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Star Citizen Pre-Alpha: Hangar Module

I'm completely besotted with the P-52 Merlin snub fighter. I think it may actually be my favourite "ship" after the Constellation.

iXdeZMvQvfKFw.gif


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfwQP4PKp6k

Beautiful.
 

CTLance

Member
MUST. RESIST.
Why does the 'Stella tempt me so? I love my Freelancer. I don't want anything else
LIES
.
Oh yeah, I figured out it must be installing, but I didn't saw the applying patch thingie. Most of those things don't show speed anyway. But it's still weird they apparanly had to apply a 2GB patch while I downloaded only 200MB.
They had to patch 2GB of data with the patch info contained in the 200 Meg file. Just imagine the patch file says something like "Open file x. Go to position y. Write z." which can be encoded into a really small file, even if it affects a great many files. Thus your PC is really crunching through a huge amount of data, even if the patch seems deceptively small.
 
I got a 315p Explorer, but the ship that shows up in my hanger is the standard 300i edition - is that how it is for now, or should the variants be showing up?
 

CTLance

Member
I got a 315p Explorer, but the ship that shows up in my hanger is the standard 300i edition - is that how it is for now, or should the variants be showing up?
Are you sure it is the stock 300i model and not the 315p? Maybe you can check the equipment at the holo thing.

Other than that, go into the hangar on the RSI site and doublecheck you have the correct pack, then post in the Hangar bug subforum and/or open a ticket with support.
 

Faith

Member
A statement from Chris Roberts about real money and UEC:

As some of you may have noticed we launched the very beginning of our IN-GAME store with Voyager Direct yesterday.
It had a soft launch (we deliberately kept it back from the weekly email) so we could roll it to get feedback and see how to integrate what is a tricky thing into Star Citizen at such an early stage of development.
Even with a soft launch quite a lot of people started using the store (no surprise the Buggy is the top seller!)

Unfortunately there seems to be some misunderstanding in our intentions with the prototype in-game store, as the forums erupted with a significant amount of “discussion” last night!
I have read all of the criticism and there have been many great points. One of the great things about Star Citizen’s development is that we can get feedback like this… and use it to figure out how to make things better.
The intention of creating Voyager Direct right now was the very opposite of what a lot of people are upset about. It is not supposed to be a cash shop! It’s meant to be the very opposite!

I felt that it was important that we should make clear what are in-game items, earnable via game play. This was the whole reason of segregating these new items into the Voyager Direct store rather than the pledge store. We intend for players to be earning UEC in a limited fashion as early as the dogfighting module (say for fighting so many test battles, or winning a team battle competition) and felt Voyager Direct would be the first step in getting the basic systems in place. Ultimately you will be purchasing all these game items inside the game from in-game vendors on various planets but this won’t come online until the Planetside module. Since the web team at Turbulent had already built a store interface and the team here was already creating items to outfit the hangar and ships, it seemed like an easy option to create Voyager Direct now to allow all of you to play with and check out some of the game items as they are created rather than waiting for Planetside module to see them in engine. The concept was that people that wanted to show their support and contribute towards the development cost of the game could buy some items to play with in their hangar but by establishing the prices in game terms it would also make it clear that these items are all earnable in game. I should also point out that Voyager Direct is intended only to sell cosmetic items or basic ship items that would be available on pretty much any planet – the better items will always have to be bought by actually flying to the appropriate planet or earning the via gameplay. There is no need to buy anything from Voyager Direct – it is all OPTIONAL and should be viewed the same way that you view paying for a subscription or buying a skin. All of this will be earnable in the game, without too much time invested.

I’m very opposed to having a game where ANY of the items, outside of your initial game / ship package can be only purchased with cash. I hate the bifurcation of items in most online games, even when they are just for flair items. I want Star Citizen to allow players to earn everything they need in-game for ships, upgrades and even flair.

Our plan is once Star Citizen is launched the games ongoing running and content costs (which will be significant as we’re a data & content heavy game) will be supported by the ongoing purchase of new game packages as well as the money the game will earn by some of the players choosing to buy some UEC credits with real money as they don’t have the time or patience to earn the item in game (and for this I wanted to establish a cap so someone can’t just come in and buy everything, although with a skill based game with a heavy rock paper scissors approach to ship design and weapons this won’t help that much as you think). We are making the bet that this will be enough to cover the game ongoing running costs and we will not need a subscription like other big online games live Eve Online or World of War Craft. But it is a risk as we’re taking some of the things that games use to support on-going running costs like sale of flair items and making them not require money just gameplay.

I was disappointed to see so many people feeling that we were trying to gouge people or do a money grab. I thought I had been very clear in my post yesterday that everything was optional and only should be done with the intent of supporting the game financially as opposed to something that was required. The whole team is incredibly grateful for all the incredible support we’ve received but as far as we’re concerned anything beyond the most basic pledge is optional and should be done to support the game’s development and not because you feel like you have to.

I do agree that pricing structure feels off – part of that is the problem of a blend of real world prices (cosmetic items to show support had been established at $5) and the in-game prices we need to manage. One of the other things we have been focusing on is the idea that the pledge or add on ship you opt for now should be cheaper in real money terms than its equivalent in UEC when the game is live, so the few weapons have been priced to our best guess as to what these should be relative to the actual in-game costs of a ship once the game is live. This leads to a dichotomy in value – of course a poster should be a lot less than a laser gun! It also doesn’t help that we’ve established an exchange of 1000 UEC to $1. 5000 UEC for a poster just sounds a lot more than $5! I am inclined to halve the prices in the Voyager Direct Store, with some of the smaller flair pieces, like posters getting a reduction even beyond this.

In addition there’s been quite a few complaints about having to “pay to test”. Which absolutely was not the intention! From a testing perspective what everyone can do now with their basic hangar (and don’t forget you can move items around between ships now) we have everything we need on the testing front. There is no need to buy a poster to help test it. The real testing will happen when you can earn UEC in-game and you then buy all these items. But we appreciate everyone’s eagerness to help out, so I’m investigating the difficulty of implementing “TEST UEC” now rather than waiting for the dogfighting module – the idea would be that everyone would get a certain amount of TEST UEC at different periods and could use the credits to buy items that would exist for a day in your hangar to check them out, try them on your various ships, walls and so on. This is doable but does require some significant work on the web side, so if we take this route it will be a little while before it can be implemented. We had originally planned this for the dogfighting module (as it is useful for people to try different load outs in balancing) but we can move up the schedule if enough people think it’s important.
In the spirit of community involvement and discussion and as a big thank you for reaching $17M I think the best thing to do is to give everyone a further 5,000 UEC and let you voice your opinion on some of the proposed solutions (and know that if you vote to reduce the Voyager Direct prices we will credit back the difference in UEC to people’s accounts for people that have already spent UEC).

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13241-17-Million

I hope this doesn't end like Diablo 3.
 

Ballthyrm

Member
A statement from Chris Roberts about real money and UEC:



I hope this doesn't end like Diablo 3.

the good thing is that they are really receptive to their community and they will avoid it before the game goes out.

they will have the time to make all the mistakes and then correct it.
 

Ballthyrm

Member
Has there been any information on when they'll add Rift support? I mean the stretch goal was reached a few millions ago :p

it is supported by the new cry engine on which the game is currently running if i am not mistaken , they have to design the whole experience around that not just put it in which is easy
 

Zabojnik

Member
Has there been any information on when they'll add Rift support? I mean the stretch goal was reached a few millions ago :p

My guess is they'll try to squeeze Rift support in in the next iteration of the hangar, if Crytek sort the latency / whatever problems they're having at the moment. So in a couple of months, maybe?
 
Has there been any information on when they'll add Rift support? I mean the stretch goal was reached a few millions ago :p

The current iteration of cryengine supports it actually (the one they are using), it is a bit buggy though and has detection issues (motion tracking sometimes not working...), you also have to turn off decales/motionblur/ and a couple other things (like some of the shading options) which are incorrectly reproduced in stereoscopy (this is the most annoying and stupid part: they really should make their shaders be able to be reproduced in dual rendering modes).

I think they will release a support patch for it when Crytek step up to the plate and fix their implementation.
 

Durante

Member
Well, motion blur is one of those things you disable in VR anyway. Latency issues need to be fixed though.

it is supported by the new cry engine on which the game is currently running if i am not mistaken , they have to design the whole experience around that not just put it in which is easy
There shouldn't really be that much to redesign in the hangar module. It's already pretty VR-ready, with great body awareness.
 
Well, motion blur is one of those things you disable in VR anyway. Latency issues need to be fixed though.

There shouldn't really be that much to redesign in the hangar module. It's already pretty VR-ready, with great body awareness.

I can understand getting rid of camera motion blur (screen turning would be horribly disorienting)... but I see no reason why per-object implementations cannot be in stereoscopy. It looks great in games in 3dvision from what I have personally experienced (metro, resident evil 5, etc...). Do you think a perobject blur would just compound upon the pixel motionblur problems that the rift already has?
 

Durante

Member
I can understand getting rid of camera motion blur (screen turning would be horribly disorienting)... but I see no reason why per-object implementations cannot be in stereoscopy. It looks great in games in 3dvision from what I have personally experienced (metro, resident evil 5, etc...). Do you think a perobject blur would just compound upon the pixel motionblur problems that the rift already has?
I just think it's generally silly to emulate these kind of camera/vision artifacts in VR. If they are appropriate, they will happen naturally - you just need more FPS (which also improves the overall impact and responsiveness of the simulation).
 

Daedardus

Member
Has there been any information on when they'll add Rift support? I mean the stretch goal was reached a few millions ago :p
There shouldn't really be that much to redesign in the hangar module. It's already pretty VR-ready, with great body awareness.

Iirc, it's a bit on the lower priority side. The graphics team first needs to do optimisation and fix glitches, as OR isn't necessary for the gameplay.

I'm only expecting it around Q1-Q2 2014, to be honest.
Is there any way of buying extra ships/hangars without buying the base package again?

Go to store and select anythings under the 'Ships' tab.
 
I just think it's generally silly to emulate these kind of camera/vision artifacts in VR. If they are appropriate, they will happen naturally - you just need more FPS (which also improves the overall impact and responsiveness of the simulation).

Guess you are right. Focusing more on the fps and image clarity should allow the eyes to naturally reproduce these effects. Good point.
 
Yea the 300i seems like a good multipurpose ship. If you want an exploration focused variant then you could consider getting the 315p. Or just get the basic version and buy the 315 upgrades with ingame currency when the game launches.

Thanks! that is what I figured!
 
Are you sure it is the stock 300i model and not the 315p? Maybe you can check the equipment at the holo thing.

Other than that, go into the hangar on the RSI site and doublecheck you have the correct pack, then post in the Hangar bug subforum and/or open a ticket with support.

Just as a heads up to anyone else - I had a look on the forums and it seems the 315p and 325a are not available in the hangar yet, so that's why only the 300i model is there.
 

Smiley90

Stop shitting on my team. Start shitting on my finger.
Looks like I won't be able to run this. Hopefully a PS4 version is indeed made.

The game's biggest draw is "this is a PC game". there won't be a PS4 version and I'm not sure why you think there would be.
 

ASTROID2

Member
How do we equip the new weapons bought?

I just see them lying there on the floor :(

You use this computer. Then click and drag a weapon off to the right to un-equip it. And drag the new one to the weapon spot on the space craft. I haven't actually bought new weapons yet but this is how it should work. And to use the computer press F by it and press and hold tab to bring up the cursor.

screenshot0024sls7s.jpg
 
Fuck it, I'm going for it. Digital Mecenary; this just looks too amazing to wait it out. This may have been mentioned, but is there music in the hangar module currently?
 

admartian

Member
The game's biggest draw is "this is a PC game". there won't be a PS4 version and I'm not sure why you think there would be.
Because below:

Q. What platforms will Star Citizen be available on, what engine was it made on, when will it be released, and what is the business model?
A. Star Citizen is being produced for Windows PCs - with Linux/Mac likely in future and interest in PS4 mentioned -, developed on a custom version of Cryengine 3, will be available as a release product some time in 2015, and will be a single purchase "Buy to Play" game, no additional costs required but sustained by a limited microtransaction system (limited in quantity to the point where people that don't spend a lot of time playing can keep pace with their peers) for purchasing the in-game credits, items are not intended to be directly purchaseable after the crowd funding phase and so everything can be earned through playtime.
No need to be hostile because one person is hopeful of a platform release. :)

And also, just because a game is on PC/certain platform, what makes it "better" or "more appealing" as you seem to be alluding to?
 

ASTROID2

Member
Fuck it, I'm going for it. Digital Mecenary; this just looks too amazing to wait it out. This may have been mentioned, but is there music in the hangar module currently?

There's no music in the hangar yet. Only in the launcher to the hangar. The musics amazing they really should put it in the hangar.

ASTROID2 thanks ;)

Not really a friendly system, needs some tuning imo.

I agree. Hope they will refine it in the future.
 

Smiley90

Stop shitting on my team. Start shitting on my finger.
Because below:


No need to be hostile because one person is hopeful of a platform release. :)

And also, just because a game is on PC/certain platform, what makes it "better" or "more appealing" as you seem to be alluding to?

I didn't mean "better", I meant "that's how the game was always advertised"
 

admartian

Member
I didn't mean "better", I meant "that's how the game was always advertised"

And that's how I saw it too until I saw that tidbit.

Anyway, not trying to rustle any jimmies, just excited at the prospect/possibility of playing this game (if ever). :)
 

epmode

Member
And also, just because a game is on PC/certain platform, what makes it "better" or "more appealing" as you seem to be alluding to?

If a game is built ground-up for PCs, it's possible to design a game around hardware that consoles can't possibly match. This doesn't matter as much for a PS4 port since it's a new generation but the game would have undoubtedly suffered if it was built with 360/PS3 ports in mind.

There's also the controls thing. Space sims have literally dozens of keyboard shortcuts. While I don't doubt that you can get the most useful controls working on nothing more than a PS4 controller, it might lead to feature removal for the sake of easier controls.
 

MrBig

Member
Because below:


No need to be hostile because one person is hopeful of a platform release. :)

And also, just because a game is on PC/certain platform, what makes it "better" or "more appealing" as you seem to be alluding to?

I didn't really give much context in that statement. CR has talked about consoles a couple times, referring to the PS4/Xbone as being interesting because they are basically PCs in a closed system.

There are several issues to be addressed with this. Being a closed box they will not change for a decade or however long their generation is, that may be good for some users and it may be good for some devs in the short run, but in the long run it hampers the evolution of design. SC is intended to be a long term evolution game. They would not be able to have continued support with complete parody of the full experience over time if they want to expand the capabilities of the game over time, and with both consoles being a couple years behind in performance by the time they launch (relative to high-end/enthusiast pc hardware), in another 2 years, for which time SC's tech is being designed around initially, the consoles will be falling far behind in what they're capable of, relatively. It would be something that they may do some day, but it may just turn out to be infeasible.
In any case, if SC and Elite are a success I'm sure we'll see more games pop up in the genre, some designed to deliver a great, tailored experience to consoles.

https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/76653/star-citizen-pc-ps4-and-consoles
As far as consoles go Star Citizen will never be on the PS3 or Xbox 360. As for the next gen consoles, PS4 and Xbox One, we have NO CURRENT PLANS, but my stance remains open and is consistent with the many interviews I’ve given -

IF the platform holders (Sony & Microsoft) allow us to update the code and data without restrictions and odious time consuming QC procedures, IF they allow our community to openly interact with each other across platforms then I would CONSIDER supporting them.

Why?

Well because then they are essentially inexpensive small form factor PCs with a custom operating system focused on gaming and who wouldn't want a bigger community of Star Citizens? If Sony or Microsoft are willing to let their platform be open, then I see no real difference between them or Valve’s Steambox, a Mac or a PC running Linux, all of which are platforms that I don’t think this community would mind supporting as they are all viewed as “PCs”. In fact most Macs are probably much worse gaming machines than a next gen console (as Apple is the antithesis of what I love about PCs)

But this is a big IF as it’s asking a lot. To their credit Sony seems to be the most eager to embrace indie games and the idea of openness, and they chased us down to give us some dev kits to play with but we’ve been very clear on what it would take to get Star Citizen onto PS4.

And even then it would only be contemplated as a port from the PC, not the other way around plus we would require a financial commitment by Sony to make it happen. If some of the coolest features or peripherals don’t make it because the PS4 can’t handle it we would never gimp the PC version. This is no different than the issues you face in PC development – we could be like Blizzard or Riot and focus on a game that works on the widest array of PC hardware – but that’s not the spirit of Star Citizen. We are shooting for the stars both virtually and technology wise. For me this game is about pushing boundaries on all levels and is something that I hope is still breathing strong ten years from now. Instead of Crysis benchmarks when they test a new GPU I want to see Star Citizen!

One last thing to think about - normally developers "sell out" to a console platform (Bungie or Epic going XBox exclusive for instance) because the platform holder is funding the budget. Thanks to everyone that has backed Star Citizen we have no need to sell out to anyone! You've funded a AAA PC game that will compete with the biggest and best. By the time the game is officially "done", I'm pretty sure that the final funding will be larger than most AAA console games outside the very biggest like GTA or CoD - and our money goes much further as we don't have any corporate overhead or fancy marketing budgets. You have all proven there is at least as much demand for a high end PC game as most console games.

So fear not! The PC is the platform of Star Citizen. Anything else, if it happens at all, will just be after the fact.
 

ASTROID2

Member
Haven't really been following this. It's a bit confusing. Is this an online game?

Squadron 42 can be played in single player. It's kinda like the game Wing Commander. Star Citizen is the persistent online universe with real people flying around exploring, fighting, mining for materials, shipping materials and resources. Basically do whatever you want. It is scheduled to hopefully release in 2015 with many alphas and betas before then.

So in short yes it will be an online game.
 
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