Star Citizen developers will host a two-hour live event playing the new Siege of Orison PvE mode, showcasing upcoming features despite existing technical issues like server overload, poor AI behavior, and instancing problems that frustrate the community. While fans remain hopeful for improvements and transparency, many are skeptical about the livestream’s realism, suspecting the developers will use controlled environments rather than public servers to avoid exposing ongoing gameplay challenges.
This week in Star Citizen, the developers are hosting a special two-hour live developer commentary event where they will play Siege of Orison, a new permanent PvE addition arriving in Alpha 4.10. The event is scheduled for Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. UTC on Twitch, where the devs will showcase the operation and discuss upcoming features expected later in the month. The week’s schedule also includes various updates and newsletters, highlighting ongoing developments within the Star Citizen universe.
However, there are significant concerns about Siege of Orison’s current state, especially regarding its instanced nature and server performance. Although the mode runs on a normal server, it is already overloaded with other tasks, leading to poor NPC AI behavior even within instances. An example highlighted is a boss fight where the AI repeatedly uses the same voice lines, fails to take cover, or attempt tactical maneuvers like flanking, which raises doubts about the quality of AI in both Siege of Orison and the upcoming Squadron 42.
The instancing system itself has issues, with overlapping instances causing players to end up separated from their groups or stuck in problematic areas like elevators. Players have exploited these flaws by entering restricted zones and attacking others without retaliation due to armistice rules. Furthermore, limited elevator access and AFK players blocking entry points create significant bottlenecks, preventing many from joining Siege of Orison instances. These problems highlight a lack of understanding from the developers about MMO mechanics and player griefing behavior.
There is also skepticism about whether the developers will play Siege of Orison on live servers or on special dedicated or local servers during the livestream. Many expect that the devs will use controlled environments with fewer players to avoid showcasing the current issues and server overloads, which would present an unrealistic and overly optimistic view of the game’s performance. Fans have suggested that live chat should demand proof of playing on public servers, but it is unlikely the developers will comply, as the event serves as marketing material.
Overall, the community expresses frustration with the ongoing technical and design challenges of Siege of Orison and the persistent universe. There is a sense that the developers, particularly Chris Roberts, prioritize other projects like Squadron 42 over improving the MMO experience. Despite this, there is excitement to see the devs play live and discuss future updates, with hopes that more transparency and improvements will come to address the current issues and enhance gameplay for everyday players.