With the first playable evening accepted on September 7, the next work has been to give pilots more reasons to explore. Mining now involves choosing where to prospect, the Unforsaken have a fleet and a refuge, and Veil’s star occupies a much larger part of the view.
Survey and Deep Survey reveal a rock’s composition, grade and reserves. That knowledge persists across saves, and breaking a deposit releases material to collect. Metal, industrial and iridium ore compete for the same hold space, with different sale prices and contract values. The choice of location matters too: a watched pocket in Veil offers better prospects while an active patrol warns the pilot away.
The belts in Kiln, Meridian and Veil have different formations. Shelves, banks, channels and pockets give a pilot terrain to navigate and potential cover in a fight. The gallery includes close views of mineral deposits and wider views of those routes. The mining behavior has passed its checks; the density and traversal still need feedback from actual flights.
The Unforsaken fleet includes the Shiv, Moth, Maul and Harrow, each with a different role and a shared armored appearance. Their refuge, Second Hearth, sits inside a split asteroid with repair bays, working platforms and four defenses that can be destroyed independently. Pilots can discover it from the belt and approach through the cleft. Losses persist after leaving and returning.
That work is packaged for playtest in the Unforsaken build. Combat feel, the approach in motion, audio and the final appearance remain under review. The concept and production boards in the gallery show the intended direction alongside captures of the current game.
Veil’s hypergiant also has a visible center and animated surface, with navigation respecting its stellar horizon. On approach to Lastlight Observatory, the star fills the background. I want that scale to make the route feel different from the industrial work around Kiln.
The supporting work includes named pilots and save recovery, five starting scenarios, twelve weapon families and an initial performance pass on the busiest encounters. There’s more to try in this build; the next question is how these additions play together during an evening in the region.