Star Citizen developer Declan reveals that crafting and base building systems will feature persistent blueprints (with cosmetic blueprints being account-bound), regional land claim persistence across server shards, and seamless shard transfers for base raids and defenses. While crafting is still months away from live release, these updates highlight complex technical solutions aimed at enhancing player personalization, base management, and multiplayer interactions.
The video provides an update on Star Citizen’s crafting and base building systems, focusing on insights shared by Declan, one of the main developers working on these features. The crafting system is still some time away from being available in the Public Test Universe (PTU), possibly at least a month or more, and even longer before it reaches the live servers. Declan addresses questions about the persistence of crafting blueprints and materials, clarifying that while blueprints will persist between patches, they won’t be permanently bound to player accounts like event rewards and could be lost in a full wipe. However, some cosmetic blueprints will be permanently account-bound, especially those earned through events.
A key point discussed is the separation of cosmetic blueprints from the actual items. Cosmetic blueprints won’t craft the item itself but will allow players to apply specific skins or colors to items via the crafting UI. This system enables players to maintain exclusive cosmetic appearances on items they craft or find later, adding a layer of personalization and potential business opportunities for players who specialize in crafting with rare cosmetics. The developer also hints at a future where all skins and paints might be represented as blueprints, moving away from physicalized items or bindings to entities.
Regarding base building and homesteading, Declan explains how land claims and bases will be managed across different server shards within the same region. Each land claim will have copies on all shards in a region, preventing multiple players from claiming the same spot. This regional persistence ensures that a claimed base remains exclusive regardless of the shard a player is on. Additionally, if a base owner opens their base to the public, players can access their shops and crafting facilities from any shard in that region, with inventories shared across shards to provide a seamless experience.
When it comes to raiding or defending bases, the system will restrict these activities to a single shard at a time. The shard where the base owner is currently located will be the active shard for any attacks or defenses. Players attempting to engage in combat on the wrong shard will be prompted to transfer to the correct shard dynamically. This transfer system aims to be seamless, allowing defenders and attackers to join the ongoing conflict without significant disruption, though the exact mechanics and user experience of shard switching remain to be seen.
Overall, the update sheds light on the technical and gameplay considerations behind crafting and base building in Star Citizen. While it answers some important questions about persistence, cosmetics, and server architecture, it also raises new questions about how these systems will function in practice. The community eagerly awaits further details as these features move closer to implementation, potentially as soon as December, but the developer’s insights provide a clearer picture of the ambitious and complex systems being developed.