SaltEMike reviews the recent Roadmap Roundup, highlighting new features like Tactical Strike Groups and plasma grenades but expressing disappointment over the absence of item recovery Tier 1 crafting and inadequate trading systems. He emphasizes the need for foundational improvements in mining, trading, and crafting mechanics before focusing on new content, urging the developers to prioritize these core gameplay elements to enhance player engagement and avoid releasing unfinished features.
In this video, SaltEMike reacts to the Roadmap Roundup released recently, admitting he missed the initial announcement and is catching up a day late. He notes that the roadmap update includes new vehicles and tentative plans for Tactical Strike Groups, a cooperative ship combat feature with varying ship roles. He also highlights upcoming content like QV extraction stations, new hairstyles, space combat missions, and the introduction of a plasma grenade. However, he expresses disappointment that item recovery Tier 1 (T1) crafting, which was mentioned in the monthly report, is absent from the roadmap.
SaltEMike discusses the typical delay between the company’s internal decisions and the public roadmap, suggesting that some content might still appear in future updates. He emphasizes that while the roadmap timeline can be unreliable, the roadmap cards themselves are useful for understanding what’s intended for upcoming patches, as these features usually appear in Public Test Universe (PTU) phases before going live. Despite this, he remains skeptical about the absence of T1 item recovery, considering it a significant feature for the game’s crafting system.
A major portion of the discussion focuses on the need for improved trading systems to support crafting and player interaction. SaltEMike argues that a robust contract system allowing asynchronous trade—where players do not need to be online simultaneously—should be prioritized. He outlines the necessity for multiple forms of trading, including direct item exchanges, contract-based trades, and a marketplace, similar to systems in other MMOs and games like Eve Online. He stresses that current trading mechanics are inadequate and that secure item trading is essential before expanding crafting features.
Regarding gameplay improvements, SaltEMike expresses a desire for better mining and salvage mechanics, as well as enhancements to cargo ships, which he sees as foundational to crafting and the broader gameplay experience. He is less interested in new content like Tactical Strike Groups until these core systems are more fully developed. He also mentions that reputation and mission incentives currently lack meaningful impact, reducing player motivation to engage with these features.
In conclusion, SaltEMike is cautiously optimistic about upcoming patches 4.7 and 4.8 but remains critical of the roadmap’s focus on new content over refining existing systems. He hopes future updates will prioritize improvements to mining, trading, and crafting to create a more immersive and rewarding experience. Without these foundational improvements, he fears the game risks continuing a cycle of releasing unfinished content and moving on without addressing core gameplay issues.