Star Citizen, Roberts Space Industries - Chris Roberts' life support and retirement fund [2012-]

[eastmen]

Carrier's will be points in the game that guild's will fight over to control.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Carrier's will be points in the game that guild's will fight over to control.

That's space stations and outposts. Carriers will be player pilotable ships. At least according to the funding goal posts.

Regards,
SB

 

[Grall]

What you can do is buy packages to end up with the proper dollar amount , wait 24 hours and "melt" them down and then gift them to me.

Melt my dollars down, eh? Sounds like pure win!

Anywaaaayy... So it's a MMO. Strange that I never heard about that until now. Suddenly makes me a whole lot less interested. I can't play this game at all in single-player mode? How is it financed, "micro"transactions? (Considering we can buy capital ships right now for a thousand bucks a pop, that suggests "yes" to me.)

Hopefully Elite will launch some day and ride to my rescue then, in the far-flung future when we already have intergalactic space travel. (Extragalactic even, perhaps...)

 

[eastmen]

Just the terms they use !

There is a single llayer portion called squadren 42

 

[Malo]

So what happens if you fly your $85 Super Hornet into a black hole/ crash into a space station/ get it stolen/ detroyed by pirates on it's maden voyage? Is that it?

That's what insurance is for. It's a money sink and you have to make sure you keep paying for it by whatever means you can. Going into potentially dangerous situations with an uninsured ship will be a bad idea.

For the backers, we all have lifetime insurance on any ships we have already purchased and continue to purchase up until November 26 of this year.

 

[homerdog]

Those of us who merely purchase the game at full price will be at a significant disadvantage. It is pay to win. Only justification I hear is "some people don't have time to play the game so they should be able to pay to win".
If it were single player, none of this would be an issue.

Squadron 42 looks like a real winner.

 

[Grall]

Only justification I hear is "some people don't have time to play the game so they should be able to pay to win".

Yeah, that's a damn weak, pitiful argument. If you don't have time to play the game, don't play the game alright? If you get all the nice toys right from the outset, then where's the fun?

It's like every time that next big shooting game everybody's been waiting three years for and you immediately type iddqd idkfa, and then run straight through it to the end (including all of the enemies) inside of 15 minutes...

 

[Malo]

Having a more powerful ship doesn't mean you will win. This isn't an MMO. You actually have to fly in space and dogfight. There are going to be many factors that will separate the skilled from the unskilled, irrespective of what ship they paid x $ for.

 

[eastmen]

Right , I can have a constellation which is a $225 ship and maybe I can take Grall out in his aurora which is a starting ship at $45. I mean I do have him out gunned but he can most likely out maneuver me. However I might have trouble taking out Grall and homerdog and then if malo jumps in I'm as good as dead even if all three of you have the starting $45 ship.

At the same time If Grall has the super hornet he is going to be faster than me and out maneuver me and maybe even have more fire power than I do. But its only a $145 ship.

Also I could just be a crappy pilot and Grall can kill me in his starting ship

 

[eastmen]

26 million in funding was hit .

We unlocked

Enhanced Capital Ship Systems – In addition to the command and control systems we’ve already outlined, we’re going to expand capital ship functions! Lead a damage control team to fight fires and repair key systems during battle, control internal bulkheads to slow boarders and man a number of consoles, like navigation and engineering, that will make commanding a capital ship feel even more immersive.

The 28m goal was announced

New Starter Ship – The team at Consolidated Outland has decided to take Roberts Space Industries head on in 2944 by premiering the Mustang personal spacecraft. We will use these additional resources to create another ship company and starter ship for Star Citizen. The new ship will be offered for sale alongside the Aurora, so players have a choice between two options to begin the game

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Now I just wish the new goals in funding were directed to speeding up the game delivery.

 

[Bludd]

I hope this won't be bloated. This game needs to be polished.

 

[eastmen]

Now I just wish the new goals in funding were directed to speeding up the game delivery.

I hope this won't be bloated. This game needs to be polished.

Ha these two make me laugh , speed up the game ... no needs polish lol its awesome how they were right after each other.


most of these goals wont affect the game. I'm pretty sure a new ship wont change much. Also 2015 for the game isn't that long of a wait. Dog fighting should be here by the end of the year and I'm sure that will keep people happy for a few months of 2014

 

[eastmen]

Well we are flirting with 31m at this point and the anniversary sale ends the 26th

We are currently at 39% of the way to that goal. Here are the last few letters

29 m letter

S
tar Citizen backers have a need for speed! Sales of the Origin M50 and 350R have pushed us over the $28 million mark! At $28 million, you unlocked an entirely new starter ship, which we believe is going to significantly improve the Star Citizen experience:
New Starter Ship – The team at Consolidated Outland has decided to take Roberts Space Industries head on in 2944 by premiering the Mustang personal spacecraft. We will use these additional resources to create another ship company and starter ship for Star Citizen. The new ship will be offered for sale alongside the Aurora, so players have a choice between two options to begin the game!

We’re excited to get to work on the Mustang. As the next step in the process, the design team will turn the broad concept into a detailed set of specifications. Then those will go to one of our world-class concept artists for the first visuals. We’ll share that process with you as it happens!

For our next several stretch goals, we’re going to try something different. We are constantly asked where the additional money goes. Surely new mocap hardware or a new starship design doesn’t cost a million dollars. The answer is that the stretch goals are an example: one big thing we will be doing with some of the money. Every additional million means that we’re hiring additional artists and programmers, equipping the team with better development tools and increasing the size of the talented outsource groups being trusted with aspects of Star Citizen’s development. It means more actors and time for mocap studios, more reference for designers, greater variety in game characters, more options in clothing and armor and a large array of ship items and weapons.

Every dollar improves the project. That isn’t as sexy as spending large amounts of money on impressive, headline-grabbing stretch goals… but it means a significantly better game in the end. So, for the next several stretch goals, we’re going to leave you with the knowledge that the money goes to improving all aspects of Star Citizen’s development. Instead of specifying some new development goal, we’re going to add a new ship to the game as a reward.

The design team has imagined a new set of Star Citizen ships, one from each of our big manufacturers. Each ship will have a new role to play in the Star Citizen universe, and unlocking these stretch goals will make it possible to go ahead and start building them. Since the M50 and 350R got us to this point, we’re starting with the Origin Jumpworks design. After that, it’s going to be up to you: the $31 million stretch goal ship will be decided by the poll below!
Origin 890 JUMP – The rumors are true: Origin Jumpworks has a larger ship in the works! The Origin 890 JUMP is an interstellar super-yacht with exquisite styling and an array of high quality upgrade options. Travel the stars in style with multiple decks, high visibility windows and a small boat bay. Whether you’re outfitting it to explore new worlds or to take a pleasure cruise through Terra, the 890 JUMP is the epitome of luxury, class and refinement!

I hope you enjoy hearing about these new ships and getting to have a say in what content we are adding to Star Citizen’s with your support!

As always, thank you for your continued enthusiasm and belief. Together we’re making something special!

30m letter

Greetings Citizens,


A
nother one bites the dust! Since the bombers made this goal possible, I’m sharing a gallery of Gladiator artwork created to show how the rear-facing turret can be changed with different upgrades. It’s a small reminder of how you’re going to be able to make each hull YOUR ship in Star Citizen.
Origin 890 JUMP – The rumors are true: Origin Jumpworks has a larger ship in the works! The Origin 890 JUMP is an interstellar super-yacht with exquisite styling and an array of high quality upgrade options. Travel the stars in style with multiple decks, high visibility windows and a small boat bay. Whether you’re outfitting it to explore new worlds or to take a pleasure cruise through Terra, the 890 JUMP is the epitome of luxury, class and refinement!

Salvage handily won the $32 million ‘ship role’ poll, which means that the next ship we hope to be developing for you will be oriented around exploring and recovering derelict starships and other hidden treasures! Here’s the first description:
Aegis Surveyor – The Surveyor, from noted military contractor Aegis, is an industrial-quality salvage ship. Equipped with a reinforced cargo bay, a long-range jump drive and launch pods for unmanned drones, the Surveyor is an ideal ship for taking advantage of deep space wrecks. Tractor beams, floodlights, scanner options and docking ports round out the tool chest on this capable, utilitarian spacecraft.

Now it’s time to vote for the $33 million stretch goal ship! We have three manufacturers left, so choose wisely. And thank you, truly, for making this all possible. Let’s make sure no one ever forgets that when publishers wouldn’t spend a cent on AAA PC games, real gamers went above and way, way beyond to make Star Citizen happen.

— Chris Roberts

Tonight is the last night to get the two bombers. Tommorow the starfarer comes out which is what i'm personaly getting

 

[eastmen]

Well we hit 31m

Greetings Citizens,


I
t’s exciting to see sales of the Starfarer tanker push us past another stretch goal. To me, that says that backers understand that Star Citizen is going to be deeper than just a combat game… that we’re going to make unique experiences for all kinds of players, from pirates to refuelers.

Hitting $31 million means you unlock the first of the player-selected role ships, the RSI Orion! Like the Starfarer, the Orion is the kind of ship you probably wouldn’t have flown in Wing Commander… but we intend to make it just as interesting as a fighter or a bomber!
RSI Orion – Roberts Space Industries’ goal has always been to make the stars available to individual Citizens. Now, with the RSI Orion mining platform, RSI is letting individuals take over a process formerly controlled by megacorporations. The Orion’s features include high-grade turret-mounted tractor beam arrays, durable exterior-accessible ‘saddlebags’ for mineral storage and a cabin designed by the team that brought you the Aurora and Constellation!

The voting is a lot closer now, but it looks like “Explorer” has edged out the crowd to be our next ship!
Anvil Carrack – The Anvil Carrack has been the vanguard of every UEE exploration effort in recent years. Featuring reinforced fuel tanks for long-duration flight, a highly advanced jump drive array and a dedicated computer core room that allows it to put the maximum processing power into jump charting operations. Originally a military exclusive, the Carrack is now available for civilian use as a pathfinder spacecraft. Features on-board accommodations to allow for truly self-sufficient flight, including crew medical and repair facilities, and a mapping-oriented sensor suite capable of always charting a route home!

You have two more chances to vote for a new ship role! By the process of elimination, you’ll be choosing a ship from either Drake Interplanetary, makers of the Cutlass and the Caterpillar, or MISC, makers of the Freelancer and the Starfarer. Choose wisely!

Thank you for your support. Please join me tomorrow at 11 AM PST for a four-hour anniversary livestream direct from Cloud Imperium headquarters in Santa Monica, California. The team is excited to get another chance to interact with the community, and we’re looking forward to talking about some of the work we’ve done in the past year!

— Chris Roberts

 

[Laa-Yosh]

This is becoming more and more interesting - if I had no money invested, I'd be really excited about all the fun of watching how it's going to unfold after the game's release.

First of all it's still very likely that their sales are more front loaded than anything before - at this time almost everyone interested in the game has probably bought in, so there might not be enough new customers to maintain the staff and the infrastructure on sales alone. 30+ million suggests a dev team near a hundred people - salaries, software updates and office space will cost a LOT for such a large studio.
So they'll need to push more pay to play content and devaluate the initial package even more, in order to get people to spend more money. This could easily make a lot of their existing customers unhappy and leave.

Also, all these ship sales are forcing players into a real-money arms race. I've pledged a little more than the standard amount to get the Orion ship - but now it's like the second worst tin can in the galaxy? Based on how much money they've already made, it's not only possible that I can't even hope to become a bounty hunter or pirate, but in fact I'll probably have to fear for my skin even on the safe space routes, as it seems that everyone is sporting a ship 3 to 6 times as expensive as mine...

So, I'm afraid that their push for independent financing and more content may actually end up ruining the game for the average gamer (especially people old enough to remember the Wing Commander series and Privateer - we're well into our 30s by now). It may already be too late.

 

[eastmen]

Like I said before , it doesn't really matter what ship you have if your skillful.

I bought a starfarer(195) today but you in the aurora ln ($40 pledge) would easily take me out. I know its a tanker vs your fighter. But you would even have a chance taking me out in my super hornet. Flight skills are as important as your ships and customizing them the right way is also important

 

[swaaye]

The skill angle is iffy because there are going to be lots of people who play this game like a full time job. I'm not going to be one of them.

I really just want some sort of single player space shooter experience here.... I hope there is something like that in the cards. That Squadron 42 part I guess?

 

[eastmen]

The skill angle is iffy because there are going to be lots of people who play this game like a full time job. I'm not going to be one of them.

I really just want some sort of single player space shooter experience here.... I hope there is something like that in the cards. That Squadron 42 part I guess?

Squadron 42 is single player a. It started with 35 missions but the 4m stretch goal was to bring it to 45 missions at 5m it got bumped to 50 missions and celebrity voice acting .

Then at 6m the second mission disc was funded . 10m was their own private mocap for the game , 12m was their own sound studio

Jump to 22m and they liscensed infinite realities facial capture system , 29m was the last squadron 42 stretch goal basicly enhanced mission design for it.


You can also set up your own server for star citizen and play with just your friends



You should go here to learn more about it . https://robertsspaceindustries.com/about-the-game esp watch the video , he talks about squadron 42 and everything

 

[homerdog]

You can also set up your own server for star citizen and play with just your friends.

Holyshit are you serious? That changes everything. I am officially jacked .

WRT the "player skill trumps better ship" argument, you know what we'll end up with is hardcore players running around in 1337 ships that they pre-purchased with the skills to beat you even if the odds were even. It only throws things more out of whack. Fine with me anyway since I'll be playing in my own private universe.

Where can I read about doing my own server?