Chris Roberts new project... Star Citizen

[Santi]

CitizenCon

Have no words, I thought that The Q was for real. Like, that right there is a proper supporter of Star Citizen, sinking hundreds of dollars for intangible goods.
But who is for real is Star Citizen charging $20 in order for people to get access to the stream of the event. They actually tried to do that.

Nicely done The Q.

[segmentationfault]

I wouldn't have minded to have professional level HD streams from all presentations but it is fine to have amateur versions in YouTube as well.

Any expectations for CitizenCon?

In keynote I hope we would see impressive gameplay, new planets, Kraken and people having good time.

[Chips]

That's true, the game has grown a lot since Kickstarter times. Still, I'm pretty sure it has gained more new gamers than it has lost because of the scope change. The game which was originally planned (Squadron 42) is still there but it includes lots of other stuff as well. I also assume all disappointed people has refunded long time ago already.

Oh they've definitely grown a lot - and continue to do so.

Which features and promises to get fulfilled are you waiting most?

The features I wanted to see the most are the ones which started the entire thing - when it sounded like Freelancer 2 - and then released! But the additions continued non stop, delaying it for... 5 years? And now you're mentioning they're doing something to be able to put planets into a space sim? Crikey

It was once the FPS element got announced that I switched off - it wasn't ever mentioned, don't remember anyone asking for it, and fairly sure most gamers of the genre care not for shoehorning FPS into a space game simulator! At that point it was "wait and see", but when people come around saying it's awesome I have to say "no, it isn't... not until it is released - until then it's just imaginary".

The only reason I attack Chris Roberts management abilities is his history. Freelancer was years overdue, way below what was promised, and would have been scrapped if not for the Microsoft buyout of the development studio (Digital Anvil). It wasn't his first project to be years late either. The guy has history of doing this and still does not seem to realise it and get a grip. But instead of investors who know when to say "no, we need proof this is going to happen" he's got people willing to keep pushing money his way for "things". On one hand, great, he can develop until it's done as he wants it. On the other hand... you're in this very situation. Half a decade late, and given current situation, half a decade to go.

I haven't asked for a refund, and won't either. But lets keep perspective upon what is happening. No-one involved with the project should be happy with the lack of control of it Having said all that, if there is some form of "highlights" (that's under 20 minutes) from the citizen con, then i'll watch it to find out what's happened in the last few years! (and no, i'd never go to those things - it's a game that's not even released, not a life choice).

p.s. Would love to know what the cash reserves are for the company - for example, in the event of suddenly no-one buying any more memberships/sponsorship etc - how long before it goes under? Is it a well costed and managed with the money received so far, holding good reserves that can maintain it for 2-3 more years? or is it like 6 months tops...

[segmentationfault]

Oh they've definitely grown a lot - and continue to do so.

Yeah, in a sense that there's plenty of things to do. We don't know yet exactly what they consider as minimum viable product for a release.

The features I wanted to see the most are the ones which started the entire thing - when it sounded like Freelancer 2 - and then released! But the additions continued non stop, delaying it for... 5 years? And now you're mentioning they're doing something to be able to put planets into a space sim? Crikey

OCS would be required even without planets. Some ship internals are size of multiple Battlefield maps, filled with NPCs, players, items to use, ship components, etc. so there will be tons of stuff to stream in ships alone.

It was once the FPS element got announced that I switched off - it wasn't ever mentioned, don't remember anyone asking for it, and fairly sure most gamers of the genre care not for shoehorning FPS into a space game simulator! At that point it was "wait and see", but when people come around saying it's awesome I have to say "no, it isn't... not until it is released - until then it's just imaginary".

I find it an excellent addition to game. It adds tons of gameplay in multiple of different ways. Of course not everyone likes FPS in the first place so at least in PU they could avoid it and just concentrate fly ships, trading, mining, salvaging, etc.

The only reason I attack Chris Roberts management abilities is his history. Freelancer was years overdue, way below what was promised, and would have been scrapped if not for the Microsoft buyout of the development studio (Digital Anvil). It wasn't his first project to be years late either. The guy has history of doing this and still does not seem to realise it and get a grip. But instead of investors who know when to say "no, we need proof this is going to happen" he's got people willing to keep pushing money his way for "things". On one hand, great, he can develop until it's done as he wants it. On the other hand... you're in this very situation. Half a decade late, and given current situation, half a decade to go.

I haven't asked for a refund, and won't either. But lets keep perspective upon what is happening. No-one involved with the project should be happy with the lack of control of it

Criticism is essential and it is great that you and many others are able to do so in mature manner. Especially in their own website (Spectrum) it is very important that criticism is constructive so they are able to do something about it.

[muppetts]

People who turned up later on defend it, people who were there at the start have the actual perspective to know how badly this is going. The money screwed him, if he had only got 10 million we would have got freelancer 2 but we have ended up with the current fk up (Tank anyone?), certainly I don't see a game coming out of this for another 3 years minimum and since signing up off the Wing Commander boards (ahhh offf topic) in 2011 and being told it will be done in 3 years that is quite some development cycle! I switched off couple of years ago, now the marketing crap that is constantly being pumped out just looks like a money grab.

[segmentationfault]

If they would have done as planned originally the game would be ready "for sure" already. Many backers would have been most likely fine with Wing Commander type of game but looking the project now I feel like it was definitely a right choice to go with much more ambitious plan. There are many smaller and great looking projects in development (Rebel Galaxy: Outlaw, Starfighter Inc., etc.) but not enormous games like Star Citizen. In my opinion it is good to have smaller and enormous space games to play. Star Citizen seems to have big support and lots of backers are enjoying alpha versions already and things gets just better and better.

According to latest news OCS build is now good condition enough, so they are able to release Alpha 3.3 with OCS.

If someone is interested to read what CIG was working on in September can now read it from monthly report: September 2018

[pjknibbs]

If they would have done as planned originally the game would be ready "for sure" already.

The estimated delivery date for the game on the original Kickstarter was November 2014. We're nearly four years past that date and still no sign of it. I don't care how much extra crap he's added to it that has caused this delay, it's still unacceptable for it to have been delayed so long--especially when the extra crap in question was never mentioned in the original Kickstarter. What he *should* have done is delivered what was promised as near to on time as possible, and then started iterating to add all this extra stuff--e.g. exactly what Elite: Dangerous did!

[segmentationfault]

The estimated delivery date for the game on the original Kickstarter was November 2014. We're nearly four years past that date and still no sign of it. I don't care how much extra crap he's added to it that has caused this delay, it's still unacceptable for it to have been delayed so long--especially when the extra crap in question was never mentioned in the original Kickstarter. What he *should* have done is delivered what was promised as near to on time as possible, and then started iterating to add all this extra stuff--e.g. exactly what Elite: Dangerous did!

I'm sure there are many backers who feels the same but personally I'm not convinced that it would have been better choice. I don't believe there would have been this much support and therefore CIG wouldn't have been able grown as big as it is now (>500 people and growing) which is required to be able to work on such a enormous project; Star Citizen MMO and single player campaign Squadron 42. Making the game which was originally planned would most likely still took at least 3 years to make but CIG wouldn't have got the engine or tools which is needed to make Star Citizen PU or what Squadron 42 is going to be today. Now we are going to get what was originally planned and a lot of more.
Well, unfortunately we will never know for sure how the project would have ended to be if they would have chose otherwise.

I'm happy how things are now since the project is progressing nicely and we will get incremental patches which are giving the current versions more and more depth and growing bigger and bigger.

[Santi]

The estimated delivery date for the game on the original Kickstarter was November 2014.

I'm sure there are many backers who feels the same but personally I'm not convinced that it would have been better choice.

It is no a matter of choice, it is a promise that if the product is funded, it will be delivered at a certain date that is set in your Kickstarter pledge, if you are over funded, it does not change the terms of your Kickstarter pledge.

[segmentationfault]

It is no a matter of choice, it is a promise that if the product is funded, it will be delivered at a certain date that is set in your Kickstarter pledge, if you are over funded, it does not change the terms of your Kickstarter pledge.

They did ask community how they should proceed and majority wanted more ambitious route. Since many stops following the process immediately after pledging a project in Kickstarter and most likely wasn't even aware of this poll it is probably better to call this 'a decision' instead of 'a choice'.

I guess this all worked out because CIG has kept contact with the community. They have released alpha versions to test, publish lots of material about development and a community is able to meet and talk with the developers face to face in CitizenCon, Bar Citizen, etc.

[ArcherVII]

https://youtu.be/d58C2xtWlUQ

[felter]

I don't pay too much attention to what is happening with this game, as I have made it plainly clear what I think on it. But it has come to my attention that in the past month or so, Chris Roberts sold a 10% stake of the game and his company for $46 million, to a pair of billionaires (father and son) who have no experience in the making of computer games but are now on the executive board for star citizen. Now why has be done this, I mean if you look at the amount raised so far it comes to a massive $215,771,428, well out of that
$215,771,428 he has managed to spend 93% of it, and the game is still no where near completion, it was supposed to be released what was it 5 or 6 years ago. He has also announced the BETA yes that's BETA not the release of squadron 42, which will be in 2 years time. So that's what 8 years after it was meant to be released and we get the start of the BETA, OH but not just that he gave a road map and said there may be delays, so even 2 years is not guaranteed.

Tell me it's just a joke and everything is on the up and up with the game.

[pjknibbs]

I think Star Citizen is a fine example of someone having been given *too much* money and has thus gone entirely off the leash, adding feature after feature until they get to a point where it's impossible to make the whole thing work and they've run out of money. At the current rate this is going to be a bigger white elephant than Duke Nukem Forever was, and the resulting game will probably be about as good as what came out of that, too.

[Chips]

Star Citizen is just classic Roberts tbh - but amplified by being in control himself rather than answering to others.

Really do hope it blows all away, but if he's selling stakes (valuing the company at nearly half a billion according to that money if true?), even if only a minority one, in his dream project, it'd indicate that he's looking for some form of more traditional fiscal security. Is Kickstarter related funding slowing down? Are people buying less of the ships that get produced in advance? Or maybe the backers are just super keen enthusiasts? Otherwise, backers only go into something to make money... which is concerning to an extent. They'll expect to see a return

Is it really 2 years until Beta Squardon 42? Christ... I should go and read all this up instead of just trusting a post, but time is tight

[Ketraar]

I feel the title of this topic doesnt really hold true much at this point, unless I read it ironically.

MFG

Ketraar

[Ronald Sandoval]

this game is never going to happen

[Ezarkal]

It's kind of impressive that this thread lasted for 6 years and a half or something...

[Morkonan]

It's kind of impressive that this thread lasted for 6 years and a half or something...

And, if the game gets cancelled? The thread would last another six years after the cancellation announcement.

this game is never going to happen

I can not say you are wrong... That's sad.

Using cool memes, 'cause I'm cool like that and want to be hip like all the new kids...

"/REEEEEEEEEEEE"

^--- The Entire Game Community All Over The World EVAR! when cancellation is announced.

[pjknibbs]

It's kind of impressive that this thread lasted for 6 years and a half or something...

It's really kind of sad that it had to!

[Ronald Sandoval]

well i remember the wait for the game Team Fortress 2 the things that they promised and then look @ what they released