Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) today released the Star Citizen Alpha 3.19: Call to Adventure update as the open-world universe simulator continues to grow through its active development. Today’s update digs deeper into many of the emergent gameplay systems in Star Citizen, adding additional depth and improvements to single-player and multiplayer mining, new combat and salvage missions that bring their own unique risks and rewards, and a new handheld tractor beam tool to give players more control over salvage operations.
The developer is also pleased to offer new players a more guided experience as they prepare to take their first flight in the ‘verse from Area18, while all players can take in a reworked Lorville skyline that better highlights the scale of the city and creates more open terrain for player-designed races. These updates come just ahead of Star Citizen’s annual Invictus Launch Week celebration beginning on May 19, which will include a Free Fly event for new players and the introduction of new flyable ships.
Star Citizen Alpha 3.19: Call to Adventure update
Following the major technical additions in Alpha 3.18: Lasting Legacies, today’s update has a heightened focus on new content to expand the emergent gameplay systems that are core to the Star Citizen experience. The update brings additional behind-the-scenes stability for Persistent Entity Streaming (PES), a major technical milestone for the game on its path towards seamless Server Meshing.
With PES, all physical items within a server feature proper persistence, meaning a ship left in orbit by one player can be discovered and potentially stolen or destroyed by another who finds it later. The developer continues to invest in improving this technology, gathering feedback from the community as they work closely and transparently with players. PES continues to improve and evolve, creating a more immersive experience as player actions have lasting impacts on their server for truly unique experiences.
“Developing games with ground-breaking new technologies is always a monumental challenge, one that players rarely see. Everyone at CIG knows we’ve had some turbulence since our ambitious addition of Persistent Entity Streaming in Alpha 3.18, but the team has been working non-stop to improve and streamline these new technologies that are the foundation for the game,” said Star Citizen Creative Director Chris Roberts. “With Alpha 3.19, we’ve further improved these behind-the-scenes technologies, while expanding the possibilities in the ‘verse with new mining, salvage, and combat gameplay. We’re especially excited to welcome new players with our improved new player experience and look forward to hearing their feedback.”
Click the thumbnail above to watch the Star Citizen Alpha 3.19: Call to Adventure Launch Trailer on YouTube
For full details on the Star Citizen – Alpha 3.19: Call to Adventure update, please head here.
Star Citizen – Alpha 3.19: Call to Adventure key features include the following and more:
- Improved New Player Experience: In response to community feedback, new pilots in Star Citizen will enjoy an updated, more guided experience, which teaches them the basics they will need to know to survive in and explore the ‘verse. Available in Area18, this content will cover the basic use of the mobiGlas device for player information, navigating cities on foot, and take players to the spaceport where they will take their first flight in a C8 Pisces.
- Player-Led PvP Event – Ghost Hollow: A new mission will find players returning to Ghost Hollow, a small settlement within a derelict Reclaimer wreck on microTech. By disabling the communications array, players can activate local terminals that will generate UEC for as long as they are active. Activating the terminals will broadcast their status to the server, attracting both AI guards and opportunistic players seeking to claim the UEC for their own.
- Engage the Tractor Beam: The next step in expanding salvage gameplay, the tractor-beam tool enables players to attach or detach items from ship item ports. The first iteration of this system can be used for component replacement, like changing mining heads, or salvaging intact, valuable cargo from wrecks.
- Join the Resource Rush in New Salvage Missions: Following the introduction of the salvage system, CIG has introduced both ground and space-based salvage missions to the game. Salvage missions come in three variants: low-risk ‘lawful’ missions where players can salvage without risk of combat, ‘lawless’ missions seeing players salvage unprotected wrecks at risk of piracy, and high-risk ‘unlawful’ missions often located at the sites of recent battles. Rewards are commensurate with the risk and how efficient players are.
- Mining Gameplay Goes Deeper: Resource distribution has been updated to enrich the play experience, with mining items also having been updated throughout. An improved UI designed to deliver more information and clarity to players has been added to mining vessels, including better information on mining operation risks, minimum safe distances to avoid catastrophic ship damage in the event of mining mishaps, and more. Mining ships have also been rebalanced to reward effective teamwork, offering unique benefits to groups controlling the Prospector, or a fully-crewed Argo MOLE.
Star Citizen combines classic space sim and FPS gameplay with boundary-pushing visuals in a massively multiplayer setting of unprecedented fidelity. Live how you want to live: shift paths from cargo hauler to outlaw, explorer, or any other role whenever you want. Explore multiple planets and moons, including vast cities and underground caverns, all created with a unique combination of procedural planet technology and complementary hand-crafted design.
For further information, including how to download and play Star Citizen, visit the official website. Enlist today and join this ever-expanding universe by visiting the game’s Welcome Hub and Guide System for tips on how to play. Keep up to date with Star Citizen development via the game’s Progress Tracker and Roadmap. Millions of players from around the world have already joined to help CIG build the most-ambitious game ever made.
