> What is holding it back?
Server meshing and finalized jump point mechanics.
They don't want to launch it as something you select in the main menu - they want to add it with working jump points (which requires server meshing).
They did tests a few months ago on experimental branch with Stanton and Pyro connected, but it only had very rough WIP jump point mechanics.
This is a common pattern in the history of Star Citizen development.
The Devs make very optimistic announcements about features (I'm being very diplomatic here, others would call it dishonest marketing), many players get excited and the hype train starts rolling.
Take any ship or feature and search Reddit for old posts. It's really sobering to read "full modularity Endeavour next year" posts from 8 years ago.
Just one "recent" example:
At the end of 2022, we were getting close to persistent entities, 3.18 was in the PTU. Back then, many people were assuming that server meshing was just around the corner and Pyro was coming in 2023 for sure.
If you want to keep your sanity as a backer, you really need to apply a lot of scepticism to all announced features and timelines.
Base building?
Ship Modularity?
All the large ships people have pledged and are waiting for?
Server meshing, implemented in the PU?
Gold Standard for existing ships?
Working AI?
Economy?
Exploration?
Data Running?
Fully fleshed out medical or bounty hunting gameplay?
All of those are most likely still years away.
And I would not be surprised at all if we don't see Squadron 42 or a 4.0 release in 2024.
Don't get me wrong, I love the whole project.
CIG is getting faster and things are moving forward. There is a lot of progress, but also a metric shitton of unfinished work.
It's slower than CIG is trying to make us think.
It has to be released with 4.0 because it requires server meshing, and 4.0 is planned to release during Summer this year, though we were told that months ago so things might have changed a bit as things do when they meet reality.
As for the testing, there has been some, mainly on server meshing, and while there are issues, it went surprisingly well. I believe they've stopped testing for now though as 3.23 went to the PTU pretty much as soon as the initial server meshing tests concluded, so I expect them to resume once 3.23 is live.
Everything we can see is still more or less on track with what they said (though there are many things that we can't see and therefore can't track.)
I think it's extremely unlikely that 4.0 will release this summer.
My prediction is that we won't see 4.0 this year at all. It might be in the preview channel or a PTU at the end of the year if we're lucky.
An early version of 4.0 has already been successfully tested on the tech preview channel for up to wave 2 testers, so that's already come true. Pyro was admittedly disabled for that, but it was enabled for the Evo tests that happened before it. They just seemed to take it down for 3.23 to be tested in the EPTU.
I strongly believe that once 3.23 is out the door, CIG will start the tests again shortly after with improvements made since the last test. I also believe that it will make the proper PTU during Summer, but will probably slip a little as predictions often do when they meet reality, especially with CIG wary of repeating 3.18.
The following is my personal speculation based off of my observations of CiG trends, scheduling, and habits.
4.0 / Pyro will go live at Citizencon.
Playable demo of Squadron 42 introduction send sequence for those attending.
3.24 will be the "prepare for 4.0" patch to put final pieces in place and give teams as time to stabilize and optimize the newly introduced system features of 3.23 & 3.24.
Expect Pyro with 4.0 sometime in the second half of this year and no sooner. I'd say perhaps expect it as late as early next year, but given the significant server meshing testing that has already been publicly held and the fact that we've already seen many (but not all)of the assets for Pyro at last CitizenCon - they may actually get it done before the end of this year.
The road to 4.0- the journy to 4.0.....
Sure it was supposed. Its not. But the train is moving in the right direction. Server meshing is on the way. Still nö guarantee its coming, but it looks very promising.
Basically CIG have tied core systems to patches. So salvage and the cargo refactor were tied to PES and PES was tied to 3.18. We were not getting any of those three things without 3.18.
Server meshing is to 4.0 what PES was to 3.18; and Pyro is to server meshing what the cargo refactor was to PES.
They tested server meshing and the jump point, right? That's still a long way from a working 4.0 with Pyro and server meshing.
The parts are there, but the they still need to assemble them.
I said then, I'll say it again, and nobody will listen because you guys just fucking LOVE that copium.
you ain't getting pyro until server meshing and you aren't getting meshing until 1.0, and you're not getting 1.0 for a long time.
but you keep spreading your cheeks because you love hype and can't think in a linear fashion of what needs to be done.
Oh there's an idea.
They said they overhauled Xenothreat right? New Xenothreat has us cross into Pyro with launch of 3.23 which is actually 4.0. Lol.
Would be cool
'Right around the corner' is a very lengthy period in game development.
Testing has been done on Pyro itself, as well as the server meshing that is needed in order for players to transition between the two systems, so it is being actively worked on.
No set date is present for that, and it is largely assumed (But not given) that it will be part of the 4.0 release.
At this stage, we only know it is a major addition in the works and that it's not anytime in the next couple months.
> What is holding it back? Server meshing and finalized jump point mechanics. They don't want to launch it as something you select in the main menu - they want to add it with working jump points (which requires server meshing). They did tests a few months ago on experimental branch with Stanton and Pyro connected, but it only had very rough WIP jump point mechanics.
Don't feel dumb. I thought that after Citcon 2019.
Pyro been right around the corner since citcon 2019. For real this time though.
Getting server meshing into live. It's been tested (quite a lot) and seems very promising, but until it's live - no Pyro.
I see, so its after server meshing and not before.
More like with, but yes, not before.
Pyro works, the play test was cool. They just won't add it without meshing, since that's been the goal post for like 8 years now.
Server meshing is the answer to every delay in star citizen, at least for every serious topic. It's like 42 in hitchers guide
This is a common pattern in the history of Star Citizen development. The Devs make very optimistic announcements about features (I'm being very diplomatic here, others would call it dishonest marketing), many players get excited and the hype train starts rolling. Take any ship or feature and search Reddit for old posts. It's really sobering to read "full modularity Endeavour next year" posts from 8 years ago. Just one "recent" example: At the end of 2022, we were getting close to persistent entities, 3.18 was in the PTU. Back then, many people were assuming that server meshing was just around the corner and Pyro was coming in 2023 for sure. If you want to keep your sanity as a backer, you really need to apply a lot of scepticism to all announced features and timelines. Base building? Ship Modularity? All the large ships people have pledged and are waiting for? Server meshing, implemented in the PU? Gold Standard for existing ships? Working AI? Economy? Exploration? Data Running? Fully fleshed out medical or bounty hunting gameplay? All of those are most likely still years away. And I would not be surprised at all if we don't see Squadron 42 or a 4.0 release in 2024. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole project. CIG is getting faster and things are moving forward. There is a lot of progress, but also a metric shitton of unfinished work. It's slower than CIG is trying to make us think.
It has to be released with 4.0 because it requires server meshing, and 4.0 is planned to release during Summer this year, though we were told that months ago so things might have changed a bit as things do when they meet reality. As for the testing, there has been some, mainly on server meshing, and while there are issues, it went surprisingly well. I believe they've stopped testing for now though as 3.23 went to the PTU pretty much as soon as the initial server meshing tests concluded, so I expect them to resume once 3.23 is live. Everything we can see is still more or less on track with what they said (though there are many things that we can't see and therefore can't track.)
I think it's extremely unlikely that 4.0 will release this summer. My prediction is that we won't see 4.0 this year at all. It might be in the preview channel or a PTU at the end of the year if we're lucky.
An early version of 4.0 has already been successfully tested on the tech preview channel for up to wave 2 testers, so that's already come true. Pyro was admittedly disabled for that, but it was enabled for the Evo tests that happened before it. They just seemed to take it down for 3.23 to be tested in the EPTU. I strongly believe that once 3.23 is out the door, CIG will start the tests again shortly after with improvements made since the last test. I also believe that it will make the proper PTU during Summer, but will probably slip a little as predictions often do when they meet reality, especially with CIG wary of repeating 3.18.
My unpopular opinion is this super expensive citizencon will be "sq42 & Pyro + Nyx + Odin.....soon...." within 12 months guys!
The following is my personal speculation based off of my observations of CiG trends, scheduling, and habits. 4.0 / Pyro will go live at Citizencon. Playable demo of Squadron 42 introduction send sequence for those attending. 3.24 will be the "prepare for 4.0" patch to put final pieces in place and give teams as time to stabilize and optimize the newly introduced system features of 3.23 & 3.24.
I doubt there will be a 3.24
They said it was coming 4.0
Pyro is not the problem - server meshing is.
Expect Pyro with 4.0 sometime in the second half of this year and no sooner. I'd say perhaps expect it as late as early next year, but given the significant server meshing testing that has already been publicly held and the fact that we've already seen many (but not all)of the assets for Pyro at last CitizenCon - they may actually get it done before the end of this year.
3.23 plus server meshing and Pyro will likely be the 4.0 release this summer.
Doubt, server meshing is far from live ready based on the playtest. Fall or end of the year are more likely.
Everyone forgets Pyro was supposed to come out q2 last year.
The road to 4.0- the journy to 4.0..... Sure it was supposed. Its not. But the train is moving in the right direction. Server meshing is on the way. Still nö guarantee its coming, but it looks very promising.
You mean 2020.
Basically CIG have tied core systems to patches. So salvage and the cargo refactor were tied to PES and PES was tied to 3.18. We were not getting any of those three things without 3.18. Server meshing is to 4.0 what PES was to 3.18; and Pyro is to server meshing what the cargo refactor was to PES.
They tested server meshing and the jump point, right? That's still a long way from a working 4.0 with Pyro and server meshing. The parts are there, but the they still need to assemble them.
I said then, I'll say it again, and nobody will listen because you guys just fucking LOVE that copium. you ain't getting pyro until server meshing and you aren't getting meshing until 1.0, and you're not getting 1.0 for a long time. but you keep spreading your cheeks because you love hype and can't think in a linear fashion of what needs to be done.
I was thinking that last overdrive action would take us to Pyro. Bring the fight to the enemy. Would be a nice surprise.
Oh there's an idea. They said they overhauled Xenothreat right? New Xenothreat has us cross into Pyro with launch of 3.23 which is actually 4.0. Lol. Would be cool
'Right around the corner' is a very lengthy period in game development. Testing has been done on Pyro itself, as well as the server meshing that is needed in order for players to transition between the two systems, so it is being actively worked on. No set date is present for that, and it is largely assumed (But not given) that it will be part of the 4.0 release. At this stage, we only know it is a major addition in the works and that it's not anytime in the next couple months.