dsmart

Derek Smart · @dsmart

3rd Mar 2016 from TwitLonger

I just read this crap over at MMOSite: http://archive.is/WtJsR


And THIS is why we fight.

"The sci-fi themed sandbox space MMORPG/FPS is truly an amazing example that others should follow."

uhm, how about no?

On which planet is asking backers to pay for IMAGES OF SHIPS to the tune of $109M (to date), while, five years later, having nothing more than a tech demo to show for it, amount to:

"AMAZING EXAMPLE THAT OTHERS SHOULD FOLLOW"

Aside from the fact that, to date, the majority of what was promised has yet to be delivered in ANY shape or form. Amid several key features promised - and which backers gave money for - being either gimped or completely removed.

Let's not even get into the whole issue about how, not one, but several people who have actually managed projects, have already said that from what was promised (back in 2012), not even 10% (that was my count, others put it at 6%) has yet to be delivered.

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/funding-goals

$109M + five years, NOT EVEN 10%. So how on Earth are they going to deliver on 100% (insurmountable technical hurdles aside) promises made? Let alone in THIS lifetime?

As I type this, they can't - as in CANNOT - get more than 16 (up to 24 players, not ships) people into ANY instance of this game, without SIGNIFICANT issues. And they're supposed to be building an MMO (!!!).

This is just ONE recent example of where, today, a $109M project has delivered and claims to be "major"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR-aNJn-Gpc

Chris and ALL the execs know the game is up. That's one of the reasons why sources keep telling us that all the focus is on SQ42 (which is going to tank if what I'm hearing is true about the horrible acting, cut-scenes, ganky gameplay etc) which the majority of backers are already entitled to; having paid for it. Which pretty much means that there is NO way they're going to make money on THAT upcoming train-wreck by trying to sell it to non-backers. Even as they try to leap frog this whole thing by trying to release it first, ahead of Star Citizen.

Aside from the fact that NEITHER of these two games is EVER going to see a release in 2016.

Case in point. The sales metric for the SQ42 split (they separated SC from SQ42 to sell it separately) in which they barely broke $2M, is a clear indication that the bullshit is at an end.

But wait, there's yet another ship sale on the way I hear. But don't worry, they don't actually need the money you see.

Most of the Star Citizen backers don't give a toss about SQ42. For them, it was just another icing on the cake and NOT a primary component they asked for. Only Chris, in his perpetual state of delusion, cares about SQ42 because apparently, when this whole thing goes tits up - as we expect that it will - him and Sandi think this is their ticket back into Hollywood.

Anyone paying close attention to the development of SC from the release notes can clearly see that they're fixing bugs and tweaking a tech demo, while not adding ANY of the features backers have asked for. Which precisely explains the sudden release of UNANNOUNCED features in the latest 2.2 patch which were designed to be anti-grief, but are largely nothing more than stop-gap measures which clearly give proof that the direction (LOL!!) is completely off the rails and that the whole thing is FUBAR.

Yes. They're focused on anti-grief measures in an instanced game that, thus far, has yet to host more than 16 active ships or 24 players without significant issues.

Because feelz.

And it's already common knowledge that they prematurely released this mini-PU crap back in Dec in order to - as I said in my blog BEFORE they even did it - to satisfy a ToS delivery liability - and raise money at the same time. And that's precisely what they did because shortly after, they started using this crap as an excuse to stop doing refunds.

http://imgur.com/a9JSAt1

Here is a recent response that they sent to the BBB when someone complained.

http://i.imgur.com/KXedTH2.jpg

I would like to be a fly on the wall when, after all the complaints they've been getting, the FTC finally come calling. I hope they realize that they cannot pull this crap with a Federal agency.

That said, anyone who regards me as an un-biased source for all things related to this train wreck, only have themselves to blame if I'm off about something. However - thus far - every single thing I've said and written - has YET to be disproved.

And I'm going to say it again, the same statement I made back in July 2015 that started this "uprising".

====
Without disrespect to anyone, I’m just going to say it: it is my opinion that, this game, as has been pitched, will never get made. Ever. There isn’t a single publisher or developer on this planet who could build this game as pitched, let alone for anything less than $150 million. The original vision which I backed in 2012? Yes, that was totally doable. This new vision? Not a chance. The technical scope of this game surpasses GTAV, not to mention the likes of Halo. Do you have any idea what those games cost to make and how long they took? Do you know how many games which cost $50 million to make took almost five years to release? And they were nowhere in scope as Star Citizen?
====

In fact, even due to all the crap they've either cut, gimped or not delivered, they've ALREADY proven me to be 100% RIGHT in this regard.

We're at $109M in 2016. NO GAME.

And they are still raising funds using any means necessary. This despite Chris going on record many times saying that if funding stopped, they could still finish the game.

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/14184-Letter-From-The-Chairman

Then in yet another missive, claimed that if he's not making at least $3M per month, then he's not going to have that many resources to allocate to the game. Yes, he said that. It's sourced.

Which brings me to this 2014 statement re: $100M

https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/comment/3910150/#Comment_3910150

The collapse is coming. Like 38Studios and others over the course of our history, it will be swift and sudden. And given the exposure and money that has gone into this project, I would be very surprised if when the dust settles and the various agencies start getting involved, that even more revelations come to light. Especially when you have people with $10K all the way up to $40K invested in this game.

And when that happens, all the people who stood by and said nothing,or who kept writing all this bullshit while ignoring and/or obfuscating what has turned into the blatant fleecing of gamers (most who are now stuck in sunk cost fallacy, not to mention cognitive dissonance), are going to pay dearly because this industry NEVER forgets. Like never.

Reply · Report Post