Star Citizen: Fear, Uncertainty, and Debt

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Star Citizen: Fear, Uncertainty, and Debt

Sushi in Yiddish: Feb 2, 2008

mdxi posted:

Everytime someone links to a reddit thread, the forum's link-shortening results in /r/starcitize...blahblah, and my brain keeps interpreting "starcitize" as a portmanteau of "to criticise Star Citizen". As in "Dr. Smart has posted another 6500 word starcitizm of Sandy's academic credentials and Ben's dietary choices."

Stark Criti-zen

# ? Sep 30, 2015 20:18

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# ? Apr 19, 2024 09:28

Karl_Ramseier: Aug 21, 2015; I don't have to work very hard at being an asshole. It comes naturally.

No practice needed.

Since Goons ruin everything, I'm pretending to be a Goon for Halloween!

G0RF posted:

On the Grilling debate:

Propane vs. Mesquite

-----

On the Star Citizen madness

I know Glassdoor is an unreliable source of intel on the company, and some here don't want to see full postings from there. But it seems worth noting there has been a rash of new entries in the last couple of days. My guess is that a few of the recent layoffs have led to some scorched earth (but potentially credible?) entries, which are prompting Sandi and/or sperg loyalists to attempt counteractive posts which praise the culture and CEO.

I somehow missed this recent entry, which is the Tsar Bomba of Glassdoor CIG reviews.

�Will leave you with PTSD �

It's entirely possible that Glassdoor, like Twitter, is just another battlefront in the ego clashes between Sandi Gardiner and Derek Smart, which in itself is bleakly hilarious to imagine. The apocalyptic reviews include so many specific details of run amok CIG culture that they might be Derek Smart's way of laundering ex-employee gossip he's getting via email. The wildly positive reviews hint at (Sandi's?) Derek Smart frustrations with the mention of stupid anecdotes about fictive CIG employees with ludicrous names (Herek Kart, Merrick Shart). It's all inadmissible as evidence, yet incredibly fascinating (to me, at least.)

Anyway, back to Burger talk.

Or perhaps DS and his minions are making things up, just saying?

Holy poo poo, sometimes I don't know what makes me more sad those white knights buying 1000$ farms or those who think DS and glassdoor are valuable and reliable sources of information.
Just copy and paste them all into word and search for similarities . An eye opener...

# ? Sep 30, 2015 20:41

A Neurotic Jew: Feb 17, 2012; by exmarx

Karl_Ramseier posted:

Or perhaps DS and his minions are making things up, just saying?

Holy poo poo, sometimes I don't know what makes me more sad those white knights buying 1000$ farms or those who think DS and glassdoor are valuable and reliable sources of information.
Just copy and paste them all into word and search for similarities . An eye opener...

Derek Smart actually broke news about some of the most visible members of CIG being terminated or walking out the door, which later in the day turned out to be true. It's one of the major reasons star citizens fans are having breakdowns these days...

# ? Sep 30, 2015 20:48

sorla78: Oct 11, 2012; EAT THE PAIN AWAY!

In line with the Top Level Actor Bench that is being used to compensate for Chris Roberts broken dreams to become a great Movie Producer and Director...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4156346/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast
Shows that their Casting Director was/is Gail Stevens

Over here at IMDB is her Profile, which might indicate that a lot of bucks might have been spent here:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0828412/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr5

Besides a lot of trash, she casted for
- Zero Dark Thirty
- Slumdog Millionaire (She was Danny Boyle's ex wife - they divorced in 2002)
- The Chronicles Of Narnia
- Sunshine
- Death at a Funeral
- The Descent 1 + 2
- 28 days later
- Trainspotting

In other news, Tom Davies, Gameplay Programmer at CIG Austin, who was let go (or maybe decided to go) is now Gameplay Engineer at Oculus VR.

sorla78 fucked around with this message at 20:59 on Sep 30, 2015

# ? Sep 30, 2015 20:48

G0RF: Mar 19, 2015; Some galactic defender you are, Space Cadet.

Karl_Ramseier posted:

Or perhaps DS and his minions are making things up, just saying?

Did you read my full post?

I posited the very same thing was possible, and mused on how absurd it might be that Derek and Sandi (or proxies) might be engaged in an expanded social media sniping war via glassdoor. As if Twitter piss-and-moan fests aren't petty enough.

EDITED AND EXPANDED:
As A Neurotic Jew noted:

quote:

Derek Smart actually broke news about some of the most visible members of CIG being terminated or walking out the door, which later in the day turned out to be true. It's one of the major reasons star citizens fans are having breakdowns these days...

Smart's batting average on his predictions at this point is impressively high. It's not just because he's obsessively checking to see which RSI accounts have been deleted so he can break the news of layoffs. The termination of James and Alyssa - two totally great, beloved Community faces - was apparently under extreme prejudice. Smart broke the news- and the narrative context- before CIG even had time to make a public statement. (And what a statement it was.)

I hate to break the news to you if you've decided Derek Smart is completely uncredible, but PEOPLE INSIDE OR CLOSE TO CIG ARE LEAKING HIM INTERNAL GOSSIP NEARLY IN REAL TIME. He is outSMARTing them, and CIG looks weak, defensive and suspicious in their fumbling responses.

Why is this happening? Well, it seems rather obvious-- there is a perception by CIG insiders (and/or the recently terminated) that Sandi and Chris are both Toxic Leaders and represent huge threats to the success of the project. That actually is sounding more and more plausible by the day, and there is no end of specific circumstantial evidence of discontent.

The irony of all of this is that NOBODY is deluded about Derek Smart as either a game developer, or a human being. He is epically, comically flawed-- like Chris and Sandi seem to be. The idea that CIG subordinates would have to resort to leaking tales from their toxic workplace to Smart of all people says a lot in itself about just how miserable things really might be.

Unfortunately for Sandi and Chris, and in spite of his deficiencies, Derek has become far more credible as an authority on CIG's future than CIG's founders and managers.

G0RF fucked around with this message at 21:29 on Sep 30, 2015

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:00

Karl_Ramseier: Aug 21, 2015; I don't have to work very hard at being an asshole. It comes naturally.

No practice needed.

Since Goons ruin everything, I'm pretending to be a Goon for Halloween!

A Neurotic Jew posted:

Derek Smart actually broke news about some of the most visible members of CIG being terminated or walking out the door, which later in the day turned out to be true. It's one of the major reasons star citizens fans are having breakdowns these days...

You can be sure that he is tracking every linedIn page and whatnot to "predict" such layoffs and that he has at least one low level source.
Has nothing to do that the most things he says are blatant lies.
FTC, lawsuits, TOS (he is not even able to understand that a v1.1 TOS has a v1.0 TOS...) all bullshit and you can be sure that no ones beside the closest inner circle knows how much money they have left. Shouldn't be so easy to determine either with those many companies and subsidiaries they have.
But hey he was right with some layoffs so lets just assume he knows everything even if we know that most of the info can't be true or is totally unrelated to the case.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:00

CashEnsign: Feb 7, 2015

It's me, I am Derek Smart's inside source.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:04

Karl_Ramseier: Aug 21, 2015; I don't have to work very hard at being an asshole. It comes naturally.

No practice needed.

Since Goons ruin everything, I'm pretending to be a Goon for Halloween!

G0RF posted:

Did you read my post?

I posited the same thing was possible, and mused on how absurd it might be that Derek and Sandi (or proxies) might be engaged in an expanded social media sniping war via glassdoor. As if Twitter piss-and-moan fests aren't petty enough.

It was not against you, sorry for my bad wording.
It is getting late after 13 hours of work :X

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:05

Karl_Ramseier: Aug 21, 2015; I don't have to work very hard at being an asshole. It comes naturally.

No practice needed.

Since Goons ruin everything, I'm pretending to be a Goon for Halloween!

CashEnsign posted:

It's me, I am Derek Smart's inside source.

no anal jokes please

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:05

Tank Boy Ken: Aug 24, 2012; J4G for life; Fallen Rib

Karl_Ramseier posted:

no anal jokes please

Has your anal quota already been filled?

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:07

Shala: Oct 15, 2006; i shot the pilot; Lipstick Apathy

Dante80 posted:

Dolmades!!

One of my fave greek foods. Safeway near me has them just on a bar to get, but they never have any goddamn tzatziki so I never get 'em. Sucks.

G0RF posted:

Did you read my post?

I posited the same thing was possible, and mused on how absurd it might be that Derek and Sandi (or proxies) might be engaged in an expanded social media sniping war via glassdoor. As if Twitter piss-and-moan fests aren't petty enough.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:09

Gerbil_Pen: Apr 6, 2014; Lipstick Apathy

imo Kickstarter games are the only ones worth playing anymore.

Can we get more recommendations please?

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:21

spacetoaster: Feb 10, 2014

Using your money to buy good food and cook it is a really good bit of advice.

I haven't posted in G w Spoons in a while but this is what I had for dinner:

That's garlic roasted lamb.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:22

tooterfish: Jul 13, 2013

That looks really nice. What cut is that?

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:24

Justin Tyme: Feb 22, 2011

cig hasn't posted a single picture of a star in space in this game called star citizen

3 years in and they haven't posted a picture of an in-game star

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:30

spacetoaster: Feb 10, 2014

tooterfish posted:

That looks really nice. What cut is that?

Thigh, with the bone in.

From now on I'll have the bone removed because it's a real hassle to cut around while serving people.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:31

Gerbil_Pen: Apr 6, 2014; Lipstick Apathy

Justin Tyme posted:

cig hasn't posted a single picture of a star in space in this game called star citizen

3 years in and they haven't posted a picture of an in-game star

Come now, the site is plastered with pics of CR

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:33

Ms Adequate: Oct 30, 2011; Baby even when I'm dead and gone
You will always be my only one, my only one
When the night is calling
No matter who I become
You will always be my only one, my only one, my only one
When the night is calling

Gerbil_Pen posted:

imo Kickstarter games are the only ones worth playing anymore.

Can we get more recommendations please?

FTL was very good and delivered everything I wanted. Xenonauts was great. Grim Dawn is taking a lot longer than initially planned, but is still actually being made and regularly updated, and it's loving great.

Plus, I mean, Pillars of Eternity was an instant critical darling and is sitting at like 90 ish on Metacritic. I hear White March isn't as good, but then that wasn't what we gave KS support for.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:37

AP: Jul 12, 2004; One Ring to fool them all
One Ring to find them
One Ring to milk them all
and pockets fully line them; Grimey Drawer

I think I've been far too negative about the glory that is Star Citizen for too long, so for the next ten days I'm only going to post happy thoughts.*

*Obviously if there's another Night of the Long Knives I'll backtrack on that pretty quick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydaiTuHxXB0

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:48

A Neurotic Jew: Feb 17, 2012; by exmarx

Karl_Ramseier posted:

You can be sure that he is tracking every linedIn page and whatnot to "predict" such layoffs and that he has at least one low level source.
Has nothing to do that the most things he says are blatant lies.
FTC, lawsuits, TOS (he is not even able to understand that a v1.1 TOS has a v1.0 TOS...) all bullshit and you can be sure that no ones beside the closest inner circle knows how much money they have left. Shouldn't be so easy to determine either with those many companies and subsidiaries they have.
But hey he was right with some layoffs so lets just assume he knows everything even if we know that most of the info can't be true or is totally unrelated to the case.

Having at least one claim come true within a manner of hours makes him alot less shady than CIG on the whole. Seems to me that if CIG had the proof to shut Smart up they would have already, considering they very clearly read and react to the stuff he puts out. Why can't they be held accountable for the money they've sunk so far? Why is that such an unreasonable request?

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:49

Sarsapariller: Aug 14, 2015; Occasional vampire queen

Mister Adequate posted:

FTL was very good and delivered everything I wanted. Xenonauts was great. Grim Dawn is taking a lot longer than initially planned, but is still actually being made and regularly updated, and it's loving great.

Plus, I mean, Pillars of Eternity was an instant critical darling and is sitting at like 90 ish on Metacritic. I hear White March isn't as good, but then that wasn't what we gave KS support for.

I'm really looking forward to the release of The Mandate, a.k.a. tzarist russia flavored Homeworld, with added boarding and crew management.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-9DJycoBrg

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:51

Hopper: Dec 28, 2004; BOOING! BOOING!; Grimey Drawer

Dante80 posted:

Since this thread is about spaceships in magic space, lets make some Dolmades!!

The recipe is an online one, but its pretty close to what we do in Greece anyway. Didn't have to translate this time..C:

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 c. white rice
1 egg
1/2 c. dry spearmint
1 T. butter, softened
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
dill, if convenient
3-4 T. lemon juice
salt
pepper
water, if needed

Nice recipe, however, good thing I learned to ALWAYS read the entire recipe.
If you just add the ingredients in the list to your shopping list you end up without grape leaves.

Also: Battletech now cracked 1 million and therefore gets Single Player missions.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:51

Potato Salad: Oct 23, 2014; nobody cares

LCL-Dead posted:

Sandi finally replied to my refund request and I'm torn..

I want the money back for the Redeemer on my account but I don't want the account closed and don't even intend to do anything with the money until the game is either buried or released.

Refund the loving account. The name you have doesn't matter. Register another later if you want and the game comes out. $250 is way too much to pay for this game.

Edit: Okay, you did. Good. I know that was on page 8, but it had to be said.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:52

Krinkle: Feb 9, 2003; Ah do believe Ah've got the vapors...
Ah mean the farts

If this game wasn't an imploding joke and actually came out it'd be absolutely intolerable to new players to navigate all the backer rewards blocking out every star with their dumb forever monuments to poor impulse control.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 21:59

Ciaphas: Nov 20, 2005; > BEWARE, COWARD

I can't really tell because my ability to google about games is limited to work, is this more or less a shitposte thread or did something new and funny actually happen re: Star Citizen?

(it can be both)

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:00

AP: Jul 12, 2004; One Ring to fool them all
One Ring to find them
One Ring to milk them all
and pockets fully line them; Grimey Drawer

LCL-Dead posted:

Sandi finally replied to my refund request and I'm torn..

I want the money back for the Redeemer on my account but I don't want the account closed and don't even intend to do anything with the money until the game is either buried or released.

Rename your account before they refund you, there's one free name change. Then create a new account with the same name and a different email, that way it's easier for you to buy in again later once Multi crew and FPS come out in October (or so).

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:01

Truga: May 4, 2014; Lipstick Apathy

Potato Salad posted:

Refund the loving account. The name you have doesn't matter. Register another later if you want and the game comes out. $250 is way too much to pay for this game.

Wow, some people are really bitter about bloody pocket change. What are you a non-factor wageslave pleb scrublord?

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:01

it dont matter: Aug 29, 2008

Karl_Ramseier posted:

Or perhaps DS and his minions are making things up, just saying?

Holy poo poo, sometimes I don't know what makes me more sad those white knights buying 1000$ farms or those who think DS and glassdoor are valuable and reliable sources of information.
Just copy and paste them all into word and search for similarities . An eye opener...

Your belief that every single one is fake is no better than taking them all as gospel. Anyway who gives a poo poo they're funny. Keep posting them.

quote:

I have been working at Cloud Imperium Games full-time (More than 3 years)

Pros

Exposure to multiple job roles outside of the job you're hired for. Great experience in what not to do. Team of talented employees who are attempting to salvage the project despite founders mismanagement

Cons

During my time at Cloud Imperium Games I have been subjected to the following verbal abuse: Been called homophobic slurs, mentally disabled, female genitalia, female dog by management of the company. Founders of the company routinely scream at employees. All of this was reported to HR with no action taken. The management have forced employees to enforce illegal hiring practices such as:"We are not going to hire her, we're not hiring a black girl" "We won't hire her, she looks like she has a hairy [private parts]""Make sure to check their education field on the resume, if it is from too long ago don't interview them, they may be over 40 which makes them a protected class and harder to fire" All of this was reported to HR and no action was taken. Management frequently discuss drug use and desire to use drugs in the office and inappropriate discussion of their sex lives in front of employees Management misappropriate projects development budget. They have: Taken 1st class trips to Paris, Milan, London, Bora Bora, Rio de Janeiro, Australia, Venice, and several more locations all paid for using backer funds. Taken money directly out of the company coffers for personal expenses. Buy fancy clothes, expensive dinners (over $1,000), private chefs, lease three Porsche vehicles, and lease a mansion all using company money.This was reported to Executive staff multiple times and no action was taken. Executive management (remaining, the honest ones all left) are powerless to affect change as they live in fear of being fired by the founders. Morale at all studios is extremely low and the culture is often referred to as similar to "A Game of Thrones" with the management often compared to Joffrey Baratheon. You never know who is going to get fired next (head on a pike) for no reason whatsoever. The company lies. It lies to employees, it lies to its backers, it lies to the media. It lies to everyone. If I haven't scared you off yet and you still want to join the company here is one last reason to sway you. If you get hired you will only have the job for another couple months before the company is out of money. That is why myself and 35+ other people have been told their last day next month in addition to the 25+ people that got fired or quit in September.Save yourself, you've been warned. Standard stuff: No 401k No profit sharing Medical plan has a $5,000 deductible before it kicks in 80+ hour weeks are mandatory to avoid falling behind or being fired/singled out of the herd Most employee positions are made salaried to avoid paying overtime

Advice to Management

Resign. The only hope for this company and the project are for the management to step down and hand over the reigns to a more level headed and competent management team. Virtually every employee despises the management, get the message you are not welcome here.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:01

Shala: Oct 15, 2006; i shot the pilot; Lipstick Apathy

Truga posted:

Wow, some people are really bitter about bloody pocket change. What are you a non-factor wageslave pleb scrublord?

lol these poors, rite?

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:04

AP: Jul 12, 2004; One Ring to fool them all
One Ring to find them
One Ring to milk them all
and pockets fully line them; Grimey Drawer

That Glass Door review does mention the "talented employees".

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:07

Sarsapariller: Aug 14, 2015; Occasional vampire queen

Glassdoor posted:

Sandi and Chairman Roberts were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies and the baby looked at me

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:11

Rastor: Jun 2, 2001

Ciaphas posted:

I can't really tell because my ability to google about games is limited to work, is this more or less a shitposte thread or did something new and funny actually happen re: Star Citizen?

(it can be both)

Derek Smart, a person whose only power is to post things on the internet, made them so afraid that they are now allowing refunds.

If you paid money to back this game, getting a refund is a good idea. Hence, the current OP.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:12

Gwaihir: Dec 8, 2009; Hair Elf

Truga posted:

Wow, some people are really bitter about bloody pocket change. What are you a non-factor wageslave pleb scrublord?

In before someone thinks this is a real post

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:14

it dont matter: Aug 29, 2008

Wonder how the notoriously perfectionist and not at all financially unstable MadCatz is getting on with that Star Citizen HOTAS.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:18

A Neurotic Jew: Feb 17, 2012; by exmarx

Ciaphas posted:

I can't really tell because my ability to google about games is limited to work, is this more or less a shitposte thread or did something new and funny actually happen re: Star Citizen?

(it can be both)

This should bring you up to date:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/features/14695-Star-Citizen-Controversy-Reaches-a-Boiling-Point

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:19

Blue On Blue: Nov 14, 2012

I'm a huge fan of all the glassdoor reviews that begin with

Pros: Free snacks

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:22

LazyMaybe: Aug 18, 2013; oouagh

star shitizen

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:22

A Neurotic Jew: Feb 17, 2012; by exmarx

I think the key to enjohying life is to think everything Derek Smart says is good and true.

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:23

Shala: Oct 15, 2006; i shot the pilot; Lipstick Apathy

Sarsapariller posted:

Glassdoor posted:
Sandi and Chairman Roberts were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies and the baby looked at me

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:23

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# ? Apr 19, 2024 09:28

Drunk in Space: Dec 1, 2009

So after not really following this game at all since backing it in the original kickstarter, completely losing interest very early on, and sitting on an LTI Rear Admiral package with all the bells and whistles . . .

is this finally a good time to sell?

# ? Sep 30, 2015 22:25

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