The latest Star Citizen Evocati tech preview introduces Vulkan as the default renderer, extensive graphics and engine optimizations, and a revamped graphics menu featuring advanced DLSS options and detailed settings with VRAM usage indicators. Despite initial instability and mixed performance results, these updates signal significant progress toward improved performance, visual fidelity, and future support for global illumination and ray tracing.
An Evocati test preview build for Star Citizen has recently been released, bringing several significant changes and improvements. Although the tester couldn’t share direct footage due to Evocati restrictions, they described the key updates and enlisted a professional artist to visualize some of the biggest changes. The headline feature is the introduction of Vulkan as the default rendering option, presumably the full multi-threaded version, which has already been used in Squadron 42. However, initial testing was hampered by server errors, and preliminary results surprisingly showed DirectX 11 performing slightly better than Vulkan, though this is expected to improve with future, more stable builds.
Beyond Vulkan, the build includes graphics and engine optimizations derived from Squadron 42, aimed at enhancing performance in certain situations. While it was difficult to test these improvements thoroughly due to the unstable build, this work is promising for Star Citizen’s ongoing “year of playability,” as performance gains have been modest so far. The developer hopes these optimizations will lead to a noticeable performance boost by late 2025. Additionally, a new display info line referencing “GI off reflections halfres hardware tracing” hints at upcoming support for global illumination and ray tracing, which could revolutionize lighting by automatically handling complex environments on a massive scale.
The frame time graph has been updated to simplify performance metrics, now showing frame, CPU, and GPU times alongside FPS, making it easier for players to monitor game performance. A major highlight is the revamped graphics menu, which introduces the option to switch between the standard DLSS CNN model and the newer Transformer model (often called DLSS 4). The Transformer model offers superior upscaling from lower resolutions with minimal quality loss, benefiting players with less powerful Nvidia RTX GPUs. This upgrade is part of a broader overhaul of graphics settings, which have been limited and confusing until now.
The graphics settings have undergone a comprehensive overhaul, featuring an auto-detect quality option and presets ranging from low to ultra. Players can now adjust numerous parameters such as object detail, view distance, texture quality, shadows, volumetric clouds, water effects, shading, and post-processing. A particularly useful addition is the estimated VRAM usage display, which helps players with limited VRAM manage settings to avoid performance issues. For example, on very high settings at 1080p, the tester’s RTX 5080 showed over 8 GB VRAM usage, highlighting the need for careful tuning on lower-end hardware.
Finally, the build also includes several AI behavior changes, though testing was limited due to the build’s instability. The tester expressed gratitude for community support and looks forward to more tech previews and testing opportunities in the coming months. Overall, the updates signal exciting developments in Star Citizen’s performance and graphical fidelity, especially for those interested in the technical side of the game’s evolution. The overhaul of graphics options and introduction of Vulkan and advanced ray tracing features suggest a promising future for improved gameplay experience.