Star Citizen is introducing a crafting system starting with FPS gear, weapons, and armor, allowing players to create superior items using blueprints and quality materials gathered in-game via purchasable fabricators. This feature will gradually expand to include ship components, vehicles, and bases, supported by an evolving economy and inventory improvements, aiming to enhance progression, customization, and player-driven gameplay.
Crafting is set to be introduced in Star Citizen with an initial test planned for the tech preview build by the end of the year. This first implementation will focus primarily on FPS gear, weapons, and armor, with the possibility of expanding to ship components and ship weapons in the future. Players will be able to craft items using blueprints and materials collected in-game via item fabricators, which can be purchased at landing zones and placed in cargo bays or hangars. These fabricators are expected to be medium-sized, fitting into many multi-crew ships, and will allow players to create gear that is typically superior to what can be bought in shops.
Alongside crafting, there will be significant updates to the inventory system to improve usability. The new system will feature better filtering, searching, and visual comparisons of items, making resource management and looting more streamlined. This will help players easily track the materials they have for crafting and plan accordingly. The crafting process will involve assigning resources and quality materials to blueprints, previewing stats, and then producing the item over some time. Quality materials, which can be found through mining, salvage, harvesting, and looting, will influence the stats of crafted items, making higher-quality materials desirable for better performance.
Blueprints will be essential for crafting, and while all players will start with some, more blueprints can be acquired through missions, shops, loot, reputation, and events. Crafting is viewed by Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) as a core progression mechanic for Star Citizen, complementing other systems such as ships, wealth, reputation, and personal skills. Although the initial release will not include features like upgrading or researching crafted items, these are planned for the future, along with the ability to craft almost everything, from space stations to vehicles and ship components.
The crafting system will be supported by an evolving economy and refining system, which will produce quality materials needed for crafting. Salvaging ships will yield specific materials like aluminum and titanium, which can then be used for crafting new items. While the initial test does not confirm the ability to craft consumables or ammo, it is expected to be added later. The future will also see base and station building, research, and upgrade mechanics integrated with crafting, creating a deep and interconnected progression system.
Overall, crafting is anticipated to be phased into Star Citizen gradually, starting with FPS gear and expanding to vehicles, ships, and bases. The system promises to enhance industrial gameplay, trading, and player-driven economy. The video also highlights ongoing community engagement through giveaways and encourages viewers to share their thoughts on the crafting system’s development and implementation timeline. Crafting represents a significant step forward in Star Citizen’s gameplay, emphasizing player choice, resource management, and progression through manufacturing and customization.