“It’s an FPS Weapons Special as we explore the newest non-lethal items entering the development pipeline ahead of exciting new gameplay opportunities coming along with them.”
In this episode of Inside Star Citizen, the focus is on non-lethal FPS weapons and tools. While they are referred to as weapons, they have various uses beyond killing, such as restraining targets, picking up objects, disabling electricals, salvaging, and repairing. The team has been waiting for the underlying systems like medical charge and drain breaching salvage to be developed before working on these weapons. The multi-tool healing tool allows players to heal others by firing at them and provides a UI readout of any long-lasting injuries. The multi-tool salvage attachment allows players to strip away hull from ships and vehicles for sale or repair. The dedicated medical gun provides additional functionality like the ability to apply specific drugs.
The grey cat tractor beam is a larger tool that is designed for lifting heavier objects, with a bigger battery for longer use. It has the potential for faster push-pull and grappling abilities. The standalone cutting tool is a bigger and more powerful version of the multi-tool cutter, with quicker cutting speeds, the ability to cut through denser material, and a bigger battery capacity. The breaching charge is an FPS deployable that can be stuck onto surfaces and is used to bust through doors. The ultraflex crossbow is a favorite weapon among the team and is designed to be a stealth weapon that doesn’t get detected by radar or scanning systems.
The planet content team has also developed a new pipeline for better-looking and more varied asteroids. The old asteroids relied on outdated technology, so the new pipeline allows for quicker iteration and higher quality. The process involves generating a high poly version in Houdini, breaking it down into a lower resolution version for mapping textures, generating masks, and then baking all the information onto the low poly version. The new asteroids offer more consistency, textile density, and detail, along with the use of a new organic shader with displacement tessellation. These asteroids will provide more hiding spots for players and enhance the immersive space experience.
Overall, the focus of this episode was on the development of non-lethal FPS weapons and tools, including healing, salvage, cutting, breaching, and the unique ultraflex crossbow. The team is excited to work on these tools now that the underlying systems are being developed. Additionally, the planet content team has created a new pipeline for better-looking and more varied asteroids, emphasizing the importance of small details in creating an immersive experience in Star Citizen.