Props for continuing to update this game over the years without (any!) dlc or mtx. While the game might’ve been a buggy mess at launch I think HG has more than made up for their mistakes with the insane lifespan this game has had.
Most companies would be starting to sunset support for a game at this point but HG are extraordinarily committed to improving No Mans Sky (indefinitely?)
They definitely deserve to release something that players can purchase at this point. Some suit designs, starship skins, something. They've given out 27 free feature updates, many that could have been paid DLC.
I've heard many times from the No Man's Sky community on Reddit that has stuck with them for so long actually want to pay them for the immense work they've done over the years.
Yes, I am one that would gladily pay for a DLC. Honestly though I don't know what they can add as DLC to make it worth and exclusive, at least on the PC where there is mods and save editor to add whatever you want.
Maybe some sort of remastered game with better planet/flora/fauna generation, but it seems to be difficult while keeping all the gamers in the same universe.
It's almost like Star Citizen is a scam...
It's still so boring though. Hope this update does something about the gameplay loop
I think that what it is really missing is a way to merge all the features we currently have. Like differentiating the slot capacity in the suit/ships/exocraft or their number/type based on the ship type (figheter more tech slots of a hauler which have a lot more cargo slots)
Oh yes, also a way to use all the money and resources we accumulate (too easily) and an overhaul of the planet generation, or at least a massive addition of models to increment the variety.
Full patch notes:
SPACE STATIONS
- Space stations have been completely overhauled and refreshed.
- Station exteriors now come in a huge array of procedurally generated shapes and colours, as well as at an increased scale.
- Space station interiors are now procedurally generated.
- Space station interiors now have a huge amount of lighting and visual variation.
- Station interior designs now reflect the race of the local system authorities.
- The various key space station merchants and interactions have all been visually refreshed.
- Players can now use the Quick Menu to switch their docked ship while aboard the space station, providing the ship in question has functioning launch thrusters.
SCREEN SPACE REFLECTIONS
- Introduced a number of optimisations and visual improvements to screen space reflection rendering.
- Reflection rendering has been revised to reduce noise and make the effect more stable.
- The lighting model for reflections has been improved to achieve a more realistic, physically based look.
FLEET MISSIONS
- While away on expeditions, frigates may now call home via the starship communicator or the fleet command terminal on your freighter.
- The fleet commander may seek your advice in dealing with a tricky situation, or may even request direct assistance.
- Your decisions at these moments, or your efforts in coming to the aid of your fleet, have a direct impact on the outcome and rewards for your fleet missions.
- Fixed a number of text issues when using the captain’s terminal on a frigate.
- The player’s torch is no longer auto-activated when boarding a frigate.
- The frigate teleporter can no longer be triggered while the frigate is away on a mission.
- Fixed an issue that could cause asteroid flickering when warping to a system that contains a frigate fleet.
- Fixed an issue that prevented outlaw frigates that are not away on a mission from being warped in to defend the player when under attack by hostile starships.
- Nearby fleets will now always deploy fighters to assist the player in combat, even if they are on a mission.
- When landing on an outlaw frigate, the captain will now greet you with an appropriate message.
STARSHIP CUSTOMISATION
- A new interaction, the Starship Fabricator, has been added to the space station.
- The fabricator allows you to build your own custom fighter, hauler or explorer starship.
- When salvaging a ship, the process can now be targeted at specific visuals, e.g. reclaiming the wings or thruster array specifically. These harvested components can then be combined to create a brand-new ship.
- Purchase starship reactors from space station technology merchants to determine the stats and class of your new starship.
- The fabricator also allows you to choose unique colour and paint styles for your new ship.
- Starships salvaged from the wild or purchased from another pilot benefit from universal authentication, granting them a bonus to future trade-in values.
USER INTERFACE
- The splash screen and mode select screens have been visually overhauled.
- The options screens have been tweaked for visual clarity.
- The in-game patch notes have had a visual upgrade.
- Purchase and decline buttons in various UI pages have been re-styled.
- The compare and purchase screens have been tweaked for clarity.
- When using “Transfer More” to add items to a slot, the popup will now only show valid items.
- When a mission location is marked, the icon will now briefly start in the centre of the screen before moving to its usual position, making it easier to track off-screen locations.
- Fixed an issue that added an additional delay to the creation of markers for mission events.
TRADING, REPUTATION AND GUILDS
- Space station technology merchants now have a wider range of upgrades, with more high quality modules available.
- Space station technology merchants now offer a price discount based on your standing with their faction.
- The starship Economy Scanner can now be activated from the ship’s inventory as well as from the quick menu.
- The Economy Scanner can now detect nearby trade surges, in addition to detecting planetary outposts.
- Trade surges are time-limited events in nearby systems that offer an increased profit margin on key goods. Find a source of the required trade items to take advantage of these surges.
- A system’s economy description on the galaxy map now uses a consistent label to describe the goods they buy and sell.
- The guild envoys for the Merchants, Mercenaries and Explorers Guilds now offer a wide selection of items to their members.
- Find guild envoys aboard space stations.
- Each envoy offers a range of free supplies and heavily discounted items, with eligibility based on your current standing with their guild. The exact items vary from system to system but are tailored to each specific guild.
- Envoys will also accept donations to guild supplies, in exchange for increasing your standing with their guild.
- Vanquished pirate starships now yield Pirate Transponders, which can be donated to the Mercenaries Guild for a boost to standing.
- The clarity and presentation of the buttons to view journey milestones and faction standing within the catalogue have been improved.
- Fixed an issue that caused the catalogue system standing button to lead to the wrong page.
- A number of new alien words have been added, ready to learn and translate.
- The trade terminal found on space stations now has a clearer name and subtitle.
BASE PARTS
- A large number of new base parts have been added, based on the decoration style of the space station.
- Research these parts with salvaged data at the construction research terminal on the Space Anomaly.
Introducing: No Man's Sky: ORBITAL.
Dock your fully customised starship in the sleek new space stations of update 4.6, ORBITAL! Space stations have been completely overhauled internally and externally; new starships can be constructed from salvaged parts; frigate fleets can reach out for guidance with interstellar expeditions; standing and guilds have been improved, trading and system economies have been deepened - and much more!
Full patch notes here: https://www.nomanssky.com/orbital-update
The starship customization has me so excited. Sooo many times there is something stupid about an awesome ship that makes me hate it. That feature alone has me firing up the game again.
I am interested in guilds. Should be fun to bring people together. Makes me wonder if they are thinking of group content down the road.
Build my own custom ship?
Be still my beating heart!
I only played NMS for the first time two years ago, and I am constantly impressed by how much effort they put into the game. I normally go back every couple months and loop back into the updates and there is so much new stuff to find each time. Big ups to the team for taking a DOA game and turning it into a masterpiece of free content.
I only purchased NMS when I watched Internet Historian's video on HelloGames. After finding out they didn't take the money and run but instead hunkered down and worked hard to make the game great I thought they deserved to be rewarded for that. It's not even the type of game I usually play, but I did sink hundreds of hours in it and every few months there's something. And again, and again, and again. Every time I remove the game because I stop playing it, they add something new and back we go. This is so awesome.
It seems very broken on PS5 at the moment. A lot of placeholder values all over the UI.
Same on PS4
Haven't kept up with this in a while, but this update looks awesome.
Have they fixed the mechanic that pits you in an infinite loop of sentinels coming after you with no way to escape except to kill them but killing them instantly signals a new wave?
Kinda in awe of HG strategy this year. Release a moderate sized patch (Omega), kinda meh for long time users TBH, with a free-to-play-on-every-platform expedition, rope in lots of new users. < 3 months later, huge visual and gameplay update with the single most requested feature (since launch) from the existing userbase. This is the way.
Has anyone tried a derelict freighter since the update? I just got a star ship engine core instead of a freighter upgrade module :\
