“CIG just release their Post Morten blog about what went right and what went wrong with the 3.18 and 3.19 updates. Its a very long and detailed post which I’ve broken down into the most interesting tidbits with some light opinion.”
Star Citizen recently released a postmortem of the 3.18 and 3.19 patches, which examined the successes and failures of these updates. The launch of 3.18 was chaotic and unexpected, resulting in players being unable to log in or play the game. The developers acknowledge that they were surprised by the extent of the issues and are committed to preserving the player experience as they roll out new technologies such as server meshing. They plan to gradually implement server meshing and create testing channels to ensure a smoother integration process.
The post also discusses the future plans for testing and integrating new technologies. They mention the use of a new Cloud test launcher to conduct stress testing on servers before releasing them live. The team responsible for the Persistent Universe replication technology has now moved on to static server meshing, which can be gradually integrated into the codebase. The goal is to avoid a disruptive approach and ensure a smoother experience for players. They aim to reveal more information about these plans by the end of the year.
The post also covers various features and ships introduced in the 3.18 and 3.19 patches. The developers address issues with the River Tool, which is being improved to allow for more automated generation of rivers on planets. They are also working on new cave systems and integrating them through an automated system. The Jump Town events had high participation but were plagued with bugs, which they are working to fix. They also mention the potential of bringing Jump Town to MicroTech.
Several ship designs, such as the Vulture and RSI Scorpius Antares, are discussed. The Vulture’s salvage gameplay mechanic is criticized for requiring the player to leave the pilot seat repeatedly, which is deemed unnecessary and tedious. The developers acknowledge that the gameplay mechanic evolved to require more manual input, but it is unclear if they plan to fix this issue. The Antares co-pilot’s role is also considered dull, and the developers intend to give co-pilots more gameplay features in the future.
Overall, the postmortem provides insight into the developers’ thoughts and plans for Star Citizen. They acknowledge the challenges faced during previous patches and emphasize the importance of preserving the player experience. The gradual rollout of new technologies, the improvements to existing features, and the integration of player feedback are all key focus areas for the development team.