The new Star Citizen event offers diverse gameplay options including cargo hauling, mining, cargo recovery, and PvE combat, allowing players to choose activities that suit their playstyle while contributing to team scores and earning rewards. Designed as a temporary, cooperative, and accessible experience, the event balances peaceful resource gathering with combat missions, encouraging player collaboration across the Stanton system.
The new Star Citizen event introduces a diverse range of gameplay options centered around cargo hauling, mining, and combat, addressing player requests for more non-combat content. While combat remains part of the update, there is a significant focus on cargo-related activities, offering players multiple ways to participate and earn points for their chosen team. The event features four main categories: resource gathering (mining), cargo recovery, regular hauling contracts, and PvE combat missions. This structure encourages players to engage in activities that suit their playstyle, whether they prefer peaceful resource collection or combat-oriented tasks.
Resource gathering involves mining specific resources on various moons or planets, with no limits on the amount players can collect. This aspect is expected to expand in the future with the addition of salvage mechanics, allowing players to recover materials from derelict ships. Players can cooperate by passing resources between ships to maximize their haul and points. These activities contribute to overall team scores, with four teams competing: Crusader, AR Corp, MicroTech, and individual players. Rewards are distributed based on team performance and individual contributions, providing incentives for both teamwork and personal progress.
Cargo recovery missions task players with retrieving cargo from damaged or stolen vessels, including derelict ships and outlaw-themed forward operating bases. These missions can involve cooperative play, as demonstrated by the author’s experience helping another player load cargo onto a large ship. Players can choose their preferred company to work with, and switching between companies is allowed, adding flexibility to participation. Completing initial missions grants access to these companies, and the rewards for these tasks are substantial, encouraging player engagement.
Combat-oriented options are also available, primarily through PvE missions where players defend cargo ships from waves of NPC pirates. This allows combat enthusiasts to participate in the event without engaging in PvP or attacking other players, maintaining a balance between combat and non-combat gameplay. The event is designed to be accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of players, with friendly interactions observed during early testing phases. The developers emphasize that this event is temporary, contrasting with permanent sandbox activities, which adds a dynamic and time-limited element to the gameplay experience.
Overall, the event offers a refreshing mix of activities that cater to different playstyles, from peaceful mining and hauling to cooperative cargo recovery and PvE combat. With numerous locations and missions spread across the Stanton system, players have ample opportunities to participate without excessive risk of player camping or harassment. The temporary nature of the event also helps highlight the permanence of other sandbox features, providing a varied and engaging gameplay experience. This first look suggests a promising addition to Star Citizen’s evolving content, encouraging players to explore new roles and collaborate in the universe.