Global Agenda‘s latest free patch, 1.37, lands tomorrow. While it consists primarily of tweaks, fixes, and system upgrades, it also introduces a couple of things that were promised since the beginning of Sandstorm — namely, achievements. I’d give you all the highlights, but they (ironically) comprise about half the full list of patch notes by themselves. Instead, you’re getting the highlights of the highlights, because it would just be a kick in your browser’s patoot to detail everything right here.
- Achievements: A full achievement system has been added. Players can view achievements using the ACHIEVEMENTS tab on the Agent Profile screen. Some achievements will award helmets or other flair as they are achieved.
- Star Rankings from skills now fade in between variance 17-18.25. This prevents an issue where users sometimes saw their star ranking suddenly drop after an unusual match (Ed. Note: They should just drop these altogether).
- Quick Swap Profiles: Players can now purchase multiple equipment profiles for each character from the PROFILES VENDOR at the Proteus Center for Neural Reprogramming in Dome City, using Tokens. Each profile allows you to set unique Skill Tree, Weapon, Appearance, and Armor choices. You can switch profiles from anywhere that you can equip your character. You can purchase up to a total of 4 additional profiles per character.
- Special Vanity Items: This release introduces two new special/rare items — Magic Elf Goggles, which you wear during PvP matches and cause all enemies to appear to have elf heads (so you can have fun shooting them); and a Vanity Pet, which follows you in Dome City while also giving your character a 50% groundspeed boost while in Dome City. See below for more information. (Ed. Note: Dome City isn’t big, but I’ll take anything that allows me to get around it faster, since the most pertinent areas are on complete opposite sides.)
- AvA Arena Scrimmages: A new Arena queue has been added called “AvA Scrimmage”. This queue accepts only pre-made teams of 10 (NOTE: You have to be in a regular team, not a Strikeforce to join queue). The queue rotates maps that are also played in AvA. There are no rewards given for this queue, and no AvA equipment can be brought to the fights. (Note that the previously existing 10v10 Arena Queue has been removed).
- Mission Queuing: A variety of changes have occurred to Mission Queuing to make it easier to get matches across all server regions (North Amer, Europe, etc) and to improve backfilling.
- Tokens: You can now earn a maximum of 50,000 tokens in a week. Likewise, you may hold a maximum of 50,000 tokens in your bank. The daily limit on tokens has been removed (in favor of the weekly cap).
- New PvE Consumables – Four new craftable PvE consumables have been added. More details below.
- Repair Kits — In addition to being crafted, repair kits can now be purchased at a the Armor Vendor in Dome City for tokens (50/100/200 tokens for uncommon/rare/epic). The number of kits produced by crafters in one craft has been increased to 10 from 7. (Ed. Note: Thank GAWD.)
The rest of the junk is probably more pertinent to hardcore/long-time players, but Hi-Rez is proving once again that they’re one of the best in the business when it comes to listening to their players and incorporating that feedback in a timely manner. The game has changed so much in the time that it’s been out (not even a year), that it really no longer resembles what it was at launch. And considering most of those changes have been improvements, that’s rather impressive.