Inside Star Citizen: Year in Review | Fall 2020

Transcript — every row opens the video at that moment

1. 00:00:05

   some of our artistic goals with the refinery was it's large and open which has its challenges because we've got to pretty much draw the entire environment in one frame we wanted to to feel hot and smoky very humid like there's a lot of metal around really really wanted to implement more track view stuff like you saw in the cargo deck with the cranes moving we really want to start utilizing that a lot more so that was a big big ticket item for art and then implementing those as well so i had to dress up the level refinery with elements like fire smoke sparks and some steam for the smelter effect

2. 00:00:54

   i gathered a lot of references so i started with the main effect which was the method metal the main challenge for this one was how should i choreograph everything together because not all the elements happening at the same time when it's hitting the bottom of the pot only then the fire the sparks and the steam should come out with this melted metal i'm really proud of in this level is that we achieved a certain mood in this level we use some called utilitarian assets so these are light fixtures that are purely functional not necessarily aesthetically pleasing what was also challenging in this level

3. 00:01:43

   is it was fairly open and you can look almost through everything usually when we do light some areas mostly you got some so-called dog legs where you can hide some level parts or something like this but in this case you got a long line of sight you can almost look everywhere but it was a balancing act all the lighting in there has to be functional so just for guiding the player inside it and we achieve this through foot lights or railing lights or some point of interest that we achieved with strong lighting or color variations or contrasts so when you go into the level you see all these working lights casting super long shadows

4. 00:02:30

   i think what's also super interesting for lighting artists in this level is that you got all this um layering going on so together with vfx sound that we get the industrial feeling going on in there so this is the low dislocation in the game i just wanted it to sound like a mad kind of you know place filled with machinery and there's a lot going on and it sounds a bit kind of what's the word like low tech quite a low-tech sound i was going for lots of like metal clanking and things like maybe machines are kind of broken and they're rattling a bit more than the one beside it just give give it a bit of life to the the whole space here's a quick walkthrough on how i

5. 00:03:17

   designed the ambiences for the refinery deck we've got three main layers here we've got synthetic base layer and the detail the detail is just kind of high end metal hits the base layers some noise from some like fan sounds and the synth layer is something i designed using the behringer neutron synth i'll just show you this now [Music] once these are all layered up i add some reverb and here's the final sounds and that's how i designed some of the

6. 00:04:12

   sounds for the refinery deck so when you first arrive to the refinery you step out from the elevator and you're greeted with some info information boards it's less you know game critical information and more environment setting information if you look left or right because there's elevators on the other side you'll notice that we've got these big big windows that uh look out into space you know that came up quite a bit from backers and directors as well is that sometimes when we're inside these space station locations we lose a sense of scale and you know where we are in in the station so we we thought about putting in a window just to go hey you're here um this is the scale of you compared to the rest of

7. 00:05:01

   the the station and i think that's pretty important but then if you go to the other side you make your way to the the refinery hub and this is where all the ore is refined you've got machinery to regulate all these moving parts and and processes but if you proceed through the hub towards the backer the refinery you'll get to the refinery shop or the the foreman's office you've got you've got some services like ship rentals mining guild refinery guild where you can buy you know mining equipment like mining heads and and backpacks and the multi-tool as well as ship rentals so pretty much it's you know a one-stop shop

8. 00:05:48

   if you go above the shop past the foreman's office who's the overseer of the the entire facility um kind of like uh you know the boss of the of the location so he'll you'll hear him um over loudspeaker making calls for people requesting information and stuff like that but in his office there's the refinement terminals where if you've mined some stuff in your mole or prospector you can come here and then you can start the refinement process you you can either wait around and just explore the environment while you wait for the or to refine or you know you can go back to the rest stop and maybe grab a bite to eat from the the food court there

9. 00:06:37

   and then come back when it's all ready we really hope that the players get a real sense of scale with the stations they're starting to visualize each inch of this station is bustling with with life and activity you know we're trying to invoke the the idea there's a workforce kind of happening in the universe all this is something that you can go and you can see firsthand what's happening with all the work you're doing out in the verse it's no secret that 2020 hasn't been the easiest of years for most people or many industries but thanks in part to the shared support of the star citizen community and to our own existing distributed development organization

10. 00:07:24

    this year has been a notable one for a wide range of additions to the persistent universe so it's for this reason we thought we'd take a few minutes and take a look back at some of the highlights that made this year a truly unique and memorable one in the continuing development of star citizen 2020 started things off with the long-awaited editions of the cutlass blue and red these colorful variants would not only serve as important milestones in the continuing development of bounty hunter and medical gameplay respectively but the red would also introduce star citizen's first mobile spawn point forever changing the dynamic of group activities in the persistent universe in alpha 3.9 the first major content patch of the year we saw the arrival of new babbage which immediately set a new standard for quality and style and landing zones

11. 00:08:13

    throughout star citizen as well as three brand new moons in calliope clio and youtube which added entirely new worlds for players to explore and adventure upon the patch also saw two fundamental shifts to the way players venture through the persistent universe with the addition of the actor's status system the need for consideration and choice came to the forefront when players discovered their characters could now succumb to the environments around them and suffer the consequences of activities they participated in that last one would be especially important now that the kleischer automated prison was online which instantly added a punishing adventure for those who were caught running a foul of the law but also allowing greater rewards to be offered for those who succeed in a criminal lifestyle greater risk

12. 00:09:02

    greater reward overall 2020 would be a year of major quality of life improvements throughout and those started with the introduction of the personal inner thought wheel which made the massive amount of interactions in star citizen instantly and more easily accessible to players new and old alike as well as major stability improvements to long-term persistence that would form the backbone of an improved stability throughout the gameplay experience rounding out the highlights for alpha 3.9 were the popular overlord armors for subscribers our first look at the vigilante gang of pyro the esparia prowler star citizen's first offering from the avian inspired alien tavarin race and bring her with it of the coolest cockpit boot up sequence yet

13. 00:09:49

    and one of the biggest new additions to star citizen invictus launch week which saw the massive idris and javelin capital ships make their introductions to the persistent universe as they toured the stanton system flanked by equally initial appearances of the f8 lightning and f7a hornet but not content to just watch players would also declare open war against the uee sure it was fun but you can bet the uee will be better prepared when nets they meet midway through 2020 saw the arrival of alpha 3.10 with its focus on an improved vehicle experience for all players massive changes to aerodynamic flight and thruster efficiency curves led to atmospheric flight that truly took the unique characteristics

14. 00:10:36

    of each ship into account changes to high-speed combat brought players in closer for a more visceral and engaging experience and targeting and turret improvements gave new life to gunners blasting away from embedded stations on multi-crew vehicles like the hammerhead 310 also saw the first iteration of sign distance fields come online leading to a new visual effect for atmospheric reentry that could be seen for miles away while laying the essential groundwork for shield improvements that would begin to be realized later this year electron damage literally let players throw lightning from their hands as it introduced a new damage type that will continue to be iterated on with non-lethal variations as more bounty hunting mechanics continue to be developed the long fabled bartender test bed for

15. 00:11:24

    all social vendor interactions arrived in 3.10 bringing life to social locations and building on the promise of a robust npc dynamic going forward 2020 also saw mining expand from just ships and handheld units to ground vehicles with the launch of the grey cat rock bringing with it a host of new mineables and one more way for players to earn a living in the persistent universe alpha 311 brought with it the first part of a massive update to every planet and moon in the stanton system using new painting tools high resolution scan textures updated geology assets and more to make star citizens already impressive planetoids better looking than ever before there were also major updates to player inventory completely

16. 00:12:12

    revamping the way players carried items on their adventure and introducing external inventory for the very first time the promising framework for those who want to loot their fallen enemies going forward force reactions continued to evolve to include a variety of knock downs and a physicalized reaction when walking around inside a ship or vehicle which not only affected the way that players fly with passengers on board but it suddenly made all those seats and drop ships seem like a really good idea new defensive turrets were installed around rest stop space stations to accommodate the removal of green zones which provided new opportunities and piracies for those who are willing to risk being you know fired upon cargo decks became the future home for new missions and opportunities while the tobin expo center arrived on microtech to play

17. 00:13:00

    new host to the biggest event of the year the intergalactic aerospace expo where players could explore and experience nearly every ship star citizen has to offer and speaking of ships iae brought with it two brand new flyables first the mercury star runner burst on the scene as perhaps the most popular daily driver star citizen has seen in some time with its stunning look and multi-purpose role it instantly caught the imaginations of citizens everywhere even if its gas mileage wasn't so hot they're working on it the other new addition was the pickup truck from outer space the consolidated outland nomad which instantly added a new look unlike anything else in the game and a strong starter alternative to another series of starters that came online just a few weeks

18. 00:13:47

    earlier the 100 series from origin with the 100i the 125a and the 135c all coming online in alpha 311 there were now more ways for new players to begin their star citizen adventure than ever before now to list everything that was added to star citizen in 2020 would take far too long but this robust list of smaller additions all add up to a year spent focused on improving on everything that had come before refining the overall player experience and building a strong foundation with which to continue expanding pond in the future which brings us up to the present in the final patch of the year alpha 3.12 looks to continue this trend with exciting new additions like refining

19. 00:14:34

    which will not only add new depth to mining and resource gathering gameplay but creates ties to cargo hauling and greater opportunity for piracy alike a new tractor beam attachment that looks to fundamentally alter first person traversal in the persistent universe with not only a new way to move resources around but also to pull the player about in zero g the first version of our reputation system which will begin its impact by altering the way mission givers respond to players but will be built upon in numerous ways in the coming year well look who it is the long-awaited gas cloud tech coming to the grange points throughout stanton aimed to not only provide a beautiful visual flair to all that empty space in space but provide new gameplay

20. 00:15:23

    opportunities in stealth and discovery as players explore within where the year started with the asperia prowler we end with another alien offering of tavarin origin with a talon and talon strike light fighters in the vein of popular ships like the gladius and arrow that also bring with it a unique visual style and some striking new liveries for those who want to want to stretch their feathers as it were finally alpha 3.12 also brings with it a host of new capital ship ai behaviors designed to make life more challenging for players when the massive idris fabled stalwart of the uee makes its vaunted return before the year is over with multiple scenarios that can see players on both sides of the law run a foul of its massive

21. 00:16:11

    railgun and devastating turrets whether it's bringing the vile arlington family to justice or running a criminal posse so notorious you force the uee to respond there's an idris encounter for everyone in alpha 3.12 and maybe just maybe a brand new threat coming to stanton from another system that will require everyone on all sides to push back so what we learned this year well we already knew that the star citizen community continues to be one of the most supportive and dedicated in all of gaming but we did learn that nothing's going to stop this train from delivering new content features not even during a global pandemic and that if each year continues to be better than the last

22. 00:16:58

    well we've got a lot to look forward to in 2021 for inside star citizen i'm jared huckaby happy holidays to all and we'll see you all next year you