The other day I was watching a video called how to blow 120 million dollars, about pseudoscience projects following some unrealistic promise and funded by people... those guys know what they are doing and they know they only need to deliver some half working garbage to avoid the scam definition. They were all full of apologetics, because it´s only natural, the more confident the people are they´re not gettin scamed, the more chances that they are.

HitokiriX:

Those are estimates at best and I have yet to see a single crowd funded game actually release within those estimated time frames people seem to forget your funding development of the game and there's no guarantee you'll receive a game at the end of it all its a gamble you take if you can't handle it don't invest in it, a really good example of that is Distance I backed it in 2012 the estimated date of delivery was May 2013 flash forward to 19 September 2018 it just hit 1.0 6.5 years later finally out of beta it happens and the game is all the better for it. Since I've never done a crowd funding campaign I'm guessing they have to put down a estimated release date even though most of them are incredibly short or naive if you will one has to think they are closing their eyes and throwing a dart at a calendar lol

Elite Dangerous. Had a plan, asked for money, released on time and under budget. Edit: And for those that wanted their money back because of elements they asked for and were not delivered, guess what? That's right, they got their money back. Edit2: The game has sold roughly 3 million units @ $60, making $180m. Edit3: And they created their own game engine. Edit4: And they released expansions in accordance with player demand. Edit5: And yes, I could go on - but I'm sure you will look it all up.

INSTG8R:

Please for the love of god don’t defend this “perma-Alpha” Note;Yes I own it but I’m not wasting any drive space on it...

This is as perma-Alpha than all games in development.. then released. only 6 years starting from a team of 6 guys with no studios or pipelines and 6 M$. Now 2 triple-A (Solo + MMO) with a 4 quarters roadmap giving most Kickstarter features with a probable Beta by end of 2019. If you can't stand the world Alpha... stay until it reach Beta or release.

FookDat:

I have spent around $350 on this game so far. It still sucks. I am afraid that by the time it comes out, I will not even be gaming anymore! Ill probably have a family and kids to raise so wont even get to enjoy this game. Hope it takes less than a week to learn to fly after this update.

Yeah the good old joke: "my children will fly to mars before it is released".... 🙂 Except Beta is very probable by end of 2019 with most features delivered in the next 6 patch (one per quarter). Already very enjoyable with friends.

I just realized why this hasn't been fully released/completed yet. They are actually waiting until space flight becomes a real thing! 😀 [SPOILER]

Texter:

Ah...anticipating is always the best part...

Yeah, could be.. Unless a lengthy anticipation turns into frustration and possibly disappointment. In rare cases that is. 🙂

TheDeeGee:

I this game in the Guinness Book by now? For being in Alpha for the longest time.

Auto-correct? 😛[/SPOILER]

Loobyluggs:

Elite Dangerous. Had a plan, asked for money, released on time and under budget. Edit: And for those that wanted their money back because of elements they asked for and were not delivered, guess what? That's right, they got their money back. Edit2: The game has sold roughly 3 million units @ $60, making $180m. Edit3: And they created their own game engine. Edit4: And they released expansions in accordance with player demand. Edit5: And yes, I could go on - but I'm sure you will look it all up.

Elite Dangerous just barely made its funding goal was released in a barebones state is a glorified space trucker sim highly repetitive as there's nothing to do other than haul stuff expansions were created to continue funding game development game is not fun how long did it take to implement planetary landing again, can you even walk around a planet/space station yet? and lastly elite dangerous makes no mans sky look more feature complete

HitokiriX:

Elite Dangerous just barely made its funding goal was released in a barebones state is a glorified space trucker sim highly repetitive as there's nothing to do other than haul stuff expansions were created to continue funding game development game is not fun how long did it take to implement planetary landing again, can you even walk around a planet/space station yet? and lastly elite dangerous makes no mans sky look more feature complete

You asked the question - I delivered an answer. Regardless of what you personally think about the actual game, I was chiefly just answering your question about a kickstarter project that contradicted what you said. That's all. Besides, 80% meta-critic aggregate is still 80% on an actual game that actually met its funding goal and then stopped asking for more money. It then actually released onto the market in a finished state , and then got actual reviews with actual final release code...actually. So...you want to actually compare the two? Well, that was not your point. Your point has been answered. David Braben delivered on the project, and gave money back to those who wanted it, for any features that were missing. Do you have any more points I can nullify?

Call me when this goes gold. 😉

0blivious:

Call me when this goes gold.

Why call you by the time that happens they'll be able to teleport a version of the game directly in to your brain

Irenicus:

Nope, development started 2011, first alpha was in 2013

2014 actually. Before 2014 it was in an entirely different concept of Freelancer. It was 2014 when the concept was revised to seamless multifuntional open world FPS what most investors (players) wanted. 3 years took to develop tools. Engine is still being developed with 3.x branch. In 2016 they began working on the game itself. With 3.x branch they started with game features and functionality. It's 4 years as of now. GTA V, for example took 6 years to develop and not taking into account that the RAGE engine was already largely done with GTA IV. ME:A took 5 years to develop with little in the outcome. BGaE 2 is in development for over 10 years. 8 took just for tools and the engine.

Loobyluggs:

Elite Dangerous. Had a plan, asked for money, released on time and under budget.

Elite Dangerous is not even close in terms of functionality even to old SC alpha 1. All it had out the beginning was a few low quality ship models, several cockpits, some station externality and little internals and menues, menues, menues. That's all. Space was quite empty and all objects were done low quality. Planets are low-polygon object with covered with low quality textures. Even after they added non-atmosphere terrestrial planets, it's still no match to what have been done for SC to the moment. They are just not pushing pointless, but easy, gameplay functionality. First they are about to bring primary features and functionality. They do it opposite way to Elite, but they evolve much faster. Elite brought empty world alpha as stable version. But it is as boring and as empty as Star Citizen alpha.

coth:

Elite Dangerous is not even close in terms of functionality even to old SC alpha 1. All it had out the beginning was a few low quality ship models, several cockpits, some station externality and little internals and menues, menues, menues. That's all. Space was quite empty and all objects were done low quality. Planets are low-polygon object with covered with low quality textures. Even after they added non-atmosphere terrestrial planets, it's still no match to what have been done for SC to the moment. They are just not pushing pointless, but easy, gameplay functionality. First they are about to bring primary features and functionality. They do it opposite way to Elite, but they evolve much faster. Elite brought empty world alpha as stable version. But it is as boring and as empty as Star Citizen alpha.

I wasn't making a comparison, I was answering someone who wanted to know of a crowd-funded project that:-

HitokiriX:

I have yet to see a single crowd funded game actually release within those estimated time frames

That's all I was doing. Elite Dangerous asked for X to deliver the game. Less than two years later they delivered what they said they would minus some functionality (campaign) and, if any 'backers' wanted their money back as a result, they got it. As far as I am concerned (being someone who does not even play Elite) if you want to make comparisons, I really do not think you can as SC has not been released as yet. Neither has it been reviewed, and most certainly the original crowd-funded project does not even exist. If I gave you the impression I was making comparisons or that I am some sort of Elite fan-boy, I appologise - but I'm wasn't and I am not. The crowd funding for SC was 'transferred' into actual free-money (pledges), by changing the terms and conditions, which is what prompted the court case (that was incontestable) by the individual who didn't click the 'I agree' button to the new terms and conditions. So the backers became (if they didn't click the button) people without a leg to stand on, as their backing money are deemed to be 'pledges' of money, in a quite bizarre twist of terminology that makes any questions as to the final launch date of the game completely meaningless. The reason is simple: any 'pledges' given to them are not contingent on them supplying you a finished computer game. That are also not obligated to actually finish the game, or even state that there is a game with a release date. The only thing they have to do is allow you access to the content you have asked for, as a part of your 'pledge'. That's it your honor, we gave them a virtual environment to access the virtual items they paid for. Now, this also means that even if they never ever finish the game and release, they still get to keep the money. They can literally keeping offering virtual environments to access virtual content until the end of time. As Walter White once said "...I respect the strategy..." as CR has created some kind of virtual meth-lab, full of people consuming whatever he is cooking up, and with no one else able to sell on his turf. The Emperor is not wearing any clothes...and CR is never going to release a game.

0blivious:

Call me when this goes gold. 😉

Sorry mate, I don't know if I would be able to call you by the time this comes out, in my 40's now and with the development rate of this game I will be dust by then.;)

I hope they pivot this game to Battle Royale and make a billion dollars like Fortnite did - which was also in development since 2011.

Denial:

I hope they pivot this game to Battle Royale and make a billion dollars like Fortnite did - which was also in development since 2011.

I hope they do - but doubt it will make any difference to whether this 'project' ever gets released, if fact I'm sure they will add this into the shelf of ide\as they have got to get people to 'pledge' more money to CR. Y'know what - I would in fact be surprised if they don't add battle royale...

HitokiriX:

Elite Dangerous just barely made its funding goal was released in a barebones state is a glorified space trucker sim highly repetitive as there's nothing to do other than haul stuff expansions were created to continue funding game development game is not fun how long did it take to implement planetary landing again, can you even walk around a planet/space station yet? and lastly elite dangerous makes no mans sky look more feature complete

yea, sick of people comparing this to elite dangerous, the only thing they have in common is space.

holler:

yeah, sick of people comparing this to elite dangerous, the only thing they have in common is space.

Which is why I didn't compare them, merely used Elite Dangerous as a kickstarter example for software development.

HitokiriX:

Elite Dangerous just barely made its funding goal was released in a barebones state is a glorified space trucker sim highly repetitive as there's nothing to do other than haul stuff expansions were created to continue funding game development game is not fun how long did it take to implement planetary landing again, can you even walk around a planet/space station yet? and lastly elite dangerous makes no mans sky look more feature complete

This is an Elite Dangerous video from 2014. You don't need endless feature checklists to create an amazing game. [YouTube]KbaLJTGHkj8[/YouTube] PS: The general feeling of the ships in Elite, the audio, the handling, the ambient, is miles above anything else.

Don't really understand the comments about E:D ships being low-poly and bad etc., the entire game looks superb and runs exceptionally well. There's a well-though-out art direction and visual that's being implemented throughout the game. It doesn't need being able to walk around on space stations etc., but sure, it would be cool. However - I do agree that the game does lack some direction for a modern audience. But it's not bad as a result. It's just a bit obtuse. I personally cannot get very invested in it, but I enjoy loading it up once and a while and experiencing how their version of space has evolved.

Loobyluggs:

I think that some people see that as the main problem. The devs said it would X period of time and cost X to release X product onto the market. So...you are saying the devs were wrong? That the devs didn't know how much time and effort it would take? Or are you saying they did know? If they knew - then they should have released the original design. If they didn't - then they should have asked for more time and more money to release X. In either case, it is irrelevant as they have simply added and added and added with every year to X, leading to the situation where I am just waiting and waiting and waiting for the final game to be finally reviewed by Hilbert.

They did ask for more time.. On two separate occasions due to feature requests, RSI polled backers of the game and asked if they wanted to continue on the current path or greatly expand the size and scope of the game. Both times, backers voted to dramatically increase the size of the game. These expansions made the original release dates no longer apply. As for the 7 year claim... at least 3 of those years was just a handful of people working on the game. People seem to act as if Chris Roberts had a 400 person development team ready to go the moment the kickstarter ended like studios such as Bethesda, Sony, etc. It took a long time for them to build the team they have today