Star Citizen took another baby-step toward full-release status this past weekend with the launch of a new, relatively-meaty update, marking the game’s first major feature infusion since the big 3.0 patch this past December. The two big bullet points added in the alpha 3.1 patch are character customization, which lets players tweak their head shape, eye color, hairstyle, skin tone, and more, and Service Beacons, which let you call for help if you find yourself in trouble or lost. Of course, the update also includes a selection of new ships, and the usual array of tweaks and UI updates.
Check out the full Star Citizen alpha update 3.1 notes, below:
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.
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 can review each others performance with a positive or negative rating.
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.
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
For those who haven’t been following the epic Star Citizen development saga, the multiplayer space trading and combat game first hit Kickstarter in 2012 and has amassed a staggering $175 million in funding, but has been slow to deliver content, with update plans often changing or being delayed. Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games has promised a more regular schedule of quarterly updates in 2018 (you can check out their roadmap here). To be fair, they did get update 3.1 out just in time – maybe Star Citizen’s developers have finally found their groove?
Star Citizen is currently available in alpha form on PC. A full-release launch date has yet to be set (and probably won’t be any time soon).
