Physical damage in Star Citizen is a significant project that involves making every material in the game a real material with properties like tensile strength and mass. This shift to a physically based setup changes the game by linking the ship’s aesthetics to its armor strength. Balancing this new system will require careful adjustments to account for the realistic physics informed by the ship’s design, impacting factors like mass and center of mass. The flight model will need to be updated to accommodate these more accurate physics, reflecting the art of the ship and creating a more immersive experience for players.
The transition to physically based materials introduces complexity due to the need to update existing assets in the game. With several years of development already behind them, the team faces the challenge of converting numerous assets to fit the new system. This process of updating and converting assets adds to the complexity of implementing physical damage in the game. Despite the challenges posed by the existing assets, the team is committed to ensuring that each material in the game accurately reflects its real-world properties to enhance the gameplay experience.
The interplay between the ship’s art and its armor strength showcases the attention to detail and realism that the developers aim to achieve in Star Citizen. By aligning the ship’s aesthetics with its physical properties, players will have a more immersive and engaging experience when it comes to combat and damage mechanics. This shift towards a more realistic and physically accurate system sets a high standard for the game’s development, requiring thorough testing and balancing to ensure a seamless integration of physical damage mechanics.
The impact of physically based materials extends beyond just armor strength, affecting factors like mass and center of mass. These changes will necessitate updates to the flight model to accommodate the more realistic physics informed by the ship’s design. By incorporating these elements into the game’s mechanics, players can expect a more dynamic and responsive flight experience that reflects the physical properties of the ships. The team’s dedication to realism and attention to detail is evident in their efforts to create a cohesive and immersive gameplay environment that aligns with the principles of physical damage.
As the team continues to work on implementing physical damage in Star Citizen, they are faced with the challenge of balancing realism with gameplay mechanics. The need to update existing assets and convert them to a physically based system adds complexity to the development process. However, the team’s commitment to creating a more immersive and realistic experience for players drives their efforts to refine the game’s mechanics and ensure that each material in the game accurately reflects its real-world properties.