The Star Citizen Thread V10

[VR Golgot]

On the SQ42 Beta release in 2020, I think we should expect it to behave similarly to the current quarterlies. IE release regardless of dropped content or quality gaps at launch.

It seems likely the quarterlies came about as an investor requirement, and would expect them to hold CIG to deadlines again if so.

Whether it'll be ready for a coherent release in 2020, yeah that looks a lot less likely. But in fairness they haven't actually roadmapped that bit...

(Get ready for the cries of "It's Beeeetaaaaa" )

 

[Zieman]

A A A, a, AAAaaaalphhhh... aaaAAAA !!!!

 

[Sanya V. Juutilainen]

Basically allow you to exit your sidewinder and say:

• Walk to a central computer terminal (acts as an digital concierge that can be staffed by NPCs) where your Holo Me can book an SC styled room. Use the station map at computer terminals to locate where station NPC contacts like mission givers IF/Black market etc. contacts are physically located. Then go visit them and conduct your business there as an alternative being stuck on your ship. Or
• Just check the station map layout where they need to go next. Like going to the commodities market exchange to access the trade goods menu to trade. Be able to view eddbio database trade data besides existing vanilla game trade menu data.
• Walk to the shipyard and have your Holo Me drool over the latest shiny Python/Belugia/Anaconda jpeg build they're currently too broke to afford. Shipyard computers would allow for 3rd party database utilities like INARA etc. to aid in your ship build loadout. Also provide you with previews of any paint jobs you've purchased or are planning to buy from FDev store. Or
• Walk to the seedier side of the station and find the Black Market contact. Possibly be able to sit down and participate in a rare, randomly timed event such as a special NPC station auction of prohibited goods. Like bidding against other present Commanders in a clandestine auction that's selling Slaves (smuggled onto federal installation) etc. Or
• Walk to their rented SC styled room and log off (as an alternative option to logging out in the hangar. And a safer alternative to doing so in a more riskier space/on a barren planet log off). Or
• Walk to a bar/food court area to eat/drink/hangout with friends (for immersive purposes only. No eating/drinking to improve Holo Me stats). Or
• Walk to a SC styled shopping area for purpose of buying upgraded armor and/or civilian clothing. Transfer said clothing to their room/ship at a terminal in or around the store.
• Walk to the pilot lounge and recruit NPC pilots for your next salvage/wing mission. Or
• Walk to a community lounge area where players and/or NPCs hangout alike and group up/meet other real Commanders for missions. Be able to communicate using headsets verbally. Or
• Have your Holo Me access computer terminals around the station or at designated locations to catch up on latest Galnet news. Send your online squadron member email. Or
• Go hangout in a bar with friends and play pool/billards. Or
• Walk to a casino style area. Gamble for more credits playing space blackjack with NPCs or friends to buy that Anaconda they were disappointed to discover didn't exist at Hutton Orbital etc etc.

Just a few ideas for some "empty phrase" type of game play. And enabled with interiors, features like this would breathe new life into stations and give them a special reason for existence.

Yeah, as I said, adding all of that is few years of development atop of the introduction of space legs and procedural interiors.

 

[wstephenson]

Not German speaking, but I think 'marking time' is a good translation. It means marching on the spot, not moving. I would probably say 'treading water', which is the same thing only when swimming. Working to keep your head above water, but not actually getting anywhere. That seems to sum up GI(G) quite well.

"Running on the spot" in the words of my old PE teacher. Put some effort into it at the back there, you especially, Roberts!

 

[Agony_Aunt]

The new and improved Arcops looks nice especially at night. Shame about the traffic sprites which goes directly against Roberts statement that you can go down anywhere and participate in the city. Guess its at best a tier zero implementation even after its second iteration and something to be achieved for the future because "early days" and all that which is really obvious regardless where you look.

Which then makes you wonder, why they didn't just stick with limited landing zones in the first place, like they originally planned.

 

[Skizomeuh]

It's as if they applied the wacky axiom "if you struggle to make something simple and need money, promise something even more complex so you can gather enough money to buy time so you could - possibly maybe - somewhat achieve a better version of the simple something"

 

[Starbreaker]

A A A, a, AAAaaaalphhhh... aaaAAAA !!!!

If this was on Spectrum...

Spoiler

"Why is my $250 ship getting beaten by a $165 ship". Well maybe not those exact words but that's what I'm reading.

why is the freelancer a better dogfighter than the vanguard??????????? - Star Citizen Spectrum

MIS has the same shields more weapon dps (around the same if s5 on warden) and all the weapons are gimbals......... with this flight model its almost impossible to out maneuver it even in a sabre....

robertsspaceindustries.com

Mr. Crewe says it doesn't matter however, I like this guy.
"The big topic off that bat is pricing and that is something the game designers and balance team have no direct control over, we can only comment on ingame states, desired roles and their rentable/purchasable aUEC value ingame."

Let's talk about Drake's "up-gunning". - Star Citizen Spectrum

In regards to the ultra recent Drake Corsair Q&A post, some things have stood out. Some...not good things. "While they may be less durable, their defense is more than enough for the intended role...

robertsspaceindustries.com

 

[Snarfbuckle]

(Get ready for the cries of "It's Beeeetaaaaa" )

Well, considering that it's still in Alpha getting to Beta would be a step in the right direction at least.

 

[Snarfbuckle]

Which then makes you wonder, why they didn't just stick with limited landing zones in the first place, like they originally planned.

Here we agree.

While i can see the appeal of procedural planets it would not really be THAT required as a step 1 and creating 10-20 different landing zones that takes up a small area with a stylized backdrop would take a lot less time and effort.

Then they would only require to to some nice planetary globes one cannot land on without automatic system taking over.

AFTER release they could then start with the procedural planetary design and prep for that, in a similar fashion as Elite did it.

 

[Asp Explorer]

Didn’t they show off tech for making landing zones in a modular manner in a few minutes years ago? I remember Genuine Roberts beaming broadly about how they could generate and populate new areas nearly effortlessly and then they went on to urm, place a few models and spawn giant space lobsters.

 

[Viajero]

On the SQ42 Beta release in 2020, I think we should expect it to behave similarly to the current quarterlies. IE release regardless of dropped content or quality gaps at launch.

It seems likely the quarterlies came about as an investor requirement, and would expect them to hold CIG to deadlines again if so.

Whether it'll be ready for a coherent release in 2020, yeah that looks a lot less likely. But in fairness they haven't actually roadmapped that bit...

(Get ready for the cries of "It's Beeeetaaaaa" )

CIG has mentioned in several occasions that the goal for SQ42 is to be delivered in its final complete and polished state, and without any testing period (unlike the PU) for backers. Here one example:

https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/comment/1782853/#Comment_1782853

Yep, the plan is to give you guys a final polished S42. Alpha and Beta access are absolutely on for Star Citizen in terms of the different modules (Hangar, Dogfighting, Ground Based combat etc.) but S42 will be a standalone game given free to all those who have backed before Star Citizen launches. Having said that, as S42 will be using all the elements from these different modules, and improving the game based on the communities feedback as they are released for Alpha, you will all be making a contribution to making S42 a much better game.

There is so far no indication that the 2020 beta is to have backer access. If CIG now decided instead to release a non complete/finished version and/or an early rough version for backers testing, that would be a departure from the original promises.

 

[Tippis]

If CIG now decided instead to release a non complete/finished version and/or an early rough version for backers testing, that would be a departure from the original promises.

On the other hand, a lack of said departure would itself be departure from their standard behaviour.

 

[cheesenbiscuits]

CIG has mentioned in several occasions that the goal for SQ42 is to be delivered in its final complete and polished state, and without any testing period (unlike the PU) for backers. Here one example:

https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/comment/1782853/#Comment_1782853

There is so far no indication that the 2020 beta is to have backer access. If CIG now decided instead to release a non complete/finished version and/or an early rough version for backers testing, that would be a departure from the original promises.

I have the distinct impression all they are capable of are early rough versions

 

[Viajero]

I have the distinct impression all they are capable of are early rough versions

Yes, I would not be too surprised if they break their own promise and release an incomplete and/or highly unpolished and deficient version to backers. I am pretty sure some of the most extreme backers will also raise to the occasion to justify the broken promise too in any number of ways.

 

[VR Golgot]

CIG has mentioned in several occasions that the goal for SQ42 is to be delivered in its final complete and polished state, and without any testing period (unlike the PU) for backers. Here one example:

https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/comment/1782853/#Comment_1782853

There is so far no indication that the 2020 beta is to have backer access. If CIG now decided instead to release a non complete/finished version and/or an early rough version for backers testing, that would be a departure from the original promises.

Ah yep, fair point. With all the emphasis on the timeframe I'd forgotten it may just be an internal deadline.

(I suspect whatever they do will depend on revenue / optics rather than the older promises though. Like I could see them releasing a polished chapter 1 as a nerve-settler for the faithful and possible purchase promoter. With any issues dealt with under the 'betaaaa' banner etc.

Think the rules of the game changed a bit with the investment. SQ42 has to make the cash to keep the team size viable, so they may do whatever they think best achieves that aim etc.)

 

[McGlashan]

S42 will be a standalone game given free to all those who have backed before Star Citizen launches

You can tell that's an old post, from before they started selling S42 as a separate (and absolutely not "free") game.

Yes, I would not be too surprised if they break their own promise and release an incomplete and/or highly unpolished and deficient version to backers. I am pretty sure some of the most extreme backers will also raise to the occasion to justify the broken promise too in any number of ways.

Don't forget CR once also boasted about how SC in particular will never be "finished", thanks to the magic of patches. In his visionary way he sort of pre-empted the current trend amongst publishers for "games as services", and I'm sure he can retrofit that model to S42 too. SC is already a jumbled mess of "alpha" and "early access", so whatever problems S42 has at launch will be easy to hand-wave away.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

You can tell that's an old post, from before they started selling S42 as a separate (and absolutely not "free") game.

Don't forget CR once also boasted about how SC in particular will never be "finished", thanks to the magic of patches. In his visionary way he sort of pre-empted the current trend amongst publishers for "games as services", and I'm sure he can retrofit that model to S42 too. SC is already a jumbled mess of "alpha" and "early access", so whatever problems S42 has at launch will be easy to hand-wave away.

Except for early on, where CR promised SC would be released complete, and not like some other games (dig at ED and other games), and backers used that statement for a good couple of years to bash ED while bigging up SC. Then as time went on, and it became impossible to believe that any longer, it started with well, it will mainly be complete, but some things will wait until after release. And then it became, well of course it won't all be there at the start. And now, here we are, with the possibility of only 1 or 2 systems on release, most of the professions either not in or just "tier 0" along with a lot of the features, still not base building on the roadmap to release nor any use for the Pioneer or the land claims, and quite a few ships they sold may not make the cut for release either.

Its quite amazing how the narrative has changed over the years, and how the backers have bent like a reed in the wind to accept and accomodate those changes to the point where its very 1984 "it was never in the plans to release a complete game on launch, it was always the plan to release an MVP"

 

[Viajero]

You can tell that's an old post, from before they started selling S42 as a separate (and absolutely not "free") game.

S42 as part of SC or separate has really nothing to do with this. S42 has always been promised as a final polished product with no player testing unlike the PU. And so far there has not been any explicit change to that promise.

Even the current SQ42 roadmap notes seem to align with that principle:

Feature Driven
While the Persistent Universe has shifted to a milestone driven schedule of quarterly installments and we are happy to showcase “work in progress” to our community, the focus for Squadron 42 is to deliver an experience that contains both the narrative and feature scope we envision in one final game. As such, Squadron 42 will only be released when we have achieved our final, polished, creative vision. If there is any slip in our quarterly goals, this will push out for the project’s end date.

If they decide to release an incomplete or rough version for testing to the community that would mean breaking that promise.

 

[Backer42]

S42 as part of SC or separate has really nothing to do with this. S42 has always been promised as a final polished product with no player testing unlike the PU. And so far there has not been any explicit change to that promise.

This is not how I remember it as previous day one backer. I think I got promised some SQ42 beta testing originally scheduled for early/mid 2014 with the final release for November 2014.

 

[Viajero]

This is not how I remember it as previous day one backer. I think I got promised some SQ42 beta testing originally scheduled for early/mid 2014 with the final release for November 2014.

If you can find a CIG direct quote suggesting that SQ42 specifically would have any kind of backer testing stage I am all ears. Otherwise all mentions to it that I have found so far, including that Erin Roberts quote from 2014, have always very clearly stated a final, complete and fully polished product with no mentions to any kind of previous community testing.