The moment the version update hit the official website, it set the forums on fire and blew up every chat group.
LobsterSauce: "Leisure? You mean the kind where you have to kill nine guys in three days just to break even? That's rich. [Funny.JPG]"
Director: "Hello, is this 911? I'd like to report a gaming company for false advertising."
The Chosen: "Khorne watched this and stayed silent. Slaanesh saw it and burst into tears! How dare they call themselves a leisure and entertainment platform. The audacity!"
Warmaster: "I can't believe we finally have teleportation! This is absolutely massive! I thought traveling across the map would take days, no kidding!"
Spaceking: "Just finished the Guide's mission. Give me a minute to crunch the numbers and break down the new version for everyone."
Saint of Slaanesh: "Support! Strong support! We're all ears!"
IloveNurgle: "Pull up a chair and popcorn ready. Waiting for the boss to show us the way."
The Milk Dragon: "I can't repay you with anything, so I'll send you a Milk Dragon hug! "
Spaceking: "@The Milk Dragon, I'd advise against biting the hand that feeds you."
The Milk Dragon: "..."
Soon after, a detailed analysis titled, "The Guts of Version 2.0: A Deep Dive into the New Mechanics" appeared on the Warhammer OL forum.
"Hello everyone, it's Rigby here, and it's good to be back."
"It's been nearly half a year since the Warhammer Online closed beta. We've seen several updates—mission modules, the prosthetic shop, new maps, new NPCs—but this is the first major version patch. It absolutely warrants a deep dive and a comprehensive analysis."
"Let's break down the update piece by piece."
"First up is commercial finance, a topic we've talked to death."
"Warhammer Online is a 100% realistic VR game. Gear is tough to get, and you rely solely on grinding for cash to buy it. Not only is the equipment pricy, but the death penalty is brutal. Die a few times, and you unlock the achievement of being dead broke."
"To stop players from running around naked, the devs launched a loan service. You can now use the credit system to borrow money for gear and resources, essentially getting a play now, pay later experience."
"The upside is that players get a much better head start without the tedious early-game grind. It also encourages people to work harder to pay off their debt."
"The downside? If you wipe too many times, you won't just be penniless—you'll be up to your neck in debt. This is especially rough for players who go the Titan or Mechanicus route. While the damage output is high, the cost-effectiveness is just not there."
"Second is the exchange of Contribution Points and Imperial Coins. This has been hinted at before, but the big push must have happened this time. It looks like the Guide and the Primarch struck a deal."
"As we know, all updates in Warhammer Online are tightly coupled to the plot's development. Case in point: the prosthetic shop only opened after we rescued Magos Theresa. The official team specifically linking Contribution Points to Imperial currency now strongly suggests the Primarch's endorsement."
"Guilliman is the Regent of the Imperium. If he throws his weight behind it, Contribution Points can essentially become Imperial currency. The Empire might even lend us money down the road, but that requires further refinement of the finance system."
"The third, and most game-changing, update is the 'Return to City' feature—a staple in every RPG. Let's be honest, Warhammer Online is realistic, but the maps are gigantic. Having to spend days traveling just to finish one map is unbearable. Every time I died, my brain melted because I had to start the run all over again."
"The official launch of teleportation is a godsend. Players on Macragge can jump to Sotha in an instant. It's fast, convenient, and saves us time, letting us focus on the action."
"Surprised? Happy? Don't celebrate yet! The notice says 'soon,' meaning it still needs to be ironed out."
After uploading his comprehensive post to the official forum, Rigby (AKA Spaceking) got up and brewed some tea. He came back to see his official website notification pinging 999+.
"Just as popular as ever," he grinned, happily clicking through a few comments.
"Ten Boss is a legend. As expected from a finance guy, he's got it all figured out."
"Yuji is awesome, thanks for the knowledge drop."
"."
"Okay, these guys still have a conscience." Rigby took a sip of tea and opened Warhammer Discord Group 1 to see what the real discussion was about.
The Midnight Lord: "Hey, where is Old Thirteen today? He's usually all over this."
Shell Shocked: "He's lost the lottery eight times straight. Maybe he's nursing his wounds."
VeteranSoldier: "Let's go easy on him next time."
RobouteRules: "Now you know what it's like to miss me, right? Hurry up and book me a spot."
Kabanda: "Old Thirteen, you're lacking initiative this time. Spill the tea. Are you being disloyal to the Emperor?"
RobouteRules: "I was tied up by my lady. She insisted on dragging me through a hardware/software engineering project. I had to audit the code several times. I finally got time to check my phone."
WrongHammer: "Seriously? You had to review it several times? Rookie move."
Rigby sipped his tea and watched the group engage in an in-depth, spirited debate on the finer points of hardware/software engineering. "A bunch of characters," he thought. After finishing his tea, Rigby stretched, picked up his gaming helmet, and prepared to get back to the grind like a slave. Loyalty demanded it.
On the planet Sotha, a massive number of Necron constructs were working flat out. Arale, who now held the keys to the kingdom, had complete control over the Pharos and these machines.
Their speed was truly something to behold. In just a few days, they built a colony suitable for human habitation, complete with a brand-new artificial atmosphere and a full life support system.
When the displaced people of Sotha set foot on their home soil again, they broke down in tears. The Kraken Tyranid fleet attack, coupled with a Genestealer uprising, had caused the Hive City to collapse into civil war.
The Scythes of the Emperor were forced to flee with the uncorrupted civilians, becoming nothing more than driftwood in the void. Many of their last wishes were simply to return home. Now, they finally had.
Daniel erected a black tombstone at the entrance of the former fortress-monastery of the Emperor's Scythe Chapter. Though the heroes were gone, their deeds would not be forgotten.
Their achievements were engraved on the stone tablets for future generations. Daniel was deeply moved when he saw returning Sotha natives spontaneously making pilgrimages to the black stone tablet to honor the fallen Chapter.
It made the Scythes' sacrifice and exile worth every bit of it. The spirit of the Scythes would live on in those who remembered them.
Cawl, meanwhile, initiated a planet-wide repair program. Missionaries rebuilt statues of the Emperor and the Saints, cleansing the planet's soul of the Tyranid taint.
Once everything was shipshape, giant collector ships hauled ice from outer space, melting it to mix with specialized algae spores and bacteria. This mixture was spread across the surface, patiently waiting for the planet to spring back to life.
After sorting out Sotha, Daniel ordered Arale to upgrade the Imperial Glory. An army of Necron constructs worked around the clock, mining resources from the asteroid belt.
The massive amount of minerals was transported to the ship, where Arale decomposed it into light streams.
The light flowed into the steel body of the Imperial Glory, causing the battleship to undergo a radical transformation once again. Its structure was reshaped, reaching a height of five kilometers and a length of twelve kilometers—officially classifying it as a Battleship in the Imperial Navy.
The Imperial Glory's armor was fully upgraded with active metals that could automatically repair and grow.
As long as they were supplied with enough energy or materials, the metals would continuously grow and self-repair.
Unless it took catastrophic damage in a very short time, the Imperial Glory was now a virtually unstoppable juggernaut. Its macro cannons and lances were also upgraded for increased damage and pinpoint accuracy.
The most critical upgrade, however, was Arale building a miniature lighthouse inside the Imperial Glory, using the exact same technology as the Pharos Lighthouse.
The two lighthouses could now resonate, extending their range of influence across a massive area. With the Imperial Glory upgraded and the two lighthouses resonating, Daniel's and Arale's will could radiate across the entirety of Ultramar. It also enabled instant player communication—but it required the Lighthouse's cooperation.
"We can launch the next notice now," Daniel said. "Tell them to enable the instant recall function. For now, the only return points are the Imperial Glory and the planet Sotha."
"Also, push an update message to the players on Macragge, asking them to update their datapads."
Arale nodded. "Understood, Master. I'm on it."
Players within the Lighthouse's area of influence simultaneously heard a "ding". They pulled out their datapads as usual and saw the update prompt.
A new version is detected and waiting to be updated. The new version adds an instant chat channel and a Return to City (Instant Recall) teleport function. Do you wish to update?
At the same time, the official website posted the final update notice.
Update Notice: Instant Recall Activated
After several days of hard work, the new instant chat and Return to City functions have been fully optimized.
Currently, communications between Macragge and Sotha are live. Players can communicate and chat immediately after updating their datapad to the latest features.
Return to City (Instant Recall) Function: You can currently choose the return location:
Sotha: This is the home world of the Emperor's Scythes. Though its biomass was plundered by the Tyranids, the tenacious people of Sotha are rebuilding it. If you're keen on construction and restoration, Sotha is an ideal planet.
Imperial Glory: This is the flagship of the Guide, currently wandering the void. The great Guide is working tirelessly for the fate of mankind. If you have valuable intelligence, you can report it to him for a generous reward.
Tip: Teleportation consumes experience points. The specific cost fluctuates based on distance, items carried, and overall difficulty.
+++Daily Thought: God Blesses You Without Doubt++++