The video discusses the controversial removal of tier one medical beds from capital ships in Star Citizen, highlighting community division and concerns that this change undermines the intended role of capital ships as mobile bases, while questioning whether it was a deliberate move to make the Apollo ship uniquely valuable. It also critiques the confusing tier system for medical beds and calls for better respawn mechanics and thoughtful design decisions to support the game’s evolving MMO FPS gameplay.
The video discusses recent changes in Star Citizen where capital ships lost their tier one medical beds, sparking debate among the community. The creator initially waited to see if this was a deliberate design decision or a bug and conducted a poll, which showed the community was split nearly 50/50 on whether the change was good or bad. The creator personally disagrees with the removal of tier one medical beds from capital ships, arguing that no capital ship should have lost this feature. Many players speculate that the change was made to give the Apollo ship a unique purpose, as it currently holds the only tier one medical bed, but the creator doubts this was a deliberate sales tactic by the developers.
The complexity and confusion surrounding the tier system for medical beds in Star Citizen are highlighted, with the tiers being counterintuitive—tier one being the best and tier three the worst, which is opposite of typical tier systems in games. Even developers appear confused by this setup, which adds to player frustration. The creator suggests simplifying the system to make tier one the worst and tier three the best or to have just two tiers: one for player-built medical facilities on planets and one for mobile medical beds on ships, all standardized regardless of ship size.
The core issue with medical beds, according to the video, is their role as respawn points. Capital ships are intended to be mobile bases where players can operate and run events, so it makes sense they should have the best medical beds. Removing tier one medical beds from capital ships undermines this concept. The Apollo’s tier one medical bed is currently the best, but the creator argues that if the Apollo is the only ship with a purpose due to its medical bed, it highlights flaws in the tier system rather than justifying the removal from capital ships.
The video also questions the practicality of respawning on the Apollo or any capital ship, as players need a way to leave the ship and continue playing. Without having their own ship or equipment, a player respawning on a mobile medical bed is stuck, which diminishes the usefulness of such respawn points. The creator envisions a future where capital ships could allow players to claim or spawn ships and equipment, adding a new layer to respawning that supports gameplay continuity. This idea extends to infantry players who need gear, suggesting a system where resources could be used to fabricate equipment on these mobile bases.
Finally, the creator places these issues within the broader context of Star Citizen’s evolving identity as a combined arms MMO FPS rather than just a space sim. The complexity of developing such a game is emphasized, noting that there are very few existing MMO FPS games to learn from. The video criticizes the developers for sometimes making knee-jerk or poorly thought-out design changes without fully understanding the gameplay implications. The medical bed and capital ship changes are seen as symptomatic of larger challenges in balancing the game’s ambitious design goals.
