Star Citizen update 3.18 is finally here. With new content, such as ship salvaging and races around the Stanton system, players can find new and interesting ways to interact with this universe. Alongside these changes, the developers have made changes to the criminal system, making it far less likely for players to be sent to prison. However, it is still very much possible if players don't obey the laws of the system.
But don't panic; this guide will outline a few ways for players to easily escape prison and jump back into the game as soon as possible. There are some awesome new additions to the prison in this update, so make sure to fully explore this area when the update has fully launched ahead of the roadmap plans.
Serve The Sentence
The player's first option when entering prison is to simply run their timer down. If players head out of their cell to the center console, they can view how long their sentence is. The length of this is completely depended on the crime they committed or how many times they committed a crime - this can be upwards of 12 hours. Luckily, this time still ticks down when they log out, so they can always step away from the game for a while if they don't have the energy to partake in the mining gameplay loop.
This is the longest method of getting out of prison, and there are far better options for players to escape prison faster.
Breaking Out Of Prison
Breaking out of prison is extremely fun, but it will require a friend or another player in the server to get the player off the planet and to the nearest city once they leave prison. Keep this in mind, as escaping prison without a ride to leave the planet can leave the player in a tricky situation.
To begin, players will need to find a code from the area just before the mine shaft. As they enter, look to the right, and there will be a service room with a screen at the back. Here, players can find a 4-digit code that will help them get away from the main area of the prison. Once they have this code, head back to the main area and look for a large broken fan on the wall, this is the start of the route to escape.
Head up to the vent and enter the code found previously. This will stop the fan from spinning, giving players an easy exit. From here, players will need to navigate the intricate cave systems to the surface. Be quick here, as the oxygen can easily run out if players take their time or get lost. Just before they reach the surface, there will be a small service room to the left with two codes - these are the codes players will need to use at the rover bays to escape the turret systems when free.
Note these codes down for later as players may still take a few minutes to reach the input pad. Continue to follow the designated path and head to the rover bay. Vitals (such as oxygen) will probably be very low at this point, meaning time is running out for the player to reach a safe location.
Punch in the code and enter the rover in the pod; sadly, this isn't a speedy HoverQuad. This will put the player in a safe environment and halt any oxygen depletion or vital warnings.
The hard part is over. Communicate a meeting point with the ally and drive a few kilometers away from the prison, as the ally trying to rescue the player will quickly be shot down by the turret defense. Finally, enter the player's ship and head off the planet. If their ship is big enough, players can store the rover from the prison here. This is great, as the 3.18 update is introducing entity streaming meaning this rover will stay with the ship even when players log off.
Mining To Reduce Time
Alternatively, players can also partake in the prison gameplay loop, which involves mining. Follow the signs in prison from the main area to the mining cave. Players can use their multi-tool here to mine designated rocks. By picking these up and depositing them at the mine exit, players will quickly reduce their sentence time.
After around 15-20 minutes of mining, they will likely have reduced their time to minutes, meaning they can exit the mine in a relatively short time when compared to their extended sentence. As we leave 3.17 behind and introduce the new features of 3.18, the prison will also be getting some brand-new features.
Star Citizen is now available on PC.