DUST 514 adds EVE Online-powered orbital bombardment

DUST 514's latest beta build finally allows the shared EVE Online universe to get in on the action, by blowing everyone sky high.

The latest version of the DUST 514 client, Chromosome, is the last build before the MMO shooter goes into open beta, which, for an online game, may as well be considered release date.

As detailed in a new developer blog, Chromosome's most notable gameplay feature is off-map support from EVE Online players using CCP's test servers.

"With this feature, DUST mercenaries will be able to coordinate devastating bombardments with EVE pilots in space ships in planetary orbit. These Orbital Bombardments have the capability to dramatically change the tide of battle, and we'll be testing them thoroughly in the weeks to come," CCP noted.

Chromosome also combines DUST 514 and EVE Online's markets and corporations, all the better to forge alliances - and rivalries - across the two games.

CCP's main focus, though, is getting the game into a near-finished state, with stable infrastructure and technology, and polished features. It includes "significant changes" to the progression system, the squad system, the fitting system and game modes.

CCP says it has eliminated "hundreds" of bugs, made the inventory location aware ahead of a secondary market, improved start up time of client and server, ramped up performance, tuned vehicle physics and items, and altered the item and attribute sustem to both EVE Online and DUST 514 can be updated independently.

DUST 514 is a PlayStation 3 exclusive; CCP hopes over time to increase the two-way interaction between the shooter and PC MMO EVE Online.

Thanks, Massively.