Update:Star Citizen Alpha 2.6.1

Welcome to 2.6.1!

This patch is primarily dedicated to bug fixes, targeting Star Marine and Arena Commander in particular. However we also some quality of life improvements for the game, updates to Spectator Mode and new implementations to our ongoing network code updates. Your launcher should should show "2.6.1-502812" as the client version. It is strongly recommended that players delete their USER folder for the Test client after patching, particularly if you start encountering any odd character graphical issues or crash on loading. The USER folder can be found (in default installations) at C:\Program Files\Cloud Imperium Games\StarCitizen\Test. Please review our current list of Patch 502812 Known Issues, and take full advantage of our Issue Council area of the Community site to report any bugs you encounter, as well as contribute to other players submissions.

= New Features =

Crusader
The Covalex PI mission has been expanded with additional objectives and Easter eggs that can be unlocked.

Arena Commander Balance Changes

 * Revenge kills and Resurgence awards have been removed from Arena Commander for the moment.
 * Lowered the spawn rate of pirates in Pirate Swarm slightly to provide a less drastic difficulty curve.
 * Improved the weapons issued to the Aces in Pirate Swarm mode.
 * The number of missiles and countermeasures awarded from pickups in Arena Commander game modes have been lowered.
 * Only currently dead players should be resurrected after a boss wave in Multiplayer Pirate or Vanduul Swarm, no additional lives will be provided.
 * This is to better balance the modes now that repair and restock pickups are available in the game mode.
 * Suicide in Arena Commander now carries a score of -200 points.
 * Updated the shields and fuel for the Constellation variant in Pirate Swarm.

Star Marine

 * Revenge kills and Resurgence awards have been removed from Star Marine for the moment.
 * In-match loadout customization is now implemented! During a Star Marine match, while your character is dead, you will have the option to change out your loadout before respawning.
 * Additional dialog lines during matches have been added.
 * FPS weapons have received a balance pass to improve viability.
 * Added a +25 Haemorrhage scoring bonus for causing another player to bleed.
 * This bonus is not awarded if you cause yourself to bleed.
 * The spawn point for Marines in OP Station Demien has been moved.
 * Added an additional route for players inside Echo Eleven.

Leaderboards

 * In-game leaderboards are now implemented for both Arena Commander and Star Marine, so you can now review your standings in any given game mode within the game client!

Spectator Mode and Camera Changes

 * With 2.6.1, we have made vast improvements to camera behavior and allow players to enter our Pure Spectator Mode.
 * Pure Spectator Mode can now be entered through Private lobbies by starting a match by checking the “Join as Spectator” box next at the bottom of the screen.
 * There are new cinematic submodes available to Spectator Mode, including First Person View and Focused Action Cam.
 * Cinematic cameras, in and out of Pure Spectator Mode, should now better align with the player you are watching. This includes ensuring your target is facing upright, and behaving appropriately when encountering walls or barriers.
 * Cameras should now properly Save and Load views regardless of map or mode type excluding Crusader.
 * Advanced Camera Controls have been improved to be more precise and smoother in transition.
 * Fixed an issue where players could not move or adjust their camera if they died while exiting their ship.

Ships

 * The Super Hornet has received a full visual update, encompassing art, animation, damage states, and VFX.
 * Ship weapons, mounts and turrets have received a health buff so they won't be as easily destroyed by splash damage.
 * The jerk levels of ships should now better scale with boost.
 * Ship SCM speeds have been re-adjusted to provide a greater range of speed between ships.
 * Projectile speeds have been tweaked, so that targeting pips of different weapon types will be closer together for easier targeting.
 * The Retaliator, Starfarer, 85x have had a pass to improve interior culling and graphic performance.
 * The Mustang series has had an optimization pass to improve graphical performance.
 * Pilot facial idle animations have been added for all ship variants!

Technical

 * Two aspects of our ongoing network refactor have come online - the first iteration of Serialized Variables and Network Message Ordering.
 * Serialized Variables replaces some of the original aspects of CryEngine for handling data (aspects and class members) previously serialized by CryEngine NetSerialize calls. In simpler terms, it's a much more lightweight means for handling update messaging on the network, with reduced risk of updates being lost in caching or other processes - and reducing lag.
 * Strictly Ordered Network Messaging moves the game away from CryNetwork client-server handling of networked objects, over to our new token system with a strict priority system for managing messaging between client and server nodes.

Mega Map

 * The new Mega Map system allows for much quicker loading time when switching between maps.
 * In this initial release it will only be enabled for single player maps (Hangars and single-player Arena Commander), but we will be expanding this to include multiplayer maps in a future release.

Multi-Region Servers

 * We now have servers available in the US, Europe and Australia!
 * You can choose what region you would like to connect to via an optional drop-down, when connecting to any multiplayer instance.
 * Selecting "All" will currently default to the US servers, but that will change as we build and improve on the functionality of our region support.

= Updates and Fixes =

Crusader

 * Fixed a number of lighting culling issues in Port Olisar EZ Hab.
 * Fixed an issue where the Crusader ASOP terminal would sometimes incorrectly provide a "All Pads are Full" message. This does not fix issues where the landing pads are blocked by debris from destroyed ships, or full from disused ships not despawning.
 * Fixed the missing audio for the weapons shop door in GrimHEX.
 * Improved the atmospheric audio around GrimHEX and the Crusader shops.
 * Fixed an issue with the GrimHEX lift audio would play in continuous loops.
 * Removed the scavenging sites from the asteroids around the ICC Probe Mission 2.
 * Fixed a number of issues with missing audio for the Yela wreckage sites.

Area 18, ArcCorp

 * NPCs in customs now have a selection of random animations instead of being very creepily synchronized.

=Game Systems=

General Bug Fixes

 * Pickups in Arena Commander should now scale based on distance from player, rather then distance of the camera.
 * Fixed an issue where the characters head would disappear after their ship was destroyed.
 * Stage cameras for Spectate mode in Arena Commander maps should now be correctly accessible.
 * Fixed an issue where players in Arena Commander games could not go into the negatives on their score.
 * Fixed an issue where ships damaged or killed via missiles were granting excessive score.
 * Audio cues have been added for collecting pickups in Squadron Battle.

Old Vanderval

 * Fixed a number of shader issues in Old Vanderval that would trigger screen tearing before the first checkpoint.
 * Removed the invincible antenna that protruded from buildings into the obvious race routes on Old Vanderval.

Pirate and Vanduul Swarm

 * Fixed an issue where a second Warlord would sometimes spawn in Vanduul Swarm after Wave 3.
 * Fixed some issues with the Vanduul Swarm AI flying into the map boundary too often.
 * Pirate Gladiator's in Pirate Swarm now have the correct paint job.

UI

 * Fixed an issue where the kill feed in Pirate Swarm would sometimes show the same kill twice.
 * Fixed the naming and numbering conventions for the AI pilots in Pirate Swarm.
 * Fixed an issue where completing Pirate Swarm, Wave 18 would give the "defeat" message.
 * The UI for the Arena Commander Loadout customization has received a polish pass to clean up minor visual style problems and ensure consistent behavior.

Audio

 * Fixed an issue in OP Station Demien where external audio could be heard in the Mess Hall.
 * The audio from grenade impact collision has been made much more audible.
 * The audio for grenade hold (the cooking beep) has a smaller range.
 * Made a number of tweaks to footstep audio in Star Marine.
 * Fixed an issue where player death audio would play twice while in third-person camera view.
 * Fixed an issue where the "Respawning" audio would play too soon.
 * Star Marine simulation voices should now be correctly adjusted by the announcer audio option in game menus.
 * Fixed an issue where the audio in multiplayer matches would become corrupted in very large firefights.

General Bug Fixes

 * Fixed an issue where dead players could sometimes continue capturing a point in Last Stand.
 * Fixed an issue where the explosive canisters in OP Station Demien and Echo Eleven would fall through the map after exploding.
 * Fixed an issue where a match would go into a fourth round if one round in Last Stand had ended in a draw, even if the other two rounds had been one by the same team.
 * Made some changes to the death camera in Star Marine to prevent instances of the camera going through collision or the player body.
 * Fixed a number of small collision issues with props around OP Station Demien.
 * Fixed an issue where the light sources on Echo Eleven would sometimes follow players around in EVA.
 * Made many small audio tweaks throughout OP Station Demien.
 * Idle audio for the MediPen dispensers in Echo Eleven have been added to match those on OP Station Demien.
 * Fixed some issues with projectile bounce and ricochet in Echo Eleven.
 * Many cosmetic art updates and tweaks have been added to OP Station Demien and Echo Eleven.
 * Fixed an issue where the radar and weapon sights would not reappear after respawn in Star Marine.

Loadout Customization

 * Fixed an issue where the loadout customization would sometimes lock players out from entering a Private match.
 * Fixed an issue where all the weapon images were missing scopes in loadout customization.
 * Fixed an issue where players could quickly toggle between teams and end up in the loadout of the opposite team.
 * Fixed an issue where players could acquire 2 or more primary weapons on a Light loadout if the drop action was interrupted prematurely.
 * The Star Marine models in the loadout editor now move and scale more appropriately for the screen resolution.

Scoreboard/Leaderboard
Fixed an issue where the scoreboard would remember the number of kills between rounds, allowing players to get a revenge kill at the start of a round. Players will now be correctly penalized for suicide, even if they have recently been damaged by an enemy.

UI
UI notifications for control points having been taken or lost in Last Stand are much more prominent. Score notifications now appear when a character suicides. Made the friendly/hostile player indicator (known colloquially as "The Dorito") less immediately visible, and fixed a number of issues where the indicator for Hostile players was visible despite no line of sight. Grenade indicator now appears as soon as a nearby grenade is armed, not just when it is thrown. Players who are dead at the end of a round will now be able to correctly see the results and scoreboard. Fixed an issue where grenades were missing from Visor HUDs.

Social Module
Parties formed for private Star Marine and Arena Commander matches should now persist match-to-match rather then break up after a single match. Chat will now work correctly inside of Arena Commander and Star Marine lobbies. Fixed an issue where all contacts would appear as "Online" inside of a Star Marine lobby, regardless of their actual status. Fixed an issue where players could talk or type in the chat window even when it appeared disabled and hidden.This caused a number of issues with players loosing control of their characters during the match. Fixed an issue where the /addignore would not correctly ignore tells from the ignored player. Fixed an issue where accepting a party invite to a Star Marine or Arena Commander match would not correctly pull the player from PU or Hangar. Fixed an issue where players could not accept or decline a game invite while on the Arena Commander loadout editor screen.

=Ships=

Some ships had unlimited and near-instant acceleration in decoupled mode. This has been fixed. Fixed an issue where the Rattler missile would fail to deploy rockets. Fixed an issue where players would hear the ship start up audio on respawn, if they died while piloting the Sabre Comet, Gladius Valiant, Hornet Wildfire or Avenger Titan Renegade. Fixed an issue where the self-destruct audio siren would sometimes not trigger. Fixed an issue where the look reticle would incorrectly reappear after cycling cameras, even if gimbal lock was active.

300 Series
Size 1-3 missile racks can now be equipped on the 300i, 315p, and 325a variants, as appropriate for their respective available hardpoints.

85x
Fixed an issue where the pilot arms would look highly stretched or out of position from the flight yoke.

Argo MPUV
Fixed an issue where the interior cockpit glass would reflect the exterior environment.

Aurora (all)
Fixed an issue where the landing gear would disappear instead of going through the correct retraction animations. All Aurora variants can equip S1-4 missiles, as appropriate for their respective available hardpoints.

Caterpillar
Certain ship animations could be interrupted prematurely, causing some issues with doorways and elevators. This has been fixed. Fixed a number of animation issues with the rear turret of the Caterpillar. Made some changes to the VFX flashes of Caterpillar shields being hit for better pilot visibility. Fixed an issue where the interior of the ship would seem to disappear when looking back into the ship from cargo module 01.

Constellation Phoenix
The toilet can now be accessed.

Cutlass Black
Improved the audio mix for the Cutlass thrusters. Fixed a number of issues with missing collision audio for the Cutlass.

Freelancer
Fixed an issue where the UI prompt to open the side door on the ship and the prompt to climb the ladder were both missing.

Gladius
Fixed a number of collision issues with the pilots left arm.

Herald
Fixed an issue where the interior of the ship would disappear if you stood in a specific location.

Hornet (all)
Fixed an issue where the bottom maneuvering thrusters were invisible. Fixed an issue where the exhaust over the top rear right maneuvering thruster was misaligned.

P-52 Merlin
Added missing thruster deactivation audio.

Vanduul Scythe
Fixed an issue where the cockpit audio was out of sync with the entry and start up animations.

Vanguard (ALL)
Fixed an issue where visareas in a map would be visible when viewed through the cockpit window. Fixed an issue where the interior lighting of the Vanguard Warden and Hoplite were part of the exterior prefab.

Vanguard Hoplite
Fixed an issue where the right-hand weapon on the Vanguard turret wasn't pitching or animating correctly.

First Person
Bullets should now appropriately penetrate limbs to hit other targets in applicable situations. Projectile mass has been lowered to prevent shooting corpses around. Fixed an issue where one player could shoot the gun of another player if they both picked up the gun at the same time. Fixed an issue where the gun magazine could become offset if the character was looking around excessively while reloading. Fixed an issue where sprint would not continue if shift was held while transitioning in and our of EVA. Fixed an issue where the character animations could break while trying on clothing.

Weapon and Combat
Fixed an issue where combat signals would animate in contorted ways when holding an energy rifle. Fixed an issue with the low cover pistol animations for characters. Fixed an issue where character models would stretch and warp when unholstering and entering ragdoll. Fixed an issue where hit reactions would play for damage taken by bleedout. Fixed an issue where a character would be locked into aim-down-sights if they transitioned out of EVA while aiming down sights.

General Animations
Fixed an issue where players could pass through a wall by vaulting over a nearby object. Players will now be blocked from vaulting if they would land inside of geometry. Fixed an issue with the animations when a character would heal while on a ladder. Fixed an issue where character faces would continue animating after death. Cleaned up the leg animation transitions when a character jumps while moving. Fixed an issue where rolling while prone and in the third person camera would cause excessive camera rotation.

UI
Fixed an issue where the mouse cursor was offset from the actual visual location whenever client screen resolution was not at 16:9. Fixed an issue where the Ship Computer Verbosity in the audio options would reset after a client restart. Players can now disable the cinematic missile chase camera in the game options menu.

Game Settings → Cinematic Cameras
Added a warning message when a lobby or party invite is sent to a player who is already in a lobby. Fixed an issue where the "Switch Teams" button was present in private matches, even when the game mode was not set for a "team" game. The updated pause/ESC menu has been implemented.

Player HUD
Trying on a flightsuit or armor in the shops will no longer cause the first person HUD to start floating. Fixed an issue where the helmet radar would disappear after exiting a vehicle. Fixed an issue where several armor suits had two radar displays hooked up. Fixed an issue where pressing "F10" while a dead would result in the character and helmet disappearing Fixed the mobiGlas visor so it would no longer clip out of frame at different resolutions. Fixed an issue where viewing the mobiGlas in 3rd person would make the players head and helmet disappear. Fixed an issue where the HUD warning for a incoming missile would not disappear. Fixed an issue where players could not move or adjust their camera if they died while exiting their ship.

Keybindings
Coupled and Decoupled space brake can now be bound to separate or the same keybinding based on user preference, they are not automatically bound to the same key. Prone and Crouch can now work correctly as either a toggle or hold, and the keybinding for both can be edited in the Keybindings again. Fixed an issue where players could not crouch on the default XBOX 360 control mapping.

Technical
Fixed an issue where players would sometimes load into Star Marine Elimination with a persistent black screen. Fixed a number of client crashes in Arena Commander, Star Marine, Crusader and Hangar. Fixed a number of server crashes. Fixed a number of performance issues related to the Drake Caterpillar. Made a cleanup pass on graphic detail levels for the Broken Moon map to improve performance.