Hello commanders!
Today, March 20 around 14:00 CET we will update PTS game rounds with the newest game version.
With today’s update, we have made a significant change to the travel speed of Death Stars when they are sent on a Moon Destruction mission.
Starting today, Death Stars on Moon Destruction missions will travel at a fixed speed that can no longer be modified. This speed is no longer affected by server settings or by higher Hyperspace Drive levels. On all servers, Death Stars sent on a Moon Destruction mission will now travel at a speed of 310, which corresponds to 1x universe speed with Hyperspace Drive level 7. Increasing the Hyperspace Drive beyond this level will no longer increase Death Star speed for Moon Destruction missions.
This change only affects Moon Destruction missions. For all other mission types, Death Stars will continue to function exactly as before.
Examples of travel times after the update:
- A distance of 1,005 (in-system distance) will take 5 hours and 32 minutes
- A distance of 3,650 (10 systems away) will take 10 hours and 33 minutes
Our Thoughts
As this is a significant change to how Moon Destruction missions have worked in the past, we would like to explain our reasoning in more detail.
First, why now? OGame is a game that has continuously evolved over the years. Compared to its original version, overall game speed has increased considerably, which introduces new challenges for game design and balance. Many players currently feel that entering Vacation Mode is the only way to stay safe overnight, which does not align with our long-term goals. We want to offer players alternatives that allow for proper rest without forcing this option.
At the same time, the in-system flight time of approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes may seem to contradict this goal. From our perspective, however, players have the option to secure an entire system and create a safe environment by coordinating and grouping up with others. We see this as a reasonable middle ground: reducing the speed of Moon Destruction missions while still preserving them as a meaningful tactical option.
We will closely monitor player behavior and feedback over the coming weeks. If this change does not achieve the desired results, or proves insufficient, we are prepared to revisit the topic and explore alternative solutions.
The OGame Team
