Popular virtual reality (VR) sci-fi shooter EVE: Valkyrie has today received it first major update in the form of Carrier Assault. VRFocus reported last week on the new addition to the videogame, and a series of new screenshots were revealed during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2016, by developer CCP Games.
EVE Valkyrie Carrier Assault allows players to now attack these flying fortresses for the first time over three stages. The first stage is skirmish, where the carriers shields must be taken down before progressing. Located across the map are three Power Relay Stations, two of these must be taken to drop the shields for a short amount of time.
When controlled the battle then moves onto the attack phase. Highlighted on a players HUD will be Cooling Nodes which are vital to the ships defence systems. This isn’t an easy process as not only do the Nodes need to be destroyed in order, but players will need to dodge the ships defences and the defending team. There’s also the issue of defending your own carrier should its shields be offline.
The final stage is Breach. Once the cooling nodes have been destroyed the carrier’s central core will be exposed, but its located at the ships heart, and to gain access players must fly through a trench like tunnel for access. Once the core has sustained sufficient damage it’s then a frantic escape to freedom and out of the blast radius to win.
Also added to the new mode are boost gates, giving a short one-way speed boost allowing players to reach mission critical objectives quicker than normal, adding further tactical gameplay.
Outside of EVE Valkyrie Carrier Assault CCP Games has added a new multiplayer map called Crossroads, Crossroads PVE game modes, a new multiplayer mode selection, match bonus, tactical menu and ship balancing. Set in a location filled with wreaks, Crossroads includes an extensive asteroid field and a control tower known as Station 27. The map will be available across all multiplayer game modes. The match bonus will be awarded as XP no matter if the match was a victory, draw or defeat. But successful players will receive a win bonus adding further XP to their tally.
With the ship balancing, CCP Games continues the improvements to the gameplay mechanics and lists the following additions:
Fighters: All Capacitor (tank) increases: Increased Maximum by 17% Decreased Recharge rate by 10% Decreased Boost Consumption rate by 24%
Fighter: Aegis Replaced ECM (Emergency Countermeasure) ability with the EMS (Electromagnetic Shields)
Fighter: Assuage Reduced the EMS shots required to disable an opponent by 20%
Fighter: Displacer Replaced the ECM ability with Spiderbot ability
Fighter: Sentry Increased the number of mines that can be deployed from 3 to 5
Fighter: Spur & Displacer Reduced mag cannon angle cone by 66%
Heavy: Gorgon & Goliath Increased missile max speed by 20% Increased the target lock range from 3km to 5km Increased missile expiry time by 25%
Heavy: Cyclone Increased the EMS direct shots to disable by 50% Increased the EMS partial shots to disable by 44%
Support Ships Supports have been rebalanced to fit into the roles of engineer or medic. Medics focus on healing and utility, whereas engineers are more combat focused.
Support (Medic): Banshee, Guardian, Warden, Sentinel Increased armour by 26% Decrease shield by 12%
Support (Engineer): Phantom, Revenant, Siren Increased armour by 32% Decrease shield by 44%
Support: All Increased the hit box (hit detection) by 10%
Support: Banshee Increased buff beam lock range from 2.2km to 2.5km Reduced buff beam repair rate by 17%
Support: Guardian Replaced buff beam with heal beam (focuses more on healing, than buffing) Increased heal beam lock range from 2.2km to 2.5km Decreased gatling gun’s rate of fire by 50%
Support: Sentinel Replaced buff beam with vamp beam (transfers 10% of a targets drained shields directly to its own) Decreased beam lock range from 2.2km to 1km
Support: Revenant Replaced buff beam with corrupt beam (applies 10% damage multiplier to target + any ship doing damage to the target enemy gets 10% damage boost) Ally armour and repair rates reduced by 77%. Decreased beam lock range from 2.2km to 1.5km
Support: Warden Replaced buff beam with drain beam (focuses on draining enemy shields) Ally armour and repair rates reduced by 77%. Increased shield drain by 17%
VRFocus will continue its coverage of EVE: Valkyrie, reporting back with any further updates.
