Considering they pushed an almost completely un-tested 3.0 live, which is kind of like dropping an upper-decker in the office toilet and signing out until after the new year, I'm imagining something like this happening at CIG's offices: Edit: Seriously, taste those sweet eight frames per second:
The amazing thing about Star Citizen is that, at this point, is that it has gone on for so long and generated so much insanity that anyone of sound mind would think you're lying or exaggerating when you try to explain it. Like, any one story from this would be hard to believe, yet all are true: - Exceeded original goal by a hundred and fifty million dollars, still do not have content from original demo in the game - CEO and HR/Marketing director attempt to hide marriage - HR/Marketing director sings Nazi song to Germans - CEO tells HR/Marketing director to just fly first-class; HR/Marketing director tells this to media - "Plucky little startup" has like 14 offices / divisions / subsidiaries spread across the globe - In order to prove how honest and straightforward they were as a company, they promised backers that they would release financials in full if they didn't ship by a certain point; when they missed that deadline they simply issued a new TOS that removed any reference to a financial disclosure - Have missed every single date and milestone they have set for themselves - "Accidentally" release dev build to public since it was on an open server - The Book of LOAF (how he's still employed after that got out is beyond me) - Ticklegate - Insanely expensive and impractical office furniture - Ryan Archer - Backers buying a $14k package of spaceships that they can't play - Toxic, Orwellian community management - Switching engines then lying about what it actually involved - Stating Squadron 42 is a core part of the game, only for it to be spun off; later they claim it isn't separate but a la carte - A $2 million loan--using Squadron 42 as collateral--for a game that raised millions - The CryTek lawsuit for breach of contract Like, how does all of that happen?
I actually had lunch with a friend of mine yesterday, and he's an IP lawyer specializing in contract law. I had emailed him about the Crytek lawsuit, and he looked up the filings on PACER. From what we talked about, CIG is pretty much boned: 1) If CIG admits to using CryEngine, then Crytek wins, because CIG is run by idiots (because the GLA says that the CryEngine and CryTek logos have to be plastered all over the game credits ... which they aren't) 2) If CIG admits switching to Lumberyard, then Crytek wins, because of the exclusivity clause in their deal
Yep, definitely sounds like they painted themselves into a tiny little corner. You'd think that someone with such horrible business acumen would at least be able to make a really kick-ass game, but judging by both their dodgy business practices and the considerably-less-than-impressive video previews of the game, it appears as if they would all likely be better off working in the electronics department at WalMart. Guess this is another one destined for the vaporware bit-bucket.
CIG is now denying refunds, claiming that the game has been released to enough of an extent that it satisfies crowdfunding requirements. They're also still calling 3.0 an alpha. lollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
When this shitshow was first announced, yer man Roberts had such a swagger on him about how his vision was going to blow everyone's balls off. And now it looks like a daft scam where the entire business model is selling cosmetic DLC for a game that will never be finished, to the few hundred people left who are too thick or devoted to realise that they've been taken for a ride
Oh, didn't you see the announcement? For three installments of $350, CIG is offering a private dinner to concierge (>$1,000 in donations) backers, promising "an intimate tour" of the Santa Monica HQ. They're trying to get people to buy $1,000 per plate dinners that you only see from, like, presidential candidates who are doing fundraising efforts. They're absolutely shameless at this point.
Sunk cost fallacy. People invested so much time and thought and energy into theorycrafting what the game could be that they can't separate those fantasies from the reality of the bad joke that is CIG. Also, Crytek's response to CIG's motion to dismiss the lawsuit is absolutely blistering. tl;dr: Crytek isn't fucking around, and a response like this is exactly why their law firm (Skadden) is so expensive.
Gamblers use it all the time to justify pissing away metric fuck-tons of cash. "Just one more pull on the slot machine will do it - we KNOWS it precious!"
Addicts, too. "Okay ... just one last drink, and then I'm going to get sober for good." With Star Citizen, it's more a case of "This project can't possibly fail and Chris Roberts has promised the BDSSE, I have to support it because by funding it, I'm part of it. And if people like me stop funding it, what will happen?"
Original Promise: Persistent Universe (hosted by US) New Truth: Stolen ships will disappear when you log out. So now CIG admits that persistence is not a thing anymore.
CIG filed the following documents yesterday, apparently in an effort to persuade the judge that Crytek should not be granted discovery prior to a ruling on CIG's motion to dismiss: NOTICE OF MOTION AND MOTION for Protective Order for CONTROLLING TIMING AND SCOPE OF DISCOVERY PENDING RESOLUTION OF MOTION TO DISMISS Att: 1 Memorandum OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER, Att: 2 Declaration OF JEREMY GOLDMAN IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER, Att: 3 Proposed Order RE MOTION FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER Basically, the tl;dr version of them is "please, God, don't let them see how broke we are."
So in case anyone was wondering why CIG is so panicked about Crytek being granted discovery, here's a breakdown of everything that's been requested by Skadden (Crytek's firm): Basically, CIG is turbofucked if even a third of those requests are incriminating.
What a rolling dumpster fire. I mean, I know it hit that long ago, but it always blew me away that the forums were active for a bit like nothing was wrong. And then...
So, RSI / CIG's motion to dismiss was almost entirely denied (outside of the request for punitive damages); Crytek was granted leave to appeal and it did so in like two days. The response from RSI amounted to "THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO SUE US." The next hearing is in September. Meanwhile, seven years into development ... no game.