The public testing of features for sci-fi building sandbox Starbase that first started in July and picked back up in September has continued to roll forth through October, which means it’s time to once again keep up with what’s been tried out recently.
Much like last month, this month sees test universe updates that are actually fairly minor, with the first such patch once more primarily focusing on fixes for things like lag, capital ship integrity, and hangar hall beams, though it also added improved object snapping to the station editor and online player numbers to several UI windows.
The most recent patch is full of fixes too, but it also brings some new siege mechanic changes for stations and capital ships: Station foundation units now generate a secure zone that lets players respawn and protects items within it from damage (though players still take damage), while capital ship builders must now create a security field generator that creates a similar secure zone. In both cases, this zone represents the last line of defense – or the last obstacle for raiders – during a siege.
We’ve had our eye on the game since 2019, when its reveal made us think it was EverQuest Next in space. It did launch into early access in 2021 but has only inched along in development since then, however, and went almost radio-silent mid-2022, when studio Frozenbyte told players it was focusing on other projects (apparently Trine 5). But it whirred back to life in the spring of 2024, and we’ve been getting small updates ever since. As we type this, the game is still in early access and is even on sale for under $12 on Steam.
