Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
The Problem this project will have and it is already showing is the transfer of knowledge and/or communication between the different Modules. Modules get put on hold, resources moved around, new resources moved in some old ones moved back. It is proven and basic knowledge that doing this cost a lot of money and wastes a lot of time because your resources have to first spend a lot of time to familiarize themselves with whatever the other people did before they left.
Transfer of knowledge between teams is one of the most difficult tasks in project management and you avoid it whenever you can.
Seeing how this Project is already failing at the basics of management i doubt there will be an end product any time soon. Much less one that is consistent and polished across all modules and features.
"It's pretty simple, really. If your only intention in posting about a particular game or topic is to be negative, then yes, you should probably move on. Voicing a negative opinion is fine, continually doing so on the same game is basically just trolling." - Michael Bitton Community Manager, MMORPG.com
"As an online discussion about Star Citizen grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Derek Smart approaches 1" - MrSnuffles's law
"I am jumping in here a bit without knowing exactly what you all or talking about." - SEANMCAD
Originally posted by observer Star Citizen reminds me of those big dreamers who conceptualized flying cars. The concepts and prototypes never get fulfilled.
Well it is a bit different with flying cars tbh - the problem is not with the flying, is with the issue of safety and legality :P
Original pitch for any game is almost alays a pie in the sky that gets WAY SCALED back during development.
Recent examples Division cutting out tablet gameplay, EQNext removing core features (rumored).
While you are correct (and this is somewhat unrelated). But the whole "tablet" gameplay thing for division was stupid to begin with.
Tablets are fine for playing basic games or stuff like farmville, but every attempt at "serious" gaming (like BF4 commander mode etc), has been a miserable failure.
Hmm, well, not really. I wouldn't count Vendetta a "miserable failure". Brian Crecente of Kotaku calls it a "deep game with an intuitive interface". It has kept me occupied for 12 years.
Generalizations, man.
ITT I was introduced to Derek Smart, learned he works a couple towns south of me, that he made Battlecruiser 3000AD and is a self-confessed millionaire. I wonder if I could interview this guy.
Personality opinions of Star Citizen don't really sway me at all.
"The simple is the seal of the true and beauty is the splendor of truth" -Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar Authored 139 missions in VendettaOnline and 6 tracks in Distance
Amazing how much misinformation can be in one thread.
>>>"Give us an obscene amount of money, and we'll ensure you have in-game stuff that no one else can ever have!"
EVERYTHING in SC is available for EVERYONE in game for in game money after launch. No real world money required. No exclusive items.
>>> Has been in development for 4 years >>>
Is in development since Nov 2012. If you want, add another 2-3 months for making the Kickstarter Trailer. Thats a bit more than 2.5 years. Estimates are 4-5 years total development time, like almost all AAA games.
>>>The feature creep for Star Citizen has been laughably outrageous>>>
Last "new" feature has been added about 8 months ago. And it was something that is inherently available in the CryEngine anyway (=pets). Modularity and NPC AI were existing since Nov 2012, but got some extra love via stretch goals at the end of 2014.
The last true features have been added about a year ago in August 2014 (Web based Universe Map).
>>>I've also heard about a small space dog fighting simulator I believe is called Squadron 42.>>>
Dogfight simulator (PvE, PvP, Starship racing) is called "Arena Commander". Squadron 42 is a single player campaign for SC, about four times the size of Wing Commander (thats Part 1 alone). And there will be three parts - the first two are free for veteran backers. FPS module is called Star Marine (an early pre-Alpha multiplayer teaser has been shown at a convention).
>>>Star Citizen reminds me of those big dreamers who conceptualized flying cars. The concepts and prototypes never get fulfilled.>>>
>>>You don't have to look any further than the recent announcement that the fps portion has been "indefinitely put on hold".>>>
Another clickbait victim. FPS module development is delayed. NOT put on hold. "Indefinitely" is a word used by a website as clickbait. You won't find it in any CIG statement.
That man speaks the truth. They keep adding goals after goals. From 2 mil to 85mil??
That guy is already freaking rich, i wonder how much cash he got alone for himself from those 85mil. Probably 7mil in those 2.5years.
Its funny how they moneytize the game: desigining a ship and selling ot for 60 dollar - making out of it millions. Keep in mind that such a ship is made in about a week of work.
That man speaks the truth. They keep adding goals after goals. From 2 mil to 85mil??
--> Stretch goals stopped at 65 million. Chris Roberts wanted to stop them earlier, but the backers demanded that he added more, so he did. Most "late" stretch goals were some extra ships (which were most likely in development for Squadron 42 anyway).
--> He was rich before he even started the project. **Hint Hint *** Sold a studio to Microsoft *** Hint Hint ***
i wonder how much cash he got alone for himself from those 85mil. Probably 7mil in those 2.5years.
--> Unlikely. He simply does not need it. I think the majority of people that ever met Chris Roberts would agree that it is NOT money that drives him. Those who like him may say its a vision that drives him, those who do not like him much may say its the need to be in the spotlight and shine.
Its funny how they moneytize the game: desigining a ship and selling ot for 60 dollar - making out of it millions.
--> You ARE familiar with the concept of crowdfunding ?
Keep in mind that such a ship is made in about a week of work.
--> You clearly are not familiar on how long it takes to create such a ship from scratch (and I do NOT mean only the outer skin, i mean ALL the interior systems and rooms, so people can live and work with their avatars inside such a ship, upgrade it, repair it, bobby trap it, decorate it etc.). Making it all USEABLE.
--> Your one week estimate may have been true in the past when people just put some skins on polygons.
The man is percived as arrogant but that does not make wrong what he says/writes (it makes it not allways true either but he for sure has a point).
"Torquemada... do not implore him for compassion. Torquemada... do not beg him for forgiveness. Torquemada... do not ask him for mercy. Let's face it, you can't Torquemada anything!"
Just as a comparison, Ark: Survival Evolved was developed by a small indie company in less than a year, without crowd funding. Now, A:SE is nowhere near the same scale of game as SC, but then again, SC has been in development for nearly 4 years with crowdfunding now closing in on $85 million. So the question is, what do we know about SC's development? I personally have seen a few videos showcasing FPS style zero g combat in a space station. I've also heard about a small space dog fighting simulator I believe is called Squadron 42. Aside from that, I haven't seen or heard anything. So 4 years and now $85 million later and one begins to wonder, much like we wondered about Blizzard's Titan project, now scrapped and CCP's World of Darkness, now scrapped.
A lot of you might call Derek Smart a cancer to the gaming industry and maybe he is. He was even quoted as stating he likes to stir shit up. That doesn't change the facts before us, which anyone with half a brain can surmise where SC is headed. Crowfall is another crowdfunded game, being developed by a new gaming company with a much smaller funding. Yet I see more in the development of that game in the past year than I've seen in SC in the past 4 years.
Seeing is believing...
SC is being developed by modules by different specific teams. If you helped funded the game you can, right now, play 2 of those different modules that will compose SC as a whole. This methodology was anounced from the beginning - the game would be developed by modules so that people wouldn't have to wait for the whole thing.
My FFXIV ARR referral code for new EU accounts: 5JPF7ZQ3 Step into the amazing world of Eorzea! Use this reference code on a new account and we'll both get goodies for it!
Attention seeker with a history of insulting people who critcise his "games", with an ego that has approximately the size of JUPITER. I mean let his "games" metacritic and steam ratings speak for his accomplishments
as if anything that guy says would matter in the games industry.
He´ll eventually crawl back under his bridge. There is a saying if you write Derek Smart three times he´ll appear in any thread on the internet. Probably googling himself 24 hours a day.
Keep in mind that many people including myself thought Darkfall wouldn't be made either. It was in development for a while, but still came out.
That is true but there have been others, like Stargate Online, Copernicus and a whole bunch of others. A few games that took time did really come out but many others didn't.
But it is anyways time to stop buying new ships for loads of money and let the devs focus on actually finnishing the game as it is. Paying constantly for new stuff while just delay the game.
I have a hard time understanding how people can pay so much to get stuff in a game that still is far from release. Funding a kickstarter game is one thing and so is putting in a few bucks for some small standard stuff but hundreds of dollars for advanced custom stuff? You do what you want with your money but this game already have more than enough to finnish the game.
I'm inclined to agree with the premise of his argument. I think what Roberts was pitching will be a technical nightmare to achieve even if it was done by a single studio under one roof with a custom built engine. SC's design will have many many concessions.
They're struggling now with their networking code and that's just on 8v8. When you imagine the type of instancing they want, ship boarding (and all that entails), 50v50 so on and so on, all the while pushing millions of polys... well...
I bet a lot of people would like to be proved wrong.
That man speaks the truth. They keep adding goals after goals. From 2 mil to 85mil??
That guy is already freaking rich, i wonder how much cash he got alone for himself from those 85mil. Probably 7mil in those 2.5years.
Its funny how they moneytize the game: desigining a ship and selling ot for 60 dollar - making out of it millions. Keep in mind that such a ship is made in about a week of work.
Genius.
maybe he keeps asking for money because the team spent it outside of development? who knows... im not a blind fan so i see that as a posibility. Its not the first time.
Also, 60 dollar ships? thats nothing, i think you missed the $300-600 dollar concept art for ships they were selling. Yeah, concept art, not even the ship.
That was friggin hilarious. "Power by the souls of the damned" lol
On Topic: I'll start caring what Derek Smart has to say, about the same time I care what people like Total Biscuit and Angry Joe have to say. Which is to say "NEVER".
In War - Victory. In Peace - Vigilance. In Death - Sacrifice.
Also, 60 dollar ships? thats nothing, i think you missed the $300-600 dollar concept art for ships they were selling. Yeah, concept art, not even the ship.
The notes gave a lot of more information about his objective and reasons behind raising his arms to try to avoid/minimize the disaster. Here's his explanation if you do not want to go to the link:
"When this article first went up, I was approached by a few third parties wanting to host it. I also had the option of hosting it on my Gamasutra blog page.
However, due to how this industry works, and knowing that it is most likely to be buried, and seeing that unless this gets spread far and wide, it would have been a waste of effort, I opted to give it to a site that I trust won’t cave in to pressure from industry “friends” and contacts.
To that end, the blog article has moved, and is now being hosted over here.
In my opinion based article, I wasn’t judging, and I wasn’t accusing.
Knowing that there may be legal ramifications once that article went live, I made 100% sure that everything that I wrote about third-parties, could be backed up with facts. Even the part which could be regarded as conjecture (not to be confused with opinion), I added an excerpt from their own dev blogs, indicating just one of the many insurmountable problems that they’re experiencing.
They had two years to deliver the game that people wanted and paid for. Now we’re 2.5 years in, and that game is nowhere in sight.
NOBODY asked for what they are doing right now. If they went on crowd-funding and asked for $85m, we’d all just laugh, and go back to our lattes.
The FACTS are as follows:
In 10/2012, they pitched a game for $500K, and got $2.1m
They got the money
They haven’t delivered the game - as pitched - by the Nov 2014 promised date
They have kept asking for money and more money, based on intangible goods
They kept increasing the game’s scope, despite having missed the original delivery milestone
The game they’ve now scoped, cannot be built
I love this industry. An industry that, while brutal, gave me the opportunity to do something that I love, while not making it easy. I take pride in the fact that when I screw up, or fail, and fall down, I can pick myself up - and keep on running. For me, there is no shame in failure; only pride in being able to acknowledge mistakes, and to learn from them.
My article which I wrote, was a result of my observation that there is a disaster brewing, and which is, once again, going to not only cast the industry in a poor light if we didn’t do something, but which threatens to make it that much harder for the inbound generation to find their footing, because a bunch of people who came before, pretty much made it FUBAR.
And during my research for the piece, and for which I have hundreds of web articles, forum posts etc in an Evernote notepad, I came across a lot of things that I wasn’t even aware of. And once the article went live, I started hearing from all kinds of people in media, game development, gamers etc. And the more I read, the more I came to the realization that my article, which was merely a technical wake-up call of sorts, hadn’t even touched the tip of the iceberg. Which is why I am adding this next paragraph.
If you feel thatyou have been misled when you backed the Star Citizenproject after Oct, 2012, and you want a chance to get your money back, the FTC has setup a special department that deals with crowd-funding complaints. You can fill out this form. Then select “Internet services, online shopping, or computers” then “Online shopping”. You can read more about that over here.
Simply put, this madness has to stop. And since nobody seems to want say or do anything about it, I decided to stand up, and say something. And I am prepared to deal with what comes next. I am used to being attacked, there isn’t anything that can be said or done, and which hasn’t happened before, or which will have the desired effect. People don’t scare me."
The update doesn't make him any less of a d-bag. Don't get me wrong, every industry needs a devil's advocate. However, it usually comes from someone who has some credibility in that industry. Anyone could call themselves a game designer. Shoot, I'm designing a game at the moment. That doesn't mean that I'm all of a sudden an industry expert. Neither is he considering the fact that any game he has been responsible for has received horrible reviews. It's ok, though, it's probably that people just don't "get it". Unfortunately, it's painfully clear this guy doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground and is simply playing the role of an ignorant a-hole. Oh! And to say this guy loves himself is probably a drastic understatement. He's probably "that guy" at parties who will talk to anyone who's willing to hear him talk about himself for the evening. Self-proclaimed expert of everything. Blah! So sick of these types of people. Once again! Thanks Internet for making a-holes moderately famous.
The following is worth repeating when it comes to ANYTHING that Derek says (wether on his own site or any host website):
"Smart said of his online persona: "Sometimes when I get online, and it's quiet, and I see something that attracts my attention, I'll post just to piss these guys off. That's why I do it. Because I'm in a good mood that day, I go in there and I start trouble."
The following is worth repeating when it comes to ANYTHING that Derek says (wether on his own site or any host website):
"Smart said of his online persona: "Sometimes when I get online, and it's quiet, and I see something that attracts my attention, I'll post just to piss these guys off. That's why I do it. Because I'm in a good mood that day, I go in there and I start trouble."
Have fun
The following is worth repeating when it comes to ANYTHING that Chris Roberts says:
"12 months in, we will allow the early backers to play the multiplayer space combat Alpha"
"20-22 months in they will get to play the Star Citizen Beta, adventuring around the huge open galaxy"
"Prices are going up! We will be increasing prices when the new site launches, so this is the cheapest you will ever be able to pledge for Star Citizen!"
"The new site is coming! The all-new Roberts Space Industries website will feature content exclusive for pledgers, including full access to post to the forums and to read sections like Engineering and the Galactapedia.
"
"no more packages with alpha access will be sold!"
"I figured out everything. That's why I spent one year working earlier to announce and to show the gameplay that you saw"
"There’s only four days left to back with LTI! The grace period ends Saturday, July 6th at midnight PST...
"
"And remember that anyone who backs for the first time after July 6th will not have LTI on their account. If you’re on the fence, the next four days are the time to join the Star Citizen project! It’s now or never for those seeking lifetime hull insurance."
"Our intention has always been to make Roberts Space Industries YOUR site. It’s not a public advertisement for the game; it’s a private community for those who are making the game happen. We want your input on what we’re doing and we want to share our plans with you; the occasional passer-by doesn’t concern us. The plan was initially to immediately switch on a wall that would allow only you, our backers, to access features like the Comm-Link and the Spectrum Dispatches. Kickstarter has thrown something of a wrench in this plan: we can’t change the site until the Kickstarter backers are integrated, which may take up to two weeks, otherwise we would be blocking thousands of backers from participating.
...
We will also be launching new sections which have been in the works for some time: the Galactapedia will tell you more about the Star Citizen world, Engineering will introduce you to game mechanics that are being planned and Holovids will offer you video footage from the game as it takes shape.
...
What about pledges? Good news: those of you who got in on the ground floor are covered. Your ships have lifetime insurance policies and for the next year you will have the ability to purchase further tiers or upgrade existing ones at the initial prices. That’s not true of everyone else: if you want to back Star Citizen and participate in this amazing community, you still can… but it’s going to cost you a little extra as of now, and you aren’t going to have as many extras (no lifetime insurance, for example.)
...
We can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for this project. Please see the next update on ‘The Pledge’ for our promise to you. The next two years are going to be incredible for all involved and we’re thoroughly happy that all of you are along for this exciting ride."
...
I should end now before it became a Bible.
"#Crowdfunding platforms have a responsibility to act fairly & non-deceptively."
says the United States Federal Trade Comission who has started to be more active in the matter of crowd-funding advertising:
I predict serious problem for the funding, as more Roberts delay and fail in his plans even when they are for the short term. He made sure to feed people with tons of misleading advertising, which is against their legal responsibilities. A full banquet for people willing to get their refunds and lead CIG to strong penalties, what probably could jeopardize the entire project. Don't need to say the damage to their image, because something like that, definitely would end in the hands of the press.
Derek is probably considering a FTC action against CIG, asking people to open complaints, as a last hope to make they stopping and putting their feet int he ground to focus to deliver into the promises made (summarizing, "Star Citizen I", not "Star Citizen 10" was the promise), and this way, avoiding the serious impacts for the whole, including the genre and crowd-funding trust as a whole.
A simple rule that any business should have in his mind if they want to survive in the long term and it's valid if you consider the Star Citizen current business model (fully based on trust) and future business model (still based on trust and good will to make people to buy cosmetics to help, but needing more people to do that, because their prices with be lower than ships):
"Don't let 10 clients waiting for their first drink, while you keep giving more drinks to one drunk person, just because he is buying the most expensive ones. They never will come back to your bar or call their friends to come. You lost more than you thought and in practice, your bar will end ruined."
The first action of FTC, if it's something going on, a project that still is developing, is to notify the company about their responsibilities. Only if CIG persist failing after that, like exaggerating in their additions (you say that they did not add anything, but just look to all he features or "do not fake animations" strategy that they do, not worried to deliver a core to you, but to appeal to people that probably did not buy the game yet) and details for commercial/promotional reasons, instead focusing to deliver the core of the original promise made (and later, with money earned for copies sold, make additions), is that FTC would take some more serious action. And if comes to such point, CIG would deserve.
What they did is unfair and deceptive with those who bought Star Citizen I, not Star Citizen 10. It's against the law and now they are unprotected. It just a matter of people acting. And they should, because CIG have been kind of ignoring their legal responsibilities, as they continue to pretend that are not in debt, a serious debt, just because some white knights defend them no matter what and keep giving them more dollars in exchange of new and old jpeg's.
And if people keep persisting to shield them, they are just hurting their own dreams and wishes, because they can't change customer behavior of the majorities, just because they want to. People won't forgive forever. The fans should just stop with the proud and the madness. But clearly they won't. That's why DS thought that FTC, press, whatever, should try to put some breaks in the CIG unfair/deceptive attitude, for the sake of gathering more and more money.
If he really has also an agenda to call attention for himself, or to piss off people, he is doing by telling the true and facts that makes totally sense with the reality of the Star Citizen project so far, and the consequences of CIG pretending to do not have any responsibility or commitment with anyone, just with those who keeps giving more and more money to them.
Originally posted by Rzep Derek Smart is the defenition of failure...who cares what his opinion is on any subject.
If he's actually got millions (as mentioned earlier) then I wouldn't go quite that far... there are far, far worse ways to fail.
Even if his games suck, he still managed to get them released and profited from them, which is more than most people can say.
Doesn't necessarily mean he's right, but some people could do with having their definition of failure checked.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
I predict serious problem for the funding, as more Roberts delay and fail in his plans even when they are for the short term. He made sure to feed people with tons of misleading advertising, which is against their legal responsibilities. A full banquet for people willing to get their refunds and lead CIG to strong penalties, what probably could jeopardize the entire project. Don't need to say the damage to their image, because something like that, definitely would end in the hands of the press.
Derek is probably considering a FTC action against CIG, asking people to open complaints, as a last hope to make they stopping and putting their feet int he ground to focus to deliver into the promises made (summarizing, "Star Citizen I", not "Star Citizen 10" was the promise), and this way, avoiding the serious impacts for the whole, including the genre and crowd-funding trust as a whole.
A simple rule that any business should have in his mind if they want to survive in the long term and it's valid if you consider the Star Citizen current business model (fully based on trust) and future business model (still based on trust and good will to make people to buy cosmetics to help, but needing more people to do that, because their prices with be lower than ships):
"Don't let 10 clients waiting for their first drink, while you keep giving more drinks to one drunk person, just because he is buying the most expensive ones. They never will come back to your bar or call their friends to come. You lost more than you thought and in practice, your bar will end ruined."
The first action of FTC, if it's something going on, a project that still is developing, is to notify the company about their responsibilities. Only if CIG persist failing after that, like exaggerating in their additions (you say that they did not add anything, but just look to all he features or "do not fake animations" strategy that they do, not worried to deliver a core to you, but to appeal to people that probably did not buy the game yet) and details for commercial/promotional reasons, instead focusing to deliver the core of the original promise made (and later, with money earned for copies sold, make additions), is that FTC would take some more serious action. And if comes to such point, CIG would deserve.
What they did is unfair and deceptive with those who bought Star Citizen I, not Star Citizen 10. It's against the law and now they are unprotected. It just a matter of people acting. And they should, because CIG have been kind of ignoring their legal responsibilities, as they continue to pretend that are not in debt, a serious debt, just because some white knights defend them no matter what and keep giving them more dollars in exchange of new and old jpeg's.
And if people keep persisting to shield them, they are just hurting their own dreams and wishes, because they can't change customer behavior of the majorities, just because they want to. People won't forgive forever. The fans should just stop with the proud and the madness. But clearly they won't. That's why DS thought that FTC, press, whatever, should try to put some breaks in the CIG unfair/deceptive attitude, for the sake of gathering more and more money.
If he really has also an agenda to call attention for himself, or to piss off people, he is doing by telling the true and facts that makes totally sense with the reality of the Star Citizen project so far, and the consequences of CIG pretending to do not have any responsibility or commitment with anyone, just with those who keeps giving more and more money to them.
How does this help anything though? If CIG is going to fail then let them fail on their own. You introduce the FTC and all of a sudden they have an excuse not to deliver. That's the last thing I want to see. Let them either deliver or fail, either way it will be glorious.
I just don't know why Derek Smart is so concerned about people's money. I mean I'm sure he asked people to buy his games...... which are universally horrible.
Comments
Why, if anyone has failure down pat it's Derek, in fact he's a bit of an expert on it, his opinion might just be of some value.]
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
The Problem this project will have and it is already showing is the transfer of knowledge and/or communication between the different Modules. Modules get put on hold, resources moved around, new resources moved in some old ones moved back. It is proven and basic knowledge that doing this cost a lot of money and wastes a lot of time because your resources have to first spend a lot of time to familiarize themselves with whatever the other people did before they left.
Transfer of knowledge between teams is one of the most difficult tasks in project management and you avoid it whenever you can.
Seeing how this Project is already failing at the basics of management i doubt there will be an end product any time soon. Much less one that is consistent and polished across all modules and features.
"It's pretty simple, really. If your only intention in posting about a particular game or topic is to be negative, then yes, you should probably move on. Voicing a negative opinion is fine, continually doing so on the same game is basically just trolling."
- Michael Bitton
Community Manager, MMORPG.com
"As an online discussion about Star Citizen grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Derek Smart approaches 1" - MrSnuffles's law
"I am jumping in here a bit without knowing exactly what you all or talking about."
- SEANMCAD
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I'm not reading that. He's just trying to attach himself to something people actually seem to believe in.
SC will get released but will be a huge disappointment or released late or lacking key features.
Well it is a bit different with flying cars tbh - the problem is not with the flying, is with the issue of safety and legality :P
are you Derek Smart? Who else would actually read his website
X,-))) hilarious, they could call it Greedcruiser A.D., or Battle Monger
Hmm, well, not really. I wouldn't count Vendetta a "miserable failure". Brian Crecente of Kotaku calls it a "deep game with an intuitive interface". It has kept me occupied for 12 years.
Generalizations, man.
ITT I was introduced to Derek Smart, learned he works a couple towns south of me, that he made Battlecruiser 3000AD and is a self-confessed millionaire. I wonder if I could interview this guy.
Personality opinions of Star Citizen don't really sway me at all.
"The simple is the seal of the true and beauty is the splendor of truth" -Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Authored 139 missions in Vendetta Online and 6 tracks in Distance
Amazing how much misinformation can be in one thread.
>>>"Give us an obscene amount of money, and we'll ensure you have in-game stuff that no one else can ever have!"
EVERYTHING in SC is available for EVERYONE in game for in game money after launch. No real world money required. No exclusive items.
>>> Has been in development for 4 years >>>
Is in development since Nov 2012. If you want, add another 2-3 months for making the Kickstarter Trailer. Thats a bit more than 2.5 years. Estimates are 4-5 years total development time, like almost all AAA games.
>>>The feature creep for Star Citizen has been laughably outrageous>>>
Last "new" feature has been added about 8 months ago. And it was something that is inherently available in the CryEngine anyway (=pets). Modularity and NPC AI were existing since Nov 2012, but got some extra love via stretch goals at the end of 2014.
The last true features have been added about a year ago in August 2014 (Web based Universe Map).
>>>I've also heard about a small space dog fighting simulator I believe is called Squadron 42.>>>
Dogfight simulator (PvE, PvP, Starship racing) is called "Arena Commander". Squadron 42 is a single player campaign for SC, about four times the size of Wing Commander (thats Part 1 alone). And there will be three parts - the first two are free for veteran backers. FPS module is called Star Marine (an early pre-Alpha multiplayer teaser has been shown at a convention).
>>>Star Citizen reminds me of those big dreamers who conceptualized flying cars. The concepts and prototypes never get fulfilled.>>>
http://www.aeromobil.com/video
Buy one ;-)
>>>You don't have to look any further than the recent announcement that the fps portion has been "indefinitely put on hold".>>>
Another clickbait victim. FPS module development is delayed. NOT put on hold. "Indefinitely" is a word used by a website as clickbait. You won't find it in any CIG statement.
Have fun
That man speaks the truth. They keep adding goals after goals. From 2 mil to 85mil??
That guy is already freaking rich, i wonder how much cash he got alone for himself from those 85mil. Probably 7mil in those 2.5years.
Its funny how they moneytize the game: desigining a ship and selling ot for 60 dollar - making out of it millions. Keep in mind that such a ship is made in about a week of work.
Genius.
The man is percived as arrogant but that does not make wrong what he says/writes (it makes it not allways true either but he for sure has a point).
"Torquemada... do not implore him for compassion. Torquemada... do not beg him for forgiveness. Torquemada... do not ask him for mercy. Let's face it, you can't Torquemada anything!"
MWO Music Video - What does the Mech say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF6HYNqCDLI
Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0x2iwK0BKM
I have nothing to say about Derek Smart, except Derek Smart´s Desktop Commander
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIn1_9YvGds
SC is being developed by modules by different specific teams. If you helped funded the game you can, right now, play 2 of those different modules that will compose SC as a whole. This methodology was anounced from the beginning - the game would be developed by modules so that people wouldn't have to wait for the whole thing.
My FFXIV ARR referral code for new EU accounts: 5JPF7ZQ3
Step into the amazing world of Eorzea! Use this reference code on a new account and we'll both get goodies for it!
Attention seeker with a history of insulting people who critcise his "games", with an ego that has approximately the size of JUPITER. I mean let his "games" metacritic and steam ratings speak for his accomplishments
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/line-of-defense-tactics---tactical-advantage
http://store.steampowered.com/app/266620/
http://massivelyop.com/2015/06/01/derek-smart-defends-alganon-against-review-bombing/
http://store.steampowered.com/app/350660/
as if anything that guy says would matter in the games industry.
He´ll eventually crawl back under his bridge. There is a saying if you write Derek Smart three times he´ll appear in any thread on the internet. Probably googling himself 24 hours a day.
That is true but there have been others, like Stargate Online, Copernicus and a whole bunch of others. A few games that took time did really come out but many others didn't.
But it is anyways time to stop buying new ships for loads of money and let the devs focus on actually finnishing the game as it is. Paying constantly for new stuff while just delay the game.
I have a hard time understanding how people can pay so much to get stuff in a game that still is far from release. Funding a kickstarter game is one thing and so is putting in a few bucks for some small standard stuff but hundreds of dollars for advanced custom stuff? You do what you want with your money but this game already have more than enough to finnish the game.
I'm inclined to agree with the premise of his argument. I think what Roberts was pitching will be a technical nightmare to achieve even if it was done by a single studio under one roof with a custom built engine. SC's design will have many many concessions.
They're struggling now with their networking code and that's just on 8v8. When you imagine the type of instancing they want, ship boarding (and all that entails), 50v50 so on and so on, all the while pushing millions of polys... well...
I bet a lot of people would like to be proved wrong.
maybe he keeps asking for money because the team spent it outside of development? who knows... im not a blind fan so i see that as a posibility. Its not the first time.
Also, 60 dollar ships? thats nothing, i think you missed the $300-600 dollar concept art for ships they were selling. Yeah, concept art, not even the ship.
That was friggin hilarious. "Power by the souls of the damned" lol
On Topic: I'll start caring what Derek Smart has to say, about the same time I care what people like Total Biscuit and Angry Joe have to say. Which is to say "NEVER".
In War - Victory.
In Peace - Vigilance.
In Death - Sacrifice.
And you missed more:
http://www.tentonhammer.com/columns/respawn/star-citizens-2500-ship-dreams
As I updated the original post, Derek transferred his post from here:
http://dereksmart3000ad.tumblr.com/post/123125564079/interstellar-citizens#notes
to here:
http://www.reaxxion.com/10195/why-star-citizen-is-likely-going-to-be-a-complete-disaster
The notes gave a lot of more information about his objective and reasons behind raising his arms to try to avoid/minimize the disaster. Here's his explanation if you do not want to go to the link:
"When this article first went up, I was approached by a few third parties wanting to host it. I also had the option of hosting it on my Gamasutra blog page.
However, due to how this industry works, and knowing that it is most likely to be buried, and seeing that unless this gets spread far and wide, it would have been a waste of effort, I opted to give it to a site that I trust won’t cave in to pressure from industry “friends” and contacts.
To that end, the blog article has moved, and is now being hosted over here.
In my opinion based article, I wasn’t judging, and I wasn’t accusing.
Knowing that there may be legal ramifications once that article went live, I made 100% sure that everything that I wrote about third-parties, could be backed up with facts. Even the part which could be regarded as conjecture (not to be confused with opinion), I added an excerpt from their own dev blogs, indicating just one of the many insurmountable problems that they’re experiencing.
They had two years to deliver the game that people wanted and paid for. Now we’re 2.5 years in, and that game is nowhere in sight.
NOBODY asked for what they are doing right now. If they went on crowd-funding and asked for $85m, we’d all just laugh, and go back to our lattes.
The FACTS are as follows:
I love this industry. An industry that, while brutal, gave me the opportunity to do something that I love, while not making it easy. I take pride in the fact that when I screw up, or fail, and fall down, I can pick myself up - and keep on running. For me, there is no shame in failure; only pride in being able to acknowledge mistakes, and to learn from them.
My article which I wrote, was a result of my observation that there is a disaster brewing, and which is, once again, going to not only cast the industry in a poor light if we didn’t do something, but which threatens to make it that much harder for the inbound generation to find their footing, because a bunch of people who came before, pretty much made it FUBAR.
And during my research for the piece, and for which I have hundreds of web articles, forum posts etc in an Evernote notepad, I came across a lot of things that I wasn’t even aware of. And once the article went live, I started hearing from all kinds of people in media, game development, gamers etc. And the more I read, the more I came to the realization that my article, which was merely a technical wake-up call of sorts, hadn’t even touched the tip of the iceberg. Which is why I am adding this next paragraph.
Simply put, this madness has to stop. And since nobody seems to want say or do anything about it, I decided to stand up, and say something. And I am prepared to deal with what comes next. I am used to being attacked, there isn’t anything that can be said or done, and which hasn’t happened before, or which will have the desired effect. People don’t scare me."
The update doesn't make him any less of a d-bag. Don't get me wrong, every industry needs a devil's advocate. However, it usually comes from someone who has some credibility in that industry. Anyone could call themselves a game designer. Shoot, I'm designing a game at the moment. That doesn't mean that I'm all of a sudden an industry expert. Neither is he considering the fact that any game he has been responsible for has received horrible reviews. It's ok, though, it's probably that people just don't "get it". Unfortunately, it's painfully clear this guy doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground and is simply playing the role of an ignorant a-hole. Oh! And to say this guy loves himself is probably a drastic understatement. He's probably "that guy" at parties who will talk to anyone who's willing to hear him talk about himself for the evening. Self-proclaimed expert of everything. Blah! So sick of these types of people. Once again! Thanks Internet for making a-holes moderately famous.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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The following is worth repeating when it comes to ANYTHING that Derek says (wether on his own site or any host website):
"Smart said of his online persona: "Sometimes when I get online, and it's quiet, and I see something that attracts my attention, I'll post just to piss these guys off. That's why I do it. Because I'm in a good mood that day, I go in there and I start trouble."
Have fun
The following is worth repeating when it comes to ANYTHING that Chris Roberts says:
"12 months in, we will allow the early backers to play the multiplayer space combat Alpha"
"20-22 months in they will get to play the Star Citizen Beta, adventuring around the huge open galaxy"
"Prices are going up! We will be increasing prices when the new site launches, so this is the cheapest you will ever be able to pledge for Star Citizen!"
"The new site is coming! The all-new Roberts Space Industries website will feature content exclusive for pledgers, including full access to post to the forums and to read sections like Engineering and the Galactapedia.
"
"no more packages with alpha access will be sold!"
"I figured out everything. That's why I spent one year working earlier to announce and to show the gameplay that you saw"
"There’s only four days left to back with LTI! The grace period ends Saturday, July 6th at midnight PST...
"
"And remember that anyone who backs for the first time after July 6th will not have LTI on their account. If you’re on the fence, the next four days are the time to join the Star Citizen project! It’s now or never for those seeking lifetime hull insurance."
"Our intention has always been to make Roberts Space Industries YOUR site. It’s not a public advertisement for the game; it’s a private community for those who are making the game happen. We want your input on what we’re doing and we want to share our plans with you; the occasional passer-by doesn’t concern us. The plan was initially to immediately switch on a wall that would allow only you, our backers, to access features like the Comm-Link and the Spectrum Dispatches. Kickstarter has thrown something of a wrench in this plan: we can’t change the site until the Kickstarter backers are integrated, which may take up to two weeks, otherwise we would be blocking thousands of backers from participating.
...
We will also be launching new sections which have been in the works for some time: the Galactapedia will tell you more about the Star Citizen world, Engineering will introduce you to game mechanics that are being planned and Holovids will offer you video footage from the game as it takes shape.
...
What about pledges? Good news: those of you who got in on the ground floor are covered. Your ships have lifetime insurance policies and for the next year you will have the ability to purchase further tiers or upgrade existing ones at the initial prices. That’s not true of everyone else: if you want to back Star Citizen and participate in this amazing community, you still can… but it’s going to cost you a little extra as of now, and you aren’t going to have as many extras (no lifetime insurance, for example.)
...
We can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for this project. Please see the next update on ‘The Pledge’ for our promise to you. The next two years are going to be incredible for all involved and we’re thoroughly happy that all of you are along for this exciting ride."
...
I should end now before it became a Bible.
"#Crowdfunding platforms have a responsibility to act fairly & non-deceptively."
says the United States Federal Trade Comission who has started to be more active in the matter of crowd-funding advertising:
http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2015/06/69362-federal-trade-commission-on-crowdfunding-scams/
I predict serious problem for the funding, as more Roberts delay and fail in his plans even when they are for the short term. He made sure to feed people with tons of misleading advertising, which is against their legal responsibilities. A full banquet for people willing to get their refunds and lead CIG to strong penalties, what probably could jeopardize the entire project. Don't need to say the damage to their image, because something like that, definitely would end in the hands of the press.
Derek is probably considering a FTC action against CIG, asking people to open complaints, as a last hope to make they stopping and putting their feet int he ground to focus to deliver into the promises made (summarizing, "Star Citizen I", not "Star Citizen 10" was the promise), and this way, avoiding the serious impacts for the whole, including the genre and crowd-funding trust as a whole.
A simple rule that any business should have in his mind if they want to survive in the long term and it's valid if you consider the Star Citizen current business model (fully based on trust) and future business model (still based on trust and good will to make people to buy cosmetics to help, but needing more people to do that, because their prices with be lower than ships):
"Don't let 10 clients waiting for their first drink, while you keep giving more drinks to one drunk person, just because he is buying the most expensive ones. They never will come back to your bar or call their friends to come. You lost more than you thought and in practice, your bar will end ruined."
The first action of FTC, if it's something going on, a project that still is developing, is to notify the company about their responsibilities. Only if CIG persist failing after that, like exaggerating in their additions (you say that they did not add anything, but just look to all he features or "do not fake animations" strategy that they do, not worried to deliver a core to you, but to appeal to people that probably did not buy the game yet) and details for commercial/promotional reasons, instead focusing to deliver the core of the original promise made (and later, with money earned for copies sold, make additions), is that FTC would take some more serious action. And if comes to such point, CIG would deserve.
What they did is unfair and deceptive with those who bought Star Citizen I, not Star Citizen 10. It's against the law and now they are unprotected. It just a matter of people acting. And they should, because CIG have been kind of ignoring their legal responsibilities, as they continue to pretend that are not in debt, a serious debt, just because some white knights defend them no matter what and keep giving them more dollars in exchange of new and old jpeg's.
And if people keep persisting to shield them, they are just hurting their own dreams and wishes, because they can't change customer behavior of the majorities, just because they want to. People won't forgive forever. The fans should just stop with the proud and the madness. But clearly they won't. That's why DS thought that FTC, press, whatever, should try to put some breaks in the CIG unfair/deceptive attitude, for the sake of gathering more and more money.
If he really has also an agenda to call attention for himself, or to piss off people, he is doing by telling the true and facts that makes totally sense with the reality of the Star Citizen project so far, and the consequences of CIG pretending to do not have any responsibility or commitment with anyone, just with those who keeps giving more and more money to them.
If he's actually got millions (as mentioned earlier) then I wouldn't go quite that far... there are far, far worse ways to fail.
Even if his games suck, he still managed to get them released and profited from them, which is more than most people can say.
Doesn't necessarily mean he's right, but some people could do with having their definition of failure checked.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
How does this help anything though? If CIG is going to fail then let them fail on their own. You introduce the FTC and all of a sudden they have an excuse not to deliver. That's the last thing I want to see. Let them either deliver or fail, either way it will be glorious.
I just don't know why Derek Smart is so concerned about people's money. I mean I'm sure he asked people to buy his games...... which are universally horrible.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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