Westwood Studios has released a major patch for the current public test of its upcoming MMO title, Earth and Beyond. Including new grouping features, an upgraded skill system, and an improved chat interface, Earth and Beyond testers can begin playing around with the new features listed here:
- Improvements to the grouping and formation systems, including the addition of the basic functionality of a guild system
- Improvements to the in-game monsters, including damage effects, combat attributes, and behavior patterns
- Upgraded interiors in several star bases
- Improved chat interface, allowing players to more easily initiate a chat channel and to also find friends in-game
- Upgraded skill system, including new skills, improvements to existing skills, and new visual effects
- Enhancements to existing sectors, including new sounds and art
- Improvements to the in-game music, including the addition of new music in space and inside starbases
- New animations for many avatars, and improvements to existing avatar movements
- More options during character creation
- An upgraded and expanded star map, so players can more easily find their way around the game universe
- Improvements and bug fixes to many random and scripted missions
- Improvements and bug fixes in the warp system
- Upgraded vendor terminals, allowing players to more easily buy, sell and compare goods
- An updated look and functionality of the manufacturing and vault terminals