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Forbes - The Saga Of A $300 Million Computer Game

24

Comments

  • KefoKefo Member EpicPosts: 4,229
    Vrika said:
    Rhoklaw said:
    "Up to a point, Roberts has been transparent about where the money has been going. He released years’ worth of financial statements last December. But he won’t say how much he or other top Cloud Imperium execs have made from the project. His wife and his brother both work in senior positions at the company."

    I've been pointing this out ever since we were told Sandi and his brother both having key exec positions for which neither of them were aptly qualified for. That was probably one of thee first comments I ever made about the game and the people developing it. Sure, he's transparent about the money being spent on the game, but why hide how much you, your wife and your brother are making? Pure rubbish and one of the main reasons he's going to end up in jail unless he can justify everyone's "salary".
    Erin Roberts has enough qualification for his job, and by now Sandi Gardiner is qualified on the virtue of how successful marketing has been, so Chris Roberts can't really be blamed for hiring unqualified people.

    However the backers are stupid when they give this much money without oversight on how much the company's owners, their families, and relatives get salary and bonuses.
    Well remember at the time Chris was desperately trying to keep it a secret that he and Sandi were married. Should have thrown up multiple red flags to backers but so have other things he has done.

    Also I don’t think the fake it till you make it defence applies lol
    Gdemami
  • MadFrenchieMadFrenchie Member LegendaryPosts: 8,505
    edited May 2019
    Vrika said:
    Rhoklaw said:
    "Up to a point, Roberts has been transparent about where the money has been going. He released years’ worth of financial statements last December. But he won’t say how much he or other top Cloud Imperium execs have made from the project. His wife and his brother both work in senior positions at the company."

    I've been pointing this out ever since we were told Sandi and his brother both having key exec positions for which neither of them were aptly qualified for. That was probably one of thee first comments I ever made about the game and the people developing it. Sure, he's transparent about the money being spent on the game, but why hide how much you, your wife and your brother are making? Pure rubbish and one of the main reasons he's going to end up in jail unless he can justify everyone's "salary".
    Erin Roberts has enough qualification for his job, and by now Sandi Gardiner is qualified on the virtue of how successful marketing has been, so Chris Roberts can't really be blamed for hiring unqualified people.

    However the backers are stupid when they give this much money without oversight on how much the company's owners, their families, and relatives get salary and bonuses.
    Not stupid, just utterly unqualified to be part of such a large investment and project.

    A fact that definitely isn't lost on Roberts and Co, or any crowdfunded studuo for that matter.

    Does anyone think SC got to where it is today by showing anything resembling adequate progress and resource management relative to the industry at large?  Of course not.  But the knights will gaslight it just enough to convince some folks it's going to be all that was promised, if they'll just keep the faith.
    YashaXGdemamiklash2def

    image
  • Panther2103Panther2103 Member EpicPosts: 5,766
    Articles like this will never change backers minds. Some might understand that it's a long shot they will get the product that was advertised, while others just ignore and have unwavering faith in CR to deliver what was promised.

    ScotKyleran
  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,295
    Same ole same ole

    *yawn*


    Have fun
    ZenJellyklash2def
  • WalkinGlennWalkinGlenn Member RarePosts: 449
    So was she stalking and strangling before or after the tickle porn, lmao
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,435
    Erillion said:
    Same ole same ole

    *yawn*


    Have fun
    You just could not time your case in point post any better, well done sir.

    :D
    MadFrenchieklash2def

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • jonp200jonp200 Member UncommonPosts: 457
    Makes me recall a short story by Philip K. Dick about a planet on which the amazingly talented people had found the secret to everlasting life, eradicated disease, advanced technology across the spectrum; gaining all the time they needed to do anything.  They stagnated,  not having any constraints and no sense of urgency to do anything.  There would always be more time later....

    There's a parallel here.  Years ago, playing games on my C64, I believe the coding was better albeit not as advanced, as programmers had a limited memory space and power to run programs.  We didn't see real advances in video and sound until the advent of CD-ROM technology and other storage solutions.  They were bound to technology constraints.

    Chris Roberts has a very creative mind and I remember Wing Commander fondly; Privateer in particular.  Giving him nearly boundless resources hasn't worked out so well and it appears Cloud Imperium now requires ongoing capital to continue what has been their ever expanding vision.  This does not bode well for the game.  They would have been better served taking a modular approach; releasing incremental updates.

    Unlike other crowd-funded efforts I don't believe they were ill-intentioned but without a taskmaster to keep them in check, this is the result we are seeing.  Continuing to sell "virtual merchandise" now given the progress made likely opens them up to more scrutiny and legal challenges in the future. 

    I wrote them a couple years ago citing just this and asking my initial pledge be refunded and they did so leaving me a little more favorably inclined toward the company than others.

    I no longer crowd-fund anything unless it is a developer with whom I have had a positive experience previously.  The overall track record hasn't been so fantastic.
    Gdemami

    Seaspite
    Playing ESO on my X-Box


  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,435
    edited May 2019
    Vrika said:
    Rhoklaw said:
    "Up to a point, Roberts has been transparent about where the money has been going. He released years’ worth of financial statements last December. But he won’t say how much he or other top Cloud Imperium execs have made from the project. His wife and his brother both work in senior positions at the company."

    I've been pointing this out ever since we were told Sandi and his brother both having key exec positions for which neither of them were aptly qualified for. That was probably one of thee first comments I ever made about the game and the people developing it. Sure, he's transparent about the money being spent on the game, but why hide how much you, your wife and your brother are making? Pure rubbish and one of the main reasons he's going to end up in jail unless he can justify everyone's "salary".
    Erin Roberts has enough qualification for his job, and by now Sandi Gardiner is qualified on the virtue of how successful marketing has been, so Chris Roberts can't really be blamed for hiring unqualified people.

    However the backers are stupid when they give this much money without oversight on how much the company's owners, their families, and relatives get salary and bonuses.
    You nailed it on the head. The backers show no sign of letting up, so it is not beyond the realm of possibility of this game drawing in $400M or more in totally free money, an outrageous concept I still struggle to comprehend.

    It's already become a huge "success" even if never actually releases in a final version.

    I'm not even sure that is an actual goal at this point, just drop another iteration for backers to play around with to rekindle the funding and press onwards. 

    Working very well for them so far.  Genius really, well evil genius at the very least, with a good dose of incompetence.

    Someone is lying, either to themselves, others or maybe both.




    Gdemami

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • GeezerGamerGeezerGamer Member EpicPosts: 8,855
    (Chris Roberts on Anthem)
    Roberts believes, according to the interview, that gamers often have unreasonable expectations compounded by their hatred of EA.

    (Soon to be Chris Roberts on Star Citizen)
    Roberts believes, according to the interview, that gamers often have unreasonable expectations compounded by their hatred of CIG.
  • Octagon7711Octagon7711 Member LegendaryPosts: 9,000
    People get hired because they know people are are relatives everyday, even if not qualified and usually have qualified people covering for them or until they mess up and get removed by promotion.  

    Besides the spending, I've always doubted being able to have an MMO with hyper-detail.  It's just too much information to handle, without being heavily instanced.  It still looks like a problem as far as I can see.  Plus a lot of bugs are skipped and put off till later.

    "We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa      "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."  SR Covey

  • SpaceNerdSciSpaceNerdSci Newbie CommonPosts: 3
    I took the article with a grain of salt because I know most of the examples it gave to support his main point was from before 2016. 2015/2016 is when the company as a whole started really getting itself together properly. Their marketing still sucks as it's wishy-washy from 2012-2018 but so far this year they seem to be leaning toward reeling back some of the crazy decisions of recent years like with the Vanguard BUKs and rolling it back to the original promise of modularity. I think it's really cool that they listen and adjust. What's left of BioWare doesn't do that, look at the Anthem subreddit.... dear Lord it's awful what they did to their fan base.
    YashaXklash2def
  • MargaretavilleMargaretaville Member UncommonPosts: 72
    Well, it's now June, 2019 plenty of time to adjust again...….and again...….and again......

    Maybe with a NASA size budget they will finally launch?
    YashaX
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,435
    edited June 2019
    Funny story,  NASA put the Opportunity Rover on the surface of Mars for $400M which operated for 14 years.

    Star Citizen may well equal or exceed this amount,  but take 14 years to launch.   Weird.

    :D
    AmatheScotMadFrenchieOctagon7711SandmanjwKefobcbullyYashaXklash2def

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • TillerTiller Member LegendaryPosts: 11,125
    klash2def
    SWG Bloodfin vet
    Elder Jedi/Elder Bounty Hunter
     
  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 22,820
    Kyleran said:
    Funny story,  NASA put the Opportunity Rover on the surface of Mars for $400M which operated for 14 years.

    Star Citizen may well equal or exceed this amount,  but take 14 years to launch.   Weird.

    :D
    That's why deadlines are good, releasing yet another video about the opportunity rover or going on about all the software tools you need to create would not cut it. :)
    MadFrenchieKyleran
  • MadFrenchieMadFrenchie Member LegendaryPosts: 8,505
    Kyleran said:
    Funny story,  NASA put the Opportunity Rover on the surface of Mars for $400M which operated for 14 years.

    Star Citizen may well equal or exceed this amount,  but take 14 years to launch.   Weird.

    :D
    Yeah, but this is GAME DEVELOPMENT and that's just literal fucking rocket sci- oh wait.


    Yeah but they're doing something NOBODY else has ever do- oh wait.


    Yeah, but they had competent project managers and were actually held accountable for the money they spent!  Yeah, that's the one!
    SandmanjwKefoScotKyleranNilden

    image
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 16,947


    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • TheocritusTheocritus Member LegendaryPosts: 9,739
    Wow when Forbes writes an article like that....They usually can care less about the games industry but this amount of money has caught people's attention...Now there will be greater pressure than ever for them to set a timetable to release or they may see a class action lawsuit.
    Gdemami
  • MaxBaconMaxBacon Member LegendaryPosts: 7,765
    edited June 2019
    Wow when Forbes writes an article like that....They usually can care less about the games industry but this amount of money has caught people's attention...Now there will be greater pressure than ever for them to set a timetable to release or they may see a class action lawsuit.
    Pressure?

    Aside of being nothing new, articles like this have hit them for almost 5 years now, of hyperbole or even doomsday talk, together with gigantic waves of never-ending hate (like this forum) against the game/company.

    It did as much of an impact on the game then as it does now, is just more of the same old drama that can not be described any more perfectly than "the dogs bark as the caravan goes on".


    The game is doing fine, backers are generally good with what has been happening with the game's recent progress, the game funding is stronger than ever... while as usual hate and triggered people remains vastly external (hence vastly irrelevant influence) to the backer and player base of the game.

    Same old thing my friend, same old thing. 
    YashaX
  • MadFrenchieMadFrenchie Member LegendaryPosts: 8,505


    Just a small correction..  Everyone knows Ed Harris said that, not whoever this Gene Kranz guy is. :D

    (Yes, I know Kranz is the character Harris plays in Apollo 13; it's a joke)

    image
  • gervaise1gervaise1 Member EpicPosts: 6,919
    Kyleran said:
    Funny story,  NASA put the Opportunity Rover on the surface of Mars for $400M which operated for 14 years.

    Star Citizen may well equal or exceed this amount,  but take 14 years to launch.   Weird.

    :D
    $400M per Rover. $800M in total of course.



      
  • LazyDazedLazyDazed Member UncommonPosts: 166
    I have only spent $6000 I still have $4000 to go to get my F8. There are many people like myself still here, the money well won't end anytime soon. The base of the game is already decent in comparison and a lot of what has been developed so far is amazing. My wallet trumps.
    WalkinGlennKyleranErillionYashaXklash2def
  • MadFrenchieMadFrenchie Member LegendaryPosts: 8,505
    edited June 2019
    gervaise1 said:
    Kyleran said:
    Funny story,  NASA put the Opportunity Rover on the surface of Mars for $400M which operated for 14 years.

    Star Citizen may well equal or exceed this amount,  but take 14 years to launch.   Weird.

    :D
    $400M per Rover. $800M in total of course.



      
    So you're saying for CIG to actually release both SQ42 and SC, they'll need another 300-400 million, at least? :D
    ScotKyleranPhryYashaX

    image
  • TillerTiller Member LegendaryPosts: 11,125
    LazyDazed said:
    I have only spent $6000 I still have $4000 to go to get my F8. There are many people like myself still here, the money well won't end anytime soon. The base of the game is already decent in comparison and a lot of what has been developed so far is amazing. My wallet trumps.

    SWG Bloodfin vet
    Elder Jedi/Elder Bounty Hunter
     
  • WizardryWizardry Member LegendaryPosts: 19,332
    HE will never agree to any interview that is not an advertisement so it is up to the media to call him out.
    He promised a FINISHED ,fully fledged game for around what was it 6-11 million?Well where is this finished product?
    You FIRST and foremost do what you said you would do,finish it ,deliver the game.
    THEN and only then you make a bid for more money to improve the game,or you simply rely on selling that finished product that you promised would be a AAA game.

    Well we all know that this guy could never build a AAA game even for 150 million.He is really good at wasting other people's free handouts.

    Oh well,kudos to all those suckers who gave him a ton of free money,enjoy your virtual pixel ships you paid a lot of money for.
    Tiller

    Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.

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