The Watch patches of Star Citizen accompany the release of updates, in order to explain new features or changes.
Quantum Simulation
The Economic Simulation of the Quantum Universe has been integrated into the backend of the game.
Non-player characters buy fuel (quantum or hydrogen) and maintenance services at stations. Thus, the prices of maintenance services (fuels and repairs) will now go fluctuate over time.
Quantum will also affect the frequency of appearance of environmental missions (pirates, transporters…)
Components and inventories
Ship components and weapons can be handled in inventoriesand moved from one place to another via a ship’s inventory. Ship inventory capacities have been temporarily increased to account for this feature pending the Freighter revamp.
Sequential shot
In Star Citizen, there is a feature to fire weapons sequentially, meaning one after the other, rather than simultaneously as is the default. Until now, sequential fire was done per weapon group, and the slowest weapon determined the rate.
Now with patch 3.17, weapons can be scaled by group and type. That is to say that within a group of weapons, each type of weapon will have its own sequencing.
The sequential fire function is only available for weapons with an RPM (shots per minute) less than 750 because beyond that, the rate is such that the function is of no interest.
The function is now accessible to turret operators and pilots alike. However, the function does not have a default key for these: You will have to assign it first.
Weapon groups
It is henceforth possible to allocate a key firing from all weapon groups at the same time.
Fragmentation Missiles
In Star Citizen, some missiles like the Rattlers are fragmentation. They separate into numerous missiles as they approach the target to multiply the impacts on the latter. This particular ammo was no longer functional in later patches. They are again in patch 3.17.
A cluster missile can be sent in a straight line without a locked target. When used in this manner or if it loses its target in flight, the missile fragments after a few seconds.
IFCS
Prior to patch 3.17, pressing the boost key (left shift by default) consumed boost pool, even if no boost was requested. From now on, the reserve will only decrease if the ship performs an acceleration (linear or angular)
Using cruise speed (C key by default) will automatically activate paired mode if the ship is in decoupled mode.
Land Vehicle Emissions
Land vehicles emit fewer signals and are therefore harder to detect from afar.
Camera
A new option has been added in the settings for remove elastic movements third person camera.