Originally Posted by Longshanks
The Idris is the flagship in SQ42, I think any reference to it is within the scope of SQ42. That AI tech from SQ42 is the basis of the AI engine in the PU. That makes sense to me, from a development standpoint, the flushing out of the AI & Idris, in general, in a very controlled single-player platform has to be done before porting it over to a multi-player experience. The Idris ship size + AI assets which need to update in real-time to clients in view must be keeping the network and rendering developers up at night.

I enjoyed watching the video and all the thought going into the programming (care and feeding of AI). Honestly, this is the FIRST game that I have ever seen that actually puts developers on-camera as they are working on a project and we get to see video and tech info regarding what they are working on; pre-production. Sure, I have seen plenty of MARKETING videos from games/companies over the decades of CES's and the like - but that is purely "canned fluff". I have met a few of the developers in person actually at a CitizenCon; they REALLY are passionate about the project and excited about it. Definitely get the vibe from them that this is NOT just a "job" or a "paycheck", more like a "dream job" - with a "paycheck".

Originally Posted by Longshanks
Seriously though, I didn't really think anyone was glued to that forum drama BS ... why do you even give a rat's ass about the personalities involved, let alone take it so personally? She has a job to do, companies change personnel, blah, blah, blah ... I wouldn't even give this another few milliseconds of my grey matter's processing power.

Indeed, me neither. Sorry you that you had a horrible experience in the early-forum/grey-market ship-o-rama profiteering days Tasorin. I suppose a lot of people were upset when CIG changed how they were dealing with ships, doesn't seem to matter much what people change - there is ALWAYS going to be someone upset and flaming in the forums. That is exactly why I don't really do much of anything in the forums of ANY game; people in the forums are often out of control.

Originally Posted by Longshanks
The bottom line for me, especially as a software engineer, is watching the scope of the development effort & technological challenges needed to bring this PU into a playable state. Sales & Marketing is a necessary part of the process, so she pitches at every corner ... that's her job.

100% agree - we rarely SEE anything to this degree, so often, if at all (normally tech-info comes AFTER the game launches in fact). I think she is definitely doing her job, sales and marketing are just as important as technical development; a game will fail without BOTH being done well. People keep getting bent out of shape every time there is a "NEW" ship released - um hello, they are ALL ships that are planned and were deemed necessary for the game years ago. If they quit developing "new" ships and just release the game with all the ships currently IN the game, people would be screaming bloody murder: "HEY THERE AREN'T SHIPS of XXXX type in the game to do things! WTF!!?". As an owner (my second ship) of a Banu Merchantman, I am a little sad it isn't OUT in Beta yet, but hey -... B E T A? They have shown work in progress on it - and it truly LOOKS impressive. I can see why it is taking a while (unique nature of the alien design), so I am patiently waiting.

Taxman

"Any group is weaker than a man alone unless they are perfectly trained to work together."
- Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers