'Star Citizen' news: Latest video showcases the game's animations

New animation developments are present in the developer video of "Star Citizen."YouTube/Star Citizen

"Star Citizen" gets a new developer diary video that showcases the game's detailed animations amidst its ever-increasing crowdsourced budget, now at $160 million.

The latest video from developer Cloud Imperium Games shows an interview about the progress of the upcoming game. It also gives viewers a peek at how the animation system of the game is shaping up, as well as how non-player characters (NPCs) move and interact with the game world.

The developer diary shows a rather groundbreaking animation milestone in game development where the NPCs decide which actions to pursue depending on the scenario. Attention to detail is also strictly observed in the development, as the video shows NPCs physically interacting with objects in the game world — viewers will see one NPC removing an object blocking his hands as he repairs a ship. In-game electronics can even be destroyed by pouring in-game water on them, something that has not yet been seen in any video game to date.

Patrons expecting an update regarding the alpha 3.0 update arrival, however, will be disappointed, as the video does not mention any dates. Still, this has not deterred fans and supporters of Cloud Imperium from donating to the indie game studio for the development of the ambitious game.

"Star Citizen" has become an example in the gaming community of how successful crowdfunding can be. Patrons have now raised $160 million for the game's budget, vastly surpassing its initial target fund, thanks to the 1.9 million gamers who supported them. 

Part of "Star Citizen's" popularity was due to its promise of an open-world experience, supposedly to be greater than that of any massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG). The ambitious project aims to create a living, breathing science fiction universe with unparalleled immersion and possibilities for the players.

No release dates for the alpha 3.0 version of the game demo has been announced yet. Players who want to support the game development and want future access to the alpha and beta demos of the game can donate at the official website of "Star Citizen."