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[Column] Star Citizen: State of the Game: Can Star Citizen Live Up to Expectations?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Earlier this month, it was announced that Chris Roberts' Star Citizen had broken a Guinness World Record for the top crowdfunding project of all time with $55 million being raised to help develop the game. While $55 million is far from the biggest game budget of all time, it's still an impressive amount of money to be raised by little more than word-of-mouth and a Kickstarter campaign. OK, the fact that the guy made Wing Commander and Freelancer doesn't hurt, but truthfully, this record-breaking funding drive may just be out of control at this point.
Read more of Shawn Schuster's State of the Game: State of the Game: Can Star Citizen Live Up to Expectations?
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Comments
Ive only been loosely following this game but ever since the 40 million mark, for every single million they make they release a news letter about what they're working on.
Every time since the 40 million mark they just keep saying "we're working on new ships". For making 56 million they should be working on expanding the actual game, forget the freaking ships.
"These two games are banking on the fact that those people who loved the classic originals now have good jobs and money to throw at a sequel that will allow them the possibility of recapturing their youth. Not that this is a failed premise, mind you, as Wasteland 2 has already proven to be a wonderful game. But that's not always the case."
Link in that paragraph is broke.
Honestly, yeah it does. If you think that game developers are there so they can make a quick buck and skip town, you're ridiculous. There really isn't any fanfare surrounding the job. Apart from a couple well-known, outspoken developers, being a game dev generally sucks, so you better enjoy doing it.
Chris is obviously passionate about building this game because he's building exactly what he wanted Freelancer to be before he got the boot from that project.
Will it be good or will it suck? Who knows? However, he's taking risks and that's all I really care about. It'll be over-hyped for sure. Every game is. Every movie is. Every meal is. I'm not sure what your expectation is. I really can't remember the last time that something REALLY, honestly and truly blew my mind, though. So it's all relative, I suppose.
Crazkanuk
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"Roberts is doing things right so far. He's taking what we all loved from Wing Commander and Freelancer and giving it the modern upgrade it deserves, complete with some impressive online multiplayer features."
Methinks this isn't going to be a proper MMORPG. Sounding more like a multi-player flight sim. The backlash is going to be so epic.
I think a lot of the issue is there's no clear design documentation, as in; exploration will consist of X,Y,Z, planetside quests will consist of A,B,C. So much is up in the air at the moment that eager fans let their imagination run away with the possibility of what might be, which is only going to result in being let down. An official wiki with clear goals would go a long way to allaying this sort of hype.
I also believe the game is simply spreading itself too thin with the time / money constraints when you consider how much is spent on normal games that focus on one single aspect. There are so many roles / paths promised but how can they realistically achieve that with the allocated time / finance? Roberts is widely known for high promises / low delivery, a Molyneaux the 2nd if you like.
I don't think so as anyone even casually following the game should know exactly what to expect as they've been totally transparent about everything they are working on. They have also been very clear on what goals they want to achieve with the game. If anyone doesn't get what they are expecting it will be only because they didn't bother to take the time to actually read up on what the game is all about. It's all there spelled out in every detail on their website for anyone who wants to read it.
Bren
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I think they have to go big with what is missing in the market and how the game is more for mature audiences.
1. Make a complex economy. By that, make it real with real convoys. Make an actual stock market that reflects real events and people can become investors based on events.
2. Mature themes - gruesome scary, funny in a mature setting etc. I think swtor does this decently and its teen rated but of course its toned down for a teen setting.
3. Player bounties
4. Racing and mini games
5. Player creation with mini games.
I think the above is lacking in mmos.
6. Player housing and customization - trophies etc
7. Well laid out story with interesting characters. The characters imo are more important than the story.
8. MMO - dynamic events, open pvp systems, engaging combat
9. Runs well.
Write bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble
The original backers of the game are 100% pleased with the game and its direction.
"Can it live up to expectations?"
It already has.
Something HAS to drive more crowdfunding to add in the more luxury features. Even if they toss in a new ship at every million do you REALLY believe it takes a cool million from concept to complete per ship? No. Most of that milestone money is going towards additional development of the games different modules. I am sure of the newly collected money is being back tracked to original task and ideas to simply improve them.
I cannot imagine Chris Roberts is living the lavish life styles of the rich and famous. He wants the game to succeed. I believe in the game and I look forward to playing it. I've contributed $65 early on for a ship, alpha access and lifetime insurance. If people want to keep dumping their hard earned money into it to keep making it better. Have at it!
It isn't a "proper" mmo, CR never stated it was. It is an instanced multi-player Persistent Universe game. Just easier to call it an mmo because a bunch of people can play together lol.
There is no skills or training. It is a space sim combined with a fps that is going to allow for a wide variety of 'roles' to function based on ship type, size and boarding actions.
The only progression available will be equipment.
Well I would agree, but the mechanics don't work exactly as you may think as they do in many games.
There is in engine proof of concept for the multi-player ships and how they work. The 'roles' are activities of the 'living' universe they are crafting. Building the systems from the ground up to interact with each other is a smart way of doing things. The additional 'paths' are built into the system, as AI will be able to do all the same activities as well.
Basically all the added features of stretch goals are content, not necessarily core gameplay. Getting a single ship to work in the module with multi-players being able to walk around effectively while another flies is going to be the major accomplishment of the development thus far. Additional ships are just time, not new features. New guns, more AI behaviors, a space plant, alien languages, ships, more systems, enhanced alpha (arena commander). It is just all content that will be produced with the additional funds. The core gameplay features have been nailed down pretty much from the start. I can't think of much but expanded systems for non-combat activities. That's expanded, not new. Salvaging, trading, mining etc have all been in since the original Kickstarter funded the game.
Also it is good to remember that CR was going to take the project in front of private funders to finish the game. The additional funds stopped that from happening at the 26 million mark or so.
I also think, however, that funding should stop at some point. Possibly during the PU beta or once all the modules are complete and running. Ship sales will stop, CR said once the game is live you won't be able to purchase ships. I would assume, though, there may be starter packages that have an Aurora in the long run or something similar.
Kind of a bold statement to make. If it sucked so bad, don't you think nobody would do it? And if you enjoy doing it, doesn't that mean it isn't terrible? More like game development is a niche job that isn't for everybody. Most of the people who are game devs love the job or else they wouldn't be there. Source: I know game devs...
..he did kinda say you better enjoy doing it, given what you have to put up with in the games industry.
Brutal hours, constant fear of layoffs, living from project to project and not knowing if your company will survive "the next one", idiotic management who are so out of touch you wonder how they got the job, never seeing your family, constant aggression in the office.. and on and on.
There's a reason games with huge budgets that you expect to do well suck so bad these days - it's because game developers are overworked, underappreciated and all your creativity gets sacrificed by a boss who said you're working 10-10 this month even though you're not in crunch.
Onto Star Citizen: meh is all I can say. It's quite clear the majority of that money is not being reinvested into the project and with a release date still potentially 18-24 months away, it will just be any generic MMO by then.
At this point, any new ships we see... it just makes me more excited for the game. After all... any ship that we don't buy now, we'll be able to acquire in-game with a little work. I love the direction of production. It's the thing Chris spoke of almost 15 years ago... the game he wanted to make, but couldn't due to the age of technology at the time.
Here's to Roberts; a man who has so far stuck to his guns and is going all out, or not at all.
I guess that will come down to who you ask once it is released. I have heard about some pretty fantastic castles in the sky being built in order to turn me in to a Star Fanatic... A good amount of these people will feel let down.
Onthe other hand the more resonable people who took the crowd-funding for what it was (and is) will most likley be very content, because i am sure that no matter what we will get a fairly competent space game.
This have been a good conversation
^Pretty much.
The most fanatical elements will be in denial for a month or so, and then give into some quality nerdrage.
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/
If anyone has paid attention the question was brought up about the PVE content and to date Chris Roberts and RSI have answered that question in flying colors with Explorable planets, Dynamic named NPC events, and even eventually (for those who remember this) :
" Like Rome, The UEE will eventually fall"
this was a quote from CR a few years ago and if anything that should give even a few skeptics that there is some pve content in the early days, and that has grown greatly since.
Played: UO, LotR, WoW, SWG, DDO, AoC, EVE, Warhammer, TF2, EQ2, SWTOR, TSW, CSS, KF, L4D, AoW, WoT
Playing: The Secret World until Citadel of Sorcery goes into Alpha testing.
Tired of: Linear quest games, dailies, and dumbed down games
Anticipating:Citadel of Sorcery