Star Citizen Alpha 3.6 Live Now for All Backers, Adds Complete Law and Crime System Overhaul

Star Citizen just got updated to Alpha version 3.6, now live for all backers of the space simulation game, three months after the release of Alpha version 3.5. The main feature is the complete overhaul of the law and crime systems of Star Citizen, though you can read the full changelog below.

You’ll need a new launcher to go ahead with the download, by the way. The next major content patches, 3.7 and 3.8, are expected to drop on Star Citizen in September and December.

New Features

General

• Added a hold to activate option for head tracking (available at the comms menu).
• Added option to select head tracking source and camera selection.

Universe

• Added additional crimestat hacking locations, terminals, and updated the hacking system

Hacking now requires a stowable, single-use device which can be found at various locations and shops and is stored as a gadget, retrievable using the “4” key. The devices vary in style and quality, with some more “legal” devices able to do the job with minimal required upkeep from the player but over an extended period of time. Other devices, of a more illicit nature, hack very quickly but require constant interaction upkeep from the player to keep in operation. Additionally, longer periods put the hacking player at risk as counter-missions can be generated to stop them. The updated behavior applies to removal of crimestat as well as shutting off comm arrays. The slow, reliable device can be found at some shops in the verse including Cubby Blast but the more illicit device may require seeking out less reputable vendors. Additionally, there are now expanded locations where a player can attempt to hack away their crime stat.

• Added automated turrets to GrimHex.
• Complete overhaul of the law and criminality system

Crimestat now directly impacts the level of opposition and how active their pursuit style. The higher the crimestat, the more active and difficult the pursuers. Crimes are split into less severe misdemeanors, which are enforced via fines, and more punishing federal offenses which will result in the player being engaged by hostile AI and bounty hunters. Law is enforced in a jurisdiction system with the main jurisdiction for the Stanton system being UEE, which tracks and enforces federal offenses. Regional jurisdiction is specific to a given area (ie. Crusader, Hurston) which police their own misdemeanors and have their own rules for control substances and unique security forces. The rules and crimes for each region will be listed in the mobiGlas “Journal” for that jurisdiction and are updated as you move through the regions. GrimHex is a unique case of a jurisdiction that does not respect the authority of UEE and does not report crimes to them. GrimHex also field dampens the area around it to protect its visitors. Misdemeanor fines are deducted from your account directly, provided you have the funds as a temporary measure until fine payoff kiosks are implemented.

Various security forces may also randomly approach the player as they move around the verse. If the player encounters these forces and is a felon or in current possession of a ship that has been reported stolen (another player has made an insurance claim on that ship), they will immediately be attacked. If not, the player will be requested to halt and submit to a scan via ship to ship comms. If the player fails to stop within a certain time period, with repeated warnings, they will be given a crimestat and attacked. If the submit to a scan and are in possession of illegal goods, they will be fined and the goods removed.
Stolen goods and illegal commodities can now only be sold at less than reputable locations, some of which may require some investigation to locate.

Missions

• Added illegal style delivery missions for prohibited and stolen goods.

Ships and Vehicles

• Added hover mode.

Hover mode will automatically engage near planetary surfaces with atmosphere below a certain velocity threshold. When engaged, ships will swap to VTOL thruster modes, which will include alternate thruster configurations when applicable. When in hover mode, the ship will hover level until the player gives an input. Pitch forward/backward will result in moving forward/backward and roll will result in lateral movement. If the ship attains enough forward velocity it will automatically switch to rear thrust driven forward flight.

• Added ship purchasing kiosks to ship shops around the verse.
• Added ship component degradation.

Ship components (coolers, power plants, shields) now suffer from noticeable degradation which can accumulate through time and through specific behaviors (frequent overheating, damage). Degradation can be repaired with any other ship damage at major stations.

• Added “misfire” events to ship shields, thrusters, power plants, and coolers.

Some ship components (coolers, power plants, shields, thrusters) now have a chance to misfire. The base chance for a component in perfect condition is extremely low. Misfire chances increase with increasing degradation, damage, and heat. Misfires can be minor visual blips, major with periods of reduced functionality, or critical temporary shutdowns.

• New Ship: Kruger Intergalactic P-72 Archimedes.
• New Vehicle: Anvil Ballista
• New Ship Weapon: MaxOx Neutron Repeaters

Rapid fire short-mid range weapons found in sizes 1 through 3. Uses “neutron” style damage, which has damage that increases over its range. Neutron Repeaters are available at Centermass in Area18.

• Added nozzle flaps to the F7C and F7CM.
• Grouped thrusters into a “power group” which can now be throttled to control thruster acceleration.

Thruster power throttle is default bound to RALT+mouse wheel and is available in the keybinding menu. To allow players to track current power throttle to thrusters, a meter of percent power has replaced what was the hydrogen fuel meter and hydrogen fuel has moved to a static percent readout on the bottom of the HUD.

• Added a cargo grid to the Valkyrie.
• Added ship hailing.

You can now start a video call with the pilot of a ship/vehicle that you’re targeting while in your ship/vehicle with a hotkey (6), selecting the target in either the Comms/Targeting MFD, or in your MobiGlas Comms app.

• Added ship specific voice channel.

When entering a ship, you now join its ship channel. When selecting the ship channel after you’ve joined it, you can VoIP and Chat with other members that are actively in that ship channel. You’ll automatically leave the ship channel if you leave the ship for a period of time or move too far from the ship.

FPS

• Added customizable weapon attachments

Some FPS weapons can now be customized via various attachments. Available attachments are red dot (1x zoom), holographic (3x), a telescopic (4x), and a telescopic (8x ). These can be found at FPS weapon shops that carry compatible weapons.

• Added the ability to free look and activate head tracking while holding a weapon.
• Free look in first person now operates as a hold rather than a smart toggle.
• New FPS Weapon: Behring S38 Pistol

This reliable Behring sidearm features a streamlined design and a lightweight polymer frame that helps to minimize recoil. And with the quick fire semi-automatic fire mode, it’s easy to see why the versatile and dependable S38 has become a standard sidearm across the Empire for both citizens and law enforcement officers. Can be purchased at Center Mass and Port Olisar.

• New FPS Weapon: Klaus & Werner Lumin V SMG

A solid and dependable laser submachine gun with a reputation for durability, reliability, and accuracy. Can be purchased at Center Mass and Conscientious Objects.

UI

• The comms visor display now displays which channel you are VOIP broadcasting to, who else is in the channel with you, and who is speaking.
• Players can now invite an entire channel into their party.
• Players now default auto-join the global proximity VOIP channel.

Feature Updates

General

• Unified TrackIR and FOIP head tracking buttons.
• Updates and numerous polish to head tracking functionality including the addition of head roll.

Universe

• Complete update of Rest Stop exteriors and shapes, including thematic variations.
• Moved Delamar further away from Crusader and into its own object container.
• Updated commodity pricing to reflect the addition of black markets and stolen goods.
• Updated several locations to now use decoupled lighting for improved visual look.
• Reduced the volume of the combat music and added an option to mute this music event.
• Added the ability for AI pilots to strafe during passes.
• Added Oxypen and MediPen to Lorville Tammany and Sons shop.
• Updated transit system to streamline flow and usage.

Trains are now on loops with multiple trains on each line, which should reduce waiting times across the board. Elevators can now move to any pad/hangar and are no longer specific to one hangar/pad. A selection of available destinations will be available via interaction at the interior elevator button panel.

• Added “average” skill level for AI pilots to increase variation.
• Updated and expanded player carriable items.
• Adding clustering for mineable entities.

Mineable rocks now appear in medium to large clusters rather than single rocks and their locations have been updated to reflect this.

• Lighting pass on exteriors of underground facilities.
• Various visual tweaks around Lorville.
• Increased refinery kiosk pay out to give a slightly higher yield to mined materials.

Missions

• Re-enabled ECN missions.
• Various improvements to FPS based missions.
• Temporarily removed escort and distraction style missions.
• There are now as many PVP bounty missions offered as there are eligible criminal player targets.

UI

• Video and lighting improvements to comms calls.
• Color and names of channels can now be edited in the mobiGlas.
• Players can now decide which chat channel is directed to the visor.

FPS

• Improved the look and feel of the character jump mechanic.
• Updated ragdoll properties to improve look and feel in all situations.
• Polish to smooth out first person turns and crouch turns.
• Added a display screen to the GRIN multi-tool.
• Added display screen to KLWE Arclight pistol.

Ships and Vehicles

• Complete rework of the Aegis Vanguard Warden.
• Revised the P-52 Merlin.
• Updated the HUD of the Gladius.
• Decreased the hull strength of the Arrow.
• Increased the hull strength of the Reliant.
• Significantly increased the hull strength of the Khartu-Al.
• Removed the ability to change paints on the VMA and Arena Commander vehicle editor as it had applied in unintended situations. The ability to swap paints on the Aurora and the Graycat will be added back at a later date.
• Updated JUST quantum drives for increased durability and more distinction from other classes.
• Further updates to ship weapon audio.
• Reworked shield values and functionality

Shields have been reworked to add major differences between manufacturers and classifications with the goal of providing a difference in feel and value. Size 1 shields have had their health pools readjusted and regen reworked. For size 1, shields now stop regenerating on hit and once a set period of time passes without further strikes, the shields will began to regen again. The functional goal of this is to limit shield regeneration during a fight and have the shield work more to stop the enemy doing significant damage right at a fight’s outset. There is one exception, ASAS (manufacturer) shields constantly regenerate, but have a reduced health pool. Size 2 shields work similar to before, but now with more difference between manufacturers. At size 2 there is no damage delay, low regeneration, and a large health pool. Size 3 shields have very large health pools and regeneration rates, with the goal of requiring multiple ships working together to overcome their regen.

• Reworked ship shields so power setting only impacts regen.
• Toned down the shield shader VFX.
• Changed the shield regen delay to be per generator rather than per face.
• Overclocking no longer affects shield allocation rate or hardening.
• Updated Prospector main engine with VFX.
• Updated AI Hammerheads to “gunship” type flight behavior.
• Updated ship weapon audio.
• Increased the damage output of missiles.
• Updated the cooling for Dragonfly and Nox thrusters to make them more usable.
• Removed collision from the Freelancer’s turret forks as a temporary work around to get larger objects in, pending animated retract.
• Updated rate of fire on all repeater weapons.
• Added audio feedback for player g-force stress.

Major Bug Fixes

• Missiles should now be able to be counter-measured appropriately.
• Fixed missing thruster damage VFX for the 300 series.
• Ship controls for the Nox should now animate when strafing.
• IFCS sounds for coupled/cruise should now work for all ships.
• Customized 325a’s should no longer have mismatched cargo holds.
• Strafing should now animate on the Cutlass HOTAS.
• The HUD should now properly update when changing fire-mode on the KSAR Scalpel.
• Players should no longer get stuck inside of ArcCorp rooftops when they go prone.
• Players should now be able to vault or mantle from a crouch.
• Players should no longer be able to force pass out by jumping.
• Loading into Arena Commander as a spectator should no longer cause an infinite load screen.
• The comms MFD should now update properly.
• Added an interaction to the interior of the cargo bay of the 300 series to avoid players getting stuck.
• The Eclipse radar should no longer be reversed.
• Fixed a head-flip and smooth tracking issue when doing fast turns on foot.
• Fix for visual blurring on rotating asteroids.
• The attitude flight HUD should now appear properly when flying at Delamar.
• JUST quantum drives should now have a distinct feel from other types.
• The Reliant series should now be able to store handheld cargo.
• Combat music should no longer seem much louder than others.
• Fixed missing radar on customized ships.
• Fixed weapons should no longer aim toward the target as if gimbaled when in assist mode.
• Turret HUD markers should no longer appear if the player isn’t facing them.
• Increased the health of destructible turrets so they can’t be destroyed with melee attacks.
• Turret movement audio should now play properly.
• Updated spline jumps to avoid impacts with the planetary body.
• Fixed a visual issue with the Valkyrie camo skin.
• Assisted gimbals should no longer wander when no target is locked and the ship is in motion.
• The undersuit should no longer display thruster VFX when not in EVA.
• Using automated landing at rest stops should no longer cause the ship to move away rather than land.
• Ship engine and idle glows should now properly be off when the ship is off.
• Fixed an issue where scan blob contact VFX were played for everyone in the area.
• Ruto’s face should now appear.
• Female characters should now sit in the copilot seat of the Super Hornet correctly.
• Party launch and “join friends” should now work from the main menu.
• Targeting pips should no longer continue to show and lock to screen after a weapon is destroyed.
• Fixed an issue where some MFD screens would be blank from the copilot or support seat.
• Players should no longer fall through a planet when loading back in if they previously logged out in a bed.

The post Star Citizen Alpha 3.6 Live Now for All Backers, Adds Complete Law and Crime System Overhaul by Alessio Palumbo appeared first on Wccftech.

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