Star Citizen funding passes the $100 million mark as Alpha 2.0 update is released

[midian182]

To give you an idea of just how big Star Citizen’s crowdfunding campaign is, consider this: the second highest-earning crowdfunded project ever – and the most successful ever seen on the Kickstarter platform - is the Pebble Time smartwatch project that raised $20.3 million. Star Citizen, which continues to raise funds, recently passed the $100 million mark - a feat it managed just days after opening the long-awaited Alpha 2.0 update to backers.

Alpha 2.0 is the biggest update Star Citizen has received so far. It lets players explore the enviroments of the gas giant Crusader, including its three moons and three separate space stations.

The update brings eight comm array missions involving dogfighting and EVA (extra-vehicular activity), eight research missions requiring the protection of civilians or recovering lost data and 1 Exploration mission of an abandoned station. These will feature “20+ random encounters,” that include dogfighting with a mix of friendlies and hostiles, and four random exploration missions.

In addition to adding three new ships and featuring first-person combat, Alpha 2.0 adds three new flight modes that help with particular flying situations. Precision mode, for example, can be used for complex maneuvers such as landing, while cruise mode gives velocity at the expense of control. There’s also Quantum travel, which enables long-distance travel over relatively short time periods.

Despite the $100 million and the Alpha 2.0 update, there’s still no official date for when the full version of Star Citizen will be launched. Hopefully, 2016 will be the year Chris Roberts’ space sim gets a release, as many backers have spent a lot of money on the game’s development - one fan has already paid about $30,000 on Star Citizen ships.

Recently, it was revealed that Star Citizen’s campaign mode, Squadron 42, will feature an all-star Hollywood cast, including Gary Oldman, Gillian Anderson, Andy Serkis, Mark Strong, and Mark Hamill, who also worked with Roberts on some of the Wing Commander games.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/63127-star-citizen-funding-passes-100-million-mark-alpha.html

 

[Puiu]

Pre-Alpha 2.0
We'll get something that works by the end of the decade ^_^

 

[davislane1]

4yrs, $100m in funding, and the only thing they've got to show for it is a buggy alpha.

Not bullish on this product.

 

[Burty117]

The scale of this game is huge though, I can see why it's taking time, they're not as big a team as Rockstar and it's a vast game, like absolutely massive, looking forward to the final product in a couple of years, there is no way they'll launch this in 2016.

 

[madboyv1]

There is no way they'll launch this in 2016.

Yet we can keep dreaming... hoping... ha ha ha

 

[wiyosaya]

The scale of this game is huge though, I can see why it's taking time, they're not as big a team as Rockstar and it's a vast game, like absolutely massive, looking forward to the final product in a couple of years, there is no way they'll launch this in 2016.

Agreed. Like you, I see lots of promise in the game. The theologians in the pack have absolutely no understanding of software development especially that on the cutting edge like SC. Even with Roberts' name recognition, being free from the shackles of an all-powerful parent company is the only way that a game like this could be made. If he were not free of those all-powerful shackles, he would be dragged down by negative attitudes and substantial amounts of hot air.

 

[davislane1]

The scale of this game is huge though, I can see why it's taking time, they're not as big a team as Rockstar and it's a vast game, like absolutely massive, looking forward to the final product in a couple of years, there is no way they'll launch this in 2016.

SC: We'll have something for you by x.

x arrives

SC: We said x, but we really want this to work so we will have to delay until y, but it'll be really great.

Apologists: Understandable. It's a big project!

y arrives

SC: y has come, but there are some technical things we need to smooth over to give you the best possible experience, so we will have to push it back to z.

Apologists: Understandable. This is a really big project!

z arrives

SC: Well, we've decided that these hard release dates aren't really optimal, so we'll just stick with "soon."

Apologists: This is going to be so amazing!

Writing's on the wall, folks.

 

[cartera]

It stinks of the X-universe, the alien races names are strangely familiar.

X-universe = Khaak & Xenon
Star Citizen = Kr’Thak & Xi’An

Also Cutlass and Vanguard ships. However if they can do a good job of it unlike the mess X Rebirth was I am all for it!

 

[indiangamer]

Thanks
I will stick to dota 2.
Valve made 100 million dollars in 4 months just by selling hats.
Thats the scale.
Power of a single map.

 

[Mister_K]

4yrs, $100m in funding, and the only thing they've got to show for it is a buggy alpha.

Not bullish on this product.

Here is a little idea of the development time it takes to create some of the larger games in the industry.

Whether the game is going to be a flop or not is irrelevant. People are willing to back it because what has been 1) promised 2) already produced 3) nostalgia over other games.

If you are backing the game with hundreds of $, then you have the excess cash. For the majority who backed it at a price of 1 night at the movies, it's worth it. Boohoo, I just backed a flop at a cost of $40.

If it does flop, on the bright side, had someone employed for X years. It will suck, but **** happens.

Lastly, I guess you are not in the creative environment. Products take a while to release, specially of the large products such as software and movies.

This game had no previous assets, outside of the heavily modded Cry Engine, it's all from scratch. Expected development time is at least 3 years, at most 5-6. Of course there are issues with developing a game for too long (money, hype, relevancy especially in terms of graphics).

Whether its a failure or not, its a development feat, as long as it gets completed of course.

 

[Mister_K]

Thanks
I will stick to dota 2.
Valve made 100 million dollars in 4 months just by selling hats.
Thats the scale.
Power of a single map.

Did you just try and attempt to compare Valves Dota 2 to CIG's Star Citizen? A game with the game depth of a dumb blonde broad?

It's like comparing the complexity of a remote control car to the real thing. (not exactly but I hope you get the point).

 

[davislane1]

Here is a little idea of the development time it takes to create some of the larger games in the industry.

[...]

Whether its a failure or not, its a development feat, as long as it gets completed of course.

Like I said: not bullish on this product.

 

[Axiarus]

Thanks
I will stick to dota 2.
Valve made 100 million dollars in 4 months just by selling hats.
Thats the scale.
Power of a single map.

Did you just try and attempt to compare Valves Dota 2 to CIG's Star Citizen? A game with the game depth of a dumb blonde broad?

It's like comparing the complexity of a remote control car to the real thing. (not exactly but I hope you get the point).

Yeah, you are sorely mistaken if you think DotA 2 has no depth.

 

[indiangamer]

Yeah, you are sorely mistaken if you think DotA 2 has no depth.

It is one of the most deep game.
I am 2000 hours in it.
But the fact that they made 100 million dollars just by selling cosmetic items is quite amazing.

 

[Mister_K]

Yeah, you are sorely mistaken if you think DotA 2 has no depth.

Don't get me wrong, it has, but it hasn't. While the mechanics, hundreds of ways to play the game to counter abilities as well as items (unlike MMOs where you counter spells/talents, in MOBA specifically LoL and Dota you counter items, spells, positions and so forth). However, in terms of advanced game engine and time it would take to create a the game, it has no depth. Sure balancing is not easy and never finished but compared to the scale of let say Star Citizen or WoW/EvE, its rather simple.

Phasing/Instancing tech, graphic fidelity, optimization etc... etc..

Did not elaborate well.

Depth in terms of skill and ways to play the game, however in terms of technological implementation, not so indepth.

(from a Dota player)

 

[Mister_K]

Like I said: not bullish on this product.

I can understand why its a shifty product to back, it's a risky project for us to pay money and the studio to undertake. Development time/scale/funding is fairly justified however.

 

[Ulmo2015]

The scale of this game is huge though, I can see why it's taking time, they're not as big a team as Rockstar and it's a vast game, like absolutely massive, looking forward to the final product in a couple of years, there is no way they'll launch this in 2016.

Then they should hire, else why the funding...