PU Monthly Report: September 2023

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The development of Star Citizen continued at a rapid pace in September 2023, with teams across the project making significant progress on upcoming features, locations, and content. As the launch of Alpha 3.21 approached and preparations ramped up for CitizenCon 2953, developers focused on polishing existing systems while pushing forward on major new additions to the game.

AI Enhancements

The AI teams made strides in several key areas. Work continued on retargeting male animations to female characters, ensuring Pyro's female NPCs will be on par with their male counterparts. Performance optimizations were implemented for the upcoming patch, while bugs with NPC reactions and usable alignment slots were addressed.

The boids system saw the implementation of state definitions and transitions, allowing for more dynamic flocking behaviors. Physics properties were iterated on to enable boids to properly interact with terrain. Health components were also added, making boids damageable by players.

Improvements were made to the Apollo Subsumption tool, including a new error reporting panel to help designers catch and resolve behavior issues more efficiently. The collision avoidance system received updates to better handle groups of NPCs moving together.

Character and Ship Art

The Character Art team completed work on the Headhunter outfit and made progress on the Dusters outfit. Concept art exploration continued for new fauna and equipment like medical backpacks.

On the ship side, a new vehicle variant neared completion, while whitebox work advanced on another upcoming ship. The Aopoa San'tok.yāi reached content-complete status, featuring unique alien-language cockpit animations. Work also progressed on implementing remote tractor beam gameplay.

Audio and Visual Improvements

The Audio team focused heavily on implementing essential sound effects for Pyro. They also refined the recently introduced resonance tech and continued developing the walla system for more immersive background audio.

In Graphics, fundamental building blocks were completed for new water simulation and rendering systems. Global Illumination R&D was merged into the main branch, allowing testing across various PU locations. Work continued on entity-based fire effects, improved gas cloud occlusion, and support for the new Maelstrom physics destruction system.

The Lighting team concentrated on Pyro while also making performance improvements across Stanton. VFX artists progressed on effects for Pyro locations and several new vehicles.

Location Development

The Locations teams made significant headway on multiple new areas in Pyro. Work also continued on updating legacy locations in Stanton and supporting upcoming mission content. The Sandbox and Organics teams advanced development of Pyro's environments as well as new underground facilities.

Gameplay and Mission Features

Several new missions saw progress, including Blockade Runner, Data Heist, and an updated version of Siege of Orison. The new-player experience continued to be modularized, with New Babbage receiving its first working implementation.

The Economy team set up shops at jump point stations to provide more trade routes for large cargo ships like the Hull C. Rebalancing of commodity trading in both Stanton and Pyro was undertaken to improve the overall hauling and trading experience.

Technical Advancements

The Engine team rolled out StarBuild, a custom code-build system, and updated to Visual Studio 2022. Transitions toward the final Gen12 renderer version continued, including enabling the RenderGraph for improved GPU utilization.

Online Services developed a new Seeding Service to support Server Meshing, while also beginning a refactor of the Character Customizer backend. Database research was conducted to resolve recent issues and explore potential new providers.

The R&D team made progress on important engine updates that will be revealed to the community in the near future.

With Alpha 3.21 on the horizon and CitizenCon 2953 fast approaching, September saw teams across the project pushing to deliver an enhanced experience for Star Citizen players. From AI improvements to new gameplay features and stunning environments, the persistent universe continues to expand and evolve.

The 30K Rebellion

Captain Zara Vex leaned back in her pilot's seat, her eyes fixed on the swirling vortex of quantum travel outside the cockpit of her trusty Cutlass Black. She was en route to Port Olisar, where a clandestine meeting of the Star Citizen Referral Code Club was set to take place.

As her ship decelerated, the space station came into view, its familiar silhouette a beacon of hope for new and veteran players alike. Zara couldn't help but smile, remembering how she had first joined the 'verse with the help of the RSI Referral Code Club.

She docked her ship and made her way to the designated meeting spot, a dimly lit corner of the station's bar. As she approached, she recognized the faces of her fellow club members, each wearing a subtle pin with the numbers "30K" - a reminder of their mission to find fun even in the face of the dreaded disconnect.

"Welcome, Zara," greeted Ajax, the club's founder. "We've got some exciting news about the upcoming Pyro system."

The group huddled closer as Ajax pulled out a holographic display. "Our sources tell us that the AI in Pyro is getting major upgrades. We need to prepare our new recruits for the challenges ahead."

Zara nodded, "I've been helping newcomers decide what code to use when joining. The bonuses they get really help them hit the ground running."

Suddenly, the station's alarms blared. "Attention all personnel, we're experiencing a system-wide 30K error. Please remain calm and-" The announcement cut off abruptly.

The club members exchanged knowing glances. This was their moment to shine.

"Alright, 30K.fun squad," Ajax announced, "let's show these new players how we handle a little turbulence. Remember, in chaos, we find opportunity!"

As panic spread through the station, The Star Citizen Referral Code Club sprang into action. They guided lost players, shared resources, and even organized an impromptu racing tournament using the station's trolleys.

By the time the servers stabilized, what could have been a frustrating experience had turned into an unforgettable adventure. And as Zara watched new friendships form and laughter echo through the station, she knew that the spirit of 30K.fun would continue to thrive, no matter what challenges the 'verse might bring.

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