In a Star Citizen Live session, the developer team discussed the UI teams for Squadron 42 and the Persistent Universe. They shared plans for focusing on polishing Squadron 42 while also working on the PU, discussed various UI features such as the Mobiglass, star map, and security systems, and mentioned the importance of repair and procedural damage tech.
In a Star Citizen Live session, the developer team discussed various UI-related topics. They mentioned that the livestream was the first one in seven weeks due to CitizenCon, which took place in Toronto. They revealed that the upcoming Star Citizen Live episodes would be a recap of the panels shown at CitizenCon. The focus of discussion in this session was on the UI and tech teams for Squadron 42 and the Persistent Universe (PU). The team confirmed that there would be a shift in focus over the next 9 to 12 months, with more effort being put into polishing Squadron 42 while also working on the PU.
The team expressed their excitement about being at CitizenCon and witnessing what other teams had achieved. They acknowledged the long hours and hard work put into making sure the demos and panels were ready for the event. The star map reveal was mentioned as a particularly satisfying moment, with many secrets being unveiled. The UI team expressed their hope to roll out the features demonstrated before the 4.0 release.
The team clarified that transitioning Squadron 42 features to the PU would not be a simple drop-in process due to significant differences. Testing would continue to be a part of the development process. The Mobiglass was confirmed as the primary player interface, even though it exists a thousand years in the future. The team aimed to make all data accessible and visible to players. They discussed features like the hollow globe, adding a galaxy view scale to the map, and implementing waypoints, folders, and tags for ease of use.
The team’s priority was to make the UI functional and then consider adding additional features in the future. They talked about cross-referencing galactic data onto the map and mentioned plans for autopopulating some data to the scanner. Multi-leg quantum travel planning was not a current focus but might be approached in the future. Players asked about seeing their fleet spread out over the star map, to which the team responded that it was a later goal. Similarly, showing friendly locations on the map would also be considered later.
The team discussed the security map demo, where interior doors were shown opening and closing. They clarified that such access would be visible to anyone, not just security or engineering staff. However, they recognized that allowing unrestricted access to sensitive components and systems might not be desirable, so they mentioned adding required security authorizations. They mentioned that unexplored space would be shown as blank areas on the map, while known but basic details would be provided for discovered planets. Additionally, they expressed interest in revamping the landing UI in the future.
The session briefly shifted to an Ask Disco segment, where Disco mentioned enjoying CitizenCon and the new maps in the UI. The developer team also touched on physical damage mechanics, discussing plans for ships to become harder to operate and eventually stop working when they reach zero hit points. They mentioned the importance of repair and added that the procedural damage tech showcased at CitizenCon was remarkable.
The livestream ended with thanks for the audience’s time and a reminder to fly safe in the Star Citizen universe.