively catalogue everything about themselves and their discoveries, should the unthinkable happen again.
How will their encounters with the Exogate Initiative be recorded in their archives?
Next Time!
There’ll be more new content in Patch 0.9 alongside 4X, but we’ll dig into that nearer the time - including the new Diplomat gater class! As mentioned, we’re aiming for the end of July to ship this first 4X update, but we’ll let you know when we have more information.
It won’t be long now until you have some serious competition out there in the universe. Thank you for your continued support, feedback, wishlists and reviews of the game - we’ll see you, and your rival factions soon through the Exogate!
Safe travels,
Maxime MILLET
Creative Director, Xeno Bits
