Star Citizen is an upcoming MMO that expands through multiple galaxies and allows you to take charge of many different aspects of life out in the universe. The title itself is as stunning as it is expansive, giving an endless adventure to players looking to take to the skies. Those who play the game have the ability to take on many different roles like security, trade, piracy, military, and many others. This title currently is in an alpha state but is providing more and more content as time goes on. Today, the developing team behind this open-world space game has released the latest Star Citizen patch for the alpha version of their game, “Star Citizen Alpha 2.6.1”.

The developers at Cloud Imperium Games provided details on the newest release via the Star Citizen website that goes into detail on what new features they are providing in the current release and what they have done to update and fix previous issues. Patch 2.6.1 is a lengthy one going into new features, balance changes, leaderboards, and more. The focus was to completely revamp any weak parts in the game’s structure based on player feedback while the title is still in alpha stage. The team over at Cloud Imperium summarized the Star Citizen patch notes in the following statement on their website:

While this patch is primarily dedicated to bug fixes targeting Star Marine, Arena Commander and Crusader, it also includes a number of “quality of life” improvements for the game, updates to Spectator Mode, new implementations of our continuing network code updates, a brand new version of the Super Hornet and the first implementation of our Multi-Region Server Support.

Here are the details on alpha patch “2.6.1-506099″as detailed on Star Citizens’ Patch Notes:

New Features

Game Systems:

Arena Commander Balance Changes

• To unify scoring with Star Marine, player kills are now scored separately to Vehicle Damage.
• 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 will 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 Balance Changes

• 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 Hemorrhage scoring bonus for causing another player to bleed.
  • This bonus is not awarded if you cause yourself to bleed.
• Multiple changes have been made to both OP Station Demien and Echo Eleven maps.
  • These changes are to help prevent spawn camping and balance times between control points, as well as plugging up exploits.

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 now 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.
• Made saving and loading of cameras persist between game sessions.

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, and the 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:

• Groundwork aspects of our ongoing network refactor have come online – the first iteration of Network Message Ordering.
• 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 best available region, but that will change as we build and improve on the functionality of our region support.

Updates and Fixes

Star Systems:

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 a continuous loop.
• 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.

Hangars

• Fixed some audio clipping problems in Revel & York Hangar.
• Fixed an issue where part of the Khartu-Al flair model was sticking out of the display case.
• Fixed a number of lighting issues on the three Race maps.
• Fixed a number of lighting issues in the VFG Industrial and Aeroview Hangar.
• Removed the elevator UI from the Hangar elevator.
  • Users will need to proceed through the game menus to transition from Hangar to ArcCorp or Crusader.

Game Systems:

Arena Commander

• General Bug Fixes
  • The size of Pickups (repair/refuel/reload) 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.
• Race Mode
  • 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 primary race routes on all tracks.
• 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.

Star Marine

• 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 shorter range.
  • Made a number of tweaks to footstep audio in both Echo Eleven and OP Station Demien.
  • 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.
  • 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 a number of dialog cues for the announcer when a match ends in a draw.
• 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 won 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.
  • Fixed some issues with projectile bounce and ricochet in Echo Eleven.
  • Many cosmetic art updates and tweaks have been made 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.
• Made some tweaks to the audio for shield activation and deactivation.

Individual Ships

• 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 now equip Size 1-4 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.
  • Fixed an issue where the Cutlass Black thrusters were missing VFX.
• 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.
  • Made some visual tweaks to the Herald thrusters VFX.
  • Fixed an issue where a Herald pilot would lose control of the ship if another player sat in the copilot seat.
• 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.
• Reliant
  • Fixed an issue with the Reliant thruster audio was not playing correctly.
• 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 the moving of corpses via gunfire.
• 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.

Weapons 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.
• Made some tweaks to the blood splatter visual effects when shot.
• Improved charging sound while in depressurized environments for the Arrowhead Sniper Rifle.

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.

User Interface:

• 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.
• Added a MediPen count to the player HUD.

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.

That’s a lot of great new features coming to Star Citizen players! What are your thoughts on the changes that the latest Star Citizen patch so far? What improvements would you like to still be corrected? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for live gaming and entertainment news 24/7!