Dune Awakening will get a big update in early July, and Funcom have a three-pronged plan to improve deep desert PvP
Dune: Awakening developers Funcom have revealed in a post-launch Reddit AMA that they’re currently aiming to release a fresh update full of quality of life-related tweaks in early July, as well as adding “new contracts across the board” down the line.
However, if you’re after big new stuff to do, you’ll have to wait for the major updates that’ll be releasing alongside the game’s DLCs.
“We have an update in testing that contains a lot of quality of life updates, which we are aiming to release in early July,” DA executive producer Scott Junior wrote in response to a question about Funcom’s immediate future plans, “When we get closer to it being publicly testable we will release the full patch notes. It contains too many changes for me to list here, but you’ll be seeing it soon!”
If I had to guess, I’d say there’s a chance that update includes simple base building tweaks folks have been begging for, such as storage containers and vehicles you can name, as well as the option to deposit all of their water with one button press. All of those were confirmed as being in the works at different points in the thread.
Meanwhile, in terms of bigger additions to the game, Junior explained: “each of our major updates will always continue new story content and new PvE content, which will release at the same time as our DLCs come out. Our goal is to have these release every 3/4 months.”
In terms of what the developer’s plans are to tweak PvP, which has come under fire from players early doors, DA senior game director Viljar Sommerbakk wrote that the scout ornithopter won’t be losing its rockets, with the devs instead instead aiming to make its performance vary depending on what gear you equip it with.
In line with that, specifically in terms of deep desert PvP, Sommerbakk said the devs are currently “formulating a plan” for changes based around three considerations. They want players to have to make “meaningful decisions” about their loadouts, the mode to feel “reliable, responsive, and clearly understood” moment to moment, and are fixing “issues with movement desyncs and rubber banding, as well as ability activation reliability”.
One of the major things players asked about in the thread was the possibility of the game getting more contracts for PvE folks to work through on a weekly basis, rather than running out of stuff to do. “There are plans to add new contracts across the board,” wrote DA creative director Joel Bylos, “In addition, the Landsraad itself is supposed to involve more contracts in order to reveal tasks for the Houses. As well as contracts that lead into the Deep Desert.”
In terms of the Landsraad, the devs were also clear they’ve read feedback about issues like tasks locking early or being too tough for solo players, and plan to rectify those as well as making sure folks feel like its rewards are worth the work.
As for folks missing out on Landsraad tasks that are claimed not long after they’re released, Bylos replied that Funcom’s “current plan is to allow your contributions to stack week after week, so that small groups and solos can work towards larger rewards over time. And then adding more tiers of rewards as well as new activity drivers”.
It’s a lot of spicy stuff to be sure. Funcom definitely aren’t shying away from the raging sandworms of player opinion.
