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Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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Alpha 3.18 & 3.19
Post Mortem
Persistent Entity Streaming
What Went Well
The development of Persistent Entity Streaming (PES) involved a diverse strike team of programmers with specialized skills from multiple areas across the Core Tech group and Turbulent. This collaboration was crucial in successfully building this complex system. The strike team followed aligned sprints and goals facilitated by senior engineers and producers that were supported by regular meetings. This resulted in effective communication and minimized miscommunication or technical misunderstandings.
A high-code-quality bar was maintained by the strike team, who ensured it underwent thorough design, discussion, and multiple reviews before being integrated into the mainline codebase.
The initial deployment to the Public Test Universe (PTU) and testing with the PTU community went well, setting a positive foundation for further improvements. However, this led to issues (discussed below).
Finally, PES’ system architecture and API, which are based on durable queues, proved they can recover from the worst kind of problems safely and will always tend towards recovery.
What Didn't Go Well
The research-and-development aspects of PES posed challenges, requiring the engineers to invent ways around unforeseen problems. Due to the foundational nature of PES, integrating it into the Star Citizen game code resulted in significant changes that disrupted the game at a very low level, and some game teams were unprepared for the integration effort required to bring the game systems back to parity or to convert and leverage the new persistence layer for existing features.
Issues with the changes introduced by PES only became apparent during large-scale use and under heavy player load, which caused delays in identifying and resolving the problems. And features not thought to use persistence at all became affected by trivial delays (like tram systems, spawn queues, and others).
We also underestimated the multiplication factor between the PTU and Live operations; the group had estimated a 10x increase in backend activity but were faced with a 20x+ increase in requests, stream message sizes, and overall activity, which caused service outages across the board during the initial launch.
Regarding vehicles, PES heavily modified the way they are entitled and created in-game. This gives a better user experience (where you can choose where a ship ends up being created) but also significantly reduced the size of the inventory/global database for ships that are never used.
Major issues were also discovered at scale with a third-party database engine that PES leverages for its functionality. These issues gave birth to very unstable request/response cycles as well as heavy queuing. These issues also caused ripple effects where one database server entering a deadlock condition would cause the entire shard cluster (instead of a single shard) to stop processing requests for a period. This was a major cause of the instability throughout Alpha 3.18.x until the team had identified and programmed a workaround to alleviate the effects. Additionally, multiple locking problems at scale were discovered in the global database system (same engine) that would cause a periodic stop of all requests to the inventory systems. The team had to investigate and report to our vendors to determine workarounds and ultimately fixes that would prevent the database engine from locking.
In the engine, several shards reached previously unknown hard limits of the maximum number of allocated entities, forcing the teams to seed/create new shards and cycle them out, diluting the effect of persistence on those shards.
Several bugs were uncovered (in those unstable times) with error handling in parts of the login flow that bricked some accounts in different ways related to character creation. Server-crash handling was discovered to take a much longer amount of time due to a new process that kicks in during the post-mortem analysis. This affected the shard post-mortem and delayed players getting stowed back to the global inventory, which could result in a player character being “stuck” in a shard.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
Going forward, we’ll finalize and use the new Cloud Test Launcher to adequately stress test the game shards at scale. This tool will simulate player behaviors and allow QA and the engineers to connect multiple modified game clients to the shard. By utilizing cloud computing resources, effective stress testing can be conducted, which will help identify and address issues relating to heavily loaded servers before moving to Live.
The team responsible for PES has now moved onto Static Server Meshing and are embracing a transformation approach to the new project. Unlike PES, this foundational technology can be integrated into the codebase gradually, avoiding a disruptive "Big Bang" approach. Parts of the Server Meshing tech are already available to the game team for testing compatibility with their game features. Combined with the Cloud Test Launcher, this approach aims to facilitate a smoother integration process for Static Server Meshing.
By implementing these measures, we aim to enhance our testing capabilities and mitigate integration challenges, ensuring smoother delivery of foundational technologies while minimizing disruption to the game.
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Rivers
What Went Well
The inclusion of rivers marked a significant milestone in our quest to create more realistic and immersive planets. We were quite happy with the improvements to river canyons we were able to achieve between Alpha 3.18 and 3.19 due to improvements in our asset pipeline. And the support from the Planet Tech team to address technical issues during this process was remarkable.
What Didn’t Go Well
The procedural river placement tool was not in as good of a state as we had hoped when we started using it. As a consequence, a considerable amount of manual effort was required to meticulously place and verify the resulting rivers to ensure their optimal quality. Moreover, this limitation also led to a decrease in the number of rivers we were able to generate.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
The numerous issues that were successfully identified and addressed during this initial run of rivers have already made a significant impact toward ensuring a smoother experience for next time. Although there is still considerable work ahead before we can consistently create planetary landscapes with rivers that look and feel like the real deal, we have made substantial progress and are now much closer to achieving our goal than ever before.
Sand Caves
What Went Well
We were very happy with the results of this initial push to develop an improved pipeline to produce individual rooms for all cave archetypes and to also define the visual identity of our sand caves. That we were able to release a first set of smaller cave systems out of that prototyping phase thanks to the concerted effort from multiple departments was the icing on the cake for us.
What Didn’t Go Well
With neither the tools for procedurally assembling locations nor automatically placing them on planets ready for use, we had to build and place every cave manually, which was the primary constraint on the number of caves we could place on planets in the Stanton system.
Unfortunately, these caves had to initially be released without missions, making them into locations the player actively needed to seek out to experience.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We are currently in the final stages of refining the new visuals for rock caves, which will serve as the next archetype. We are looking forward to utilizing the Location Tool to construct a wider variety of cave systems.
Additionally, we will be working towards support for bigger connections, rooms, and entrances, which is a key requirement before we can replace the old caves.
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PTV Racetrack
What Went Well
It was created very quickly; we went into it with the idea that it was a simple location with a short timeframe and minimal impact on other teams. However, we achieved a lot more in three weeks than we were initially expecting, with a good modular kit for kart-style racetracks, and the addition of good dressing, theming, and lighting. It was really good to see how the community, especially the racing community, was excited when the track was initially shown to the public. We have since seen organized races on the track. We also got code support for upgrades to the respawning vehicle entity so if people were to crash, break, or abandon the Greycat PTV, it would respawn back at the starting area of the track. We can also set the values of things like time to respawn.
What Didn’t Go Well
Despite finishing the track before Alpha 3.17 was released, it had yet to have a QA pass and be bug-fixed, so we decided to hold it back until Alpha 3.18. Little did we know Alpha 3.18 was going to be delayed so much, so the track, even though complete, made it into the public’s hands a long time after we had hoped.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We will certainly develop more modular tracks in the future (and have another in the works), but it is on the back burner for the moment. We will try and support other similar-sized ground vehicles like the Greycat STV in the future as well (initial tests have been positive). We will also work with the Mission team to look into adding a racetrack-style mission to the tracks, which will allow the tracking of race times, checkpoints, and laps, and enable the mission to give rewards to players.
Security Post Kareah
What Went Well
We could never have imagined the level of support we received from the Art team, which really rejuvenated the location.
The player-triggered sandbox activity was well received, and analytics showed that hacking CrimeStats at Kareah is still very popular, which was a concern for us as we were taking a risk removing the other hacking locations.
What Didn't Go Well
The mission still has rough edges that need ironing out, which is in progress. Also, additional analytics needs on sandbox activities were identified to be able to further understand player participation.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We’ll continue to iterate on the sandbox activity and location based on the feedback we’ve received and add further analytics to better understand participation.
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Jumptown
What Went Well
The changes to the location were very well received, player participation was consistently very high, and the support we received from Art was well beyond what we expected.
What Didn’t Go Well
The implementation of PES led to performance issues around the location after a lot of ships were destroyed. We also wanted to redrop the locations with RASTAR. However, we were unable to at the time due to it breaking the shops.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
For the next run of Global Events, we’re planning to redrop the locations on different planets to give different gameplay. For example, in thick atmosphere, higher gravity planets, and forests.
Time Trials
What Went Well
The new racing content and time trial modes were well received by the racing community, helped by the Content teams who produced many more tracks than we could have hoped for.
In the backend, the analytics we added were fantastic and allowed us to make very in-depth analyses of each track, which helped determine where they should go on the difficulty ranking and what the target times should be.
What Didn’t Go Well
Poor server performance meant that a sophisticated new system of checkpoint tracking had to be created, though the markers still do not update as responsively as we would like.
Analytics also show that relatively few players actually unlock the second track.
Infiltrate Missions - Orison
What Went Well
The new FPS environments were well-received and a refreshing change after only having underground facilities for years. The ability to assault the locations on foot or in ships was great too.
What Didn’t Go Well
We had to turn the missions off for Alpha 3.19 because we were aiming to release Siege of Orison, but we were not able to achieve this or the new platform clusters (where we were to relocate them) in time.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We have relocated the missions to the new platform clusters and will be releasing them when possible.
Prison Activities
What Went Well
The Prison Escape mission is surprisingly well-played and offers a new way for players to clear their CrimeStats. Inside the prison, loot on the AI and new selling terminals were well received; players felt the new AI made the prison feel more alive and it gave them another way to earn merits.
What Didn’t Go Well
The Ursa Rover continues to spawn underground, selling items at the prison kiosk still isn’t reliable, and excessive AI are being spawned due to a spawn closet issue.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
For the next release, we’ll fix any bugs we can, including the Ursa spawning issue.
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Drake Vulture
What Went Well
Adding the long-awaited “starter” of the Salvage career alongside its gameplay loop was a great milestone for the Vehicle team. While the vehicle was started some time ago, we had held on to it to ensure it released strongly with the gameplay loop rather than without, and this allowed the team to squeeze in some more features to the ship to make sure it hit all the current standards.
What Didn't Go Well
A few complaints surrounding the traversal of the ship due to the gameplay mechanics were somewhat a product of the Salvage mechanic evolving over time to require more manual input than initially expected during the vehicle’s concept in 2018.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
Releasing vehicles alongside their gameplay loops rather than earlier in the project (see Starfarer and Reclaimer) is something we’ve been striving to do in recent times, and we’ll continue aiming to do this.
RSI Scorpius Antares
What Went Well
The Antares was designed alongside the base Scorpius as an optional variant to put into production in the future, with the tail section of the ship outlined as the part that could be geometry-swapped. However, during development, it was clear the needs of the EMP and quantum drive required slightly more power than planned and the team reacted well to adjust both the base and Antares to allow the component layout to suit both.
What Didn't Go Well
There were a few technical issues that we weren’t able to solve that reduced the ability for the second player to have more control over pilot features and a more enhanced MFD setup.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
With Master Modes and new MFDs coming in the future, we should see the copilot get more gameplay features rather than being half passenger, half button-presser.
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Salvage & Cargo - Vehicle Gameplay
What Went Well
We were able to support both Feature teams' introduction two key features to the PU, with Salvage requiring a lot of time be spent on the art assets and Cargo requiring a pass across all ships by Design.
What Didn't Go Well
Unfortunately, the scope of the work for Salvage was drastically underestimated, as we thought the existing UV2 damage system all ships used would be suitable out of the box. However, we very quickly realized we’d have to do an entire pass on every ship to up the quality, as you were looking at the visuals much closer than the damage system.
In addition, the gameplay mechanic was built around the idea that you’d be able to 100% scrape the entire hull. However, this wasn’t a consideration in the UV2 damage setup, so some areas were inaccessible, causing frustration to early testers who couldn’t “100%” a ship.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We’re now more closely integrated with the teams working on big features like this so issues can be found and investigated before development properly starts, rather than being looped in once the prototype has been completed.
Hull Scraping
What Went Well
The long-awaited first iteration of Salvage gameplay finally arrived with Alpha 3.18, which enables players to scrape off hull material and either trade it or use it for field repairs. The core gameplay loop was generally well received and provided a great contrast to other activities.
We also expanded the harvestable system with ship-wrecks and salvageable metal pieces, and introduced the first miniature version of Crafting by allowing players to create a few select items using RMC.
Releasing Hull Scraping alongside the Drake Vulture meant that the ship could come out with a proper gameplay system, and the Aegis Reclaimer finally has appropriate gameplay available to it.
What Didn’t Go Well
A lot of features and systems Hull Scraping was relying on were still in active development when we were building the core gameplay system. This meant the feature was handed off to the EUPU team with a fairly compressed timeline for release.
We addressed the way players would find salvageable objects in the universe way too late in the process, and the balance work for salvageable-object distribution was not properly mapped out.
Not all vehicles could be upgraded to the new Damage Map, meaning some vehicles still won’t work correctly with Hull Scraping.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We’ve changed our approach to how early we get other teams involved, meaning that downstream teams get involved as early as the prototyping stage. We’ve also introduced additional milestones where downstream and content teams can review and approve the progress we’ve made before we move on to the next stage.
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Alpha 3.19
Salvage Contracts
What Went Well
We’re very proud of what we achieved; initially, we had only expected to release with Hull Scraping, but were able to get cargo and the brand-new detachable-components feature included. The mission was well received by backers too.
What Didn't Go Well
We didn’t choose the best ships for the mission, as only some have detachable internal components and gold-standard hulls for scraping (which we only found out after the fact). And, due to developer illness, the first release saw a very rough pass of cargo spawning, meaning there was no time to properly balance or verify that all items could be sold.
The Economy team had to change the value of ship weapons very late into development. This was necessary to balance the problematic insurance issue, which needs a further rebalance. The change meant some backers were disappointed having gotten used to higher rewards.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
For the next release, we’ll choose more appropriate ships with detachable internal components.
New Player Experience
What Went Well
We received a lot of positive feedback from new players that the New Player Experience has helped them learn the game. The visual upgrades to Area 18 have greatly improved navigation, alongside new control and contextual hints.
Throughout the development of NPE, we’ve been able to make many improvements to our mission system, such as the introduction of mission persistence, which allows us to resume a mission at the last active objective if a player loses connection or experiences a client crash.
What Didn’t Go Well
The mission is largely modular but not entirely so, which means more work is needed to bring it to other locations. We didn’t have sufficient time or support to teach the player inventory management or interacting with shops.
In terms of the production itself, New Player Experience was a cross-team initiative and as such, was complicated to coordinate. Production support for New Player Experience changed a few times as it wasn’t owned by a dedicated team.
Additionally, we didn’t have sufficient support to remedy the visual issues with the existing HUD elements clashing with the new Control and Contextual Hints.
What We'll Do Better/Future Plans
We’ve started work on modularizing the remaining parts of the New Player Experience to reduce maintenance and allow us to bring it to multiple locations. We will also introduce additional components to NPE, such as inventory management, shopping and more.
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RSI Lynx
What Went Well
The Lynx started off as a very simplistic adjustment of the Ursa but, as we progressed, we felt it deserved more. So, it ended up with virtually all-new geometry and materials, which paid off as the vehicle now looks the part and sits well with the Constellation Phoenix.
We also managed to cram a huge amount of interactive content within the vehicle, including animated chairs, TVs, lockers, and fridges.
What Didn't Go Well
Increasing the scope of work for the vehicle (primarily redoing the entire cockpit area) resulted in the Vehicle team working longer than expected, leaving less time for other teams, such as VFX and Audio, to do their work.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
Next time, we’ll ensure scope adjustments are discussed with all teams and that they’re not unnecessarily waiting for all aspects to be delivered to start their pass.
Mirai Fury & Fury MX
What Went Well
Despite its size, the Fury series is one of the most complex vehicles we’ve ever put in the game, requiring complex animations and state machines all compressed into a very small spaceframe. It was also delivered ahead of schedule, as we were so excited by the vehicle we actually started production before the concept pass was officially complete.
Vehicle Features made a pass on the gimballed thrusters to make them work as we had envisioned. This means the Khartu-al and San’tok.yai will benefit from this in the future.
The MX’s blast shield was our first proper foray into integrating custom Building Blocks UI into the vehicle pipeline rather than reusing other assets, such as door control panels.
What Didn't Go Well
Some of the tech we needed for the thruster rotations took a few attempts to iron out, and we accidentally caused other issues with thrusters on other ships, but all was solved before release.
The MX was originally intended to have generic missile racks but it was clear early on they needed to be bespoke to prevent them from launching into the body or wings when changed for alternatives. This sadly reduces player customization but ultimately makes it more reliable in use.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We’re pretty happy with how the Fury and Fury MX turned out and no specific things occurred with their development that need adjustment in the future.
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Tractor Beam - Item Attach/Detach
What Went Well
Finally, players are able to loot vehicles for components and weapons, greatly expanding the Salvage gameplay loop. This feature also provides additional gameplay opportunities to other features, such as allowing players to swap out mining heads and modules, and provides a strong foundation for the Vehicle Tractor Beam feature.
Internally, the Vehicle Content team were very responsive to addressing content issues with existing components and weapons.
What Didn’t Go Well
This feature wasn’t originally scheduled for Alpha 3.19, so we had a compressed timeline to work with. The QATR for this feature also revealed a lot of issues with content that couldn’t all be resolved in time for release.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We’ve started requesting downstream support much earlier in the process so that necessary content changes can be done in anticipation of the feature getting ready, as opposed to doing the handover toward the tail end of development.
Mining Rebalance
What Went Well
The community reception has been fantastic and we’re very happy with how the release panned out; long-standing metas and balance issues have been resolved and mining is now a much more nuanced gameplay loop that allows for multiple strategies.
Changes to tractor beams greatly benefited the Mining gameplay loop by enabling the ability to swap out mining heads, modules, and pods. We also identified a better process to balance gameplay loops holistically.
What Didn’t Go Well
There were some issues that we couldn’t properly resolve until after the release, such as mineable rocks always exploding, and the redistribution and rebalance of shop prices required quite a bit of back and forth between various teams before we got it properly implemented.
A lot of issues and edge cases with pricing and distribution were revealed during testing that needed constant fixing and readjustment.
What We’ll Do Better/Future Plans
We want to continue to improve our communication around mining with the community and keep listening to critical feedback to make mining the best it can be.
We’ll also put more trust in the data we gather to help inform future design decisions around mining gameplay.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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Happy Monday, everyone!
Last week saw the dramatic conclusion of Ship Showdown 2953, which culminated in an intense battle between two Drake newcomers, the Corsair and the Vulture. The community has spoken and declared that the Corsair has truly stolen the people's hearts by crowning it the ultimate champion in this year's edition of the biggest annual smackdown in the 'verse! In celebration of the win, the Corsair will be available to all backers to Free-Fly through September, and we can't help but notice the serendipity of this charismatic explorer being the one to accompany the upcoming Pirate Week!
On the Alpha 3.20 front, the team is hard at work tightening the nuts and bolts on this patch that will bring about some exciting new features and a plethora of quality-of-life improvements, which you can read about in our Patch Watch post. We're thrilled about this update and hope to have this in your hands shortly! As a reminder, Alpha 3.20 will also see the sunsetting of one of the most iconic locations in Star Citizen as we usher in a new era, with Seraphim Station replacing Port Olisar. You still have some time to visit Port Olisar to say your goodbyes, and for those who do, you'll be awarded a commemorative Spectrum badge (more details can be found on Spectrum).
We're less than 6 weeks away from this year's big CitizenCon event! With more than twice the attendees of our last show, this is shaping up to be our biggest event yet. There's still tickets available, which you can pick up here, and if you can't make it out, fear not, as you can still enjoy the show from the comfort of your own home (Pico slippers not included) live on twitch.tv/starcitizen. Also, if you're looking to celebrate from home, make sure to pick up this year's exclusive Digital Goodies Pack!
We're excited to share more details about this year's event soon, including the schedule, ticket distribution, and more; stay tuned! We can't wait to see you!
Lastly, this weekend has multiple Bar Citizens happening from Texas, USA, to Coimbra, Portugal. And if you're in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday, come join the team on our next stop of the Bar Citizen World Tour! You can always visit barcitizen.sc to find out about happenings near you, or even register your own.
Now, let's see what's going on this week:
On Tuesday, delve into the little Humanity knew about the San’tok.yāi before Aopoa's surprising announcement that it would be exported to the UEE in the Narrative team's latest Whitley's Guide post.
Wednesday brings the latest development updates with August's Monthly Reports for both Star Citizen and Squadron 42. Don't forget to subscribe to the Squadron 42 newsletter here.
This Thursday, Inside Star Citizen returns with a special two-part Design Brief detailing the future of cargo careers. If you've seen prior Design Brief shows, you'll know they're light on visuals but big on the details of work going forward. PLUS: Meet the new North American Persistent Universe team that's making it! Also this Thursday, it's time to hoist the black flag for Pirate Week!
Friday's episode of Star Citizen Live is a Q&A show with the Vehicle Gameplay team (formerly the Vehicle Experience team). They'll be answering questions from the community live on our Twitch channel starting at 15:00 UTC / 8 am Pacific, so don't forget to include yours on the Spectrum thread. You can also expect the weekly RSI Newsletter delivered to your inbox.
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We're constantly amazed at the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it's fan art, a cinematic, YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Every week, we select one piece of content submitted to the Community Hub and highlight it here. The highlighted content creator will be awarded an MVP badge on Spectrum and be immortalized in our MVP section of the Hub.
Don't forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for the chance to see it here!
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No sappy goodbyes here. Dean_Ironstar shares their head-banging tribute to Port Olisar with video clips of this iconic space station from over the years, proving that we can bid farewell without tears. Right? RIGHT?
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Get ready to lock and load! Today, we're putting the Arena Commander Feature Team's gaming skills to the test as they play and showcase a variety of new game modes coming to Arena Commander in Alpha 3.20.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Are you feeling the need? The need for speed? Then join us behind the scenes of our internal playtests of some of the new racing elements coming to Alpha 3.20 including a review of a new racing variant from Mirai.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Every two weeks, we accompany the Roadmap update with a brief explanatory note to give you insight into the decision-making that led to any changes. This is part of an effort to make our communications more transparent, more specific, and more insightful for all of you who help to make Star Citizen and Squadron 42 possible.
With that said, let’s go ahead and dive into this week’s Roadmap Roundup!
-CIG Community Team
Notable Changes for September 6, 2023
Release View
The following cards have been added to Release View in the 3.20 column, targeting a launch with Alpha 3.20.0:
Mirai Fury LX
Building, implementing, and balancing Mirai's snub racer, the Fury LX, as a game-ready vehicle.
Progress Tracker
With this publish, we've added Q3 schedules for the NA PU Gameplay Feature and Vehicle Gameplay Feature teams. These are existing deliverables previously on Progress Tracker and are simply being reallocating. Additional deliverables will be added once they're scheduled out.
That's all for this week! Join the discussion on Spectrum, and check out the Roadmap Companion Guide for more information on the Star Citizen Public Roadmap.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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Surviving the ‘verse can be a game of chance, and sometimes it’s hard to choose which patch to follow. Luckily, September’s Flair has you covered, whether you’re making a difficult decision, rolling the dice, or calling it a day and cuddling up for the night.
And wherever fate leads you, you’re in good hands with the latest Ship of the Month. Built for deep space exploration and safe long-range travel, the Drake Corsair is your ticket to adventure.
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This six-sided die houses a rotating sphere covered in blue and red lights. When rolled, one of the two colors will display on the upper face of the die, helping the user to make binary decisions.
Current Centurion-level Subscribers get the Chance Cubeas part of their subscription.
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These six-sided dice house rotating cores that features the numbers one through six. When rolled along a surface, a random number will display on the upper face of the die as the rotating core comes to rest.
Current Imperator-level Subscribers get the Chance Cube and Six-Sided Rotating Dice Setas part of their subscription.
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Ready to roll? Make your randomly generated numbers a little more squeezable with these plush icosahedrons in red, green, and blue. Each surface of each large die features a different easy-to-read number.
The Twenty-Sided Plushie is available to all Subscribers to pledge for from the Subscriber-Exclusive Store.
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If you would like to receive this flair as part of a subscription, you can subscribe before August 8th, 2023, 20:00 UTC.
If you subscribe after August 8th, 2023, you can pick up these and previous months’ flair (going back to 2014) in the Subscriber-Exclusive Store. You can fill in any gaps in your collection and pick up extras to gift to non-Subscribers.
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Our goal is to make most items earnable in-game. For this reason, many Subscriber Flair items have been added to the in-game loot table as rare drops from Alpha 3.17. Most pre-2023 items that can be carried by players are available now, with new and future flair being added after a three-month exclusivity window.
NOTE: Some exclusive digital event items, such as those from CitizenCon Goodies Packs, will not be discoverable via the in-game loot system.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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Happy Monday, everyone!
Happy Monday, everyone!
Every year, Ship Showdown challenges the community to champion their favorite vehicle, and with more than 120 flyable ships in the 'verse, there's no shortage of passionate opinions! After thousands of creative submissions (screenshots, videos, miniatures, original songs, 3D models, and more) and two rounds of epic head-to-head battles, we've finally entered the FINAL FOUR! If you can't decide between the upcoming finalists, you can still join the Free Fly until September 7 to put them through their paces.
Remember that the Final Four of this year's Ship Showdown will be highlighted at the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo with their brand new Best-In-Show Paints for 2953 and a manufacturer-themed poster. The ultimate winner will join the ranks of other legendary champions of the biggest annual space smackdown in the 'verse and be unlocked to free-fly for a month for all backers.
Last Saturday, we saw this year's online 2v2 Fight or Flight tournament finals! The final eight teams duked it out in the largest 2v2 dogfighting tournament in the 'verse to secure a chance to compete at the CitizenCon Fight or Flight Invitational. If you've missed the live stream, visit Atmo Esport's Twitch channel to relive the action and see the winners, Shadow Moses, grasping for the champion spot.
Now, let's see what's going on this week:
This Tuesday, we'll publish the Subscriber Monthly Newsletter and Subscriber Comm-Link.
Wednesday will see the publish of our bi-weekly Roadmap Update and the complementary Roadmap Roundup.
This Thursday on Inside Star Citizen, we're taking a deeper look at Racing in Star Citizen and will introduce the latest addition to the Mirai line-up, the upcoming Fury LX.
On Friday, Star Citizen Live returns with our previously scheduled episode with Duncan and Sam from the Arena Commander Feature Team starting at 8 AM Pacific / 3 PM UTC on our Twitch channel. They'll jump into Arena Commander to showcase much of what's in the upcoming Alpha 3.20. You'll also find our weekly RSI Newsletter directly delivered to your inbox.
Have a great week, and remember to cast your votes for Ship Showdown to determine the ultimate winner for 2953!
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We're constantly amazed at the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it's fan art, a cinematic, YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Every week, we select one piece of content submitted to the Community Hub and highlight it here. The highlighted content creator will be awarded an MVP badge on Spectrum and be immortalized in our MVP section of the Hub.
Don't forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for the chance to see it here!
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Audio is one of the most crucial elements of creating immersion within gameplay. From the sounds of ballistics hitting your ship, to the unique roars of the engines. Join us today to explore how we're making ship sounds, sound... shippier!
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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Every year, Ship Showdown challenges the community to champion their favorite vehicle. With more than 100 pilotable ships, snubs, tanks, hoverbikes, and more in the 'verse, there's no shortage of passionate opinions! After thousands of creative submissions (screenshots, videos, Lego® models, original songs, 3D prints, and more), and the first round of epic head-to-head battles, we've finally entered the ELITE EIGHT, all now available to FLY FOR FREE! However, now it’s time to crown the ultimate Ship Showdown champion and determine which vehicle is the true community favorite in 2023.
Here are the top eight vehicles this year, chosen by you:
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Ship Showdown is known for many things, and one of those things is its reckless disregard for weight classes, which brings us to today’s bout: an Anvil v Aegis grudge match featuring the welterweight Arrow punching well above its weight class as it takes on the intimidating heavyweight Redeemer. Will longstanding debates and well-warn clichés be put to bed once and for all? Will speed or power win the day? In a momentous clash destined to settle bets, ruin friendships, and send somebody’s favorite fighter to the semis, only you can decide. No pressure or anything.
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As the quarterfinals continue we see a surging Terrapin take on a confident Vulture in a matchup that brings to mind the fables of yore. Anvil’s crafty turtle managed to sneak past the beloved two-time Ship Showdown champion Carrack, but will it ride Drake’s dirty bird to the semifinals or be violently thrown planetside as the new school scavenger continues its bid for a rookie season championship? This one has gearheads and analysts across the galaxy stumped, so vote hard and vote true, loyal fans. This is where it starts to get real interesting.
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The penultimate bout of the quarterfinals sees one of the oldest ships in the ‘verse going head to head against one of the newest, as the tried and true Connie Andromeda, having acquired a taste for wrecking Drake ships in its first round handling of the infamous Cutlass, looks to turn the rookie Corsair into flotsam. But the piratical pathfinder isn’t going to take this fight lying down, and coming off a decisive victory over the Ship Showdown fixture Mercury, its feeling unstoppable. Any way you cut it folks, today’s fight is one you’re gonna tell your grandkids about. Go forth and vote.
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We close out the quarterfinals with yet another rookie Drake ship taking on yet another tournament veteran as the plucky Cutter looks to battle past an Origin heavy for the second week in a row, taking on a confidant 600i with its sights dead set on a championship run. Who will take the final spot in the semis? The Cutter made short work of the 890 Jump in round one, and looks to strike another blow for the people, while the 600i is Origin’s last hope for a 2953 title bid. But neither ship can win with tenacity alone. They need your votes to cement their place in Ship Showdown Valhalla, so what are you waiting for? You have the power! See you in the semis, folks.
Ship Showdown Prizes
The Final Four of this year's Ship Showdown will be highlighted at the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo later this year with their brand new Best-In-Show Paints for 2953, as well as a manufacturer-themed poster!
However, one ship will be crowned the ultimate winner, joining the ranks of other legendary champions of the biggest annual space smackdown in the 'verse, and be unlocked to free-fly for a month for all backers.
Take the top eight ships for a spin with the Live Showdown Free Fly starting today!
To allow everyone to make an informed choice, we invite you to take the eight best ships for a spin. So if you can’t decide between the upcoming finalists, join the Live Showdown Free Fly to put them through their paces. The Free Fly will run until September 7, at 8 PM UTC.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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THE ARK, TAYAC SYSTEM
Welcome to this month’s Galactapedia update roundup. This month, two navjumpers, visit the Oya, Th.us’ūng, and Tohil systems, and learn the history of the Akari-Kr.ē treaty. Join the Spectrum thread for any discussion or feedback.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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Happy Monday, everyone!
Last week, some of our community and development teams attended a trio of Bar Citizen events in Cologne, Germany in tandem with Gamescom. The turn out was unbelievable, eclipsing our Gamescom events in the past. We were so happy to meet so many of you, veteran backers and fresh pilots alike. Check out the photo gallery below the content schedule, and we hope to see you all again soon!
Alpha 3.20 is now in PTU Wave 2! The Hull C, mining and ship stat updates, and an absolute bevy of new Arena Commander content (including a Master Modes limited test!) are now available to put through their paces. We've already received some fantastic feedback, and we're hoping to open up to more PTU waves very soon.
Ship Showdown Phase 2 kicked off last week, and we saw some pretty intense battles between some fan favorite ships, including a few upsets (although the Carrack might've had it coming). Today's bout puts two of the most common multicrew ships in the 'verse up against each other, the Cutlass Black and the Constellation Andromeda. Make sure to get your votes in as we approach the Elite 8 matchups later this week.
Last but not least, we're less than 8 weeks away from CitizenCon 2953, and we could not be more excited to see you all on the big weekend! Details and tickets here!
Now, let's see what's going on this week:
Tuesday has the latest Galactapedia update from the Narrative Team.
Inside Star Citizen returns on Thursday with Part 2 of our look at Ship Audio this quarter, with several new features currently in development that make ship sounds sound...shippier. (That's what Jared said.)
Thursday also marks the next round of Ship Showdowns as we enter the Elite 8 stage, and the 8 ships that made it past Round 1 will be available to fly for free! Keep an eye out for our Free Fly Comm-Link for more details.
On Friday, you'll find our weekly RSI Newsletter directly delivered to your inbox. Star Citizen Live also returns on Friday with Duncan and Sam from the Arena Commander Feature Team. They'll be jumping into Arena Commander live on our Twitch channel to showcase much of what's in the upcoming Alpha 3.20. Tune in at 8 AM Pacific / 3 PM UTC.
Last but most certainly not least, this Saturday the final 8 teams in this year's online 2v2 Fight or Flight tournament duke it out, not only for the top prize, but a chance to compete at the CitizenCon Fight or Flight Invitational. Tune in to twitch.tv/atmoesports to make sure you don't miss any of the action.
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We're constantly amazed at the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it's fan art, a cinematic, YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Every week, we select one piece of content submitted to the Community Hub and highlight it here. The highlighted content creator will be awarded an MVP badge on Spectrum and be immortalized in our MVP section of the Hub.
Don't forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for the chance to see it here!
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Das Crowdfunding für Star Citizen hat vor kurzem einen weiteren Meilenstein mit einer unfassbaren Zahl erreicht. Demnach sind mittlerweile mehr als 600 Millionen Dollar zusammengekommen.
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Attention, Subscribers: Welcome to the August issue of Jump Point! This time, we’re saying goodbye to the legendary Port Olisar, digging into the development of the Mirai Fury (LX included!), and looking back at the birth of Wildstar Racing.
Interested in becoming a Subscriber? Learn more on the Pledge Store now.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Every two weeks, we accompany the Roadmap update with a brief explanatory note to give you insight into the decision-making that led to any changes. This is part of an effort to make our communications more transparent, more specific, and more insightful for all of you who help to make Star Citizen and Squadron 42 possible.
With that said, let’s go ahead and dive into this week’s Roadmap Roundup!
-CIG Community Team
Notable Changes for August 23, 2023
Release View
The following cards have been added to Release View in the 3.20 column, targeting a launch with Alpha 3.20.X:
Crusader C1 Spirit
Building, balancing, and implementing Crusader Industries' small multi-crew cargo ship, the C1 Spirit, into the game.
Tumbril Storm
Building, implementing, and balancing Tumbril's light tank, the Storm, as a game-ready vehicle.
That's all for this week! Join the discussion on Spectrum, and check out the Roadmap Companion Guide for more information on the Star Citizen Public Roadmap.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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In Star Citizen, you can be whoever you want and explore the stars on your own terms. You can mine ore, haul cargo, salvage space wrecks, hunt bounties, become a mercenary, or even take up a life of crime. Fly and drive a vast variety of vehicles and play how you want to play - the possibilities are endless.
You’re
taking your first steps into the ‘verse at an exciting time – Ship Showdown,
the annual tournament to uncover the community’s favorite in-game vehicle, is
well underway! Alongside the contest, everyone can fly the top eight from
August 31 to September 7, so don’t miss the opportunity to try out some of Star
Citizen’s best-loved ships for free.
Read on, bold adventurer, for tips on getting started, how to join our thriving community, and resources to improve your skills.
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As you take your first steps into the expansive Star Citizen universe, you might be wondering where to find your ship. Fear not. You’ve come to the right place.
Initially, there’s a lot to take in. But don’t worry, there’s no right or wrong way to play Star Citizen. The entire point is immersing yourself in the game world. Stanton is vast, and it’s easy to get lost simply traversing the spaceport. Slow down, relax, and get acclimated to your surroundings and the controls.
When you’re ready to take to the skies and see what else is out there, you’ll want to find your ship. Follow our detailedGetting Started guideto help you do just that.
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Star Citizen currently takes place in the Stanton system, a corporate-controlled commerce hub filled with near-limitless opportunity (additional systems are currently in development). There are four planets and twelve moons in Stanton, each with their own points of interest. From massive cities to small outposts, busy space stations to creepy cave systems, blizzard-kissed mountains to sprawling tundra, there’s plenty to see. Spool up your quantum drive and explore wherever and however you want.
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Now that you’re out there exploring the ‘verse, it’s time to earn some credits. One way to do this is to run a mission. Open your mobiGlas (F1), navigate to your mission manager, and accept any available mission in one of many categories, from exciting high-stakes parcel delivery to earning your stripes as a bounty hunter. Consult ourMissions and Contracts guidefor more details.
Completing these missions earns credits that can be used to purchase a wide variety of items from shops found at most space stations and landing zones. Weapons, armor, clothing, ship parts, components, and even ships and vehicles are available for in-game purchase.
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The best way to learn the tricks of the trade is from the citizens who have already mastered them. TheGuide Systemgives you an easy way to find knowledgeable members of the community to help you get started or hone your skills in a particular role or profession.
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No matter your style of play, theWelcome Hubis a one-stop shop when it comes to getting started. Alongside the Guide System, there are a wealth of tutorials and how-tos to kickstart your personal journey into the Stanton system. Looking for a deeper dive on something specific? Our in-depthKnowledge Basehas all the detail you could ask for on anything from controls to in-game reputation.
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Getting an error when trying to log in? These things can happen, especially during massive events. TheStatus Pagegives you an overview of the Persistent Universe, matchmaking, and platform along with reports of any outages.
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Emergent gameplay refers to situations, scenarios, and events that happen either organically or are planned by the community, rather than the developers. Being an open universe, Star Citizen has no shortage of these!
From in-game racing competitions and large-scale player-vs-player battles to roleplay events, the community employs the robust systems and mechanics of Star Citizen to create unique ways to play.
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The Star Citizen community is always buzzing with activity, and there are a few places where you can see what they’re up to.Spectrumis your go-to place to discuss the game, find an organization, or just chat with fellow citizens. TheCommunity Hubhighlights the amazing creations the community has made, including videos, galleries, livestreams, podcasts, and more.
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Whether you’re looking to make a name hunting bounties, join a convoy of cargo haulers, or crew up to explore the stars, the easiest way to find like-minded citizens is to join an Organization. Organizations are groups of players with their own distinct story, look, and goals. Each one has an archetype and a selection of activities that they focus on. Check out theOrganizations section of Spectrumand join one today, or check out ourOrganizations hubfor more info if you aren't quite ready to join up.
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The knockout tournament has begun, with the community’s top 16 vehicles battling for the title of Ship Showdown Champion 2953. The Elite Eight will be available to fly for FREE from August 31 through September 7, with the top four receiving limited in-game swag. The winner will be flyable for a whole month, so cast your vote to help your most-loved vehicle to victory.
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Star Citizen features a beautiful sprawling universe full of wonder, adventure, and action. However, it’s easy for new citizens to feel overwhelmed as they take their first steps into life in the 30th century.
So, from Alpha 3.19, a whole-new guided mission will welcome new players to the ‘verse, including showing them how to get around, use the mobiGlas, and fly a ship in atmosphere and in space.
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Waste not, want not. Make a career salvaging destroyed or abandoned vehicles across the ‘verse with all-new salvage missions.
Whether you play by the rules and only claim what’s yours, risk it all for a vulnerable haul, or break into secure space to take what you can, there’s serious money to be made in the Salvage game.
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Jump to Hurston and set a course for the industrial city of Lorville, a brutalist behemoth nestled in the remains of long-abandoned mines and weapons testing sites.
One of Star Citizen’s earliest planetary locations, Lorville has been given a huge overhaul, with an all-new layout, revamped buildings, and a sense of scale that must be seen to be believed.
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Alpha 3.19 updates Mining to better reward those with the skills to properly plan and execute a professional rock-breaking excursion.
With updates to tools, ore deposits, refining, and selling, miners must now travel the system to get the best return of investment and embrace the added risks and rewards that may bring.
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Ripping wrecks apart just got easier thanks to component salvage. Now, you can use the hand-held tractor beam to remove intact engines, powerplants, and more from abandoned ships and reuse them or scrap them for profit.
This initial version also lays the foundation for moving and placing cargo via ship turrets, which is planned for release soon in a coming patch.
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Deep in the microTech wilderness lies the crumbling remains of an outlaw settlement once used for counterfeiting credits. And, if the rumors are true, it’s back up and running…
Embrace the cold and leave civilization behind in pursuit of Ghost Hollow’s bounty. Just be careful, competition for control of the credit terminals is bound to get heated.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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This article originally appeared in Jump Point 10.7.
CHAPTER 8: MARIA PURE OF HEART, DUBIOUS OF PURPOSE?
“You can’t marry her. Maria has class but little else. She’s nothing but trouble.” – Alton Hurston
In 2799, Jasper Hurston married the 22-year-old Maria Wharton in an act of defiance against his family and specifically his father, Alton. Though one of his boldest confrontations, it wouldn’t be his last. Jasper’s independent streak and inclination to put Maria before his family would eventually lead to him being swept into the dustbin of Hurston family history. No plaque or statue commemorates him in Lorville but, in a strange twist of fate, the Maria Pure of Heart medical facility would be named in honor of the woman he was told not to marry.
Alton Hurston’s assessment of Maria Wharton was hyperbolic but based on a kernel of truth. The Wharton family had once been a fixture in the upper echelons of society only to lose their status due to their vocal opposition to the Messer government. The family’s construction firm first rose to prominence by building the spaceport in Quinton on Angeli in the Croshaw system. A stream of lucrative government contracts followed, with their most famous being the design and construction of the biodomes that enclose Jata in the Davien system. Yet, the Wharton construction empire would crumble after being blacklisted by the Messer regime following their refusal of a contract to build an internment center they denounced as “inhumane.”
When Maria was born in 2777, her family lived in a tenement high-rise in Jata and struggled to survive. Her parents were prominent anti-Messer activists, who spoke openly about how the regime destroyed the Wharton legacy due to their dissent. A picture of a defiant, teenage Maria and her parents protesting in the streets of Jata when the Messer regime was overthrown in 2792 was circulated widely on spectrum. She became a minor celebrity and used the attention to land lucrative promotional deals that helped raise her family out of poverty. She also leveraged her newfound fame to become a vocal proponent of a variety of progressive political causes, which is why her decision to marry into the Hurston family shocked many close to her. Though Maria would go on to fight for improved medical care for all Hurston employees, friends would criticize her for allying with a company that seemed to embody everything she believed was wrong with the empire. Some historians have even questioned whether she stopped fighting for truly revolutionary reforms at Hurston for the sake of her own name and reputation.
AGENT OF CHAOS
In 2786, Olivia Hurston convinced the company board to install her younger brother, Alton, as CEO. Transcripts from the closed-door meeting reveal Olivia sold the idea by describing Alton as “an ideal stop-gap CEO who could keep the chair warm” until the board found the ideal person to lead the company into the 29th century. Olivia hoped to convince her son, Desmond, to join the company and ultimately be groomed for the position. Yet, she worried that naming Alton CEO would increase the chances of his enterprising son, Jasper, attaining the position. So, Olivia worked with the board behind her brother’s back to stonewall Jasper’s career by transferring him away from the corporate headquarters on Earth to the Davien office. Jasper languished there for years, knowing his career was in trouble if his CEO father couldn’t rectify the situation. He contemplated leaving the company to make a name for himself another way, until one fateful night when he met Maria Wharton.
A mutual friend introduced Jasper and Maria and they bonded over a deep, shared sense that family history and politics were working against both of them. When they married in 2799, Maria convinced Jasper to stay at Hurston to focus on being a force for good. Meanwhile, she leveraged his status to further bolster her celebrity and reputation by holding lavish charity events that highlighted her as much as the cause. She admitted to loving the attention and justified using the events to raise her profile by telling the Terra Gazette that, “I understand the importance of your name and reputation. My family had theirs destroyed for standing up for what was right. So, if I can now attach mine to a cause I truly believe in and get us both a bit of attention, then I consider that a win-win. More people will learn about a great cause, and more people will learn about me and hopefully take an interest in other initiatives I support.”
In 2803, Jasper’s mid-level management position within Hurston involved examining a rash of new laws passed at the system and local level that strengthened environmental protections and worker rights. As part of a team tasked with assessing whether these new laws would be cheaper to comply with or fight in court, Jasper saw the extent of Hurston’s predatory labor and devastating environmental practices that had been allowed under the Messer regime. He shared this confidential information with Maria, who was likewise horrified. Worried that a leak would be immediately tied back to Jasper, the two contacted a Terra Gazette reporter with the names of several former Hurston employees who were “off-booked” after suffering severe injuries in an explosion at a Hurston weapon manufacturing plant. The subsequent article brought to light “off-booking,” a predatory labor practice used by Hurston to void an employee’s Life/Labor Contract so the company no longer had to provide housing or health care. The story revealed that the company kept meticulous records on each employee documenting even minor infractions, like taking unauthorized bathroom breaks, to use as justification for the firing and releasing them from any liability to cover their medical bills.
Following the story and subsequent public scandal, Maria publicly announced she would host a fundraiser to help pay for the healthcare of workers who were off-booked. Her established reputation and public admonishment of the company made headlines across the empire, leading Jasper and Maria to receive a comm from his father, Alton, requesting that they immediately visit him at Hurston headquarters. Their gambit had worked.
HUMAN CAPITAL
In the meeting, Maria agreed to stop publicly criticizing the company and cancel her event in exchange for two things: her working with the company to address the issue and Jasper getting a transfer back to headquarters. Alton and the board agreed, knowing that partnering with Maria on the issue would be a public-relations win. The couple relocated to Earth and, in 2804, Maria oversaw and implemented the largest expansion of Hurston’s healthcare program, which the company successfully spun as a sign of its willingness to embrace the ethos of the new empire. Yet, Maria would privately admit that she compromised on several issues to get the deal done and that it didn’t do enough to guarantee future coverage for those off-booked.
Meanwhile, Jasper’s standing within the company skyrocketed, though some influential family members resented that he achieved this status through public pressure applied by Maria. This faction opposed numerous manufacturing modernization initiatives spearheaded by Jasper as well as Maria’s attempts to further expand the company’s healthcare policies. The couple pushed Alton to champion their agenda but he stonewalled their efforts, clearly worried that submitting to their pressure would only get him ousted as CEO.
By 2811, Maria was convinced that real change would only occur with Jasper as CEO, and that he could only reach that position the way Archibald Hurston did – through a ruthless corporate takeover. Jasper secretly met with family members who supported him and set out to convince a few he believed would be on the fence. Then, one day, Alton called Jasper into his office and fired his son for plotting a coup against him and the family. Upon hearing the news, Maria stormed into Alton’s office and demanded that Jasper get his job back. Exactly what happened next would become a point of contention within the family for years.
Near the end of Maria’s life, a confidant claimed she told him the truth of what happened. Allegedly, she threatened to expose the company for dumping toxic chemicals into a lake on Asura, which ruined its ecosystem and rendered its water unsafe to drink, unless Jasper got his job back. Yet, Alton made it clear that Jasper’s political maneuverings made him a persona non grata within the company, and that while exposing the Asura incident would be bad for Hurston, it would also force the company to bury Maria and Jasper in lawsuits that could bankrupt them. In the end, Jasper would never work for the company again but, in 2812, Maria would help launch the Hurston Health Foundation, a charity focused on providing medical care to all former employees including those who were off-booked.
Today, some believe Maria prioritized her legacy above fighting for real change. Others argue that she made the best out of a bad situation and helped Hurston workers more than anyone else of the era. Regardless, Maria’s name became the one remembered and revered. Thanks in large part to Maria and Jasper’s son, Chesterfield Hurston, who became one of the most powerful and venerated board members of the 29th century. Following Maria’s death in 2880, Chesterfield announced that the new state-of-the-art medical facility being built in Lorville would be named in her honor.
Many saw this as a fitting tribute to the woman who championed worker healthcare. Yet, others believe it to be a strategic move by Chesterfield to enshrine and ally himself with his mother’s legacy instead of his father’s. Much like the contentious relationship between Alton and Jasper, Chesterfield and Jasper famously feuded, including on the fateful night Jasper disappeared, leaving some to speculate that the Hurston family knows more about what really happened to Jasper than they’ve publicly revealed.
EXCERPT FROM LIFE/LABOR REPRINTED BY PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT MERITUS PRESS.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
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Happy Monday, everyone!
Citizens, brace yourselves as phase 2 of the biggest annual space smackdown, Ship Showdown, is about to begin! That's right, it's almost time for the intense, daily head-to-head battles between the top 16 ships that YOU, the community, have chosen. We've seen a tremendous amount of fantastic content flood the Community Hub and social channels; your creativity seems to know no bounds and never fails to astound us! For phase 2, your votes matter to ensure the survival of your favorites past their brackets, and the top 8 will be available to test-fly for free starting August 31, so don’t forget to weigh in every day.
Gamescom is alsoright around the corner, and we’re looking forward to taking every opportunity we can to meet all the Star Citizen fans making the trip to Cologne, Germany, so there will be not one, not two, but THREE Bar Citizens this week! Join your fellow Star Citizens and members of the CIG team at the following locations:
Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 6pm BON - Brauhaus ohne Namen
Friday, August 25, 2023, at 6pm BON - Brauhaus ohne Namen
Saturday, August 26, 2023, at 4pm Brauwelt Köln
Check out theGamescom Bar Citizen postfor all the details if you're interested in attending! Please note that, as the venues have limited capacity, entrance will be on a first come, first served basis.
<i style="font-style: italic;">Pssst...</i> We hear that the Community team has exclusive goodies to hand out (maybe even some bodacious Banu baubles), so don't hesitate to come and say hi!
Now, let's see what's going on this week:
Tuesday, the Narrative Team brings us <i style="font-style: italic;">Life/Labor: The Secret History of Hurston Dynamics</i>, which first appeared in Jump Point issue 10.7. Hurston's hospital was named after her, but was Maria Wharton a saint or sanctimonious?
ThisWednesdaysees the latest Roadmap Update accompanied by its complementary Roadmap Roundup, so be sure to check those out for a glimpse of what's coming down the road.
<i style="font-style: italic;">Inside Star Citizen</i> and <i style="font-style: italic;">Star Citizen Live</i> will be on pause this week as the team will be attending Gamescom. But fear not, no content will be lost, and we'll still have the same number of episodes planned for this season. We're just shifting the video schedule for the next 2 months by a week, and there will be a smaller gap between the last episode of ISC and CitizenCon! The shows will return next week for more behind-the-scenes looks at development.
On Friday, you'll find our weekly RSI Newsletter directly delivered to your inbox, plus Subscribers can also look forward to Jump Point magazine's August issue.
For all you votaries of velocity, get your racing fix on Saturday with XGR Division Pro Series 3, where participants blitz around Baijini with their Mustangs. Catch it live on Twitch from 18:00 UTC / 11 am Pacific.
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We're constantly amazed at the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it's fan art, a cinematic, YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Every week, we select one piece of content submitted to the Community Hub and highlight it here. The highlighted content creator will be awarded an MVP badge on Spectrum and be immortalized in our MVP section of the Hub.
Don't forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for the chance to see it here!
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My Connie flies over the ocean (of grass), my Connie flies over the sea. My Connie flies over the ocean, oh bring back my Connie to me! BAIG4LIFE wows us with their FLYABLE remote-controlled Constellation.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
Did you make sure to check for typos? Elliot Maltby from the Mission Feature Team returns in Part II of our Gamedev series where he creates an in-game contract and tests it in the persistent universe.
Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and…
