Star Citizen Alpha 4.0 has entered PTU testing, allowing players to experience new features like server meshing, the Pyro system, and jump gates, with initial testing proving surprisingly stable despite some crashes. Ryan expresses optimism about a potential public release before the end of the year while encouraging viewer engagement and promoting the Tobi Tracker 5 as a useful tool for the game.
In the latest update from Ryan, also known as Mac, Star Citizen Alpha 4.0 has officially entered PTU (Public Test Universe) testing, marking a significant milestone for the game. He expresses gratitude to his patrons and channel members for their support and encourages viewers to subscribe to help reach a goal of 70,000 subscribers. The initial testing session for Alpha 4.0, which was intended to last two hours, was extended to three hours due to high interest, allowing players to experience server meshing, the new Pyro system, and jump gates for transitioning between systems.
The initial build featured four dedicated game servers, accommodating 100 players per shard, with two servers for each solar system—Stanton and Pyro. Ryan notes that this configuration is temporary and aims to optimize zone transitions and performance during testing. Despite the usual instability associated with early tests, the initial build was surprisingly stable, although it did experience crashes and server recoveries towards the end of the session.
Players were able to navigate jump points, which Ryan describes as visually and audibly impressive. The transition from Stanton to Pyro takes about two minutes, with players finding it challenging to keep their ships on course within the tunnel. The jump tunnel changes color from blue to a yellow-orange as players move between systems, adding an immersive touch. If a player fails a jump, they are ejected to the edges of the current system, which introduces potential gameplay elements around search and rescue missions.
As this was the first Evocati test, the focus was primarily on performance and stability rather than mission refactoring, which is expected in future patches. Ryan invites feedback from other Evocati players regarding their experiences, particularly concerning server FPS drops. He acknowledges that while the build was stable initially, it became more problematic towards the end of the testing period.
Looking ahead, Ryan expresses optimism about the potential for Alpha 4.0 to be released to the wider public before the end of the year, although he doubts it will be ready for CitizenCon. He emphasizes the importance of ensuring stability before a broader rollout. Additionally, he promotes the Tobi Tracker 5, currently on sale, as an essential tool for playing Star Citizen. He wraps up by encouraging viewers to engage with his content, subscribe, and join him on Twitch for further discussions.