Chris Roberts new project... Star Citizen

[thrangar]

I have been following from a distance as of a year ago, the down load time keeps me from staying up with every patch.

Its great you can fly the freelancer now and I was real happy to see the final version of the windscreen/cockpit struts, much better placement.


Thanks for the link and this vid really showed a big leap in game play and interaction.I do worry about people ramming the stations and structures.

Has anyone heard if they have dropped the version of lan play/run your own server version of the PU?

looking forward to 2017

[Fenris321]

So, just taking a quick look at their website leaves me with some questions.

1) Do I have to purchase a different package for each ship I want to fly or can I buy the other ships in-game with the in-game currency?

2) It also looks like if you want to upgrade your ships you have to do so with real money. Id this correct or can you do it in-game with their currency?

I of course have no problem buying a game if I like it, I'd never expect something for free, but if it turns out I need to continually buy in-game items for real money in order to advance or unlock features then this is a game I'll pass on. That doesn't include DLC of course, I have no problem paying for those either. I'm hoping that the packages are just starting packages to give people more "stuff" in early game and not another micro-transaction gimmick. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks,

[Oldman]

Hi Fenris

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm a bit out of touch with the current progress of Star Citizen so what I state here might not be totally accurate (if anyone cares to correct me that's fine by me )

As far as I know, and what I can gather off the SC site...
'Squadron 42' is a standalone single player game, so that I'd imagine is a complete 'package'. I believe that this is the game that will be released first.
Star Citizen will be the persistent online game, which will be most likely a different game in the sense that you need to buy this separately.
The packages you see for different grades of ship just mean you can start the game with either a low spec ship/equipment or higher specced one (or several), this is also reflected in the package price.
I am under the impression that most ships & equipment can be bought using in game credits which you can 'earn' in the general course of gameplay. I say most ships...I think there were/are some ships that were bought (or could buy with real cash) in the past development cycle that were classed as 'one offs', so couldn't be obtained by natural gameplay when the game is finally released (Gold release).
So...in short, you can buy any one of the selection of packages and still be able to obtain most upgrades and better specced ships by earning credits through the general game mission reward structure.
In any event, obviously, 'the' game is still in an 'Alpha' stage, so whether you buy a basic package (now) or a more 'advanced' one is up to you, and again obviously, when the game is finally released you'll have the option of starting the game with a ship & package that reflects your choices.

....I think that about covers it!

Oldman

[muppetts]

They only split Squad 42 and the main online game recently so all other backers have it already included but now you have to buy seperate.

Any ship and upgrade variant will be available to buy in game for in game money, so you can just buy the most basic and cheapest package and still get all the main ships in game.

[Golden_Gonads]

Any ship and upgrade variant will be available to buy in game for in game money, so you can just buy the most basic and cheapest package and still get all the main ships in game.

Is that still the case? I know it was promised at the beginning, but I vaguely recall there being several time-limited exclusive ships being released since.

[muppetts]

Been repeated at gamescon as the question is asked monthly, every ship is available in game, no single ship is behind a paywall and of course you can capture any ship you meet in game, regardless of variant, so if someone has a groovy ship you can nick it and it is yours, they have lifetime insurance so they get another one. Once the game launches all these ships people shelled out for will very very quickly be worth $0 but then the vast majority would say they have done it to support the project.

[Fenris321]

Thanks for the answers everyone, that put my mind at ease. I was a little worried that this was starting to look like a "pay to win" game. I did notice that there wasn't an uproar over it, so figured (hoped) I was wrong.

I typically don't buy games unless I think I'll get a thousand hours out of them, I've got several on Steam that are 500-1000 and one at 1,700+ hours. With that type of longevity (which I think Star Citizen will have) I really have no problem paying more for a more advanced package. I just wanted to make sure that those would not be my only ships (as I've said, this game looked so good I didn't want to follow it until it was closer to completion).

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer me

[muppetts]

I think getting the starter ship (i.e the cheapest package) is part of the jouney up to get better ships, learn combat etc. I think you are better of with less in this case.

[Jericho]

I think getting the starter ship (i.e the cheapest package) is part of the jouney up to get better ships, learn combat etc. I think you are better of with less in this case.

Couldn't agree more. The journey is the point (for me at least).

That is why I always love STARTING this kind of game and RPGs...

... You start by looting the rags from bodies, and you're attacking bandits with a rusty spoon. And you slowly build yourself up. By the time you have the best ship/weapons/armor/etc the games lose their appeal for me, as it's just a grind or blast through the main story.

[Memnoch]

Been repeated at gamescon as the question is asked monthly, every ship is available in game, no single ship is behind a paywall and of course you can capture any ship you meet in game, regardless of variant, so if someone has a groovy ship you can nick it and it is yours, they have lifetime insurance so they get another one. Once the game launches all these ships people shelled out for will very very quickly be worth $0 but then the vast majority would say they have done it to support the project.

I hadn't looked at their site for some time so I went to look at what I could buy and I read something that made me laugh and cannot seem to find it now sadly.

I was looking at one of the top level packages, like the $18,000 one and it said that it did not include the Javelin Destroyer capital ship but it "unlocked" the ability to buy it.

Oh my, that made me chuckle. I can't seem to find that now so perhaps I was on a different package.

Anyone else seen that?

EDIT: Just found it.

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pled ... st-Digital

Code: Select all

Please note that this package does not include the Javelin Destroyer, however it unlocks the ability to purchase one through the store. Please note that if you request the Completionist reclaimed for store credit the Javelin (if purchased) would be reclaimed as well

Are they for real!?

[Ketraar]

18 fraking thousand real life dollars?

This is just stupid and all I can do is shake my head in disapproval. Anyone buying this package is a dipshit, that's it I said it, if you buy this while there is 1 single person struggling in life in a 100km radius of you, you are the most obnoxious person on the planet.

Seriously this really pisses me of, its that offensive.

MFG

Ketraar

[Memnoch]

But Ketraar, spending that $18,000 then enables you to buy the destroyer. <Cartman whiney voice>

[X2-Illuminatus]

Meet a fan who has spent $30,000 on Star Citizen ships

Just in case you wondered what kind of person would spend so much money on an unreleased game.

[Morkonan]

Meet a fan who has spent $30,000 on Star Citizen ships

Just in case you wondered what kind of person would spend so much money on an unreleased game.

That guy is doing it right.

The typical Zynga Whale is someone who doesn't really have the income to afford the thousands that they spend on pixels. Then, there's the "Free Game Pay-to-Win" Whale, that might simply be rich or, more likely, is addicted to pressing buttons and getting rewards.

This guy is spending cash earned on side-jobs without denying his family anything. Sure, he's spent a lot, but it seems like it's just an accomplishment for him, like car collecting.

My only reservation is that a game that supports such a model has to be well-crafted indeed to avoid the caveats of such monetization - New players feeling cheated by having to "compete" with those who spend cash on in-game items.

[Corbet]

It is also worth to remember that more expensive ships and especially these packages could be bought by organizations and not necessary an individual person.

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm ... anizations
https://robertsspaceindustries.com/community/orgs

I'm personally totally fine if someone wants to support the project by buying the ships as long as those people are adults.

[muppetts]

People blow 10's thousands at casino's and get nothing, I still don't really get it but I can see some rational.

When you say 'support the project' I simply don't get that, this is a business, they are going to make money...and...wait for it....KEEP IT. The idea of handing them money for free, well I kudos to the company but that is just stupid.

I took a bet with 20 quid and maybe I get a game maybe not but I have had £20 quids worth of play already with over 50 hours in racing and dog fighting (mostly pissed ) but the idea that you get bang for you buck by handing over thousands for me is, well abit mental.

[Ketraar]

Its idiotic indeed. "Its their money so they can do what they want" does not cut it, yes they can do what they want, and I can call them self-centred, short-sighted idiots for it.

You can take those 30k, spend 5k on the bloody game (which is still too much) and buy your local school a decent equipment/library or give that money away in micro-donations to local start-ups. You get far more "out of it" than giving it to millionaires in return for pixels. Its just too absurd.

MFG

Ketraar

[Corbet]

When you say 'support the project' I simply don't get that, this is a business, they are going to make money...and...wait for it....KEEP IT. The idea of handing them money for free, well I kudos to the company but that is just stupid.

In the other hand crowdfunded projects wouldn't go anywhere if people doesn't support them. Star Citizen would be very different kind of game with $4M

I don't understand those people who spends insane sum of money by themselves either, but I'm not going to stress about that . I have supported Star Citizen with 45€ plus monthly subscription for additional content (AtV, RtV, etc.)

[muppetts]

I think Star Citizen would probably be in much better shape if it had only raised $4 million and had to reply on a much stricter, planned business model with realistic goals that are actually attainable in the timetable they SAID it would be.

I think all this 'support' actually hurts the process not helps it. I would much rather they had one package, one price for early pre-purchase (cos that is what it is) and they stick to the pledge they made.

I knew that they had no chance of doing what they said in the time they said, I checked it out and set my expectations at 5 years Before I gave my money (the one and only time I will kickstart) but they still have been running on promises they could never pull off in time (Star Marine is what 1 year late now).

As for your monthly sub, that is normal, you get a 70 page monthly magazine, you get flare, you get the vault artwork, your own forum etc. I get that, makes sense to me!

[Corbet]

I think Star Citizen would probably be in much better shape if it had only raised $4 million and had to reply on a much stricter, planned business model with realistic goals that are actually attainable in the timetable they SAID it would be.

Star Citizen would have probably being released already but very different kind of Star Citizen. I understand it would have been enough for many but personally I think the current projects Squadron 42 and Star Citizen PU is much better option.

I hope their way to develop the projects would encourage other developers to be more open.