Star Citizen - Chris Roberts' new game

[Jono]

Just finished watching the streaming of Chris Roberts live presentation at GDC 2012. The game is called Star Citizen and is going to be an online space combat sim with a persistent open universe. It will be a F2P MMO similar to Guild Wars 2. It will be for the PC and he wants it to push it to its limits.

The website has also got a massive update, which I'm just going through now. I know there are fans of Roberts' previous games around here and he stated that this is going to combine the likes of Wing Commader, Privateer and Freelancer but also be much, much more. Here is the main site for the game for anyone interested in learning more or getting involved in it as he is going down the crowd sourcing route : http://www.robertsspaceindustries.com

 

[PsychoPere]

Kotaku has a preview article up as well.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Ah, I see he is trying to raise the money to make it. Well, good luck to him. I might swing a few bucks into it, but not much. He has disappointed me too much in the past for me to believe he can really deliver on this--especially when it's something brand-new to him, namely an MMO.

 

[CaptJack]

I really hope he can deliver. It looks, at least from the trailers, like the space sim I've been waiting for. I just hope it is less Starlancer/Freelancer, and more Wing Commander, Independence War, Freespace, and nuBSG - which seems like the direction it is going.

Does anyone think it will have Tachyon or Independence War style Newtonian physics?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Tachyon wasn't really "Newtonian."

I don't mind if it has Newtonian physics as long as, like I-War 2, there is a "flight assist" mode so I don't feel like I have to do calculus to fly my damn ship.

 

[CaptJack]

Good point. I wouldn't mind having the flight model be optional.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

me gusta mucho

 

[Timby]

Ah, I see he is trying to raise the money to make it. Well, good luck to him. I might swing a few bucks into it, but not much. He has disappointed me too much in the past for me to believe he can really deliver on this--especially when it's something brand-new to him, namely an MMO.

There are two components of Star Citizen -- there's the online portion, and then there's Squadron 42, which will be a robust single-player offering.

In any event, what has he produced (outside of the Wing Commander film) that's ever really been disappointing? Sure, Starlancer wasn't incredible, but it was still pretty solid.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Ah, I see he is trying to raise the money to make it. Well, good luck to him. I might swing a few bucks into it, but not much. He has disappointed me too much in the past for me to believe he can really deliver on this--especially when it's something brand-new to him, namely an MMO.

There are two components of Star Citizen -- there's the online portion, and then there's Squadron 42, which will be a robust single-player offering.

In any event, what has he produced (outside of the Wing Commander film) that's ever really been disappointing? Sure, Starlancer wasn't incredible, but it was still pretty solid.

Starlancer/Freelancer, though I now he didn't have much final say in the latter.

It's just been quite a while since he's worked on an actual game, and now he's venturing into what is new territory for him. I am pretty skeptical. Plus, he is trying to hop the MMO bandwagon. Like, ugh, we really need another one?

I might be into Squadron 42 though!

 

[Timby]

Plus, he is trying to hop the MMO bandwagon. Like, ugh, we really need another one?

To be fair, though, it seems to be aiming more for Freelancer's original concept, of a persistent and dynamic galaxy with a real-time economy -- basically, EVE Online, minus the suckiness. I've never tried an MMO, but I'm really tempted to pitch in $30 and hope they meet the fundraising goal. The Wing Commander series pretty much defined my gaming as a kid.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Plus, he is trying to hop the MMO bandwagon. Like, ugh, we really need another one?

To be fair, though, it seems to be aiming more for Freelancer's original concept, of a persistent and dynamic galaxy with a real-time economy -- basically, EVE Online, minus the suckiness. I've never tried an MMO, but I'm really tempted to pitch in $30 and hope they meet the fundraising goal. The Wing Commander series pretty much defined my gaming as a kid.

Same here. I loved those games. Then Chris Roberts thought he could be a Hollywood director and went off the rails for a while.

Although I like the concept of EVE Online, it's "hardcore" nature turns me off. I do not want to be risking real money in a game.

I'm still on the fence about kicking some money into this. I put $50 into Wasteland 2 already!

 

[Jono]

Thanks to the Sq42 not having to be online you don't have to get into the MMO, though to get the most for your money you'd have to hope that they reach their $5+ million stretch mark. Even whether it would be worth $60 or whatever (+ any pledging) just for the Wing Commander experience won't be known until the finished game gets independently reviewed.

 

[John Clark]

Just watched the Squadron 42 trailer and I'm interested. I'm not so interested in the MMO part (I've tried a few and they're just not for me) but I may give it a go.

 

[Timby]

RSI has added stretch goals to the pledge site. It would appear that we don't get the MMO component unless they hit $5 million in funding, which is a pretty aggressive mark.

“We Have Liftoff!”
Initial Goal
$2+ million Pledged
Community Updates
Star Citizens will get to play in the multiplayer Alpha (12 months)
Star Citizens will receive access to the Wing Commander/Squadron 42 campaign (18 months)

“One Small Step For Man…”
Stretch Goal 1
$3+ million Pledged
Increased Community Updates!
Star Citizens will get to play in the multiplayer Alpha (12 months)
Star Citizens will receive access to the Wing Commander/Squadron 42 campaign (18 months)
Rich Storyline
More Ships

“… A Tall Ship and a Star to Steer Her By”
Stretch Goal 2
$4+ million Pledged
Increased Community Updates!
Monthly Dev. Team Webcasts
Star Citizens will get to play in the multiplayer Alpha (12 months)
Creation of Professional Mod Tools provided free to players
Star Citizens will receive access to the Wing Commander/Squadron 42 campaign (18 months)
Richer Storyline
Even More Ships
More Missions

“Have Starship Will Travel…”
Stretch Goal 3
$5+ million Pledged
Increased Community Updates!
Monthly Dev. Team Webcasts
Monthly Town Hall Meeting with Chris Roberts
Star Citizens will get to play in the multiplayer Alpha (12 months)
Creation of Professional Mod Tools provided free to players
Star Citizens will receive access to the Wing Commander/Squadron 42 campaign (18 months)
Deep Storyline
On-Line Ship Marketplace
Max Missions
Star Citizens will receive access to the Wing Commander/Star Citizen universe for on-line persistent play (30 months)
Privateer-like gameplay
Multiple Star Systems to Explore

“To Infinity And Beyond…”
Stretch Goal 4
$6+ million Pledged
LOCKED

 

[bullethead]

Why are the storyline things being included in the stretch goals? You should plan to have that anyway unless you're doing what XCOM is doing and letting the player create the story.

 

[Timby]

Why are the storyline things being included in the stretch goals? You should plan to have that anyway unless you're doing what XCOM is doing and letting the player create the story.

Keep in mind that all we've seen is a pre-rendered sizzle reel, and we have no idea whatsoever what development has taken place already, outside of the announcement that it's running CryEngine 3 and that Roberts has a very rough prototype. The three elements of any project that need to be in sync at all times are timeline, budget and scope, and while they're very clear about the timeline, they can't really establish the scope of work without a better understanding of the budget. My guess is that the amount of branching built into the campaign is what's dependent upon the money.

I pitched in $30, but I'm doing my best to keep my expectations in check. Roberts has never produced a bad game, but it's been ~10 years since he's worked in the industry and I have a very, very big worry that the reason he's taken the crowd-funding route is because he thinks he's big enough that he doesn't have to say "No, fuck you, Dad" to a project manager at EA or wherever.

 

[Jono]

RSI has added stretch goals to the pledge site. It would appear that we don't get the MMO component unless they hit $5 million in funding, which is a pretty aggressive mark.

Ben Lesnick has addressed this quickly over on the RSI forums:

We’re getting ready to address the stretch goals question in a Comm-Link post. I agree that it seems deceptive… but it wasn’t meant to be! The game announced at GDC is the one Chris Roberts intends to build, no matter what… not making the $4 million just means it’s going to take a little more time to get there instead of launching all at once.

So not making the $5 million mark would in theory mean that we'd be looking at a possible +3 yr wait rather than 30 months.

 

[FPAlpha]

It depends on how big the name Roberts really is and if there's enough 30+ year olds who remember Wing Commandor and Freelancer (games i adored as a teenager).

5 million is a very tall order and yet a drop in the bucket for a major game.. top of the line games nowadays cost tens of millions and only a select few franchises exist that make a return on this investment.

I honestly doubt Robert's has remained a big name.. outside of people in their 30s and gaming nuts i don't believe the majority of today's Xbox and PS3 crowd know who he is much less that he's getting a game together.

I hope it happens.. Space Combat is a dead genre and could use a boost. If this becomes a success i'm hoping others will reconsider and launch their own games.. i could use a state of the art X-Wing game.

 

[Timby]

RSI has added stretch goals to the pledge site. It would appear that we don't get the MMO component unless they hit $5 million in funding, which is a pretty aggressive mark.

Ben Lesnick has addressed this quickly over on the RSI forums:

We’re getting ready to address the stretch goals question in a Comm-Link post. I agree that it seems deceptive… but it wasn’t meant to be! The game announced at GDC is the one Chris Roberts intends to build, no matter what… not making the $4 million just means it’s going to take a little more time to get there instead of launching all at once.

So not making the $5 million mark would in theory mean that we'd be looking at a possible +3 yr wait rather than 30 months.

To be fair, though, Cloud Imperium's community manager is naturally going to put the most positive spin on things as possible. Remember, this is the guy who still insists that Wing Commander: Arena is a great game.

That being said, LOAF getting an actual job with Roberts as the community manager is pretty awesome for him, since he's been running the Wing Commander CIC since forever and a day ago (1999, if memory serves). My account on that site goes back even further than this one.

 

[Jono]

Which is why I added "in theory" and "possible" into the sentence. Even reaching the $5 million mark doesn't 100% guarantee that the game (SQ42 or the MMO) will ever be completed. Robert is definitely aiming big, in his funding goal and what he wants for the game. There is a lot that can go wrong, which means there is also a lot of room to disappoint.

I've also seen today that Valve might (someone heard from a friend who has a friend who knows someone at Valve type whispers) be working on a privateer like open world space sim. If true and Star Citizen gets off the ground, it would make this niche's landscape quite interesting for the next two years.