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Every week, designers, engineers and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on SPECTRUM and voted on by YOU. This week, we get answers on Ship Docking, Scanning, Blind Quantum Travel and more. You can submit your questions for consideration in future episodes of Calling All Devs here And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions Przeczytaj całość

Star Citizen Patch 3.1.0 We are excited to announce the release of Alpha Patch 3.1.0 to all Star Citizen backers. This update marks the first of four quarterly patches planned to be released this year, and the inaugural success of the new delivery schedule. At the start of the year, our internal teams underwent a restructuring to allow for easier coordination and focus on a particular aspect or feature. Thanks to this new approach, the development team was able to more efficiently tackle the goals outlined for 3.1 on our Production Roadmap and introduce several new gameplay features and optimizations to Star Citizen. Starting with Alpha 3.1, players will find new ways to interact with each other. The Character Customizer is now accessible from the main menu and allows players to distinguish their avatars with various combinations of hair style, skin tone, and more. This is just our first iteration of the system and we have a lot more planned for future releases, but even at this early stage it is exciting to see all the new and varied faces exploring the halls of Port Olisar and Grim HEX. Starting with this patch, players will also be able create Service Beacons from the Contract Manager in their mobiGlas and hire other players to provide Combat Assistance or Personal Transport. This new system will be a huge boon to players who may need a ride back to a station from the wilds of Crusader’s three explorable moons, and represents a whole new revenue stream for players willing to lend their combat skills to aid others. This feature is also an initial iteration that will be improved and expanded in future releases, but it’s an important step in further developing the kind of emergent gameplay that is intended for the Persistent Universe. Not only that, the bevy of new flyable ships and open-canopy vehicles introduced in this patch will provide players exciting options for crewing up and exploring the Stanton system together. Measuring over 150 meters, the Reclaimer is the largest ship currently in-game. This heavy industrial salvage ship from Aegis Dynamics is so massive that the environment art team has expanded Port Olisar’s landing pads to accommodate it. Explorers will want to get behind the sticks of the Anvil Terrapin. The ship’s robust shield system and distinct layered armor make it ideal for exploring untamed space. Racers looking to experience breakneck speed can climb into the MISC Razor. The ship will be a perennial Murray Cup contender thanks to advanced Xi’an thruster technology and a streamlined design. Plus, exploring Crusader’s moons just got more exciting with the addition of the Aopoa Nox Kue and Tumbril Cyclone. The Nox Kue is a special variant of the renowned Xi’an open-canopy racer that Aopoa redesigned specifically for Humans. The Tumbril Cyclone is a rugged off-road ground vehicle ready to tackle any terrain. Both vehicles are perfect for traversing Cellin, Daymar, and Yela, which also received upgrades in Alpha 3.1, thanks to planetary technology improvements that updated surface textures and topography for more visually dynamic and detailed landscapes. Additionally, the development team polished many of the exciting features that launched with the 3.0 patch in December. Updates to the IFCS (flight control), AI, the Personal Manager tool on each player’s mobiGlas, ship weapons, ship damage physics and overall performance optimization, all are working in concert to improve the overall Star Citizen gameplay experience. NEW FEATURES Character Customizer With this feature, players can adjust aspects of their character’s physical appearance, such as face shape, eye color, hair style, and skin tone. Logout Improvements Players can now safely logout from major stations like Levski, Grim HEX, and Port Olisar. This will persist between sessions for when players log back into the game. Pirate Hunter Player will now earn virtue reputation for killing NPC pirates. Interdiction and Quantum Jamming AI pilots can now carry Quantum Jammers aboard their ships. These devices produce a field which stop Quantum Drives from being able to function. Players who are interdicted will now first have to destroy ships carrying Jammers before they can Quantum Travel away to safety. Service Beacons Service Beacons have been introduced to the PU economy. Using the mobiGlas, players can create and customize “Personal Transport” or “Combat Assistance” contracts that will be made available to other players to complete for the agreed upon payment. After the contract ends, players will be able to review each others performance with a positive or negative rating. Combat Markers The old Combat Markers were replaced with new 3D versions that include target brackets, hit indication, and missile locks. Visor Screen The visor screen has had additional hit effects for shields and hull areas added to the displays for your ship and targeted ships. A new MFD screen has been added allowing players to customize the view angles of the target/self visor screens. New Ships and Vehicles Tumbril Cyclone Aegis Reclaimer Anvil Terrapin MISC Razor Nox Kue New Ship Weapons PRAR Distortion Scatterguns Salvation (size 4) Absolution (size 5) Condemnation (size 6) APAR Ballistic Scattergun Havoc (size 1) Hellion (size 2) Predator (size 3) KBAR 10-Series Greatsword Ballistic Cannon (size 2) AMRS Omnisky IX Laser Cannon GATS Yellowjacket Ballistic Gatling (size 1) CF-557 Galdereen Repeater (size 5) Star Marine KSAR Custodian Energy SMG GMNI R97 Ballistic Shotgun You can find the full patch notes for Alpha 3.1.0 here. Przeczytaj całość

Hello Citizens! This Sunday, in the spirit of holiday fun, we invite you to take part in an old fashioned (but also thoroughly futuristic, in this case) Scavenger Hunt. Starting at 12am PDT on Sunday April 1st we’ll be tweeting out obscured images of a locations within the ‘Verse. You, the players, must then track down the location, capture an image of your character standing in front of the hinted location, and reply to the twitter thread with your screenshot for that specific hinted image. The first person to successfully post an image of their character at the correct location wins that round. We will tweet 8 images throughout the day, with the first at midnight (as we mentioned) and a new one going out every three hours, culminating in the final tweet at 9pm (all times PDT.) That means 8 chances to win your very own Aegis Vulcan with LTI. Huzzah! Make sure to carefully review the contest rules here. Most importantly, have fun! Przeczytaj całość

Jump Point Now Available! Attention development subscribers: the March 2018 issue of Jump Point is now available in your subscription area. You’ll learn about the development of the Aegis Vulcan, meet the audio team responsible for Star Citizen’s music, learn about the Emperor Bloom and more! Interested in becoming a development subscriber? You can learn more here. Przeczytaj całość

Character Art Director Josh Herman, Concept Artist Jeremiah Lee and Technical Artist Gaige Hallman discuss their work on the characters of Star Citizen and Squadron 42. To watch Reverse the Verse LIVE each and every week, tune into http://twitch.tv/starcitizen. Przeczytaj całość

This week, Sean Tracy and Eric Kieron Davis host our latest Squadron 42 special, where we get a detailed project update and a look into the intricacies of Ship AI. And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions Przeczytaj całość

Mark Abent doesn’t expect these bugs to talk, he expects them to die. And die they will, as this week, our resident Smash Master tackles a server/client issue that’s causing take-off problems. Przeczytaj całość

Writer’s Note: Part two of The Cup was published originally in Jump Point 1.9. You can read Part one here. At the end of the first stage in the Murray Cup race through the Ellis system, Ykonde Remisk edged out Hypatia Darring with a boost flare that, while technically legal, was definitely dangerous. Both of these two Human racers finished ahead of their main competition, the veteran Tevarin Zogat Guul and the wily Xi’an Nyanāl Mo‘tak Xu.oa. Darring reacts to Remisk’s maneuver … Darring jumped out of her racer, sped across the carrier bay floor, found Remisk in the middle of a media gang, and drove her fist toward his cheery face. He ducked just in time. One of Remisk’s crew grabbed Darring and held her back as she hurled accusations. “You son of a bitch! You could have killed me!” Remisk recovered from the attempted assault and played it cool in front of the crowd, adjusting his collar and giving a weak smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Darring. I ran a clean race.” “You tried to burn me alive!” Shock and dismay spread among the faces of those gathered. Out of the corner of her eye, Darring could see an MCR official coming their way with a concerned look on his face, but she didn’t care. She fought her way out of the crewman’s grasp and took another swing. Remisk caught her arm and held it tightly. “Back off, Darring,” he said, “or I’ll file a complaint.” “I’ll file one requesting your dismissal, you cheap —” “Humans, come now, let’s remain civil.” Mo‘tak pushed his way through the crowd and stood beside Remisk. He waited until the MCR rules official arrived, then continued. “Attend these words — I can assure you that from my perspective, Mr. Remisk violated no MCR rules. In fact, not only was his move brilliant in its simplicity, but it showed a deep dedication to the integrity of the sport. Remisk never once touched his ship to Ms. Darring’s. He showed incredible care in the maneuver. I can attest to that.” “You can attest to kissing my —” Guul stepped in and peeled Remisk’s fingers from Darring’s arm. He whispered into her ear. “Come on, let’s go. Not here, not this way.” Mo‘tak chuckled. “You should listen to him, young one. Guul is a wise soul.” Guul ignored Mo‘tak and pulled Darring through the crowd. “I said, let’s go.” She relented, and they made their way out of the carrier bay and into a long narrow corridor that led to a small atrium with chairs and tables that looked out over Ellis III. The planet’s orbit was alive with the race as it continued with the remaining racer groups down list. It was a beautiful display, the rings of the course pulsing their light, and the blur of racecraft rushing through them at marvelous speeds. Darring looked out at it, and her anger began to subside. “Take a seat, Hypatia,” Guul said as he pulled one chair away from a table. Darring sat, crossed her arms, and kept looking out at the race. Guul sat down across from her, taking care as he bent into the Human-style chair. “Now tell me … what was that all about?” Darring did not respond at first, but she met Guul’s stern gaze with her own. Then she blinked, sighed, and said, “He cheated. He cut me off and blew fire into my face.” “It is not a violation of the rules, and you know it.” “Well, it should be.” “You know,” Guul said, shaking his head and leaning back, “I would not expect a loose cannon like yourself to be such a slave to the rules.” Darring finally smiled. “A residual from my father’s parenting. ‘Play by the rules, Hypatia’,” she said, imitating a deep manly voice, “ ‘win by the rules, and they can never have cause to take your victories away’.” “It is a noble statement,” Guul said, “but, in racing, a touch naive. There are rules, and then there are rules. But you pull something like that again, especially with witnesses, and you’re the one that will be expelled, not Remisk.” Darring sloughed off his warning. “He’s a jackass, and so is Mo‘tak.” “That is true, but there’s nothing you can do about it right now. They will do what they have to do to win, and you must keep your cool. Besides,” Guul said, his gaze growing more serious, his face cast down toward the racers rushing past, “I want my last race to be against the best. And if you are expelled, then it will be against wanna-bes and has-beens.” Darring wrinkled her brow with concern. “Why is this your last? You have many years ahead.” Guul nodded. “Many years perhaps, but not as a racer. Every joint aches, every bone brittle, and my eyes are failing. It is time.” Darring sat in quiet, not wanting to speak, not wanting to accept that her hero was near the end. And she had just met him. How could he be leaving now, when she had so much to speak to him about, so much to learn? Afterwards, he would likely return home (wherever that may be), and she’d never see him again. Time would be so precious during the race. When would she have another opportunity to talk to him, to learn from him? If this is his last Cup, she thought, then perhaps I should back off a bit, let him have a course or two, let him take the lead when — “What is that look?” She turned to him, shrugged innocently. “What look?” Guul leaned forward. “You’re thinking about throwing the race for me, aren’t you? You’re thinking, ‘Give the old Tevarin one more victory.’ Well, forget such nonsense. My people are warriors, Hypatia, and we have a saying: ‘Honor your enemy, praise him if you must, but never lose a chance to kill him.’ Here, you and I are friends. Out there,” he said, pointing to the race, “we are foe. Promise me, that if we find ourselves neck and neck on the final lap, and you have an opportunity to win, that you will. That you will show me no mercy, no quarter, and then at least I will know that if I lose, I have lost against the best. Promise me.” His face was so serious, Darring knew that he would not let her leave the room until she promised and did so sincerely. She nodded. “I promise.” Guul stood. “Excellent. Now, I owe you a dinner. Hungry?” “Famished!” They walked together through the corridor, took a turn toward the carrier’s mess. It was a good idea to get a full meal before heading to Ellis IV, and some rack time as well. The next several legs of the race would be tough, and Darring would have to face her crew chief soon and figure out if any serious damage had been done to her engine. It was not a conversation she was looking forward to. “Have your crew chief speak to mine,” Guul said. “He’s an old M50 pilot and has been around as long as I —” Guul did not finish his words. They had turned a corner and there stood three Humans wrapped in dark clothing to match the faint light of the corridor. The three did not hesitate. One pulled a knife and slashed towards Darring’s throat. She leaned back instinctively and felt the wind of the brutal attack across her chin. The blade did not find flesh, however, and she tumbled back against the wall. The other two were on Guul immediately, but despite the Tevarin’s confession of joint pain, he moved quickly, subduing one in a headlock and guarding off the fists of the other. Darring tried to get to him, but her assailant was not finished. He slashed again with his blade, this time toward her stomach. She knocked his arm back with a move she had learned in Basic, then drove her fist into his kidney. As the man lurched back, recovering from the blow, Darring recognized his face. He was from Mo‘tak’s entourage, the one who had shielded his boss and nodded to her as the Xi’an had walked away. She gnashed her teeth, scowled, and drove her boot into his crotch, knocking him to his knees. She continued her assault against his face, striking him twice before he managed to turn, kick out his leg, and swipe her feet from beneath her. Darring fell hard, her hip reeling from its concussion against the corridor floor. He was on her again, but she was ready. She timed her move, brought her knees up quickly and flung him up the corridor. She tried rising to pursue, but the body of another assailant flew over her and hit the wall. She looked toward Guul and found him making mincemeat of the third man’s face. His companions, bloody, beaten and clearly not wishing further punishment, collected themselves quickly and dashed away. Guul released the third man, pushed him back against the wall. Darring tried moving against him, but despite his mangled face, he got away from her grasp, grabbed his blade and shot away down the corridor in the opposite direction of his accomplices. Darring went to Guul’s side. He had slipped down the wall and was holding a bloody gash across his stomach. Darring moved his hand away to look at it. “Bastards,” she said, helping him to his feet. “Bloody bastards. Come on, let’s get you to the hospital.” Guul shook his head and pushed her away. “No. Just get me to my crew. It’s not that bad. I’ve had worse.” “But we have to tell someone about this. Tell them it’s Remisk and Mo‘tak.” “How do you know that?” “One of the men . . . I saw him in Mo‘tak’s gang the other day.” He nodded. “But you can’t prove it.” “Come on, Guul,” she said, letting her anger rise again. “Don’t play stupid. You know who ordered this.” “You may be right, but they are far too smart to leave evidence lying around. And if you’re wrong, then it will reflect badly on you, especially after your unprovoked assault against Remisk. Mo‘tak has too many friends among MCR officials. This will go away as quickly as it was attempted.” He pointed down the corridor, toward the atrium and out to space. “We’ll beat them out there.” Reluctantly, Darring nodded. She did not like the plan, but let it rest. The most important thing now was to get him to someone, anyone, who could help. Putting an arm around his waist, she helped him back to his crew. * * * “You’re late,” Mo‘tak said, sitting quietly in the dark of the room. Remisk took no time to express his agitation. “It’s got to stop, Mo‘tak. It’s gone too far.” “How so?” “They could have been killed. Both of them. That’s not what I signed up for.” “What did you sign up for?” “Sabotage is fine. Damaging an engine, clogging a fuel line, denting a wing, forcing a racer back with an illegal move. These are all fine. Win or lose, succeed or fail, it’s all part of the unspoken game. But trying to kill people is another matter entirely.” Mo‘tak chuckled. “What would you rather do? Race the final course with only me to contend with, or with Guul and Darring as well? The Tevarin is a beast, and that welp is far better than anyone gives her credit for. If they remain in the race, you’ll go down in history as the man who had a chance, but failed to win the Triple Crown.” You will fail regardless, Mo‘tak said to himself. Once I’ve dealt with Guul and Darring. “It’s over, Mo‘tak,” Remisk said, emphasizing his point with a swipe of his arm. “I’m not doing your dirty work anymore.” Mo‘tak turned on an overhead lamp resting on a table at his side. Beneath the cast light lay a small, gold-colored box, which he carefully opened. A small syringe lay in its center. He picked up the syringe and held it as if he were going to give someone a shot. “Oh, I think you will. You still have things to do for me. And if you don’t, I will share with the MCR rules committee what is contained in this needle.” “What is it?” Mo‘tak shrugged. “The very thing that has given you an almost inhuman focus, an ability to anticipate moves three, four turns ahead.” “That’s a lie! I’ve never taken drugs in my life.” “I’ve been planning this for a long, long time, Remisk. So let me lay it out for you. A young, successful pilot wants to make a name for himself. He wins the Goss Invitational by a nose and begins to think he really has a shot at winning the Triple Crown. He goes to a small-time dealer and asks, “What can you give me that can’t be detected by scanners?’ The dealer gives him this, which I gave the dealer — a Xi’an concoction called e’tâm. For us it produces a mild meditative state, but when introduced to Human brain chemistry, it creates a state of hyper awareness, an almost extrasensory perception. MCR scanners at their current settings cannot detect it. And you have been taking microdoses for months.” “You’re a liar!” Mo‘tak ignored the accusation. “And here’s the catch. There’s enough in here to keep you vital to the end of the race. Take it, and you’ll be fine. If not, somewhere around Ellis IX, as your ship is being pulled by the gravitational forces of that giant gas ball, you will go into withdrawal, fall into a deep sleep and be crushed by the tidal forces of its wild weather.” Mo‘tak held up the syringe for Remisk to see, letting a few drops squirt from the needle tip. “What will it be, my friend? Life or death?” Remisk stood in the darkness for a long time. Then finally, he rolled up his sleeve, and offered his forearm. “You’re a bastard.” Mo‘tak punched the needle into a vein. “No, Remisk. I’m not. I’m just a businessman, protecting his investment.” He pushed the entire dose into Remisk’s arm, then laid the empty syringe in the golden box. Remisk got up and rolled down his sleeve. He turned to leave, but Mo‘tak stopped him. “Oh,” he said, reaching into a pocket and producing a silver capsule. He pitched it to Remisk. “Get this to our man on Darring’s crew and see he puts it where we have discussed. We want to make sure that upstart has a pleasant ride through the Boneyard.” Remisk left. Mo‘tak lingered in the dark, chewing the inside of his left cheek, considering the future. He sighed. He should never have relied on Remisk, on a Human, to do the work. They could never be trusted. He’d never had one pleasant experience with them in all his life. Not as a racer, not during his years of mandatory military service, not as a young adult, and certainly not as a child, when Human pirates had scattered his family and killed his mother. There wasn’t one in the bunch worth a damn. But Remisk . . . could he be trusted to finish the job against Darring? Mo‘tak shrugged. It hardly mattered anyway. Whether he did or did not, Remisk’s time in the race was coming to a close. With the dose I gave him, Mo‘tak thought, getting up and leaving the room, he won’t survive the Boneyard either. * * * Hello again, and welcome to another broadcast of GSN’s continuing coverage of the Murray Cup Race. After a rough start that saw Hypatia Darring warned and reprimanded for her unsportsmanlike conduct, things have calmed down. Ms. Darring has kept her cool and has fought her way back to contention with a stunning head-to-head struggle around Ellis V against veteran Zogat Guul. Though these two are reported to be close friends, no love is lost between them as they make their way through these dangerous courses. But now the most contentious portion of the race is upon us. The Sorrow Sea, or as most of the racers call it, the Boneyard, looms large in the cockpit window. Can anyone brave the shattered hulls and sharp asteroids that hazard this course? Let’s find out . . . Mo‘tak was on her left, Guul on her right, and somewhere behind her, Remisk waited to pounce. It had been like this for a long time, shifting back and forth through broken hulls of previous racers and multi-ton asteroids, some so large that their gravity tugged on her hull as she passed. Her radar displayed the Boneyard in all its glory, and there were many paths to take through the obstacles; some shorter, some longer. This was a timed course, but the lanes sometimes narrowed to force racers to poke and prod one another, thus making it one of the deadliest in the race. The broken hulls of the hollow racecraft around her confirmed its danger. She shifted left and took one of the shorter paths. Doing so would put her closer to the finish line, but the obstacles here were ridiculous in their distribution. She turned left, barreled tightly through a wide hole of an ancient hull. The racer right behind her broke formation and flew down another path. At her speed, Darring could not tell if it had been Remisk or not, but one less bee in her bonnet was okay by her. Mo‘tak was still on her left, however. Guul had broken formation as well and had chosen a longer path, but one less constricted with debris. She could see his little red blip on her radar, and several others training in on him from all angles. He was in deep shit, she knew, if any of those other racers worked in silent unison to push him off course. His modified Hornet would have trouble with excessive obstacles, but then that’s why he took the longer route. He was no idiot. Mo‘tak turned his 350r sharply and shot above her. Images of Remisk’s scorching exhaust flooded her mind, but this time, she ignored her impulse and kept course. Speed is life. A Banu racer in their heavily upgraded Avenger slipped in alongside her. There were a few Banu in the race, and Darring could not remember the name of this one, but she remembered the distinct green-and-black striped hull. They tried forcing her into the craterous side of the asteroid ahead of them. Darring took her thumb off the thrust, acting as if she were going to slow and allow the Banu to take position, but at the last moment, she gunned her thrusters, shifted sharply up so that the belly of her M50 skimmed mere inches from the crater floor, kicking up dust from its ejecta blanket, and blowing it back into the cockpit of the Avenger on her tail. The Banu had to turn sharply to the left, giving advantage once again to Darring. I can play dirty too! Darring laughed into the ear of her crew chief who was warning her to take it slow and not risk getting her hydrogen scoops clogged. He was worried about her engine, which had been refitted after its overexertion around Green. There was still so much race left, and he was especially concerned with Ellis IX, the gas giant that would place serious pressure on her hull. He didn’t want her engine to go down a second time as well. But she was enjoying herself. She was enjoying the Sorrow Sea, the Boneyard, in all its wondrous danger. Only Mo‘tak annoyed her now. The rest of her competition had fallen behind or had taken different routes. The route ahead of her was still tricky, but it was hers. She commanded it now, and she leaned back in her restraints and let her engine run. And now Mo‘tak fell back, and his blip on her radar stopped flashing red in danger. She was free, and the finish line was close. A warning light suddenly flashed on her cooling monitors. She looked down and saw that her engine’s heat dissipation had fallen sharply. She pressed controls, tapped panels, and now other warning lights were flashing. Something was wrong with her fuel. It was rising in temperature, too fast, too hot, and the cooling system could not dissipate the excess heat fast enough. It was burning her engine, and her hull shifted and sputtered, pressing her forward against her restraints. She tapped her comm link. “Something’s wrong here! Engine reaching critical heat.” “Check your heat release override valve on the —” She tried doing as her crew chief advised, but before she could move her arm, fire exploded into her cockpit, engulfing her torso and helmet. She panicked, trying to pat the fire out with her gloves, but that did nothing. The flames grew larger and larger, working their way under her jumpsuit, piercing the protective lining at her neck, and burning her face and shoulders. “Power plant breach imminent!” screamed the safety system in her ear. “Power plant breach imminent!” Through searing pain, Hypatia Darring reached beneath her cockpit seat, tapped the eject pad, and blew her cockpit enclosure into space. Thrusters beneath her seat erupted, and she tumbled after the cockpit, still strapped into her chair, gasping for air. Five seconds later, before she lost consciousness, Darring watched her M50 explode into a thousand pieces. TO BE CONTINUED… Przeczytaj całość

Hello Citizens! Last week, a few members of the Star Citizen team were in San Franciscio for GDC 2018 showing off the latest Alpha 3.1 build, and with it, the newly flyable Aegis Reclaimer, Anvil Terrapin, MISC Razor, and Tumbril Cyclone. It was rewarding to meet both new and long-standing community members alike, so thank you to those who had a chance to stop by and meet the team. Also, a big thanks to our volunteers from the Community who worked side-by-side with us all week, we could not have done it without you o7. Also, as we shuffle features and mechanics looking toward Alpha 3.2, we wanted to know which features you are most excited about seeing implemented, improved and refined. We have created a Alpha 3.2 Survey to help us prioritize over the next quarter. Be sure to check it out and vote if you haven’t already! Lastly, with Alpha 3.1 on the horizon, and the Persistent Universe continuing to develop, we’re introducing newly flyable ships to the PU, as well as bringing back some older favorites. We are offering a War Bond option to give you all one final chance to pledge for this selection of flyable ships at their original concept prices here. Let’s see what’s going on this week: On Monday, in an all new episode of Calling All Devs, we answer your questions on tractor beams, ship modules, space stations, and more. Watch the latest episode here Tuesday is Lore Day with another release of seralized fiction from the Star Citizen universe. This week we are releasing an article that was previously published with Jump Point and now being made available to everyone! Catch up on the latest lore posts here. This Wednesday also sees a new episode of Bugsmashers! with Mark Abent! Don’t miss out on another bug getting squashed in Star Citizen Alpha. Thursday will bring us an episode of Around the Verse focusing on Squadron 42 and Flight AI. Once a month we update the Community with a AtV dedicated to Squadron 42 and an inside look at its development. Last but not least, on Friday is March Subscriber’s Town Hall – Bringing Characters to Life. Join Josh Herman, Jeremiah Lee and other members of their team for a discussion about their work bringing the characters of Star Citizen to life, including clothing, armor, and recent and future customization options in the Star Citizen persistent universe. We’ll go live at 12pm PDT on our official Twitch channel. See you in the ‘verse, Tyler Nolin Community Manager The Weekly Community Content Schedule MONDAY, MARCH 26TH, 2018 Calling All Devs (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) TUESDAY, MARCH 27TH, 2018 Weekly Lore Post (https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/spectrum-dispatch) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28TH, 2018 Star Citizen: Bugsmashers! (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) THURSDAY, MARCH 29TH, 2018 Star Citizen: Around the Verse – Squadron 42 & Flight AI (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) Vault Update FRIDAY, MARCH 30TH, 2018 Subscriber’s Town Hall – Bringing Characters to Life (https://www.twitch.tv/starcitizen) Roadmap Update RSI Newsletter Community Spotlight: March 26th, 2018 We are constantly amazed by the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it’s fan art, a cinematic, a YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Don’t forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for a chance at seeing it here! Syncronized Bombing by Quantum Monkey Casting a deadly shadow over Daymar with the Synchronizer Bomber Squadron. Check out the full picture on the Community Hub. Levski Panoramic by Terada Terada shows us a very cenimatic look at Levski on Delamar. Watch the entire video on the Community Hub. Przeczytaj całość

Every week, designers, engineers and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on SPECTRUM and voted on by YOU. This week, we get answers on Tractor Beams, Ship Modules, Space Stations and more. You can submit your questions for consideration in future episodes of Calling All Devs here. And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions Przeczytaj całość

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Founder and CEO Chris Roberts discusses a new initiative that will let Star Citizen backers help decide what features are prioritized for the upcoming Alpha 3.2. Backers can take the survey here: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/engineering/16468-Alpha-32-Feature-Survey To watch Reverse the Verse LIVE each and every week, tune into http://twitch.tv/starcitizen. Przeczytaj całość

This week on Around the Verse, we check in with LA Studio Director Eric Kieron Davis for a Star Citizen project update, and get a detailed look at how sound factors into the immersion and storytelling of the Persistent Universe. And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions Przeczytaj całość

“All right, Jess. I’m heading there now.” With a flick, Umar closed the comm channel. Break time over. Swinging his feet out of the bunk, a swarm of sandwich crumbs cascaded off his chest and onto the bed. He really should start eating at the table again. At least his bad habit of wearing his boots to bed made sense. After working for In-A-Fix Assistance for the past six years he had learned that comms for help always happen about five minutes into a nap. Leaving the crew quarters, Umar performed a quick a visual inspection on the three BARD drones nestled into the mid-ship docking ports. Charged and not leaking? Check and check. Skipping over the empty fourth port, he gave his favorite drone, Spear, a traditional pat for luck before heading up to the bridge. Umar adjusted his settings as he sat down in the pilot seat, transitioning the power he had routed to the shields for nap-time back to the engines. With a growl, the thrusters came back online. He keyed the coordinates Jess had sent over into his navigation, swung the Vulcan’s nose around and initiated quantum to the nearside of Cano’s asteroid belt. Under two minutes, Umar noted as the light smears from the quantum field streaked past. Not too shabby of a response time. While you could always count on life’s ill fortune sending clients your way, providing good service was how you could convert a random refuel run into a potential repeat customer. Especially out in Cano where traffic was a bit sparse. The ship slowed out of QT and Umar adjusted his flight path towards the beacon’s origin on the rim of the belt. After a few moments of navigating through the field, he spotted the client’s Reliant clinging near the underside of one of the asteroids. He might have missed it completely if he hadn’t had the beacon frequency. Its signature was low enough that the small craft almost blended seamlessly into the surrounding radiation. Pilot must have shut down everything to conserve energy once they ran out of fuel. Before opening comms, he followed protocol and did a full scan of the area. No point in flying to the rescue if you fly straight into a threat and wind up needing rescuing too. With his MFD giving the all clear, he hailed the client. “Hi, there. I’m Umar Deluca from In-A-Fix. You requested a refueling?” “That’s me. Thanks for coming out,” responded the pilot, with a kind, weathered smile. “Of course, that’s what we’re here for. Let me get into position, and then we can have you back flying in no time.” As Umar rolled his ship above and behind the vessel, he could clearly see that the Reliant’s hull had been badly damaged. There were scorch marks all along the rear fuselage and multiple ballistic holes perforated the wing. Umar had a pretty good guess what caused the pilot to run out of fuel. “Not sure if you know this but your port dorsal side is pretty banged up. If you want, I could patch you up while I’m out here. Wouldn’t take long and it’d be heck of a lot safer to fly.” “Appreciate the offer, but creds are tight. Just the fuel for now.” “Sure. No problem. Stand by and I’ll have the drone right over.” Umar got out of the pilot seat and went to the control station at the rear of the bridge. He scrolled through his options — Spear for rearming, Shake for repairs, and Liam for refueling. Selecting Liam, he did one last check, and seeing all green, launched the fuel-laden drone. With practiced ease, he maneuvered Liam towards the other vessel’s fuel port. “Transfer in progress,” Umar informed the pilot. “Listen, I hate to ask this, but there is actually one more thing you could do for me,” said the pilot, looking bashful as he nervously rubbed the back of his head. “Any chance you have a drink or some water you could spare? Fuel wasn’t the only thing I forgot to stock up on and I’m starting to feel pretty dehydrated.” Umar hesitated in answering. It wasn’t the sharing that was the issue, but the time. He had hoped to be able to pick up at least two more jobs today and he knew from experience how hard it could sometimes be getting a guest to leave your ship. “Listen, if it’s a problem, I can just wait till I can fly myself to a station or something.” Umar felt a twinge of guilt. What was he doing out here if he wasn’t going to help people? “It’s no problem,” Umar said with as much hospitality as he could muster. “If I’m filling up your ship, might as well top you off too. Swing on over and I’ll fix you up.” Leaving Liam to do its thing, Umar remotely opened the Vulcan’s rear hatch and went to wait by the liftlock in the crew quarters. It wasn’t too long before he heard the pressure begin to cycle. He cracked the fridge, removed two fizzy water cans, and turned just as the atmosphere in the lift equalized. Umar was a bit taken aback when the pilot bent slightly to avoid hitting his head as he stepped out. The man was very tall, and having a helmet on only made him more imposing. Suddenly, the crew quarters felt a lot more cramped. “Hope you like etrog flavor,” said Umar, offering the can. “Otherwise I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with tap.” The pilot didn’t take the drink. Didn’t even take off his helmet. “The rest of your crew still up in the cockpit?” “No, it’s just me.” Umar regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. With a smooth motion, the pilot pulled out the pistol he had hidden in his EVA pack. “Sorry about this, but I need your ship.” Umar’s wrists were aching from struggling against the tape that bound him to the control terminal chair. It was rated for sealing hulls so it wasn’t a huge surprise that he hadn’t been able to loosen it, but he had to try. At the front of the bridge, the pilot was navigating the Vulcan out of the asteroid field. The control terminal flashed a warning that Liam was moving out of range. “Come on,” implored Umar. “You could have at least let me get my drone.” “Look, I’d prefer not to have to gag you,” said the pilot. “I know how uncomfortable it can be.” “Screw you. Don’t pretend like you’re some decent guy just because you have manners. Not only did you steal my ship, but you pretended to be in trouble to do it. I tried to help you and this is how you thank me?” The pilot didn’t say anything, just kept his attention on the nav map. “You know, every time an asshole like you pulls a stunt like this it just makes it that much harder for real folks in trouble to get the help they need. Who’s gonna stop and lend a hand if there’s a more than decent chance they’re gonna get a bullet for their troubles? So yeah, double screw you.” Just like his struggles against the tape, Umar didn’t really expect his rant to help the situation, but it definitely made him feel better. Surprisingly though, the pilot responded. “I’m not stealing your ship. As soon as I get where I’m going, you can have it back.” “Oh, in that case, let’s crank some tunes and enjoy the ride,” said Umar with a sneer when a sudden thought occurred to him. “Wait. What the hell was wrong with your ship?” “They knew my regtag.” “Who’s they?” No response. Instead, the pilot finished plotting a course on the nav, and spooled the quantum drive. Colorful lights streaked past as the Vulcan surged forward. In the distance, Umar could see Pox, the last planet in the system, steadily growing larger. Umar had been hoping that they would head towards Carteyna where there would have been more of a chance of running into some authorities, but out here in the far reaches the chances of running into another ship were far slimmer. “You know you could have just asked for a ride,” said Umar, breaking the temporary silence. “But that’s the problem with people like you, isn’t it? Just take what you want rather than earn it. You wanna know why I fly this rig? It’s so I can undo a little bit of the damage that people like you create. The universe is dark enough without us having to hurt each other.” The quantum lights faded and the pilot pushed back his chair and stood. Walking past his captive, he headed down into the rear of the ship. “Where you going?” asked Umar. “To get the gag.” Before Umar could respond, a shrill alarm sounded. “What the hell is that?” the pilot demanded, leaping back up the stairs. “ECN alert.” Umar looked down at the pop-up notification on his terminal. “Nearby ship sprung a core leak in their power plant. They’re not gonna have long.” The pilot tapped the controls, silencing the notification. “Poor bastards. That’s a tough way to go.” “We have to go help them.” “I’m really starting to think you don’t understand this whole kidnapped thing.” “If we don’t help them now, they’re going to die.” “And that’s terrible, but it’s not my problem.” “Of course it’s your damn problem. You heard the alert. Their power plant is overloading and if the radiation doesn’t fry them, the explosion will. You ignore it, you’re killing them. That simple.” “And if there’s any security in the area and they show up to help, then I’m as good as dead too.” “Do you know where we are? It’s a miracle we even heard the alert. We are it. We are their only hope in this universe. Don’t you get that?” Unbidden, tears welled up in Umar’s eyes. “Please.” The pilot stared at his captive for a long moment. “If you say one word about me, or try to signal them in any way, you’re going out the airlock. No second chances. Understood?” Not daring to say anything and risk the pilot changing his mind, Umar quickly and emphatically nodded his agreement. “Can’t believe I’m doing this.” The pilot sat back down and adjusted the Vulcan’s course towards the beacon’s signal. As he spun the quantum drive back up, he shook his head in disbelief, “I mean, look how well stopping to help someone worked out for you.” TO BE CONTINUED Przeczytaj całość

Every week, designers, engineers and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on SPECTRUM and voted on by YOU. This week, we get answers on Market Tracking, Radar Displays, High-Velocity EVA and various types of Electronic Warfare. You can submit your questions for consideration in future episodes of Calling All Devs here. And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions Przeczytaj całość

Top of the mornin’ to you Citizens! We hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick’s weekend – or in case you’re living in Ireland, still enjoy a fantastic Paddy’s Bank holiday Monday! But as all enjoyable things must come to an end eventually, so have our green festivities. Our St. Patrick’s Day Screenshot Contest is over, and we’re currently in the process of selecting the winners of our fabulous prizes. With 695 entries, this is no easy job, even more so with all the 695 entries being as good as they are. A big thank you to everyone who submitted a screenshot! Our special St. Patrick’s Day promotion is also coming to an end today, so grab those ships now before the promotion is over and upgrade your wardrobe with a “Cal is my Wingman” Squadron 42 T-shirt for a discounted price. And everyone that is attending GDC in San Francisco this week: make sure to stop by the Intel booth to chat with some of our team members and don’t miss Sean Tracy’s GDC talk on Thursday, March 22nd. Let’s see what’s going on this week: On Monday, Jared will put on his headset for a brand-new episode of Calling All Devs. This week, we’ll answer YOUR questions about EVA between fast-moving ships, the future of real-time commodity tracking and more! You can watch the full episode here once it goes live. Tuesday spells L-O-R-E! Our magnificent Lore Team will expand on the lore and narrative that makes up the Star Citizen universe. To shorten your wait, you can check out previously published lore posts here. No Bugsmashers this Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean those pesky bugs are safe this week. We’ll be smashing in the background while our show will return on the 28th! Psst! Listen! Thursday will bring us an episode of Around the Verse that will focus on all things audio in Star Citizen. Hear us out; this will be a sound episode! Make sure to tune in to our Twitch Channel for a new episode of Reverse the Verse on Friday. We hope to see you there! Sláinte, Ulf Kuerschner Community Manager The Weekly Community Content Schedule MONDAY, MARCH 19TH, 2018 Calling All Devs (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) TUESDAY, MARCH 20TH, 2018 Weekly Lore Post (https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/spectrum-dispatch) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21ST, 2018 - THURSDAY, MARCH 22ND, 2018 Star Citizen: Around the Verse – Audio Special (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) Vault Update FRIDAY, MARCH 23RD, 2018 Reverse the Verse (https://www.twitch.tv/starcitizen) Roadmap Update RSI Newsletter Community Spotlight: March 19th, 2018 We are constantly amazed by the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it’s fan art, a cinematic, a YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Don’t forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for a chance at seeing it here! Baily’s beads during the Stanton eclipse by Corsair62 Astronomy amateur Corsair62 witnessed Baily’s beads, a short-term optical phenomenon, during the full phase of the eclipse. Always keep your eyes open for that kind of shots while in the ‘verse! Check out his pictures on the Community Hub. Letters From Vega – Part 1 by Alex_S189 Dalynn Cross and Eddie Daniels are sent to Aremis, Vega II, to visit one of the planets military installations and document the base operations. Will this be ‘just another job’? Visit the Community Hub and find out. Przeczytaj całość

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Top o’ the Mornin’ It’s that time of year again, time to celebrate Ireland’s foremost patron Saint, adorn ourselves in green regalia, and drink copious amounts of frothy, fermented beverages. In the ‘verse there are many traditional ways to celebrate the greenest of holidays. You could gather your friends in your Constellation Phoenix, stock up your on-board bar and throw a swanky flying soiree; you could embrace the altruistic legacy of Saint Patrick himself and provide fuel to stranded pilots in your Starfarer Gemini; more on the belligerent side? Hop in your Gladius Valiant and banish Vanduul raiders like so many Irish snakes. What’s that you say? You don’t have that particular ship? Well, friend, today’s your lucky day. Not only are we making a bevy of green ships available in honor of old Saint Paddy, but you even have the chance to win one. SCREENSHOT CONTEST How are you celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the ‘Verse? As we mentioned, there are a multitude of ways to throw a killer party in Star Citizen, and we want to see who can host the ultimate Saint Patrick’s Day bash. Throughout the weekend we want to see YOUR screenshots depicting how you and friends are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the ‘Verse. Get in the game, bust out your greenest attire and/or ship, celebrate however you see fit, and share your best screenshots on Spectrum. We’ll choose our three favorites, with the winners receiving Star Citizen game packages. The grand prize comes with the special edition Phoenix Emerald, so get your party pants on and show us why you deserve to cruise the ‘verse in the ultimate mirth machine. Prizes: 1st Place: Constellation Phoenix Emerald Game Package – LTI 2nd Place: Vanguard Hoplite Game Package – LTI 3rd Place: Gladius Valiant Game Package – LTI Follow this link to get more info on the St. Patrick’s Day Screenshot Contest. GO GREEN A Ship for Every Celebration In the spirit of the holiday, we’ve rallied the meanest green machines in the ‘verse and made them all available to you for an extremely limited time. From hard-hitting dedicated fighters like the Gladius and the Mustang Delta, to versatile warships like the Vanguard Hoplite, from a stout support ship like the Starfarer Gemini, to the ultimate flying party pad – the Constellation Phoenix Emerald, this cadre of ships has something for nearly every taste. Each pledge includes an insurance policy and a hangar, but the luck of the Irish won’t last forever. Grab one of these ships now before they fade away into the mist on March 19th. LUCK O' THE IRISH Gear Up For the Party Go green and soar into action with the brave men and women of the 2nd fleet in this party-ready T-shirt. Made of cotton/poly blend fabric and remarkably resistant to beer spills, it’s the perfect attire, whether you’re reveling in the streets or hunkered down in the pub. As part of our Saint Patrick’s Day promotion we are offering this official “Cal is my Wingman” Squadron 42 T-shirt for only $12, or $11.25 for Subscribers. Supplies are limited so grab one now while you still can. Przeczytaj całość

Production Illustrator Jim Martin (Star Trek, Starship Troopers, Matrix & Alien film series and more) stops by to chat his work for Star Citizen. To watch Reverse the Verse LIVE each and every week, tune into http://twitch.tv/starcitizen. Przeczytaj całość

Q&A: Aegis Vulcan Below are answers to the most voted for questions in our Vulcan Q&A thread that we posted on Spectrum. Thank you for taking the time to submit your questions and voting for the ones you care about most. Also, Special thanks to John Crewe and Todd Papy for their help in answering your questions. Lastly, for more information about the Aegis Vulcan, make sure to check out the Vulcan Ship Shape and our Vulcan themed episode of Reverse the Verse. Will the drones stop responding if I fly the Vulcan too far away or dock the Vulcan in a nearby carrier? The drones will have a maximum control range, as you approach that you’ll be warned in time to make a choice to return or continue at your own risk. If the Vulcan or the drones exceed that range then they will slowly stop responding until they are completely unresponsive. Simply coming back in range is enough to return them to complete control and causes no lasting damage. Having the Vulcan inside another ship will likely not impact range. How many (100% empty) small and medium fuel tanks can Vulcan fill? This is a difficult question to answer accurately because every ship in the game has a bespoke fuel tank, so whilst the stats page may say medium fuel tank, that tank is bespoke to that ship and is within a capacity we define as medium. For example a Cutlass Medium Tank is a different capacity to a Vanguards Medium tank. Remember that the role of the Vulcan isn’t to completely fill tanks, although it can do that with repeat fills, but to provide enough fuel to get you to a proper refuel point. To put a ballpark estimate, that will naturally adjust during development and testing, we expect that the Vulcan would be able to fully fill 8-10 or so small tanks, 2-3 medium tanks and half a large tank. Filling a tank will require multiple trips with drones however. Will the drones be able to pick up materials from other places than the “cribs” on board the Vulcan? The drones do have basic arms/clamps to carry items, but the main purpose is to take them from the “cribs” on board the Vulcan. Theres nothing to stop them taking it from elsewhere provided the drone can actually access those areas. How are these drones different from the stand alone repair bot we get with 3.3? The repair bot for 3.3 will be a completely different item and most likely much more smaller, it is personal after all! When creating the new roadmap we needed to find images to reflect the nature of each one so we used an existing piece of concept art for drones for this item. In general terms, what is the largest ship a Vulcan would be able to fully re-fuel? As mentioned its a hard thing to define, but somewhere around Retaliator/Constellation size is the goal for a full refuel. Again, this is not a ship designed for fully refuelling others but instead to give them a top up to get them on their way. In a real world example a roadside breakdown service would bring a small 5-10L fuel can to top you up, not a 60L tank of fuel. If I have a spare weapon in my cargo bay can the drones swap my ships weapon loadout? This is not something we had specifically designed for the ship in mind, but the gameplay systems would most likely not prevent this from happening. Does the Vulcan draw its own fuel from the external fuel tank? The external fuel tank, which contains two fuel tanks to separate Hydrogen and Quantum fuel, is purely for transfer to other ships via the drones. The Vulcan has its own separate fuel tanks to draw from. Does the cargo bay (elevator to living quarters) function as airlock? The cargo bay itself does not function as an airlock however the elevator up to the living quarters is enclosed and itself functions as a mini airlock separating the potentially open cargo bay and the habitation area. Can Vulcan drones drain fuel out of a friendly ship to refuel itself and continue refueling others? We discussed this in the Reverse the Verse piece we did on the Vulcan and again, this is not something we had in mind for the ship but the systems should not prevent this as its essentially part of the salvage gameplay loop. Can a Vulcan itself refuel and buy fuel from a Starfarer? Yes, all ships will be fitted with a “Fuel Port” item which enables transfer from one ship to another with the appropriate equipment such as the Starfarers refuelling boom or drones that can refuel. You used an interesting word choice by stating these drones have “tug functions” (brochure). What will they use this function for? Tug in the context of the brochure was marketing making the word “carry” sound more interesting. The drones can carry items with their tiny claw/clamps and in theory this would enable them to push/pull something around but it would not allow you to have a fleet of drones dragging a ship around like horses and a chariot. How much space does ammo take up? 12 SCU doesn’t seem like much for rearming. That depends on what ammo you are bringing! The current volume of the cargo grid is 2×2×3 SCU which is a volume of over 20 cubic meters of space to fill with ammo, ship items or cargo. The cargo room on the Vulcan is also quite spacious and if during development we feel the need for greater capacity then there is room to increase this. Shouldn’t there be two external tanks, one for Hydrogen and one for Quantum fuel? Yes, the external fuel tank houses two separate tanks for each fuel type. The Vulcan itself then has two Medium Hydrogen Fuel Tanks and one Medium Quantum Fuel Tank all to itself. This is reflected on the ship matrix page by a total of 3 Medium Hydrogen Fuel Tanks and 2 Medium Quantum Fuel Tanks. Will the drones be able to work in a gravity well or atmosphere? They will be able to function in earth like gravity and atmosphere perfectly fine. How will I know what needs to be repaired and where it is on the ship I am repairing and what kind of overlay will there be on the repair target? We’ll be discussing this more in the lead up to Repair and Salvage gameplay being introduced into the game in a future patch. Can you give some detail about how drones will be controlled by the operators? Drones will be controlled from the Support Stations in the cockpit of the Vulcan, players (or NPCS) will sit down at the station and fly the drone from a first person perspective via the screen. They will function and fly to all intents and purposes like any other ship in the game. Will we need a good stockpile of ship components to be able to effectively repair all ships? Another topic we discussed in depth on the RTV was this scenario and in short yes, but only if you want to be able to repair all ships. The Vulcan can be played however you want to play it, be it lurking near a shop to stock up on the exact items needed by customers or filled with generic items allowing a potentially faster response to people in need. Can you operate the drones via MobiGlas? This is not something we currently plan to support, at least for the Vulcans drones. Can we repair, rearm and refuel ground vehicles with the Vulcan? Absolutely, ground vehicles contain and conform to the same mechanics for items as our ships, just on a smaller scale. Przeczytaj całość

This week sees a new installment of Ship Shape, where Jared gives us a look at the Aegis Reclaimer and the Tumbril Cyclone, with a little help from last week’s studio audience. And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions Przeczytaj całość

Mark Abent ain’t got time to bleed, but he does have time to smash bugs with extreme prejudice. In this episode, he deals handily with a pesky landing gear issue. Przeczytaj całość

SINGULAR IN PURPOSE Simply put, the Tal System is the ’verse’s largest production supply chain. Located just beyond the Perry Line, the Xi’an classified Tal to act as a Production System, with each habitable planet designated to fulfill a specific industrial purpose. It is a distinctly Xi’an approach to geoplanning that Humanity has slowly begun to embrace, specifically within the Stanton System. Tal offers another unique distinction; it is one of the few Xi’an-controlled systems that openly welcomes Humans. As a major hub for industry and trade, many believe the Xi’an encourage Humans to do business in Tal to keep them out of other parts of Xi’an space. UEE diplomatic envoy Jameson Wallach was the first known Human to visit the Tal System. Following the Peace Treaty of 2789, the Xi’an government disclosed to the UEE the existence of this system; prior to this revelation, Humans hadn’t known it was there. Envoy Wallach’s guided tour of the system was considered by many to be gesture of goodwill, though critics quickly dismissed it as a ploy of the Xi’an. Visten Bana, one of the most outspoken critics of the treaty, claimed, “the Xi’an are attempting to infiltrate the Empire, not with weapons or with armies, but through Credits. The new battlefield will not be our planets, but our economy.” Visitors to any planet in the Tal System might need a few minutes for their eyes to adjust. The Xi’an have assigned one specific color for each planet to incorporate into all its structures. Most first-time Human visitors find the view to be strange, spectacular and overwhelming all at once. After a number of accidents caused by disoriented Human pilots, the Tal landing zone authority now discourages people from manually landing their ships. The uniqueness and strict organization of the planets does not end with their color-coding. Although the actual system is far more complex than a simple summary can provide, merchants should familiarize themselves with each planet’s focus before visiting to avoid the embarrassment of attempting to make a deal in the wrong part of the system. Tal II makes large-scale space fabrication and ship manufacturing. Tal III deals with food and textiles. Tal IV processes ore and gases. Tal V handles the manufacturing of products, from building materials to weapons. The system is in constant need of raw materials, particularly hydrogen and antimatter, to keep their supply chain cranking at full capacity. Bargain hunters and small-time haulers should make sure to crunch the numbers before spending the time and resources on a trip to Tal. However, keen traders can bring in raw materials to sell and leave with Xi’an-made merchandise. With Xi’an products growing in popularity around the UEE, merchants and haulers should not have too much trouble selling the unique Xi’an goods found throughout the inhabited worlds of Tal. As relations with the Xi’an have warmed, tourism to the Tal System has seen a noticeable uptick. Explore It Tal!, a Goss-based travel company, specializes in organizing group trips to the Tal System for those hesitant about going unguided. It is perfect for those who want to experience an alien world without having to navigate the foreign customs alone. For those brave enough to do it on their own, here are a few tips. Adventure seekers and explorers frequently visit Tal II and Tal V in search of the latest Xi’an ship and weapons tech to give them an advantage over others in UEE space. Foodies and fashionistas flock to Tal III to sample Xi’an food at its source and buy exotic textiles directly from manufacturers. Tal IV is recommended only for business visitors, due to the inherent dangers of its large antimatter production facilities. Y.ŌM’E (TAL I)This small planet sits too close to the system’s sun to maintain life. It is pockmarked with craters from probes and mining missions that sought resources to be used by the rest of the system. As far as we know, nothing valuable was ever found and the Xi’an left Tal I to bake eternally in the sun. All the heat radiating off the rocky planet makes it appear to shimmer and glow. OLI’XA (TAL II)Upon visiting Tal II, famed musician Sindo Guerrero took inspiration from all the buildings being accented in yellow to write his record-breaking, chart-topping hit, “Sun Kissed.” Home to large-scale space fabrications, Tal II is the technology hub of the system. The planet’s factories pump out some of the most advanced ship parts in the ’verse. This mixture of industrial fabrication and high-end technology makes Tal II the system’s busiest planet. The constant hum of machinery and the non-stop flow of workers hustling in and out of yellow buildings has earned Tall-II the nickname “The Hive” among Human visitors. It is not uncommon to see Humans living on Tal II, though to do so, one must have a valid work permit. Human corporations have also begun to seek out more stable opportunities in the system, with MISC having recently established a small branch office here that facilitates their agreement with the Xi’an; it was the central development site of the cutting-edge avionics software used in their new Reliant line. Finally, do not forget to bring your sunglasses to help with the strong glare from the yellow-tinged architecture, but remember, please remove your sunglasses before interacting with the Xi’an. In their culture, it is considered disrespectful to hide one’s eyes when speaking. LŪNG’XYI (TAL III)If you are a first-time visitor to the Tal System, begin your visit on Tal III. Considered the cultural hub of the system, the residents are used to Human visitors and are very welcoming of tourists, more so than the typical Xi’an world. In fact, many find the planet to be a perfect metaphor for the Xi’an themselves. With most of the lush landscape covered in neat farms, the cities create a stark contrast to their natural surroundings, with their appointed color-scheme of violet popping brightly upon approach. As a major manufacturer of food for the system, and possibly their entire empire, Lūng’xyi is a must-stop for Xi’an food enthusiasts. For those who have never tried the cuisine, be prepared for a sensation unlike any other. Some Xi’an dishes uses flavorful spices that cause minor muscle spasms in the Human mouth. It is definitely not dangerous, but will just as definitely surprise those who are not expecting it. Humans may find the sensation weird and off-putting, but many believe it actually enhances the flavor of the food. Most restaurants will adjust the strength of the spices to the Human palette. Do not be afraid to politely inquire about the spice level of the food if the waiter does not bring it up. Just remember to do so before they begin preparing your dish. Meanwhile, the beautiful and fragrant countryside of Lūng’xyi tempts Humans with a natural visual diversity that does not exists within its cities. Many visitors want to explore the countryside, but few actually do. The area is generally considered off-limits to foreigners unless one is given special permission and guided by a Xi’an. Do not forget the brief diplomatic spat that occurred in 2890 when Prime resident Shinji Shapiro was detained after being found wandering the fields of Tal III alone. Tal III’s textile industry draws many of the UEE’s top designers to the planet. Patterns and fabrics discovered here quickly find their way to runways on Terra and Earth before creating trends across the entire Empire. Certain discerning buyers even schedule travel to Tal III while major fashion shows occur in the UEE so that they will be in place once the hot new trend has been determined, to purchase as much of the in-vogue fabric or pattern as they can. The qualities of Luk’Shi’s garment industry also have the fashionable flocking to the planet for custom-made clothes. Some shops have even begun to offer trained tailors that can modify Xi’an fashion to more flatteringly fit the Human form. LIXĀUU (TAL IV)Tal IV is the least visited habitable planet in the system, and for good reason. It is home to major processing facilities and refineries. Unless there is business to be had here, it is probably best to avoid it. Even though Lixāuu’s building are lined in green, this is a blue-collar planet through and through, with haulers and refinery workers making up a majority of the population. While the upscale fare found on Lūng’xyi often gets the lion’s share of the praise from the culinary world, those who seek a more authentic experience say that it can be found in the working-class food stalls thickly stacked outside of almost all of the planet’s numerous processing plants. Almost as ubiquitous as the stalls themselves is the warm, thick fermented drink called yahlu that the workers consume before work. A word of warning: Tal IV’s atmosphere does contain traces amounts of acid, but thankfully it is not enough to harm buildings, ships or residents wearing the proper attire. It was the main reason the Xi’an placed the more polluting plants here instead of industries that would draw more traffic. That said, if you find yourself on Tal IV in the midst of a rain storm, it is probably best to seek shelter sooner rather than later and to avoid getting the precipitation on your bare skin. RYŌL (TAL V)Never say that the Xi’an lack a sense of humor. Tal V, whose buildings prominently feature a burnt orange color, houses a high percentage of industrial complexes dedicated to the end-stage processing of arms and weapons. If the planet is approached in just the right light, the sun’s rays reflected off the burnt orange almost look like energy weapon blasts. Many Humans have made their way to Ryōl in search of advanced weapons for their personal or ship armament. With the Xi’an still secretive over much of their technology, only certain parts of the planet are open to Human visitors. These areas feature a heavy Xi’an military presence, but do not let that dissuade you from stopping in to buy the latest blaster. Very little violence or crime has been reported by travelers. This is partially due to the prevalence of armed security but also because, in light of the peace treaty, the Xi’an government seems eager to avoid confrontation with Humans as much as possible. CHUAITON (TAL VI)Deemed uninhabitable upon its discovery, this resource-rich rock was part of the reason the Xi’an based a Production System in Tal. Centuries of mining have reportedly stripped Tal VI of significant amounts resources, though it may be difficult to check if anything of value is left for yourself since the Xi’an military keeps a watchful eye over all traffic that nears the planet. This has led people to theorize that there is more going on in Tal VI than meets the eye. Even in the most open Xi’an system to Humans, secrets still abound. KYU’NAO (TAL VII)Located in the farthest reaches of the Tal System, Tal VII is a prismatic gas giant that is said to be a reflection of the planets it watches over. This is because its four thick, colored bands of roiling clouds match the colors assigned to the inhabited worlds in the system. A wonderful example of the harmony and symmetry in which Xi’an culture places deep value, Tal VII is a fitting last stop for any visitor’s tour of the system. HEARD IN THE WIND“Beauty, boldness and bliss. All exist on the world that’s sun kissed.” - Sindo Guerrero, “Sun Kissed” “Your entire mouth feels alive. Almost like something is crawling inside it. At first I was pretty sure I didn’t like it, but a few days later, there I was back in the restaurant gulping it down again.” - Chef Alicia Tan, Eating My Way Przeczytaj całość

Every week, designers, engineers and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on SPECTRUM and voted on by YOU. This week, we get answers on Player Hangars, Player-to-Player Interdiction, Repair in Alpha 3.3 and more. You can submit your questions for consideration in future episodes of Calling All Devs here. And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions Przeczytaj całość

Hi everyone, We’ve made it to March in one piece… except that guy who tried to steal my cargo on Yela… not much left of him. Anyway, I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend. Let’s see what’s going on this week: Every week, designers, engineers and other developers from our five offices around the world answer questions submitted on Spectrum and voted on by YOU. This week, we get answers on player hangars, player-to-player interdiction, repair in Alpha 3.3, and more. You can watch the full episode here. On Tuesday we’ll be releasing a previously exclusive edition of the Galactic Guide, this time touring the Tal system. Fast forward to Wednesday for Bugsmashers!, the Subscriber’s Newsletter, and a landslide of information in our Vulcan Q&A, fresh and hot off the press. Curious what types of questions we’ll be answering in the Q&A? Well, we selected your highest voted questions from Spectrum here. Thursday will bring us an episode of Around the Verse that you won’t want to miss… that is, if you’re a fan of the Reclaimer and/or Cyclone. Let’s be honest though, you don’t even have to own a Reclaimer to appreciate how beastly this thing is. Finally, If you haven’t had your fill for the week yet, we’ll be live on Friday at 12PM PST at twitch.tv/starcitizen for Reverse the Verse. We hope to see you there! With that, we’ll see you in the ‘Verse. Tyler Witkin Lead Community Manager The Weekly Community Content Schedule MONDAY, MARCH 12TH, 2018 Calling All Devs (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) TUESDAY, MARCH 13TH, 2018 Galactic Guide: Tal System WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14TH, 2018 Bugsmashers! (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) Subscriber’s Newsletter Vulcan Q&A THURSDAY, MARCH 15TH, 2018 Star Citizen: Around the Verse – Ship Shape (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/) Vault Update FRIDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2018 Reverse the Verse (https://www.twitch.tv/starcitizen) Roadmap Update RSI Newsletter Community Spotlight: March 12th, 2018 We are constantly amazed by the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it’s fan art, a cinematic, a YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Don’t forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for a chance at seeing it here! Canyon Flight by w4rb0t w4rb0t has created an epic video showing off his crew and their canyon runs on Daymar. Keep these videos coming! Check out the full video on the Community Hub. Herald Cockpit View by Corsair62 Corsair62 has taken a beautiful screenshot from the cockpit of a Herald. Oh, did I mention it took them hours to position this shot just right? Well done! Check it out on the Community Hub. Przeczytaj całość

Lead Network Programmer Clive Johnson and Lead Gameplay Programmer Rob Johnson join us to discuss all things performance and optimization following this week’s episode of Around the Verse. To watch Reverse the Verse LIVE each and every week, tune into http://twitch.tv/starcitizen. Przeczytaj całość