Hi everyone!
We’ve scheduled the previously mentioned Alpha 4.8.1 maintenance for tomorrow, June 5, beginning at 12:00 PM.
During this time, the Star Citizen Live Service will be offline for approximately 6 hours while we apply updates to both the game servers and client, including a variety of fixes and improvements.
Keep an eye on the RSI Status Page for updates throughout the maintenance window and for confirmation once services are back online.
As always, thanks for your patience and support!
We’ve completed further technical work to address the character repair causing a number of accounts to “brick” and have included that in today’s hotfix.
- Potential Fix: Issue where the active route would reset when switching between SCM and NAV modes on ships equipped with the Command Module
- Potential Fix: Issue where vehicles would stop mid-flight or during Quantum Travel and the Command Module would undock on its own
- Potential Fix: The interaction prompt for the Cargo Module disappears after reclaiming insured vehicles with the Cargo Module equipped
- Potential Fix: Issue where Quantum Travel markers did not behave correctly when a route was set on an Ironclad or Caterpillar spawned with the Command Module attached
- Potential Fix: Issue where the “Route” button’s clickable area did not match its visible UI element on the Starmap
- Potential Fix: Issue where players were unable to dock at spaceports using Docking Collars across multiple systems
- Potential Fix: Issue where the MISC Starfarer’s external fuel tanks could be detached via the fuel console without first unlocking the vehicle item ports.
- Potential Fix: Issue where Meteor weapons could be swapped out for generic Size 5 weapons
- Potential Fix: Issue where the Aegis Tiburon pilot lost their targeting pips when another player entered a remote turret.
- Potential Fix: Issue where targeting pips jittered out of place in the Aegis Tiburon
- Potential Fix: Issue where Mustang Delta rockets used incorrect ammunition and carried too few rounds
- Potential Fix: Issue where Bit Zero’s ship would not spawn in the hangar during the Easy Pickings mission in Pyro
- Potential Fix: Issue where the UtiliFlex Crossbow bolt appeared as a white box instead of the correct visual
- Potential Fix: Thruster textures are missing on some Anvil Hornet variants
- Potential Fix: Issue where a generic transaction error was displayed at the end of a successful AI refueling transaction.
- Potential Fix: Issue where multiple panels in Riker Memorial Spaceport displayed placeholder images
- Potential Fix: Issue where doors in the Specimen Cache Room at Lazarus Complex in Stormageddon remained open after a reset.
- Potential Fix: Ship Hangar Services - Mustang Delta rockets use S9 ammo and way too little of it
- Potential Fix: Issue causing the Syulen buttons to be difficult to press
- Potential Fix: Defend Bunker Friendly NPCs despawn once the timer reaches 00:00
- Potential Fix: Fuel Nozzles bought on refinery shop does not appear on local inventory
Feature Updates
Player Trade Notifications Refactor with Economy Authorization Service
Replacing the player aUEC trade flow with an authorization-ticket model that will require both parties to consent to the trade before it completes. The receiving player will receive a notification alert when aUEC is sent, prompting them to accept or deny. The sender will have a pending message. If not accepted in time by the receiver, the transaction will cancel. This system also introduces trade rate limits and amount caps.
Hangar Collision Insurance Update
Players will now receive a free insurance claim when their ship is destroyed due to collision inside a hangar.
Experimental VR Updates: 3d UI Markers & Tractor AR
- Added new 3D Versions for all marker types which can be activated with CVAR “ui_markers.enabled_3d”, i.e. Vehicle Entrance, Object Markers, POI Markers, proper 3D transformation to Jump point markers.
- Tractor and Structural AR: 2D version has been removed. Desktop also uses the new 3D version now.
IMPORTANT Notes:
- The 3D versions look slightly different but they are almost identical to the 2D version:
- New projection helpers have been added to calculate the proper AR RTT local space position and the projected distance which scales with FOV and distance so 3D elements have always the same size
New Cvars:
- ui_markers.enabled_3d - Switches markers between legacy 2D screenspace positioning and the new 3D world-space transform system.
- ui_markers.scale_3d - Uniform size scale applied to all 3D markers.
- ui_markers.max_distance_3d - Clamps the render distance of 3D markers to avoid floating-point precision issues from Building Blocks 32-bit coordinate space.
- ui_markers.offscreen_distance_3d - World-space distance from the camera at which offscreen (edge) markers are placed.
- ui_markers.offscreen_angle_3d - How far from screen centre offscreen markers sit, in degrees. Higher values push them closer to the FOV edge.
- ui_markers.offscreen_pitch_offset_3d - Tilts the reference forward direction for offscreen markers; intended for VR comfort tuning.
- ui_markers.bounds_offset_scale_3d - Flat multiplier on the above/below offset used to position labels relative to the ship’s bounds. Increase to push labels further away from the ship body.
- ui_markers.bounds_offset_angle_3d - Angular offset (degrees) added to the 3D bounds position at range.
- pl_visor_markerAR.hud_ar_projected_size_scale - Scales the entire UI by this factor which uses the projected size
Bugfixes & Technical
Escort Ship missions are currently unavailable while we test fixes for blocking issues. Once the fixes are confirmed as resolved, the missions will re-appear in your Contracts Manager on LIVE.
This update includes multiple client and server stability improvements and crash fixes.
This update also includes half a dozen exploit fixes. Due to the nature of these, they will not be listed.
We are currently testing a new Client and Server hotfix with the goal of testing the server side fixes on select shards and opening up the Hotfix Channel later today for over the weekend for the client side. This includes multiple client and server crash fixes along side these noted below. If the server side of the hotfix validates, we will begin rolling it out further.
// Client Side Fixes
Command Module - QT Points are invisible after crossing a server boundary
While traveling through Jump Tunnels, QT, or general flight the vehicles may switch into SCM GUN mode
// Requires both Client / Server
Multivehicle - PU - Vehicle / mobiGlas / Service - Ship-to-Ship services absent/not functioning across multiple vehicles
PU - Multi-System - Spaceport - Locations / Interactions - Docking / ATC - Unable to Dock using Docking Collars
Tailwind Flight Suit - Flight suit causes actor hands and feet to be invisible
// Server Side Fixes
Ship Battles - Escort - Hangar doors are not opening for the ship that needs to be escorted
Potential fix for inventories becoming empty or inaccessible
Client Hotfix Branch (check in launcher) : 12015818
Server Hotfix Branch (check with r_displayInfo 2 to see if you’re on an hotfixed shard) : 12015818
This test will take place using the new Siege Of Orison location but is only a test of instancing and not indicative of the actual gameplay coming with this update.
Instancing Tech Update
This new tech update includes the latest use of instancing to allow multiple instances of the same content in the same location. Today’s tech-preview will be a small slice of this with party instances into the Orison platforms.
Things to know for this test
Getting into an elevator should work a lot like player hangars; select yours, and go there. If you’re in a party, it should take you to your party’s instance instead of your personal one. Instances should be completely isolated; after stepping off the elevator, you should have no indication that other instances exist. This current test won’t have limits but instancing allows for max amount of players per instance.
Barriers will be a new instancing visual to look out for
- Red barrier at elevator = not your instance. Don’t get off at this stop (similar to hangars, just better communicated)
- Red barrier in corridor = still loading. Give it a minute, it’ll let you through once the instance is streamed in
For this test, put it through the ringer with everything you would expect to go wrong in current instanced hangars.
Test things like dropping and picking up items, leaving and joining with loot in the instance, adding and kicking players out of the party while they are in the instance, weapon fire, death (standard PVP rules for Evo), and more.
If possible, try to group up in smaller amounts 3-6 players to maximize instances
Known Issues
- Transitioning between instances too frequently can cause the player to drop out of their instance
- The player gets repositioned from their own Main instance when exiting shuttle after travelling from Solanki Platform
Features & Updates
Star Citizen Alpha 4.8.2 has been released to the LIVE servers and introduces new ships and many bugfixes.
Today’s maintenance also includes work for characters being unstowed as well as fixing player characters that were previously stuck in a stowed state.
- Potential Fix: Issue where the active route would reset when switching between SCM and NAV modes on ships equipped with the Command Module
- Potential Fix: Hangar doors would not open for the ship that needed to be escorted during Escort missions
- Potential Fix: HPA and temperature levels would spike dramatically inside the Drake Ironclad and Command Module during navigation due to missing atmosphere simulation
- Potential Fix: Actors wearing a helmet would still asphyxiate inside the Drake Command Module
- Potential Fix: The Drake Ironclad Assault did not have sufficient VTOL thrust to take off from a landing pad while carrying cargo
- Potential Fix: Actors could experience dangerously high HPA readings in certain areas of the Drake Ironclad after docking or undocking the Command Module
- Potential Fix: The Argo MPUV had incorrect acceleration behavior caused by improperly rotated thrusters
- Potential Fix: Players could not exit the Argo MPUV Tractor pilot seat using the Y hotkey or the PIT wheel
- Potential Fix: The Mirai Guardian’s radar was displaying incorrectly
- Potential Fix: Thruster lights on the Esperia Prowler would reflect and flicker into the cockpit while hovering
- Potential Fix: The Banu Defender’s AlienWeek 2023 liveries (Harmony, Wanderer, and Ocellus) were not applying correctly
- Potential Fix: Several doors on the hangar level of the TSG Idris Tranquility would appear open without player interaction
- Potential Fix: ATC would default landing requests to docking ports instead of landing pads for ships that support both, at dual-support locations
- Potential Fix: AI characters were stationary and unresponsive across multiple locations throughout all star systems
- Potential Fix: The Tailwind Flight Suit caused the actor’s hands and feet to become invisible
- Potential Fix: There are poor LODs throughout the MISC Prospector’s front and middle hull
We are currently working on a new Client/Server hotfix for the LIVE environment with fixes for many of the top client and server crashes encountered since yesterday’s release. We intend on having the client side on the HOTFIX channel today along with sending the server side to servers as they error.
Testing/Feedback Focus
- Stability, Bugfixes, LTP between PTU releases
Known Issues
Warning: There are going to be lots of content items in partial states of finished. Currently all balance and features are WIP
- Front End - Socials / Add Friends - UI / Online Services - Searching for friends on the Add Friends search bar will result in a “Service Unavailable”
- PU - Player Trade Authorization - UI / MobiGlas / Trading - Sending money to another player is not working
Bugfixes & Technical
Fixed 3 Server Crashes
Fixed 1 Client Crash
- Potential Fix: The Drake Ironclad would lose collision for the pilot and Command Module area after undocking via SMP, causing players to fall through the ship.
- Potential Fix: Bounty mission target AI had a chance to not spawn, making the mission impossible to complete.
- Potential Fix: Vehicle components on the Drake Ironclad would go offline and could not be restored after the ship was docked.
- Potential Fix: AI characters were stationary and unresponsive across multiple locations throughout all star systems.
- Potential Fix: Returning to a hangar after already exiting could break ATC, preventing further landing requests.
- Potential Fix: Multiple vehicles were spawning in the incorrect hangar size.
- Potential Fix: Players would receive an “An error occurred setting up your home location inventory” message when attempting to load into the PU.
(Mánadagr) We are currently working on a new build for a potential 4+ hour Instancing Evocati Tech-Preview later today (aiming for 5-6 hours from this message)