The official announcement is out. New Eden is getting Thera and a two sets of shattered wormholes.
Shattered Wormholes
Additions to existing classes of wormhole space, standard Shattered Wormholes are 75 new systems with new characteristics different from existing wormhole systems.
That's quite a collection of features, some of them very unique for wormhole space.
Small Shattered Wormholes
Small shattered wormholes, 25 in all, share all the characteristics of their larger brothers with some additional features
and then there is Thera
Thera is a unique shattered wormhole with characteristics all its own
Now to the lore
As I indicated in my original Thera post as well as the follow-up, the Shattered Wormholes at first glance seemed to put a damper on the lore tie ins to Thera. Now, I am of the mind that this is not the case and my initial fears of the 100 new systems may have been unfounded.
Thera is the only named wormhole system. It is quite possible that this is still the 31000005 referenced in the Tukoss message. This would leave open the possibility for future named systems. It will remain to be seen in the static data if this is the case. I hope it is.
Shattered wormholes are very much tied into the lore story. The existence of Shattered Planets was researched by the Arek'Jaalan project, closely tied to Tukoss. The lore based sites inside these wormholes should provide additional clues as to the ongoing story.
In reference to the recent Tukoss message, translations point to Tukoss believing he is being held in a Wolf-Rayet system. It is very possible that at the time of his transmission, he was inside one of the new small shattered wormholes. Which one remains to be seen, but possibly a unique lore site may be found there to provide a clue as to his whereabouts and his captors.
I'm excited to see the Shattered Wormholes as part of existing wormhole classes. This makes this quite accessible to wormhole residents and daytrippers. In addition, the lore behind the systems does not contradict much of what has been developing and could still yet play out into the theories being developed.
Given The Sanctuary presence in Thera, I suggest anyone interested in lore read Rhavas' post to understand why this is very very important.
UPDATE 11/14
It has been confirmed that Thera is 31000005. This is very exciting and plays directly into the currently developing lore.
Shattered Wormholes
Additions to existing classes of wormhole space, standard Shattered Wormholes are 75 new systems with new characteristics different from existing wormhole systems.
- No moons and only shattered planets. It will not be possible to populate these wormholes in the classic sense. No starbases, no permanent structures.
- Special landmark sites. New lore additions explaining why they exist, why they were previously inaccessible as well as storyline tie-ins.
- Higher spawn rates for both wormhole connections and anomalies
- New asteroid fields that will be larger and richer than existing wormhole (is that even possible?)
- ICE! These shattered systems will have ice belts.
- An additional k-space static in addition to normal class based statics. This means that all levels of space (C1 through C6) will connect to k-space via statics inside Shattered wormholes.
- Unique lore-connected surprises in a small percentage of systems
That's quite a collection of features, some of them very unique for wormhole space.
Small Shattered Wormholes
Small shattered wormholes, 25 in all, share all the characteristics of their larger brothers with some additional features
- All wormholes in or out are Frigate only wormholes
- Anomalies are varied from Class 1 to Class 3 but their system effect is always a Class 6 Wolf Rayet (massive benefits to Armor based, small weapon ships)
and then there is Thera
Thera is a unique shattered wormhole with characteristics all its own
- 4 NPC stations with clone services, offices, and manufacturing
- Multiple static connections to high, low, and null including wandering outbound and inbound connections
- No capital ships, but freighters can enter. No moons for starbases
- 342AU warps
- No anchorable bubbles
- No system effect
- Wormhole signatures and anomalies appropriate to Class 3 and Class 4 space with up to Class 6 gas spawns.
- Colonized by The Santuary
Now to the lore
As I indicated in my original Thera post as well as the follow-up, the Shattered Wormholes at first glance seemed to put a damper on the lore tie ins to Thera. Now, I am of the mind that this is not the case and my initial fears of the 100 new systems may have been unfounded.
Thera is the only named wormhole system. It is quite possible that this is still the 31000005 referenced in the Tukoss message. This would leave open the possibility for future named systems. It will remain to be seen in the static data if this is the case. I hope it is.
Shattered wormholes are very much tied into the lore story. The existence of Shattered Planets was researched by the Arek'Jaalan project, closely tied to Tukoss. The lore based sites inside these wormholes should provide additional clues as to the ongoing story.
In reference to the recent Tukoss message, translations point to Tukoss believing he is being held in a Wolf-Rayet system. It is very possible that at the time of his transmission, he was inside one of the new small shattered wormholes. Which one remains to be seen, but possibly a unique lore site may be found there to provide a clue as to his whereabouts and his captors.
I'm excited to see the Shattered Wormholes as part of existing wormhole classes. This makes this quite accessible to wormhole residents and daytrippers. In addition, the lore behind the systems does not contradict much of what has been developing and could still yet play out into the theories being developed.
Given The Sanctuary presence in Thera, I suggest anyone interested in lore read Rhavas' post to understand why this is very very important.
UPDATE 11/14
It has been confirmed that Thera is 31000005. This is very exciting and plays directly into the currently developing lore.