In Dune: Awakening, the developers have finally revealed the release window for the big August patch. However, one feature from the test server will not make it to the live version.
What is this patch about? The developers of Dune: Awakening release a big patch every month with many, often hundreds of changes, and also new features. The August patch is set to be released on August 13 or 14, the developers write on Discord.
These monthly patches always land on the test server of the game some time beforehand, where they can be thoroughly tested by the testers. This time, however, one change did not sit well with the testers and they should be proven right.
Riding on the sandworm will be much more difficult in the next patch:
Trouble with the sandworm
What change annoyed the fans? When the patch was played on the test server, the fans also received a list of changes. They particularly noticed a nerf of the tool “Compactor.” This is used by players to farm Spice as well as sandworm.
Sandworm is needed in the survival game for many equipment in the base and is simply part of many recipes. The nerf negatively affected power consumption and threat generation from the worm. Thus, using the tool should become more dangerous and yield less reward.
This was not a desirable change for the players. They organized their protest on Reddit, where there were different opinions on the matter. While some condemned the nerf, others found the changes too minor to be upset about.
How did the developers respond to the protest? The developers also heard the players’ complaints. They evaluated the results from the testers and concluded that they will release the patch without the changes to the “Compactor” tool.
On Discord, the lead community manager Storm (Ekrem) writes: “Hello everyone, I just wanted to let you know that the change to the Compactor threat will not be implemented due to your feedback.” On Reddit, fans celebrate the developers’ reversal:
- A user comments on Reddit: “Good. At best, it was a silly change that made little sense. At worst, it was seen as a way to slow down the progress of new players to the endgame since there’s nothing to do after Hagga Basin.”
- theJSP123 is glad on Reddit: “Thank God for that. I have been quite vocal about this change, as it has been completely pointless since its announcement. It does nothing but make collecting Spice/sandworm more annoying. Glad they are at least listening.”
- Tlman22 writes on Reddit: “Good move by them. It would have been quite tedious and it’s great to see that they listen to community feedback. This was the one criticism I thought was quite thoughtful when the feedback was given. Many users used data to support their arguments, and it seems that Funcom responded well to that. Kudos to developers who listen.”
With the upcoming August patch, Funcom also wants to add other smaller changes that the testers have not yet seen. When the patch and the changes are known, you will find out everything as usual on MeinMMO. The endgame of Dune: Awakening remains a significant weak point for many in the otherwise well-executed survival game: Players from Dune: Awakening compare the endgame to the disappointing season 8 of Game of Thrones
