WELCOME BACK!!!
Somethings you will love! Somethings....you will hate, maybe.
LOVE:
WORKSHOP! You can add your own ideas to the work shop and some ship logos have already been added to the game. You can add these to your ship in your ship customization screen.
CAPTAIN RECOMMENDED LOAD OUTS! You can set up recommended load outs then when in lobby click on a crew member and suggest a load out to them. Most the time this makes getting your crew set up faster...but they do not have to accept if they don't want to ....which can be in issue.
A few things have changed to "balance" the game as far as ships and guns. Nothing too major here.
new leveling system, some UI changes, two *new* maps (2v2 versions of firnfeld and water hazard)
Hates:
Matchmaking.... you will love it or hate it. Since you are used to the old system you will at least have an adjustment period. You can no longer view all matches that are running ONLY the ones you have friends in. AND Match making does not make balanced lobbies like it was praised to. I do not find that match making makes you maximize the number of games played in a night actually I find the exact opposite. You will get to know the "1 more player" match making is always looking for.
Timed lobbies...yes you are no longer "suck" in lobbies of icarus anymore but you also can't sit in a lobby and chat with friends unless you create a custom one. Also, if you are trying to teach new players the timer can be hindering at beast.
After every match you have the option to "rematch" or "return to crew form", majority rules unless no one votes than it defaults apparently to "return to crew form" which then all red ships return to 1 crew form and blue returns to a different one (which if you didn't like your team or if your friends where on the other side you will have to exit that crew form and re make a new one with your friends)
Only 4 games per lobby. You will have your initial game. Then you have the option of rematching 3 more times. Before being forced back to crew form.
Seems more trolls during sale times and they seem to be staying around a little longer each time.
Neither here nor there:
All lobbies (if they are not custom) now are swap lobbies. After every match 1 ship from each side swaps.
Also teams are now Vertical (in columns) instead of horizontal (rows).
You can no longer name your lobbies
Gwth, SIR, HOLY all have disbanded. (I'm sure others have too)
MANY new clans...some good....some not so good.
SPQR and Rydrs are the current heavy hitters in the competitive scene.
Cake still loves their fire and say Happy Birthday
Tons of community events happening all the time hosted by clans or players. *Plug* Sac has created a new way to play the game called VIP mode and host a SAC ATTACK lobby every Friday night at 9pm EST. If you'd like to check it out.
The AI are now in orange looking duck suits (at least that's what I think they look like)
I'm sure there are a few other things I've missed.
