The October development update for Star Citizen highlighted progress in various areas, including AI improvements, engineering gameplay features, mission development, graphics, and VFX. The teams are working to enhance the player experience, refine existing systems, and prepare for upcoming releases, such as Alpha 3.22 with multi-crew gameplay and improved environments.
In the October development update for Star Citizen, several areas of progress were highlighted. The AI features in the game received major improvements, including bringing Squadron 42’s AI combat functionality to the persistent universe. AI combat tactics, accuracy calculation, and hazard avoidance were among the areas that were enhanced. The team is looking forward to player feedback on these updates.
The AI tech team continued their work on the Boid system and Apollo subsumption tool, making optimizations and improvements for the Pyro region. The team also focused on adding navigation anchors to various systems for more efficient calculation and tracking of positions on the navigation mesh.
The engineering team worked on multi-crew gameplay, spawning features, and seat selection within vehicles. Custom matches and improvements to the interface for custom lobbies were also made. Additionally, the team developed the Solar Flare Hazard and made tuning passes for various upcoming ships and vehicles.
The mission features team made progress on the data heist mission, focusing on bug fixes and polishing. They also supported the Pyro region by balancing cargo manifest in missions and refining new narrative passes. Rundown stations and new underground facilities received attention, and non-violent means to remove trespassers from ships were investigated.
The graphics and VFX programming team worked on various features showcased at CitizenCon, including improvements to cloud shaping, fire simulation, and rifle scopes. The water simulation and effects were completed, while lighting improvements were made to locations. The audio team focused on creating a more immersive sound experience, with improvements in ship combat sounds and environmental audio. The R&D team developed better cloud rendering techniques and optimized ground fog and shadow rendering. The VFX team wrapped up their work on Pyro, prepared the all-new water simulation, and provided support for various CitizenCon presentations.
Overall, the October update demonstrated progress in various areas, including AI, engineering gameplay, mission features, graphics, and VFX. The teams are working to enhance the player experience, improve visuals, and refine existing systems for a more immersive gameplay experience. The updates and developments mentioned set the stage for upcoming releases, including Alpha 3.22, with exciting features such as multi-crew gameplay and improved dynamic environments.