Battlestar Galactica Online Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Battlestar Galactica Online - Open Beta 1.11 Update

28 June 2011

This Update introduces instance PvP Arena matches and several gameplay and interface additions and improvements.

ARENA[]

Arena matches allow PvP between specific players in private 'instanced' areas, separate from the main game world (much like Missions). This Update introduces two types of Arena match – 1v1 Ranked and 1v1 Duels:

1v1 Ranked Matches[]

  • 1v1 Ranked Arena Matches allow players to pit themselves against other pilots of both factions to determine who is the 'Top Gun' on their server in each ship size class (Strike, Escort and Line)
  • You can search for a 1v1 Ranked Arena Match at any time by clicking the new Arena button in the upper-right of the HUD to open the Arena window, selecting 1v1 from the match types on the left and the clicking the Check In button on the lower right
  • While you are searching for an Arena match, you can continue to play the game as normal – the Arena button will stay 'pressed' to show that you are looking for a match

1v1 Ranked Match Rules[]

  • 1v1 Ranked Matches take place in an instanced Arena space
  • After loading into the Arena, there is a short countdown before a match starts
  • Matches last for 10 minutes
  • There are two main ways to win an Arena match:
    • Defeating the opponent
    • Moving close to the 'capture beacon' at the center of the Arena and remaining there for 30 seconds without attacking or being attacked
  • If neither player achieves a victory within the match duration of 10 minutes, the player who has inflicted the most damage on their opponent will be declared the winner
  • If both players have inflicted exactly the same amount of damage on each other, the match will be declared a draw
  • The Arena is limited in size – if a player moves outside the Arena area, they will receive a warning message, and if they do not return to the Arena area within 30 seconds, they will forfeit the match and their opponent will be declared the winner

1v1 Ranked Match Rewards[]

  • Normal XP and loot rewards are disabled in the Arena – instead, the winner of a match will receive a fixed reward of XP, Cubits, Titanium and Tylium which varies according to the size class of the match

1v1 Ranked Matchmaking[]

  • The Arena matchmaking system will attempt to find a match against a pilot of a similar Arena Rating for the size of ship you are currently commanding
  • However, if no players of a similar Rating are currently searching for a game in the same size class, the matchmaking system will gradually widen its search parameters in order to find a match
  • When a match is found, both players will receive a pop-up notifying them – both players must confirm the match before it will begin, and it is not possible to confirm a match while currently 'in combat' in the main game
  • 1v1 Ranked Matches always take place between ships of the same size class (Strike vs Strike, Escort vs Escort or Line vs Line) – the matchmaking system will never match you against someone in a different size class
  • You will be removed from the Arena 'matchmaking queue' if you enter a mission or change your current ship

1v1 Ranked Match Ratings[]

  • The first time you search for a 1v1 Ranked Arena Match, your pilot will be given an initial 1v1 Rating for the size of the ship you are currently commanding – this initial Rating is determined by your pilot's Level
  • Your pilot's current 1v1 Rating for each ship size (Strike, Escort and Line) can be seen in the Arena window and also in the new Top Gun leaderboard in the Leaderboards screen
  • Winning 1v1 Ranked Arena Matches will increase your pilot's 1v1 Rating for the appropriate ship size, while losing 1v1 Ranked Arena Matches will reduce your pilot's Rating
  • The Rating system is based on a version of the Elo system – as such, the number of Rating points you gain or lose from winning or losing a 1v1 Ranked Arena Match will depend on the difference in Rating between you and your opponent:
    • Defeating an opponent with a higher Rating than you will earn you more Rating points
    • Defeating an opponent with a lower Rating than you will earn you fewer Rating points
    • Being defeated by an opponent with a higher Rating than you will lose you fewer Rating points
    • Being defeated by an opponent with a lower Rating than you will lose you more Rating points
    • The greater the difference in Ratings, the more pronounced these differences will be

Top Gun Icons[]

  • Players who are currently within the top 100 on their server on the Top Gun Leaderboard for one or more size classes will receive a special icon above their pilot and ship name on the HUDs of other players
  • There are five such icons:
    • Pilots ranked 1st on a Top Gun Leaderboard size category will display a large golden icon
    • Pilots ranked 2nd on a Top Gun Leaderboard size category will display a large silver icon
    • Pilots ranked 3rd on a Top Gun Leaderboard size category will display a large bronze icon
    • Pilots ranked between 4th and 20th on a Top Gun Leaderboard size category will display a small silver and bronze icon
    • Pilots ranked between 21st and 100th on a Top Gun Leaderboard size category will display a small bronze icon
  • Note that if a pilot qualified for more than one icon (from being within the top 100 in more than one size category), only the icon for their highest ranking will be displayed
  • Icons will update as Leaderboard positions change

1v1 Duel Matches[]

  • 1v1 Duel Arena Matches allow players to challenge pilots of either faction to 1v1 Duels in an instanced PvP Arena space
  • Pilots can be challenged to a Duel by targeting them, right-clicking on their Target Info box and selecting the Duel option
  • If the target accepts the challenge, you will both enter the Arena
    • Note that Duels cannot be accepted by a target that is current in combat
  • In most respects, Duel Matches function just like 1v1 Ranked Matches (see above), with the following exceptions:
    • Duels can occur between ships of any size classes – a Strike can duel a Line, for example
    • Duels do not affect Arena Ratings in any way
    • There are no rewards for winning a Duel match - other than bragging rights, of course

GAMEPLAY[]

Main updates

Star Systems[]

  • Two new star systems have been discovered in the Veil Sector – Nilfhel and Muspell
    • These new star systems contain large numbers of high level NPCs, and are intended as hunting grounds for high level players or Squadrons (groups)

Blockade Warnings[]

  • You will now receive a blockade warning if you attempt to jump to a star system where three or more friendly ships have been defeated shortly after jumping in within the last few minutes

Loading[]

  • Fixed a bug that sometimes caused player ships to appear in a star system (and be targetable by NPCs and other players) before the player had completed loading

Undock Timer[]

  • After repairing the Hull Durability of your current ship or switching command to a different ship, there will be a 30 second delay before you can undock, while the repairs are completed or your new ship is prepared for launch

Collisions[]

  • Many Escort and Line ship collision boxes have been revised
    • Note that for performance reasons, collision boxes are simpler shapes than the ship models, but it should now be much harder for smaller ships to get 'inside' larger ones, especially at the top, bottom and rear of ships

Missions[]

  • It is now possible to abandon a Mission in progress by clicking the Abandon button on the right-hand side of HUD – this will end the mission, which may then be attempted again by speaking to the relevant character
    • Note that if you abandon a Convoy Raid Mission, you will need to collect 100 Fragmented FTL Coordinates before you can attempt another convoy raid

INTERFACE[]

Main updates:

HUD[]

  • A Full Screen button has been added to the upper-right of the HUD – selecting this button will switch to full screen mode
  • Fixed a bug that was preventing PvP notifications ('Heavy fighting in…') from being displayed

Sector Map[]

  • Fixed a bug that was preventing PvP notifications (the 'pings' on star systems where PvP is occurring) from being displayed

Leaderboards[]

  • A new Top Gun category has been added to the Leaderboards, displaying the 1v1 Ranked Arena Ratings in each size category (Strike, Escort and Line) – see the Arena section above, for more details about Arena Ratings
  • Fixed several bugs with the Leaderboards, including one that was preventing defeats from being counted properly

Ground Crew[]

  • A Repair All button has been added to the Ground Crew window, allowing you to repair all Durability loss to a ship's Hull and Systems to 100%

Options[]

  • An Auto Loot option has been added to the Options window – when Auto Loot is switched on, all loot will automatically be taken a couple of seconds after a Loot window opens (as if you had clicked the 'Take All' button)
Advertisement