Loud Guns provides an update on Star Citizen’s Evocati PTU, highlighting improvements in mining mechanics with more varied ore compositions but critiquing the tedious scanning required due to inconsistent ore quality within clusters. He also discusses the new blueprint acquisition system tied to mission rewards, expressing concerns over its RNG reliance and suggesting a blueprint shop using in-game currencies to enhance accessibility and promote organizational cooperation.
In this video, Loud Guns provides an update on the recent changes to mining and crafting in the Evocati PTU phase of Star Citizen. He highlights that while everything is still subject to change, there have been notable adjustments since his last video. Due to the PTU’s “tell, don’t show” restrictions, he uses existing mining footage and visual aids to explain the updates. The focus is on two main areas: improvements to mining mechanics and the newly introduced blueprint acquisition system.
Regarding mining, the recent patch has reintroduced complexity to ore composition in rocks. Previously, rocks contained only one minable ore type alongside inert materials, which simplified mining but was less engaging. Now, some rocks contain multiple materials—two to four different ores—bringing back some variability. However, unlike earlier versions where clusters had a base metal with diverse secondary materials, the current system shows uniformity in material types within clusters but with significant variability in quality between individual rocks. Loud Guns appreciates this “Goldilocks” balance, as it allows players to target specific planets for materials while retaining some complexity.
Despite these improvements, Loud Guns critiques the inconsistency in ore quality within clusters. He argues that mining should focus more on the act of mining rather than extensive scanning. The current system still requires players to scan many rocks to find high-quality materials, which can be tedious. He suggests introducing more uniformity in ore quality within clusters to make mining more efficient and enjoyable, allowing crews to strip mine good clusters and quickly move on from poor ones. He also praises the user-friendly naming convention of rocks by their primary material, which helps new players identify resources more easily.
The second major topic is the introduction of a blueprint acquisition system tied to mission rewards. Blueprints now have a roughly 25% chance to drop upon mission completion across various mission types, including combat and industrial tasks. These blueprints are account-bound and appear as on-screen notifications. Loud Guns suspects this is a placeholder system and expresses concerns about its heavy reliance on RNG, which can lead to frustration, especially when trying to collect complete armor sets. Additionally, the individualistic nature of blueprint drops hinders organizational collaboration since blueprints cannot be traded or pooled.
To address these issues, Loud Guns proposes implementing a blueprint shop system using existing in-game currencies like Mercenary Guild and Council Script, which are earned from missions. He suggests expanding this concept to include an Industrial Guild Script for mining and salvage missions, allowing players and organizations to purchase desired blueprints. This system would encourage diverse gameplay, trading, and cooperative resource pooling within organizations, making blueprint acquisition more accessible and less frustrating. He concludes by inviting viewers to share their thoughts and questions, emphasizing the evolving nature of these systems ahead of the game’s upcoming wave 1 launch.