Homeworld: Remastered Windows, Mac game

After traversing space for several months the end of the Shimmering Path is at last coming within view. But this is no moment for relapse - the biggest challenge of them all remains, and only the most skilled commanders will be able to push through and uncover the secret that awaits at the end of Skirmish Mode.

In this newsletter: a preview of the next build, and a first look at what is shaping up to be the most eventful and ambitious year of the FXmod yet.

Progress

A little more than a month has passed since our release of FX v1.35a and the previous update. We hope that the new year has greeted you well, and that your journey on the Shimmering Path is coming along nicely. The challenges can get brutal later on, but if you find yourself truly stuck don't hesitate to ask for help - many others commanders have tread (and still are treading) the Shimmering Path as we speak, and may have some tips to share with you for clearing specific stages. The comment section below is open to fleet commanders new and old, so don't hesitate to throw out a beacon.

The next update, which will also be the final update in the FX v1.3x series, will see the conclusion of the Shimmering Path. We are currently working on the grand finale for the mode, which will include a special reward for the first ~10 people (number may change later) who managed to beat all 33 Stages and uncover the secret that awaits at the end. We are also collecting some more feedback and will make a last few adjustments to stages 27~32, as well as some of the earlier stages.

The full package (the finale, final adjustments & the instructions on the special reward) will be released with the next update along with a fix for the Stage 32 crash, so we recommend everyone to try and get as far as you can before then :)

For those of you who like data and statistics I am happy to announce that the Tactical Report function is now fully functional. It can be enabled it in the match settings and, if active, it will output additional data detailing the progress of the match in graph form. If you ever found yourself wondering at what point during the match the tide shifted or where there is room for improvement, this is for you.

In addition to the conclusion to Skirmish Mode and the Tactical Report function you can also expect additional balance tweaks and further improvements to AI behavior, as well as some other things not mentioned in this newsletter.

New Frontier(s)

While the next update is mainly about wrapping up the v1.3x series of the FXmod, it also marks the start of a new period. In particular we have two big things in the works (or technically, one big and one big-big), and while I don't want to give out too many spoilers at this point in time I do think it is fine to talk about the 'lesser' big.

One of the goals for this year is related to Single-Player, and in particular the mini-campaigns. The concept has been worked out and green-lit, and as of such I can now say that the Turanic Raiders are the next faction set to receive their mini-campaign. Compared to the existing mini-campaigns this mission will see a wider variety of objectives, with immersion (story/atmosphere) being another factor we tried to invest in this time around. The concept and premise for this new mini-campaign was based off a single piece of Homeworld concept art, and can read below:

Mini Campaign - Karos Outskirts

A Turanic Raider fleet dispatches to a previously uncharted region in Karos’ Derelict Hunting Zone to look for salvageable wreckage, but soon finds that they are not alone. Set after the events of HW2 (in on the FXmod timeline).

[Background]
A new age is dawning in Raider history. A good number of planets has already been colonized, and the overhaul of the traditional fleets into the new style standardized space fleets is coming along nicely. But as the Raider territories and numbers flourish, so does the need for resources and materials.

After the Hiigaran-Vaygr war, in an effort to prevent new large-scale wars, the Hiigarans sought ways so all races could participate in the new Age of Discovery and its wonders. One of the measures taken was that the Karos Graveyard, long a restricted area, was declared a free open zone; all who were brave enough to venture into it were welcome to do so.

Soon after many races started sending in fleets into Karos, drawn by the promise of riches or the thrill of exploration. Some fleets undertook the journey in the hopes of finding rare derelicts or ancient artifacts, and thus new technologies and power. Other, typically smaller and more adventurous fleets, were focused on exploration instead; these fleets ventured into the dangerous unknown first, making a living by mapping the region’s areas and selling these valuable, rare star charts to interested parties. Yet other fleets started offering their services as mercenaries, as bodyguard fleets.

Now, the once silent Karos Graveyard has become somewhat of a lawless area. More and more of it is being uncovered and mapped as fleets penetrate deeper, and fierce free-for-all battles are being waged in so-called “derelict hunting zones” – areas where the Progenitor defenses are few or have been disabled altogether, and where there is much to be found. As a result, most of these areas have also been nearly completely excavated already.

With that we have reached the end of this newsletter. There is always more to be shared, but some things are best kept for future iterations. For now, thanks for reading and we hope you will accompany us into yet another year of Homeworld modding. If you could use a hand with some stages in Skirmish Mode or have any thoughts to share about this newsletter we'll see you in the comments. Otherwise, until the next.

-WH