In a Star Citizen Livestream, Torsten and GMO from the feature team discuss the upcoming engineering system in the game. They clarify that while engineering might pose more challenges for solo players in terms of ship maintenance, the team aims to strike a balance between realism and enjoyable gameplay, with plans to gradually introduce complexity based on community feedback.
In this Star Citizen Live Deep Dive video, Jared Huckaby sits down with Torsten and GMO from the feature team to discuss the upcoming engineering system in the game. They start by asking the viewers who are excited or concerned about engineering, and then dive into the questions from the community.
They explain that engineering will not necessarily hurt solo players in Star Citizen. While it may be more challenging for solo players to maintain and repair their ships, it is still possible. The level of maintenance required will depend on the age of the ship and the quality of its components. They want to strike a balance between realism and fun gameplay, so they are starting with a simple repair mechanic and will observe feedback from the community before making it more complex.
The concept of subcomponents for ship systems is also addressed. They explain that subcomponents already exist in the game for certain systems, such as fuses for relays and scrubbers for life support. The idea is to have meaningful gameplay without overcomplicating it.
The team also discusses how relays and resource distribution will work in the game. Different ships will have different layouts of relays and connections, with military ships having more redundancy. They also mention that manufacturers may have their own variations in the way their ships’ components function and degrade.
In terms of gameplay, the team confirms that players who have a deeper understanding of ship layouts and subsystems will have an advantage. Knowing where to target components or how to deal with malfunctions can greatly impact the outcome of a situation. However, they are also mindful of striking a balance and not making it too complex or overwhelming for players.
Overall, the team is working to create a resource management and engineering system that adds depth and realism to the game, while still keeping the gameplay enjoyable and accessible for players. They are continuously refining the mechanics based on feedback and are targeting a release of the engineering system in Q2 of next year.