The much-awaited 3.18 patch for Star Citizen is out, and it includes a significant reworking of the cargo system. The gameplay will now be more immersive and realistic thanks to significant improvements in how players trade, sell, and move things across the universe. In this guide, we’ll examine the main features of the new cargo system and offer helpful tips for making the most of your trade activities while handling the changes.
Introduction to the Cargo System Refactor
The cargo system refactor represents a significant step forward in the development of Star Citizen. The update fixes persistent problems with the game’s trading and cargo systems, improving their realism and bringing them closer to the developers’ intended goal. The Star Citizen 3.18 update’s major additions include a new cargo grid system, improved commodity trading, and sophisticated cargo management tools. The effects of these modifications on players are extensive, affecting everything from ship choices to trading routes and gameplay strategies.
New Cargo Grid System
The 3.18 update’s implementation of a new cargo grid system is one of the biggest changes. The new approach, which considers the actual dimensions and mass of the cargo, replaces the outdated system of standardized cargo units (SCU). Instead, the new system employs a voxel-based methodology, with each grid unit representing a 0.125m³ volume.
Key Features
● Realistic Cargo Sizes and Weights: With the introduction of the new physicalized cargo system, cargo items now have mass and can impact a ship’s performance. Players must be more strategic in their cargo transport operations due to this feature, which gives the game a new sense of realism. Moving and storing cargo objects more realistically is now possible thanks to their distinct size and mass. Larger products will therefore take up more room, but smaller items will more readily fit into ships with less cargo space.
● Dynamic Cargo Grid: The cargo grid constantly changes the ship’s available space, making it simpler to see how much space is still available for goods. Also, this approach enables improved cargo management and organization.
● Cargo Stacking: Now that similar items may be piled on top of one another, space can be used more effectively. Players must weigh the trade-offs between space efficiency and cargo safety, as stacking cargo increases the danger of damage during travel.
● Additional Features in the Star Citizen 3.18 Cargo System
● Cargo Grids: Grids of cargo can now be displayed on ships by the cargo system. Players can organize their cargo transport using these grids, which show where cargo can be placed aboard the ship.
● Cargo Capacity: Players must be careful while selecting their cargo because ships now have a maximum capacity. The cargo capacity can be extended by purchasing cargo modules depending on the ship’s size.
● Cargo Loading and Unloading: A new loading and unloading mechanic with the new cargo system exists. The game now allows players to physically load and unload cargo onto their ships, increasing immersion.
● Cargo Insurance: Cargo insurance is a feature of the new cargo system that safeguards players’ cargo in the event of loss or damage. You can acquire cargo insurance from several in-game vendors.
Implications for Ship Selection
The significance of choosing the right ship for your cargo-hauling needs has never been higher with the new cargo grid system. Because the grid is dynamic, some ships will be better suited for carrying particular kinds of cargo, while others might find it difficult to carry objects that are excessively big or heavy.
As a result, when formulating their trade routes and cargo-hauling missions, players must carefully evaluate their ships’ cargo capacity and dimensions. The best place to get the ships and aUEC coins required to purchase them is a reputed seller like MMOPixel. It comes with 24×7 chat support and the quickest delivery of items.
Commodity Trading Changes
The 3.18 update also significantly changes how commodities are bought and sold in the game. These changes are designed to make trading more dynamic and challenging while adding more depth to the economy.
New Commodity Types
Several new commodity types have been added to the game, including perishable goods, hazardous materials, and valuable items. Each commodity type has unique properties and requirements, such as specialized storage or handling procedures. This adds variety and complexity to the trading experience, as players must now consider these factors when selecting commodities to trade.
Dynamic Pricing
The introduction of dynamic pricing adds another layer of complexity to trading in Star Citizen. Prices for commodities now fluctuate based on supply and demand, with high-demand goods commanding higher prices and low-demand goods selling for less. This system encourages players to seek profitable trade routes and adapt their trading strategies to capitalize on market conditions.
Impact on Gameplay
Star Citizen’s cargo system overhaul precipitates a tidal wave of change that transforms gameplay at every level. From the tools in traders’ hands to the adventures they embark upon, every aspect of existence in the universe has been reforged to support rich new playstyles and stories.
Advanced scanning equipment grants god’s-eye views into economic systems, enabling data-driven decision-making rather than guesswork. Traders can optimize every trade to maximize profitability, learning the rhythms of supply and demand like a financial virtuoso. Powerful route planners ensure not a second or fuel unit is wasted in the process. Efficiency and profit are the new virtues of commercial life.
For those seeking danger, scattered randomly within space are fields containing exotic commodities that can only be sold on the black market. Probing unknown locations for rare goods that must be smuggled to shadowy buyers provides thrill-seeking traders with heart-pumping chase and evasion sequences they can share for years. While rule-breaking does carry greater risks, enormous payouts make the chase worthwhile.
Whether shipping staple goods or running illegal contraband, every trip into space becomes an opportunity to weave an epic yarn. Close calls with pirates, catastrophic engine failures, or close shaves with customs agents provide abundant peril and adventure. Before traders know it, a single successful run has transformed into a sprawling space opera they can recount for generations.
Traders can now craft their destiny, from a freelance wayfarer drifting between jobs to the captain of a sprawling trade empire. As profits accumulate, ambitious pilots can build massive fleets, acquire lavish spaceports or dominate entire trade lanes. No story is too ambitious in the new universe of possibility. Traders can go wherever their hearts and balance sheets lead them.
Tips for Maximizing the New Cargo System
The new cargo system in Star Citizen requires players to be more strategic in their cargo transport operations.
Here are some tips for maximizing the new cargo system:
- Choose the Right Ship: A ship’s cargo capacity is crucial in the new cargo system. Choose a ship with a large cargo capacity to maximize your profit.
- Invest in Cargo Modules: Cargo modules can increase a ship’s cargo capacity, allowing players to transport more valuable cargo.
- Plan Your Route: Plan your route carefully to avoid unnecessary detours and maximize profit.
- Protect Your Cargo: Purchase cargo insurance to protect your cargo from loss or damage.
- Be Prepared for Emergencies: In the new cargo system, cargo can affect a ship’s performance. Be prepared for emergencies and have the plan to deal with damaged cargo.
- Use aUEC: Use bought or buy star citizen aUEC to keep enough funds in your account for in-game purchases to fully utilize your ships.
Here are some additional details I can provide about the Star Citizen 3.18 Cargo System Refactor Guide:
● The new personal cargo manager mobiGlas app provides an easy overview of all the commodities in a player’s inventory at a glance. Players can sort items by location, type, quantity, and value and arrange them as needed. This makes it simpler to plan trading runs and maximize profits.
● Cargo shipments can now be tracked in real-time. Players will receive notifications about the current location, any price changes of the commodities, and warnings about the pirate activity or hostile forces along the trade route. This allows players to chart the safest path for their cargo hauls.
● The dynamic pricing system introduces price volatility based on supply and demand. Less available or essential commodities may see prices surge dramatically during shortages. Players can gain huge windfalls if they acquire and deliver these commodities to the affected locations. However, there is also a risk of losses if prices drop before they can complete the trade run.
● Both the Freelancer MAX and Caterpillar cargo ships provide modular storage options to suit different cargo types. The Freelancer MAX has a larger cargo hold and collar extenders for more storage space. The Caterpillar features 5 detachable command modules and shielded cargo modules to protect illicit goods from scans. These modular designs give players more flexibility and customization in managing their cargo operations.
● With physicalized cargo, players can see their cargo getting loaded and unloaded. Different boxes, containers, and crates will move along the cargo lifts and into the ship holds. This added realism and visual feedback enhances the experience of hauling and trading cargo in the Star Citizen universe.
Conclusion
The cargo refactor brings the game closer to the promised cargo gameplay in the finished Persistent Universe. The improved systems provide a more realistic simulation of a living, breathing cargo economy for players. There is ample opportunity for entrepreneurship, smuggling, and unexpected challenges that keep cargo running exciting.
