Star Citizen update makes steps towards full in-game persistence
Partial data wipe may be in the stars.
Cloud Imperium Games has launched a new update for the infamous MMO Star Citizen to make its world more persistent.
Alpha 3.18: Lasting Legacies has added Persistent Entity Streaming tech that allows objects moved by players to be dynamically tracked on specific servers, meaning players can now leave their mark on the world.
The developer claims this makes the game "one of the most immersive and 'lived-in' experiences ever seen in games". Further, this technical update is a critical addition in laying the foundation for full in-game persistence.
Another major addition is the salvage profession, providing a new economic and non-combat career path.
This will allow players to retrieve materials from target ships and sell them for profit. New technology and tools, such as a complete cargo refactor, have been added in addition to the Drake Vulture vehicle for the salvage profession and a 'soft death' feature.
For full patch notes, visit the Star Citizen website.
"Every update to Star Citizen brings important new content and tech, but Lasting Legacies is our biggest milestone yet for both the game and all of us at CIG. Persistent Entity Streaming is the first public, impactful step towards a truly persistent universe where players can make their mark, and is a foundational building block that opens countless new gameplay opportunities," said Star Citizen creative director Chris Roberts.
"One huge such opportunity enabled by persistence is the first iteration of salvage gameplay, which we're thrilled to finally deliver to players, along with the new physicalized cargo refactor. Our players have been patiently awaiting Alpha 3.18: Lasting Legacies, and I'm incredibly proud that we've now able to give them our most consequential patch update in years, one that will make the galaxy even more alive and real than ever before."
This update hasn't arrived without problems, however. Some players have reported having issues with logging into the game, as per the Star Citizen subreddit.
What's more, the developer may be implementing a partial data wipe with its next update, 3.18.1.
A response from the developer stated a partial wipe was possible but "not guaranteed to happen". If it does occur, aUEC and reputation would remain intact. "The only items that would be affected are the ones obtained through in-game purchases or looting," it said, although its system will retain information on purchases so they can be restored in a future update.
At the start of last year, developer Cloud Imperium Games laid out an ambitious five-year plan for the game, though it later limited its roadmap so as not to upset players with delays.
The game has now raised over half a billion dollars in crowdfunding.