Star Citizen's first-person shooting gets 'backpack reloading' and a major overhaul

Star Citizen, the ambitious and perpetually 'in-development' sci-fi universe, not only lets you fly from planet to spaceport to planet in a variety of ships but also explore on foot and take on dangerous missions that require you to enter the situation with a gun in hand. In a new development update titled 'First-Person Assertion,' we learn how the next Alpha update "will bring the FPS combat to AAA standard."

One feature coming to the game, and a very cool one, is the new 'backpack reloading' ability. This ability increases the reload time but lets you access ammo clips and magazines stored in your backpack. With Star Citizen's focus on detail and realism, it adds an extra layer to the combat when you run out of mags or clips stored on your suit.

Also, Alpha Update 2.32 includes a more advanced recoil for all guns (including laser weapons) and a dynamic crosshair to match the movement of a gun's barrel (which can be disabled). Plus, it includes all-new UI and scope rendering (with zoom functionality).

Why do laser weapons have recoil? The developer says it makes sense for the combat in Star Citizen because it's a game.

Last year, Chris Roberts, Founder and CEO of Cloud Imperium Games (CIG), showcased some extended gameplay from the single-player Squadron 42 offshoot. With cinematic tactical on-foot FPS missions, it makes sense that this side of the Star Citizen engine will be at the same level of detail and quality as ship-to-ship combat. Development on Star Citizen and Squadron 42 is progressing slowly (but surely); here are a few of the most recent stories regarding this awe-inspiring and ambitious project.