Lladre posted:

Isn't that the guy who lives in the middle of nowhere Alaska and was a runner up in the next greatest star ship fiasco?

D_Smart posted:

It's true. All of it.

Note, we've been having the same discussion for LOD. And without a server-authoritative model, we're definitely going to have to license a third-party anti-cheat solution because there's no way we're going to write that poo poo.

Tijuana Bibliophile posted:

Daztek posted:

http://www.dereksmart.org/2016/04/star-citizen-the-ele/

Derek typed more words

quote:

*16-04-13 update1: This has now been confirmed to me by sources.

Also, in consultations with my attorneys, I can now add the commentary previously not included when this blog first went live.

I can now reveal that on a date certain in May, my attorneys and I will – again – walk into a Federal building.

Further to my comments above regarding how to follow and account for backer money, one thing that sticks out in all the research material I have, is the allegation that when Simon Elms (see the aforementioned Gizmondo debacle) was called back to join the fold, he, Derek Senior, and Erin Roberts (brother of Chris Roberts) – all execs in the UK – were allegedly “bought out” by CIG for an undisclosed sum. While I see no evidence of this in the short-form financial filings (as they are public) of the UK companies, if this did in fact take place as alleged, then it was probably done on the US or German CIG side of those companies (see why we started tracking all these companies?) where the details are not accessible by the public, as they would be in the UK. Why is this relevant? If true, and even if found to be legal, it would still be a blatant violation of trust as per the transfer of liquid cash assets, the bulk (again, assuming that the $112M does not include other non crowd-funded investment) of which was raised with the sole purpose of creating this crowd-funded project.

Despite the fact that we do not know how much private investment is in the project, the fact remains that they should disclose this to backers, as Chris was quick to proclaim that he didn’t need investors or publishers if he could raise the money from crowd-funding. And these are some of the things that should raise Red flags pertaining to their refusal to provide complete financials to backers, as was promised in the ToS they themselves constructed. They obviously put that in there in order to gain the trust and confidence of backers, and to show a level of accountability. Then, like everything else, after getting all this money, and still failing to deliver a product, and by the deadline promised, they reneged. Pretty much how he wrote this pledge during crowd-funding, and has thus far, has failed to uphold it.

In a meeting with the interested parties, we will provide them with an entire dossier of research material, as well as statements (some sent anonymously) by third-party sources (some who agreed to be named to the authorities) who are concerned about being accused of being complicit in what is really going on with the project, and not currently known to backers. I made the decision not to turn any of this over to gaming media because most of them cannot be trusted. And those who can be trusted, without sources on the record, probably won’t touch this with the longest barge pole until it finally collapses. Aside from the fact that they (e.g. the major UK media organisation currently doing their own investigation that I have recently become aware of) stand no chance of ever getting any of these sources to go on the record, outside of a subpoena or hearing, due to reprisals by the gaming industry proper, as well as the Shitizens who have made the attacking of dissenters, a social media sport.

As my attorneys have already indicated, we would have no problems reviewing the project financials in private and under NDA, with the sole purpose of finding out how the money has been spent, and whether or not they have reserves (as Chris has indicated several times) to complete the projects as promised. Or we can agree on a neutral third-party forensics accounting firm, for which I will bear the expense as I had offered last year. And if we are satisfied with the findings, I will issue a statement to that effect. At which point, regardless of the findings (which I won’t be able to disclose anyway), my role in this would be at an end.

To be clear, their inability to complete and deliver the project as promised, is simply a matter of failure due to ambition. I have no doubt that Chris believed that this game could be developed as he envisioned. But to date, with all the feature cuts, technical challenges, broken promises, almost eighteen month delay etc, he has been proven to be wrong. And that’s not likely to change. So for all intent and purposes, that will all be irrelevant if the money was simply wasted, albeit with no evidence of malfeasance or fraud; neither of which I am in any position to accuse them of. That’s up to the authorities and the legal system to determine.

And as I have stated before, Chris being a dreamer, I don’t believe that he set out to scam gamers. However, the only right thing that he can do now is to come clean, explain to the backers what he can and cannot do, what went wrong and how, provide the financials to the backers who are entitled to it, and stop taking money for a project he knows all too well that he simply cannot deliver as originally promised.

At the end of the day, when it all comes out, fact, opinion, hyperbole, or whatever, one thing is certain, my blogs will still be here, cataloging what has gone on with the project, and why, as an industry and as gamers, we simply cannot let this happen again.

That said, if current events don’t make them bring a frivolous lawsuit in order to tie me up in court, silence me etc, nothing will. They can bring it. My liability insurance is in need of a workout. I remain convinced that what I’m doing is legal, right, and just; and my opinions are my own. Unless and until they provide backers with the complete financials for this project as promised, and coupled with a concrete date for the delivery of Star Citizen and Squadron 42 projects, I will continue to seek accountability.

DISCLOSURE: Under the legal right to own, buy and sell digital assets, I currently have a combined total of $1,853 in the project. Thanks to all of you who helped make that happen. We will get answers; this I promise.

Chickenfrogman posted:

B'Tak finished Mother 3 and couldn't understand why he couldn't climb into the Absolute Safety capsule as it would be the perfect life.

grimcreaper posted:

Holy poo poo wtf. Is that a comic about that one movie with those 2 guys who do the thing?

Crazy_BlackParrot posted:

Beer4TheBeerGod posted:

Same. He's an rear end but I still hope he gets healthy. At the very least for his wife's sake.

Meanwhile I have lost 15 pounds since March and continue to work at it.

TTerrible posted:

Yup, true. The question is if the FCA visit happened or not, not if a visit from the FCA is serious. People keep downplaying it.

I would bet on it being true though.

Jst0rm posted:

Well I think after this thing pops we will get about a month of interesting fallout and introspection from the whales. The real problem is nothing will ever be able to hold a candle to this poo poo. The level of comedy in my life at the expense of others will drop to almost 0.

Shala posted:

Take a poll on preferred multi crew positions. Make sure to ask people how much they spent. Wouldn't want any...undesirables in a captain seat...

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YDmt4E6eFmspWqN2g1QRxf9SFVjv_G_PdtopPPfo9HQ/viewform

Jst0rm posted:

Well I think after this thing pops we will get about a month of interesting fallout and introspection from the whales. The real problem is nothing will ever be able to hold a candle to this poo poo. The level of comedy in my life at the expense of others will drop to almost 0.

Tijuana Bibliophile posted:

anyone entering anything other than captain/captain/captain is lying

Wafflz posted:

You could always read the mmo hmo or d&d

Shala posted:

Take a poll on preferred multi crew positions. Make sure to ask people how much they spent. Wouldn't want any...undesirables in a captain seat...

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YDmt4E6eFmspWqN2g1QRxf9SFVjv_G_PdtopPPfo9HQ/viewform

Tijuana Bibliophile posted:

anyone entering anything other than captain/captain/captain is lying

SomethingJones posted:

Stimperor all the way.

Colostomy Bag posted:

Are you saying my response to "Hospitality Service" was a lie?

Thirsty Dog posted:

Huh. Derek's blog edit is sane, well argued, reasonably concise, and well written.

Who wrote it?

Oleyo posted:

This might be my new favorite word.

befadora'd
verb

(of a group) To be festooned with a statistically unlikely number of or fedoras, usually in an inappropriate setting.

Shala posted:

Take a poll on preferred multi crew positions. Make sure to ask people how much they spent. Wouldn't want any...undesirables in a captain seat...

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YDmt4E6eFmspWqN2g1QRxf9SFVjv_G_PdtopPPfo9HQ/viewform

quote:

Suggestions for additional surveys:

Role Prefference.
You ought to make the roles question multiple choice.
Spaceship vs Spacestation activity
Perhaps have a top 3 positions for multicrew
Preferences for firearm ballistics, personal protection (body armor) and medical system realism
Survey asking for opinions on awareness (where is fire coming from, how can taking damage be communicated to players, how is this done at the moment and what are the best ways to do this in the future?)
satan
Admiral/Commander (Looking at the whole battle and directing carriers, troops, wings etc.)
The ships? Type of missions? etc
Ask if the person taking the survey wants to primarily be on a multi-crew ship or in a single-person ship
I'd like to run a multi-crew ship of npcs. I don't want to fly with strangers and my friends don't play SC.
I love you. And pie
Add Boarding Party to jobs.
Should add hiring crewmen to the social module of the game so you can get into instant action crewing another ship if you like
Ask what style of multicrew ship. There's a heavy bomber, drop ship, tanker, hauler, etc. That is just as important to include as role
Own the multi-crew ship, or work on another's?
Sextet cosplay
I think the questions here were poorly phrased. I suggest: Listen to Paul Fry's lectures on introduction to litterature on youtube, and *perchance* improve your ability to create meaningful questions, or ask for help the next time. I'd argue that I can't really realistically have any preferences for a secondary or a tertiary roles when I don't know what the gameplay will actually be like. There would be no way for me to compare the three this way.
Roles should include: EWAR, Security (anti-boarding, general security, etc.), Weapons systems (not just gunners), cargo foreman (organization, manifests, etc.)
On your ship or someone else's?
Might want to break up the "how much you spent" section. One big ship puts people over your highest line really fast. I don't know if that an issue or not, maybe a bunch of people have spent less than I thought.
Perhaps incorporate roles for policing and piracy, perhaps roles concerning specialities (making drinks on the Jump, mining ores on the orion, determining alloys and stripping/repairing on the crucible or salvaging on the reclaimer).
Add prefered role in the verse like: mining, fighting, data gathering w etc
Allow multi select for crew positions instead of by order of interest, with a seperate question for top choice. Its too hard to narrow down what id like to do to 3 positions. Idk if thats possible though with this interface :p
Make 'none' an option for second/tertiary
More cowbell
Praise Chris Roberts
Space Bagel Flavours
moar tits
Ask for novel challenges or ideas for player generated content? Like "get this vending machine from X to platform Y.
PvP slider setting, vocations, regulated vs frontier space
How many people are focused on fps game play?
I plan to lone wolf it most of the time, but I'm happy to do the occasional crewing.
Survey for the next best survey ideas.
Is TEST Squadron the Best Squardon?
A survey to gauge community interest of combat vs. non-combat spaceships
survey about geographical location (planet, star system, etc) or where citizens will spend most of their time (vega system, Severus in the Kiel system, unexplored space, etc.
Multi-crew role should have a unsure possible. but that could fit in other.
Ask which multi-crew ships (if any) the player owns.
not buying game until finished
Additional Role Suggestion: Operations Manager (Commanding/Organizing multiple ships)
What will your space outfit look like? Mine: Fabulous.
Survey cataloging the types of PVP encounters players would enjoy
Crew size preference
Allow us to choose more than one roke if you decide to do the survey, and also change the age notes as some of the ages do not only correspond to one note IE 18 being only secondary school when it can apply to undergraduates aswell
Holotable design improvements
This survey gave me space aids.
An option for people who own a multi-person ship and are looking for crew might be useful, but I wouldn't know where to tell you to place it in your questionnaire.
combat vs non combat role interests
You are awesome.. Free 3d printing for my delta throttle
Tapir please
meh
What is your endgame ship? Not what ship you pledged to own, but what you intend to acquire later. Also, what roles in a fleet or Org would you like to have? IE boarding party, piracy, security, trading, finance, mechanic, etc.
Whether clans or even a Lone Wolf, would hire Freelancers or Mercenaries.
What types of in game careers are you interested in?
For this survey- Class of ship: medium, large, capital. Crew size: 3, 4, 5, 6, Prefered escort: (list of escort ships)
Give me free UEC
Price spent on ships should have been a more useful range, or even been "how many ships have you bought" - Lots of people own at least 2 ships, which will push everyone into the last category.
What part of the game ( Dogfight - Exploration - First person incrusions, etc ...) do you plan the spend the most time on ?
Roles be ranked, from 1-5 or something like thouse strongly would, strongly wouldnt scale.
What role would we NOT want to fill.
Do you own a multi crew ship?
Ideal Role for your Multicrew Ship?
Preferred style of play; Game time commitment
More questions, it was super fast which is nice but you have room for like 5-10 more and still be a "fast" survey.
You should add an option of all of the above or something similar. I mainly want to try out everything and see what I enjoy. They could all be fun for all I know.
How do I get a refund on this scam?
Captain
When will the game be finished?