SQ42 will not release in Alpha or part finished form

Kyleran

So, no early access I guess?

I think many already knew that SQ42 was called feature complete some time back, but from the recent financial reports CIG reiterated the point (emphasis mine)

“We enter 2023 confident in growing our user engagement given what we have in the pipeline and updates to Star Citizen, although we are mindful that we must continue to progress Squadron 42 and this cannot be released to the public in alpha or part finished form.”

MoP editors wryly noted:

"Readers will remember that CIG closed last year’s CitizenCon with the announcement that Squadron 42 is “feature complete,” though the latest dev report from the game also featured a focus on NPCs using trolleys and going to the gym, so it’s probably going to be a while before release timing is tied down"

https://massivelyop.com/2024/03/13/star-citizen-finally-posts-its-2022-fiscal-report-acknowledges-squadron-42-cant-be-in-part-finished-form/

MaxBacon

SQ42 was always meant to be released already finished, not as an alpha or beta.

And makes sense because it is a linear SP story campaign not the type of game that makes sense on early access to start with.



What they might do before its release, is a prologue/demo type of deal, no info that'll be the case for now.

Angrakhan

Yeah I have more money invested in SC than any other game in my life and I've just given up on it. I see this stuff and just have no emotional response to it. I've moved on. They got my money. Yay them. I just don't care anymore. Even if it did release I'm not sure I would care enough to play it. Got other priorities than to jump on this crazy train again. 

Kyleran

MaxBacon said:

SQ42 was always meant to be released already finished, not as an alpha or beta.

And makes sense because it is a linear SP story campaign not the type of game that makes sense on early access to start with.



What they might do before its release, is a prologue/demo type of deal, no info that'll be the case for now.

Makes sense maybe, but I think BG3 is another story driven RPG which did release in early access, yes? (I've never played it or followed it's dev much before release)

I think this year's Citizens Con will be a bit more interesting than most to those of us following from the sidelines.

Slapshot1188

Kyleran said:

MaxBacon said:

SQ42 was always meant to be released already finished, not as an alpha or beta.

And makes sense because it is a linear SP story campaign not the type of game that makes sense on early access to start with.



What they might do before its release, is a prologue/demo type of deal, no info that'll be the case for now.

Makes sense maybe, but I think BG3 is another story driven RPG which did release in early access, yes? (I've never played it or followed it's dev much before release)

I think this year's Citizens Con will be a bit more interesting than most to those of us following from the sidelines.

True, but the hype of BG3 was really the IP itself.  The hype of SQ42 is the cinematics with Luke Skywalker, Scully, Gimli, Smeagol, Lord Davos Seaworth, and Sirius Black.  With an epic score and space battles 

MaxBacon

Kyleran said:

Makes sense maybe, but I think BG3 is another story driven RPG which did release in early access, yes? (I've never played it or followed it's dev much before release)

I think this year's Citizens Con will be a bit more interesting than most to those of us following from the sidelines.

 SQ42 is more like Mass Effect type of game. It's that linear story progression, BG3 has this open RPG world that still works on early access as they just kept adding more quests, locations, etc.

So the campaign it's either a prologue/demo or it'll be just upfront full release. But I don't see why not, they already gave away this years citizencon is going to be big on SQ42 so we'll see what they announce.


I think the most likely announcements beyond the return to the store, probable deluxe/collector edition things they never did, is also a console announcement for the campaign. A specific release date and not a release window is still a complete wildcard.

Kyleran

MaxBacon said:

Kyleran said:

Makes sense maybe, but I think BG3 is another story driven RPG which did release in early access, yes? (I've never played it or followed it's dev much before release)

I think this year's Citizens Con will be a bit more interesting than most to those of us following from the sidelines.

 SQ42 is more like Mass Effect type of game. It's that linear story progression, BG3 has this open RPG world that still works on early access as they just kept adding more quests, locations, etc.

So the campaign it's either a prologue/demo or it'll be just upfront full release. But I don't see why not, they already gave away this years citizencon is going to be big on SQ42 so we'll see what they announce.


I think the most likely announcements beyond the return to the store, probable deluxe/collector edition things they never did, is also a console announcement for the campaign. A specific release date and not a release window is still a complete wildcard.

You reminded me of how Wing Commander played (it's been quite a while) so it is quite a bit different in design than BG3.

Still, they could have done an EA where the missions were released in limited sets, i.e. 1-10, 11-20, 21-30 etc, sort of like watching different seasons on Netflix.

Each season could even have a big cliff hanger ending at the end of the set to encourage interest for the next one.

I'll shut up now before I give them any more "good" ideas. 

Slapshot1188

Kyleran said:

MaxBacon said:

Kyleran said:

Makes sense maybe, but I think BG3 is another story driven RPG which did release in early access, yes? (I've never played it or followed it's dev much before release)

I think this year's Citizens Con will be a bit more interesting than most to those of us following from the sidelines.

 SQ42 is more like Mass Effect type of game. It's that linear story progression, BG3 has this open RPG world that still works on early access as they just kept adding more quests, locations, etc.

So the campaign it's either a prologue/demo or it'll be just upfront full release. But I don't see why not, they already gave away this years citizencon is going to be big on SQ42 so we'll see what they announce.


I think the most likely announcements beyond the return to the store, probable deluxe/collector edition things they never did, is also a console announcement for the campaign. A specific release date and not a release window is still a complete wildcard.

You reminded me of how Wing Commander played (it's been quite a while) so it is quite a bit different in design than BG3.

Still, they could have done an EA where the missions were released in limited sets, i.e. 1-10, 11-20, 21-30 etc, sort of like watching different seasons on Netflix.

Each season could even have a big cliff hanger ending at the end of the set to encourage interest for the next one.

I'll shut up now before I give them any more "good" ideas. 

That WAS the plan.   Backers would get the base SQ42 game and also the first "Mission Disc". This was how Wing Commander launched with their "Secret Missions" disc.

Later they said they combined it all into one...  my suspicion is that we will see more "Mission Discs" at some point.

I think their biggest challenge is the time it's taken.  Not sure they could bring back the same actors.  Then again, not sure how many of them live through the story.  We will see.  Maybe

MaxBacon

Originally the SQ42 was meant to be on the shape of base game + DLC mission disks.  That's why I said it evolved into a trilogy more akin to Mass Effect. A prologue kinda works especially to introduce the story, might be interesting to peak interest but it also requires a level of polish already in place.

But the SQ42 of now is still part 1 of that originally announced trilogy, just vastly expanded to be a full game and not just a the "story mode of SC",  shaped for actual sequels. So old senpai backers are still entitled to the next sequel of this sq42 we talking about.

Babuinix

You sleeping under a rock Kyler?  This has been the plan since the kickstarter lol

Pushing mopisspoor refundies trash clickbait is almost always a dumb reason for a thread and this one is no exception

Slapshot1188

MaxBacon said:

So old senpai backers are still entitled to the next sequel of this sq42 we talking about.

You sure? I thought someone had posted on here, many years back, that the game was "upgraded" to include the missions and that would be the end of it.  Would be good if that was not the case...

MaxBacon

Slapshot1188 said:

You sure? I thought someone had posted on here, many years back, that the game was "upgraded" to include the missions and that would be the end of it.  Would be good if that was not the case...

This first SQ42 is the part 1, the next one was named Behind Enemy Lines. The change is that instead of DLC upon this first one, they apparently want to do this in the shape of sequels instead.


If this first chapter holds its own on release, then yeah things look brighter to build the next chapter now that they spent so many years figuring out the game engine & the game mechanics.