The January 13, 2025, update for Star Citizen Alpha 4.0.1 PTU focuses on stability, performance improvements, and bug fixes while continuing the “Save Stanton Chapter 2” event, now extending into the Pyro system. Key updates include personal cooldowns for missions, reduced turret presence around asteroid bases, and quality of life enhancements for vehicle cockpit interactions, alongside warnings about an exploit allowing access to contested zones.
On January 13, 2025, a new patch for Star Citizen Alpha 4.0.1 PTU was released, which is currently available for all backers, although only U.S. servers are open for testing. The patch focuses on stability, performance, and bug fixes, as well as continuing the “Save Stanton Chapter 2” event, which now extends into the Pyro system. Players are encouraged to test gameplay features, including improved client performance and ground collision fixes for Pyro outposts, which have been problematic for ground missions.
The gameplay updates include the addition of personal cooldowns for Pyro missions after completion. Players can now accept multiple missions in quick succession, noticing that mission markers may sometimes not appear immediately. The patch also lowered the number of turrets around asteroid bases, making them less challenging for players to navigate. These adjustments aim to enhance the overall gameplay experience by reducing unnecessary combat with turrets.
Bug fixes in this patch address several issues, such as ships despawning unexpectedly while players are in hangars. While players will not lose their ships in this case, the experience can still be frustrating. A significant concern noted in the video is a glitch that allows players to easily access contested zones and executive hangars, bypassing necessary NPC interactions. This exploit has been reported to the developers, and players were warned against utilizing it, as it could lead to penalties.
Quality of life improvements were also highlighted, particularly regarding vehicle cockpit interactions. The overlapping button issues with MFDs (Multi-Function Displays) have been improved, allowing for better usability when navigating ship controls. While some issues remain, the changes have made it easier for players to manage their ships without interference from overlapping prompts.
Lastly, the video discusses additional bug fixes related to specific ship functionalities, such as the Polaris torpedo console and cargo attachment issues for the Cutter ship. While some functionalities are still not operating as intended, the fixes implemented in this patch show progress towards improving the overall gaming experience in Star Citizen. Players are encouraged to provide feedback during the testing phase to help further refine the game.