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Current Gameplay - Star Citizen Alpha 3.3.6
For Current gameplay, Star Citizen Alpha 3.3 (And subsequent content patches 3.3.5 and 3.3.6) is a major release of the Star Citizen Persistent Universe. In this universe, up to 50 players in a single server may walk through stations, fly their ships, and explore the Stanton system.
Note: Star Citizen is still in early Alpha, meaning that you will experience game crashes, instability, low FPS, broken mechanics, and unpleasant player interactions. Please be sure to reproduce and report any significant bugs and issues on the Star Citizen Issue Council
Purchase
Entry into the Star Citizen Universe requires a "Game Package". This package can be purchased on the Roberts Space Industries website. From there, purchase either the Mustang Alpha (Small, light starter craft) or the Aurora MR (Tough, versatile starter) game package for $45 USD.
You may decide to add-on the single-player Squadron 42 package for $15 USD at this point. Then, you may download the installer and the game and join the universe.
System Requirements
- Windows 7 (64bit) with Service Pack 1, Windows 8 (64bit), Windows 10 - Anniversary Update (64bit)
- DirectX 11 Graphics Card with 2GB RAM (4+GB strongly recommended)
- Quad Core CPU
- 16GB+ RAM
- SSD strongly recommended
Arena Commander
(not totally balanced, some minor bugs - but runs smoothly)
(approx. 3h playtime to learn the basics, a lot more if you want to master your ship)
For all modes you can select different ships and change their loadout
Multiplayer
Vanduul swarm/ Pirate swarm (fight waves of enemy ships, 1-4 players) 2 maps Battle royal (fight 15 other player ships) 2 maps Free flight (no rules, up to 16 players) 2 maps Classic race (race against 3 other players) 1 map, 3 different courses Squadron battle (Team deathmatch 8 vs. 8) 2 maps
Singleplayer
Free Flight (explore the maps alone) 2 maps Pirate-/ Vanduul swarm (fight waves of enemy ships with 3 NPCs) 2 maps Classic Race (race alone against the clock) 1 map, 3 different courses Private custom match (play with friends only)
Battle royal (fight up to 15 other player ships) 2 maps Free Flight (no rules, up to 16 players) 2 maps Pirate-/ Vanduul Swarm (fight waves of enemy ships with friends and NPCs) 2 maps Squadron Battle (Team deathmatch up to 8 vs. 8) 2 maps Classic Race (race against 3 other players) 1 map, 3 different courses Earn REC-credits by playing multiplayer games, to rent ships and equipment for Arena Commander
Flight mechanics and ship handling are more on the simulation side, learning to fly your ship takes some hours of practice
Star Marine
(Not totally balanced, minor bugs, FPS drops)
(approx. 1h playtime, very standard shooter at the moment)
For all modes you can change loadout
Multiplayer
(2 different maps)
Last stand (domination mode with up to 12 vs. 12) Elimination (free for all with up to 24 players) Private (2 different maps)
Last stand (domination mode with up to 12 vs. 12) Elimination (free for all with up to 24 players)
Hangar
(some minor bugs and glitches but runs smoothly)
(approx. 10min - 1h playtime to see everything, depends on how many ships you have)
Walk around your hangar
Look at and access your ship
Decorate your hangar with flair items
Only singleplayer
It is currently not possible to start your ship from the hangar
Universe
In progress MMO, Sharded for now w/ server instances of up to 50 players. Server "stitching" planned to make all one shared universe.
(very buggy, crashes often, low FPS and FPS drops due to netcode and server restrictions are normal)
(approx. 3h playtime for just the missions, additional a lot more if you like to explore everything)
Planets
Hurston, with landing zone Lorville (fully explorable)
Crusader orbit (gas giant, not landable)
Moons
Fully explorable moons with trading outposts.
Delamar, with Landing Zone Levski station
Space stations
Port Olisar (fully explorable)
Shops: merchants, weapons, clothes, components Spawn ships
GrimHEX (fully explorable)
Shops: merchants, weapons, clothes, components Spawn ships
Security Post Kareah (partially explorable)
Hack computer to lose crime-stat
Covalex Hub Gundo (partially explorable)
Short story driven mission
Repair and refill your ship
Comm arrays
Hack or repair missions Missions
Simple delivery Search and investigate Reputation
Simple reputation system to gain access to different missions
Beacons
Make contracts with other players (combat assistance, personal transport) Ships
Change loadout
Equipment
Change personal loadout
50 players per server
Fly together in multicrew ships, walk around inside the ship, man a turret
Ships
(all ships are work in progress everything can and will change)
All ships (not all are currently buyable)
Ship status (can I fly them already?)
The Future
Development roadmap for 2018 and beyond
Primary Source copied with author permission, and updated for current release.