In a recent Star Citizen live Q&A session, developers discussed the ship pipeline process, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of various teams in bringing new ships to release. They highlighted the challenges of implementing new features, the importance of completing ship functionalities before release, and plans for modularity and variation options in both ships and ground vehicles.
In a recent Star Citizen live Q&A session, developers discussed the ship pipeline process, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of various teams to bring a new ship to release. They highlighted the importance of balancing tasks and mixing responsibilities among different offices to prevent boredom and repetition. The schedule typically involves releasing at least one ship per quarter, with larger capital ships potentially occupying a team for multiple quarters. The team also discussed the challenges of implementing new features like Salvage or fire extinguishers, which require reworking all existing ships to support the mechanics.
The discussion touched on past issues with releasing ships without complete mechanics, such as the Reclaimer and Starfarer. The team aims to avoid this approach moving forward and prioritize completing ship functionalities before release. They mentioned a backlog of planned ship variants, indicating a focus on achieving a “gold standard” for ships while also developing new variants simultaneously. The addition of new hires has helped in addressing these tasks, with variant updates serving as valuable learning experiences for new team members.
Regarding modularity, which was pitched in 2015 but not fully implemented due to the game’s expanding scope, the team acknowledged the challenge of adding this functionality as initially promised. While some aspects like swapping Retaliator Bays are possible, more complex features like drop ships and habitation modules are planned for future development. Ground Vehicles were also discussed, with developers mentioning the recent addition of the Pulse and plans for more variation options in the existing fleet, such as new tires and components. They addressed concerns about medbed changes, clarifying that recent updates reflect the original design concept and not a ploy to sell more ships.
In conclusion, the developers assured players that the Death of a Spaceman mechanic remains part of the game’s plan, with new challenges and consequences to be introduced. They encouraged players to stay tuned for further updates and thanked them for their support. The session provided insights into the meticulous process of ship development in Star Citizen, showcasing the dedication and collaboration required to bring each new ship to life in the game.