Bringing our Flat Galaxy to Life
We’ve always prided ourselves on being at the forefront of technical innovation, but also, on including a degree of scientific accuracy that grounds Star Citizen’s sci-fi universe in the realm of the (somewhat) plausible. Planet Tech V5 marks a significant step forward on both the tech and accuracy fronts. Coming to the ‘verse in an upcoming Patch, all major orbital bodies will be adjusted to reflect a profound scientific truth that can be ignored no longer – flat planets & moons.
We’re so excited to finally share this plan with you. Yes, we know that we just came out with Planet Tech V4… but we don’t see this as feature creep. This is a key pillar of the game and is a crucial change. The team has been full steam ahead on this for quite some time and can’t wait to rid the ‘verse of the spherical inaccuracies that currently plague it. We know that this revelation may come as a shock to some fans and backers – the topic of planetary sphericity is hotly debated amongst the top scientific minds of our modern world- and while many of you may remain skeptical, we’re sure that in time you’ll come around and end up on our level.
The Flattening & You
We know a change this big can be intimidating and you may have questions about how V5 will change gameplay, lore, and everyday life in the ‘verse. To that end, please refer to the following potentially commonly posed queries:
Will I fall off the edge of a planet if I get too close? Yes. Aside from being super accurate, scientifically, we think this has exciting gameplay implications. There might be a valuable item, lucrative mission, or intriguing point of interest out near the edge, but are you brave enough to risk the long fall in its pursuit? It’s what the developers refer to as a “risk/reward” situation, which promises to be very thrilling.
What about water? What happens to water when it reaches the edge of a planet? Well, while most planets have been designed to alleviate this problem, we are considering adding a “great waterfall to nowhere” flowing mysteriously off the side of Hurston in a patch down the line.
How does atmosphere work on these flat planets? Somewhat obviously, flat planet atmospheres are contained within magic domes.
How will this affect weather? All “bad weather” within the domes is caused by stazix clouds, generated by bummer moods and negative vibes. Full systemic gameplay integration is planned for a later patch, but for now, you’ll come across randomly generated stazix clusters that will thoroughly harsh your buzz.
How will this affect gravity? While we are all well aware that gravity is a lie created by ancient secret societies to control the masses, we are also aware that video games need physics. Therefore, “gravity” within the magic domes will be perceived as “normal”.
If I get to the top of a mountain, or really tall building, can I see all the way to the edge? This depends on the size of the planet.
What’s underneath the planet? Can we walk on the underside? If you can find a way to access the underbelly of a planet, traverse it at your own peril. The lizard people that dwell there don’t necessarily suffer visitors gladly. (Full Lizard People functionality to be added in a subsequent patch)
Do planets and moons still orbit? Planets don’t orbit, they are fixed in place. This is stone cold science fact. So no, no more orbiting.
How will this affect spacetravel? Spacetravel will of course, no longer be possible, as “outer space” is obviously a fallacy. Landings, however, will be much easier.
How will this impact the current lore? All previous patches, history, characters, and backstory will be retconned, having existed only as an elaborate fantasy set within a snow globe depicting the Stanton system.
Like all major changes we make to the ‘verse, you can expect to be kept up to date with the latest progress the team has made with updates straight from the devs themselves. We can’t wait to share more.
Click here to learn more about the intricate society of lizard people who live on the underside of planets!