Game Discussions Star Citizen Discussion Thread v12

Agony_Aunt

Agony_Aunt
Virgile said:
I'm mostly interested in Squadron 42, and it seems to me like all those techs they've talked about for years are not necessary for a single player game... It's crazy that Sq42 doesn't even have a release window anymore.
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Worse, Chris' last statement on the matter was "It will be done when its done".

Its the sort of words you hear from your builder just before he leaves for a month long vacation in Benidorm on the money you gave him.
 

VR Golgot

VR Golgot
Viajero said:
As mentioned, some redditors think everyone is involved in server meshing and that this is just normal. Maybe so. Thing is the only mention to server meshing in the March report is in the Turbulent section.
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Ok...

** Effort Post time ** 😄

Firstly, I just went foraging for some background, and this Agent post does look particularly prescient right now 😄

TheAgent said:
hello

  • recent "big ask" for another round of investments
  • this will include another round of monies for advertising
  • this ask also includes a large amount directly to Turbulent
  • Turbulent currently handles some networking, level design, gameplay design and more for SC
  • "We are not working on anything related to Squadron 42. That is all being handled by Wilmslow."
  • more and more of SC proper to be turned over to Turbulent
  • it has been a "rough transition" and still in process
  • starting this quarter, expect "a more detailed, polished and presentable roadmap" from Turbulent
  • unknown if this transition will be announced
  • "We don't know how are fans are going to react, but Chris is still heavily involved in the project."
  • Turbulent "only adding help" not "taking away development" from CI
  • "We are the same company, the same people, the same ones that have been working [on SC] this whole time."
  • some Turbulent employees feel sad about only being referred to as "the website guys"
  • "Loads of us play the game, love the game, fixed bugs, [and] have helped make gameplay decisions."
  • the stalled progress this year has made some management nervous about new deadlines
  • internally, SC is considered a live game and released [again, heard this years ago]
  • SQ42 "proper" is at least another 24 to 36 months out
  • as more and more new hires are brought in to replace devs, the code base gets more and more unstable.
  • "Almost no one is documenting. Almost no one talks to each other. We nod like bobbleheads, mute like carps."
October 5th 2020
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---

Looking back over the Monthly reports you can see a bleed over from website backend stuff to game networking for Turbulent:

  • Monthly Report Nov/Dev 2020: Still focused on website / spectrum services seemingly
  • Official Announcement 24th Nov: Turbulent team described as a 'content team' to 'help create entire new star systems'.
  • Monthly Report Jan 2021: 'They also began working on tech designs for services they will be working on this year, including the configuration service used to distribute configurations to services [😁], the identity service that manages player lifecycle and persistence, and ‘shard and instance’ management (formerly known as matchmaking).'
  • Monthly Report Feb 2021: 'Coordinating with devs working on the launcher and directly in-engine, they delivered their first milestone in the server-meshing project. A portion of the team shifted to server-meshing project deliveries, with more to be added as the project progresses.'

Given they're doing work on player persistence aspects and matchmaking seemingly, iCache doesn't seem like such an improbable step.

But the roadmap doesn't provide total clarity on that front. In theory all teams are now added to it, and the Turbulent environment teams is there, as Modular - MTL. You can see their stuff here. But what name is their networking team going by?

iCache was bundled into "persistent streaming and server meshing". Here are all the teams working on that:

7LRVafW.png


  • Engineering (1 engineer)
  • Game Services Team (1 designer, 1 engineer)
  • Mission Feature Team (1 designer, 1 engineer)
  • Network Team (6 engineers)
  • Persistent Teach Team (4 engineers)

So presumably, Turbulent's networking team are one of those. Possibly the Game Services Team, or the Persistent Tech Team?

EDIT: It seems it is the Game Services Team, going by job adverts like these.

(I kinda doubt they've moved wholesale into the core stuff. But hey, if Clive Johnson etc disappears from view, and they have actually moved the whole meshing project to Montreal, Server Meshing is even more boned than we thought ;))
 
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Vetinari

V
Rubbernuke said:
A question: each year sales go up, but will they ever plateau? If they do, is that the end for SC?
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Late last year. After 'It'll be done when its done' comment from CR about SQ 42. Tipped the scales for some long term backers finally not to put any more money in with that sort of flagrant disregard for them and their money. Made people realise if SQ42 aint coming then neither is SC. Lot of people lost confidence in CR personally and hes all that keeps CIG afloat, without him people would stop backing at all. Usual annual ship sale after didnt realise the same % of yearly income as past years. Still a large amount but not the same % at all.

So now they doing free fly to get new backers who know nothing of the past....not sure its balancing out though. Waiting to see new figures but i think its done now and on the downhill stretch to the end.

Other indicators are Spectrum own threads, general feeling on them has tipped over the edge as well. Cult members are leaving the cult in droves....but thats not a promise of anything necessarily unless it translates into income, or rather lack of it.

Also Covid stopped CitCon so the faithful didnt get their boost of dopamine to keep them going.

Its slowing down and soon reversing I think, like any other business after the novelty has worn off and youre just left with the reality. Retention is dropping, investors will be getting nervous about ROI and wanting their money back.

Casinos rely on small % of whales to make the most money, not sure theres enough whales in SC though tbh to keep it going indefinitely, it did rely on large numbers of medium fish as well.

It will be an interesting year for sure anyway, depends how many new backers they can get to replace the old ones.
 

Agony_Aunt

Agony_Aunt
[VR] Golgot said:
Ok...

** Effort Post time ** 😄

Firstly, I just went foraging for some background, and this Agent post does look particularly prescient right now 😄



---

Looking back over the Monthly reports you can see a bleed over from website backend stuff to game networking for Turbulent:

  • Monthly Report Nov/Dev 2020: Still focused on website / spectrum services seemingly
  • Official Announcement 24th Nov: Turbulent team described as a 'content team' to 'help create entire new star systems'.
  • Monthly Report Jan 2021: 'They also began working on tech designs for services they will be working on this year, including the configuration service used to distribute configurations to services [😁], the identity service that manages player lifecycle and persistence, and ‘shard and instance’ management (formerly known as matchmaking).'
  • Monthly Report Feb 2021: 'Coordinating with devs working on the launcher and directly in-engine, they delivered their first milestone in the server-meshing project. A portion of the team shifted to server-meshing project deliveries, with more to be added as the project progresses.'

Given they're doing work on player persistence aspects and matchmaking seemingly, iCache doesn't seem like such an improbably step.

But the roadmap does paint a confusing picture.

In theory all teams are now added to it, and the Turbulent environment teams is there, as Modular - MTL. You can see their stuff here. But what name is their networking team going by?

iCache was bundled into "persistent streaming and server meshing". Here are all the teams working on that:

7LRVafW.png


  • Engineering (1 engineer)
  • Game Services Team (1 designer, 1 engineer)
  • Mission Feature Team (1 designer, 1 engineer)
  • Network Team (6 engineers)
  • Persistent Teach Team (4 engineers)

So presumably, Turbulent's networking team are one of those. Possibly the Game Service Team, or the Persistent Tech Team?

(But hey, if Clive Johnson etc disappears from view, and they have actually moved the whole meshing project to Montreal, Server Meshing is even more boned than we thought ;))
Click to expand...

SQ42 "proper" is at least another 24 to 36 months out
Click to expand...

Hey, maybe they can make it in time for the 10th anniversary of the kickstarter!
 

Virgile

Virgile
Agony_Aunt said:
Looking at the faithful, i'd estimate the correct answer is "forever"... as long as they don't label the game as released. They are free to dream until then. The music stops when they try and put a release label on it.
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Really not sure a release would stop them. Some of them already talk about sequels and more games ( coucou Little Ant).
 
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Viajero

Volunteer Moderator
Viajero
Rubbernuke said:
:D I mean is, for how long can you keep on doing sales for ships / land / tonks etc? Surely at some point saturation will slow sales and CiG run out of cash?
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SC is the BDSSE made flesh. It can only grow in player base and therefore funds.

Seriously now. If the figures they publish are somewhat correct they still have enough funds for years in theory, and asuming there is nothing else to hide such loans or due returns to the Calders at some point etc. They can also reduce staffs accordingly if needed, although this will slow down development even further.
 

Agony_Aunt

Agony_Aunt
Mole HD said:
Bagpipes...how to make 100,000 Scotsmen cry. Have the massed pipes and drums play the Black bear and nail their feet to the floor ;) For me as a side drummer every time I hear a pipe band I've got to stick my hands in my pockets to stop them following the drums...

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Ah, down in Yorkshire we had words to go with that tune, that were often sung by the hooligans of the day. I won't repeat them here, because it would be a lifetime ban from these forums.

From my time in Scotland though, the one tune that got the Scots on their feet was this.


And as an Englishman, you did your best to pretend you were Scottish or you made yourself very inconspicuous when it came on. Problem was, where i worked, it was always the last song of the night....
 
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