Star Citizen's Crowdfunding Raises $15 Million

[tsb247]

I looked through the website, and it looks like the kind of game I would play. I'm thinking I may give it a try.

From what I gathered from the video on the site, the game is greatly focused on the players having an effect on the development of the game. I see that as a positive example to be set for the industry as a whole.

 

[synobal]

This sounds kind of interesting, but has there been any mention of what combat is like yet? Is it going to an actual space combat simulation game, or will it be air combat inexplicably in space?

From what I've seen air combat in space.

 

[Agayek]

This sounds kind of interesting, but has there been any mention of what combat is like yet? Is it going to an actual space combat simulation game, or will it be air combat inexplicably in space?

This is the only gameplay video that's been released as far as I know. It's definitely still in alpha, but that's what they're aiming for. From what Robertson's said, the goal is actual space combat with all the momentum and other such aspects that entails, but I don't know if that's what you're looking for.

 

[Teoes]

Am I just stupid[footnote]Note: quite likely[/footnote] or is the website for this game an absolute clusterfuck? I think I found the pledging page here, but are all the tiers just granting access to more ships? What's the deal with this insurance? Where's a nice clean Kickstarter page when you want one. Colour me interested, but I... argh.

Edit: Having spent more time on the site it's making more sense now. I might revise 'clusterfuck' to 'richly-detailed'..

 

[major_chaos]

I'm really trying very hard to ignore this game, not because it looks bad, but because I don't want to torment myself by getting hyped for something we most likely won't be seeing until 2015.

 

[Corralis]

I'm really trying very hard to ignore this game, not because it looks bad, but because I don't want to torment myself by getting hyped for something we most likely won't be seeing until 2015.

2015 would be the most likely full release date but if you back the game then you will playing in the full universe by the middle of next year.

To the people asking if this is an MMO the answer is this, technically yes it's an MMOSCS (figure it out). Don't expect your character to level up, your ship, how you tune your ship and the mods and upgrades you put in your ship combined with your ability to fly the thing will determine how good you are.

Go back this game, hang out on the forums and watch the weekly Wingman's Hanger show every Friday at 11am Central and you'll get a better understanding of how it all works.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I backed this game in it's early Kickstarter stages. If they keep this up the game will never be released.

 

[masticina]

Dayum... Thats almost as much as a normally budgeted game. Or at least half way there. You can hire a lot of talent and develop for quite a while on that. Maybe not Skyrim levels of cash, but 15 million is nothing to sneeze at in this day and age. I'm sure Tim Schafer would love to get his hands on that much for his projects.

Keep in mind that a lot of AAA(such as Skyrim) games' budgets go into marketing and administrative overhead. Cloud Imperium Games is an independent studio, so it doesn't need any of that. Star Citizen likely now has a development budget equal to or surpassing all but the most expensive games out there.

Not really.. YES they are not going to buy Billboards on broadway. BUT they still need to send of copies to gamerelated websites like ign, giantbomb, escapist, totalbiscuit, etc.. they still will hire someone to be a contact point for said media so they can be helped with issues. They still will need to deal with Valve if they want to go on steam, and who doesn't, so they will need to hire someone for it and yes maybe even buy a few banners at certain gamerelated websites.

Though .. true they don't have to hire a building sized banner for broadway. And they can if they play it right use places like these..yes escapist. To keep interrest high! So they have it slightly easier, slightly, they don't need to push as much. But they still will hire at least one person to deal with these matters.

 

[Ishigami]

On one hand I?m glad that it is going well because I?m part of it and I want it to be made.

On the hand I?m kind of worried because at this point the average pledge is already just shy of 70$.
Let?s put that into a different perspective: Star Citizen is not made because there is huge demand for it. It is made because rather few people invest a lot of money.

Kind of crazy considering that they have no control, no real influence, no way to profit (at contrast to e.g. WMD) and currently no way to check if the game is actually worth it or at least on a good way.

Btw the battle cruiser will already be part of the game. It was pledge goal in the kick starter campaign.
The 17 million goal is a playable battle cruiser.
That said it probably can?t be owned and will be handled in a similar fashion than the Bengel carrier. That is on offical persistent MP.

After all a modder can own and fly any ship.

 

[Tiamat666]

I kind of wish they would stop talking and begging for money and focus on developing a great, integral game already. I'm worried that with all these stretchgoals being plastered on while the game is already in development, it will turn into a bloated mess of incongruent features.

 

[Scars Unseen]

I kind of wish they would stop talking and begging for money and focus on developing a great, integral game already. I'm worried that with all these stretchgoals being plastered on while the game is already in development, it will turn into a bloated mess of incongruent features.

Who said that they aren't developing the game? The aren't talking about adding anything that changes the core of the game. They are talking mostly about added assets. And keeping the community that crowdfunded a game in the loop during development is a good thing. It serves as a sort of ongoing advertisement for the game while also reassuring the community that the developers aren't using the money to buy ice cream sundaes and hookers.

 

[VanQ]

I kind of wish they would stop talking and begging for money and focus on developing a great, integral game already. I'm worried that with all these stretchgoals being plastered on while the game is already in development, it will turn into a bloated mess of incongruent features.

Who said that they aren't developing the game? The aren't talking about adding anything that changes the core of the game. They are talking mostly about added assets. And keeping the community that crowdfunded a game in the loop during development is a good thing. It serves as a sort of ongoing advertisement for the game while also reassuring the community that the developers aren't using the money to buy ice cream sundaes and hookers.

If Star Citizen is even HALF as good as it looks like it will be then I honestly think the developers deserve a bit of ice cream and some hookers.

 

[Tiamat666]

I kind of wish they would stop talking and begging for money and focus on developing a great, integral game already. I'm worried that with all these stretchgoals being plastered on while the game is already in development, it will turn into a bloated mess of incongruent features.

Who said that they aren't developing the game? The aren't talking about adding anything that changes the core of the game. They are talking mostly about added assets. And keeping the community that crowdfunded a game in the loop during development is a good thing. It serves as a sort of ongoing advertisement for the game while also reassuring the community that the developers aren't using the money to buy ice cream sundaes and hookers.

I suppose there is only little danger with new assets, but at some point the devs should have a final vision of what the game is supposed to be. Not only gameplay-wise but also plot, background, factions, technologies, the universe, etc. I don't see how they can have a coherent vision if they keep adding new stuff all the time if they get more monies.

I don't know... usually I'm a fan of more goodies. But what they are doing is starting to "feel" wrong to me. It seems like they are trying to milk the last penny out of their fans with more and more promises. Also, with all these stretchgoals it is starting to look as if we have to pay for every feature individually. They are the developers and game designers. They should decide what goes in the game and what doesn't and don't make it all dependent on how much more we are willing to pay.
It seems to me they should cut the salesman pitch already and focus on development.