Star Citizen is an intriguing space game that immerses players in virtual warfare, trade, and other activities. With the complete release of Star Citizen, Cloud Imperium wants to provide cosmic adventures unlike any other online game and has been working to constantly update the alpha build for those presently exploring the stars. The major impending Alpha 3.20 update has just been released by the developer, confirming that the patch will bring full HDR compatibility to the game.
Cloud Imperium says in a post on the Alpha 3.20 patch, “We’re excited to announce that High Dynamic Range (HDR) support is on its way to Star Citizen, and it’s set to make its debut in the upcoming patch Alpha 3.20.” The developer goes on to explain that the studio recognizes “that many of you have been eagerly awaiting this feature,” and that they have “been working on optimizing the game to ensure you can fully immerse yourself in its beauty.”
According to Cloud Imperium, HDR improves immersion by providing “higher peak brightness while maintaining the darkness of shadow tones, thus increasing the contrast ratio.” You’ll notice more apparent details and vivid highlights with the new setting. Consider sunny days with snow on the ground. The upgrade follows the recent adjustments to Star Citizen public test access, which established a new priority system that favored the game’s most active players.
To fully appreciate the new setting’s impact, you should dim the lights in your room. According to the creator, “In a bright environment, even the best displays will reflect 1-2% of the ambient lighting, resulting in muddy shadow tones and a perceived loss of contrast.” With a new slider, you can control how much HDR power or “peak brightness” your game needs, which Cloud Imperium recommends setting to the maximum.
Before attempting to toggle HDR in-game, make sure to activate it via your Windows settings. It’s also worth noting that not every build supports the setting, so you’ll need to make sure you can utilize it hardware-wise first. More information about the Alpha 3.20 patch can be found on the Star Citizen forums, as well as Cloud Imperium’s detailed explanation of the game’s future HDR support.
If you’re looking for something new to play with your pals while you wait for Star Citizen to be fully released, check out some of these other amazing multiplayer games. Alternatively, have a look at some of the other most fascinating forthcoming PC games in development right now.
