help you build out the Star Citizen universe

GOVERNMENT

For the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at the legislative branch of the UEE, specifically how that arm of the government was structured. After getting a robust list of potential bureaucracies, agencies and departments, we started looking at the division between local and Imperial governments to try and understand where one ended and the other began.

Thanks again to everyone who submitted ideas. There were some really interesting approaches to distinguishing these boundaries. Chaucer even presented a fictional news article.

As we continue to comb through the more detailed suggestions and further refine the nuances of government, here is a high-level look at the UEE structure incorporating a bunch of your suggestions and ideas.

OVERVIEW

During the Messer Era, the UEE was a pervasive presence in the lives of the populace (Carpe Caelum); they dictated everything from standardized architectural styles to how many rolls of nanowipes each family deserved. After the fall of the Messers, the government withdrew, eager for people to enjoy the freedom that had been denied to them for so long. They knew that they shouldn’t completely disappear — there needed to be guarantees that certain standards were being maintained for everyone — so they developed the Common Law: a group of baseline rights, privileges and standards that everyone in a UEE system could expect. (Amontillado)

These Common Laws include: fundamental personal freedoms, safety practices for structures and products, health services, basic education (Equivalency), a system to allow interplanetary trade and travel, jump point and exploration management, and a security force to protect from external alien threats and interstellar crime.

These Common Laws can be found/enforced on every planet (represented or not) in a UEE system. The planets within these systems can build upon these Common Laws if they want, but cannot lessen them (Ramblin, Ski).

PLANETARY CITIZENS

We’ve talked extensively about the Local and Imperial government, but what about Recognized and Unrecognized planets? If you aren’t familiar with the distinction, a planet is considered Unrecognized until it petitions the UEE for recognition. This can be granted based on the planet’s contribution to the Empire or its growth or because it has a valuable resource. Once recognition is granted, the Senate lets the planet choose its name (up to this point it’s officially known as its planetary designation (Sol III) even though it would already have a name created by locals) and allowed to elect a Senator.

So would Unrecognized planets have to abide by these Common Laws? In short, yes. If the system is claimed by the UEE, then the Common Laws apply, even to unrecognized worlds. As in the distinction between Civilians and Citizens among people, think of the recognized planets as Citizens and the unrecognized as Civilians. All are subject to the law, but Citizens/Recognized have the voice to try and change the law.

Now we’ll continue to flesh out this system, adding in some of the departments that were suggested as we go.

Moving on to next week’s topic, something you might possibly be interested in:

GUNS

As you are probably aware, Star Citizen is going to have a lot of pieces, from ship hulls down to smaller components like maneuvering thrusters. We have an internal corporations list that outlines all of the various manufacturers of these pieces and we’re developing style guides for each of them so they have a consistent look and feel to their parts. The goal is to infuse consistent design elements among the various parts so you could almost identify the manufacturer by the style of the part.

Therefore, we aren’t going to ask for corporations, instead we’re going to ask for Gun Names.

First off, here’s a format to work within:

Manufacturer: (chosen from the list below)
Gun Series Name:
Weapon Type: (energy, ballistic, plasma, neutron)
Naming Scheme: These weapons should come in various sizes 1-5. Do they have individual names for each class version, or a numbering system (Behring M3A = Size 1, Behring M4A = Size 2, etc.)
Tagline: How would they market this weapon? (“Behring M3A: The last word in any fight.”)

So now that you have the format, here are some Corporations that manufacture guns and a little description to help get your mind rolling on potential names:

BEHRING

Example Weapons: M3A, Mk III
Description: Terra-based weapons consortium. Outsources to a lot of designers and subsidiaries to be a one-stop shop for all your defensive needs. Think of it as a conglomerate of Springfield Arms and General Dynamics. They make guns, missiles, tanks, dropships, sentry drones, etc. mostly for the UEE military, but they build civilian models as well. Usually favor quantity of production over quality. Popular models: P4AR – Standard issue rifle for the UEE military, about as basic and recognizable as the modern M16. Also comes in the P4SC, a more compact and collapsible carbine version.
Adjectives: Very military-centric construction. Not a lot of flare. Very functional, utilitarian.
Further Reference: Galactic Guide Behring Applied Technology
A&R

Examples: Omnisky III/IV/V/VI/VII, PyroBolt C1/C2.
Description: Formed early in the Messer era by recent veterans Marcelo Amon and Travis Reese, A&R Co. is one of the oldest weapons manufacturers in the UEE. Due in no small part to their friendly reputation (especially to those who are currently or have previously been in the military) and their incredibly popular line of Omnisky laser cannons, it must be noted that the company always stayed in a neutral position during the time of the Messers. Never directly associating with or claiming allegiance to that family, while considered a huge risk at the time, has only bolstered the positive outlook the public has on this company, and insured its relevance in the UEE almost permanently. Their weapon quality has helped them erode Behring’s stranglehold on the civilian ship market. Very well liked by military enthusiasts. Tends to lean politically right.
Adjectives: Clean industrial, heavy, military.
KLAUS & WERNER

Examples: CF-007 Bulldog, CF-117 Badger
Description: Formed in 2893, Klaus & Werner makes guns, and they make them well. This simple philosophy was the brainchild of Hector Klaus, a successful weapons inventor who believed above all else that simplicity of design would triumph in a combat situation. They have some government contracts, but mostly trade in personal defense. Their line up is almost exclusively handguns, rifles and shotguns (both energy and hard-ammo). Popular models: Model II Arclight – handheld laser made famous as Kyle Fenris’ sidearm on the hit vid The Frontier.
Adjectives: Elegant, clean, good quality.
Further Reference: Galactic Guide Klaus Werner
HURSTON DYNAMICS

Examples: Volgin Coil A
Description: Hurston Dynamics is the United Empire of Earth’s premier producer and distributor of both quantum cascade lasers and a wide variety of electron guns. This family-owned company is also the single largest outsource producer of standard munitions warheads for military contracts and the third-largest refiner of antimatter precursor in today’s economy. Though few finished products bear the Hurston name, their raw materials and manufactured components are found in nearly every piece of space technology in flight today.
Adjectives: Old-fashioned, elegant, precise, family-owned.
Further Reference: Galactic Guide Hurston Dynamics
PREACHER ARMAMENTS

Examples: Justice XI/XII/XIII/XIV/XV, Alpha1/2/3/4/5, Peacemaker Stone/Iron/Bronze/Steel/Carbon
Description: Beloved by bounty hunters, local police and militia, Preacher prides themselves on making high-quality, reliable and effective weapons. Most of their media messaging and public persona tend to focus on justice, righteousness and black-and-white morality. The company was founded in 2931 by Kino Walton, who started modifying weapons out of his workshop. In 2940, Preacher was bought out by the conglomerate Eon Group, who ramped up their manufacturing and production capabilities to put Preacher products in stores across the Empire.
Adjectives: High-end, powerful, sleek, dark.

The updated Star Citizen forum rules

Greetings Citizens,
The updated Star Citizen forum rules, established with the help of the community, are now in effect. You can find the current version of the rules below. CIG reserves the right to alter or otherwise update these rules at any time in the future.

1. Be good. Treat other people the way you want to be treated. Every account is another human being who is excited about Star Citizen. Disagree calmly and intelligently, do not attack each other when you don't share the same ideas.

• Personal attacks on other forum members or employees are not acceptable and are grounds for an immediate strike. Terms such as carebear, sociopath, and other derogatory terms should never be used on these forums. We strive to be a welcoming community accepting those from all walks of life and respect each other as such.

• In-game abuses should be resolved privately via PM or Forum Moderator; 'vigilante justice' via the forums is not condoned or acceptable.

• Do not post another member's personal information such as their email address, other website profiles, or other sensitive material without their permission.

2. Keep it clean. We're all adults here and that means being responsible, not plastering risqué content all over your message boards. No pornography, nothing racist, sexist, homophobic, disability-based, or otherwise outright offensive to other humans including conversations about illicit substances or human trafficking outside of the Star Citizen Universe. You're helping to build a game, not a high school locker room. Excessive objectionable language is grounds for a strike.

3. No trolling. Do not post messages specifically intended to get a rise out of others. We know there's an impulse to do it, but it doesn't contribute to the community, it tears it down. Your responsibility as early pledgers is to help form a great community, not to endlessly frustrate those who come later. Included, but not limited to:

• Do not create avatars and signatures intended to bait, defame, ridicule, insult or otherwise mess with other users.
• Parody at the expense of other users is forbidden. Do not copy other users profiles or organizations.
• “Hit lists” of users you intend to attack in the finished game are absolutely forbidden (and generally a ridiculous concept.) The sort of “forum PVP” that exists elsewhere will not be tolerated here. Our forums exist to gather feedback, promote discussion and build the community; general forum bullying directly countermands these goals.
• Starting threads on controversial topics simply to generate an argument is forbidden. (“HEY EVERYBODY PVP RULES AND PVE DROOLS!”)
• Posting to another guild’s recruiting thread in order to harass them is forbidden. Guild recruiting threads are for guild members and those interested in joining, not for fights between guilds.
• Users may NOT post in yellow, orange, or purple text; impersonating a moderator or an employee of CIG is grounds for an immediate ban.
• Should a moderator edit your post, do not remove those edits or notes.

4. Stay on topic. Every message board has a topic and you should stick to it. Don't advertise your guild in the game suggestions board.

5. No spam. Talking about your personal projects and successes is welcome and encouraged in the off-topic areas, selling things is NOT. The forum is not a marketplace and trading or selling Star Citizen ships is not allowed on the forums or the live chat. You are free to sell, trade or gift your packages elsewhere, but you may not do so here. Linking to other sale sites is forbidden, suggesting that users contact you for sales is forbidden, discussing grey market prices is forbidden. Customer Support cannot help you with package-selling related tickets; it is to be done at your own risk. Forum “bumps” are considered a form of spam. Asking for money or donations is forbidden. Be additive, not repetitive.

• Posts may not contain secret codes or languages.

6. One forum account per user. While backers are free to have multiple RSI accounts to play different unconnected characters in Star Citizen, they may post from only one forum account. When a user posting through an “alt” is discovered, the user will be asked to choose which they would like to continue using and the others will be banned. This rule will be applied when alt usage is discovered, not pre-emptively applied to accounts with the same IP (which could be used by family members.)

7. Do not argue with the moderators while they are acting in their official capacity. If you disagree with a moderator’s action, select the “flag” button and report their post. It will be reviewed by CIG. This is the proper way to report moderation issues; do not start angry threads or derail existing threads because of moderation.

8. Don’t abuse the flag system. The flagging system is here to point out any posts that may be breaking the forum rules. It is not here to make fun of a moderator’s ruling or insult other members. Do not use harsh language in your flag description and do not flag posts simply because you disagree with another member. Do not reflag a post. Each flag is reviewed and often flagged posts require no action. Flagging posts that are older than 1 month will take lower priority than recent posts.

9. Contribute. We want to hear from you. Some of the best ideas come from the unlikeliest thoughts, so if you have something to add stand up and say it! Remember, the purpose of the Star Citizen community is to help the development team create the best possible game. We love posts that help us build our world and hate ones that waste our time by involving CIG staff in unnecessary drama, moderation oversight or rumor mongering.

10. Contests. If you wish to run a contest on these forums, they must follow the following guidelines.
• Must be free to enter.
• Must not be biased towards age, gender, religion, nationality.
• Is allowed to target non-backers only where the intention is to get them to play the game.
• Must have a clearly defined end-date.
• Must have a clearly defined minimal prize pool (can be honors only).
• Must announce winners at the end of the contest.
• Must not require people to register or visit on 3rd party websites (including Skype).
• Must not request personal contact details in advance.
• Any contest that offers a better chance to win for becoming affiliated with an organization must take place in that organization's recruitment page.
• Must be clear that CIG is in no way involved in the contest.
• The moderation team reserves the right to shut down contest threads which become derailed.
• All offered prizes must be given away to a winner participating in the contest
• When in doubt: ask before starting a contest.

11.Please also note that these rules are guidelines for good behavior and not an immutable codex defining what you can and cannot do. If your idea of a good time is to find ways to troll the forums without technically breaking one of these rules, know that you will still be banned. “But I’m not technically poking you!” is not cause for the nuanced legal debate you’re imagining.

Known in-game secrets leaked by the Devs

- Earth will get sacked by the Vanduuls
- The sacked event trigger will depend on the SQ42 completions; the Vanduul invasion will get pushed back the more people that completes SQ42.
- Earth & Terra (UEE) will at some point enter into a civil war (possibly the next major event after the Vanduuls)
- There will be many similarities to the fall of the Roman Empire, SC is based on the fall of the Roman Empire
- There will be equivalent of a 787 like ships that players can buy in game to run a commercial "Cruise Liner" service, from planets to planets / system to system {mentioned again in 10-4 chairman Ep7}
- NPCs will begin System Colonization after a new Jump Point discovery is reported to the UEE. (provided there are suitable places to set up shop in the new system)
- Enemy alien species: Vanduul, Tevarin
- Main roles alien species: Banu, Xi'an,
- Secondary roles alien species, Tevarin, Kr'Thak,

Acronyms
SC = Star Citizen
SQ42 = Squadron 42
PU = Persistent Universe
SC-PU = Star Citizen Persistent Universe

UEE = United Earth Empire
UEC = United Earth Credits

CIG = Cloud Imperium Games
OB = Original Backers
VB = Veteran Backers

Star Citizen Persistent Universe Features

- A special Crossbow from Shroud of the Avatar will be in the SC-PU for those that backed for both games,there will be other skinned crossbow with the same stats in game.
- In-game ship to ship communication will be VoIP with facial capture (web cam required)
- The game is predominantly 1st person view mode, with 3rd person vanity view without HUD
- Multi-Crew ships
- NPC and/or Real player crews
- NPC flying formation controls
- People that pledged for multiple packages, can use the extra licenses for Extra Character Slots or Customized NPCs. You can have you own crew of The USS Enterprise. Extra character slots will be available for purchase at a later time from the Voyager Store.
- C&C tactical combat on larger ships (on ships capable of installing the C&C console.)
- You can earn UEE Citizenship by doing relevant missions in SC-PU, or bribe some NPCs to get you one (for those that opted out of SQ42)
- Optional Voyager Store Items to enhance your gaming experience
- All Voyager Store items can be obtained in game via normal game play.
- Users will be able to convert real money to UEC via the Voyager Store.
- The game is predominantly PvE
- The game is made to be Solo player friendly, you can experience the full game universe alone, without the need to join a large guild (No Guild territorial zones)
- Non-consensual PK allowed everywhere, however PK-ing in UEE space can result in penalties to the attacker.
- All UEE space are Safe Zones, safe zones works as a density radius, the deeper into the UEE space the more you'll be protected from PKs
- Instanced (with attention to friends and targets of interest)
- Bi-weekly content (ships, stories, missions) & minor features updates
- Players are free to play any role they dream to be, there is no actual job description, character classes, or skill trees. However some missions / ships might require you to first pass a license test, before you are allowed to be granted permission to that special mission, or drive a ginormous ship.
- Privateering (not Pirating) with Letter of Marque, in game by the issuing government.
- Pirating (Bandits, Outlaws, Robbers) is part of the game since the game was revealed back in Oct 2012 (do not mistake Pirating with Griefing)
- Player Influenced (not controlled) economy, the economy will be self regulated by NPCs and naturally occurring production / demands
- There is no Crafting, However you can Overclock and Tweak your ships / modules / weapon parts, and then sell it.
- Players will be able to earn the right to manage a production node, however player is not able to change what the factory produces, but you can produce a slightly improved (tweaked / overclocked) version of the same parts being produced
- Existing in game Large NPC corporations will be targeting you if your business becomes competitive with theirs. (expect visits from hired Pirates / Bounty Hunters)
- Jobs are created ad-hoc, NPCs and real players are able to create missions on-demand (kill this guy, delivery of this item to such and such location, need turret gunners, etc.)
- 3 types of insurances are available in game: Hull Insurance (includes stock weapons & modules), Cargo Insurance, Upgrades Insurance (to cover non factory stock items)
- Insurances Companies will replace your insured ship back to the stock factory model with stock factory weapons / modules load-out. (replacement speed affected by availability of ship parts and factories production queue)
- There is no zone restriction for Hull insurance, it works everywhere, however Cargo / Upgrade insurances have zone restrictions, it's voided in area marked Danger Zones 5
- Ships availability and cost will depend heavily on the resources available and trade routes being free from interference by criminal activities.
- You can save the game in the SC-PU and not have your ship attacked by going into the sleeping chamber, except for Capital Ships.
- Capital Ships are in-game persistent, when you log off, it will remain in game, make sure to have enough friends or hired guards to protect it while you're away. (Corvettes class ship like the Idris and below can log off, Frigate class ships and above are considered Capital Ships)
- Non-Capital Ships are able to go into Hibernation mode (log off), by having your pilot go into the sleeping chambers, you can not log off during battle, you can only enable hibernation mode, when in a safe area.
- The happenings (News) in-game will also be featured on the Wingman Hangar shows, as well as the RSI site for an immersive feel to blurry the lines between real life vs. in-game life
- Murray Cup Racing (in-game sports events)
- Virtual Dog-fighting Arena (it's for both training and in-game prizes competition), your "real" ship won't get damaged; think the Arcade at the Tiger Claw lounge. (current design idea from CR's description is as follow, each team is allowed a set amount of points before the match begins, bigger ships/weapons cost more points, so each team can bring into the arena whichever combination of ships/weapons they want depending on their strategy but you will not be able to exceed the allotted amount of points to claim, it's the equivalent of a weight limit matchmaking system like MWO)
- Hidden Asteroid Bases
- Players can earn the rights to control space stations
- Bengal Carriers must be captured before you can control it, there will only be a few Bengals available in the SC-PU, some will be in active duty to be boarded (for pirates), other will be marooned damaged and abandoned but re-pair-able (for non pirates)
- To board or be boarded you need a multi-crew ship
- Explorers can find Alien relics, uncharted Jump Points, and other treasures / space phenomenon
- Jump Points have fixed entrance, but random exits
- Failure to chart a new Jump Point can result in Perma-death or be thrown into unknown space.
- On Perma-death you'll be looking at our own funeral through the eyes of your "Next of Kin" your belongings will be transferred to your "Next of Kin" specified during your character creation.
- Most deaths does not result in Perma-death, however you'll have your body parts replaced by cybernetic implants to replace your damaged limbs & body parts, you can buy your way into immortality with some hefty price.
- Ships & Weapons will be balanced to be equivalent of "rock / paper / scissor"
- Bigger Ship does not automatically translates into "I win" players will have to choose the Cons vs. Pros of driving each ship hull type to suit their needs.
- Ships & Weapons will have hard point restrictions, weight restrictions, energy restrictions, heat restrictions, CPU restrictions, and Slots restrictions.
- There are some hulls that are more adept at some tasks, than others, choose your ship hull wisely depending on the career you want to archive in game.
- Mining in 1st person, with the use of prospecting tools and mining stations
- Your hangar is your main living space, with option to rent a penthouse apartment on planet side.
- There will be landing fees and Hangar fees; many forms of taxes, levies, and fees will be applied in game to keep the economy in check
- Ships will age like real cars, while new models are release every year, or every few years depending on the Make & Model
- Old ships will become vintage and cost more to maintain due the diminishing replacement parts
- You can only steal other player ships by boarding
- Stolen ships can change their transceiver ID with a legit ID, at a hefty cost in the black market.
- Stolen ships can't be insured by UEE insurance agencies, however there might be some 3rd party Insurances that you can purchase at a cost.

Star Citizen Controversy and Crysis?

Star Citizen has had its share of detractors from the start, though you wouldn’t know it from the way their continuing crowdfunding campaign has been progressing.  While there have been questions about their open development model and potential feature-creep, fans have continued to be staunchly in Chris Roberts’ corner from the start.  There is one issue debated even among the fans, however.  That would be their use of Crytek’s CryENGINE 3 for the backbone of the developing game.
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Those opposed to the use of Crytek’s engine gained a new banner this last week as Crytek USA’s CEO and a number of their staff reportedly quit the company after pay problems over the last several months.  According to multiple news sources, problems have persisted since late spring, and while a proposed bank deal in mid-June appeared to get the company payroll caught up, it obviously didn’t solve the problem.
So the big question in everyone’s mind has to be whether Crytek’s problem will have a sudden impact on the development of Star Citizen.  When a backer asked in Star Citizen’s forums about Crytek’s potential insolvency, Erin Roberts replied with, “We did an outright buyout of the engine last year and have the source code, so while we hope all the noise about Crytek blows over, as they are great partners and friends to the project, if the worse happened we would be ok, as we’ve already branched the engine and have a large team that is adding features and supporting it every day here at CIG. So even in the worst case scenario we should be fine.”
Star Citizen also has Dan Tracy on staff, one of the geniuses behind the MechWarrior: Living Legends mod for Crysis.  Dan’s also not the only guy with CryENGINE experience they’ve hired over the last year, so they’re not short on talent.  Since they have branched their own copy of the source code and have people on staff who have experience working with it, any legal issues on Crytek’s end shouldn’t have much impact on Star Citizen.  At least, it shouldn’t in theory.

There could be some potential for splash-back, but I suspect the impact will actually be in the opposite direction for a couple reasons.  For one, Crytek USA has offices in Austin, and with some of those former experts walking out the door, it creates an immediate source of talent in CIG’s own backyard for their recruiters to pull from.  Not only would they be collecting people with the technical skills they need to build the game, but they’ll be recruiting folks with plenty of experience working in and supporting the very engine the game is being built around.
Additionally, there’s another win that’s not as obvious.  Walking round CIG on my periodic visits, I hear conversations in passing.  While the guys are very careful to talk about all their partners with a great deal of respect and never say anything disparaging, you get the impression that it’s not all roses when dealing with Crytec.  Other games have been developed off the same platform, and other developers aren’t quite as professionally stoic about it as the guys at CIG are.  Plus, I’ve worked in similar environments long enough to recognize that sort of frustration when I see it, and even more easily when I’m specifically looking for it.
You have to wonder if some of the delay with the Dogfight Module may have been due to problems getting support for the engine from disgruntled Crytek employees.  I’ve been in a very similar situation myself, and it’s not like you can go back to the customer and explain that your vendor is hosing you.  In this case, the customer being the backers.
I know, you’re probably wondering what’s wrong with me.  I blasted CIG for not being more open with backers about problems with the DFM development in a previous article, and now here I am applauding them for it.  The difference is in acknowledging problems, which I’m sure they have plenty of, and in playing the blame game.  I do still think they need to more open about their roadblocks.  It’s a big project and a very ambitious one.  I’m sure they have a ton of obstacles, but there’s a big difference between admitting to developmental glitches and throwing someone under the bus.  Even when they may deserve it.
With so many games out or under development that use one version or another of Crytek’s software, a number of their released games not doing too well, and obvious budget issues, you really couldn’t expect great support from them on the best of days.  A common trap in software development is waiting on the vendor to solve problems for you since they’re on the hook for it, but often those problems could really be solved more quickly in-house.  Should they find themselves empowered with more former Crytek employees, I think CIG will find engine issues addressed much more quickly.
The knee-jerk reaction might be to worry about Star Citizen in the coming fallout over Crytek’s internal issues, but if they have issues, that’s not likely to be it.  In fact, access to more developers who are skilled in CryENGINE should prove beneficial.  Also, the opportunity to support the product in-house, rather than relying on folks supporting your product alongside a dozen others could end up being a good thing, as well.  Like their engine or not, Crytek has been behind some pretty great games over the last few years, so I’m pulling for them.  It’s not because I’m worried about Star Citizn, though.  Those guys will be just fine.

Can Star Citizen Live Up to Expectations?

Earlier this month, it was announced that Chris Roberts' Star Citizen had broken a Guinness 

World Record for the top crowdfunding project of all time with $55 million being raised to 

help develop the game. While $55 million is far from the biggest game budget of all time, 

it's still an impressive amount of money to be raised by little more than word-of-mouth and 

a Kickstarter campaign. OK, the fact that the guy made Wing Commander and Freelancer 

doesn't hurt, but truthfully, this record-breaking funding drive may just be out of control 

at this point.

I don't doubt that Star Citizen will be an amazing game. A combination of hands-on time and 

some informational panels at various conventions has convinced me that these people know 

what they're doing, but for a progressive, living, online world to succeed, it needs to 

have a solid long-term plan. I fear that Roberts' plan with Star Citizen at this point is 

to keep throwing new features in as the funding continues, but not all of us like to be 

overwhelmed with more new stuff.

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If there's one thing game developers should have learned by now, it's that you can't be 

everything for everyone. When games go for that buffet approach, the real gems get lost in 

the shuffle. When you try to please everyone, you please no one.

But the hard part is finding that one thing that will really catch the attention of 

success. Roberts enjoyed success with Wing Commander for a variety of reasons. The timing 

was right for that genre, and the game was just plain addictive. But one thing it wasn't 

was complicated. Frustrating, yes; complicated, no.

With that success and addictiveness in mind, many of Star Citizen's backers may be relying 

more on nostalgia than real modern-day translations of what's fun. This reliance on 

nostalgia is something we saw with two other top-crowdfunded titles: Wasteland 2 and 

Torment: Tides of Numenera.

These two games are banking on the fact that those people who loved the classic originals 

now have good jobs and money to throw at a sequel that will allow them the possibility of 

recapturing their youth. Not that this is a failed premise, mind you, as Wasteland 2 has 

already proven to be a wonderful game. But that's not always the case.

With Star Citizen, Roberts is doing things right so far. He's taking what we all loved from 

Wing Commander and Freelancer and giving it the modern upgrade it deserves, complete with 

some impressive online multiplayer features. I'm just as excited for the game as the next 

Chris Roberts fan, but when I hear about "new ships!" being added when the next tier of 

millions is reached, one eyebrow raises and my mouth twists into a skeptical grimace. Do we 

really need more new ships at this point? Do we really need a new cinematic and more 

advertising?

I admit, I'm playing the devil's advocate here because I've seen this exact situation too 

many times over the years. It's rather embarrassing, to be honest. The next amazing MMO 

will be better than anything ever released before it and will finally be the one to catch 

our attention forever, and then it launches.

One thing Star Citizen has than many others didn't have, though, is experience and proper 

management. Chris Roberts knows what he wants and he goes after it without letting anything 

stand in his way. He's shown this with a handful of successful games and he's shown it with 

this entire crowdfunding campaign. I often feel that what's happening with Star Citizen now 

could have happened with Richard Garriott on Tabula Rasa if only NCSoft wasn't in the way. 

Garriott's Shroud of the Avatar funding campaign has so far raised close to $5 million of 

its original $1 million goal, so we'll see how my theory plays out when that game launches, 

as well.

I want Star Citizen to be that next big game and I want to be able to see that the game is 

well worth the $55 million in development costs, but I worry that it won't. And if it isn't 

what we've all been waiting for, how many more times can we go through this?