Star Citizen Online - The search for more money

Valderen · Apr 14, 2015

I think it was mentioned they had like 325 employees working on SC, at $50-75K that's about $16-24M a year. They haven't been that many since day 1, but they are probably going through the $79M pretty quickly.

I'll be more confident at their ability to deliver without running out of money after they ship Squadron 42 later this year(if not delayed too much). The success or lack off Squadron 42 will pretty dictate they future of SC. We have to remember the first million or so copies of Squadron 42 they won't make money off since it's all going to backers for free.

Selling 1-2 millions on top of that seems reasonable enough though if it's any good which remains to be seen...although the space sim part is already pretty good and fun.

Right now, I've kept my pledge to essentially the price of a game. So for me it's more like a pre-order than anything else...and at this point I played Arena Commander enough that I honestly had my money's worth if it's all I do.

Draegan_sl · Apr 14, 2015

I'm still pretty happy at my $45 level I gave a few years ago.

Tuco · Apr 14, 2015

Same. This shit could blow up now and never go anywhere and I'd still be okay with my donation.

Valderen · Apr 14, 2015

I upgraded my $45 initial Mustang Alpha to the Mustang Gamma...$15 or $25 upgrade, only because I like racing and the Alpha sucked.

I use the REC from my races to rent the other ships for the Vanduul Swarm.

Furry · Apr 14, 2015

Never donated, fully prepared for the scream tear stream as this implodes in on inself.

I fully expect this game to reach duke nukem levels of disappointment.

Draegan_sl · Apr 14, 2015

I think they will release something that will make their core audience happy for at least a short while. Nukem didn't make anyone happy.

Valderen · Apr 14, 2015

As Draegan said, they'll release something...whether it's good or not I have no clue.

I'm happy with what I donated, and if it implodes, I got my money's worth. But seriously for those that invested thousands if it's gonna be heartbreaking.

Blackwulf · Apr 14, 2015

Furry_sl said:
Never donated, fully prepared for the scream tear stream as this implodes in on inself.

I fully expect this game to reach duke nukem levels of disappointment.

Considering they already have a fun multi player dog fight game, and a FPS module launching this month or next, I don't think Duke Nukem is a good comparison.

Tuco · Apr 14, 2015

Duke Nukem Forever isn't a good comparison because by the time it came out people had already moved on. And DNF was never as close to release or publication as SC is now.

Tearofsoul · Apr 14, 2015

I am in the never donated side, this game sounds too good to be true, and also too much stuff to be true. I think they will release each module here and there but not everything together.

Variise · Apr 14, 2015

Tearofsoul_sl said:
I am in the never donated side, this game sounds too good to be true, and also too much stuff to be true. I think they will release each module here and there but not everything together.

Well that's a given considering that was the plan from the get go over 2 years ago.

I don't think the disappointment will come from content since they do a module release and iterate on it constantly until it's polished. AC hasn't really gone to shit until recently when they suddenly had a massive influx of players. This is a good thing. It has prompted them to re-write their MP code from scratch. Good timing to have those core CryEngine guys in Germany to boot. So much re-writing going on atm and tons more planned. Their recent 10 for the Producers/Developers mentioned how fundamentally integrated that stupid "USE" function is in CryEngine and that it will take a major re-write to get rid of it. All of a sudden it's crystallizing for everyone how much of a pain in the ass CryEngine is and how much of it has to be re-written from the ground up. I knew this from the start and it's why I added 9-12 months to the release date. Expect it.

I'm still worried they won't have the talent on hand to do the re-write of the code now and later. CIG has a huge issue with EA and others poaching their talent non-stop in Austin and elsewhere but especially Austin. Lets hope that doesn't happen in Germany because apparently EA pays about 2-3x as much as CIG does. CIG can't compete with that and if the did they would probably run out of money long before the game was ready for launch.

I'm not saying people should work for poverty wage for the greater good but clearly a lot of them do it purely because of the project and if it wasn't what it is they would have walked long ago.

So it's not the usual suspects I'm worried about. It's the peripheral shitshows that go on in the industry in general that helps kill projects.

It hasn't been said in a while so allow me.... fuck EA.

Blackwulf · Apr 14, 2015

Variise_sl said:
Well that's a given considering that was the plan from the get go over 2 years ago.

I don't think the disappointment will come from content since they do a module release and iterate on it constantly until it's polished. AC hasn't really gone to shit until recently when they suddenly had a massive influx of players. This is a good thing. It has prompted them to re-write their MP code from scratch. Good timing to have those core CryEngine guys in Germany to boot. So much re-writing going on atm and tons more planned. Their recent 10 for the Producers/Developers mentioned how fundamentally integrated that stupid "USE" function is in CryEngine and that it will take a major re-write to get rid of it. All of a sudden it's crystallizing for everyone how much of a pain in the ass CryEngine is and how much of it has to be re-written from the ground up. I knew this from the start and it's why I added 9-12 months to the release date. Expect it.

I'm still worried they won't have the talent on hand to do the re-write of the code now and later. CIG has a huge issue with EA and others poaching their talent non-stop in Austin and elsewhere but especially Austin. Lets hope that doesn't happen in Germany because apparently EA pays about 2-3x as much as CIG does. CIG can't compete with that and if the did they would probably run out of money long before the game was ready for launch.

I'm not saying people should work for poverty wage for the greater good but clearly a lot of them do it purely because of the project and if it wasn't what it is they would have walked long ago.

So it's not the usual suspects I'm worried about. It's the peripheral shitshows that go on in the industry in general that helps kill projects.

It hasn't been said in a while so allow me.... fuck EA.

That's interesting. Hadn't heard about the EA poaching. I really hope CR is smart enough to offer shares to some of the key talent. Might not be able to afford those EA wages now, but 2% of CIG might be worth a lot if this game ever comes to fruition...

Mist · Apr 19, 2015

The forums for this game are awful. It's a bunch of neckbeards bitching that their 300 dollar joysticks don't give them an advantage/are worse than mice. Except it's actually just because they suck at video games, people have proved that if you actually put the time in you can do just fine with the joystick. It's like these people think that just because they have a joystick it'll magically make them able to compete with people with 20+ years of FPS experience using super precise gaming mice.

Variise · Apr 19, 2015

Mist_sl said:
The forums for this game are awful. It's a bunch of neckbeards bitching that their 300 dollar joysticks don't give them an advantage/are worse than mice. Except it's actually just because they suck at video games, people have proved that if you actually put the time in you can do just fine with the joystick. It's like these people think that just because they have a joystick it'll magically make them able to compete with people with 20+ years of FPS experience using super precise gaming mice.

I stick to the Subscriber section and the Concierge section. Especially the Concierge section. A lot less numbfuckery there. The only other place worth visiting is the Developer Questions section where I and many others will post ideas for the devs to look at. Loots of good stuff there when the devs respond which in some sections is rare but they are super busy. But they do read it and that's enough for me knowing that good ideas get heard. As I mentioned before one of mine was even implemented.

Tuco · Apr 20, 2015

Mist_sl said:
The forums for this game are awful. It's a bunch of neckbeards bitching that their 300 dollar joysticks don't give them an advantage/are worse than mice. Except it's actually just because they suck at video games, people have proved that if you actually put the time in you can do just fine with the joystick. It's like these people think that just because they have a joystick it'll magically make them able to compete with people with 20+ years of FPS experience using super precise gaming mice.

I camt wait for the tears that will roll whem when my minimally donating ass wrecks fhese whales.

Draegan_sl · Apr 20, 2015

Tuco, are you a good fps/twitch player? I never knew you to play those type of games seriously. Personally I'm average at twitch based games these days; I have no time to practice anymore (yes I'm using that excuse).

Tuco · Apr 20, 2015

Yes. I played CStrike competitively and a few other FPS games. But twitch skill is all about practice (more so than MMOs). The muscle memory, coordination and perception has a lot to do with natural talent, but needs an immense amount of time to practice. The ability to see animations, predict behaviors and react accordingly within 100-300ms is what people sometimes deride as 'twitch', and it's something you have to train. So yeah, it's not an excuse.

I don't really know what kind of game SC will turn into, but I know that there's a lot of whales in it who probably suck and are in for a rude awakening when they find out that the $1000 ship they bought turns out to be underpowered and a $200 saitek hotas they got turns out to not be the most effective input device.

Whether I deliver the ass kicking or a 13 year old with a Dell-brand mouse and his fotm ship earned from ingame effort does is unimportant!

Draegan_sl · Apr 20, 2015

I'll be buying a saitek if this game is worth it. There's a 1% chance it'll be good enough for me to spend a few hundred bucks on accessories I'll only use for one game.

Valderen · Apr 20, 2015

I was lucky to have a friend lend me his Saitek X52 Pro.

If the game is good, I'll definitely buy one...I simply enjoy flying with a joystick a lot more, and I am not competitive enough that the difference in accuracy to bother me that much.

Raign · Apr 20, 2015

I picked up the X55 for Elite/SC and I have got to admit it has changed those games for me. Not being much of a peripheral guy I was really skeptical (I have tried - and hated almost every one ever launched Nostromos, Nagas etc.), but these games feel so good with it, it would be impossible to go back to mouse and keyboard even if they turn out to be sub-optimal from a kill-per-second standpoint. As it is right now though, mouse targeting is only slightly more refined than HOTAS in SC and only on select load outs at that so I am not really too worried about totally gimping myself by using the far more enjoyable stick and throttle setup.

I will say this though -- there will be a lot of crocodile tears if balance stays at all like it is. I have a few ships (bought a couple and had a friend gift me a couple as well), and by far the most efficient killer among them is also one of the cheapest.

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