PC Gamer reports that system requirements have been released for Chris Roberts’ recently-announced Star Citizen. As one might expect for a game powered by CryEngine 3 (and, for that matter, a game produced by Chris Roberts), they’re defintely toward the high end of things:

Minimum:
Dual core CPU
GTX 460
4GB of system memory

Recommended:
i7 2500, 2600, 2700
GTX 670 or better

Also released were details about modding and micro-payments, both of which will be factors in Star Citizen’s gameplay.

Modding is encouraged, as Roberts says that players are free to tweak the game however they wish on private servers. The devs also “hope to institute a mod approval process that will allow the best of the best player-created ships and other additions to be integrated into the central persistent world as well,” according to the FAQ.

In terms of payments, you’ll need to buy the game initially and that’s basically it. There will be no monthly fee, though “some in-game items may be available as microtransactions.” Unlike most free-to-play titles, Star Citizen’s cash shop “will never sell anything that can’t be acquired through honest (and fun!) gameplay.”

So there’s that: it’s a free-to-play MMO title, with an up-front cost to actually purchase the game client. Private servers will be allowed, for which players can develop their own mods…the best of which may end up being incorporated into Star Citizen proper.