Orbit+ gets a galaxy. Instead of a number from 1 to 5 you now pick a system on a map: 15 systems in five rings, from the calm rim to the core of the galaxy. Liberate a system and you open the way to its neighbors.
The galaxy
- 15 systems, five rings: 5 on the outside, then 4, 3, 2 and 1 in the center. Danger rises from 1 (rim) to 5 (center), with the same values as before: enemy hull ×1 to ×3.2, enemy damage ×1 to ×1.9, loot up to Rare, Epic or Legendary.
- Every system has a name, a faction and a fixed planet with its effect. Neighboring systems have different planets where possible. The planet’s effect only shows on the map once you have visited the system.
- Four factions (for now just color and text): Mining Guild, Order Fleet and Free Traders in three wedges of the map, the Core Cult in the center. Trade and reputation follow later.
- Every player’s map is different (it grows from a starting value and stays the same afterwards). Names are placeholders for now.
Unlocking and traveling
- You start at the rim. Destroy a system’s Core and it is liberated, unlocking all neighbors along jump routes (“SYSTEM KAMIR LIBERATED · ORNA, VEL UNLOCKED”). This replaces the old rule “a Core kill on the highest level opens the next”.
- After the Core kill the map opens (instead of the automatic jump). The jump to an unlocked neighbor is free. Escape leaves the gate open; G reopens the map (on a phone tap SYSTEM at the top right).
- At every station: new GALAXY tab (next to LOOT). A jump to an unlocked neighbor costs 30 ore times the target’s danger (free while the system’s Core is destroyed). Before the jump your cargo is stored, as when docking.
- Jumping only works to neighbors along a route and only if the target is unlocked. The map shows the possible routes dashed and says why a target isn’t possible.
- ORBIT+ mode card: instead of the danger buttons you see your starting system (name, danger, faction, planet if visited) and a GALAXY button. There you pick among the unlocked systems where the next flight begins. After a death or the end of a flight it begins where you last were.
- If you were already further: all systems up to the danger you had unlocked are unlocked, those below count as liberated. You start in the highest unlocked system up to the danger you last chose.
- The HUD shows the name under “System” now, and the quest log names system and danger.
The map
- Nodes in the color of the danger (cool to hot), double ring with check mark = liberated, lock and dimmed = locked, dashed frame = current system. Tapping selects, a panel shows danger, faction, planet, enemy strength, best loot, status and jump cost.
- Usable with mouse, touch, keyboard and controller (every node is a button, at least 38 pixels). On a phone the map sits above the panel.
- In the trade window the four tabs wrap to a second line on phones.
- Help: new line GALAXY, the ORBIT+ line is adjusted.
Still open
Faction effects, trade and reputation, galaxies 2 and 3, danger 6 to 10, a sensor that reveals planets.