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Roberts Space Industries ®

Arena Commander Module

Welcome to Arena Commander!

Here’s where you’ll get to log your first hours of flight times. With this early release you will be able to get accustomed to your ship’s controls in Free Flight mode, or play the Single-Player version of Arena Commander’s Vanduul Swarm simulator. Multiplayer will follow shortly, as will new game modes.

An introduction from Tristan Blair, Creator of Arena Commander

Why recreate reality?

When we first began the long journey to develop what would eventually be known as Arena Commander, it was a question I was forced to consider myself. Why move away from the fantastic people and places we brought to life in ULTIMATE to focus on creating the most realistic and visceral flight simulator possible? Don’t people play games to escape the confines of the universe around them? I would say escape is only a small part of what games offer. Their true value lays in how they can help us attain a greater understanding of ourselves and the way we see reality.

I, Charlie Bass and Henry Garrity were aboard a chartered flight back to Terra after attending a convention on Jalan to promote Times of Myth. Deep in a heated discussion about what direction we should take O.S. next, a siren suddenly blared through the cruiser. Rushing to the cockpit (which in hindsight might not have been the safest decision) to see what the trouble was, we discovered that a navy squadron had intercepted a Vanduul swarm directly on our traffic lane. What struck me in those intense moments that followed wasn’t the aerial combat that was taking place outside, but rather the actions of our own pilot (sadly, she has asked to remain anonymous despite my many requests to feature her in Arena Commander). Without so much as a panicked glance or a frantic movement, she gracefully guided our ship out of harm’s way as the battle raged around our suddenly frail seeming
ship. It is no exaggeration to say that she saved our lives.

When the proximity alarms finally subsided, a collective breath was released. I’m not ashamed to admit that I collapsed to the floor as my adrenaline drained away. What surprised me however was when I looked over to see our brave pilot violently retching up the remains of her inflight meal. If she had been affected by the danger just as much as I had, why had my fear led to near paralysis, whereas hers had led to swift, level-headed action? A few moments later, over a much needed cup of tea, I got my answer.

She had been flying for over 35 years, and, while she had only had one violent encounter before (a pirate attack her third year out), piloting a ship had moved past the realm of conscious effort. When we walk, we don’t calculate the angle of each footfall, or how much to bend our knees. Likewise, she no longer saw flying as a series of complicated and separate actions, she just flew. When we were in danger, it would have taken more thought for her to run out of the cockpit screaming than it had to do what was second nature to her and hang on to the controls. Nodding at this explanation, Henry commented that he had
actually seen something like this before with high-level players in ULTIMATE. Ask them how they defeated that 100-person Tarkor raiding party and more often than not, they would shrug and say, “I just did it.”

So while on the surface Arena Commander is about fast-paced dogfighting and blowing up Vanduul, it is also about the amazing capacity of the Human mind to grow and adapt. As you play, I challenge you to reflect on how one day something that seems like a long complicated list of separate tasks and instructions, can change into one simple word — flying.

See you in the black,
Tristan Blair

Star Citizen Alpha FAQ

What is the Star Citizen Alpha?

The Star Citizen Alpha is your first look at the massive universe being constructed by the team at Cloud Imperium Games! Star Citizen Alpha includes Crusader, a work-in-progress sample of an area of our universe where you can dogfight, crew ships together, engage in FPS combat, explore, fly missions and more! As Star Citizen’s development continues, Star Citizen Alpha will continue to be updated with new ships, features and other elements. Star Citizen Alpha also includes Arena Commander, a dogfighting and flight simulation module, with several game modes, as well as ArcCorp, our first planetary landing area, and the hangar module, where you can review the ships you have available.

What are the minimum system requirements for Star Citizen Alpha?

- Windows 7 service pack 1 (64 bit) or Windows 8 (64 bit)

- DirectX 11 graphics card with 1GB Video RAM

- Quad core CPU

- 8GB Memory

Keep in mind that these are estimated system requirements and may change for the final release of the game.

Where can I download the Star Citizen manual?

The latest Arena Commander manual is available as a PDF here. A manual specific to Star Citizen Alpha is in development!

What do I need to access Star Citizen Alpha?

To access Star Citizen Alpha one will need an RSI account and a pledge package which includes a ship, some credits and access to the full game.

What ships will I be able to fly in Star Citizen Alpha?

Arena Commander currently includes the Aurora, 300, Mustang and Hornet series, including all released variants. Additionally, the M50, Gladius, Gladiator, Avenger and Cutlass Black are available for flight today.

If I have a variant (Cutlass Blue, Cutlass Red…) can I still fly?

When a ship variant is unavailable, the purchase will give you access to the base model in Star Citizen until your ship is ready for flight. Additional ships are included with each patch, and you can find the current list here.

What Game Modes can I play?

Star Citizen Alpha’s Crusader environment is not a single game mode, but rather a larger sandbox with many experiences. The following modes are available in Arena Commander:

Single-Player modes include:

- Arena Commander Tutorial
- Vanduul Swarm
- Free Flight
- Murray Cup Racing

Multiplayer modes include:

- Battle Royale
- Squadron Battle
- Capture the Core
- Vanduul Swarm Coop
- Murray Cup Racing