FROM THE COCKPIT

IN THIS ISSUE >>>

05 AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE :
Earth, Wind & Fire

17 LIVING IN THE 'VERSE :

2954

27 TEAM TALK :
Marketing Art

35 BEHIND THE SCENES :

RSI Zeus MK II
ISSUE: 11 05
55 WHITLEY'S GUIDE :
Crusader Industries A1 Spirit

59 CITIZENCON 2953

FROM THE COCKPIT

GREETINGS, CITIZENS!
Well, what a weekend that was! In case you missed RSI Zeus Mk II, we’re going behind the scenes of
it, last Saturday and Sunday saw the first in-person this all-new concept to see how an eight-century-
CitizenCon for four years at the LA Convention old shuttle influenced a cutting-edge explorer.
Center in California. We went to Pyro, joined the
ranks of Squadron 42, caught up with the RSI Polaris, Then, artist Sarah Longley gives us a glimpse into
saw the future of Human hygiene, met new gangs, the creative process behind our incredible ship
glimpsed the lesser-spotted stormwhal, rethought art, which is visible now supporting the Drake
our inner thoughts, jousted and disengaged, and Cutter Scout.
much, much more.
Finally, our Narrative team takes us through the
The two-day event saw in-depth presentations in-lore development of Crusader’s latest bomber/
on vital upcoming tech, immersive new activities, hauler/VIP transporter with an always-enlightening
locations we’ll be exploring soon, and a wealth of Whitley’s Guide.
upcoming content. We’re currently adding the
presentations to our YouTube channel, so check On a personal note, it was genuinely touching to see
it out to catch up on some of the most exciting your reactions to CitizenCon and all the news we’ve
updates we’ve ever put out. been keeping close for what feels like an eternity.
Next year’s a huge one in the PU and we can’t wait
In the spirit of CitizenCon, we’re looking at the next to show you more.
stage of Star Citizen in two features collating some
of the upcoming changes to the PU’s planets and Thank you for your continued support, and we’ll see
locations, from fire and water tech that will change you in the ‘verse.
the way we travel to the settlements and space
stations of Pyro.

Of course, the weekend saw surprise ship

announcements and unveilings. Starting with the Jump Point Team

JumpPoint@cloudimperiumgames.com

Writer & Copy Editor : Martin Driver Narrative Team Writers: Adam Wieser, Jeremy Melloul, & Cherie Heiberg
Layout Design: Michael Alder Imagery: Simon Ravenhill, Sarah Longley, & Luke Heath
Marketing Producer: Simon Jennings Narrative Team Producer: Blythe Gumminger

Roberts Space Industries LLC production. A Star Citizen newsletter. Part of the Star Citizen/Squadron 42 universe.
© 2023 Cloud Imperium Rights LLC and Cloud Imperium Rights Limited.
Star Citizen®, Squadron 42®, Cloud Imperium®, and Roberts Space Industries® are registered trademarks of Cloud Imperium Rights LLC.
04
 CITIZENCON 2953 AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE: EARTH, WIND & FIRE

AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE:
EARTH, WIND & FIRE

At this point, it’s safe to say the universe of Star Citizen is one of the
biggest game universes ever created. From its millennia-spanning lore
to the ever-expanding playable space, Star Citizen’s scale is vast.

While expanse is clearly vital to a space sim, the details and specifics
of the locations players visit are key to creating a believable world that
draws them back in. Our ‘verse has teemed with unique detail and
quality since the hangar doors first opened and, as the jump points are
readied for a flood of travelers to Pyro, a long-term developmental push
to add even more is beginning to come to fruition.

The key to this quality is StarEngine, the game engine that powers
and enables everything in the ‘verse. As a companion to CitizenCon’s
Shaping the ‘Verse presentation, we’re looking into some of the key
features coming next year and how they’ll reshape the space that
citizens explore every time they take off into Stanton and beyond.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE: EARTH, WIND & FIRE

CLOUDS

Anyone who’s visited microTech knows that

weather is already a factor to consider when
planning an expedition into the ‘verse, though
current work by the recently formed R&D team
is taking things much further.

Alpha 3.15 saw the introduction of volumetric

clouds; a huge step up from the preceding
tech and one that enabled the fully realized
existence of Orison, Star Citizen’s very own
cloud city. The technology has received
constant iteration since, with the addition of
ocean shading, cloud shaping, light shafts,
and more alongside improvements to the
generation method, quality, and cost.

The most recent update showcased at

CitizenCon is cloud light shafts, a seemingly
minor addition but one that will have a
significant impact on the visuals of ground
and in-air traversal. Once implemented, true
volumetric shadows can be cast that move
with the clouds above. And, when they break
or players leave their coverage, light will flood
the planet, better highlighting the weather and
changeable conditions.

Further improvements to cloud shaping are

coming too that will result in greater variation,
increased resolution, and better visuals when
viewed from the ground, air, and orbit.

FOG

Alongside clouds, ground fog will be fully

integrated into planetary atmospheres.
Following the terrain to preconfigured
elevations that differ by location, fog will reduce
light scatter and support volumetric shadows
from clouds and the surrounding environment.
Weather and temperature-dependent, fog will
add an extra layer of realism to the locations of
the ‘verse, particularly in the morning, in colder
climes, and at higher altitudes.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE: EARTH, WIND & FIRE

FIRE

While the ongoing work on clouds and fog will contribute to the beauty damage will be visible in the immediate and surrounding areas.
of the ‘verse, fire is a core gameplay mechanic that will have a serious
impact on players if not handled correctly. Fire will ultimately play an important part in various careers, including
cargo haulers moving volatile consignments between systems and
The goal is to introduce a dynamic simulation that allows fire to occur engineers keeping battleships moving under heavy fire. Alongside
anywhere in the ‘verse providing its conditions are met. Whether flames and heat, fire will generate smoke, which will have a similar
onboard a ship, in an outpost or station, or exploring a planet, there technical makeup to ground fog though much thicker and more localized.
will be a wide variety of possible ignition sources, whether natural or Another thing to consider for players managing a blaze, it will be vital
requiring player intervention. to control fires before smoke affects nearby players, be it by visually
impairing them or causing damage if they aren’t sufficiently protected.
A key element of this tech is to allow fire to spread naturally and
realistically, which requires full integration with various game systems, An interesting implication in the addition of fire is persistence. As fire
including oxygen, damage, room, and heat. This will allow comparatively will persist across server shards, the impact of a mismanaged fire
small incidents, such as a spark in an engine room or a weapon explosion, could be catastrophic on large ships, outposts, or mission locations.
to set off a chain reaction that leads to fire. Of course, part of this involves How it evolves will be interesting to see, particularly when players
adding numerous ways to extinguish unwanted fires, such as removing are solely responsible for preventing and managing fires around
fuel or using an extinguisher. It also means that, once a fire is extinguished, the ‘verse!

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE: EARTH, WIND & FIRE

WATER
PHYSICS-BASED REFLECTION AND REFRACTION WAVE-CREST LIGHT-SCATTERING

While water is present in various locations in the ‘verse (most recently

in the rivers cutting their way through microTech), the current
implementation is placeholder for technology currently in development
by the Engine team.

Dubbed ‘New Water’ internally, the aim is to simply create water that
looks as good as feasibly possible. Part of this is ensuring that it’s always
affected by external forces, like the weather, ship thrusters, bullets, and
players walking through it. It’s also vital that water simulates accurately
across the whole of the universe, from cups and puddles to lakes and
oceans. To achieve this, simulation regions are dynamically assigned to
the locations affecting water, which leads to multiple effects, inputs, and
outputs at once. For example, firing into water behind a ship’s thruster
or walking through waves combines multiple factors and simulations to
achieve a realistic outcome.

Alongside the physical water simulation, the new water tech includes
material displacement and surface-water, river-flow, and wind
simulations to ensure water behaves as expected across all areas of the
‘verse. Once implemented and iterated on, the water simulation will also
be used for other spatially distributed effects, such as snow and sand.

INTEGRATION INTO THE WIDER PLANETARY ATMOSPHERE DETAILED FOAM MAPS

DISTANT SURFACE AND SUB-SURFACE FOAM WATER REACTING ACCURATELY TO NON-NATURAL LIGHTING

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE: EARTH, WIND & FIRE

LIGHT

Part of Star Citizen’s ongoing visual evolution involves implementing

‘global illumination’, which refers to how indirect light reacts to surfaces
and items in-game. For example, light reflecting from a countertop
onto a nearby wall. Although not always immediately noticeable as
the product of global illumination, locations lit this way are much more
realistic and therefore immersive than those without.

Star Citizen’s adoption of global illumination deals with three sources of

light – direct, diffused, and glossy. Direct is simply light projected from
a source. Diffused refers to light reflected from an item, while glossy
refers to light that adopts an effect from a reflected source, such as color
or texture. The image below represents this well, with the colored boxes
reflecting light of varying intensity onto the adjacent surfaces.

Recent work by the Lighting team focuses on glossy reflections, which

add significant improvements to all areas of lighting. To achieve this,
lighting is generated in real-time, allowing light to bounce around the
environment realistically and change as needed.

Global illumination is still very much a work in progress for the Lighting
team thanks to Star Citizen’s requirement for natural lighting, dramatic
highlights, and easily readable user interfaces. However, a key benefit
beyond realism is that the Lighting team’s approach to global illumination
offers much improved visuals for all players, not just those with setups
powerful enough to support ray tracing.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE: EARTH, WIND & FIRE

PLANETS

What would these huge feature updates be without a way to experience

them in-game? As the Persistent Universe expands, the team is looking
to make creating planets easier and faster, which is vital to adding more
of the vast number of explorable star systems in Star Citizen’s lore.
However, speed and ease aren’t the sole driving factors in the ongoing
initiative – the ability to create truly unique planets with believable
topography is at the forefront.

One area being considered for planet creation is machine learning, as it

allows planets to be generated based on their locations in space while still
affording the designers the ability to make granular decisions on layout
and features. For example, a planet’s temperature can be predetermined
via its atmosphere and proximity to its system’s star. From there, each
of the planet’s biomes can be categorized by temperature, moisture,
and height. For example, a desert would be hot, low moisture, and low
height, while a snowy mountain range would be cold, high moisture,
and high. Adjusting these parameters and rules allows a huge range of
potential planet types and environments, and it’s here that the team is
looking into machine learning. By training a machine-learning network
to understand real-world biomes of similar makeup, it can replicate the
natural details within.

Although certainly promising, this approach is still very early in

prototyping. We’ll revisit it and all of the tech mentioned above with the
teams next year to see how they’re getting on.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 LIVING IN THE 'VERSE: 2954

LIVING IN THE
'VERSE: 2954

Unlike the relative safety of corporate-owned Stanton, the Pyro system

is a lawless wasteland governed by the whims and traditions of outlaw
groups and gangs. As we get closer to exploring the remains of long-
abandoned mining claims, decaying rest stops, and criminal enclaves,
we’re looking into some of the upcoming locations that the Level Design,
Sandbox, and Environment Art teams showcased in their Living on the
Edge CitizenCon presentation.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 LIVING IN THE 'VERSE: 2954

COLONIAL OUTPOSTS

The art style of Pyro’s typical outpost is ‘colonial’, referring to the

colonization of the system by outlaws, gangs, and fringe citizens
following the withdrawal of Pyrotechnic Amalgamated.

These outposts are built from a vast library of assets to create unique
locations, each with their own feel and narrative. These outposts are
assigned one of several archetypes to suit the needs of gameplay and
the lore of the surrounding area. And, unlike existing outposts that
typically consist of a handful of buildings, Pyro’s upcoming locations
have grown to become full settlements based around specific commerce
or trade.

Mining – ex-Pyrotechnic Amalgamated outposts used by hardy

deep-space miners and those who want to stay off the radar. These
outposts are defined by their refineries and support for commodity and
resource trading.

Scrapyard – hubs of black-market commerce and a reliable way to sell

illegal salvage or resupply far from civilization. Scrapyards feature a
‘landing pit’ for refueling ships in a similar, though much less glamorous,
way to Stanton’s R&R stations.

Tradepost – a place to buy and sell vital items for traveling through the
system. Tradeposts also support Pyro’s delivery and cargo missions,
just don’t expect a professional service akin to a Covalex shipping hub.

Farmstead – self-sufficient outposts on the fringes of society. They’re

one of the few locations in-system to trade harvestables, making them a
vital service if trekking into the wilderness isn’t a viable option.

Homestead – the closest thing to a social hub, with locals offering jobs
for those desperate or foolhardy enough to take them on.

OUTLAWS & INDEPENDENTS

While each of these archetypes determines the fundamental look and

architecture of Pyro’s planetary locations, a second categorization
further affects how they appear and feel.

The ‘independent’ theme suggests a neutral or friendly resident, with

decorative touches like soft furnishings and plants to create a rustic-
yet-homely feel.

The ‘outlaw’ theme represents the opposite – a once-functional but

now-decrepit settlement overrun by gangs that use the location for
criminal activity.

However, it’s not a given that players will be welcomed into independent
settlements and hunted down in outlaw spaces. Whether a player is
accepted in either of these burgeoning frontier communities depends
on their reputation.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 LIVING IN THE 'VERSE: 2954

THIS IS HOW THE WORLD WORKS

How players have behaved across the ‘verse will affect who allows them
into their outposts and how they’re treated while there. Whether they
have a big reputation with the Advocacy or their reputation has never
been worse, player standings with the various factions of the ‘verse
will determine whether they’re welcomed, treated with caution, or shot
on sight.

However, reputation can be improved, so choosing to work for the

Headhunters gang will allow players to visit their outposts, though
gang-affiliated players will be less likely to be welcomed at independent
farmsteads.

DERELICT OUTPOSTS

New abandoned outposts litter both Stanton and Pyro’s planets in

various states – some have been built up from rubble into somewhat-
functioning settlements, while others are little more than cover from the
elements for gang activity.

Abandoned outposts are either hostile or social locations. As its

inhabitants are living beyond the reaches of even Pyro’s loose
society, player reputation has no effect on the experience. As such,
hostile locations solely offer combat and looting opportunities, while
social outposts support mission content and commerce for players of
every persuasion.

The Sandbox team has also focused on the beauty of these locations,
making them worth seeking out for the experience alone.

“What makes these locations truly remarkable are the enhanced

gameplay opportunities they provide, motivating players to explore
our diverse planets and worlds, all while delivering visually stunning
experiences.” Sandbox Team

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 LIVING IN THE 'VERSE: 2954

PYRO’S STATIONS

Orbiting Pyro’s planets are the remains of rest stops that once serviced
mining operations around the system. Upon launch, the system will
have around 26 stations for players to explore, each with a unique look
and layout; some are under the control of the Rough & Ready gang,
some are independent, and some are abandoned.

REST STOPS

For the more ‘civilized’ stations, reputation with the owners plays an
even more significant role than at outposts, as each entry deck is gated
and patrolled by armed guards.

Good reputation: straight through the entry deck

Neutral reputation: possibly allowed through or expected to pay a bribe
Bad reputation: not permitted entry

However, if you can’t make it through the entry deck or need to make
a more ‘covert’ entrance, there are alternate means to access stations,
be it through EVA, maintenance shafts, air vents, and more. While not
always straightforward, access to the market and mission content within
each station is available should players commit to it.

Once inside, the commercial deck (or market) is open for exploration.
The main hub within the station, accessing it opens mission content and
more for players with the right reputation. A separate exclusive section
for gang members houses unique opportunities and specialist shops
selling high-end weapons and armor only available to players who have
earned the right to use them.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 CITIZENCON 2953 LIVING IN THE 'VERSE: 2954

ABANDONED STATIONS

Not every station across Pyro has been brought back to life. Some that
were too far gone or too far off the beaten path have become dangerous
husks with little-to-no power, life support, or gravity. But, whether
players are directed to them via missions or drawn in by the thrill of
exploration, these abandoned stations all have secrets to uncover.

The Pyro locations mentioned here will be explorable upon the launch
of Alpha 4.0, though a handful of Stanton’s derelict outposts will be
explorable in the upcoming Alpha 3.22.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 TEAM TALK MARKETING ART

TEAM TALK:
MARKETING ART
BY SARAH LONGLEY
My job as a marketing artist is to create bespoke images showcasing different angles and check to see what state it is in, as sometimes
the awesome work happening at Cloud Imperium Games using the we start work before the ship has had its final art pass. We find the
same engine and tools as the developers creating the Persistent most flattering angles of the ship and take lots of reference shots of
Universe. My team and I utilize all the same beautiful art assets all the of various components and key features. We also take stock
created by the ships, props, character, environment, animation, and of what animations and particle VFX we’ll need to apply to the ship
particle artists that you, the player, see in game. in our shots.

To kick off a ship or community promotion, we are given a brief by And then, we blockout. Blockouts are quick compositions for how we
our creative director and brand managers. This tells us what key want the ship and camera to sit in the shot, and a basic impression
features we need to showcase, the tone and mood of the images, of an environment. We don’t get too attached to any individual shots
and any storytelling or narrative they may want us to include. at this stage as we’re trying to generate as many ideas as possible
to satisfy the ask in the brief. Outside of constraints of the brief, my
My team and I start by having a play with the ship in the editor. We team and I have a lot of freedom to explore and have fun with our
go into game mode and we fly around. We look at the ship from shots. I try to hide a Finley plushie in a corner whenever I can.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 TEAM TALK MARKETING ART

My process is to toss a ship in a blank level, move my camera around,

take lots of screen grabs, and then sketch over those in Photoshop. I
make sure to save my camera and objects, as I will use those later in my
final shot.

For the Cutter Scout, the main feature is the radar dish and the scanning
gameplay. Scanning gameplay looks very different in a first-person
cockpit view than it does from a third-person perspective. As a backer
myself, I know what the particle VFX look like in-game when I scan from
my ship. It happens very fast and doesn’t stick around very long, so
it’s not conducive to a still image by itself. One of the most challenging
aspects of my job is to convey a sense of motion and action in a still
image, which requires a little bit of artistic license.

For the scanning effect, I want to show the scan wave rippling through
space, pinging off objects and returning visual feedback, cutting through
important items in little slivers, highlighting them. It took a few iterations,
but eventually we nailed down the look we wanted to use across all our
shots. The final look is a combination of different material shaders, VFX
grabs on clean backplates, and Photoshop.

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 TEAM TALK MARKETING ART

We run our blockouts past our creative director to make sure that we
are keeping to the brief. When I am given the green light to proceed to
final, I start to build out my shot. I begin with an existing level that I know
already has most of the elements I want.

In the case of my Javelin wreck scanning shot, I picked the level

used to populate Yela. This has a colour palette I really like and tons
of asteroids. I take the camera and assets from my initial blockout
and load those into the level. I find a good location that I can then
expand on.

I edit what exists in the level already or pull in more assets to help my
narrative - lots of different types of asteroids, more particle effects and
gas clouds for the environment; lots of different types of wreckage; and
two Vultures and their associated thruster particles. I then use those
assets to compose my shot, staying reasonably faithful my sketch but
adapting as needed.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 TEAM TALK MARKETING ART

I get to make awesome

art of spaceships…
my job is cool!

I light my shot using the sun as my backlight as I’m personally fond of screenshots at high resolution. I then composite all those screengrabs in
placing my shadow on the viewer’s side of the shot - it creates extra Photoshop, masking and layering different elements from those grabs
depth. I add fill and additional backlights to help the forms read. I then to compose my final shot. I hand paint in little details like additional
add in an extra light to highlight the radar dish to make it shiny because clouds, dust, and ship trails. I then do a little bit of colour grading. I also
it’s just cool. It needs to stand out. add motion blur and some bloom to take the hard edge off the image.

As my team and I work through our shots, we have daily morning critiques All in all, a single shot, dependent on complexity, can take upwards
where we discuss the state of the work. It’s useful to get another set of eyes from twenty hours from start to finish. We’re always working on
on to confirm if something just isn’t working in the image or encouragement multiple images at once and sometimes multiple ships. Once the work
to try something different. It is very easy to go blind to what’s in front of is approved and signed off, we hand over all the images for use on the
you as you’re working. We also coordinate with the Gameplay Capture website and social media.
and Marketing Cinematics teams to tie our output together, either using
the same environment or characters. This helps round out the details and It is both my privilege and pleasure to work with such an awesome
create a cohesive narrative. team at CIG. It is important to me that we showcase the hard work of our
artists and that we delight our backers. I am super chuffed whenever
When I am mostly happy with what I have in editor, I take lots of I see my shot as a thumbnail on YouTube. That’s an awesome feeling.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 BEHIND THE SCENES:
RSI ZEUS MKII

In 2075, Dr. Scott Childress and his team at Roberts Space Industries classified as a self-sustaining, oxygen-rich planet and terraforming was
(RSI) completed prototype technology that would ultimately extend the deemed a success.
reach of Humanity beyond all expectations. Their Quantum Core engine
powered early spacecraft that enabled Humans to travel further into Concurrently, RSI turned to following the dream of its founder to provide
space at speeds once thought impossible, giving hope to a species living space travel to the common man, releasing the Zeus to the public in
at critical mass. The following years saw an exponential increase in trips 2140. Like the terraforming of Mars, this monumental achievement had
that dived ever deeper into the solar system as Earth’s residents looked its share of drawbacks, including an early prototype failing during a
for a way to alleviate the planet’s terminal overpopulation. RSI then again public test flight and killing its pilot in front of an expectant world media.
delivered species-defining technology with terraforming machines that
enabled Humanity to leave Earth in pursuit of a new home. Mars was However, with a safe second home for Humanity established on Mars,
the destination. the need for easier, cheaper, and more accessible space travel for the
masses meant the Zeus was a success. An icon of early accessible space
Though the terraforming process was not without incident (the 2125 flight, the Zeus is known galaxy-wide for its role in helping Humanity
Mars Tragedy claimed the lives of 4876 workers), in 2157, Mars was start a new chapter in the stars.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

Now, eight centuries later, RSI is revisiting its first commercial success Early in the concept process, five shapes were
with the Zeus Mk II. Updated for the modern era of space travel, it chosen and explored. Each at least referenced
the shape of the original Zeus with touches of
exceeds modern expectations while maintaining the pioneering heart
contemporary RSI design.
of the original.

CONCEPT BRIEF: RSI ZEUS 2.0

RSI’s next-generation version of the venerable Zeus, keeping the classic

styling but bringing it up to “modern” standards in terms of safety
and components.

Features a base version for Exploration as well as cargo hauling and

bounty hunting variants that swap out the rear section.

Nose holds the cockpit and some components. Single upfront seat with
two stations behind for remote utility turret and gun turret usage (or
other systems).

Directly behind the cockpit would be a small airlock and ladder entrance
section that holds the small docking collar. Next would be the habitation
area for the crew. The rear contains the section which changes for the
variants and a rear ramp.

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

The Zeus’ chosen shape was iterated on by mixing the

best elements of the first explorations with additional
RSI design language.

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

With the wing and cockpit dimensions decided on, various

perspectives were explored to further refine the ship’s scale
and silhouette.

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

More detail was added at this stage, including weapons,

components, and armor. The ship’s landed state was also
considered, which currently features folded wings and
heavy landing gear.

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

The Zeus’ variants were worked up, each receiving

the reworked rear section detailed in the brief.
[White] Explorer [Blue] Cargo Variant [Grey] Bounty
Hunting Variant

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

With the exterior confirmed, the interior work began. The

cockpit, airlock, and major component positions are shared
between each variant, with each receiving significant
changes towards the rear.

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

The bounty-hunting variant receives an EMP generator,

quantum dampener, and prisoner pods over the base variant
at the expense of crew quarters.

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

The specialized cargo variant retains the base variant’s crew

quarters but opens up the rear to accommodate a significant
128 SCU or cargo.

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 BEHIND THE SCENES RSI ZEUS MKII

The RSI Zeus Mk II concept was announced

at CitizenCon 2953 as part of the Talking Ship
presentation. However, it was confirmed by
the team that the ES explorer, MR security,
and CL cargo variants are in production and
currently at the whitebox stage. While there’s
still a way to go, it means players can look
forward to tackling the dangers of Pyro in a
modern deep-space pioneer sooner than they
may have first thought.

JUMP POINT MAGAZINE //

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 The following extract is from the 2953 Whitley's Guide to Spacecraft's Cusader A1 Spirit Development DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
and Service History. Reprinted with permission. Whitley Guide is the property of Gallivan Publishing,
2860-2953, all rights reserved.

THE
CRUSADER INDUSTRIES
A1 SPIRIT DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

For Crusader, the Spirit embodies both the company’s long history and documents and make edits and suggestions. This eventually grew to her worthy of the company; a ship she told Yeung should be “emblematic of wing design, and requested full modeling and unique material selections
its bold new era. This mid-sized, two crew ship first became available spending any spare moment while traveling or between conference calls Crusader yet with its own unique spirit.” for each. Despite the request coming from her, Caplan deemed Project
to the public in 2953, decades after the first Spirit took flight in 2906. sketching ship designs. Over the years, Caplan found herself returning to Backbone a low priority and made it clear to Yeung that her other work
In those intervening years, visitors to Orison would often glimpse the one sketch of a ship with a long, angular fuselage and V-shaped wings. Designated Project Backbone, Caplan gave Yeung free reign to rework should take precedence. In late 2904, Yeung finally presented Caplan
ship weaving through the picturesque floating platforms or sitting on a There was something about the design she couldn’t shake, but also the design as she saw fit under one specific condition. The ship needed with a highly detailed modeling and materials pass on both versions of
landing pad. Anyone who asked was told that the ship was Executive couldn’t perfect, so one day in 2899 she called designer Gabija Yeung to be built on a warehoused chassis originally designed for one of the the ship. Because of the earlier cost conscious design decisions, Yeung
1, but within the company it was referred to as the Spirit. A nod to it into her office and asked her to take a pass at it. company’s retired shuttle craft lines. Caplan knew some members of the was able to select more expensive, high quality materials while still
carrying the person many considered to be the heart and soul of company’s board believed the ship did not fit with the company’s current remaining on budget so that she could deliver to Caplan a high-end
Crusader Industries, Kelly Caplan, the company’s most prominent and Yeung was an interesting choice for the assignment. Crusader engineers goals, so she wanted to keep the project within a certain budget after executive craft. Caplan selected the design featuring the asymmetrical
longest serving CEO. secretly called her the “harbinger of doom” as she was often brought in profit margins had tightened due to rising security costs and extremely wings, and authorized Yeung to begin building the prototype.
on projects not going well. Her specialty was identifying the strong points expensive repairs on several of Orison’s floating platforms. Yeung visited
Yet Caplan’s connection to the Spirit went beyond it simply being her of failed projects and flagging them for use in other vehicles as a way to the warehouse and carefully inspected the mothballed options. She Yeung personally oversaw most of the build before delegating oversight
executive transport. Initially a design intern who rose through the ranks mitigate sunk costs. Yeung’s unique view on problem solving stemmed, surprised everyone by choosing one of the oldest chassises, originally of the interior to a trusted associate. When the prototype was completed
to become a major creative force behind many of the innovations in the in part, from her beginning her career at Trent Systems before Crusader made by Seraphim Systems for the Ascension shuttle craft before in mid-2905, Yeung had reservations about it, believing the asymmetrical
Genesis-class starliner, Caplan was a surprise pick when she was named bought it in 2885, primarily to incorporate their expert engineers into August Dunlow bought and rebranded the company as Crusader. wings made the ship look lopsided. When the ship failed its initial jump
Crusader’s CEO in 2863, but she thrived in the role. Incredibly, she still Project Quicksilver in an effort to hasten the development of the Mercury Yeung preferred the materials used, believing it would create a stronger tunnel test, Yeung convinced Caplan to scrap the asymmetrical wings.
holds this position as of the writing of this article in 2953, even though Star Runner. While most former Trent Systems designers struggled to spaceframe that allowed for more interesting design possibilities. Yeung did several passes at redesigning the wings but failed to find a
she often admitted to friends and colleagues that her retirement might produce work that met Crusader’s style and standards, Yeung quickly look that satisfied both Caplan and her. Eventually the two set aside a
be on the horizon. According to the biography The True Crusader, she proved to be an insightful, out-of-the-box thinker who could also deliver Yeung took the dimensions of the selected spaceframe, and then went day to find a solution together. Their answer was chunkier, more angular
even considered stepping down in the late 2890s, but instead decided the company’s iconic look and design. Caplan grew familiar with Yeung’s to work on a series of sketches that experimented with the ship’s shape wings that brought balance and more heft to the ship’s fuselage. The
to rekindle her passion for the position by returning to her roots. At work while reviewing her assessments and was convinced that Yeung language while maintaining the long, angular fuselage. Caplan narrowed updated prototype was finished in early 2906. Thanks to the redesigned
first, Caplan set aside time each week to personally review ship design would be the perfect person to tackle turning her sketch into a real ship down the sketches to two options, including one with an asymmetrical wings and a handful of other fixes, the updated prototype passed its

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DEVELOPMENT HISTORY S C H E M AT I C S

A1 SPIRIT
MANUFACTURER CRUSADER INDISTRIES
ROLE BOMBER
CREW 2
LENGTH 47.5M
HEIGHT 10M
WIDTH 44M
jump tunnel test and all other safety checks with flying colors. Later that fighter variant complicated the endeavor. Despite the issues, Caplan BOMBS 10 XS5
year, Caplan flew the ship, which she cheekily called Executive 1, on its liked the fighter variant and spun it off into its own ship, which would MISSILES 2X S4 DUAL RACKS:
maiden voyage around Orison’s platforms. evolve into the Ares and beat the Spirit to market. 2X S3 MISSILES
REAR REMOTE TURRET 2X S2
PILOT CONTROLLED 2X WING S3 FIXED,
Caplan loved the ship and proposed bringing it to the commercial market. Plans to mass produce the ship seemed dead in the water until Alonso WEAPONS 1X DUAL GIMBAL: 2X S3
Yet for some conservative members of the board, the cost of materials Cline, who’d worked on the cargo design, suggested a bomber variant.
and setting up a production line to make the Ascension spaceframe was Caplan liked the idea and asked the team to design a version of the
too expensive and out of step with the types of ships Crusader was bomber and cargo variant without modularity in mind. Freed from that
making at the time. Instead, the ship remained the exclusive and beloved constraint, the team delivered successful designs and won approval
transport of Caplan for decades receiving only routine maintenance to take them to the prototype phase. Caplan also asked them to make
and periodic updates to the interior. It seemed destined to remain that an updated version of Executive 1 with some subtle changes to the
way until the late 2930s when falling revenue encouraged Caplan and layout of the interior. She loved the new Executive 1 so much that she
Crusader’s board of directors to expand their ship lineup. A more austere made it an official third variant of the ship. The decision further delayed
version of Executive 1 landed on the list of potential shuttlecraft, and a the official release of the ship but added an exciting new entry into
design team was assigned to increase passenger space and reduce the the Crusader line-up that harkened back to the company’s origins as
overall production cost. Those explorations proved unsuccessful but the Seraphim Systems. Each variant received Crusader’s established letter
team convinced Caplan a cargo and fighter variant would be possible. designation (A1 - Bomber, C1 - Cargo, and E-1 passenger transport) but
Initial plans involved recreating the Ascension shuttle craft chassis with bucked the trend of assigning a different name for each chassis variant.
updates to make it modular and able to handle both variants. The team Instead, the decision was made to call the ship what it’d been known as
struggled to make it work though, as the massive gun planned for the within the company for decades, the Spirit.

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