Stars Reach update adds a Haven tutorial base, first-person view, and chat upgrades

Stars Reach just rolled out a new update that focuses heavily on onboarding. The big addition is a new training base on Haven, meant to walk new characters through the basics before heading deeper into the game.

Playable Worlds says Haven comes after the earlier “Hallway” intro and is designed like a small township similar to the GovBot towns players will eventually be able to build on other planets. You’ll meet a mayor named Bob Howard and pick up a set of short quests from Haven’s residents.

According to the patch notes, there are roughly a dozen missions here, aimed at teaching core mechanics while handing out your first tools, some rewards (including Klaatu and XP), and even the steps to craft your first weapon.

Haven is also being used to introduce a few systems before they show up elsewhere, including early groundwork for procedurally generated mission content. The update adds BioScanner functionality for learning about Makers and creatures without having to kill them, with flora scanning planned for later. There are also improvements to NPC controls and NPC chat, plus a revamped mission interface.

If you want to see the new Haven tutorial content, you’ll need to make a new character. The studio notes that the Crucible section isn’t finished yet, so it’s being skipped for now.

Outside of the tutorial, the update adds an optional first-person perspective, useful for navigating tight spaces like mining tunnels. It also includes visual tweaks (such as shader changes on creatures and lighting improvements) and a batch of chat upgrades, including new emotes, targeted say and whisper, and caption bubbles.