Dear players

we are ready to share our narrative for Hotfix Delta. As usual, some, all or none of these changes may end up being deployed when the Hotfix is ready. I also want to share that we are very happy with the new CPM and that we are starting to gel as a team that wants only the best for DUST 514. Lots of positive interaction and discussions in the last few weeks.

These are the high level gameplay features we want to look at for Delta.

Weapons
Sidearms - rebalance in a similar way as rifles were, ranges, requirements and damage, mainly through buffing and tuning existing weapon behaviour (reducing ion seize, ROF on scrambler, flaylock power and blast radius, to name a few ideas)

Add all Miltia Sidearms and Miltia HMG to Market

Snipers - We simply cannot have snipers so far away in the redzone they cannot be touched, while also being immune to countersniping. However, we also want to improve the Improved headshot damage, decreased range, improved damage. We have been studying Domination maps, and some of the farthest redline sniper spots that can camp the Objective to get a good gauge of the situation. There cannot be a risk free way of playing the game, for each role there must be a counter.

Plasma Cannon - increased projectile speed

Swarms - efficiency against assault dropships needs to be improved fairly, there are a few ways (increased speed, nerf afterburners, increased lock on timers, probably not lock on range nor damage). We will buff normal dropship ehp to make up for their shortcomings.

Rifles - tweaks to Scrambler, Assault Scrambler and Assault Rifles (plasma)

Assault HMG buffed, burst HMG needs a slight tune down

Dropsuits
Minmatar dropsuits - small ehp buff across the board

Standard and Breach Forgegun and Railgun Turret splash radius reduced or removed. Blast stays on Assault Forge Guns. Holding a charge with a splash makes sniping in many cases redundant, and the Forge is primarily AV.

Turrets
Small Rail ROF reduced

Large Blaster splash reduced

Small Blaster splash increased, maybe range increase

Vehicles
HAV inertia increased so switching from forward to backward movement is more realistic, and reduce fuel injector boost to speed.

Shield based HAV and DS buffed ehp, Gunnlogi and Myron

Other
Damage profiles - Projectiles (Combat Rifles, etc) to -15%, 15%, or -20/+20 from -5%, +10%, plus fixing turret damage profiles to match intended design

NPE - all Frontline starter suits will have racial pistols, snipers smg's, and others magsecs, academy length increased, all new players injected with dropsuit upgrades skills (shield armor and core). Granting these skills coupled with militia sidearms and hmg allows us to reduce starting ISK to 25K

Shield Modules - 15% or so CPU reduction of Energizers, Regulators and Rechargers

Nanite Injectors - heal same amount of shields as armor, yes quite a buff

Nova Knife optimization skill added

Add new Officer Light Weapons as well as key missing FW items to the LP Store


Most of these issues have been mentioned and discussed on the forums, discovered through data or raised by the CPM.

Let's have a courteous and constructive dialogue and detailed threads will be hitting shortly.