As previously announced, with the release of patch 3.15 to our Star Citizen Alpha LIVE environment, we have implemented a wipe of the current database due to a number of significant changes to various in-game systems.
As of this update 3.15, Long Term Persistence (LTP) is broken up into three distinct parts: Items, Wallet (aUEC), and Reputation. Going forward, we will be able to wipe specific parts of LTP individually as needed (for example, wiping Reputation while leaving Wallet and Items intact). This level of flexibility will allow us to do necessary wipes while minimizing the impact on the community.
With this update, all three pillars of data have been wiped, which actually has quite a few benefits.
Why a Database Wipe?
First, Reputation has undergone its first tuning pass since its launch in Alpha 3.13, which will necessitate progress being wiped in order to implement. Second, there’s a few account-related issues/bugs that some players have been unable to resolve with character resets or workarounds, and this wipe will assist in remedying those issues.
Third, and most important of all, players have been accumulating wealth in the persistent universe with no economic sinks to balance it. While selling and other sinks are being developed, it's extremely helpful for designers to have additional data on how players acquire and spend money. Putting players at a level playing field will provide this data, and this will be exceedingly important as Death of a Spaceman, Full Persistence, Server Meshing and other key pillar technologies come online.
As those milestones approach, you can expect additional wipes as necessary, mostly for similar reasoning listed above.
What has been reset?
The following has been reset/wiped:
- aUEC gained in-game from missions and trading.
- Reputation with various factions.
- Crime Stats.
- Items, equipment, and ship components purchased in-game with aUEC.
- Ships and vehicles purchased in-game with aUEC.
- Commodities purchased or acquired through gathering.
Players will retain:
- Ships and vehicles acquired from pledges.
- Items, equipment, and ship components acquired from pledges.
- Flair items acquired from subscriptions or other events or promotions.
- any UEC acquired from UEC Chits (converted to aUEC).
- Referral rewards.
- Concierge rewards.
New System - Personal Inventories
The primary reason for the wipe, however, is the changes to how items and inventory work in Star Citizen. The entire system for items has been reworked from the ground up as we make a large step towards a fully physicalized universe.