The game, Star Citizen, from Wing Commander Creator Chris Roberts is developed in many modules. So that the pieces may be slowly distributed to the funders for the reason they can try the game before its release to get the reward as well as feedback so that different studios may develop it at the same time. Till now, Roberts has earned approximately $85 million—to some extent by introducing latest but pre-released content regularly to the backers
In the latest update, Robert declared that “Star Marine” which is the FPS module is postponed indefinitely because of the reworking applied upon game play systems, game’s networking code and some essentials etc.
This April, the module was actually due to be shipped out to the backers. Roberts explains the reason of this delay in the developer letter and also the unplanned effects (both good and bad) that this move has on the remaining game. His plans were also explained and assuring its updates on weekly basis till the module comes online.
The conciliations that Robert explains will be very common to the large, AAA game developers and also to those who read back end development stuffs. But for that game which is under progress, the candor of this level is unusual. It also pinpoints those important changes crowd funding has introduced to the relationship of developer-player.
As an example, Roberts says that Arena Commander, the former shipped mode used a control scheme for shipping and that was” the clock ran out before we were able to do” – a circumstance the he wishes to avoid about that time.
He also discusses recruiting and production topics plainly:
Staffed by Crytek veterans, we have hit the new Frankfurt studio, knowing engine’s ever in and out and various key ex-Crytek leading from LA and Austin for helping the team in Denver in making this task”
He also explores the reason how the servers of games broadcast the data and the reality that on the front end, the production part of the game progresses even if the back end is under progress.
Not being the first triple-A developer’s main mistake that left the crowd funding route. Peter Molyneux’s Godus experienced many development issues that resulted into the in-development title’s public scrutiny. During broken age development, double fine was required for changing gears for rolling with the production cycle’s punches.