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Patch 2.4 Released To PTU

rpmcmurphyrpmcmurphy Member EpicPosts: 3,502

Star Citizen Alpha 2.4.0 is now on PTU!

THE NDA IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THIS BUILD. LIVESTREAMING AND SHARING OF SCREENSHOTS ARE NOW ALLOWED.

This is a huge update and we encourage everyone to check out the initial 2.4.0 Patch Notes and the latest 2.4.0g Patch Notes here. You will need your PTU password sent to you when you Copy Account to PTU via the Launcher or through My RSI to access these Patch Notes.

For those just joining the test, please note that the Copy Account to PTU process can take up to 45 minutes during high load times!

We're also encouraging the use of the normal Issue Council for this round of testing.

Testing Goals:

  • Persistence is now in the game!! We'll now save your character between game sessions with data on Alpha UEC, Item Purchases, Hangar Configurations, Ship Loadouts, Character Loadouts, Crusader Reputation, and Ship Ammo and Missiles (Crusader only).
  • New outlaw and bounty hunter missions!
  • New control schemes!
  • Try out Alpha UEC and Shopping!
  • Port Modifications. This is still under development.
  • Reliant Base is hangar ready... and the Starfarer Gemini is flight ready!
  • Much, much more... we encourage everyone to jump into Discord for more information.

Thanks everyone and see you in the ‘Verse!
Will "Soulcrusher" Leverett CIG


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Comments

  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,297
    Shopping in Alpha 2.4 - Weapons, Armor and Clothing




    Have fun

  • hfztthfztt Member RarePosts: 1,401
    Erillion said:
    Shopping in Alpha 2.4 - Weapons, Armor and Clothing




    Have fun

    That is a very impressive example of very bad gameplay. Canot belive anyone used actual time to implement that. It is exactly what everyone told CCP was wrong with the "walking in stations" concept. What is shown in that video is a complete lack af meaningfull gameplay.

    But whatever. Some must want it. They payed 113M for it...
  • GrumpyHobbitGrumpyHobbit Member RarePosts: 1,220

    Photoshopped jpg's!








    Nah, looks great :)

  • NoxeronNoxeron Member UncommonPosts: 64
    hfztt said:
    Erillion said:
    Shopping in Alpha 2.4 - Weapons, Armor and Clothing




    Have fun

    That is a very impressive example of very bad gameplay. Canot belive anyone used actual time to implement that. It is exactly what everyone told CCP was wrong with the "walking in stations" concept. What is shown in that video is a complete lack af meaningfull gameplay.

    But whatever. Some must want it. They payed 113M for it...
    I don't get it. If walking around on stations is meaningless then isn't walking on ships the same?
    The whole idea with SC is that it's a space simulation from what I understand.
    And it seems to become quite the impressive space simulator.
  • hfztthfztt Member RarePosts: 1,401
    Noxeron said:
    hfztt said:
    Erillion said:
    Shopping in Alpha 2.4 - Weapons, Armor and Clothing




    Have fun

    That is a very impressive example of very bad gameplay. Canot belive anyone used actual time to implement that. It is exactly what everyone told CCP was wrong with the "walking in stations" concept. What is shown in that video is a complete lack af meaningfull gameplay.

    But whatever. Some must want it. They payed 113M for it...
    I don't get it. If walking around on stations is meaningless then isn't walking on ships the same?
    The whole idea with SC is that it's a space simulation from what I understand.
    And it seems to become quite the impressive space simulator.
    It is about meaningfull gameplay.

    Yeah, most of the walking around in stations make little sense from a gameplay perspective. Currently it mostly serve a way to delay how fast people can reship, a timesink of sorts. On stations where combat is allowed it makes for meaningfull gameplay, as someone could stand around the next corner to shoot you, and you have to plan and play according to that.

    Walking around a shop? Not much meaningfull gameplay there...

    What you have to ask yourself about every single feature the game is how that feature adds to the gameplay. Shopping in an actual ship in 3D adds little besides a timesink. The gameplay goals woul be better served from a shop menu. You might make the "emersion" argument, but you really should not add "emersion" elements that will start to feel tedious the second the first whau effect has worn off.

    The reason that a game like EVE does not have a docking animation is that it is not needed in gameplay nor for technical reasons. They do have system transition animations due to technical reasons, but it is not strictly needed for gameplay reasons, as just warping through the systems is what adds the timesink element along with other meaningfull gameplay, such as scanning and prepairing for post warp actions.

    Game design is an art. This seems mostly like doing it for the sake of doing it, not be course it adds to the game.
  • rpmcmurphyrpmcmurphy Member EpicPosts: 3,502
    edited May 2016
    I can't say the shopping crap appeals to me, the whole dolly dress-up thing is meh.
    What I do wonder is, if it's taken them this long to get here how long is it going to take to reach an MVP such as

    Major Technical Systems

    • 10+player per instance Netcode
    • Universe Server
    • Dynamic Instancing
    • Instanced Planetary Landing
    • Hangar-Universe Interaction (ie, how to get a ship from your hangar into the universe)
    • Push/Pull and Grabby Hands (needed for things like stealing cargo)
    • Full Health and Injury System With Mobility Effects (MVP++)
    • FPS cover/recovery (MVP++)
    • NPC AI, including FPS, crew, traders, miners, etc
    • NPC conversation system + wingman orders
    • Delta patching
    • Procedurally generated planets/planetoids (would say MVP++, but seems like we'll get this earlier)

    General Universe Systems

    • Galactic Economic Simulation + Economic nodes
    • Mission/Job Generation
    • Public Transportation System
    • Ship rentals (for people that lose their ship)
    • Remote Storage
    • Multi-faction Reputation System
    • Traditional MMO Grouping/party system
    • Org management/visibility (who is online, ranks, etc)
    • Org hangars (MVP++)
    • Player to player trading
    • Black Market system (Item ID/Stolen Item System)
    • Navigation (ie, charting courses)
    • Jump Point Navigation
    • Interdiction
    • Contracting System (Give money to other players for jobs like escorting)

    Player Roles and Role Mechanics

    • Cargo hauling
    • Passenger Transport
    • Rescue/Recovery System
    • Salvage
    • Mining
    • Fuel collection
    • Bounty Hunting + Prisoner system
    • Cartography/Jump Point Mapping
    • Medical
    • Science/Research
    • Information running
    • Smuggling/cargo scanning
    • Player-Controlled External Repair
    • Space Station Control (MVP++)
    • Racing Circuits/League (MVP++)

    Ships and Ship Systems

    • Purchasing ships/ship components with ingame currency
    • Ship/component/cargo insurance
    • Ship docking + carrier mechanics
    • Multicrew station control / role assignments
    • Several multicrew station role, like sensors, CNC, engineering
    • Panel Access to Components/Internal Repair
    • Component Tweaking/Tuning/Overclocking/Testing (MVP++)
    • Ship locking / control
    • Ship hacking / forced boarding / component disabling
    • CPU Resource System
    • Electronic Warfare
    • Ship to ship refueling
    • Escape Pods/Vehicles

    Characters and NPCs

    • Death system (I actually think character death can be MVP++)
    • Character Creation/Customization
    • Female character model
    • Lots of NPCs

    Assets

    • Landing Zones + Shops
    • Planets
    • Star Systems
    • Missions
    • Clothes/Accessories
    • Ships for ship-limited roles (mining, recovery, etc)
    • Capital ships
    • Vanduul + Xi'an (I expect to get these with SQ42)

    Added much later / not really necessary

    • Planetary Exploration/Surface Combat
    • Plants/Agriculture
    • Pets
    • Tevarin
    • Banu
    • Kr’Thak
    • Alien languages
    • News Van
    • Ship skins/paint


    Quite a good discussion about it here https://www.reddit.com/r/starcitizen/comments/4jxpgx/cleanedup_list_of_features_needed_between_24_and/


  • ShodanasShodanas Member RarePosts: 1,933
    hfztt said:
    Erillion said:
    Shopping in Alpha 2.4 - Weapons, Armor and Clothing




    Have fun

    That is a very impressive example of very bad gameplay. Canot belive anyone used actual time to implement that. It is exactly what everyone told CCP was wrong with the "walking in stations" concept. What is shown in that video is a complete lack af meaningfull gameplay.

    But whatever. Some must want it. They payed 113M for it...
    Care to elaborate a bit on what exactly is so bad about it? The models? The physics? The graphics?
     
    Shopping is a side activity and from what we see in the footage quite nicely implemented. It adds immersion and makes the planet / space stations feel much more lively and real.

    Of course they could have walked the other path where the player docks / lands on a station and every interaction would be accomplished via static screens and menus.

    I presume this would be an impressive example of very nice game play for you.
  • hfztthfztt Member RarePosts: 1,401
    Shodanas said:

    Of course they could have walked the other path where the player docks / lands on a station and every interaction would be accomplished via static screens and menus.

    I presume this would be an impressive example of very nice game play for you.
    Depends.

    What can happen in the shop? Besides the "immersion" part, what happens there?

    Can i get shot while shopping? Is there live auctions? Can I make meaningfull choices about anything that could not be acheaved simpler, and possibly better, via a menu?

    If nothing is added to my gameplay, except a timesink as i have to walk around to find what I want instead of a simple search interface, then absolutely yes, a menu would be better gameplay. 
  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,297
    Shodanas said:
    Care to elaborate a bit on what exactly is so bad about it? The models? The physics? The graphics?
     
    Shopping is a side activity and from what we see in the footage quite nicely implemented. It adds immersion and makes the planet / space stations feel much more lively and real.

    Of course they could have walked the other path where the player docks / lands on a station and every interaction would be accomplished via static screens and menus.

    I presume this would be an impressive example of very nice game play for you.
    The fun thing is that people still talk about shopping in games like Star Wars Galaxies, where players crafted a lot of equipment themselves and offered them in beautifully decorated shopping malls throughout the game. 

    I know A LOT of players that can spend HOURS outfitting their avatars with the right gear (and i am NOT speaking about dps stats here, I speak about the LOOK of clothing and weapons). And this seems to happen in just about EVERY MMO i know  (and a lot of solo games too) that offers player customization.

    What may  be a meaningless gameplay feature for one player is often an important aspect for another player.


    Have fun
  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,297
    hfztt said:
    Depends.

    What can happen in the shop? Besides the "immersion" part, what happens there?

    Can i get shot while shopping? Is there live auctions? Can I make meaningfull choices about anything that could not be acheaved simpler, and possibly better, via a menu?

    If nothing is added to my gameplay, except a timesink as i have to walk around to find what I want instead of a simple search interface, then absolutely yes, a menu would be better gameplay. 
    You could have INTERACTION WITH OTHER PLAYERS. 

    You know .... talking, socializing .... putting the "multi" back into multiplayer ;-)

    Its a bit difficult to socially interact with a text menu ....


    Can you get shot ? We will see. Will there be live auctions ? Of that i am sure ... whereever you have a "local" chat that anyone nearby can hear you can hawk your wares. Hopefully there will be a large enough "ignore" list - i remember the peddlers hawking their warez outside Star Wars Galaxies starports (or Jita local chat in EVE Online). 


    Have fun
  • donger56donger56 Member RarePosts: 443
    I think it was Einstein that once said that the only 2 things that are infinite are the universe and human stupidity. I think we can now add SC alpha and make it 3 things. Of course the 3rd would not be possible without the first 2 ....

  • hfztthfztt Member RarePosts: 1,401
    Erillion said:
    Shodanas said:
    Care to elaborate a bit on what exactly is so bad about it? The models? The physics? The graphics?
     
    Shopping is a side activity and from what we see in the footage quite nicely implemented. It adds immersion and makes the planet / space stations feel much more lively and real.

    Of course they could have walked the other path where the player docks / lands on a station and every interaction would be accomplished via static screens and menus.

    I presume this would be an impressive example of very nice game play for you.
    The fun thing is that people still talk about shopping in games like Star Wars Galaxies, where players crafted a lot of equipment themselves and offered them in beautifully decorated shopping malls throughout the game. 

    I know A LOT of players that can spend HOURS outfitting their avatars with the right gear (and i am NOT speaking about dps stats here, I speak about the LOOK of clothing and weapons). And this seems to happen in just about EVERY MMO i know  (and a lot of solo games too) that offers player customization.

    What may  be a meaningless gameplay feature for one player is often an important aspect for another player.


    Have fun
    You just explained meaningfull gameplay for shops. Great.

    I use a lot of time to finding the right outfit for my chars as well.

    But what does that have to do with what was shown in that video?

  • DrakmarDrakmar Member UncommonPosts: 22
    hfztt said:
    Erillion said:
    Shodanas said:
    Care to elaborate a bit on what exactly is so bad about it? The models? The physics? The graphics?
     
    Shopping is a side activity and from what we see in the footage quite nicely implemented. It adds immersion and makes the planet / space stations feel much more lively and real.

    Of course they could have walked the other path where the player docks / lands on a station and every interaction would be accomplished via static screens and menus.

    I presume this would be an impressive example of very nice game play for you.
    The fun thing is that people still talk about shopping in games like Star Wars Galaxies, where players crafted a lot of equipment themselves and offered them in beautifully decorated shopping malls throughout the game. 

    I know A LOT of players that can spend HOURS outfitting their avatars with the right gear (and i am NOT speaking about dps stats here, I speak about the LOOK of clothing and weapons). And this seems to happen in just about EVERY MMO i know  (and a lot of solo games too) that offers player customization.

    What may  be a meaningless gameplay feature for one player is often an important aspect for another player.


    Have fun
    You just explained meaningfull gameplay for shops. Great.

    I use a lot of time to finding the right outfit for my chars as well.

    But what does that have to do with what was shown in that video?

    When someone answers you, do things usually go right over your head ? lol
  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,297
    hfztt said:

    Can i get shot while shopping?
    Follow up on that question.

    In the shopping video I linked above check out the upper left part of the screen. You will see two icons (the second icon appears on Port Olisar later in the video). A crossed-out bullet tells you that you are in a no-fire zone. So you cannot get shot while shopping.

    If you want an in game play explanation think of it as automated turrets with tasers in the ceiling that would zap anyone with 50000 volts that tries to use a gun.

    The second icon tells you that any crimes are being monitored and reported in the vicinity. If you want to be a criminal, better take out any comsats in range first so your dastardly acts are not being reported to the authorities.


    Have fun
  • howstupidisthishowstupidisthis Member UncommonPosts: 147
    hfztt said:
    Shodanas said:

    Of course they could have walked the other path where the player docks / lands on a station and every interaction would be accomplished via static screens and menus.

    I presume this would be an impressive example of very nice game play for you.
    Depends.

    What can happen in the shop? Besides the "immersion" part, what happens there?

    Can i get shot while shopping? Is there live auctions? Can I make meaningfull choices about anything that could not be acheaved simpler, and possibly better, via a menu?

    If nothing is added to my gameplay, except a timesink as i have to walk around to find what I want instead of a simple search interface, then absolutely yes, a menu would be better gameplay. 
    That's because SC is more a sim than an MMO.
    CIG has stated that repeatedly.
  • VonatarVonatar Member UncommonPosts: 723
    God forbid there's a social aspect to SC, like there used to be in MMOs some 10+ years ago. I mean, you might actually have to spend a while talking to another person. How awful!

    I'd rather go mindlessly repeat content until I'm so bored of it I go on the forums and complain about a lack of content.

    /sarcasm
  • Asm0deusAsm0deus Member EpicPosts: 4,405
    I am glad they have this and avoided to the whole ED lets use menus for everything, not have any kind of storage or player to player trading.

    Brenics ~ Just to point out I do believe Chris Roberts is going down as the man who cheated backers and took down crowdfunding for gaming.





  • bcbullybcbully Member EpicPosts: 11,838
    hfztt said:
    Erillion said:
    Shopping in Alpha 2.4 - Weapons, Armor and Clothing




    Have fun

    That is a very impressive example of very bad gameplay. Canot belive anyone used actual time to implement that. It is exactly what everyone told CCP was wrong with the "walking in stations" concept. What is shown in that video is a complete lack af meaningfull gameplay.

    But whatever. Some must want it. They payed 113M for it...
    Although I understand where you are coming from, I don't believe walking around should mean a sacrifice in game play. 
    "We see fundamentals and we ape in"
  • howstupidisthishowstupidisthis Member UncommonPosts: 147
    Vonatar said:
    God forbid there's a social aspect to SC, like there used to be in MMOs some 10+ years ago. I mean, you might actually have to spend a while talking to another person. How awful!

    I'd rather go mindlessly repeat content until I'm so bored of it I go on the forums and complain about a lack of content.

    /sarcasm
    You and me both!

    Reminds me of the early days of "Dark Age of Camelot", when you had to travel long distances on horses and find dungeons in forests, all without any map markers!

    It was so awesome, nothing but towns and castles showed up on the maps, all the game content had to be found out in the game world, but as the game grew more popular, many players thought it was too hard so Mythic decided to go "mainstream" and took it away for "easier" more  "friendly" game mechanics.

    Beware people ask for this, as they often destroy games  :(
  • Thomas2006Thomas2006 Member RarePosts: 1,152
    hfztt said:
    Erillion said:
    Shodanas said:
    Care to elaborate a bit on what exactly is so bad about it? The models? The physics? The graphics?
     
    Shopping is a side activity and from what we see in the footage quite nicely implemented. It adds immersion and makes the planet / space stations feel much more lively and real.

    Of course they could have walked the other path where the player docks / lands on a station and every interaction would be accomplished via static screens and menus.

    I presume this would be an impressive example of very nice game play for you.
    The fun thing is that people still talk about shopping in games like Star Wars Galaxies, where players crafted a lot of equipment themselves and offered them in beautifully decorated shopping malls throughout the game. 

    I know A LOT of players that can spend HOURS outfitting their avatars with the right gear (and i am NOT speaking about dps stats here, I speak about the LOOK of clothing and weapons). And this seems to happen in just about EVERY MMO i know  (and a lot of solo games too) that offers player customization.

    What may  be a meaningless gameplay feature for one player is often an important aspect for another player.


    Have fun
    You just explained meaningfull gameplay for shops. Great.

    I use a lot of time to finding the right outfit for my chars as well.

    But what does that have to do with what was shown in that video?


    You should play text based games. That way all you have to deal with is the text menus / typing. No need for anything else cause "by your own words" its meaningless gameplay features. Why have 3d graphics when it is much easier and faster to display text. No neethem polygons to get in the way and slow the game down.
  • spankybusspankybus Member UncommonPosts: 1,367
    There is no such thing as 'meaningful' gameplay. There is only gameplay, all of which is meaningless/

    Because it's a game. It serves no point in life but to entertain.

    Some people are entertained by virtual shopping. Almost everyone wants to set up their in-game characters to be different from other players in some way.

    While some might find some elements pointless, remember the whole game is pointless...just like every other game. Calling certain pointless elements meaningful or meaningless just makes me laugh.

    if you do not enjoy shopping, don't do it. I think you can get by without it. Why begrudge it for others?

    Frank 'Spankybus' Mignone
    www.spankybus.com
    -3d Artist & Compositor
    -Writer
    -Professional Amature

  • TarbloodTarblood Member UncommonPosts: 98
    So, I am just going to leave this here:

    How is it even at version 2.4? Wouldn't that mean 1.0 would've had to have come out?!

    RAWR

  • howstupidisthishowstupidisthis Member UncommonPosts: 147
    That was a decision that came out of engineering, if I remember right, they talked about in ATV.
    Apparently the naming system they were using interfered with changes coming down the pipe.

    All of this due to the little talked about fact, that these guys are not just building a game, but overhauling the cry engine and building the entire company around it, all at the same time!

    Crazy amount of work.


  • Tiamat64Tiamat64 Member RarePosts: 1,545
    I find the idea that you actually see the wares in the store etc to be very atmospheric.  But I do have to wonder if it was worth the extra resources to implement in a reality where resources are finite and a game where you probably won't be spending that much time in the shop anyways.
  • gervaise1gervaise1 Member EpicPosts: 6,919
    More game assets. More steps forward towards "living spaces" and character customization.

    And who knows maybe there will be run down / abandoned stations in unpatrolled area of space run by less savoury elements - and shopping could be dangerous!

    With all the talk about shopping though there is some other stuff in the patch notes.
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