‘Homeworld: Deserts Of Kharak’ Patch 1.3.0 Released — What’s New?

Blackbird Interactive is rolling out a new patch for its real-time strategy video game called “Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak.” Details about the new update were revealed last week, but it was not until this Tuesday when the patch officially went live.

Almost two years after “Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak’s” release, Blackbird Interactive introduced a major update for its Windows PC game. Patch 1.3.0 packs in new features for the single player campaign, bug fixes for multiplayer maps and balance changes, among many others. Blackbird Interactive said the main goal for this new patch is to address issues that are known to the “Deserts of Kharak” community.

The developer wrote a comprehensive release notes to explain in full detail the changes that will be implemented once patch 1.3.0 is installed. The patch notes put emphasis on the addition of a feature called “Tactical Pause.” This feature enables players to pause the game in the single player campaign and in skirmish modes. During a tactical pause, players can issue combat, movement and build commands to units. All of these will then be carried out when players resume the game.

When it comes to bug fixes, Blackbird Interactive has grouped the different issues that patch 1.3.0 is capable of addressing into three: General, Campaign and Multiplayer/Skirmish Map Bugs. The General bug fixes are for the softlock that happens when there is a lacking DLC faction, the out-of-date veterancy table and the armor problem in the multiplayer versions of Gaalsien and Khaaneph Production Cruiser.

Campaign bug fixes address the problems identified in the different missions of the campaign. There’s one for the issue with the Carrier Kapisi in Mission 3 – Cape Wrath. Another is for the progression blocking bug in Mission 4 – Kalash Site. Then, there’s also a fix for the scripting error in Mission 12 – Torin Crater. On the other hand, the Multiplayer and Skirmish Map bug fixes repair the problems in the Taiidan Passage Map, The Shallows Map and the Gaalsien Territories Map.

Blackbird Interactive also included balance changes in this new patch. The developer said that the goal of introducing these balance changes are twofold: first is to improve parity between factions, and next is to improve the viability of several underutilized units. The developer pointed out that it has particularly made balance changes to the Cruiser class vehicles. Read the full release notes here.

“Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak” was released on Jan. 20, 2016. A little over a year since its launch, Blackbird Interactive revealed that it was working with NASA to come up with an interactive model of Mars in Gale Crater as part of the company’s Project Eagle. The project, which allows users to explore a hypothetical Mars, aims “to inspire new generations to dream of human settlement” in the Red Planet, as reported by PC Gamer.

Blackbird’s Rob Cunningham has gushed about how they felt regarding their collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “It’s been a profound honor and pleasure for us here at Blackbird to work with Jeff (Dr. Jeff Noris) and the JPL team to dream up what a future base on Mars might really be like, and to deliver that experience as interactive art,” Cunningham said.