Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) announced last night the release of the Star Citizen – Alpha 3.15: Deadly Consequences update. This update introduces an array of new systems for players, focusing on new hospitals and medical gameplay, including injury and recovery mechanics. In addition, players can look forward to significant updates to personal inventory systems that will make managing load-outs a more tactical endeavour. Updates to these major feature sets will heighten the level of risk vs. reward around players’ strategic choices in-game.
This update marks another major milestone in CIG’s progress and continued commitment to its players to develop the most ambitious and transparent games development project in history – and follows an exciting first look at the next full star system in development for Star Citizen revealed at CitizenCon 2951.
“On behalf of the entire development team, I am thrilled to launch Alpha 3.15: Deadly Consequences, which adds vital new gameplay and content like healing, looting, and bombing to Star Citizen,” said Star Citizen‘s creative director Chris Roberts. “We’re especially excited for the Tier 1 implementation of Medical gameplay and the hard gameplay choices that come with Physical Inventory, which brings us one step closer to our shared vision for the best universe sim ever.”
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.
CIG provided the following information on the Star Citizen – Alpha 3.15: Deadly Consequences update’s key features:
- Player Health System: Players can now be “downed” if they are wounded and can be revived by players to get back into the fight. While downed players can call for a rescue from nearby players, they can still be killed by other players and NPCs. Killed players will leave their items behind, which can then be looted by opportunistic adversaries. Injuries can also be applied to specific body parts, including the head, torso and limbs, that now impact gameplay until the injury is healed. For example, head injuries can now trigger dizziness and a wounded limb may make it more difficult to aim. These injuries come in three tiers from Tier 1 (most severe) to Tier 3 (least severe).
- Healing and Healing Tools: Players can temporarily heal themselves and other players with a variety of new healing tools, including the CuraLife Medical Gun and Multi-tool Healing Beam attachment. Healing tools will also increase the player’s blood drug level, which can come with deadly side effects if allowed to rise, including blurred vision, muffled audio, and even a “downed” state. The addition of these new healing mechanics and tools opens up a new gameplay profession, as players can adopt a medic-style role to travel the ‘verse and heal other players.
- Hospitals and Medbeds: New hospitals can be found in Orison, GrimHex, New Babbage, and Rest stop clinics. Hospitals can be set as respawn locations following player death and can also be used to heal critical injuries.
- Personal Inventory: Players can now manage their player loadout, personal inventory, and also external containers with this improved system. With the NikNax asset manager app, players can now locate and track inventory previously tied to specific locations, vehicles, off-ship crates, and on their person. This major update also introduces strategic inventory management decisions to players. Before beginning their adventure, players may need to make tough decisions for the road ahead, choosing between more weaponry, ammunition, or healing equipment. Running with a crew of likeminded players also introduces options for players to fill specific roles in terms of items and gear they bring to the mission.
- Dynamic Loot Generation: New dynamic loot generation leverages the existing Harvestables system to dynamically generate containers holding randomized loot. These containers can be generated across a planet surface, or at designated spawn points. With more rewards for pilots willing to take the risk, exploring the ‘verse has never been more rewarding.
- Origin 400i: Originally revealed at CitizenCon 2951, the Origin 400i makes its flyable debut in the Alpha 3.15: Deadly Consequences update. Designed for pilots in need of a vessel that can deliver in terms of speed, safety, and style, the Origin 400i is a ship that exudes luxury with its sleek design along with superb fuel efficiency and defenses that will take players to the far reaches of the galaxy.
- Crusader Hercules Starlifter A2: The A2 bomber has been used to devastating effect in airborne assaults, search and rescue operations, and landing initiatives. With more than double the firepower of the M2, and a custom bomb bay capable of delivering a staggering payload, the A2 caters to anyone hauling massive amounts of cargo through potentially unfriendly skies. Following the release of the C2 and M2, the arrival of the Hercules Starlifter A2 closes out Crusader Industries’ Starlifter line.
- New Bombing Mechanic: The new bombing mechanic introduced with the Starlifter A2 adds extra layers of tactical gameplay, allowing players to devise new strategies in both offensive and defensive scenarios. New bomb UI offers pilots a hi-tech solution for targeting, while retaining skill-based, manual aiming to place the perfect shot for maximum damage. That shot won’t come easy, as pilots will have to avoid inflicting friendly damage in the resulting blast radius as well as defend against countermeasures such as ground turrets and anti-aircraft missiles.
- New Infiltrate/Defend Missions: New mission modifiers that challenge players with defending objectives against waves of enemies in all-out assaults or avoiding detection have been introduced with both lawful and unlawful variants.
For more information on Star Citizen, visit https://robertsspaceindustries.com/star-citizen