Open Sectors are the primary locations where players will
interact with each other in
combat scenarios. They serve as expansive, open-world areas offering a wealth of activities and opportunities to undertake. These zones are available at all times, but segregated into individual server instances. Open Sectors are public spaces designed to provide a non-linear, open ended experience with a focus on exploration and discovery.
Within an Open Sector, players have the freedom to choose from a range of activities based on their preferences. They can embark on solo endeavors, venturing through the vast terrain at their own pace. Alternatively, they can team up with a
Squadron of up to two other players to tackle more challenging objectives. These areas provide an avenue for spontaneous cooperation, as players may encounter and join forces with random strangers who happen to be nearby, encouraging organic social interaction.
Players can set their own goals and progress at their own pace within these open worlds zones. The activities available in Open Sectors are varied, catering to different play styles and interests. Players can roam the area clearing any threats they find, undertake side quests, locate and harvest valuable resources, participate in dynamic events that unfold in real-time, explore hidden areas and uncover lore and other secrets, locate and start instanced missions, or simply enjoy the immersive environment.
Open Sectors are rich in detail, featuring diverse landscapes and beautiful atmospheric elements that bring the world to life. With the ability to freely explore, collaborate, and engage in a wide range of activities, Open Sectors provide an ever-evolving challenge for players.
Server Instances
Open Sectors are created in instances of four hours. Once their four hour lifespan has expired, that particular instance will close and be removed from the gameworld. This allows players to enter the areas at various times to patrol, explore, and engage in combat before leaving with loot or after falling in battle.
Fifteen minutes before an instance closes, all players within the area will be alerted. They will receive another warning at five minutes and then one minute before an Atmospheric Event occurs and the server closes, destroying anyone and anything left inside. Players will not be able to enter an Open Sector within 10 minutes of the instance closing.
ARC Events
Atmospheric Roaming Calamity
(ARC) Events occur every 30-50 minutes in Open Sectors. These are dangerous climate hazards that can easily kill a player if they do not
extract from the area or find suitable cover. Each Open Sector has their own specific type of event which lasts six minutes.
Players are not able to enter an Open Sector within the six minute window of an active ARC in progress or within five minutes leading up to one.
Loot & Player Bodies
Specific locations that initially spawn
loot will dynamically repopulate with items if the area has been looted within a certain time frame and no players are nearby. Players that have been
defeated in battle will leave behind their body which remains lootable for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, the fusion core in the disabled
Guardian Frames will begin to degrade rapidly. To notify nearby players of a body about to be removed from the world, it will begin to pulse with light and start beeping for 60 seconds, increasing in speed every 10 seconds. At the end of the 60 second countdown, the body will explode and despawn. This explosion heavily damages anything within 15 meters, so it is best to avoid a destablizing exosuit.
Social Interaction
Open Sectors serve as a meeting ground for players, allowing them to form impromptu groups, join existing squads,
chat with each other, or participate in
Flashpoints and other events that require collective effort.
Exploration
Players can find roaming
enemies throughout Open Sectors. They may choose to engage in combat or ignore them completely. From hordes of hostile creatures to powerful adversaries guarding
valuable treasures, players can freely test their skills and abilities.
Open Sectors are full of secrets. There are plenty of concealed areas and hidden treasures to be found, from
rare items to
lore that expands on the world, and even uncommon enemies that provide unique rewards.
NPCs & Quest Items
NPCs can offer optional
Quests and
Bounties. These quests present additional objectives, such as retrieving lost items, eliminating high-value targets, or gathering resources.
Allies and beacons scattered throughout the areas can provide both multi-step objectives that unlock additional quest lines and lore or short bounties for a quick reward.
Players may come across non-playable characters who have their own unique stories and quests to offer. Interacting with these NPCs will trigger conversations and dialogue options, allowing players to accept side quests from them. Each quest offered will vary from character to character. NPCs can offer limited-time bounties as well which are far more straightforward than quests. These bounties will often include defeating certain enemies in a specific fashion, retrieving various materials, delivering a valuable item or message, and scouting precise locations.
Careful exploration may uncover hidden items that trigger additional sidequests. These items can be found in obscure locations, concealed within the environment, or as rewards for completing certain challenges. Interacting with these hidden items will reveal clues or prompts that lead players on unique and rewarding questlines.
Bounty Beacons
Scattered throughout Open Sectors are beacons that provide players with short-term
bounties to complete. These objectives are often time-sensitive and involve tasks such as hunting down notorious enemies, retrieving valuable items, or securing specific locations. Interacting with a Bounty Beacon will provide players with the details of the mission and the rewards they can earn upon successful completion.
Resource Gathering
As players navigate Open Sectors, they will come across dynamically located resource nodes and harvesting points. Interacting with these points allows players to gather valuable resources such as minerals, flora, or other salvageable materials. Scavenging these resources is essential for
crafting,
upgrading equipment, and
trading.
Recharge Stations
Scattered throughout Open Sectors are Recharge Stations that provide players with a 10% additional
BatteryCharge, prolonging their current runtime and extending their need for
Extraction. Additionally, they recharge all
Abilities and provide a 25% boost to
Overdrive energy.
Armory Terminals
Armory Terminals serve as access points to players'
stashed inventory and equipment. By interacting with an Armory Terminal, players can conveniently retrieve and equip items they have stored, such as weapons, armor, consumables, and other items that could be useful in the field. This allows for quick adjustments to their
loadout. It is important to note that only currently equipped gear can be swapped. Items and equipment from the player’s Pack cannot be moved.
Hidden Caches
Open Sectors are covered in hidden caches, carefully tucked away in secluded or hard to reach areas. These caches contain loot and other valuables. By actively exploring their surroundings, players can discover these caches and interact with them to claim the treasures within, rewarding their curiosity.
