Anniversary Promotion & Free Fly Details

Take to the skies!

Citizens,

To celebrate the release of Hurston, Star Citizen’s first explorable planet, and commemorate our anniversary, we’re launching a Free Fly event of unprecedented magnitude.

From Nov 23 through Nov 30 you’ll have the chance to try out every flyable ship and operable vehicle in the game for free. Here’s how it works:

During the promotion, anyone can join Star Citizen’s Persistent Universe for free. You’ll be able to experience Star Citizen first-hand, but to get out there and start exploring, you’re gonna need a ship.

Starting on November 23rd, every day at 8am PST, a different ship manufacturer in the game will make its entire flyable fleet available for a 24-hour test flight period.

There may also be some surprises in store for those of you who make the trek out to Hurston and see what Lorville’s all about, as well as some fun interactive activities here on the website, so stay tuned.

Check out the schedule below to plan your free test flights. Have fun and fly safe!

The 2948 Free Fly Schedule

Nov 23 – Anvil Aerospace

Arrow: [REDACTED]

Gladiator: A ruggedly built two-person dive bomber.

Hornet F7C: Tough and dependable, the F7C is a multipurpose medium fighter.

Hornet F7C Wildfire: Special Edition of the F7C Hornet with custom livery and loadout geared for Arena Commander.

Hornet F7C-R – Tracker: Sacrificing a turret for an advanced radar dome, the Hornet Tracker seeks what is hidden.

Hornet F7C-S – Ghost: Stealthy, quiet, silent – the Ghost haunts an area by keeping a low profile.

Hornet F7C-M – Super Hornet: A two-seater multi-purpose medium fighter with a heavier loadout.

Hurricane: A heavy fighter with excessive loadout, including a turret that punches through shields and defenses.

Terrapin: Heavily armored ship with a sophisticated scanner, ideal for recon and exploration.

Valkyrie: A heavily armed multirole gunship and dropship.

Nov 24 – Roberts Space Industries

Aurora ES: A descendent of the X-7, this is the perfect choice for new ship owners. Versatile and intuitive.

Aurora LN: For the combat focused, the Aurora LN comes with bigger shields and larger weapons that pack a punch.

Aurora LX: The Aurora Deluxe, adding luxury and comfort for long stretches in the deep black.

Aurora MR: A balance of function and performance, the Aurora MR comes with cargo capacity and guns to ensure freight gets there safely.

Constellation Andromeda: A multicrew freighter with modular design, the RSI Andromeda is one of the most iconic ships in the verse.

Constellation Aquila: Exploring the stars and distant horizons with a rover, sensor suite and a redesigned cockpit offering max visibility.

Constellation Phoenix: A chariot of the Gods, this converted luxury, high performance Constellation freighter is ideal for VIP transport.

Ursa Rover: Rugged, durable and tough, this is the rover you need to explore a multitude of environments.

Nov 25 – Origin Jumpworks

300i: Travel in style with this high-performance sleek touring ship.

315p: Traverse the ‘verse with this high-performance exploration focused ship.

325a: Origin’s sleek signature fighter, the 325 makes a great companion for finding your mark in style and sophistication.

350r: Origin’s sleek signature racer, the 350 makes a great companion for leaving your peers in the dust.

600i Explorer: The luxury yacht of Star Citizen, designed to explore in comfort and style with a vehicle bay.

85X: A luxury and sporty short-range runabout for pilot and passenger.

M50: Origin’s premier racer, small, fast and highly agile.

Nov 26 – Aegis Dynamics

Avenger Stalker: A modified version of the Avenger, catering to bounty hunters with prison cells.

Avenger Titan: A former police ship with a cargo hold for light freight and courier abilities.

Avenger Titan Renegade: Special Edition of the Avenger Titan with custom livery and loadout geared for Arena Commander.

Avenger Warlock: A variant of the Avenger, armed with an EMP generator to disable enemies.

Eclipse: A sleek stealth bomber, armed with heavy torpedoes.

Gladius: An aged but agile light fighter with mid-range armament.

Gladius Valiant: Special Edition of the Gladius with custom livery and loadout geared for Arena Commander.

Hammerhead: A multi-crew corvette bristling with manned turrets designed to counter fighters.

Reclaimer: A heavy deep space salvage vessel to reclaim wrecks and derelicts.

Retaliator Bomber: A long-range anti capital ship bomber, covered in manned turrets and capable of launching size 9 torpedoes.

Sabre: Favoring agility over durability, this ship is light, sleek and deadly.

Sabre Comet: Special Edition of the Sabre with custom livery and loadout geared for Arena Commander.

Vanguard Hoplite: Long-range squad dropship with a turret gunner.

Vanguard Warden: Long-range heavy fighter with a turret gunner.

Nov 27 – Drake Interplanetary

Buccaneer: A light fighter that sacrifices durability and an ejection seat for raw fire power.

Caterpillar: A heavy multicrew commercial freighter. Lightly armed, with superior cargo capacity.

Caterpillar Pirate: A heavy multicrew commercial freighter. Lightly armed, with superior cargo capacity and custom pirate livery.

Cutlass Black: Black is back. Drake’s multicrew Cutlass is highly versatile, with combat and cargo prowess.

Dragonfly Black: A two-seater grav-lev bike. Easily traverses rough terrain, or closes the distance in space.

Dragonfly Yellowjacket: A two-seater grav-lev bike. Easily traverses rough terrain or closes the distance in space with custom yellow livery.

Herald: No secret is safe, Drake’s Herald captures and stores information before leaving at blistering speed.

Nov 28 – Alien Manufacturers

Khartu-al: Enigmatic, exotic and agile. The fragile Khartu-al excels at lateral thrust and maneuverability.

Nox: Sleek and fast, this gravity bike slices across rough terrain. Perfect for scouting and racing.

Nox Kue: Sleek and fast, this gravity bike slices across rough terrain. Perfect for scouting and racing with a bespoke Silver paintjob.

Vanduul Glaive: This Alien medium fighter replica drives fear with it’s ramming blades.

Vanduul Blade: Armed and Dangerous. This alien fighter slices through the air with it’s agility and shreds its foes.

Nov 29 – Musashi Industrial and Starflight Concern

Freelancer: A multicrew cargo freighter, with turret and ordnance to deter those after it’s haul.

Prospector: A miner’s best friend, with a powerful mining laser and saddle bags to turn mineral to profit.

Razor: Cutting ahead of the competition, this sleek racer will give the others a run for pole position.

Razor EX: Stealth special edition of the Razor outfitted with signature-reducing materials and stealth components.

Razor LX: Special edition of the Razor features an overclocked engine, reduced maneuverability and armaments in exchange of straight-line speed.

Reliant Kore: A fusion of Xi’an and Human technology, this light freighter allows you to haul cargo with a friend.

Starfarer: Keep fleets on the move with this heavy refueler.

Starfarer Gemini: Keep fleets on the move with this heavy refueler, The Gemini version sacrifices capacity for armor and a missile launcher.

Nov 30 – Kruger/Argo/Tumbril/Consolidated Outland

P-52 Merlin: Small, agile and comes with a sting. This snub fighter is fragile, but difficult to hit.

MPUV 1C: A small and unarmed utility runabout that transports cargo.

MPUV 1P: A small unarmed utility runabout tuned to transport personnel.

Cyclone: Stir up a storm with this robust two-seater buggy that can carry a little something in the back.

Cyclone AA: This two-seater buggy with EMP functionality is armed with an anti-air missile launcher to deter threats from above.

Cyclone RN: Unveils the fog of war, the recon variant of the Cyclone is mounted with a powerful scanner array.

Cyclone TR: Support ground infantry with this combat variant, equipped with a mounted turret to provide cover fire for ground operations.

Cyclone RC: Racing variant. It’s red, fast, and equipped with built-in nitro boost.

Mustang Alpha: Consolidated Outland’s premier ship for those wanting to push the limits a little more when starting out.

Mustang Beta: Home is where the heart is, the Beta offers comfortable living quarters for beginners roaming the frontier.

Mustang Delta: The Mustang Delta is armed with heavier weapons and rocket pods.

Mustang Gamma: Racing the competition? The additional engine loaded into the back will provide the competitive edge you need.

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Source: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link//16849-Anniversary-Promotion-Free-Fly-Details

Portfolio: Intergalactic Aerospace Expo

For spacecraft enthusiast Audrey Timmerman, Lo was the ideal place to grow up. Every day, a wide array of ships would make the trip into atmosphere from the bustling spacelanes above. Family members recalled Audrey spending her nights staring out the window of their flat in the Walden Towers housing development and identifying ships as they flew past solely on the configuration of their running lights. In an interview with the Terra Gazette, Timmerman couldn’t recall what first got her interested in aviation: “I don’t remember one specific ‘ah-ha’ moment. That love was just always there.”

Timmerman came from a family of modest means who couldn’t afford to own a ship, but her parents indulged her passion by taking her to New Junction’s bustling trade port to watch the ships take off and land. In 2656, Timmerman eagerly joined the Navy with dreams of becoming a pilot. Unfortunately, her piloting skill lagged behind those who already had years of flight experience.

Still, her vast knowledge of ships and eye for detail did not go unnoticed. She became a mechanic and rose through the ranks to became a pit chief aboard the frigate UEEN Solis. Assigned to patrol the Perry Line, the Solis spent its time as a mobile support ship for UEE strike fighters that monitored the Xi’an jump points. She described it as ‘long stretches of boredom punctuated by moments of terror,’ but that changed one day when a flight of fighters brought back something from their patrol: wreckage of a Xi’an ship. While Timmerman was intimately familiar with Banu ships from her childhood in Corel, seeing the Xi’an’s unique design approach was both fascinating and inspiring for her.

After ending her Naval service, Timmerman returned to New Junction and opened Intergalactic Aerospace Repairs in 2667. The shop quickly garnered a reputation for being able to fix just about anything. In her off hours, Timmerman devoted herself to her true passion, trying to reverse engineer the Xi’an tech she had seen in the Navy. Relations between the two species were antagonistic at the time, so it was impossible as a civilian to get her hands on Xi’an tech, leaving her nothing but memories and ingenuity to work with.

Humble Beginnings

In 2670, Timmerman finished installing Xi’an-inspired maneuverable thrusters on Poby, an old Aurora she named after her cat. Afraid to test fly the ship on a heavily populated planet, Timmerman and fellow aerospace enthusiasts loaded Poby and a number of other heavily modified ships onto a transporter and flew to the nearly desolate planet of Castor to test fly them. Though it was an informal gathering, historians now considered it to be the very first Intergalactic Aerospace Expo.

Poby’s first flight was a disappointment, as a power surge fried a number of her experimental thrusters. Timmerman wasn’t deterred by the failure — quite the opposite, she was energized by the process, and it wasn’t long before this group of experimental spacecraft enthusiasts were meeting regularly to discuss and examine various mods they were building. The annual test flights on Castor became a tradition and grew in popularity over the years.

One of the members of the group was Steffon Dillard, owner of Steffon’s Ship Emporium in New Junction. He recognized the popularity of the annual gathering and approached Timmerman about sponsoring the event. He would provide the latest ships for the enthusiasts to check out in person, and hopefully make some sales in the process. Timmerman agreed and, needing a name to put on the ads Dillard was creating, decided to borrow from her own company to get the name Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE).

Over the next decade, the event became large enough that other retail outlets and parts manufacturers were eager to show off their own goods at the expo. Once that happened, it wasn’t long before the major ship manufacturers took notice. In 2683, RSI became an official sponsor of the IAE and has been one ever since. Each year, more and more sponsors and booths appeared at the event.

Purists decried its corporatization, but Timmerman vehemently justified the expansion. To her the Expo hadn’t sold out; it had adapted and improved. Her final act was to create a nonprofit to officially manage the event, and ensure a large percentage of the revenue went to a charity Timmerman created called Simpod Pals, whose mission was to give underprivileged children the opportunity to learn how to fly.

Spooling Up

In 2847, the board of directors made the decision to rotate the location of the IAE each year. The public explanation was that it would give more people the chance to experience the universe’s premier aerospace event.

Numerous systems clamored to host the event and enjoy the economic windfall that came with it. The event hopscotched from planet to planet for the next few decades until the 2913 event in Ferron was almost canceled due to Asura’s inability to meet the minimum hangar and power standards outlined by the IAE’s contract. Shortly after this scare, the IAE board was contacted by Governor Joona Tzur of Severus about bringing the event to the Kiel System. IAE officials were impressed with his presentation, but more so with the facilities his planet could offer. Severus contained numerous hangars (initially built and used by the military), plenty of available landing pads, and more than sufficient accommodations for visitors. After impressing the IAE board with Kiel’s facilities, Tzur went in for the kill. He offered to make vast upgrades and improvements to the existing facilities if the IAE agreed to make Severus the event’s permanent home. Still reeling from the Ferron controversy, the board of directors took a vote and approved the proposal. The IAE has been based in Kiel ever since.

The Intergalactic Aerospace Expo has come a long way since its humble beginnings on Castor. Due to insurance and legal issues, it’s no longer about amateurs test flying experimental ships. Instead, renowned pilots like Chelsea Yan and members of the Navy’s famed ‘Wreckless’ Squadron 999 dazzle attendees with impressive flight maneuvers, while ship and component manufacturers unveil their latest wares. At its core though, the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo is made for those young dreamers who find themselves staring up at the sky to count running lights.

Community Update 207

Charitable Rust, art, base tours, maps, and more. Source: https://rust.facepunch.com/blog/community-update-207/

November 2948 Subscriber Flair

Subscribers

In the classic RSI Venture Explorer Suit, one can march into the unknown with fortitude and panache. But to achieve this, one is going to need their legs. That’s where the bottom half of the suit comes in. Made from the same hardened alloy as the rest of the suit, these stylish red breeches will make sure you are comfortable and well-covered below the belt.

Imperator Subscribers

Imperator-level subscriber will also have the option of these slick purple leggings, along with the red version. At the end of the day, it’s never a bad idea to bring a spare change of pants along, especially when plunging headlong into the potentially terrifying realm of the unexplored.

If you’re an active subscriber, these items will be added to your account on November 19th.

If you aren’t a subscriber yet but want to sport these Arms, make sure you subscribe no later than November 18th.

More information about subscriptions can be found here

Source: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/16845-November-2948-Subscriber-Flair

Reverse the Verse LIVE

Art Director Ian Leyland and Environment Artist Luan Vetoreti discuss the process and elements of building Lorville.

To watch Reverse the Verse LIVE each and every week, tune into http://twitch.tv/starcitizen.

Source: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/16839-Reverse-The-Verse-LIVE

Around the Verse

Breaking news about upcoming releases and an inside look at cloud tech development in this week’s update.

Source: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/16838-Around-The-Verse

Far From Home: Best Laid Plans

Best Laid Plans

Hey there, folks. It’s me, Old Jegger, calling out across the void. Glad this installment of Far From Home has found you. Here’s to hoping I can provide you some companionship on your journey. Heck, maybe even a smile or two. Those looking for wisdom might be disappointed. Sure, my life has been a crazy trip with more twists and turns than the Defford raceway, and a lot of it I only weathered by white-knuckling life’s flight stick and not letting go. Still haven’t figured out if that makes me ‘wise’ or not. But you know, with everything I’ve been through, it definitely makes me lucky to have survived.

Shana and I are currently in the outer edges of the Charon system, waiting for an old friend. We’re gonna keep them company on a run and reminisce a bit. It sure is a sight out here. Most folks just consider Charon IV a regular ol’ ice giant, but she’s got a special place in my heart. Starlight reflects off her in a way that’s always stayed with me. Glad I made it back here to see her again.

Normally, this is where I answer some questions commed to me, but I was reading through a few and got a bit overwhelmed. If I’m being honest, many of y’all are asking for advice that I can’t provide. Either ‘cause the subject is outta my league or something I don’t feel right weighing in on, and I’m too old to start pretending otherwise.

Guess this is the long way of explaining why I picked the question I did for this show. Among the various inquiries about how to mentally prepare yourself for life on the drift, or pointers on how to avoid grief from unruly types, there seemed to be one simple question at the heart of those being sent my way… why?

As in, why in the hell did I decide to live my life like this. Drifting all alone amidst the vast expanse without anyone but myself, minimal supplies, and Shana. It sure as hell isn’t the life I planned, but I learned a long time ago that you don’t plan for your future, you prepare for it. That might sound the same but trust me, there’s a difference. Planning is aspirational. It’s what you want to happen. But preparing is practical. It’s what’s left of your plans when life knocks you off course, which has happened to me more than I’d like to admit.

This might surprise some of you, but I once lived in Charon. Built a little homestead on Charon III with the plan of putting down some roots. I’d been wandering ever since I left Vann and was ready to return to solid ground and enjoy a nice quiet life.

I found a spot in the Dellin desert that was desolate but beautiful. It was by a small oasis, which sounds more impressive than it actually was. Let’s just say the water was way too salty to drink and not even deep enough to drown if you passed out drunk in it. A few other folks lived nearby. Close enough to create a sense of community but not get in each other’s way. I hadn’t really experienced anything like it before, and I… well, I began to understand the appeal.

I fixed things for my neighbors and developed a reputation that had folks from other parts seeking me out. I even entertained the thought of opening my own repair shop. After growing up in one and watching all the stress slowly drain the life out of my ma, I had always told myself I wouldn’t live that way, but for the first time the idea didn’t seem like such a bad one. Funny how I left home all those years ago searching for something different and somehow ended up in a place that felt familiar. A strange feeling to be sure. That itch to escape had faded and I had begun planning a future for myself that I would never have believed possible.

Then a terrible drought hit Dellin. I knew they occurred from time to time, but I wasn’t prepared for it. Didn’t take long before the oasis evaporated, leaving nothing but a salt flat in its wake. Some folks picked up and left right then and there. They were the smart ones. Leave it to Old Jegger to learn his lessons the hard way.

Water became particularly hard to come by. A hauler hired to bring in regular shipments was ambushed by some desperate folks and the pilot killed. After that no one was willing to make the delivery, at least not at a cost we could afford. Lacking any other options, I began making water runs myself. First I went to Acheron but the second someone got wind I was from Dellin the price doubled. Bastards knew the terrible situation we were in but didn’t give a damn if it meant they could squeeze a few extra creds outta it.

Soon I was making runs out of system to load up on food and water. The experience provided quite the crash course on how to run your ship sigs low enough to not attract attention. Folks desperate for supplies are willing to do just about anything. It wasn’t long before I was spending more time in my ship than at the homestead. Soon, I was justifying extending my hauling runs even further out just so I wouldn’t have to return to Dellin quite so soon. And when I was home, I was missing the drift something fierce. Wasn’t long before I had to admit to myself that the old itch had come back worse than ever.

I chewed on the decision over my next few runs. Returning to my wandering ways wasn’t so easy. People depended on me, and I wasn’t so sure what they would do if I left. Finally, I made up an excuse for Langston, one of the remaining residents, to join me on a run. Didn’t take long for him to figure out that I was showing him the ropes. When we got back I broke the news to everyone else. They didn’t give me no grief and thanked me for all I’d done. They even threw me a little going away shindig. That only made me like ‘em more.

I hadn’t been back until this trip. I kept telling myself that it’d be too dangerous, what with the terrible war between Dellin and Acheron still raging. Deep down I was also worried that going back might stir up thoughts about settling down. The trip definitely triggered some strong emotions but none of ‘em had me questioning my decision.

My old homestead’s still there, barely, but all my old neighbors were long gone. Not too surprising. The water’s still all dried up and the ground as salty as a Snaggle Stick. It was good to be back, but I’m glad it’s not my home no more.

Guess that was the long way of saying that the reason why I live the way I do is because it’s complicated. It’s partly because I’m just a restless soul who prefers his own company, and partly because life pushed me that way. This life isn’t for everyone but it’s definitely the right one for me.

[ Beeping ]

Damn, has it been that long already? Sitting here, recollecting the past and enjoying a slow drift by Charon IV has sure been fun, but it’s time to move on. There’s still so much out there for me to see.

This is Old Jegger, signing off.

Source: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/16835-Far-From-Home-Best-Laid-Plans

Community Update 206

A new concurrent player record, lots of art, bases, maps, and more. Source: https://rust.facepunch.com/blog/community-update-206/

Calling All Devs

Every week, designers, engineers and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on SPECTRUM and voted on by YOU.

You can submit your questions for consideration in future episodes of Calling All Devs here.

And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/subscriptions

Source: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/16834-Calling-All-Devs

This Week in Star Citizen

Hello everyone,

Last week, we celebrated All Hallows’ Eve across our studios and crowned the winners of our two Halloween themed community contests. Check out the winners of the Pumpkin Carving Contest, and the FOIP Contest, highlighting the most terrifying or terrified expressions.

We welcomed more filmmakers to the annals of Star Citizen cinematic history with our Mustang Commercial Contest. Check out the work of the bold community filmmakers who embraced the maverick spirit of Consolidated Outland to create commercials that Silas Koerner himself would be proud of.

If you haven’t yet, you can also read up on Anvil’s latest bruiser, the Valkyrie. The Q&A on the recently revealed troop/personnel transport ship answers the top-voted community questions.

And with that, let’s see what’s going on this week:

Today we’re re-releasing September’s Squadron 42 Monthly Report as a Comm-Link. It’s important to note that this is a cross-post of the report you already received recently in your email’s inbox, but we wanted to publish it as a Comm-Link as well for convvenience. This is a cross-posting process we plan to continue for future Squadron 42 reports. Check that out here.

On Calling All Devs every week, designers, engineers, and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on Spectrum and voted for by YOU. This week we talk about ship headlights, moving from planet to planet while offline, the docking functionality of the Merlin, and more!

On Tuesday, the Lore Team will publish another “Far From Home” piece, in which Old Jegger will be visiting an old homestead and reflecting on the reasons why he left. Check out previously published lore posts here.

Thursday will welcome another episode of Around the Verse where we’ll take a look at the latest Star Citizen news.

Tune in on Friday at at 9am PST for another episode of Reverse the Verse, broadcast live on our Star Citizen Twitch channel. This week, we’ll have Environment Art Director Ian Leyland on the show to answer questions following up the variety of CitizenCon presentations related to the “man-made” structures of Alpha 3.3.5, such as “Welcome to Lorville” and “The Mod Squad.” Post your questions on Spectrum and vote on the ones you want to see addressed most.

Ulf Kuerschner
Senior Community Manager

The Weekly Community Content Schedule

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2018
Calling All Devs (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/)

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH, 2018
Weekly Lore Post (https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/spectrum-dispatch)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2018
–

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2018
Around the Verse (https://www.youtube.com/user/RobertsSpaceInd/)
Vault Update

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH, 2018
            Reverse the Verse   (https://www.twitch.tv/starcitizen)
            Roadmap Update
            RSI Newsletter

Community MVP: November 5th, 2018

We are constantly amazed by the contributions made by the Star Citizen community. Whether it’s fan art, a cinematic, a YouTube guide, or even a 3D print of your favorite ship, we love it all! Every week, we select one piece of content submitted to the Community Hub and highlight it here. The highlighted content creator will be awarded with an MVP badge on Spectrum and be immortalized in our MVP section of the Hub.

Don’t forget to submit your content to our Community Hub for a chance at seeing it here!

Operation Hammerhead by Gwim

The Black Star Initiative is putting the Aegis Hammerhead to the test. What does the turret say?!

Enjoy the video on the Community Hub.

Source: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/citizens/16833-This-Week-In-Star-Citizen