Star Citizen Megathread v. procedurally-generated deadlines - Games

It's the only gthing that will get me to buy it [editline]14th July 2017[/editline] Well, salvaging is probably going to get me to buy it depending on the depth. Just one ship would be cool, but I'm more talking like. Finding half a ship out in space or on a planet and being able to deconstruct it for parts and shit. Then doing stuff like finding a derelict ship and repairing its systems so that I can fly it again.

I imagine there'll be more than one ship, it's just that at the moment there's just the one because they're still building out primary archetypes for many of the non-combat career gameplay paths. For most gameplay segments that aren't implemented yet (e.g. salvaging, repair) there's only one ship specialized for that role -- the idea is to prototype gameplay systems with one test scenario (the specific ship) and then build out other sizes of ship to accomodate the different tiers of crew size/commitment. For example, mining is not yet implemented and is, as of the last time we saw a big-picture planning slide, slated for patch 3.1 which has an ETA of ?. Until the RSI Orion concept was revealed in February 2015, SC had no mining ships, even though everyone knew there'd be some sort of miner. The Orion is basically an endgame-tier mining ship and self-contained ore-crusher and needs 3-5 people to operate effectively and safely. However, in April 2016, CIG revealed the concept for the MISC Prospector, a much smaller mining ship intended for both planetary mining and asteroid mining (while the Orion is intended exclusively for use in space), and [URL="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/schedule-report"]it's to be playable in 3.0.[/URL] It's likely that there'll be some mid-tier mining ship at some point. It's also likely that for some professions, there'll be equipment you can fit to your ship that'll handle the task you want. An Aurora could probably be outfitted with mining lasers, although some other ship would need to scoop up and store the rock for transport. A group of two or three smaller-end ships, geared appropriately and working together, could probably function as a viable mining operation without having to use purpose-built mining ships. It remains to be seen how role-changing ship equipment will work and what roles will be provided for and what roles need to be built from the ground up to do, so this is speculation, not confirmed fact. And with regards to repair, [URL="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/engineering/15062-Ship-Repair-And-Maintenance"]we have this design doc[/URL] but it predates the entire procgen planet revolution and the derelict ships, so it is an open question on how repair will interface with derelict wrecks if at all.

springy landing gears is something I've wanted for ages, but I hope they're doing it in a sensible, efficient way, instead of actual physics armatures which will surely launch us back into space half the time

[QUOTE=krail9;52467095]springy landing gears is something I've wanted for ages, but I hope they're doing it in a sensible, efficient way, instead of actual physics armatures which will surely launch us back into space half the time[/QUOTE] No matter how much they mod the engine, it's still gonna be crysis multiplayer physics somewhere in there And hooo boy did they have a tendency to break catastrophically. I still remember the hoverjets, the tanks and the nukes. My god the nukes.

[QUOTE=MendozaMan;52467198]No matter how much they mod the engine, it's still gonna be crysis multiplayer physics somewhere in there And hooo boy did they have a tendency to break catastrophically. I still remember the hoverjets, the tanks and the nukes. My god the nukes.[/QUOTE] Speaking of nukes, imagine how fun it'll be to take a Retaliator or Gladiator smacking ground targets.

[QUOTE=Solomon;52466837]Oh Captain my Captain, is this some sort of salvaging/ship refitting mechanic[/QUOTE] Didn't they mention that the only way to get your hands on one of the big military ships like the Javelin would be to find a derelict in space and salvage it?

[QUOTE=thisguy123;52467985]Didn't they mention that the only way to get your hands on one of the big military ships like the Javelin would be to find a derelict in space and salvage it?[/QUOTE] I'd imagine you'd be able to eventually either buy one for a whole group's work, or be granted clearance to buy one if your group got big enough.

[QUOTE=thisguy123;52467985]Didn't they mention that the only way to get your hands on one of the big military ships like the Javelin would be to find a derelict in space and salvage it?[/QUOTE] That's what they said about the Bengal, years back. Bengal carriers belong to the UEE Navy and they can't afford to let a single one go, so they aren't likely to sell them or allow RSI (the in-game ship manufacturer) to build Bengal hulls for private sale. Any player-controlled Bengals will have to be reclaimed derelicts that've been intentionally left adrift in space for players to find and repair. But I again emphasize that the idea of fixing up a busted Bengal is unlikely to extend to fixing up the planetside derelict wreckages where the ship's broken into five or more pieces. :v: CIG wants large capships to be very expensive and very difficult to obtain, which is why they've enforced strict low caps whenever they've put up the Javelin or Idris for sale. A capital ship should require the dedication of a group of players to afford [I]and[/I] to fly.

[QUOTE=krail9;52467095]springy landing gears is something I've wanted for ages, but I hope they're doing it in a sensible, efficient way, instead of actual physics armatures which will surely launch us back into space half the time[/QUOTE] I hope I can tweak my gears enough to use my gears to skip off the planet.

[video=youtube;yGqZE-bTdYg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGqZE-bTdYg[/video] Weekly schedule update is still not up yet.

So, it seems that if you by whatever reason explode mid jump in the game, everyone in the server will have exessive lag for about two minutes.

Quantum Drive Collisions. Actually, has that happened yet?

[URL="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/schedule-report"]Schedule's updated, Evocati/PTU/launch windows are still the same.[/URL] [URL="https://www.diffchecker.com/wiG22Bk3"]Here's a diff against last week's schedule update.[/URL] For comparison, [URL="https://www.diffchecker.com/QvgQo8mg"]here's last week's schedule diffed against the prior.[/URL] This week's newsletter sneak preview is a look at Klaus & Werner laser repeaters. [t]https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/9yc06as3d9wq6r/source/KLWE_LaserRepeater1-3.jpg[/t]

[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;52468020]That's what they said about the Bengal, years back. Bengal carriers belong to the UEE Navy and they can't afford to let a single one go, so they aren't likely to sell them or allow RSI (the in-game ship manufacturer) to build Bengal hulls for private sale. Any player-controlled Bengals will have to be reclaimed derelicts that've been intentionally left adrift in space for players to find and repair. But I again emphasize that the idea of fixing up a busted Bengal is unlikely to extend to fixing up the planetside derelict wreckages where the ship's broken into five or more pieces. :v: CIG wants large capships to be very expensive and very difficult to obtain, which is why they've enforced strict low caps whenever they've put up the Javelin or Idris for sale. A capital ship should require the dedication of a group of players to afford [I]and[/I] to fly.[/QUOTE] See It always bugged me in space games where you would see people with these massive fucking battle-stars and it's something you only ever get to marvel at, never obtain. And in games where you COULD it was games like EvE online where you had to pay a subscription and it felt rather obvious that what you were flying was a Static Model. With star Citizen I can finally have my dream of walking on and INSIDE my space carrier.

I can never remember, is there 3 or 4 moons we get with 3.0?

[URL="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/schedule-report"]Unless they suddenly slide in more into the schedule and write more moons into existence around Crusader, three.[/URL]

Huh, for some reason i thought daymar was rocky similarly to our moon, and that the desert moon showed was another 4th moon, my bad.

So the Gamestar article has CR saying that they now intend on 5 to 10 star systems for a full release as opposed to the unrealistic 100 they threw around. 100 is now the goal for when the game has 'matured'. [url=https://www.reddit.com/r/starcitizen/comments/6nc6j6/gamestar_the_technique_behind_star_citizen/]Link here[/url] So, let's skip the whole 'somebody is outraged', and let me ask: What do we all think those 10 systems will be? So far on my list of probabilities are: 1. Stanton 2. Sol? 3. Nyx 4. Odin? 5. Pyro? 6. Leir? I'd assume that upon 'release' (leaving beta) they want to have at least Stanton (for obvious reasons), Nyx (so they can put Delamar back where it belongs), maybe Sol? (Because, well, it's Sol), Odin (I think I recall Odin being a big part of S42, so may as well use those assets where you can), and maybe Pyro? (Linking Stanton and Nyx). Leir we saw in the Homestead demo so it's definitely being worked on, I'd put it on my list. They have said that jump points move and change, so it's possible we might be getting completely different systems which they rearrange later once more are added to better reflect the star map (or rearrange the star map). I'd also like to think they're going to have at [i]least[/i] one system for each of the alien races as well, so there's hopefully a Banu and Xi'an system in there.

I'm fine with the recudtion of systems at launch. Someone did mention that the scope of what each system was going to be, has changed a lot since the initial kickstarter. Now we are getting full planets as opposed to "levels" on planets. I don't mind that at all, considering how much stuff is going to be within each system. Whether or not 100 systems will be feasable for the future, i suppose will depend on how fast we will see progress on planets now after 3.0

will there be some method of uploading and playing songs on speakers throughout your ship [editline]16th July 2017[/editline] how good is the fps combat

[QUOTE=Solomon;52473905] how good is the fps combat[/QUOTE] Not as bad as ARMA, but still pretty janky. It has a bizarre mixture of realistic controls and absurd healthbars, which leads to close combat being a game of running around in circles blasting each other. If you've ever played Frontlines: Fuel of War, or Renegade X, it's kinda like that. Keep in mind that I haven't played the FPS since about two or three weeks after it first came out.

CIG has been quietly walking back the "100 systems at launch" promise for a while now, and it's pretty much because of this: [QUOTE=ulvemann43;52473897]Someone did mention that the scope of what each system was going to be, has changed a lot since the initial kickstarter. Now we are getting full planets as opposed to "levels" on planets.[/QUOTE] The amount of content in one system should, if CIG does things right, keep a newbie occupied for weeks before they want to move to a new system, unless they're doing inter-system trading. The scale of systems will be pretty large. In some interview sometime recently, CR said that in some systems there's a jump point that's 20 real minutes of quantum travel away from the center of the system. During that same interview, he also gave the max QT speed as 0.1c so I'm not sure if that's a new speed limit or if he just forgot that QT is 0.2c. Reminder that when in QT you can get up (if not in a fighter cockpit) and do things on your ship, so you're not just nailed to the seat for 20min like in Elite on its long-haul runs. [QUOTE=Solomon;52473905]will there be some method of uploading and playing songs on speakers throughout your ship[/QUOTE] CIG has said that there are massive licensing issues behind this feature request. But micspamming isn't something they can really stop, especially if it's micspamming everyone around you wants as opposed to harrassment. And, regarding systems, Odin system is basically where SQ42 takes place. At least that's how CIG has described it -- there's nothing stopping them from taking the plot to a climax with a brief excursion through jump points to, say, Terra. I have not spoiled myself on SQ42 so I've no idea what's in store except that after they got large worlds and the baby PU going they said they had migrated all of SQ42's WIP setpieces and mission encounters from their individual level boxes (under the old 4km limit) into the full-sized Odin system where they belong. I also feel that they'll somehow cram Terra into SQ42 somehow, and make you visit the LZ just to show off how much work they put into it.

ok now tell me about your plans in great detail elix

Like, what I want to do in the PU? :v:

Sure man

[QUOTE=Lord Hayden;52473833]So the Gamestar article has CR saying that they now intend on 5 to 10 star systems for a full release as opposed to the unrealistic 100 they threw around. 100 is now the goal for when the game has 'matured'. [url=https://www.reddit.com/r/starcitizen/comments/6nc6j6/gamestar_the_technique_behind_star_citizen/]Link here[/url] So, let's skip the whole 'somebody is outraged', and let me ask: What do we all think those 10 systems will be? So far on my list of probabilities are: 1. Stanton 2. Sol? 3. Nyx 4. Odin? 5. Pyro? 6. Leir? I'd assume that upon 'release' (leaving beta) they want to have at least Stanton (for obvious reasons), Nyx (so they can put Delamar back where it belongs), maybe Sol? (Because, well, it's Sol), Odin (I think I recall Odin being a big part of S42, so may as well use those assets where you can), and maybe Pyro? (Linking Stanton and Nyx). Leir we saw in the Homestead demo so it's definitely being worked on, I'd put it on my list. They have said that jump points move and change, so it's possible we might be getting completely different systems which they rearrange later once more are added to better reflect the star map (or rearrange the star map). I'd also like to think they're going to have at [i]least[/i] one system for each of the alien races as well, so there's hopefully a Banu and Xi'an system in there.[/QUOTE] So how will that effect exploration? With so few systems is it going to be limited to finding new routes between systems and misc deep space/planet stuff like wrecks?

I am quite disappointed that the systems will be reduced. Kind of takes away from the original MMORPG vibe they were pitching to begin with. Although, I suppose it depends how big the systems are going to be. One of my favourite things to do in Freelancer was to smuggle things between systems using Jump Holes and it was always fun scouting about for them (in the days before instant internet access)

Well, initially reduced. Have they mentioned anything about continuing to build up with more systems post-launch? I'd imagine they wouldn't want to leave it at just 5-10 after promising so much at the start.

[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;52474682]CIG has been quietly walking back the "100 systems at launch" promise for a while now, and it's pretty much because of this: The amount of content in one system should, if CIG does things right, keep a newbie occupied for weeks before they want to move to a new system, unless they're doing inter-system trading. The scale of systems will be pretty large. In some interview sometime recently, CR said that in some systems there's a jump point that's 20 real minutes of quantum travel away from the center of the system. During that same interview, he also gave the max QT speed as 0.1c so I'm not sure if that's a new speed limit or if he just forgot that QT is 0.2c. Reminder that when in QT you can get up (if not in a fighter cockpit) and do things on your ship, so you're not just nailed to the seat for 20min like in Elite on its long-haul runs. [/QUOTE] Indeed, especially if they wish to make every planet unique, and fill it with things, outposts etc. A player may not even need to leave a planet for weeks if such is needed. And hey, it is still better than elite and its uninteressting systems. I think too many think of it in the elite situation where you just fly, and there is nothing else, just eyecandy no matter where you are, but everything looks the same. That is why this excites me, each planet will be unique, and have its own reasons to explore. And, y'know, the game is mate by devs who actually care about their game, for starters. [QUOTE=Hezzy;52475225]I am quite disappointed that the systems will be reduced. Kind of takes away from the original MMORPG vibe they were pitching to begin with. Although, I suppose it depends how big the systems are going to be. One of my favourite things to do in Freelancer was to smuggle things between systems using Jump Holes and it was always fun scouting about for them (in the days before instant internet access)[/QUOTE] AFAIK, each system will have many planets and moons, and they will all be fully explorable as long as it would make sense for them to be explorable, since some planets would be way too hot. That and all of the space stations around the verse etc. That is mostly the reason for the reduction in launch systems afaik, since they originally planned for a few levels structured like area 18, being the way planets worked. [QUOTE=Daemon White;52475252]Well, initially reduced. Have they mentioned anything about continuing to build up with more systems post-launch? I'd imagine they wouldn't want to leave it at just 5-10 after promising so much at the start.[/QUOTE] Someone said the current plan is 100 systems when the game is older, so they release with 5-10, and then we will get the rest as time goes on. There are at least two protoplanetary discs in the game, so as long as they get the particles etc for those right, those systems should quickly be done.

Well, my plan to get started at first is going to be hauling with my Hull B, but I'll probably go for a variety of things because just grinding cargo will get repetitious. Since I've got a Drake Herald I can also do info-running missions and eavesdrop (to some degree) so that adds to the flexibility. I want to work my way into a Starfarer and get into fuel scooping, and then use the Starfarer as a stepping stone into bigger things. I'll probably need escorts by then, though. I'm sure eventually I'll get bored and that character will die, and I'll figure out what I want to do then. Eventually, I want to have a character who's an outlaw, but he's a gallant highwayman sort of pirate, who boards ships and rather than killing the crew offers to give the crew a simple ship to get home safely in so they can file for insurance if they give up nicely. And as soon as the systems are introduced into the game, I plan on violating Xi'An sovereignty in an attempt to make first contact with the Kr'Thak, a race the Xi'An are said to have been at war with for centuries, and have vigorously opposed any notion of human contact with their hated enemies. [QUOTE=Daemon White;52475252]Well, initially reduced. Have they mentioned anything about continuing to build up with more systems post-launch? I'd imagine they wouldn't want to leave it at just 5-10 after promising so much at the start.[/QUOTE] CIG's plan is to provide content support for ten years on an ongoing, microcontent-every-week-or-two basis. This would periodically include systems with undiscovered jump points placed for players to find. How often this'll be, who knows. ulvemann43's description of the systems originally being space zones with the occasional semi-separated landing zone for commerce and trade and FPS walking-around is correct, as are his assertions that being the reason why CIG was so confident about promising 100 systems at launch, and the dramatic evolution from that now-simplistic model, thanks to the accelerated development on procedurally-generated planets, is why they're having to sacrifice most of the system count at launch. 10 is lower than what I was expecting, I'll be honest, but if the 10 systems are so full of content and interwoven gameplay mechanics (factions, missions, etc.) that the 10 feel like a full game, and the difference between 10 and, say, 40 systems is the difference between SC launching in, random number, 2019 versus SC launching in 2024, yeeeah I'll take the 10 systems. Trying to play the "we'll beat DNF" game would lead to a real collapse in crowdfunding sooner or later.