Star Citizen - Chris Roberts, lots of spaceship porn, lots of promises

[dsmart]

Your “delivery” liability line. I thought you were suggesting that a purchaser would have to fulfill some delivery obligation of the borrower, which naturally wouldn’t be the case.

Ah no. I was suggesting that it would be a hard sell because of all the drama surrounding it. I even pointed out that the fact that backers would expect the buyers to give them a free game, is also a burden that the potential buyers wouldn’t want to deal with.

Can you imagine the fiasco that would ensue if, say, Amazon bought the Star Citizen IP and everything when it collapses? Now they have to spend $100m+ (my conservative estimate) to build what was promised (if they choose that route) - and backers somehow think they are entitled to a free game because they bought $2,500 space chariots?

[Desslock]

That’s why they have both a fixed and floating chart. You really should read the filing; it will help prevent this back and forth :)

Yeah, I haven’t read the documents, in part because I also have no idea which entities in their group are owned by which shareholders and own which assets, in which jurisdiction, etc. But mainly because this just came up and I have no real incentive to spend the time doing so - I’ll still feel qualified to potshot inaccuracies in statements though, lol. Just miss you, bud.

[Desslock]

Can you imagine the fiasco that would ensue if, say, Amazon bought the Star Citizen IP and everything when it collapses? Now they have to spend $100m+ (my conservative estimate) to build what was promised (if they choose that route) - and backers somehow think they are entitled to a free game because they bought $2,500 space chariots?

Yeah, fair enough. That’s why I said it would have little value too, unless they’ve created some hard IP that has utility for completely different purposes unrelated to the original project. And even then, it would be diminished in value it otherwise would have had.

[dsmart]

Yeah, I haven’t read the documents, in part because I also have no idea which entities in their group are owned by which shareholders and own which assets, in which jurisdiction, etc. But mainly because this just came up and I have no real incentive to spend the time doing so - I’ll still feel qualified to potshot inaccuracies in statements though, lol. Just miss you, bud.

Makes sense. And no worries.

But anyway, they have both a fixed/floating charge. the officers are Chris, Erin, Orwin. His brother Erin cashed out already, leaving the remaining shares to Chris and Ortwin.

CIG (UK) is the parent of F42 (UK). The latter is contracted by the former to “develop” the games. It gets funding from the US parent (RSI) which also has a CIG studio.

Here’s the fun part. There are 15 companies associated with this train-wreck. I have them all cataloged.

List of Star Citizen related corporate entities

Cloud Imperium Games Corp, West Hollywood, CA
Cloud Imperium Games LLC, West Hollywood, CA
Cloud Imperium Services, LLC West Hollywood, CA <– The one is interesting. It is found on BBB, but is not in the CA Secretary Of State dB records
Cloud Imperium Games LLC, Santa Monica, CA
Cloud Imperium Games Texas LLC, West Hollywood, CA
Cloud Imperium Games Texas LLC, Austin, TX
Cloud Imperium Games UK Limited, UK
Foundry 42 Limited, UK
Foundry 42, Germany
Gemini 42 Entertainment LLC, West Hollywood, CA
Gemini 42 Productions LLC, Santa Monica, CA
Roberts Space Industries Corp, West Hollywood, CA
Roberts Space Industries International Limited, UK
Twin Brothers Production Inc, West Hollywood, CA
Twin Bros, Germany

[dsmart]

Yeah, fair enough. That’s why I said it would have little value too, unless they’ve created some hard IP that has utility for completely different purposes unrelated to the original project. And even then, it would be diminished in value it otherwise would have had.

Agreed. And that’s why most of us are saying that the IP is worthless if they don’t end up shipping a game from it.

[Desslock]

O.k., I skimmed the charge document. The assignment of assets and licence back to develop the game is definitely unusual and not a good sign – that sort of lease back (or license back) is common with expensive fixed assets (such as a railway car, or boat), but seems unusual for intangible assets such as IP.

Maybe they are unsophisticated.

[richardlgaines]

It is ambitious and we should see what happens, though I wish Freelancer was available online. Let’s give him another year.

[rhamorim]

though I wish Freelancer was available online.

Yeah, the fact that it isn’t available for digital distribution really hurts. I still have my CD/DVD copy, but I’d love a GOG version or something of the sort.

[rhamorim]

Let’s give him another year.

If CIG doesn’t show good, real, deploy-ready progress by the end of the year - more, if they don’t make good stuff available to backers by the end of the year - I think they’ll be in a very rough place to say the least.

[richardlgaines]

A gog copy would be great, what is the problem with that? and there are great mods for it. Freelancer I meant. Star Citizen? That is clearly a wait wait wait and see.

[rhamorim]

A gog copy would be great, what is the problem with that?

That’s anyone’s guess, but I don’t think there are any Microsoft-owned games on GOG, and there are few on Steam (if any), so it might have something to do with Microsoft being unwilling (or unable) to provide/license them under such terms.

[richardlgaines]

That’s too bad and I know you are right. I see Brian playing Freelancer with those great mods and I admit i’d love to have my box from 200? whenever.

I intend on giving the Star Citizen crew a bit of slack for another 6 months at least. They have a lotta money and it is very ambitious.

[Destarius]

Just wanted to chime in to say thanks to Derek for coming in share his views.

[Quaro]

Sounds like they’d have to drop all the MMO stuff and just focus on the single player to have a chance at releasing anything.

[MrTibbs]

Off-topic: I didn’t follow Freelancer very closely and was wondering if anyone in the thread knows if there’s an article which provides a decent overview of the game’s development history.

[Paul_cze]

Who was talking about Jesus ?

You did a typo there, writing Christ Roberts instead of Chris. ;)

haha wow

oh god 57 new posts I wonder why…

oic

[Teiman]

I got a email today:

Slightly Mad Studios Limited le ha enviado €6,00 EUR

Dear WMD Member, we have sent a new payment to your Paypal account. Please login to your Paypal account and make sure the money transfer has been accepted. The WMD Staff.
WMD: Teiman

I bought a game a few year ago Project Cars, and since then they are sending me money.

Maybe I should collect that money and buy Star Citizen. It would be like some sort of infinite cycle of money creation and destruction.

[instant0]

Also note that it’s not just the software. They attached every asset owned by the company. Which includes all the equipment and everything at their location. Considering how much they spent on that office, even with depreciation, there’s some value there.

So, soon a bank will own the space-door that Roberts has in his office.
At least something good will come out of it after all.

[Ryan_Kelly]

Assuming the UK defaults on its tax rebate?

[Wendelius]

Even the way government is going here, I don’t expect that any time soon.

Also, it would take both that and for Cloud Imperium Games to not funnel some of its US funds to cover the default.

But hey, I’m sure they are on the brink and the bankers are already measuring their offices and arguing over who gets the space door. :)