Star Control: Origins is still in active development and is expected to be released in September. Stardock continues to slowly roll out beta updates for the already available Fleet Battles game mode to provide those who have already preordered the game an insight into supplied content. The latest update, beta 3, includes a number of new ships, maps, as well as an ability to scavenge wreckage to obtain power-ups.
Here's the Fleet Battles beta 3 changelog:
- New Ships
- Kzanti Intimidator: Nimble ship equipped with deadly proximity mines and a Repulsor that can knock back enemy ships to a safer distance.
- Arillou Observer: Familiar-looking grey-skinned aliens equipped with cloaking technology.
- New Weapons
- Cloak: Makes your ship invisible for a short amount of time.
- Octimator: Short range blaster that fires in eight directions all at once.
- Repulsor: Knocks back and damages nearby enemy ships; great for weak ships that want to keep their distance.
- Salvage: An ability that automatically picks up nearby wreckage instead of having to fly over it.
- Proximity Mines: Stationary traps that can be placed and automatically detonate if an enemy ship enters range.
- Power-ups:
- Yellow: Acceleration.
- Green: Crew (Health).
- Red: Energy Regeneration.
- Blue: Speed.
- New maps
- Callum's Deep: A mysterious dark star with negative mass serves as a focal point for this map.
- Maelstrom: Large map littered with a lot of planets and massive asteroids.
- Athara: A distant star system filled with exotic worlds.
- Performance Improvements
- Camera system update.
- Improved multiplayer performance.
- Updated fonts and UI polish.
- AI vs. AI mode.
- Press "TAB" to highlight ship.
But that's not all, the team has also released the first batch of alien content packs, which include the Arilou, Chenjesu, and Mowlings. Each content pack contains concept art, lore, and new music that can be downloaded from the Stardock store and Steam by anyone who pre-purchased Star Control: Origins.
Star Control: Origins will be released on September 20.
