Star Citizen’s next major alpha update is finally here. Alpha 3.23 includes wild animals for players to encounter or avoid, vast industrial locations, an all-new character editor, performance options, AI improvements, and many other features.
Players will finally encounter true wildlife during their travels across inhabited planets thanks to the addition of Copion hounds and Marok birds. While the bird-like creatures of the Marks will leave players alone and scatter when approached, the new four-legged fauna of the Copion hounds can be dangerous if encountered by a pack.
The first-person experience in zero gravity (EVA) has been improved in terms of “controls, animation, gameplay and detail.” Players will now hold their body in a horizontal “prone position” when maneuvering, as well as use their arms to push away, providing much more control needed to explore and fight in gravity-free space.
The character editor is another area that has received a major overhaul. It now allows you to further customize your space traveler’s appearance with new head models, as well as new options for beards, eyebrows, hairstyles, makeup and more.
In addition, Cloud Imperium Games has updated the Star Citizen engine (StarEngine) with new cloud and water technologies to respond to ships and other physical objects. Examples of this can be seen in the update trailer. On the same technology front, popular image upscaling solutions from Nvidia and AMD have emerged – DLSS and FSR, respectively, which should help improve frame rates.
Reworked ship controls for more action-packed dogfight sessions, updated UI interactions for easier and more intuitive use of MobiGlas and in-game menu items, and new walkable areas filled with industrial assets for new types of quests involving cargo and ground skirmishes, also included in the update.