The video critically examines the “improved” driving physics in Star Citizen’s 4.7 update, highlighting unrealistic vehicle behavior, poor handling, and numerous physics glitches that undermine immersion and gameplay enjoyment. Despite the update’s claims, the driving system remains unpolished and problematic, with significant issues like lack of mass simulation and erratic vehicle responses still needing major improvements.
The video discusses the so-called “improved” driving physics introduced in version 4.7 of Star Citizen, specifically focusing on various vehicles within the game. The presenter tests multiple vehicles, such as the Argo CSV, Ursa rover, and others, by simply releasing the acceleration or brake keys to observe their behavior. He notes that many vehicles exhibit unrealistic and problematic physics, such as abrupt stopping, flipping over, or instability, even without any input from the player. This inconsistency is evident across different vehicle types, with some showing better stability than others, but overall the driving feels far from polished.
One major issue highlighted is the lack of mass simulation and inertia in the game’s driving mechanics. Vehicles tend to pivot excessively around a central axis, resulting in massive oversteering and a lack of realistic momentum. Even heavy vehicles like tanks behave as if they are made from paper, bouncing and jumping unnaturally on planetary surfaces. This lack of physical feedback makes the driving experience feel disconnected and frustrating for players, as the vehicles do not respond realistically to inputs or terrain.
The presenter emphasizes that Star Citizen is primarily a space game, so players might not expect driving physics comparable to dedicated racing simulators like iRacing or Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC). However, the current state of the driving system in year 14 of the game’s development is described as “terrible,” with some mobile games offering better vehicle handling. The physics issues detract from immersion and gameplay enjoyment, highlighting a significant area in need of improvement.
Throughout the video, the presenter demonstrates various visual glitches, such as wheels not aligning with rims and vehicles flipping or behaving erratically when simply letting go of the movement keys. These problems underscore the unfinished and problematic nature of the driving physics system. Despite the label of “improved” driving physics in the update, the changes have not addressed the core issues and in some cases may have exacerbated them.
In conclusion, the video serves as a critical review of Star Citizen’s driving physics as of update 4.7, pointing out the lack of realistic vehicle behavior, poor handling, and physics bugs. The presenter expresses hope that future updates will bring meaningful improvements to this aspect of the game. He ends with a casual invitation to viewers to follow him on social media, signaling a willingness to continue discussing Star Citizen and its development progress.