Today Cloud Imperium Games released the new version of Star Citizen to all backers, numbered Alpha 3.10.
The new alpha (titled “Flight & Fight”) brings a lot of new content and improvements to the fans of the game, including new flight mechanics, the ability to trade in-game currency, and more.
The accompanying press release included a statement from CEO and Creative Director Chris Roberts.
“Today’s launch of the Alpha 3.10: Flight & Fight Update marks a significant step towards our final vision for Star Citizen.
The enhancements to flight and combat systems are just the beginning of the continued overhaul we intend to iterate over time with the help of our community and represents our continued commitment to deliver meaningful updates that improve the Star Citizen experience.”
You can check out a couple of trailers below and screenshots at the bottom of the post.
Here’s a summary of what backers can expect from the new alpha.
- Dynamic Flight Mechanics: Flight mechanics have taken a significant step forward and now account for thruster efficiency curves, simulated wind effects on aerodynamic surfaces, and jerk (speed of ship acceleration). Piloting a speedy fighter-class ship with streamlined wings in atmosphere will now feel noticeably different to landing a large cargo-class ship. With these Alpha 3.10 enhancements, every single ship in Star Citizen (over 100 and counting) feels unique while flying within a planetary atmosphere.
- Ship Combat Improvements: High-speed space combat sees updates to the use of turrets and fixed weapons, gunnery improvements, and targeting methodology, bringing dogfighting and large-scale ship battles more in line with the visceral combat envisioned for Star Citizen. Targeting systems now reward pilots with faster missile lock-ons and firing solutions when flying at slower speeds. By introducing a strategic offensive advantage at lower speeds and disadvantage at higher speeds, ship-to-ship combat is now more engaging, realistic, and cinematic. Manned turrets also receive a major UI overhaul and a new target lock-on system to improve accuracy and coordination between the gunner and pilot as Star Citizen moves towards the goal of a full multi-crew, group play experience.
- Electron Weaponry: Joining energy and ballistic weaponry is a brand-new and shockingly deadly weapon type. Pilots can look forward to adding the Atzkav Sniper Rifle and Yubarev Energy Pistol to their arsenal, the first two Electron weapons from manufacturer The Lightning Company to join the verse.
- Player Trading App: Building on the Unified Friends List system introduced in the Star Citizen — Alpha 3.9 Locked Up & Loaded update, the Player Trading App allows pilots to transfer in-game funds directly to other players, laying the groundwork for more complex trading and asset management features down the road – and a more robust player-driven economy in the universe of Star Citizen.
- New Vehicle – ROC: The all-new ROC (Remote Ore Collector) Vehicle from manufacturer Greycat Industrial rounds out the mining career loop in Star Citizen, providing miners with an entry-level vehicle designed to prospect for a new size of mineable mineral. Designed to be as hard-working and versatile as the miners who use it, the ROC is small enough to access hard-to-reach ore deposits, but powerful enough to get through the tough jobs.
- Upgraded Ships: Two existing ships also see significant upgrades. The Origin M50 – a ship built around pure speed – features cockpit improvements that offer pilots a more open and unobstructed view with dramatic improvements to interior visuals and ship controls. Meanwhile, pilots looking to invest in a nimble fighter that doesn’t sacrifice firepower for maneuverability, should look no further than the Khartu-al X’ian scout ship, which receives a reinforced hull, upgraded weapons, and enhanced maneuverability.
- Technology Improvements: Alpha 3.10 also sees enhancements to a number of Star Citizen’s core technologies, including ocean improvements, dynamic lighting for day and night, and an initial implementation of body dragging, a foundational step for future gameplay around bounty hunting, medical, and stealth.
- New Babbage Grand Opening: The New Babbage grand opening begins today! First introduced in the Star Citizen — Alpha 3.9: Locked Up & Loaded update, the landing zone and trading hub on microTech is now open for business with new wares for sale, including adorable Pico the Penguin collectible plushies. Don’t want to leave your penguin pal in-game? Players can also grab a real-life Pico the Penguin Plushie from the official Roberts Space Industries merchandise page to celebrate the icy world of microTech and the launch of the Star Citizen — Alpha 3.10: Flight & Fight update.
In other Star Citizen news, the crowdfunding total is now almost $307 million.
To be more precise, it’s sitting on 306,974,135 at the moment of this writing.
The number of registered accounts is now over 2.7 million (currently 2,747,807).
As usual, it’s known that not all of them are paying players. The number includes free accounts created for a variety of reasons, including free fly events.
For the sake of full disclosure, the author of this article has been a Star Citizen backer since the original Kickstarter campaign several years ago, so you should keep that in mind while reading this article.
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