Squadron 42 | Official Gameplay Overview - Gillian Anderson, Mark Hamill, Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman
Watch this detailed Squadron 42 gameplay deep dive with members of the team from developer Cloud Imperium Studio including founder and CEO, Chris Roberts. Join the team to learn more about the upcoming sci-fi game, featuring the voice talents of Gillian Anderson, Mark Hamill, Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, and more.
In the overview, the team announces that Squadron 42 is now feature complete and has entered its polish phase. Prepare to embark on a cinematic single-player adventure as a rookie Navy combat pilot in the Star Citizen universe. Overcome challenging missions, take on deadly enemies, and learn more about your crewmates aboard a living capital ship.
Squadron 42's release date has yet to be announced.
In the overview, the team announces that Squadron 42 is now feature complete and has entered its polish phase. Prepare to embark on a cinematic single-player adventure as a rookie Navy combat pilot in the Star Citizen universe. Overcome challenging missions, take on deadly enemies, and learn more about your crewmates aboard a living capital ship.
Squadron 42's release date has yet to be announced.
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GamingTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 [INAUDIBLE]
00:10 [INAUDIBLE]
00:21 Archangel Six, come in.
00:23 Go for Six.
00:24 I'm getting a faint contact on bearing 287.
00:27 You picking that up?
00:28 Yeah.
00:29 Got it.
00:30 Scanning now.
00:31 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:36 We're clear.
00:37 Commercial vessel under Bay 3.
00:39 Provided that civilian traffic is restricted under lockdown.
00:44 Copy that.
00:45 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:50 Archangel.
00:51 Archangel.
00:52 This is Krugeri.
00:54 Come out, Krugeri.
00:56 Redirect to sector seven Bravo Echo
00:59 for immediate tossing.
01:01 Copy that.
01:01 On our way.
01:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:25 [INAUDIBLE]
01:32 [INAUDIBLE]
01:35 [INAUDIBLE]
01:38 [INAUDIBLE]
01:41 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:46 [INAUDIBLE]
01:49 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:17 I know I just wrote you.
02:19 But a couple of hours ago, proximity sensors
02:22 on the other side of the jump got twigged.
02:25 Weird as it might be, that clan we've been battling with.
02:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:30 I guess that last fight didn't scare them off quite
02:32 like we all hoped it would.
02:36 Honestly, we've been out here so long,
02:38 I don't know what to pull for anymore.
02:41 I just-- I just wanted to let you know.
02:47 I'll write as soon as I can.
02:49 Stay safe, your loving son.
02:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:17 Never gets old, does it?
03:19 Sir.
03:20 Yetis.
03:20 I used to do the same thing when I was first coming up.
03:27 Post up to the flight deck whenever I
03:29 could to watch the launches.
03:30 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:36 Have you seen the F-8s up close?
03:39 No, sir.
03:40 That thing's a beast.
03:43 Nimble, too.
03:44 12 maneuvering thrusters and three mains,
03:46 it sure sounds like it.
03:48 Sir.
03:49 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:52 Captain McClaren to the bridge.
03:55 Captain McClaren to the bridge.
03:56 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:03 I saw you apply to the flight academy again.
04:06 Yes, sir.
04:08 Keep your head up.
04:10 Took me a couple of times before I got in.
04:13 Thank you, sir.
04:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:32 [ENGINE STARTING]
04:35 [APPLAUSE]
04:44 Welcome to Cloud Imperium Games Manchester Studio.
04:46 I'm Chris Roberts, and I'm pleased to announce we have just
04:49 passed the major milestone.
04:50 Squadron 42 is now feature complete
04:52 and has entered its polish phase.
04:54 To celebrate this milestone, we've
04:56 gathered some of our core leadership together
04:58 to share what this means.
04:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]
05:07 As Chris says, we've moved into the polish phase of Squadron 42,
05:11 which means extra emphasis on ensuring things feel fun.
05:14 This means focusing on the small and large elements of the game,
05:22 such as dialing in combat encounters,
05:24 but also looking at the feel of how you control your character
05:27 or vehicle, and making sure it's immersive as possible.
05:30 We've paid extra attention to how your character reacts
05:33 when in their ship, so that you feel like an actual pilot,
05:37 whether that's firing your weapons, taking hits,
05:40 or punching the afterburners to get to cover.
05:43 Ship AI has also seen huge improvements,
05:46 with closer engagement distances and more varied behaviors.
05:50 And with our new precision targeting mode,
05:52 the action has never been as close.
05:54 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:01 With the aim now on polish, we've
06:02 organized the project into self-sufficient strike teams,
06:06 so we can focus on individual areas
06:08 to deliver the best experience.
06:10 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:16 Get out of sight, the compass is going to spot you.
06:21 This allows us to bring all disciplines together
06:23 with a unified vision of enhancing the gameplay
06:26 by seamlessly blending it with polished visuals,
06:29 final cinematic performances, and our ever-improving
06:33 technology.
06:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:42 You didn't see the boat yet.
06:43 You're good to keep going.
06:44 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:53 We're also dialing in gameplay features,
06:55 such as the ship flight model for both atmosphere and space,
06:58 which covers master modes, control surfaces,
07:01 and our gold standard HUD and MFDs.
07:04 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:07 Our interaction system for both the world and your character
07:10 have also seen additional improvements,
07:13 allowing us to hone and craft environmental puzzles unique
07:16 to each location, while allowing us to tell the story
07:19 of the world around you.
07:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:37 The military multi-tool is an essential piece
07:39 of equipment for every pilot that
07:42 integrates all attachments into a single handheld device
07:45 and allows us to create really interesting challenges,
07:49 including physics-based puzzles using our updated rope tech.
07:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:59 Unidentified vessels, this is the UEE Navy.
08:03 Power down your ships and stand by for processing.
08:07 Here you go.
08:07 [BLEEP] off the coil's ass.
08:09 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:12 God damn it.
08:13 Our scanning, targeting, and marker system
08:15 has also seen an overhaul, allowing us to highlight only
08:18 the essential information that you need,
08:21 such as key objectives, mission targets,
08:24 and high-level scan information, while keeping your overall view
08:28 as clean as possible.
08:29 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:30 Damn skank.
08:31 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:38 Take him off me.
08:39 No, no, no, no, no, no.
08:42 Practical FPS combat and stealth,
08:45 which has seen a suite of improvements
08:47 from improved looting, weapon feel and balance,
08:50 realistic scopes, and smoother locomotion,
08:53 alongside our new and improved FPS radar and scanner that
08:57 provides you an overview of the battlefield,
08:59 but at the cost of ramping up your own emissions.
09:02 We've also seen the introduction of our Maelstrom-powered
09:05 destructible environment, which adds a layer of dynamism
09:08 to the experience alongside our improved AI that can now
09:12 have hundreds of combinations of traits that allow us to create
09:16 unique and challenging combat encounters that really push
09:19 your tactical awareness and skill.
09:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:45 [GUNFIRE]
09:47 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:51 [GRUNT]
09:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:54 [GUNFIRE]
09:56 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:58 [GRUNT]
09:59 [GUNFIRE]
10:01 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:05 [GUNFIRE]
10:07 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:10 [GUNFIRE]
10:11 [GRUNT]
10:12 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:15 [GUNFIRE]
10:16 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:20 We play and review the builds regularly
10:23 and call out action points in each level
10:24 from start to finish on where we need to improve the gameplay.
10:27 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:36 This is an incredibly rewarding stage of development for me
10:39 and the team, as the ultimate vision of the game
10:42 is realized, allowing us to craft an experience that
10:45 we can be really proud of.
10:47 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:49 One specific area that I'm excited to dial in
10:52 is the feeling of the player interacting
10:54 with the world around them.
10:55 That's a new weapon.
10:57 As it's a core component of Squadron
10:59 and really grounds the world that you inhabit.
11:02 We've made sure that any interaction in the environment
11:05 is physically represented by a character animation
11:08 to keep you in the moment and fully immerse you
11:10 in the experience that we've created.
11:12 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:18 Ultimately, this is the final phase of gameplay iteration
11:21 before we fully transition into optimization and stability
11:25 on the road to release.
11:26 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:27 Agent Trejo, this is Colton.
11:30 Come back.
11:32 Always trips me out to see terraforming setups like this.
11:36 We've tried explaining how atmosphere processors work.
11:40 Really shows how far we've come.
11:43 Where the hell is she?
11:46 With the transition of Squadron to polish phase,
11:48 we've had the opportunity to find additional moments
11:50 within the existing narrative to add subtle interactions
11:53 where appropriate.
11:54 It's been tremendously exciting to play through these areas
11:56 and find places to augment the mood, support gameplay,
11:59 and further embellish our story and characters.
12:02 So yeah, I can't believe it.
12:04 They said I've got to wait another two years
12:07 before I can reapply.
12:09 So that's why I figured I'd get a job trying in security.
12:13 Because I can get some hours flying in the cockpit
12:18 and whatnot.
12:19 Can't hurt, right?
12:21 Exactly.
12:23 We've also been capturing pickups for our lead female
12:25 player character, as well as wild lines
12:27 for our various enemies that you all will encounter
12:29 throughout the game on both foot and in the cockpit.
12:32 These consist of a range of responses and reactions
12:35 that you as the player can trigger,
12:37 which has been the culmination of efforts by the gameplay
12:39 teams.
12:40 This means that you're going to have
12:41 to tangle with some very smart and reactive bad guys
12:43 to complete your mission.
12:44 At the heart of this immersive adventure,
13:04 you'll find cutting edge cinematic storytelling
13:07 thoughtfully crafted to fully immerse you into your story.
13:11 We fight today.
13:14 So in 40 years from now, when you're
13:16 surrounded by everything and everyone you hold dear
13:19 and they ask, what did you do in the Battle of Vega?
13:25 You can look them in the eye and say, I heard the line.
13:33 Men and women of the second fleet,
13:37 I am proud to stand with you today.
13:39 Good luck.
13:46 Bishop out.
13:46 Nice speech.
13:53 Any word from the recon team?
13:55 Not yet.
13:58 Let's get into position.
13:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]
14:02 Throughout the Polish phase, our team
14:23 is taking every opportunity to push things to the next level.
14:27 Tell me you're expecting company.
14:29 This is not good.
14:30 The Cine team is focused on finalizing
14:32 edit log on all of our big action
14:34 as well as all smaller character sequences.
14:37 I could have pulled this off of the Galactopedia.
14:40 Yeah, probably.
14:41 But I think their solar mass calculations are wrong though.
14:45 This is ridiculous.
14:47 How so?
14:48 We are now able to adjust our shot composition
14:50 to final cameras thanks to recently crafted space
14:53 vistas and level art being content complete now.
14:56 It'd be nice to know how much of a shit storm we're flying into.
14:59 More like a hell storm, Luke, one
15:01 you ain't going to fly out of.
15:02 Shut up.
15:04 Now, I hadn't seen another ship that wasn't
15:06 trying to kill me in days, let alone a Horta, let alone a Jean.
15:10 So you can imagine my surprise.
15:12 Detailed lighting passes can be done on hero sequences
15:15 so we can show our cast and convey their emotions
15:18 in the best light possible.
15:20 And we're making sure our cinematics are triggering
15:22 as fluid as we can craft them so they
15:24 form a coherent concerto with the rest of the player's
15:27 narrative experience.
15:29 Mr. Wexler, this is Lieutenant Commander Colton.
15:33 Oh, Commander, hey.
15:36 Julian Wexler, I'm the field manager of this little operation.
15:39 Welcome aboard the Archon.
15:40 What brings the Navy to this little corner of the universe?
15:44 We got you flying with Lieutenant Commander Colton.
15:46 He's one of our best.
15:48 As others will share, this is the most rewarding chapter
15:50 of development, which allows us to truly experience
15:54 the visceral and oftentimes emotional moments
15:57 that our narrative provides.
15:58 How did you handle it after Vega?
16:02 I'm not sure I handled anything.
16:12 It helps to remember that stuff like this is supposed to hurt.
16:14 I've never been good at dealing with problems I can't fix.
16:23 This is one that you don't have to do alone.
16:25 That's good to know.
16:29 For the animation teams, polish phase
16:35 means refining the social aspects of Squadron 42
16:39 that occur between the various missions
16:41 and getting the behaviors implemented
16:43 across all of its chapters.
16:47 Here we're dialing in the hangar to make
16:48 it as immersive and believable an experience as possible.
16:53 That'll do it.
16:54 Done.
16:55 All right.
16:55 All right.
16:55 Squadron 42.
16:58 Let's do this.
17:00 I have to switch off so I can enter phase one.
17:02 I expect to be getting over here now.
17:04 [INAUDIBLE]
17:05 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:09 Hey, I feel that.
17:15 Anyway, I'm off.
17:20 For example, we're launching off a space carrier,
17:23 but we still ground the field in real world actions,
17:26 refueling, repairing, and inspecting,
17:30 and making sure that your next flight mission is a success.
17:33 This means we're looking out for pops, hiccups,
17:39 or awkward transitions, ensuring that everything flows and looks
17:43 like all the great mocap performances we've captured.
17:46 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:50 Let's ready some extra ice packs out of storage.
17:54 Whenever gunners are in full rotation,
17:55 you can always count on at least one of them getting hurt.
18:00 We also have you covered in everyday life.
18:02 The medical staff work diligently for their patients,
18:06 whether they're players or crew.
18:15 We really want you to feel part of an authentic crew,
18:18 an important part of the UEE Navy,
18:21 and an enormous universe of people going
18:23 about their everyday lives.
18:24 Let's go ahead and clear for takeoff.
18:35 Ground crew, prep bay for takeoff.
18:37 Copy that.
18:39 Hangar, ready for launch.
18:40 Takeoff approved, Baron 2.
18:45 You have the ball.
18:46 This is where the deck has lighted up.
18:59 We're ready, and hold on as you're launched
19:01 off the deck of the carrier.
19:02 Baron 2, you are clear for launch.
19:11 Have a safe flight, Baron 2.
19:13 [GUNSHOT]
19:14 [GROANS]
19:15 We want you to not only decide how you play the game,
19:24 but to feel as if the people you interact with
19:26 are in that world with you.
19:29 I would have never thought a shotgun could be so pretty.
19:32 Damn, this R97 is sleek as hell.
19:36 Like a lot of other weapons in Gemini's arsenal,
19:39 it has a higher rate of fire than most guns of its type.
19:42 [GUNSHOTS]
19:44 We're working to support a feel of authenticity
19:54 through world traversals, running, jumping, and climbing,
20:00 interactions with objects and the environment.
20:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]
20:06 Solid weapon gameplay and enemy reactions,
20:20 as well as combat realities, such as weapon malfunctions.
20:30 Or in close encounters of the more lethal kind.
20:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]
20:37 That's going to hurt in the morning.
20:43 As we continue to focus on the quality experience,
20:46 we've been working closely with our art teams.
20:49 And it's been exciting to see their environments
20:52 come to life alongside us.
20:57 While animation and design have been populated in locations,
21:00 polished phase for my teams means
21:02 making huge advancements in the quality of our characters
21:04 and environments.
21:06 We've established our standard with recognizable characters
21:08 like Mark Hamill, Julian Anderson, and Gary Oldman.
21:12 And we're now applying this to the rest of the cast
21:14 and identifying any remaining tech requirements
21:17 that need to be closed out.
21:20 The story of Squadron 42 takes you
21:23 through a variety of diverse locations
21:25 of varying scales and styles.
21:28 We shared glimpses of several environments before.
21:31 And there's still plenty out there for you to discover.
21:33 One of the main challenges the art team
21:38 has had to face during the development of Squadron 42
21:41 is ensuring the visuals are complementary to the narrative
21:44 of the script.
21:46 The mood and feeling of a space is just as important to us
21:50 as it is making sure we hit the visual quality that CIG
21:53 has become known for.
21:56 Oh, good.
21:57 We can't hack it from this side.
21:59 Graves, we've got a locked door.
22:01 Can you give us access?
22:03 No, I'm afraid that's a negative, Steve.
22:07 I would have to add you to our system
22:09 to give you override permissions.
22:11 And there's a lot involved in that.
22:14 It won't happen quickly.
22:17 OK, we'll figure something out.
22:22 Everything you see during the campaign
22:24 has been heavily inspired by the classics of '70s and '80s
22:27 sci-fi, but with a modern twist.
22:30 We want everything you see to feel
22:32 like it has a soul, its own personality,
22:35 and tells of a history long before you arrived.
22:37 Crafting interesting flight spaces
22:45 and their connecting tissue has been
22:46 one of the more unique challenges we've
22:48 needed to overcome for Squadron.
22:50 Developing our VDB tech to blend seamlessly
22:53 between tighter traversal spaces and into wider space
22:57 vistas and planets has proved incredibly difficult
23:00 but rewarding, ensuring that Squadron flows seamlessly
23:03 from one chapter to the next without interruption.
23:08 Creating a diverse array of locations is essential to us.
23:12 Our environments need to work from a variety of scales.
23:16 We need to pay close attention to detail,
23:18 whether we're working in a dirty engineering vent
23:21 or navigating the debris of a dying star,
23:24 wondering what may be around that next corner
23:27 or even who may live there, how would they have survived,
23:30 and what state of mind may they be in.
23:32 [MUSIC PLAYING]
23:35 We've worked closely with our social teams
23:51 in delivering a cohesive social experience when you're
23:54 taking some downtime from our refined flight and FPS
23:57 missions or even missions of the more eerie kind.
24:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
24:03 We'll be introducing new space stations
24:17 on a massive scale, all brought together and designed
24:20 to be as tangible as possible.
24:22 We've thought about their function, their age,
24:25 and tried to ensure there's progression in artistic style
24:27 with each station as you progress through the game.
24:31 [MUSIC PLAYING]
24:34 As you can see today, the teams are working incredibly hard,
24:53 ramping up the detail and quality
24:55 to match the breadth of our vision for Squadron 42.
24:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
25:01 Now, I know you're all asking, when can I play it?
25:05 When can I play it?
25:07 When we have the launch release date,
25:08 you'll be the first to know.
25:10 Now, we're in polishing phase on Squadron 42.
25:12 You will start to see a lot more things coming to Star Citizen
25:15 as well as overall progress on the Persistent Universe.
25:18 The polish phase can take some time.
25:20 We have come this far, and we want
25:22 to make sure Squadron 42 delivers
25:23 on the promise of being this generation's Wing Commander.
25:26 Now, even though there's only a few of us in this video,
25:29 I'd like to extend a big thank you to all our staff
25:31 around the globe who have been putting their heart and soul
25:34 into bringing Squadron 42 to life.
25:36 And I would like to thank everyone
25:37 in the community for your patience and your support.
25:41 To paraphrase Admiral Bishop, when
25:42 people ask, what did you do in the development of Squadron 42,
25:45 you can look them in the eye and say, I held the line.
25:49 I'm proud to stand with you.
25:51 Thank you for making this game with us.
25:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
25:55 [MUSIC PLAYING]
25:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:01 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:05 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:09 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:12 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:15 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:19 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:23 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:26 you