[Megathread] Star Citizen

[Val the Moofia Boss]

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/s...update/3260782

Why did it take them this long to come out and say it? Should have posted a notice ASAP after the public publish date had passed "sorry we didn't get a video out on time, we didn't get the footage we wanted at the quality we wanted, this is why, we are redoing it", rather than leaving the community in limbo.

[Edge-]

Why did it take them this long to come out and say it? Should have posted a notice ASAP after the public publish date had passed "sorry we didn't get a video out on time, we didn't get the footage we wanted at the quality we wanted, this is why, we are redoing it", rather than leaving the community in limbo.

Who knows. I imagine there was a lot of internal pressure and handwringing that led to poor communication decisions. The way the frame it is even odd, as it's framed initially as a down-and-dirty info dump that's not intended to take up much in the way of dev time/resources, but then he waxes poetic about how it wasn't measuring up to their quality expectations as if it's some heavily produced marketing video. I feel bad for the art team who have to work even longer hours so that they can grab whatever footage it is they're grabbing.

[Elim Garak]

They realized they need to actually make the SQ42 content to shoot the video of it.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

They realized they need to actually make the SQ42 content to shoot the video of it.

Kinda hard to make SQ42 ship battles when they keep rebalancing the flight model and combat mechanics every year. Gotta keep going back and redoing prior battles everytime there is a rebalance.

[Barzotti]

Why did it take them this long to come out and say it? Should have posted a notice ASAP after the public publish date had passed "sorry we didn't get a video out on time, we didn't get the footage we wanted at the quality we wanted, this is why, we are redoing it", rather than leaving the community in limbo.

Because CiG needs to announce something (they announced a roadmap to a roadmap to a roadmap, ffs) to boost the upcoming Anniversary sales.

More seriously, CiG reacted to news starting running stories about delays. Like this one two days ago:

https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/07/ev...t-squadron-42/

I don't think CiG was planning to say anything at all (open communication is definitely not their strongest suit), they're just reacting to public backlash in their typical fashion.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I don't think CiG was planning to say anything at all (open communication is definitely not their strongest suit), they're just reacting to public backlash in their typical fashion.

It's really sad, because they used to be really open with us. Wingman's Hanger, Around the Verse, Bugsmashers... CIG reps interacting with people on the forums...

[Barzotti]

It's really sad, because they used to be really open with us. Wingman's Hanger, Around the Verse, Bugsmashers... CIG reps interacting with people on the forums...

I follow SC "development" since last summer because a close friend of mine got hooked into the game, talked about it endlessly, spent several hundred euros in ships he couldn't even fly with and tried to convince me to do the same. At this point, I don't think SQ42 is ever going to be released and feel sad for my friend and the backers because CiG doesn't even have the basic decency to tell the truth.

[Gorsameth]

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/s...update/3260782

Updates. SQ42 video should be coming out in the next few weeks, apparently it's been a bit of a shitshow with multiple reshoots and requiring the art team to work overtime to pull new footage. I don't know why they're so dead-set on these overly produced videos that they rightly say are extremely time consuming. Which is odd, because they frame this new SQ42 video series as a "lower effort" video supposedly in a "scrappy and fast manner" but it sure seems like it's taken an excess amount of time for such an affair. I get that reshoots may be necessary, but given how extensive they appear to sound it seems almost like whoever mapped out the video royally screwed up on matching footage to the topics which is bit of a problem. It seems people care less about how well produced it is and far more about what they include based on the comments, it's not exactly a happy affair.

And a new roadmap is coming. Which I feel they've done a few times before?

Shooting a video in content that doesn't exist is hard work. They needed the time to make the limited one off environment to shoot the actual video in, that is also why they didn't mention this earlier because they didn't know how long it would take to create this area.

- - - Updated - - -

It's really sad, because they used to be really open with us. Wingman's Hanger, Around the Verse, Bugsmashers... CIG reps interacting with people on the forums...

That was back when they still thought they could deliver on their promises.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

also

did they seriously give us a roadmap... to the next iteration of the roadmap?

what

so we need to wait to find out how long we need to wait for something that may or may not be delayed, or might not even actually be in development anyway

[Edge-]

also

did they seriously give us a roadmap... to the next iteration of the roadmap?

what

so we need to wait to find out how long we need to wait for something that may or may not be delayed, or might not even actually be in development anyway

I mean, how much time and how many internal resources is this taking up, I wonder? If they're having art staff stay beyond work hours to grab footage, who are they forcing to stay after work ours to work on this? What kind of impact will this have on development teams? (these were all factors discussed in light of the SQ42 video, so I don't see why they wouldn't apply here) I get they wanted to end on a "happier" note, but this sure ain't it : /

[Rennadrel]

Shooting a video in content that doesn't exist is hard work. They needed the time to make the limited one off environment to shoot the actual video in, that is also why they didn't mention this earlier because they didn't know how long it would take to create this area.

The onus is on you to prove that statement. Their biggest failure has been to get the content designed and rolled out into SC, which is also being used in SQ42. The reality is that one won't exist without the other, hence why it would be difficult to create any sort of video knowing what SC has currently as far as completed content and what's still to come in terms of environments and assets.

- - - Updated - - -

I mean, how much time and how many internal resources is this taking up, I wonder? If they're having art staff stay beyond work hours to grab footage, who are they forcing to stay after work ours to work on this? What kind of impact will this have on development teams? (these were all factors discussed in light of the SQ42 video, so I don't see why they wouldn't apply here) I get they wanted to end on a "happier" note, but this sure ain't it : /

The art team is usually the least "busy" part of any development team, doing media projects for the community should totally be something they are doing if they aren't busy making content for the game. Makes me wonder why they couldn't be spending time making more face options for NPC's.

[Edge-]

The art team is usually the least "busy" part of any development team, doing media projects for the community should totally be something they are doing if they aren't busy making content for the game.

Considering they're likely working additional ships/vehicles to sell, as they've been doing for years, and IIRC heavily involved in touching up procedurally generated cities and planets, and this is still in deep development, I imagine they don't have anywhere the kind of free time that you think they do. There are still an enormous number of art assets to generate and place within the game if they want to reach 100 star systems.

Makes me wonder why they couldn't be spending time making more face options for NPC's.

If they don't even have the time to work on this video during work hours, I think late added details like more cosmetic options for NPC's isn't anywhere near the top of their priority list.

[Gorsameth]

The onus is on you to prove that statement. Their biggest failure has been to get the content designed and rolled out into SC, which is also being used in SQ42. The reality is that one won't exist without the other, hence why it would be difficult to create any sort of video knowing what SC has currently as far as completed content and what's still to come in terms of environments and assets.

Can I prove it? ofcourse no I don't have a secret SQ42 build but a combination of what you say, SQ42 relying on systems from SC that don't/barely exist, the state of the SQ42 roadmap when it was last updated, the fact that the roadmap isn't being updated anymore, the time it is taking to produce this video and the lack of communication about it leads me squarely in that direction.

It also doesn't help that SC has done this before with their sandworm video back in 2016.

[Jastall]

A showcase video being delayed for months and the roadmap being actually a roadmap to a roadmap?

So far so Star Citizen.

[Edge-]

Kotaku covered this news and surfaced an older comment on the SQ42 roadmap that...oh boy - https://kotaku.com/a-reminder-that-s...ere-1829672857

I’m sorry if you thought the end of that trailer would have a release date on it. That said, developers Cloud Imperium tell us “we will publish the full roadmap to Squadron 42’s release in December”, so maybe it won’t be that far off after all.

That was 2018. And they're still trying to figure out roadmaps.

[Kyanion]

That was 2018. And they're still trying to figure out roadmaps.

It is astounding how they've managed to fail upwards and continue to get money when they cannot deliver even on simple things like a damn roadmap. I still think eventually they'll get to a point where people just don't care anymore and stop giving them money. Until then keep kicking that can down the road CiG.

[Easo]

And a new roadmap is coming. Which I feel they've done a few times before?

I think you meant roadmap for the roadmap. Literally
P.S.
Kenn has been curiously absent now...

[Jastall]

Kotaku covered this news and surfaced an older comment on the SQ42 roadmap that...oh boy - https://kotaku.com/a-reminder-that-s...ere-1829672857



That was 2018. And they're still trying to figure out roadmaps.

I still maintain that they should have went full steam ahead on SQ42. Use that game to establish their flight model and combat, make the universe known, get their game engine running properly, build themselves a reputation, and funnel the profits towards the MMO. Keep selling .jpgs of ships in the meantime to fund the whole thing while making it clear that Star Citizen itself is a ways off but still coming once the studio cuts its teeth on its first game.

Maybe that way they get fewer whales swept up in the dream and spending thousands of dollars on pretend starships, but they would gain so much otherwise. This business of trying to make two games at once obviously isn't working out anytime soon if at all.

[Majestic12]

Why did it take them this long to come out and say it? Should have posted a notice ASAP after the public publish date had passed "sorry we didn't get a video out on time, we didn't get the footage we wanted at the quality we wanted, this is why, we are redoing it", rather than leaving the community in limbo.

It's because massivelyop and kotaku published articles on the state of CIG and Star Citizen.They outright ignore backers, but when big dogs do something, CIG reacts as a last resort. It's not a coincidence that they posted this now.

They're not sorry, CIG simply came to learn over the years how insignificant backers are that complain. Backers' only hope at this point is hoping someone bigger notices.

[1001]

It's because massivelyop and kotaku published articles on the state of CIG and Star Citizen.They outright ignore backers, but when big dogs do something, CIG reacts as a last resort. It's not a coincidence that they posted this now.

They're not sorry, CIG simply came to learn over the years how insignificant backers are that complain. Backers' only hope at this point is hoping someone bigger notices.

Zyloh tried claiming that the articles had nothing to do with their decision
Never mind that a lot of people on Spectrum had been asking for months about this video and an update of Sq42 without getting any news of merit and as soon as websites start picking it up they cannot move fast enough to get something out there.

Totally highlights their priorities. PR over backer engagement.

And then the roadmap to the roadmap is just another example of them kicking the ball down the road.

Why would you need weeks to 1/ Give an explanation of the goals of our new roadmap and what to expect from it and then more weeks before you can 2/ Show a rough mockup of the proposed new roadmap with yet more weeks before you can 3/ Share a work in progress version of the roadmap for at least one of our core teams and then even more weeks before 4/ And then finally transition to this new roadmap

They've been gutting the other roadmap as a way to avoid any accountability and it really seems like they are doing the same here, just push this as far away as possible. That it just starts getting close to the anniversary sale is clearly just a coincidence and not a distraction....