Happy February, Commanders! We’re here with a monster update on everything that’s been going on in the world of ZeroSpace’s development and community. Read along for an Early Alpha and Winter Bash round-up, a recap of our visit to Dreamhack, a host of development updates – plus news on how you can vote on the 7th Mercenary Faction! [h2]Winter Bash Wrap-Up![/h2] The latest phase in the ZeroSpace Early Alpha – the Winter Bash – wrapped up with a massive $10,000 tournament casted by Wardi, CatZ, Nathanias, Tasteless, and Artosis! Miss the action? Check out the [url=https://challonge.com/ZeroSpaceWB]tournament bracket[/url] and [url=https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2039207884?filter=archives&sort=time]Day 1[/url] and [url=https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2039559275?filter=archives&sort=time]Day 2[/url] VODs from WardiTV’s Stream! Congratulations to the ZeroSpace Winter Bash Champion, Elazer – and to all of the competitors! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/3bcc6102018084eeb9b815f3dedd56452deb071d.png[/img] Make sure to vote for the best game and best strategy in the #community-voting channel [url=https://discord.gg/zerospace]on the Discord[/url]! [h2]A Pilgrimage to DreamHack[/h2] In December, we brought ZeroSpace to RTS’ hometown: DreamHack Atlanta. It was a rousing success – we got to put the game in the hands of dozens of SC2 pros, commentators and luminaries, and get invaluable feedback from thousands of members of the RTS community. Check out our highlight reel to relive the hype: [previewyoutube=1jYsQYZn13I;full][/previewyoutube] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/9601e594526f45b927ce7f0e78c034a98d67f2f3.jpg[/img] [h2]Development Progress[/h2] We’ve been hard at work across the spectrum of ZeroSpace’s development. We can’t thank our Alpha players enough for their thoughtful feedback. Here’s the highlights on what we’ve been working on: [h3]Meet the Artemis[/h3] The new Protectorate air unit, the Artemis, effectively engages both air and ground targets. Its "EMP'' ability disrupts enemy forces in a line, which knocks back, slows, and drains energy from units. Equipped with three healing beams to help your army, the Artemis can simultaneously attend to multiple units, ensuring sustained combat effectiveness for allied forces. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/8aa483e38efcf07e43e684f29c0ac7ac2eb7b7a0.gif[/img] [h3]Team Colors[/h3] We’ve added in Team Colors to help with visual clarity. Now, you can easily identify which player every unit belongs to! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/b1dca910837882cbd8d18835c2bb12e39f62ceca.gif[/img] [h3]Weaver Rework[/h3] In its original form, the Weaver wasn’t seeing much usage, as it was hard to justify the cost for the utility gained. To address this, we’ve added an aura to the Weaver that doubles friendly healing, and completely reworked the Weaver’s Active ability. Its new ability “Cocoon” traps the targeted unit in a cocoon, making it invulnerable, and heals if the unit is an ally. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/5c0e8410426c91b439d7111e54a0059bd95a71ec.gif[/img] [h3]First Look at the Rhino Rider[/h3] Gaze upon the Legion’s Rhino! A swift, melee unit ideal for scouting yet relatively tanky. The Rhino's passive ability delivers a single-target knockback and bonus damage upon activation, requiring full mana to unleash its power. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/03d293052b0267fae8272cea63060cd29688a1ad.png[/img] [h2]Vote on the 7th Mercenary Faction[/h2] The time is here: we’re calling on our Backers to cast your votes to decide which of three possible Mercenary Factions we’ll introduce! Hop over to the ZeroSpace Discord and find the poll in the #backer-voting channel Here are your candidates: [b]Sanctuary[/b], a vital space station in the Orion Quadrant, serves as a crucial hub for cross-species medical emergencies, catering to planets lacking specialized medical expertise. Funded by a complex system of government taxes, bounties, and favors, Sanctuary relies on loyal Mercenaries, survivors indebted to its services, who often work for minimal fees. The Trade city of Jevis, located beneath Sanctuary, contributes significantly to revenue, housing the most diverse alien population in the known Galaxy. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/4add591a044e857ea4aa01225cdeb39c3dcdd1f8.png[/img] [b]The Endari[/b], a subfaction of the Arandi, have tapped into the dimensional energies too often, becoming peaceful. Shunned by the main Arandi faction, they are hunted down as the Arandi claim they are possessed by creatures from the other side. Despite appearing dim-witted, the Endari possess immense powers. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/f123a67f958b06fb7f45ca398e156d93b4fd9871.png[/img][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/e9b989af40838370925aa697e3c3735196b80a99.jpg[/img] [b]The Edolians[/b] are tree-dwelling species with a slow and defensive nature. They pride themselves in their ability to gather information, infiltrate and wage an efficient war behind the remote operation of drones and covert units. They are considered cowardly by many other species. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/d0319d2f7835238e49c8c30b27420ede0d76d14a.png[/img][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44535122/0d25a11e58a2db656520b6f0ddfe6fa6fb49143c.png[/img] [h2]More to Come![/h2] Next up for ZeroSpace is the March Alpha, which will include a sneak peek of our single-player campaign, some new heroes, Arandi as a fully fledged mercenary faction, some game mode surprises we’re cooking up, and much more! The March alpha will start on the 22nd and end on April 19th. If you're looking to join in on the fun, [url=https://bit.ly/ZeroSpaceBackerKit]check out our BackerKit[/url]! You can also enter [url=https://bit.ly/ZeroSpaceDiscord]our Discord[/url]'s art contest for a chance to win a key for this upcoming Alpha period. The contest will close on February 29th, so make sure to submit your entries to our art contest forum! Thank you as always for your incredible passion and support. If you’d like to be notified of ZeroSpace’s release, be sure to Wishlist us on Steam! Till next time, Commanders!