New update for Spiral Knights is Now Available!

Battle Sprites
Battle Sprites are new combat companions that all players can acquire by completing a new series of Rank 2 missions upon reaching Haven. These missions teach players about Battle Sprites and allow them to try out each of the three starter sprites before ultimately choosing one to keep.
The three starter Battle Sprites are the fiery Drakon, the divine Seraphinx, and the shadowy Maskeraith; each with their own unique powers that will become more powerful as the sprite levels up and evolves! Just remember to feed them materials or food crafted from the Lab so your sprite can level up faster, evolve and gain new skills.
You can read the original Battle Sprite announcement here.
More information on Battle Sprite Skills can be found here and here.
Additional Battle Sprite Info:
- Battle sprites acquire perks at most levels. Perks are selected randomly.
- Battle sprites can continue to acquire perks after reaching level 100.
- Battle sprite skill points and ultimate skill choice can be reset with an item called a ‘Reset Star.’ Reset Stars are sold in the Supply Depot. When using a Reset Star, a sprite’s level is retained.

The Lab
The Biotechs of the Spiral Knights have finally got the Lab up and running! Head on over to the Haven Garrison and learn more about Battle Sprites and what the Spiral Knights have discovered about the world of Cradle.
The Lab also includes an ensemble of NPCs related to Battle Sprites:
- Biotech Morlin teaches you about sprite skills, perks, harnesses, and leveling
- Biscotti explains how to feed and care for Battle Sprites
- A special alchemy machine next to Biscotti allows you to craft favored sprite food from materials and minerals
- Riley sells harnesses for Battle Sprites that change their damage types

Energy Changes
- Elevators no longer require any energy to operate. Explore the Clockworks as much and as often as you wish!
- Elevator passes are no longer for sale
- Player-owned Elevator Passes have been replaced with 10 Radiant Fire Crystals and energy deposited into the player's account at a conversion rate of 2625 energy for each month of time left on your energy pass, rounded up.
- Mist energy and mist tank items have been removed
- Player-owned mist tanks have been replaced with 10 Sparks of Life (bound)
- Player-owned mini mist tanks have been replaced with 1 Spark of Life (bound)
- ‘Crystal Energy’ is now simply called ‘Energy’
- Mist Wells have been renamed 'Energy Wells' and no longer provide a 25% bonus on deposit.
- Mist within Mist Wells has been converted to energy and may be withdrawn at 100 energy per day

New Revive System
- All knights now have an Emergency Revive mechanism built into their armor that will revive them shortly after falling in combat once per floor. An ER only restores all the red health pips you have, but no more.
- If a knight is brought to an elevator dead, their ER will be instantly used at the start of the next floor.
- After falling in combat without an ER, the primary means of reviving is no longer energy. Players must use a ‘Spark of Life’ in order to revive in the Clockworks.
- Sparks of Life can be earned via missions, found in treasure blocks or purchased in bulk at a discount price in the Supply Depot. Sparks of Life cannot be purchased from the Supply Depot while in the Clockworks.
- If dead without a ER or Spark of Life, a Spark of Life can be activated for 50 energy. This price never escalates.
- Removed the ability to revive by sharing health as well as any heat sharing from reviving. Players may still revive each other using Sparks of Life.
- The old ‘Spark of Life’ crafting material has been renamed to ‘Storm Chaser’

General Changes
- Rescue Camp missions have reworked narrative hooks that will allow for exciting new missions in the future
- Removed "Securing the Camp" mission
- A knight explaining the Forge has been added to the Haven Town Square
- A new class of items have been added, known as ‘Rarities.’ Rarities include sparks of life, fire crystals, orbs of alchemy and evo catalysts.
- There is no longer a crown fee for joining Arcade Gates.
- New scenario rooms have been added.

Difficulty Modes
Players may now choose one of three difficulty levels when taking on missions or expeditions:
- Normal mode is intended for new players and is easier than what existing players may be used to. It features lower payouts for crowns and heat as well as lower drop rates for materials and rarities.
- Advanced mode is intended for existing players and is roughly equivalent to what they may be used to. It features current payouts for crowns and heat as well as average drop rates for materials and rarities.
- Elite mode is intended for players seeking a high level of challenge. It features the highest payouts for crowns and heat as well as the highest drop rates for materials and rarities.

Item Changes
- Loot now drops for each member of a party and each party member must pick up their own loot. You now will earn the exact same amount of loot in a party as you do solo, so party up!
- 2 star materials and higher now only drop from a specific monster family.
- Removed decay timer for crowns and heat
- Extended decay timer for hearts
- Players can no longer drop vials and capsules they acquire in the Clockworks
- Some rare monsters now have a chance to drop new items.
- All missions have been updated with new mission rewards.
New materials have been added. These include:
- Spark Plug
- Vile Seal
- Sinful Brew
- Dead Gold
- Wicked Idol
- Crest of Ur
- Royal Skewer

Equip Limits
Equipping items is now limited by your Mission Rank:
- Mission Rank of 3 is required to equip 2-star gear
- Mission Rank of 5 is required to equip 3-star gear
- Mission Rank of 6 is required to equip 4-star gear
- Mission Rank of 8 is required to equip 5-star gear
Any equipment bound before this patch will become your new current equip limit. For example. A knight who had only completed missions through Rank 3 but had 4 star gear equipped will be able to equip gear 4 star and below until achieving Rank 8.

UI Changes
- Added three new quickslots to the HUD for Battle Sprite skills
- Added a HUD icon for your Emergency Revive
- Added a Get Energy button to the Supply Depot
- Added a slider to the party configuration screen for adjusting difficulty
- The star level indicator on an item pill will now turn red if an item exceeds your equip limit
- Added a blue gem graphic to item pills that displays their bound status
- Added The Forge, a new interface for leveling and enhancing items
- Added new screen effect when damage is taken
- Added a Battle Sprite tab to the character panel that includes skill details, perks, harnesses and the feeding tray
- Achievements and Progress have been moved to a new Character Progress window available from the main menu

Alchemy Changes
Energy is no longer required to use alchemy. A new type of item, ‘Orbs of Alchemy,’ have replaced energy associated with alchemy. There are five orbs of alchemy in all:
- Flawed Orb of Alchemy
- Simple Orb of Alchemy
- Advanced Orb of Alchemy
- Elite Orb of Alchemy
- Eternal Orb of Alchemy
Orbs of alchemy may be purchased in unbound stacks from the Supply Depot, acquired via missions or as rare loot in treasure blocks.

The Forge
Items that acquire heat will no longer automatically level up when enough heat is required at the end of a level. Instead, a new type of item called ‘Fire Crystals’ must be used within a new interface called ‘The Forge’ in order to level up your items. Fire crystals include:
- Cracked Fire Crystal
- Dim Fire Crystal
- Warm Fire Crystal
- Glowing Fire Crystal
- Shining Fire Crystal
- Radiant Fire Crystal
The Forge can be accessed in town or at any arsenal station. When an item is ready to level up, open the Forge and select the item. The item will require a certain number of a specific fire crystal to level up. However, in some cases there is a chance the forge will not succeed and the fire crystals will be lost. No heat is ever lost due a failed forging.
Additionally, players have the option to add more than the requisite fire crystals in order to improve the odds of a successful forge as well as the chance to gain a special bonus. These bonuses include:
- Heat Bonus: +25% (one level)
- Double Level Up!
- Forge Prize Box containing a random assortment of various rarities and other items (prize box and contents are bound)
Fire crystals may be purchased in stacks in the Supply Depot, acquired via missions or found as loot in treasure blocks.

Recipe Changes
A number of recipes have had their crafting requirements changed in order to better balance out the usage of both new and old materials.
Rarity Distribution to Existing Players
All existing players have been sent rarities based on their current Mission Rank. Each player will receive exactly the total number of rarities they would have otherwise received from missions as of this update. All items are bound.

Energy Pack Changes
- The Explorer's Pack is no longer available.
- Any energy packs containing Mist Tanks have been replaced with 5 Sparks of Life per Mist Tank.
- The Guardian's Armor Pack has had its Elevator Pass removed and replaced with energy.

Source Filmmaker version 0.9.8.1 has been released. This update will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Workshop:

• removed ugc/steamid filename restriction on workshop files - models/jon_smith/props/bucket.mdl is now a valid workshop model name
  
• added basic filename conflict resolution on downloading workshop files
  
• fixed unsubscribed from workshop item not removing files if those are the last items
  
• added UI for updating workshop files (updating artwork and videos is done through the community website)
  

Scripting:

• updated python to version 2.7.5
  
• added PySide Qt bindings for Python scripts
  
• improved Script Editor user interface
  
• added global scripts menu
  

Misc:

• added Add/Remove Override Materials menu item to right-click menu on models in the animationset editor
  
• dragging one animationset onto another now locks all controls in one to all (non-hidden) controls in the other of the same name
  
• (belatedly)added example playerclass scripts, to make it easier to change the player models (for recording running around as the robot scout, for example)
  
• fixed bug where UI would appear to let you reorder an animationset between another animationset and its children
  
• (third time's the charm)updated tf_movies scout with bodygroups that are in game, and added pack bodygroup
  
• fixed studiomdl bug when compiling helper bones with or in the vrd
  
• (belatedly)fixed missing texture in ctf_2fort
  
• added latest Team Fortress 2 content
  

CHANGELOG

DATA
Added: BTR-K Kamysh tracked IFV
Added: IFV-6c Panther tracked IFV
Added: BattlEye anti-cheat engine integration
Added: Commander position for Marshall and Kamysh
Corrected position for optics and coaxial machinegun moved to correct place (AMV)
Added clan sign support for many Beta vehicles
Added: Various vehicles have adjusted items in inventory
Fixed: Ifrit GMG now has 96 grenades instead of 64
Fixed: Hunter GMG now has 96 grenades instead of 64
Fixed: Strider GMG now has 96 grenades instead of 64
Fixed: Bad glass sorting on Strider
Fixed: Tweaked AI driving skills with Speedboat
Fixed: Lowered hit of 40mm HE grenades as they were too strong and MRAPs now uses magazines with 96 grenades
Fixed: APC turrets now have more authentic vision modes
Fixed: Tweaked suspension of APCs
Fixed: Improved crew and cargo animations of APCs
More believable braking performance of Marshall and Marid
Remotely controlled turrets on new APCs have no hatches (so crew cannot turn out from them)
Adjusted lift force of xH-9, AH-99 and PO-30 helicopters
Adjusted collective of xH-9 family helicopters
Adjusted xH-9 family maneuverability around roll-axis
Moved Blackfoot gunner optic view to correspond with PiP
Fixed: Destroyed parachute doesn't start to burn
Supply parachutes now have correct colors per sides
Fixed: Changed glass materials for CH-49 Mohawk
Daytime version of UH-80 is now listed as made by Bohemia Interactive
Copilot of the UH-80 now uses the cyclic
Fixed: Blurred tail rotor in cargo-view
Transport helicopters have means to detect incoming missiles
Helicopters: added bodyFrictionCoef config parameter
Doors should be openable by scripts for helicopters
Improved cockpit PiP monitors
Added plain brown versions of Mk. 20 rifles (classes arifle_Mk20_plain_F, arifle_Mk20C_plain_F and arifle_Mk20_GL_plain_F)
Added specialized collimator for SMGs (classes optic_ACO_grn, optic_aco_smg, and optic_Holosight_smg)
Improved animations of Mk.20 rifle
Fixed: Iron sights now have 100 m increments (up to 600 m)
Even holosight should have basic zeroing of 200 m
Fixed: Repaired AS map of MX rifle family
Added some delay between throwing 'nades
Fixed: Hammer of ACP-C2 is correctly readied to fire
Better cursor for laser designator
Revamped sound suppressor configuration
Correct name sound for Scalpel missiles
Fixed: String error after after shooting a smoke round from MX 3GL
Tweak: Cannons and Skyfire rockets AI engagement ranges and probabilities
Fixed: Showcase Infantry - Undefined variable error when engaging the spotters
Fixed: Showcase Infantry - No artillery rounds were hitting the village at the end of the mission
Showcase Helicopters: Radio issues fixed - some conversations were not playing because using wrong channels
Showcase Helicopters: Ambient animations added to starting location and Camp Rogain
Showcase Helicopters: Problem with mission not ending when helicopter crashed into water fixed
Showcase Vehicles: Various tweaks: more sunlight, exfil task position, player can get in the boat before his driver now
Fixed: Showcase Supports - Mission should end a bit sooner now
Added: BIS_fnc_log and BIS_fnc_error now display player's profile name
Added: Sector module - creates a contested sector, handles its capturing and map visualization
Added: Respawn Position module - adds respawn point for specific side and unit / vehicle type
Added: Vehicle Respawn module - set vehicle respawn, including customizable position, delay, notification, etc.
Added: Additional military buildings can now be garrisoned by Sites
Added: When "ORBAT group" module is not synced to "Strategic Map" module, the icon will be displayed on the main map instead
Added: "Defend" mission type (used for example in "Defend Kamino") is now using unified sectors. Mission ends when enemy side holds all sectors on the map.
Added: functionPriority entry for module logics. It's now possible to set order in which modules are initialized. The higher the value is, the later the module function is executed.
Added: When player joins to a mission with MenuPosition respawn template, he'll be moved to the latest, not random respawn.
Added: CfgNotifications classes now supports soundRadio entry; these are radio sentences played by HQ (created by "Headquarters Entity" module).
Fixed: Disabled vehicles were not respawning
Fixed: Script error messages caused by Supports module (http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=11326)
Fixed undefined variable errors when using BIS_fnc_UnitPlay
Fixed: In module setup preview, optional connections appeared transparent. However, the transparent line looked a bit like grouping line. Now only the icon remain transparent to prevent this issue.
Fixed: Main menu script error
Fixed: After JIP, persistent functions were sometimes executed before mission objects were created.
Firing Drills: Targets would not deactivate when leaving Competitive CPs
Firing Drills: FM records with introduction, rules and tips added
Firing Drills: bonus & penalty logic between Training and Competitive made consistent
Firing Drills: first version of PiP feedback added for long-range accuracy targets
Firing Drills: There could be a doubled icon next to previous times
Firing Drills: Final times were not colored correctly in all cases
Firing Drills: The main task is now completed when ending the challenge
Fixed: undefined variable in CoF: Blue
Fixed: undefined variable in CoF: Green
Changed: Titan used instead of RPG-42 in Showcase SCUBA
Improved: Script initialization on the mission start. Functions, modules and automatic scripts are now executed on the correct order
Fixed: BIS_fnc_selectRandom no longer shows a scripting error when an empty array was passed as argument
Find more documentation on modules and other design topics here
Added: Vertical position of map in loading screen is now randomized, adding some variety to it
Fixed: Broken drawing of comboboxes in date modules
Fixed: Wrong column widths in the Multiplayer display with some UI size
Fixed: MP display error
Radio Protocol: Targeting and Reporting tweaks and fixes (distances, probabilities, etc.)
Radio Protocol: Missing words fixed for several protocols
Added: New attenuation effect for interiors of vehicles correctly dampens the outside noise (e.g. from weapons)
Added: Noise sounds for APCs
Fixed: Sounds of some vehicles have their file paths changed to correct ones
Better sound for smoke launchers
Lamps have better emissive material
Roadcone and Roadbarrier lights are now operational
Added loading screen environment trivia
Fixed: Tweaked fog on horizon and clouds (removed visible transitions for some fog settings)
Fixed: Ambient light is now correctly affected by moon and stars intensity
Fixed: Sunken fuel station on Stratis
Sprinting left and right while standing allows for quick drop to adjusted left and right urban prone positions (use prone key while sprinting sideways)
Adjusted poses received boost to fluency
Improved responsiveness of stance changing
Added: Korean, Japanese and Cyrillic symbols to fonts
Fixed: AI ability to track enemy that is not visible
Fixed: Adjusted content of ammunition and weapon crates
Restructured grouping of editor objects and renamed object editor categories
New control presets
Hiding in the grass now affects AI better (configuration on Stratis surface types done)
Adjusted visibility and audibility of fire for AI
Many small objects and furniture are now PhysX-simulated when spawned in editor / via script
Note: You may see some of the faction names have started to change from their generic color names. Nothing to worry about. We'll introduce them properly when we're ready for it :-)

ENGINE
The game will now report undefined variables in scripts as an error, hopefully motivating fixes in these scripts, and better scripts in the long-term.
Fixed: SMAA Post-Process
Fixed: Small performance tweak in rotation blur Post Process
Fixed: Flash suppressor changed sound of underbarrel grenade launchers
Fixed: Some cases of sliding players
Removed sensitivity smoothing for aiming deadzone
Helicopters: main rotor collision added
Helicopters: startDuration config parameter added
Added: mainBladeCenter and mainBladeRadius for all helicopters
Added: liftForceCoef, cyclicAsideForceCoef and cyclicForwardForceCoef config parameters for helicopters
Helicopters: autorotation tweaks, barrel roll tweaks
Added: added allowAgainstInfantry ammo config parameter
NVGs are hidden inside vehicles, and this can be configured per position
Added: New parameters for particles created by script
Fixed: Scripting command tvSetData
Added: Error message when trying to pass Array in Array as parameter for tree commands
Fixed: Tank shells now have visible tracer
Fixed: Freelook not turning the whole player anymore
Fixed: Inconsistent land shadow segments while switching landscapes
Fixed: Broken parallax mapping on the terrain in some places
GPU benchmark should not cause "driver not responding" conditions anymore
Instancing now takes craters into account
Changed: Particles quality is set to Standard instead of Low when Overall quality is set to Standard
Stance indicator fades in / out when changing stances
Fixed: AI ballistic calculation
Fixed: AI now can shoot over animals
Fixed: AI now consider proper muzzle direction for rocket launchers
AI shouldn't take unguided missiles as guided
AI shouldn't use rockets against infantry that much
AI ballistic calculation improved for unguided rockets
AI prefer crouch stance while engaging
Continual fire will be decreasing position error (as a counterweight to decreased visibility of shooting)
Lock is now independent from zoom

- Purchasing additional International Compendiums now properly grants all unlocked rewards.
- Improved Cauldron of Xahryx and Mace of the Chosen.
- Fixed bug where certain units weren't animating.
- Spirit of Atniw selection fixed.
- The One Horn is now Rare (was previously Common).