4.3.2 PTU is now open to all backers. Here are some useful notes about this update.
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Hello everyone,
Welcome to another Patch Watch! These posts shine a light on upcoming features, improvements, and or fixes that may not appear on the Public Roadmap—but are updates we believe you'll find valuable.
This time, we will be focusing our thread on the upcoming structural salvage update that is coming to Alpha 4.3.2. Let’s dive into it!
Structural Salvage Update
Structural Salvage has undergone a major update to prepare for future systems. These changes touch every current and future salvage-capable ship, adding more complexity to the profession. You’ll notice differences in how long it takes to break down ships, how much material you can collect, and how that material is refined at refinery decks, since refining is now an essential step in the salvage gameplay loop.
Each salvage ship has been given a distinct role to better define its place in the profession. For example, the Reclaimer embodies the “quantity over quality” approach, processing structural salvage at the fastest rate and built for large-scale operations. The Vulture represents the balanced middle ground, ideal for independent players looking to salvage quickly and efficiently. The Fortune is somewhat similar to the Vulture, but with more amenities and improved logistics.
Technical Updates
The fraction and disintegration field emitted by the ships has been reworked, with the salvaging ranges extended by as much as 60 meters compared to the current 4.3.1 Live build. Each ship now generates fields that match its visual design, and alignment “sweet spots” have been shifted away from the dead center to more appropriate locations depending on the ship.
Fracture times have been fully rebalanced. There is now a five-times performance gap between the fastest and slowest ships. In this ranking, the Reclaimer sits at the top, followed by the Vulture, and then the Fortune.
Conversion rates, measured in SCU per cubic meter, now vary between ships. At present, the Reclaimer offers the best optimization, with the Vulture following behind.
Sweet spot mechanics have also been reworked. Ships like the Reclaimer now benefit from massive multipliers, with up to seven times faster processing when properly aligned, alongside improved yield bonuses. Sweet spots now display percentage values directly on debris pieces, making it clearer to see how close you are to optimal alignment. While ships tractor beams make this easier by carefully moving and rotating wrecks, careful flight positioning can achieve the same results.
Material System Variances
Another major change is the introduction of three distinct raw material types:
- Powder,
- Scraps,
- and Chunks.
Powder has the highest density and the fastest refinery processing times, but it also delivers the lowest yield. Scraps is not something that will come in 4.3.2 as none of the current salvaging ships can produce it, but it will sit in the middle across density, yield, and processing. Finally, chunks provide the highest yield but come with the lowest density and the longest refinery times.
All refinery decks are able to process these raw materials, and no matter what type you salvage, they all refine into the same construction material. The workflow is straightforward and work much like what our miners are used to: salvaged material is stored in the station inventory through freight elevators before being processed in the refinery. The system is designed so that smaller ships enjoy quicker turnaround, while larger ships like the Reclaimer require more time but deliver greater profit margins.
Strategic Gameplay
These changes open up new approaches for different playstyles. Solo players can stick to smaller ships for immediate returns and faster turnaround, while groups can maximize profit with the Reclaimer’s massive throughput, accepting the trade-off of delayed payouts. Mixed operations are also viable, with dedicated transport ships ferrying raw materials to stations while salvage ships remain on-site to continue harvesting.
Economic balance is still in progress for this build, so we're looking forward to reading your feedback as this update goes to different test phases, up to PTU all waves soon. The Reclaimer’s profitability is scaled to support full crew payouts, while smaller ships are tuned for immediate, session-based profits. Ultimately, you will need to weigh the trade-off between efficiency and volume, deciding whether they want quick returns or maximum long-term yield.
FPS Tractor Beams Improvements
FPS tractor beams have been rebalanced to feel more responsive. You will notice snappier movement when manipulating objects, faster rotation control, and longer break times before connections are lost. These changes make the tool more reliable and intuitive to use, whether in combat or during general item management.
Mission Updates
“Sweep and Clear” missions have also been adjusted so that objectives now only appear within your current planetary system. This focuses the contract pool, reduces unnecessary travel, and helps keep mission flow tied more closely to the your immediate location.
This update is the foundation, a stepping stone towards the structural salvage we want to see for crafting. As always, we'll be monitoring your feedback closely once Alpha 4.3.2 drops to the PTU environment.