The latest Star Citizen update, version 4.0.2, is now available on the Public Test Universe for all backers, featuring various fixes and improvements, including adjustments to planetary night brightness and optimizations for biome streaming. While a significant bug with elevator blockers remains unresolved, the update aims to enhance gameplay and performance, with ongoing player feedback being crucial for further refinements.
In the latest update for Star Citizen, version 4.0.2 has been released on the Public Test Universe (PTU) and is now accessible to all backers. The video, presented by Ryan (also known as Mac), expresses gratitude to patrons and channel members for their support. While Ryan has not yet tested the new patch himself, he encourages viewers to share their experiences. The patch includes multiple fixes and improvements, although a significant bug involving elevator blockers remains unresolved, prompting developers to add extra logging to track the issue.
One of the notable updates in this patch involves adjustments to planetary night brightness, although specifics on whether it has become brighter or darker are unclear. Additionally, optimizations have been made for biome streaming, which should enhance performance by reducing asset popping and frame rate drops as players approach planetary surfaces. Improvements have also been made to outposts in the Pyro system, contributing to a smoother gameplay experience.
Gameplay changes include an increase in distortion fall-off times for power plants on specific ships, such as the Polaris, Reclaimer, and 890 Jump. This adjustment means that these power plants will take longer to recover from distortion damage, potentially making distortion weapons more effective against these ships. Furthermore, there have been updates to ship audio, particularly for the Anvil Arrow, RSI F8 Lightning, and Drake Cutlass, as part of ongoing efforts to achieve a gold standard for ship components.
The patch also addresses various bugs, including an inventory issue where items could become non-interactable after dropping. The Staran Max now has a functioning physical cargo hold, addressing previous issues where items would fall through it. There are several crash fixes included as well, with 14 known issues listed, including six classified as blockers. The persistent elevator button panel issue remains a top priority for developers, who are actively working to resolve it.
Ryan speculates that the patch will remain in the PTU for a couple of weeks to gather more player feedback and identify issues before a wider release. He emphasizes the importance of player input in highlighting problems within the game. Viewers are encouraged to engage with the content by liking, subscribing, and joining Ryan’s streams on Twitch and YouTube. Overall, the update aims to improve the playability of Star Citizen’s persistent universe, with ongoing efforts to address critical bugs and enhance the gaming experience.