Star Traders: Frontiers News

Captains! Come down to the spice hall, where we've got it all. Pass the plate, listen to the music and perhaps shop for a new set of spacer clothes. You might like this new bold space armor? Well, Update #368 has your new digs - 2 new outfits, adjustments to the maximum repair cost for high-cost components, fixes to some weapon sets that had extremely high repair times and some tweaks and fixes for the story arcs based on a wonderful "anonymous" modders assistance.

Thanks to everyone checking out the game and leaving a review!

[h2]Cyber Knights is on sale too![/h2]
If you haven’t checked it out in a bit, our new game Cyber Knights: Flashpoint is rapidly coming up on the end of its Early Access period with over 220 Update under its belt. We've recenty released the first major Retirement story arc, 3 new proc-gen objectives to bring the total map and objective combinations up over 200, and are working on the Face's class tree now with the community.

All support for Cyber Knights ultimately results in a brighter future for Star Traders, so hope you’ll check it out and spread the word!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210/Cyber_Knights_Flashpoint/

[h2]2 New Outfits[/h2]

We're excited to be embarking on another run of art for Star Traders: Frontiers. After launching 7 years ago? Impossible! you might say. Inconceivable! you might say. But you can't stop it, it is too late, the art and the outfits are coming.

Thanks for all the support, the badges, and for checking out our next game. For you - we do updates.

[h2]Repair Cost and Time Maximums[/h2]

We completed an analysis of the ship component set and have put in some maximums and dampening curves for the repair cost and time per 1% of damage for all components. Some weapon sets - specifically high level missiles and gravcannons could take insanely long to repair. Other components like Large Fuel Tanks had way out of band costs to repair.

The adjustments help keep everything within some expected ranges, while still allowing for a wide range of high and low points. We look forward to hearing your feedback! Generally, your ships are going to be a little cheaper and faster to repair, but you'll only really feel it if you had some of the wild components installed.

[h2]Story Cleanup[/h2]
With the help of a modder on Discord (who has anonymous in their name, so I'll leave it at that), we've been making some cleanups to the game's data, effect linking, typos in quest logs and tweaking some of the timing in the game's story events. We really appreciate the dedication and are happy to reward it with the first update with a lot of their suggested changes integrated.

[h2]v3.4.31 - #368: Armored Space[/h2]
- Added 2 new outfits to the game - armored in space!
- Improved curves for repair cost for the most expensive ship components
- Reduced outsized repair times for Level 8 and 9 Gravcannon and Missile Launchers
- Improved timer structure for Pit Fighter V storyline
- Fixed mislinked effects that could show incorrect name when looking at buffs
- Fixed typos and incorrect names in objective logs

Star Traders - captains of the void - here we are again, kicking off another run of updates for Star Traders: Frontiers. Update #367 includes a new Contact type, new salvage gear, new rare Relic weapon, 2 new Explorer cards and a rebalance of how Trait mutation works out of Salvage and Explorer cards.

We're excited to be welcoming new captains to the void and to Star Traders: Frontiers with a 50% off sale this week - so we hope you'll share the game with a friend or with your review to help us get the word out about this epic space captain RPG.

[h2]Our new turn-based tactics RPG is 20% off[/h2]
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, our stealth & squad tactics heist RPG, is in its final stages of Early Access now and hitting its own Update #220 as we battle to wrap up the ambitious roadmap before launch. We've just release a major end game story that offers a retirement options for your Cyber Knight (if you want to take it). We learned a lot from the things that players always wanted in Star Traders: Frontiers but we couldn't add, and like Retirement, those improvements have landed in Cyber Knights in a big way!

If you're looking for a story rich, squad-based RPG, take a minute to follow, wishlist or try Cyber Knights! All support for Cyber Knights ultimately results in a brighter future for Star Traders, so hope you’ll check it out and spread the word!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210/Cyber_Knights_Flashpoint/

[h2]New Contact: Trobairitz[/h2]
This new Contact type, the Trobaritz, is a Faction troubadour or bard. They are fixtures in both courts and spice halls, they offer buffs to Spice Services, can recruit Blade Dancers and can in zones with sufficient Spice Rating or Government rating. If you get enough Reputation with one, perhaps someday they will sing a song about your captain (if you RP it)!

[h2]New Gear and Weapon[/h2]

Update #367Some new powerful gear added, including a very high penetration off blade, the Ki-Karat Siashal. A rare, relic grade weapon that can be discovered during Salvage operations.

[h2]New Explorer Card[/h2]

Update #367 also adds two new Explorer cards that deal with Trait mutation - with both a positive and negative card that can cause new pathways of mutations for your adventurous, exploratory crew.

The new Trait Mutation cards for Explorer are similar to the Trait Mutation cards present in Orbital; however, they are considerably rarer and more powerful. Be careful of the -5 Negative Trait card, it can shift the Traits of a single Crew member substantially.

As a result of the analysis that went into building these cards, we've revised the Trait Mutation flows within Orbital Ops and Explorer mechanics. The rebalancing will result in a better flow of new Traits to the crew and a better rate of being able to mutate with the cards instead of gaining the XP bonus with no mutation. This balance change also affects the rates at which the cards appear, so you'll want to use efficient play - focusing on specialists with card game Talents and picking your locations wisely - to achieve the best results with Trait mutation.

[h2]v3.4.29 - #367: Songs in the Spice Hall - 3/8/2025[/h2]
- New Contact Type: "Trobairitz"
- New Gear: XL Hurricane Ammo
- New Rare Relic Weapon: Ki-Karat Siashal (2nd Hand Blade)
- New Explorer Card: Positive Trait Mutation
- New Explorer Card: Negative Trait Mutation
- Reworked trait mutation flows in Explorer and Orbital to smooth mutation rate

Captains, welcome to the spice hall! Come, sit a while and let me tell you about the latest Star Traders: Frontiers update. This update features new salvage items and a heaping pile of ship components for boarders, pirates and raiders - 4 new Boarding Assault Systems and 3 new Reinforced Boarding Assault Systems.

Thanks for your ongoing support, reviews and sending in suggestions and feedback on how we can keep improving STF.

[h2]New Year, New Meme Community Event[/h2]

Be sure to join us for the ongoing and hilarious New Year, New Meme event. New Years might feel like distance history, but like the spice, the memes always flow. Come and share a new meme, an old meme or just laugh to someone else's hilarity in the void.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/335620/view/512946415975007132

[h2]New Salvage Gear[/h2]

We're continuing the press to expand the salvage tables when running Orbital Salvage ops and hitting cards for Relic Armor, Weapon or Gear. With Update #366, we've rolled out two new pieces of Level 6 gear - the Orbital Defender and Darkscale Underplate, each boasting a powerful set of Attribute improvements. In addition, the Orbital Defender adds a +15% Penetration bonus and the Darkscale Underplate brings a double buff: +20% Evasion and +15% Deflection.

[h2]New Reinforced Assault Systems[/h2]
For those pirates and scoundrels who prefer to board enemy ships, doing the bloody work up close and personal, a new range of Reinforced Assault Systems have been released. Each new Assault component features bonuses to your ship Armor, a penalty to Jump fuel cost and powerful Boarding bonuses to boot. If you're heading in close, taking shots along the way, it never hurts to have the extra soak, matey!

[h2]New Late Era Boarding Assault Systems[/h2]
In the late Eras of the game, past the Consolidation or Dissension Era, a new set of Boarding Assault Systems from level 5 to 8 will become available in the starports as the technology of space warfare continues to advance. This new progression of Assault Systems grant the very best bonuses but are only for the boarders who have proved they can earn them, for they don't come cheap.

[h2]v3.4.27 - #366: Darkscale - 2/18/2025[/h2]
- New Gear: Orbital Defender, Drakescale Underplate
- New End-Game Components: Boarding Assault System 5 to 8
- New Components: Reinforced Assault System 2 to 4

Star Traders and captains, another update has sailed into port. We've continued with the addition of new Contact types, increasing the variety of gear in  Salvage and added a new high level defensive ship component. We've also been working to keep with report bugs and fix typos.

Thanks for your support and thanks to those choosing to show your appreciation by "badging up" with the Supporter's Badge as we climb up toward venerable Update #400!

To celebrate that final march to Update #400, we're going to get on a binge of new outfits here - so stay tuned for that.

[h2]New Contact: Antiquities Hunter[/h2]

Be sure you're ready when you consider working for the new Antiquities Hunter. This dangerous schemer will be sure to send you salvaging at dangerous sites across the galaxy, will sell you Rumors, offers Scavenger recruits and offers a pathway to the Black Market if their Traits align with it.

[h2]New Salvage Gear[/h2]

Both the XK Cyclone Ammo and Tarbark Wireset come with nice Initiative bonuses (+1 and +2) as well as other Defensive Bonuses. The XK Cyclone Ammo presents a unique advantage to both ranged Accuracy as well as Defensive dice. Happy hunting, Salvagers!

[h2]New Ship Component[/h2]

The top of the line Duranium Coating IV comes with best-in-class Armor and Shield and matches the other Duranium Coating's reduction of ship damage during orbital operations. In addition, the DC IV adds Void and Radiation Resistance and Craft Defense - so for a captain looking to combine the orbital operations capabilities with more combat oriented ship, the added cost of DC IV will be worth a look.

January has been a cold, slow one - so let's look forward to richer skies ahead!

[h2]v3.4.25 - #365 - Antiquities - 1/25/2025[/h2]
- New Contact Type: Antiquities Hunter -- A dangerous schemer with an unexplained hunger for relics
- New Gear: XK Cyclone Ammo, Tarbark Wireset
- New Ship Component: Duranium Coating IV
- Fixed some reported bugs

Welcome to the New Year, captains. The year of Star Traders (again)!

Pull up a chair in the spice tent and let's sit down over another update for your favorite space captain simulator. We hope you had a good holiday break and found some fun new games during the Steam Winter sale. As for Star Traders: Frontiers, updates are resuming for 2025! With Update #364, we've added a new contact type, 5 new relic armor and weapons, adjusted the rules for cloaking and Xeno Artifacts (you can't hide from the xeno!), improved the maintenance cost of mid-level Interdictors and reduced drop rate for the Uncover Contact Network card in Explorer.

Thanks to every captain playing and leaving feedback and reviews!

[h2]Actually It's the Year of Cyber Knights![/h2]
So many of our updates for Star Traders are based on feedback from you all. But there are limits to what we can do in a game 6 years after its release. Our new tactical heist RPG, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, is evolving fast in Early Access and will be releasing later in 2025. It still has plenty of room for content ideas and shifts in gameplay based on what you, our very best players, are finding fun.

Join us to make this game another one you’ll be enjoying for years to come.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210/Cyber_Knights_Flashpoint/

[h2]Admirable Retired Consul[/h2]

This update adds a new type of Contact that can appear in your faction zones. The Retired Consul is an influential new Contact type that prefers high Government and Economy zones and offers Missions, Sells Rumors and provides high quality Recruits.

[h2]Added 5 New Relic Armors and Weapons[/h2]
Based on player feedback and insatiable demand for moar gear, we've expanded the armor and weapon catalog to include some fan-requested variations. There are 3 new Armor with very high Hardness values, and two new blades that counter them with high Penetration. Good luck finding them, Relic Hunters!

[h2]Cloaking and Artifacts[/h2]

We're keeping a very close eye on the new cloaking rules and the awesome impacts they are having on the ship meta. A lot of new ship designs have spawned out of these new components. However, we have found that they are too powerful for certain types of smuggler builds and playstyles. Be ware - ship encounter rate reduction no longer have any impact on the penalty for carrying Xeno Artifacts in your ship's cargo hold. The clarion call of these cursed things cannot be disguised and the Xeno ships will not be fooled by cloaking. The effects of cloaking still apply to all regular ships, to regular chances to meet xeno in the void, but simply do not protect you if your hull is full to bursting with Artifa cts. As another note, the cloaking reduction still does apply to the increase chance in meeting Military and Bounty Hunter ships that you can gain for carrying Xeno Artifacts.

[h2]Small Craft Maintenance[/h2]
Some maintenance costs for Small Craft (the actual fights, and some launch bays) have been adjusted to be more linear in growth. This should make some high end small craft setups more expensive while making introductory small craft slightly more efficient to own early in the game.

[h2]Contact Network Drop[/h2]

The Contact Network card you could draw in Explorer is very powerful for that operation, and we've reduced its rates of appearance to ensure it stays rare enough to play.

[h2]v3.4.23 - #364 - 1/9/2025[/h2]
- New Contact Type: "Retired Consul" (Influential, Court Missions, Sells Rumors)
- New Gear: 3 new high-Hardness Armors and 2 new high-Penetration Weapons
- New Salvage Relic Weapon: Slazah Warblade (Main Blade)
- New Rare Relic Weapon: Ki-Karat Siazah (2nd Hand Blade)
- New Rare Relic Armors: Cryoseal Mesh + Warden Stalker
- New Salvage Relic Armor: Voidshard Carapace
- Cloaking no longer reduces encounter penalty from Xeno Artifact transport
- Balanced maintenance costs for Interdictor (Class 4-8) Small Craft
- Reduced drop rate of "Uncover Contact Network" (+5 Explorer Card)
- Improved processing efficiency in political simulator, better performance
- Fixed Reported Bugs