Star Citizen

[Renen]

Hey guys. Hopefully I am allowed to post about this game here, if people are talking about other new soon to be released games...

Have you heard of star citizen? It's still in Alpha-testing, but its shaping up to be a rather interesting game. Now, what do you ask is interesting?
Its basically a "space simulator", kinda like EvE online if you ever heard of it. But if you hear that and say "So what? There are plenty of games where you fly around in a ship, like most Star Wars games have that, and on one is really excited about many of them."

Well, consider this: The game is not being made by a big publisher. It is a Kickstarter game. Now, this sounds like an indie game at this point. But it actually got 90 million dollars in funding. How? Well, after the kickstarter dates ended the company set up various ways for people to donate money to the game (along with additional stretch goals). So now the game is sitting at about 90 mill in funding, and has graphics better than probably 99.9% of the games out there.

I'd love to see if anyone here heard of it, and if not, here's a short video that is more or less a trailer that the company making it just has sitting on their youtube channel: Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJJ9TcGxhNY)

[factotum]

I backed it on Kickstarter but have been getting gradually less excited about it as time has gone on--they seem to be pushing the whole multiplayer aspect, which is the least interesting part of it. (It's the same reason I've not played Elite: Dangerous since it was released, despite also having backed it on Kickstarter). We seem to be in a really bad position for single-player space games at the minute, hope that changes soon.

[huttj509]

I was intrigued by the "wait, like wing commander, but my brother and I don't need to divide pilot and gunner between the same keyboard? I am intrigued!" Ah, memories of WC 2 (dating myself). "Shoot him!" "lead him better!"

It's since gone on the "I'll get excited when there's actually a release date" back burner.

Some really neat "in-universe" trailers/ads for the ships. I liked the one based off Top Gear.

[Renen]

I backed it on Kickstarter but have been getting gradually less excited about it as time has gone on--they seem to be pushing the whole multiplayer aspect, which is the least interesting part of it. (It's the same reason I've not played Elite: Dangerous since it was released, despite also having backed it on Kickstarter). We seem to be in a really bad position for single-player space games at the minute, hope that changes soon.

I think the amount of money that was raised was only possible if they had a focus on the multiplayer, since otherwise you play the game through once, and thats it. Meanwhile, there are people who spent 10,000+ dollars because it is for an online multiplayer game.

But they will have the single player component, which is promised to be quite good just on it's own.

[Aotrs Commander]

I am, as irony has it, currently downloading the most recent version. (I also backed the kickstarter.)

As with factofum, though, I am only here for the single-player campaign, and the occasional ten minutes to see how (if) its working. So it's mostly because I'll have to do it at some point to update the launcher, rather than me having any particular interest at the moment.

With the amount of money they've got, I am expecting that the single player campaign should be stellar. (Especially since all the upgrade I needed to actual meet the specs...) But after that, I suspect my interest will very quickly evaporate, since I don't multiplayer.

[Renen]

I don't multiplayer.

May I ask why not? To me multiplayer is like single player with less stupid AI.

[Eldan]

In most players, I also don't multiplayer, mostly because in my experience, multiplayer is like single player with characters who can't stay in character and suddenly vanish from time to time.

[Aotrs Commander]

I tried the basic flight tutorial.

Okay. I've been playing TIE Fighter regularly for nine months, I've never been in better form, so how come I suck so much? By the time I was done, my ship was a mass of red, and most of that was just getting OUT of the hangar. Thank frag there's an automated system...

(Oh, and it crashed as it exited the tutorial...)




May I ask why not? To me multiplayer is like single player with less stupid AI.

Because that's not what I play computer games for. I'm just not interested in competive play (or even co-operative play).

When I do want to play against a human opponent, I play a tabletop wargame. (And a very specific sort of wargame at that1.)

I am rather anti-competative. I've realised that the way I look at a game - any game - is more like a frame work for a story and/or a sort of interactive puzzle to "solve," rather than a thing to "win," if you follow my meaning. I just don't obtain any satisfaction from that. (Case in point, after completely a particularly difficult mission on TIE Fighter, my response is not "I'm proud I did that" so much as "right, perhaps I can get back to the fun bits again...") I thus play games more for the "story" or the "puzzle" they present, rather than from any particular desire to "win," if you follow me (And on the occassions I do find myself in the position of the latter, that's what stomping all over the AI slowly, while laughing, is for.) I always say I'm a wargamer who roleplays (DMs, mostly, actually...); I am not really a "gamer" in the general sense (I'm not interested in board games or card-based games, either nowadays.)

So, I'm interested in Star Citizen because TIE Fighter (for all the later campaign missions can be extremely tedious and frsutrating) is one of my favourite games, and there just hasn't been any like military space sims since Freespace 2 and Tachyon the Fringe. Neither the multiplayer nor persistent universe hold any appeal for me.



1The sort of wargames we play are very heavily tactical - a bit much for many folk, especially Manuver Group, because it's all about hard decisions which a lot of folk find to confusing2. (My Dad says his ideal game is where both players go away with a headache afterwards; it doesn't matter who actually won, that's not really the point.)

2The classic case is Manouvre Group, wherein at conventions, when people say "how far can you move" and we say "how fast to do you want to go? Top speed is as fast as you like, but frag help you if anybody sees you. We reckon we drawn the line at circumnavigating the board several times, though." And we have had people who geninuely can't cope with that sort of decision making, because it's not what they want to do.

[Rockphed]

2The classic case is Manouvre Group, wherein at conventions, when people say "how far can you move" and we say "how fast to do you want to go? Top speed is as fast as you like, but frag help you if anybody sees you. We reckon we drawn the line at circumnavigating the board several times, though." And we have had people who geninuely can't cope with that sort of decision making, because it's not what they want to do.

Huh, that sounds interesting. Where can I find a primer for the Manouvre Group?

As to Star Citizen, it isn't on my radar. I'm okay with flying a ship around and shooting stuff, but I don't know much about Star Citizen. I vaguely remember some trailer where there was a slug fest between two large ships with a fighter battle happening between, but I don't know if that was for Star Citizen or for some other property. Also, flying a ship around isn't really my cup of tea. I am more of a strategist than a pilot, so unless they let you pilot the big ship of doom and just ram stuff, I don't think I am going to be very good.

As for the multiplayer focus, it is somewhat annoying. Not everyone has reliably multi-gig connectivity. I want to be able to get plenty of play out of a game without having to schedule however much time a game takes and then find some other players to play with. Ideally, I would like to be able to get all the play out of a game in 1 - 3 hour increments that I won't know how long they are going to be until they are over. So while a multiplayer option isn't inherently bad, it doesn't really do much for me. What does it for me is things like a random mission generator (though I can't think of one off the top of my head), or a choice of starting options so broad that it is always possible to choose a new one to play through.

[NEO|Phyte]

I tried the basic flight tutorial.

Okay. I've been playing TIE Fighter regularly for nine months, I've never been in better form, so how come I suck so much? By the time I was done, my ship was a mass of red, and most of that was just getting OUT of the hangar. Thank frag there's an automated system...

(Oh, and it crashed as it exited the tutorial...)

TIE Fighter has a very different flight engine from Star Citizen. Star Citizen is physics based, no space handbrake, if you wanna stop, you need to apply thrust in the other direction. Similarly, if you're in a flying brick, expect wide turns.

[Aotrs Commander]

TIE Fighter has a very different flight engine from Star Citizen. Star Citizen is physics based, no space handbrake, if you wanna stop, you need to apply thrust in the other direction. Similarly, if you're in a flying brick, expect wide turns.

Clearly...

It also seems almost too touchy. I had a nightmare trying to take off manually, since I made the mistake of actually touching the mouse and that completely screwed my orientation. Might have to turn the sensitivity down when I start playing proper-like.




Huh, that sounds interesting. Where can I find a primer for the Manouvre Group?

Here (http://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/2500/Manoeuvre-Group).

In particular, note Manoeuvre Group Bulletin No 1 (which is free) which is essentially a brief tactics primer (on real-world tactics, which MG models (I say what MG is at heart is a tactics simulator)) with a bit of rules stuff at the end, which might give you some idea.

You could also go ask on TMP (http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/topics.mv?id=23) (The Miniatures Pages, specifically the Modern Discussion boards) where UshCha, the co-author is a fairly regular poster. (I post there too, more often now since my Aotrs Shipyards became A Proper Thing.)

[ShadowFighter15]

Clearly...

It also seems almost too touchy. I had a nightmare trying to take off manually, since I made the mistake of actually touching the mouse and that completely screwed my orientation. Might have to turn the sensitivity down when I start playing proper-like.

That's another part of the flight model - it's not just lateral movement that's physics driven but your ship's rotation as well, odds are what you did was try to stop the initial rotation but you over-corrected and then over-corrected back the other way and so-on. Basically you didn't give the manoeuvring thrusters time to do their job.

It's a pain in the neck at first, but it just means you have to be a bit smoother with your turns; easing the ship into a new vector rather than just quickly whipping it around like you would in older space games.

[Aotrs Commander]

That's another part of the flight model - it's not just lateral movement that's physics driven but your ship's rotation as well, odds are what you did was try to stop the initial rotation but you over-corrected and then over-corrected back the other way and so-on. Basically you didn't give the manoeuvring thrusters time to do their job.

It's a pain in the neck at first, but it just means you have to be a bit smoother with your turns; easing the ship into a new vector rather than just quickly whipping it around like you would in older space games.

No, the problem was literally I TOUCHED the mouse.

I had no intention of doing anything other than flying it out by strafe on the keyboard, but I clipped the mouse and wham, that was it. I ended up stablising it with the joystick because the mouse was so unwieldy.

I don't even like trying to fly with the mouse, that's what I have a joystick for. (If I could find a toggle to disable the mouse from flight control altogether I would do. Not sure there is one, though.)

[factotum]

I want to be able to get plenty of play out of a game without having to schedule however much time a game takes and then find some other players to play with. Ideally, I would like to be able to get all the play out of a game in 1 - 3 hour increments that I won't know how long they are going to be until they are over.

That's exactly the reason I don't like multiplayer--too much having to schedule your game time to match up with online friends. Plus there's the whole aspect of practice--I have a job and my gaming time is limited, so I'm never going to be as good or have as much stuff as the sort of person who can spend nearly their entire waking hours in the game; this means I'm at a disadvantage if I'm trying to fight them, and I don't contribute as much as I'd like if I'm co-operating with them.

[thorgrim29]

I backed it in early 2013 but I haven't been following the development too much, mainly because the client is absurdly huge so when it does come out I'll probably have to ration my internet over a few months to get it. I hope it ends up being everything we're hoping for, but if it's not then I'm only out 45 $, not a big deal, and I'm sure I'll at least get some enjoyment out of the single player.

[RandomMissy]

For anyone planning to sign up, they actually unveiled a referral program, that aside from the usial rewards for the referrer, gives 5000 game credits to the person who signs up with the code.
Here's my code for example:

STAR-YBR7-MGCF

[GungHo]

May I ask why not? To me multiplayer is like single player with less stupid AI.

Personally, I don't really like interacting a whole lot with the dregs of the internet. If I'm in a group of like-minded folks, I get along pretty well. But, the first time someone comes along and starts posting internet memes and saying "I'm gonna snarf in your face snarf snarf", the illusion is gone and I just want to talk to someone's parents. The worst part of it is that sometimes that person is someone's parent.

[Rockphed]

Personally, I don't really like interacting a whole lot with the dregs of the internet. If I'm in a group of like-minded folks, I get along pretty well. But, the first time someone comes along and starts posting internet memes and saying "I'm gonna snarf in your face snarf snarf", the illusion is gone and I just want to talk to someone's parents. The worst part of it is that sometimes that person is someone's parent.

You are so behind the times; snarf blasting is so last week.:smallcool:

[Alyka]

For those who are in the alpha play, is there much play outside of your ship?

[Renen]

*Back from long absence due to health issues*

They are actually starting the open world test soon. You can fly in ships and shoot stuff, as well as disembark (and EVA) and be able to shoot at people like in any FPS game.

[Knaight]

Personally, I don't really like interacting a whole lot with the dregs of the internet. If I'm in a group of like-minded folks, I get along pretty well. But, the first time someone comes along and starts posting internet memes and saying "I'm gonna snarf in your face snarf snarf", the illusion is gone and I just want to talk to someone's parents. The worst part of it is that sometimes that person is someone's parent.

You clearly put the dreg line a lot higher than most. "I'm gonna snarf in your face snarf snarf" is a mild irritant, the dregs are the ones who are spamming the chat with an unceasing torrent of racial slurs or similar.

[Renen]

Yeh. When you are on the internet (unless its a civilized place like this), being told "I'm gonna snarf in your face snarf snarf" is at most a mild irritant. There are career trolls out there that can probably work as professional psychologists because of how well they can manipulate people into losing it.