# Star Citizen is the Future of PC Gaming, and it \[was\] Free to Play this week (Edit: No Longer Free) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** video-games-e-games\ **Created:** [October 13, 2015, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528 "2015-10-13T06:29:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/121 "2016-07-26T23:30:29Z")
It may be but you’ll probably need to be able to quote the specific consumer law that you are invoking in your state or country and send them a link a website. For instance: a blanket ‘no refunds’ policy isn’t legal under Australia’s consumer law so no matter what their TOS says it won’t fly as a reason to not refund. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/122 "2016-07-27T03:32:56Z")
If you want to get a refund, [you may want to take a look at this handy little guide.](http://gameranx.com/updates/id/65926/article/how-to-get-a-refund-in-star-citizen/) ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/123 "2016-07-27T04:18:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If you want to get a refund, [you may want to take a look at this handy little guide.](http://gameranx.com/updates/id/65926/article/how-to-get-a-refund-in-star-citizen/) Thanks. That made for fascinating reading. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/124 "2016-07-27T13:25:11Z")
May not be worth the hassle, I only pledged at a low level. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/125 "2016-08-22T18:18:07Z")
So uh… they showed alpha 3.0 live at Gamescom, and my faith in this game has been restored. The technology on display here is beyond anything I've ever seen, beyond anything any AAA game has even ever attempted. This looks AMAZING. The little boy in me who dreamed of playing a game like this was just jumping up and down gleefully while watching that demo. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/126 "2016-08-22T18:47:37Z")
Gonna finish up the demo tonight, but man, I’m just in awe f this game. Of course with the flop and disappointment and outright lies we got from No Man’s Sky, I’m still worried about what will actually ship, but so far it just looks amazing. Can you imagine the Cecil Adams, Piloted by the brave crew of the Straight Dope? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/127 "2016-08-22T18:49:25Z")
As a tech demo it is impressive. Thing is, the game has been an impressive demo/idea for many years and many millions of dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/128 "2016-08-22T18:51:32Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > As a tech demo it is impressive. Thing is, the game has been an impressive demo/idea for many years and many millions of dollars. Isn’t that all games though? I hear most games are glorified tech demos, if even that up until close to release. This game is doing stuff no one else is, and we are seeing results. Maybe not as fast as we would like, but it seems to be happening. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/129 "2016-08-22T18:56:44Z")
PCs will have been replaced by thought control neural interface modules by the time they release the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/130 "2016-08-22T19:02:20Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > PCs will have been replaced by thought control neural interface modules by the time they release the thing. Even better! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/131 "2016-08-22T19:18:05Z")
You were impressed by yet another spiffy demo at a show? Not interested, unless he allows you to buy the demo and take it home with you. Did they happen to mention a release date and/or the updated equipment requirements for this newest speculative version? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/132 "2016-08-22T20:04:58Z")
If this game delivers on its promises (and part of that includes the game not being Pay-to-Win in favor of the folks who have spend hundreds and thousands of dollar at this point), then I will be first in line to pick up a copy. But I’ll believe it when I see it, and not a moment before. A tech demo at a convention is not proof that Roberts is not continuing to rip off his backers. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/133 "2016-08-22T20:13:01Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You were impressed by yet another spiffy demo at a show? Not interested, unless he allows you to buy the demo and take it home with you. Did they happen to mention a release date and/or the updated equipment requirements for this newest speculative version? I believe there’s an update hitting in a few days that will have planet/moon surfaces, but stuff from the demo they showed at Gamescom is not scheduled for release until early next year. And yeah, I was totally impressed. I don’t think you can watch it and not be, unless you have no interest in the genre. I don’t think there’s a release date, and I doubt the game will come out in 1.0 form until at least 2018. It took Bioware from 2002 to 2009 to put out Dragon Age: Origins. With full scale development starting in 2004. I have no doubts this is a much bigger undertaking. Totally see the point of not being excited until well, closer to 2018, assuming it shows up by then, but this stuff is extremely impressive form a technology and gameplay perspective. As a space nerd and well, loving space games since I was a kid, its hard not to be excited, even as I absolutely agree that there’s a possibility this is not going to pan out as expected. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/134 "2016-08-23T03:47:37Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > As a space nerd and well, loving space games since I was a kid, its hard not to be excited, even as I absolutely agree that there’s a possibility this is not going to pan out as expected. The inside/outside bases being part of the same instance is a very nice touch, especially since it has historically been just random people walking by as graphics vs seeing the actual players running around. The “assist” with the last pirate was good for a chuckle as well. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/135 "2016-08-23T03:58:47Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > May not be worth the hassle, I only pledged at a low level. I have “bumped” my ship a few times and currently own: A RSI Constellation - Tarus > **[The Constellation Taurus - Roberts Space Industries | Follow the development...](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ships/rsi-constellation/Constellation-Taurus)** > > Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and merch, as well as all the community tools used by our fans. A Drake Cutlass Red > **[The Cutlass Red - Roberts Space Industries | Follow the development of Star...](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ships/drake-cutlass/Cutlass-Red)** > > Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and merch, as well as all the community tools used by our fans. Although I am a huge fanboy, I do have a few doubts. I am very happy to see the recent demo and feel like more of the pieces are dropping into place. I am not even considering requesting a refund at this point. Yeah, its been forever, but the money was spent long ago… I will just be happy to be starting with a ship than can fit a newbie ships in its cargo bay 😃 (I think an aurora will just barely fit) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/136 "2016-08-23T14:35:47Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > I have “bumped” my ship a few times and currently own: > > A RSI Constellation - Tarus > [The Constellation Taurus - Roberts Space Industries | Follow the development of Star Citizen and Squadron 42](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ships/rsi-constellation/Constellation-Taurus) > > A Drake Cutlass Red > [The Cutlass Red - Roberts Space Industries | Follow the development of Star Citizen and Squadron 42](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ships/drake-cutlass/Cutlass-Red) > > Although I am a huge fanboy, I do have a few doubts. I am very happy to see the recent demo and feel like more of the pieces are dropping into place. > > I am not even considering requesting a refund at this point. Yeah, its been forever, but the money was spent long ago… I will just be happy to be starting with a ship than can fit a newbie ships in its cargo bay 😃 (I think an aurora will just barely fit) How much money would you estimate you have put into this game so far, including any startup money donated(if any)? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/137 "2016-08-23T15:42:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Me, I’m happy spending 60 bucks on _No Man’s Sky_, which will likely also be a letdown in comparison to its hype. Well I was right about the letdown bit, but wrong about being happy to spend the money. I haven’t bought the game yet and probably won’t until I can get it for cheaper (or the devs put out some major content updates). ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/138 "2016-08-23T16:23:53Z")
I’m updating my copy again to have a look at any changes since last time. I haven’t actually paid any money into it at all - I got a copy of the game and a flyable ship with my graphics card, but I have no intention at all in paying more money for another ship. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/139 "2016-08-23T20:08:28Z")
Played a bit, there’s a fair amount more than last time I played, but it’s still very obviously alpha. Impressive, though. You now wake up in a bunk, make your way through a graphically impressive base - you can look out through the windows and see people’s ships on the landing pads outside. You talk to the computer, get your ship ready to launch, and then you can go outside with your suit on and walk your way over to your pad. Get into the ship, take off, fly around a bit. As I said earlier in the thread, I think I’d be a lot more excited about this if Elite Dangerous hadn’t come along and got a lot more of the groundwork in, with plans for more into the future. There’s still no ‘game’ here. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528/140 "2016-08-23T20:12:56Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How much money would you estimate you have put into this game so far, including any startup money donated(if any)? Thats about $250 for both of them, but they both started as much cheaper ships that I bumped up $20-30 at a time over the last few years. Initial investment was $120. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-citizen-is-the-future-of-pc-gaming-and-it-was-free-to-play-this-week-edit-no-longer-free/734528.md?page=8)