Naev 0.13.0-beta.1 Released!

This cycle, the beta arrives with some massive underlying technology changes and a lot of new gameplay and content. This release marks the first step into Naev’s next era with Rust-powered internals and the debut of our fully integrated plugin manager.

You should be able to continue old 0.10.0+ saves, but due to the scale of changes (especially engine-side), starting a new fresh save will give the smoothest experience. For saves older than 0.10.0, please load the save once with 0.12.6 before loading it with newer versions.

You have to opt-in to the beta from the game options menu on steam to try it out!

What’s new?

1. Engine migration begins: Rust + SDL3: The engine now uses SDL3 and the port to the Rust programming language has started, improving stability and paving the way for major future upgrades.

2. Integrated Plugin Manager: Naev now includes a native plugin browser, installer, and updater, all with access to the online plugin repository built right in.

3. Major content additions:

   • 28 new missions and events

   • New intertwined Imperial minor houses

   • New systems, anomalies, portraits, objects, and more

   • 20+ new songs

   • New and reworked outfits

   • 11 new ship variants

4. RemovedSignificant gameplay tweaksHeat mechanism removed, pirates are less dangerous to new players, camera is truly isometric, improved forward weapon aiming for the player, and core outfits have been reworked to use a 1 or 2-slot system.
5. AdjustedLots of fixes, balance work, and internal cleanupFrom physics touch-ups to mission fixes, weapon tweaks, save robustness, and API consistency, a lot has been improved in this release.

As usual, the beta may contain bugs, weirdness, or things that go “pop” in the darkness of space. Please try it out, break things, and tell us what happened so we can fix it before the 0.13.0 final release.

Full Changelog

Gameplay

• Removed heat mechanic (to be readded as a new mechanic in the future)

• Made pirates less dangerous to new players

  • Marauders are now intrinsically weaker than other pirates, especially with low pirate presence

  • Made pirates less aggressive

  • Change pirate spawning to be mainly marauders in low presence areas

• Fuel from outfits has been tweaked a bit

• NPCs now have skill levels that can affect their targeting and fighting ability

• Bioships have had their skills and modifiers slightly reworked to be better balanced

• Light, medium-heavy and ultraheavy ship now have two core hull/systems/engine slots, one main and one secondary

  • Effects of heavier cores can be obtained by stacking smaller ones

• Engines have been reworked to be more coherent and consistent

  • Tricon engines have much higher acceleration to max speed ratio

  • Melendez engines have higher speed, but low acceleration and turn

  • More consistency across lines

• Gauntlet intrinsics are stronger and now mutually exclusive

• Intrinsics from a certain trader are now stronger

• Ships now disabled below a certain armour threshold regardless of stress

• AI is less susceptible to stealth bomber cheese

• Point defence now shoots at all ships prioritizing smaller ones after missiles

• Cargo delivery missions have increased cargo amounts

• Minimum stealth range also affects detection and signature

• Ships can have a minimum cargo-less mass of 50% of the ship base mass

• Damage over time effects now can cause faction loss and other effects

• New harder difficulty

• Gauntlet negative bonuses are now multiplicative

• Stealthing will temporarily jam locked on munitions

• Changed forward weapon aiming algorithm for the player so it is easier to shoot small ships with skill

• Reflective shell now shoots thorns

Quality of Life

• Plugin manager built directly into Naev

  • Access to the online plugin repository

  • Can easily add or