Update:Star Citizen Alpha 3.5.0

Star Citizen Alpha 3.5.0 is an upcoming Star Citizen update planned to be released around March 2019 (Q1). As per the roadmap, the content in the update is subject to change.

Characters
DNA Face Customization

Design and implementation of a bespoke system allowing for comprehensive facial customization for in-game characters.

Playable Female Characters

Implementing the models, animations and items to allow for Players to select a female avatar, as well as update female NPCs in the various locations.

Locations
ArcCorp Planet

The design, creation and implementation of the sprawling urban planet, ArcCorp, including points of interest around the planet. This feature is dependent upon implementation of Object Container Streaming.

ArcCorp Moon: Lyria

The creation and implementation of ArcCorp's moon Lyria, including constructing outposts and populating the moon surfaces. This feature is dependent upon implementation of Object Container Streaming.

ArcCorp Moon: Wala

The creation and implementation of ArcCorp's moon Wala, including constructing outposts and populating the moon surfaces. This feature is dependent upon implementation of Object Container Streaming.

Area18 Landing Zone

Incorporating Landing Control Area18, landing zone on the planet ArcCorp and one of the main commercial ports for interplanetary traffic for the surrounding region. This work includes populating the city with NPCs, Missions, and Stores. This feature is dependent upon implementation of Object Container Streaming.

AI
FPS: Stealth v2

NPC behaviors will allow the player to approach an encounter using stealth tactics and also allow NPCs to react appropriately.

Flight: Quantum & Strafing

This batch of improvements will allow AI Pilots to use quantum navigation, provide more updates to the IFCS flight mode, and allow AI to use basic scanning mechanics to possibly detect stealthed ships.

Gameplay
Reputation/Law System v1

Designing and implementing the initial iteration of the Reputation and Law system, allowing for localized crime ratings and reputations, along with integrated location-based missions.

Salvage v1

Designing and implementing mechanics required for players to be able to strip material from a ship's hull. This system will be designed to accommodate players who are on foot or in a ship. The player will have to scan the environment to find salvageable debris. Once harvested, unrefined materials can be sold at a kiosk.

[Service Beacon] Escort

By integrating Quantum Linking, the new Escort beacons will improve Combat Assistance by allowing your hired guns to more readily accompany you.

Ships and Vehicles
Implementing and balancing the updated model of the Origin 300i as a flight ready ship in the game.
 * Origin 300i Rework

Implementing and balancing the revised model of the Origin 315p as a flight ready ship in the game.
 * Origin 315p Rework

Implementing and balancing the revised model of the Origin 325a as a flight ready ship in the game.
 * Origin 325a Rework

Implementing and balancing the revised model of the Origin 350R as a flight ready ship in the game.
 * Origin 350R Rework

Implementing and balancing the reworked base model of Origin's m50 racer to make it flight-ready in the game. Work on this task will include improvements to landing gear compression and updating the UI metrics in the cockpit to improve pilot experience.
 * Origin m50 Improvements

Building, implementing, and balancing the Banu fighter as a flight ready ship in the game.
 * Banu Defender

Tasks associated with building, implementing, and balancing of the Reliant Tana, MISC's combat variant of the Reliant, to get it playable in game.
 * MISC Reliant Tana

Tasks associated with building, implementing, and balancing of the Reliant Sen, MISC's research variant of the Reliant, to get it playable in game.
 * MISC Reliant Sen

Tasks associated with the creation, implementation, and balancing of the Reliant Mako, MISC's variant designed to gather all the latest events for the spectrum.
 * MISC Reliant Mako

Implementing and balancing RSI's hauling variant of the Constellation, the Taurus, as a flight ready ship in the game.
 * RSI Constellation Taurus

Implementation and balancing of the improvements made to Kruger's P52 Merlin snub fighter to make it flight-ready in the game. Work on this task will include general improvements to the landing gear compression.
 * Kruger P52 Merlin Improvements

Weapon and Items
Gemini S71

Designing and creating Gemini's S71 assault rifle for use by characters in-game. Work covers concept completion, asset creation, passes by numerous departments, and Design input on weapon balance.

Gallenson Tactical Systems GT-870 Tarantula Revision

Covers all the tasks associated with updating Gallenson Tactical Systems' GT-870 Tarantula series of ballistic cannons (S1-3) and implementing the revised versions in-game.

Kastak Arms Coda

Designing and creating Kastak Arms' Coda ballistic pistol for use by characters in-game. The work includes asset creation, passes by numerous teams, and Design input on weapon balance.

Core Dev Tech and Systems
New Flight Model

Initial implementation of the all new in-game flight control system, incorporating a total overhaul to the entire flight experience. For a detailed look at this new system, check out The Principles of Flight panel from CitizenCon 2948 on our YouTube channel. At a high level this covers:


 * Rebalanced thruster strengths for more momentum in flight
 * Deeper integration with item 2.0 systems such as heat, power, and fuel
 * Redesigned throttle for more direct control
 * Redesigned afterburner and cruise mode
 * Redesigned ESP algorithm
 * New gravlev handling
 * Numerous bugs and issues solved with previous flight model

Object Container Streaming: Code Conversion Improvements

Continuing work for object container streaming, continuing to convert all legacy Lua code to C++ for improved performance and greater flexibility for multi-threading.

Object Container Streaming: Background Spawning Improvements

Further work on object container streaming, allowing entities to spawn from background threads more efficiently to minimize stalling.

Lobby Refactor

This will lay the groundwork for server migration technology that will allow us to connect multiple servers and clients in the same game session. As this task is closely aligned to server meshing, there won't be an immediate observable benefit to the tech until all server meshing work is complete.

Parallel Network Jobs

Moving packet receive processing into the job system so that the server can handle a greater number of connections. This system should allow the game to increase player count per server beyond the limitations of the current tech.

Projectile Manager

Implement physics systems that will improve projectile functionality and realism in-game.

Hard Surface Shader Improvements

Implementation of multiple improvements to the Hard Surface shader to provide greater texture detail, and a richer feature set allowing more widespread use across the game.

Organic Shader

Development of a multilayered shader for objects that supports dirt, sand, ice, and organic matter, and allowing the object to believably blend in with any environment on the surfaces of planets and moons.

Performance Optimization

General optimization and engine improvements to increase stability and performance for the players. This includes continued transition of gameplay systems to Item 2.0 as well as investigation and resolution of possible memory leaks and performance spikes.