• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Star Citizen's single player campaign will miss 2016 launch date

Sinistral

Member
Has anyone done a burn rate breakdown?

HBO5-BurnRate.jpg


363 current employees. Total funding of 127 Million raised from 2012. How much is left?

363 employees * $60k annual average wage (pulled out of my ass) is around 22 million a year.

Add in technology, facilities and a lot more operational extra stuff...
 

RK9039

Member
Has anyone done a burn rate breakdown?

HBO5-BurnRate.jpg


363 current employees. Total funding of 127 Million raised from 2012. How much is left?

363 employees * $60k annual average wage (pulled out of my ass) is around 22 million a year.

Add in technology, facilities and a lot more operational extra stuff...

Yeah they definitely had over 300 employees since 2012, so they probably don't have enough money left.
 

Sinistral

Member
I'm wondering going forward obviously. Which is why I said CURRENT employees and ask how much of their funding could be left.
 

diablos991

Can’t stump the diablos
I'm not surprised.

Also won't be surprised when the product fails to deliver.

This feels like Scope Creep -- The Game.
 

JambiBum

Member
Here's the thing when it comes to people who are defending this as feature creep or comparing it to Fallout/Skyrim/whatever you want. This isn't the full game that missed another deadline. This is the single player portion of the full game that was supposed to be done to hold people over until the persistent universe and everything else was done.

Most people who know and complain about SC don't expect the full game to be done yet, but what they do expect is for deadlines to be met and for things like SQ42 to be ready so that we have something to do while we wait for the big picture.
 

OsirisBlack

Banned
I agree with some that the sheer scope and ambition of this game could be its undoing. I think predicting a 2017 release date is being very optimistic and think 2019-2020 is much more realistic. If it ever comes together.
 

Eolz

Member
I agree with some that the sheer scope and ambition of this game could be its undoing. I think predicting a 2017 release date is being very optimistic and think 2019-2020 is much more realistic. If it ever comes together.

2019-2020 realistic for Squadron 42 Episode 1?!
I really wonder how you could think that.

edit:
I have it on good authority that there are several members of the development team (In the UK studio at least) that do not think this game will ever be released, and aren't really bothered about it anyway. They're content with milking the mismanaged cash-cow until it's dry and then they'll move on. Can't say I blame them. At least someone is getting something good out of this game.

I really wonder in which field are those members, since I have it on better authority than you that the huge majority of the team in this studio feels the opposite way...
 
This whole project is an endless money black hole and nothing ever gets out. Yet people are happy to keep giving hundreds and thousands of their money time and time again. Sean Murray should take lessons.
 

~Cross~

Member
Has anyone done a burn rate breakdown?

HBO5-BurnRate.jpg


363 current employees. Total funding of 127 Million raised from 2012. How much is left?

363 employees * $60k annual average wage (pulled out of my ass) is around 22 million a year.

Add in technology, facilities and a lot more operational extra stuff...

They spent like 22m on just the UK studio and its personnel last year from what I saw in the filing. I dont know if that counts everything, including things like the actors, sets and rentals of Imaginirium.

The guys at Frontier, which are way better managed burn through ~30m a year and they only have one studio in the UK a slightly less personnel.
 

Stiler

Member
Here's the thing when it comes to people who are defending this as feature creep or comparing it to Fallout/Skyrim/whatever you want. This isn't the full game that missed another deadline. This is the single player portion of the full game that was supposed to be done to hold people over until the persistent universe and everything else was done.

Most people who know and complain about SC don't expect the full game to be done yet, but what they do expect is for deadlines to be met and for things like SQ42 to be ready so that we have something to do while we wait for the big picture.

They already explained that this changed during development when they realized that by staggering development (IE doing one and then the other after) it would lead to them either missing features in one or having to go back and go over things to make sure it was on the same level as the other, so it makes more sense to develop them in tandem.

This also allows the studios working on different aspects to share tech and things between both the PU/SQ42 side.


I mean think about it, if they made SQ42 out of the gate and did nothing on the PU side or the other scope changes that came later we could have got a SQ42 where you couldn't get out of your ship and have fps combat, fly in atmosphere, had lower detail ships then the later remodels, etc.
 

Zophar

Member
I distinctly recall getting yelled at on NeoGAF for so much as implying that Squadron 42 wouldn't come out in 2016, 7 or 8 months ago.
 
A funding rate graph would go pretty far in telling us when the belly landing will occur, given even the roughest breakdown of costs.
 

JambiBum

Member
They already explained that this changed during development when they realized that by staggering development (IE doing one and then the other after) it would lead to them either missing features in one or having to go back and go over things to make sure it was on the same level as the other, so it makes more sense to develop them in tandem.

This also allows the studios working on different aspects to share tech and things between both the PU/SQ42 side.


I mean think about it, if they made SQ42 out of the gate and did nothing on the PU side or the other scope changes that came later we could have got a SQ42 where you couldn't get out of your ship and have fps combat, fly in atmosphere, had lower detail ships then the later remodels, etc.
Except I'm not talking about staggering development. If they changed it that long ago then they should have said something about it not making the deadline that long ago instead of waiting until a few months until their announced deadline showed up.

You're twisting my post to try to make some point that had nothing to do with what I said. I didn't set the deadline, they did. Every time they miss a deadline that they themselves set people always come out defending them. What will it take for people to stop? Another NMS situation? There should only be so many deadlines that a developer can miss before people stop taking them at their word.
 

jman2050

Member
I mean think about it, if they made SQ42 out of the gate and did nothing on the PU side or the other scope changes that came later we could have got a SQ42 where you couldn't get out of your ship and have fps combat, fly in atmosphere, had lower detail ships then the later remodels, etc.

On the other hand though, said game would actually exist, unlike this one.
 

Burny

Member
Every time they miss a deadline that they themselves set people always come out defending them.

Doublethink. Lots of mental gymnastics to defend CIG and make excuses for them at every turn. Have encountered it whenever I complained. You're right: They've missed nearly every single blood ETA they set themselves.

This is not doubters not understanding game development. It's CIG's management failing spectacularily at game development or rather time management.
 

KKRT00

Member
Except I'm not talking about staggering development. If they changed it that long ago then they should have said something about it not making the deadline that long ago instead of waiting until a few months until their announced deadline showed up.
They actually said quite a few times to the press that there is possibility that they S42 miss this year release.
But press reporting on this game is really hit and miss, mostly miss.

On the other hand though, said game would actually exist, unlike this one.

Yeah, but people want the game they are making, not the cut version of it.

----
I really do not understand why people are so afraid of ambition in this industry. We have so many safe games already, we need some that push envelope even when it come with some risk or delays.
If there is one game currently in development that needs support and time is this one, because its the one that is the most ambitious, but also (as shown by many demos) real.
Just take step back and think for a 5 minutes. Do you really want this game to be rushed? Think about ramification on the AAA and MMO industry if they will pull it off.
 

Abounder

Banned
Avatar 2 vs Star Citizen - which scifi epic will make their release date first?!

Anyway shame they didn't have a single mission ready for their last con, I suppose they want to rival AAA polish. Also there's a couple of scifi themed shooters launching this year in Titanfall 2 and CoD....but wouldn't matter with the cast that Star Citizen features. If I was Mr. Roberts I'd be fine waiting until Star Wars 8 gets hype before releasing this game to maximize the Mark Hamill factor, which would be holiday season 2017
 

Steel

Banned
Has anyone done a burn rate breakdown?

HBO5-BurnRate.jpg


363 current employees. Total funding of 127 Million raised from 2012. How much is left?

363 employees * $60k annual average wage (pulled out of my ass) is around 22 million a year.

Add in technology, facilities and a lot more operational extra stuff...

They didn't have 363 employees since 2012. Hell, they didn't even have a hundred for half the time.
 

Burny

Member
They didn't have 363 employees since 2012. Hell, they didn't even have a hundred for half the time.

They also seemed to have no workable tech to build the game they were promising until more recently. Not sure whether they have even now. The Alpha 2.x trainwreck suggests otherwise, as it's bugged to hell and back.
 
Don't even see how there's a defence force for this trainwreck. I mean granted, it's not a scam per se because there is evidence these ladies and gentlemen are actually trying to get it done but the level of mismanagement seems rather staggering. What was the initial intended release date? 2015? I don't even remember. I guess we'd be lucky to get this next year if ever. An X years delay is not acceptable by any means particularly with the public funding. Not saying SC is the first game to take forever (STALKER, FFXV...) but wasting people's money (as opposed to publisher money) and/or their time leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I think when all is said and done and if the thing ever actually releases we'll be looking at a 3+ years delay which is beyond unacceptable. Honestly, unless you are on their payroll I don't see how one can defend this. I hope they get it done and I hope it's good but yeah. If people had known how long they would have to wait for their product, many would have refrained from pledging I assume.
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Isn't this the exact definition of vaporware?
No.

They're probably running out of money, if anything. That expose posted didn't paint a pretty picture.
Lmfao no.

Don't even see how there's a defence force for this trainwreck
Because the loudest people on the other side calling it a trainwreck of vaporware don't actually know jack shit about the project, which is a bit grating and why people constantly clarify and correct those same people who're concern trolling. FFS this is what Kotaku had to say after extensive research at the studio:

"It is difficult, after all these months of research and having heard from so many people involved with the project, to seriously entertain the notion that Star Citizen is some kind of intentional scam."
"For the record, we did look into all kinds of wild claims about how Cloud Imperium Games is spending its money, and found nothing reportable."
"If there is anything more nefarious than that going on, we have found no convincing evidence of it."
"There is abundant evidence of its past and ongoing development, more than enough to account for the money that has been raised."

Yet we still have armchair game devs saying it's a trainwreck of some kind when really, it's just an ambitious project that also has incredibly transparent games development so people are actually getting a good look into how long and iterative these things can be, especially when they're incredibly ambitious.
What was the initial intended release date? 2015? I don't even remember. I guess we'd be lucky to get this next year if ever. An X years delay is not acceptable by any means particularly with the public funding. Not saying SC is the first game to take forever (STALKER, FFXV...) but wasting people's money (as opposed to publisher money) and/or their time leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
How is money being wasted when we're seeing the results of active development very often? How do you think game development works exactly, do you not know about how iterative a process it is?

I think when all is said and done and if the thing ever actually releases we'll be looking at a 3+ years delay which is beyond unacceptable. Honestly, unless you are on their payroll I don't see how one can defend this. I hope they get it done and I hope it's good but yeah. If people had known how long they would have to wait for their product, many would have refrained from pledging I assume.
In what way is a delay unacceptable given the context of the development of this game along with the scale and the fact that hey, it's actually possible to build it on modern hardware.
 

bounchfx

Member
wow, there were plans for 2016? I haven't been following close enough. from my calculations though we probably aren't going to see the game 'done', until 2020, and the chances that we see all of the features from the kickstarter, probably never. it looks great so far though. I'm down for 2020. I put money into it a lifetime ago.
 
Because the loudest people on the other side calling it a trainwreck of vaporware don't actually know jack shit about the project, which is a bit grating and why people constantly clarify and correct those same people who're concern trolling.

Oh I'm sure there are explanations for the delay but why do you expect me or anyone to care? Clearly, it is absolutely legitimate to complain about a ludicrous delay without doing the research on why exactly things came to pass as they did? I mean, in no other industrial sector would you expect the customers to give a shit about the excuses. The customer is not at fault here.
 

coughlanio

Member
There is some nightmare level of denial in this thread. The project is plagued with problems, unfortunately. The one thing they had targeted for 2016, they couldn't even show a shred of it.

Have people not learned from No Man's Sky?
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Oh I'm sure there are explanations for the delay but why do you expect me or anyone to care? Clearly, it is absolutely legitimate to complain about a ludicrous delay without doing the research on why exactly things came to pass as they did? I mean, in no other industrial sector would you expect the customers to give a shit about the excuses. The customer is not at fault here.
They straight up explained the specific reasons behind the delay. Consumers have the right to complain but also the right to become more informed about a project they're invested in instead of creative a doom and gloom narrative around it that doesn't represent how the game's development is actually going.

There is some nightmare level of denial in this thread. The project is plagued with problems, unfortunately. The one thing they had targeted for 2016, they couldn't even show a shred of it.

Have people not learned from No Man's Sky?
Did you read Kotaku's articles on how the development of the game is going? Specifically:

"It is difficult, after all these months of research and having heard from so many people involved with the project, to seriously entertain the notion that Star Citizen is some kind of intentional scam."
"For the record, we did look into all kinds of wild claims about how Cloud Imperium Games is spending its money, and found nothing reportable."
"If there is anything more nefarious than that going on, we have found no convincing evidence of it."
"There is abundant evidence of its past and ongoing development, more than enough to account for the money that has been raised."
 
There is some nightmare level of denial in this thread. The project is plagued with problems, unfortunately. The one thing they had targeted for 2016, they couldn't even show a shred of it.

Have people not learned from No Man's Sky?

The difference is what they've showed at every step of the development. They continue to be very transparent during development. As with NMS we knew nothing until launch. I'm not saying there are no problems, I just have seen enough to make me feel comfortable that while it may take a long time, it will get done.
 

~Cross~

Member
There is some nightmare level of denial in this thread. The project is plagued with problems, unfortunately. The one thing they had targeted for 2016, they couldn't even show a shred of it.

Have people not learned from No Man's Sky?

Worse is, that when some news that it was delayed broke like a month ago, CIG jumped on them and said that they haven't announced anything yet. They didn't confirm that the game was delayed, when it should have been obvious that it was already delayed.

This is a game where by its nature they need to keep bad news bottled up because it can affect funding. They did the presale for their $750 dollar ship before the con because they knew that after it sales would plummet and lo and behold. Contrast last year where sales before the con where abysmal and then the sale + release of 2.0 caused an abundance of cash coming in.
 
They straight up explained the specific reasons behind the delay.

Irrelevant. Honestly irrelevant. I don't care and neither do many of the people who backed and are looking at a 3+ years delay or a potential cancelation that is not entirely off the table. I have the right to remain ignorant about their internal processes and expect a game on time or withing a reasonable time frame after the scheduled delivery date. If any company fails to deliver their product on time, sure, they better explain to their customer why things went wrong but you can get away with that only so many times.

Technically of course, KS backers are not customers so I think many are quite concerned about the current state of things.
 

Megalo

Member
There is some nightmare level of denial in this thread. The project is plagued with problems, unfortunately. The one thing they had targeted for 2016, they couldn't even show a shred of it.

Have people not learned from No Man's Sky?

No comparison is comparable between this and NMS.
We basically didn't know jackshit about NMS until release, it was developped behind closed doors (like most games).
You are here in front of one of the most (if not the most) open development ever. If you follow the news about the game somewhat closely, you simply cannot be mislead, (nearly) everything is out there.

There actually is some nightmare level of "I quickly read the big headlines and jump to conclusions" here.
That's why devs are not keen to open their development to the public... people are not used to it and they panic way too much when it's not a smooth sailing. No game development is, certainly not when said game is ambitious.

They missed the previously announced release date, so what ? Should they release a half-assed product ? They have the budget to do things right, let them.

If anything, NMS released too early and would've been a wayyyy better game with a big delay. Now look at it...
 
Top Bottom