Star Citizen

[Skoop]

I know this won't fit with "the general feel", but I've actually uninstalled this sometime ago.

I was piss bored with launching on every new iteration only to see a slide show of a game or realise the development progress was not actually worth the 20-30-40 GB of data download! And then I'd only see a lack of content. More content - but still really not alot more. I'm well aware there's more content each time it arrives - but in terms of financial investment this game is constantly punching under it's weight.

Everyone will tell you there's alot to be excited about when a new iteration is coming up. But there's really not. You will be waiting years for this game to become a game...and there's been people waiting years already.

I know it has it's supporters and it's made progress - but for the money invested and the product that's there, the progress is piss poor. If I was to program like this in my company I'd be redundant.

Sorry - I've been wanting to post this for ages and I haven't because I didn't want to be called a "debbie downer" again. But I have watched this thread. I have bought this game. I have updated it again, and again and again and I can't find "a game" in this game. The game state with the money involved is piss poor.

I won't bother checking back in this forum because I can imagine the rhetoric that's heading my way. I just want to give you another perspective...Your gaming money is important to you...be careful where you spend it.

I fully expect some aggravation for this because people are invested in it - but I also think people should be aware about what is actually there for the money, what is likely to be there and for their expectations to be managed.

For the entry price, for a game that has millions of dollars invested, you will get alpha access to a basic system.

Really that's it. And if it happens to run on your system without slide-showing all over the place, then you are one lucky bunny.

I'm not talking from the perspective of someone who has been reading the media about this game. I'm talking about from the perspective of someone who bought into the game on a basic level and has seen so very little progress over the years. There really is not a game here. When I bought into it, I new it was in Alpha. I didn't think it would be in Alpha years later.

I'll get accused of not understanding the game or the mechanics or even the development...whatever. I'm a Software Engineer - not specifically of the game genre admittedly - but I know what's involved with development of a product (I'm not a Software Developer - I'm a Software Engineer) and this is being hugely mishandled and misrepresented.

I think your points are valid judge, because like you said you actually bought in and tried it out rather than criticizing from the side line with no in game experience.

I think valid criticism like judge's is important for the process so there's some accountablily there or this thing will never get done.

This is like the Dcs of space sims, many thought DCS would never get to the state its in today and it's still not finished.  I think star citizen's path will be similar, in that it will never really be finished they'll keep adding to it for the next ten years. 
I think the squadron 42 development is a key point as that will bring fleshed out AI in SP, which will then expand the gameplay in MP verse.  Having AI crew for all my multi crew ships will be game changer for me.

[Jarhead0331]

I think the squadron 42 development is a key point as that will bring fleshed out AI in SP, which will then expand the gameplay in MP verse.  Having AI crew for all my multi crew ships will be game changer for me.

I agree with this. SQ42 is a key part of the game and i think they should have prioritized it over the PU, especially considering the Wing Commander lineage. My fear is that a playable beta or even an alpha of SQ42 is at least a year and a half to two years away. i hope I'm wrong.

As an aside...I wouldn't count on being able to use your PU ships in the SQ42 universe with AI crew. My understanding is that the PU and SQ42 are totally separate beasts. SQ42 is campaign based and relatively linear. You will fly as a navy pilot, or something like that. I don't think there will be much of an open or sandbox world. That is the whole point of the PU. Definitely correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they will be porting over any elements of SQ42, like AI, into the PU...

[Skoop]

It's my understanding that the pu will be filled up with AI NPCs moving about much like X4.  I saw somewhere in the last citizen con that the pu will be 80 percent AI to make a living world and players just interact with it as it moves along.  It makes sense as the servers can only handle so many human players, the AI has to flesh out the rest.

The AI being developed for Sq42 I'm thinking will lay the foundation for deeper AI NPC behavior that's needed in the PU. 

[Yskonyn]

So does that mean the PU will be instanced, like Elite Dangerous with a persistent overal world run by AI but instanced sessions where small groups of players can be in the same session?

That would be a radical departure from how I always took their plans.
But it makes sense on the scale they want the world to be, though.

[Skoop]

So does that mean the PU will be instanced, like Elite Dangerous with a persistent overal world run by AI but instanced sessions where small groups of players can be in the same session?

That would be a radical departure from how I always took their plans.
But it makes sense on the scale they want the world to be, though.

I'm not sure what the initial plan was, I've only been involved in 2019.  I just don't see the PU functioning with out NPC AI in large numbers populating it along with 50 person servers or maybe more as tech improves.

The citizen con presentation I saw detailed their plans for the PU economy and it looked a lot like X4 to me with all the AI moving around on trade routes with AI pirates interdicting them.  They described that the players will interact with all that's going on...you can be running the trade route, raiding the trade route, or protecting the trade route.  As gameplay expands, human players can use salvage ships in salvage ops, medical ships in medivac ops, mining is already in game and you can now multicrew mine in the Argo Mole.  One thing that looks intriguing is the Krakken Privateer, basically a capital ship that transforms to a space station with vender stores and various facilities on board.  I can't imagine that working with out NPCs fleshing out your crew.

[Jarhead0331]

You Can't imagine it, but did they say that in the stream? I sure as helll hope you are right, but I am unaware of any official acknowledgement that the player will be able to crew vehicles and ships with the AI. Would obviously be fantastic, but we'll be waiting 10 years for that tech.

[Skoop]

You Can't imagine it, but did they say that in the stream? I sure as helll hope you are right, but I am unaware of any official acknowledgement that the player will be able to crew vehicles and ships with the AI. Would obviously be fantastic, but we'll be waiting 10 years for that tech.

That's what I thought when I saw presentation.  After I Ooo'd and Awwwed for a minute, I came back to reality and realized it'll take years for that to come to fruition.
 

[Destraex]

Another paid campaign will come later. Maybe in that. For now I say KISS. But fully expect sq42 to attempt ai crew in at least a first iteration.

[Yskonyn]

Isn't SQ42 a modern Wing Commander? A arcadey space combat game on rails with a linear storyline?
I don't think it'll be much more than that. (I do not mean this in a derogative manner) It will look absolutely stunning however.

[Skoop]

^ Your right, it is on rails and solely focused on SP.  The PU has plenty of SP PVE action if you don't want MP.  You just do your own thing and avoid the human players when you see 'em. 

[Jarhead0331]

.

[Skoop]

Looks like a new update is live 3.8.1, main thing I noticed is that it adds the medical / search and rescue version of cutlass (red).  The medical gameplay is very limited, but a cutlass red medical beds will get you 100% health healing and the ability to respawn to the medical bed when killed.  This is probably a key feature for the upcoming Theater of War (Battlefield style) game mode.  The med bed respawning will be useful in the PU for tackling FPS missions like the 890 jump hijack mission.

[Jarhead0331]

Yeah...the medical system is in its infancy. I'm sure it is going to change a lot.

I actually don't have anything in the Drake Cutlass line. Thinking about getting the Black. Any thoughts?

[Skoop]

The black is suppose to be the best all around entry level jack of all traits ship. You can upgrade all the weapons and systems to give it more punch in the heavy fighter role.

If your getting a cutlass you might seriously think of getting the Red.  It's missing the turret ( I never multi crew so I don't miss it) and has less cargo space than the black due to the med beds.  It has one of the best search radars in the game (for search and rescue missions in the future), and mobile spawn points....so, I think I'll get one as I have plenty of cargo, mining, and combat ships already. 

They even have a black and red combo pack if you can't decide and want to just get them both.

Or, you can just wait till the wipes stop and earn those in game.  I keep telling myself that with some of the smaller combat ships that I'm temped to buy with cash.  You could earn a ship in game after a few heavy UEC grinding days.

[Jarhead0331]

Been playing 3.8.2 live. Very stable. Love my Anvil Valkyrie.

I enjoy taking simple, low risk delivery missions. Gets me out and about exploring all the different locations.

Coming out of quantum space


Entering Hurston atmosphere


On approach to Tessa Spaceport, Lorville, Hurston


Docked at Bay 007


Ready for cargo loading


Staring in awe


Such a badass ship