Usually the words “distribution center” conjure forth some logistical nexus full of a company’s product plopped in the middle of a field for trucking elsewhere. Star Citizen wants to change some of that, as the distribution centers that will be part of alpha 3.23 are going to be more like places where all of the gameplay action can happen.
CIG effectively describes the upcoming distribution centers as a central hub for multiple types of player missions, catering to all kinds of playstyles from the passive to the aggressive and the lawful or unlawful.
Missions that are coming to these locations include contracts to defend a center from NPC attack, orders from shady organizations to kill a VIP, and heists that can be taken on with guns blazing or via stealth entry and exit. And, yes, there will be your expected space trucking missions on hand as well; this is a distribution center after all. What’s more, different types of missions can occur at the same time and location, with the intent of drawing players together.
The studio does mention that not all of these new locations will immediately see everyone arriving as friendly, with some places only allowing player landing if they’re hired for a mission. Additionally, while there’s technically nothing stopping players from simply swooping in and trying to wreak havoc, they would be facing the full might of a center’s defenses and guard force in doing so. In either case, when these centers come to the alpha sandbox, they could become quite busy indeed.
