Patch 532.08 - Atlas Major Update: Sea of Wonders!

Ahoy Pathfinders!

Welcome to the new season of Atlas: “Sea of Wonders”. We are happy to announce several new additions to Atlas this season, some of which you may consider  “Monumental.” With this patch, we are introducing a new early game experience, new endgame gameplay loop, new map with distinct regions, new ships, gear and weapons, and a long awaited fan request… Let’s take a look at what we have for you!

Note: The update will be accompanied by a full server wipe to accommodate for these map and gameplay changes. 
 

      New Content 

New player experience
 

Freeports
We have updated the freeport areas to be more visually appealing.
Some of the pirate edwin introductory lines have been removed to improve clarity while starting the game.
 

Skill Tree
We would like players to have to diversify their crew member's skills to have a well maintained and working company. We have reworked the skill tree where you can unlock every skill discipline from the survival tree. Think about the skills you want to have as pathfinders will no longer be able to unlock every skill.

• New Max Level Cap: 110
• New Base Max Level (before discoveries): 77
• All skill disciplines have been reworked
• Removed the song and dance skill discipline
• Changed firearms discipline to ranged combat

      Map Changes 

Atlas has expanded! Visit new areas based on geographical locations

Regions Available

• Rookie Cove - An area for all pathfinders to cruise the seas in peace. A cove for all to gather their bearings and test their newfound abilities until they are comfortable to progress full sail ahead!
• Central Waters - The largest area in the game and host to a healthy mix of tropical/temperate islands, but also an ancient evil told in Atlantean myths. Can you find all the power stones and defeat the greatest challenge?
• South America - A region home to tropical/equatorial areas. However, there seems to be faint chanting amongst this region. Will you be able to find the source of this hidden power?
• Africa - A region home to the hottest desert Islands around. Crocodiles, venomous snakes and lots and lots of sand call this region home.
• Antarctica - The harshest sub-zero climates, icebergs, penguins, and illusive yeti's populate the islands around here.
• North Pole - The north pole is similar to Antarctica, but to the north. Same freezing weather but perhaps the treasures here are the defining difference.

Atlas Menu Map
The Atlas Menu has been modified to fit the new regions available. The following tabs are available for you to look at.

• Overworld - The first map drafted by early cartographers. A general outline of the world is available.
• Rookie Cove - The home to the starting, self-titled region
• Central Ocean - You will find the map to the Central Waters region here
• Mediterranean Sea - The blazing hot desert islands of Africa region is here
• Central Maw - Uncharted waters, but rumor has it that the Kraken's lair is here
• South Atlantic Ocean - Tropical Oasis of the South America Region are found here
• Arctic Ocean - The extreme colds of the North Pole Region are located here
• Southern Ocean - The freezing depths of the Antarctica Region are here

      Portals 

Atlantean technology has arisen from the dark depths of abysses unknown. With it however, it looks like traveling from region to region has become a whole lot quicker, but perhaps even more dangerous.

• Pathfinder Portals - The privateers before you have taken it upon themselves to start studying the portals as well as providing safe passage through these portals. Located within Rookie Cove and Central Waters, these portals will transport you between these regions!
• Perpetual Portals - It seems the Atlanteans created a sort of oceanic highway. A free, reliable way of travel between regions. They have arisen from the depths and are available for all to travel through and explore!
• Damaged Portals - In the thousands of years Atlanteans have gone missing, not all of the portals have been kept in functional shape or have been left unfinished. These portals need some extra gem power to travel through. Be warned these do not stay open forever!
  • Cost:
    • Magic Marrow: 50
    • Gold Coin: 250 
• Central Portal - Seemingly, this seems to be the first type of portal ever created! However, it seems to have been keeping something away rather than allowing others in. Located in the Central Waters Region only, it seems to need power stones to open. Will you be the first to see what's on the other side?

      Power Node System 

Transient Nodes
Transient Nodes are special locations on islands that allow for unique resource harvesting. They have a time limit of one week before they deplete, despawn, and respawn at a different location.

• Movement
  • Transient Nodes will move from one location on an island to another within the same server. They can move anywhere on the same island, there are no height restrictions.
• Resource
  •  Current new resource that is able to be gathered is "Cursed Bone Chips". There will be additional resources in later updates.
• Harvesting structure
  • A new autofarm harvesting structure has been added. The "Grave Digger". It is craftable at the Smithy. Players must first learn the skill Knowledge of the Old Ones, in the Piracy skill tree, to learn how to build this structure.
     

Static Nodes
Static Nodes are permanent structures found on several islands in the Central Ocean. They provide new resources and the ability to create a unique themed crafting structure. At this crafting structure, you will be able to craft several new structures.

Army of the Damned Static Node

• Damned Altar
• Cursed Altar

Resources
The first resource that is able to be gathered is "Cursed Wood". There will be additional resources in later updates.
 

Structures Buildable at Static Nodes

• Damned Smithy - The Damned Smithy is similar to the regular Smithy, except that it only allows you to craft Army of the Damned themed structures and gear. Buildable at an Army of the Damned Altar
• Ritual Pedestal - The Ritual Pedestal allows players to perform powerful island wide spells / buffs called Rituals. There are three available to players at this time.
  • Sacrifice Collection - Causes all creatures and players to drop their hearts when they are killed. Collect these hearts and bring them back to the Ritual Pedestal for use in the Raise the Dead Ritual.
  • Unnatural Fog - Causes the island to be covered by a thick fog.
  • Raise the Dead - Using the hearts gathered in the Sacrifice Collection Ritual, players are rewarded with Army of the Damned Warriors as tamed creatures. The warriors will spawn at the same level as the player who initiated the ritual, and you will be granted one warrior per player who participates in the ritual, up to a maximum of ten.
  • Buildable at the Damned Smithy.
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 100
    • Cursed Bone Chips: 50
    • Cursed Wood: 100
• Song Stone - The Song Stone gives a new item to players called the Verse Book. This book contains powerful new songs that can only be learned at Song Stones. Each company is limited to one Verse Book, so guard yours well. If it is stolen, or lost, you must wait one month to be able to craft a new one. Buildable at the Damned Smithy.
  • Cost:
    • Cursed Bone Chips: 50
    • Stone: 200

      Monuments 

Monuments

Monuments are new massive structures that grant powerful buffs to the owning company or to the island that they are built on.

Monument Study Rooms

Monument Study Rooms are special rooms that can be built at the Damned Smithy and are placed in the Cursed Temple Monument. They grant more power versions of buffs, and offer the ability to craft high quality versions of blueprints by default.

Cursed Totem

Built in three stages. Players must first place a foundation, then framework, and then can finally build the completed Totem.
Once built allows members of the owning company to consume raw and rotten meat without any negative effects.

• Stage 1- Foundation
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 2500
    • Wood: 800
    • Crystal: 200
    • Cursed Wood: 1000
    • Cruse Bone Chips: 500
• Stage 2- Framework
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 500
    • Wood: 800
    • Cursed Wood: 200
    • Fibers: 400
• Stage 3- Completion
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 3000
    • Wood: 800
    • Crystals: 200
    • Cursed Bone Chips: 400
    • Cursed Wood: 500

Burial Mound

Built in three stages, players must first place a foundation, then framework, and then can place the completed Burial Mound.
Once built, changes all meat dropped by creatures on the island to rotten meat, also changes all raw meat in players inventories into rotten meat.

• Stage 1- Foundation
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 2500
    • Wood: 800
    • Crystal: 200
    • Cursed Wood: 1000
    • Cruse Bone Chips: 500
• Stage 2- Framework
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 500
    • Wood: 800
    • Cursed Wood: 200
    • Fibers: 400
• Stage 3- Completion
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 3000
    • Wood: 800
    • Crystals: 200
    • Cursed Bone Chips: 400
    • Cursed Wood: 500

Cursed Temple

Massive temple that has space for four Monument Study Room. Built in two stages, place the foundation and then the completed Temple.

• Stage 1- Foundation
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 4000
    • Wood: 2000
    • Crystal: 500
    • Cursed Wood: 1500
    • Cruse Bone Chips: 1500
• Stage 2- Completion
  • Cost:
    • Stone: 10000
    • Wood: 5000
    • Cursed Wood: 10000
    • Cursed Bone Chips: 15000
    • Crystal: 2000

Monument Study Rooms

• Vessel Studies
  • Allows for Ship related structures to be built with a chance to be up to Masterwork quality. Cost:
    • Wood: 500
    • Hide: 235
    • Fibers: 120
• Structure Studies
  • Allows for Land Structures to be built with a chance to be up to Masterwork quality. Cost:
    • Stone: 750
    • Wood: 250
    • Flint: 200
• Equipable Studies
  • Allows for all armor and weapons to be built with a chance to be up to Masterwork quality. Cost:
    • Stone: 300
    • Wood: 400
    • Hide: 125
    • Flint: 250
    • Metal: 600
• Culinary Studies
  • Allows all food recipes to be crafted with a chance to be up to Masterwork quality. Cost:
    • Stone: 500
    • Wood: 800
    • Flint: 200
    • Metal: 400
• Astronomy Studies
  • Grants the Sextant buff to all company members. Cost:
    • Stone: 200
    • Wood: 400

 New Gear 

Macuahuitl

A new sword themed after ancient Aztec weapons. Beware its overhead swing, which causes its victims to bleed profusely. Built in the Damned Smithy after learning the Knowledge of the Old Ones from the Piracy Tree.

• Cost:
  • Wood: 50
  • Crystal: 25

Transient Tracker

A new equipable item that will help players locate transient nodes. Activate while looking around to be pointed in the direction of the nearest transient node. Built in the Forge after learning Knowledge of the Old Ones from the Piracy Tree.

• Cost:
  • Coin: 20
  • Crystal: 10

Cursed Armor

 A full set of Army of the Damned armor. Provides great defense while increasing resistance to heat. Each piece costs the same to build.

• Cost:
  • Metal: 30
  • Cursed Bone Chips: 30

      New Modular Ship/Dock Variants 

Ship changes
All new ships can now be found as blueprints at Shipwrecks and from the Kraken encounter.
Ship costs have been tuned to require more resources and less gold
Legacy system ships will be moved to a skill branch called Merchant Ships in a future update

Basic Shipyard
Basic shipyard allows one to build Cog by default and the Harrier, and Mortar by blueprint.

• Cost:
  • Wood: 2000
  • Thatch: 1000
  • Fiber: 500
  • Stone: 250

Cog
The Cog enters the game as an entry level ship. This small but capable vessel provides aspiring captains a great starting point for their career.

• Base Cost:
  • Wood: 500
  • Thatch: 400
  • Fiber: 400
  • Metal: 3
• Weapons: None to start, can be equipped with weapon modules
• Max Level: 50
• Sail points: 2

Carrack
The Carrack comes in as a blank canvas for players to use as they advance. By adding custom modules this ship can serve in battle, exploration, or trade.

• Base Cost:
  • Wood: 2250
  • Thatch: 1800
  • Fiber: 1800
  • Metal: 18
• Weapons: None to start, can be equipped with weapon modules
• Max Level: 50
• Sail Points: 8

Harrier
The Harrier is a cousin to the formidable Mortar Ship. It is faster and more maneuverable but only mounts one mortar on the front castle.

• Cost:
  • Wood: 1500
  • Thatch: 1200
  • Fiber: 1200
  • Metal: 18
  • Gunpowder: 50
• Weapons: Mortar on Front Castle
• Max Level: 50
• Sail Points: 5

Advanced Shipyard
The Advanced Shipyard has been updated to hold the Cog and Carrack as its only default ships. All of the other modular ships are now found in Blueprints around the world and are craftable at the Advanced Shipyard.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed instances in which alcohol buffs were working incorrectly
• Fixed instances in which shipyards could be placed in unintended ways
• Fixed instances where rowing modules health values were displayed incorrectly
   

Misc

• Fixed instances of terrains on islands in custom server maps were not loading correctly
• Explosive Barrels damage when used in a catapult has been lowered, hand-placed barrels remain the same
• Gold obtained from all sources has been increased
• Loading Screens have been added while transitioning to a new grid
• Pathfinders who have faced the most dangerous adversary in Atlas have been reported finding a set of ancient armor wieldable only by small humanoid creatures
• Known Issues
• Sound inconsistencies with portals
• Quest Markers are in incorrect places/missing
• Camera jittering on NPC portal
• Cursed Armor can be displayed incorrectly if character height is too tall on female characters

      Final Note 

Again, we would like to emphasize that ATLAS is still in Early Access, meaning many things can and will likely continue to drastically change - even in the middle of development. Anything discussed is only up to date as of the moment it is posted. Features and changes that ultimately make it to the next patch, as well as timing, may be different from what was previously discussed. 

As always, we appreciate the suggestions and feedback from the community. Please keep them coming! Thank you for all of your support!

Happy Sailing,

- ATLAS Crew

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