Chris Roberts Did It! Squadron 42 Is Finally Ready and It’s a Massive Project!
Chris Roberts, the father of Wing Commander, announced his ambitious new project, Star Citizen, back in 2012 through a Kickstarter campaign.
Star Citizen was conceived as an MMO featuring a persistent universe with 100 systems comprising cities, space stations, planets, and moons, all freely explorable. Currently, only two systems are available.
The project also includes a separate single-player component, Squadron 42.
Star Citizen‘s single-player campaign sets a new standard for simulation titles, boasting the most extensive and ambitious cinematic and epic aspects ever seen in a game.
Star Citizen is entirely independent, thanks to the considerable success of its Kickstarter campaign, which raised a whopping six million dollars, far surpassing initial goals. Currently, funds raised exceed 600 million dollars and continue to grow steadily.
Star Citizen Raises the Bar for Space Exploration in the Gaming Industry
Cloud Imperium Games, during the extensive development of Star Citizen, has created and adapted many innovative technologies to reach unprecedented levels of simulation.
The first step was the game engine, transitioning from a modified version of Cryengine 3 (used in the early demos and trailers) to the more powerful Amazon Lumberyard.
One of the most complex technologies developed is the real-time, seamless light-speed travel system, eliminating loading screens or cutscenes. This system took years to develop and involved solving various issues, such as players being ejected from ships due to synchronization errors.
The team has crafted entire space stations and large freely explorable cities, where players need to navigate efficiently, knowing the locations of public transport like trains, ship docks, and various shops. A recent update introduced a 3D map with navigation on the Moby Glass, enhancing both space and ground exploration.
In Star Citizen, one’s own ship is crucial and can significantly impact gameplay. Choosing the right ships for the desired career path is essential. A larger ship may not always be the best option as it requires a certain number of crew members to operate efficiently.
The attention to detail in every single ship, from the smallest to the largest, is remarkable.
The part of the entire experience where the team is most engaged is the creation and customization of planets. Compared to titles like Starfield and No Man’s Sky, Star Citizen’s planets are entirely handcrafted using technologies that allow for the creation of vast biomes with increasing speed and quality.
All planets can be freely explored with one’s own ship, landing wherever desired, and with various ground vehicles.
With the latest update, planets have gained dedicated and ever-expanding fauna, with new creatures and threats continuously being added—perhaps including the sandworm from the 2016 Citizen Con presentation?
Several updates are on the horizon, but the 1.0 release is just around the corner after many years of development.
The Beauty of the Planets
An important component of Star Citizen is the exploration of planets. The various planets feature climates that affect the survival of your character, and having a specific type of suit/armor can make a difference.Biomes can range from forested areas with vast forests and rivers to huge deserts or icy plains. Planets have many hidden places to discover, such as wrecks, caves, and mercenary bases to eliminate through bounty missions. They can be explored using your own ship and various ground vehicles, including exploration vehicles and heavily armed ones. In short, planets have a lot to offer for those seeking a unique space exploration experience.
What is Squadron 42?
Squadron 42 is the impressive single-player campaign of Star Citizen, offering simulation gameplay with cinematic storytelling and direction. The title features a complex structure with expansive missions and an unprecedented level of detail, as showcased in the recent release of the development completion announcement video.Squadron 42 boasts a prestigious cast, including actors such as Mark Hamill, Henry Cavill, Mark Strong, Gary Oldman, and many others. As described by Chris Roberts, the title will be the Wing Commander of the new generation.
The Evolution of Squadron 42
Over the years, Squadron 42 has undergone significant evolution, both in concept and in the graphical level of environments, characters, and mechanics. Since its first gameplay reveal in 2018, the title has seen substantial changes.
The game engine and animations have been greatly improved, and the variety of situations and applied direction are much more updated, resulting in a visually stunning experience.
Combat has seen significant improvements over the years, mirroring advancements in the MMO version, becoming more complex, dynamic, and expansive to manage.
The management of ships and vehicles remains highly layered and meticulously crafted, showcasing the studio’s dedication to this element.The graphical aspect, especially the human models, now appear extremely lifelike and realistic, pushing Squadron 42‘s quality to unprecedented heights.
When Will the Endless Wait End?
Squadron 42 is highly anticipated, and the patience of project supporters is about to be rewarded. Chris Roberts recently announced in a special that Squadron 42 is in the feature-complete phase, and the optimization and testing phase has begun. Considering the scale of the project, it’s clear that it will take a lot of time to ensure excellent results for players.
The Star Citizen community is deeply divided between those who see it as a scam and the opposing camp that considers it a masterpiece.
The team is clearly under significant pressure, and this phase is crucial to dispel negative rumors about the title.
Certainly, it will be a great game that will bring about significant changes in the current gaming market, shaking up the stagnation of large companies.
Good Luck Chris Roberts!
