Star Citizen - Letter from the Chairman

Cloud Imperium Games founder and Star Citizen boss Chris Roberts has posted one of his extensive “letters from the Chairman” providing insight on the development of the crowdfunded game.

[Tech5]

"It is better to treat Squadron 42 like a beautifully wrapped present under the tree that you are excited to open on Christmas Day, not knowing exactly what is inside, other than that it’s going to be great.

Because of this I have decided that it is best to not show Squadron 42 gameplay publicly, nor discuss any release date until we are closer to the home stretch and have high confidence in the remaining time needed to finish the game to the quality we want."

"We’re Making Steady Strides in Progress
Many backers who’ve taken breaks and come back to the game marvel at how much it has progressed, especially since last summer. With each successive patch, from 3.5 to 3.6 to 3.7 and into this year"
https://robertsspaceindustr...

At least the game continues to receive fan feedback and acknowledge quality over a deadline.
in the wake of cyberpunk which ignored much of this. and as a result hardly anyone was able to playtest cyberpunk behind closed doors for years. a much needed component for the process of building solid gameplay.

[zawepa]

It sounds like great progress is being made. it remains to be seen on Squadron 42's launch reception.
quite a few developers launch their games in a messy state and then spend the next years fixing their games.
in the case of Squadron 42 all of the fixing is done through a ecosystem of backers and reception. hopefully it pays-off very well.

[kryteris]

perhaps we will see it land on the next gen consoles in 5 years.

[nyu1]

To put it very simply, it's what a lot of people predicted when the first roadmap for SQ42 came out, as well as the vertical slice in 2017-18. It was going to be delayed. Big game, lots of moving parts. CIG is a big studio, but not THAT big for what they are attempting. They have shown parts of SQ42 this year, and it's clear it is not anywhere near completion.

Having already taken that into consideration, I think CIG make a good decision here. From the point of view of the game, this changes nothing. Anyhow, it's ready when it's ready (that's clearly not going to change at this point)

[xTonyMontana]

Cyberpunk has a full retail release though.

[SmokinAces]

"I have decided that it is best to not show Squadron 42 gameplay publicly,"

Hmm seems like we've seen this type of thing recently. The law suits on this one are going to be EPIC!

[RazzerRedux]

No, this is nothing like what we have seen with CDPR 2077. CIG is privately owned and crowd funding is not the equivalent of publicy traded stock.

[SmokinAces]

Wont stop a class action and with a large crowd funding group it will be even worse than what CDPR is dealing with. Once people wake up and realize they're being scammed its going to be a field day for the lawyers.

[RazzerRedux]

People who are backing the game are actively playing the game. That isn't a scam.

[SmokinAces]

Lots of people get scammed and are unaware of it, so is the case with backers of this "game", hopefully they'll wake up and realize it sooner rather than later.

[RazzerRedux]

In this case, those calling it a scam do so from a position of ignorance. Explain to PapShuffler below how he is being scammed since you are claiming he is unaware of being scammed.

"Yes, the game is mind-blowing so far. No, it's not the best game ever. That is subjective and the game is unfinished. However, what is there already exceeds any game in certain aspects and is still lacking in others that are still being worked on. There are substantial quarterly patches with hotfixes in between. No game company in history has done full open development like CIG. I applaud them for it as you can see the cost of that is some impatient or ill-informed consumers take it as a scam. It was woth the price of admission to me, just to gain insights into AAA game development.For me personally, it already is one of my favorite games ever. The game costs $45 and comes with a starter ship. Everything else, aside from a few cosmetics, is purchasable in game with some time. So to me it is absolutely worth the money and time. There are criticisms to be made, sure. However, it being a scam isn't a valid one, seeing as the game already outclasses many AAA games in many ways such as attention to detail, flight mechanics, scalability of the game engine, physics, and world building among many others."

[SmokinAces]

All the explaining in the world wont make someone blind to reality suddenly see, they have to figure it out for themselves. I dont need an essay from you on why you think its not a scam you've made yourself very clear on this before and as I told you then I dont care what you think, I think its a scam end of and all your replies and name calling isn't going to change that. Move on for now bud we can discus it further when the inevitable law suits start.

[RazzerRedux]

Yeah, pretty much the response I expected. You call it a scam but basically your argument comes down to "it is a scam because I say so".

"I dont need an essay from you on why you think its not a scam you've made yourself very clear on this before and as I told you then I dont care what you think..."

That wasn't from me. I clearly quoted and pointed to PapaShuffler's post below. It is truly hilarious that you want this to be a scam so much that you will blatantly ignore statements from those who actually play the game. You call them "blind to reality" but you don't want to hear what they have to say. At least, thesoftware730 is asking backers questions and not making willfully ignorant assumptions. And if you don't care what I think then stop replying.

"I think its a scam end of and all your replies and name calling isn't going to change that."

lol...I didn't call you any names at all.

[SmokinAces]

You've called me ignorant now twice but its cool I'm not the angry person here, stated my opinion on this scam of a game and you're the one who replied not the other way around so I don't need to argue with you either deal with it or dont doesn't matter to me, clearly you're not getting the response you're looking for guess you'll have to try someone else to attack and insult and see if that gets you the fight you're clearly looking for. Happy New Year and Happy Gaming bud.

"And if you don't care what I think then stop replying."

If you dont care for my opinion you should take your own advice.

[RazzerRedux]

@SmokinAces

"You've called me ignorant now twice "

Simply not true.

"...those calling it a scam do so from a position of ignorance"
"At least, thesoftware730 is asking backers questions and not making willfully ignorant assumptions. "

In neither case did I reference you directly. This is no more "name calling" than YOU saying SC backers are "blind to reality".

"but its cool I'm not the angry person here, stated my opinion on this scam of a game and you're the one who replied not the other way around so I don't need to argue with you either deal with it or dont doesn't matter to me, clearly you're not getting the response you're looking for guess you'll have to try someone else to attack and insult and see if that gets you the fight you're clearly looking for. Happy New Year and Happy Gaming bud."

Why are you making up these "insults" and "anger" references? You are inventing a fictional persona to argue with and assigning attributes to point to because you know you don't have anything worthwhile to say. It is like you need me to be this angry, insulting person in your head. Fact is what I said before is dead on and you know it. Your only argument that SC is a scam is "because I said so". That's it. No substance.

"If you dont care for my opinion you should take your own advice."

I'm not the one repeating claims of "don't need to argue" and it "doesn't matter" to you and you "don't care" what I think. You keep replying over and over proving that none of that is true. You have made up a fictional persona of yourself just as you did with me. lol

[SmokinAces]

Like I said I dont need an essay from you yet here's another one, you're clearly very angry over this game and any ones opinion that doesn't reflect your own that's why YOU replied first and keep replying. I dont need you to be anything, you are what you are angry and insulting and that's not my fault. Your insults and name calling rather direct or implied are a fact regardless of rather you want to make excuses for them. The games is a scam lots of people agree so get over it. Again Happy New Year and Happy Gaming.

[RazzerRedux]

Then why are you here writing "essays"? Why are you clearly upset that others enjoy a game and call it a scam even though you cannot come up with any substantial argument explaining how? Why are you insulting those gamers as "blind to reality" whether it is "direct or implied"? You are complaining about me while doing the exact same things you complain about in the process.

"lots of people agree"

That statement sums your argument up perfectly.

Appeal to Common Belief
"When the claim that most or many people in general or of a particular group accept a belief as true is presented as evidence for the claim. Accepting another person’s belief, or many people’s beliefs, without demanding evidence as to why that person accepts the belief, is lazy thinking and a dangerous way to accept information."

https://www.logicallyfallac...

[SmokinAces]

I'm not writing essays bud I stated my opinion which triggered you and now I have to keep replying becasue you keep making angry comments about it. Did I ever say I was upset about others "enjoying" the "game", literally never made that comment I said its a scam you and anyone else are entitled to be scammed by it and I'm entitled to call it as I see it. Bro take a breath and calm down seriously, you've made it your life's mission to defend this its like you're best buds with Chris Roberts or something, lol. Relax have a beer or smoke a spliff if that's your thing and chill out its not that serious. This endless ship purchasing alpha test you call a game is a scam and the lawsuits are inevitable period. Now I'm done wasting my time with this and letting you try to bait me into a fight and an argument over it becasue you cant deal with other peoples opinions so since you're incapable I'll be the bigger person here and call it done, reply if you want I wont be reading whatever you reply with, so much like playing Scam Citizen you'll be wasting your time.

[RazzerRedux]

"I'm not writing essays"

Neither am I, but you keep saying it so you get the same treatment.

"Did I ever say I was upset about others "enjoying" the "game"..."

Did I ever say I was angry about any of this? Nope and I'm not, but you keep saying I am so you get the same treatment. It is a bit ironic that you don't like being told what you are feeling, isn't it?

"I said its a scam you and anyone else are entitled to be scammed by it and I'm entitled to call it as I see it"

Yes and I quite thoroughly exposed the fact that your opinion is uninformed. I'm just as "entitled" to say so. You simply don't like it.

"Bro take a breath and calm down seriously...."

If anyone is worked up here, it is you. I'm completely calm.

"This endless ship purchasing alpha test you call a game is a scam and the lawsuits are inevitable period."

Congrats on actually making a point even if it is wrong. Purchasing ships is entirely optional and can be achieved in-game. Plenty of people make a one time $45 purchase and get 100s of hours of actual game time. There are plenty of videos on youtube of people enjoying being "scammed" while playing this game and I suggest you check them out. So you see, once again, you are uninformed.

"since you're incapable I'll be the bigger person here and call it done, reply if you want I wont be reading whatever you reply with"

Saying you are the "bigger person" is self-defeating. You are saying I am the lesser person which is a personal insult. So how can you be the "bigger person" while you hurl insults? And aren't you the one who first started complaining about insults? More irony.

[Tekken66634]

star citizen is divided into two projects. Online Game and a single player game. both sharing the same galaxy.
The Online game star citizen will be shown publicly and will receive updates every 3 months.
and have content updates regularly. like most online games.

Chris Roberts -" In the meantime, Star Citizen is the best visibility into the gameplay and technical progress we make; you can download a new update every three months with new features and content, as well as advances in tech."

The single player game Squadron 42 will have a launch date when backers are pleased with the quality of it.
until then backers get exclusive viewings of it.

- Chris Roberts - "Squadron 42 will be done when it is done, and will not be released just to make a date, but instead only when all the technology and content is finished, the game is polished, and it plays great."

"We will continue with our monthly reports for Squadron 42, and we will also share our current development progress in our New Roadmap. "

Squadron 42 is said to have a "narrative experience that will rival the biggest sci-fi event films. " - Chris Roberts

[nyu1]

"The single player game Squadron 42 will have a launch date when backers are pleased with the quality of it.
until then backers get exclusive viewings of it."

This isn't quite true. They didn't say this anywhere. They're not showing anything until they are happy with it internally.

[SinisterKieran]

Remember when crusader was coming this year, we even hoped pyros was coming

[DFresh]

Biggest development scam in gaming history.
This game will never come out and even if it does come out it will already look dated to other newer games.

[RazzerRedux]

The game has been out for a couple of years now. People have been playing it for a while now. This is not your typical game release schedule and people who criticize need to be more informed about what SC really is.

[RazzerRedux]

There are plenty right here:

https://www.youtube.com/res...

Strange all these people playing a game that isn't even out? lol

[got_dam]

I have no faith. I am fundamentally apposed to the selling of multi- thousand dollar ships for a game that is nowhere near finished (or at all, especially when they have racked up hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars from crowd funding).

[ALICE_666]

Imagine backing this like an idiot in 2012. I am that idiot.

[CosmicTurtle]

Don’t be harsh on yourself. That’s the problem, games lure us in with their promise, had this released by now it’d be awful. You saw something that looked mind blowing at the time, these rarely fulfil our projections. I’ve not played anything that has truly blown my mind for years, but I still hold out hope.

[thesoftware730]

Surprise. another promise of greatness from this game.

Here is a question for any backer...is the game mindblowing so far? Is it the best game you ever played? Is it even in the top 10 best games you ever played?

Let's say the game is not just some big scam.......is it really worth all the money and time?

[PapaShuffler]

Yes, the game is mind-blowing so far. No, it's not the best game ever. That is subjective and the game is unfinished. However, what is there already exceeds any game in certain aspects and is still lacking in others that are still being worked on. There are substantial quarterly patches with hotfixes in between. No game company in history has done full open development like CIG. I applaud them for it as you can see the cost of that is some impatient or ill-informed consumers take it as a scam. It was woth the price of admission to me, just to gain insights into AAA game development.For me personally, it already is one of my favorite games ever. The game costs $45 and comes with a starter ship. Everything else, aside from a few cosmetics, is purchasable in game with some time. So to me it is absolutely worth the money and time. There are criticisms to be made, sure. However, it being a scam isn't a valid one, seeing as the game already outclasses many AAA games in many ways such as attention to detail, flight mechanics, scalability of the game engine, physics, and world building among many others.

[savedsynner]

I was an original kickstarted backer. There is no (good)reason this has taken this long. Chris has the idea that the entire game and the equivalent of every DLC Expansion and Sequel need to be ready before releasing it. The could have released the base game, finished, and THEN worked on the extra stuff. Instead everything is being developed in parallel and it's like dude, just release the friggin thing already.