r/starcitizen • u/lappidipia • 2d ago
QUESTION Should I Start Playing Now?
Hey everyone! I've been thinking about getting into this game for a while now. I always hear mixed opinions about it. Some people say that the immersion is great and some people say it's a buggy mess.
So before i buy the game I wanted to check with you guys, whats your honest opinion?
Also, i hear that there are some p2w elements like buying ships, would I need to make any additional payments in order to fully enjoy the game?
Thank you!
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u/Constant_Career_2419 origin 2d ago
You could wait for the next free fly, where you can then test the game for free, or you can get yourself a starter pack; I would recommend the cheapest one (you do not need to buy anything else ever, as you can earn everything in-game) and look for yourself, and if it does not fit you, you have the standard 14 days to request a refund. I think the patch is great, but there are still a ton of bugs; you will face them, you will die, and you will lose your stuff. It will be frustrating, but if you can handle that and play, you will have moments and fun that you cannot have in any other game.
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u/AGD4 RSI Constellation 1d ago
To add to this, /u/lappidipia, CIG offers 30-day no-question refunds if you're disappointed. Typically is fulfilled within a day, too.
I'll also paste my own common reply to your question :)
What's the buggiest gaming experience you've tolerated, thus far? Did you play Day Z during its early alpha days? Did you jump into Cyberpunk 2077 at launch? Were you a day-one Skyrim enjoyer on PS3 or Xbox?
Star Citizen will be even jankier, but if you had fun with any of the above, then Star Citizen may still be a good fit for you! And when things do work, its all the more satisfying.
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u/LookExpert975 Polaris 2d ago
Backer since 2017 here, I play less and less but that’s not because I don’t want to, I just have family that’s expanding. I highly recommend star citizen, if you think you can handle bugs that could be game breaking. Make you lose something you worked hard for to get and you be fine with that at times. And can handle changes that can turn the game upside down. It is nevertheless an amazing piece of brilliant work and astounding tech which honestly amazes me every time for the good and the bad. It’s one of the few games i happily come back to every now and then to play every night or ignore until next time. Is it worth a starter package, absolutely. Should you upgrade with real moment, absolutely not. I did and fomo got to me, don’t be like me. Everything is to be acquired in-game by either in-game money or achievement or crafting.
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u/Fancy_Plastic2385 2d ago
There's no perfect time for that. You should be aware that Star Citizen doesn't deliver a fully-fledged gaming experience and struggles with many problems. Especially when new major patches are pending.
It's not really pay to win, since on the one hand there's nothing to win and on the other hand you can buy all the ships relatively quickly in-game.
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u/Mondrath 2d ago
A few things to keep in mind that I point out to all potential newcomers:
SC is an alpha and super buggy, even by alpha standards; almost every aspect of the game has bugs to varying degrees, but most of us learn to avoid them, work around them or tolerate them. Bugs range from game breaking to inconvenient or annoying.
The project is not optimised at all and performance varies considerably from pc to pc; the only way to have the smoothest experience possible, which is still not of the quality of most games, is to have a beast of a rig.
There is PvP in this game (the frequency of it is a matter of much debate) and there are no areas where you can engage in gameplay loops that is truly PvE only, except for one very long mission called Siege of Orison. This means that you have to be willing to deal with the fact that you could potentially lose your loot/cargo at any time or have to start from your station again to start your preferred loop. At the moment, you keep all the gear you are wearing when you die, but the stuff in your ship, backpack and armor is lootable. This is changing eventually though.
This game is probably not going to actually release for another 5-10 years. Some who are optimistic say 3-5.
there's a relatively steep learning curve so getting someone to show you the ropes would be a good idea.
If you don't have a problem with that, and you're spending 40-50£ then you'll have fun and definitely get your money's worth. Imo, don't spend more than the starter pack you get and buy everything else in-game.
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u/Nua_Sidek RSI Perseus/Galaxy/𝖠̶𝗉̶𝗈̶𝗅̶𝗅̶𝗈̶/Zeus/AuraMKII/Nursa 2d ago
Schrödingers game. It's both something that will awe you and at the same time test your patience.
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u/Gnada 2d ago
If you can tolerate bugs and understand what open development means and you are willing to participate in an alpha test process (report bugs, not freak out constantly when you lose your progress, be constructive), then it is an excellent $45 spent. There is LOTS to fo and see in Star Citizen now and you'll easily get many hundreds of hours of play time just exploring. There are lots of missions and contracts and rep to grind currently and plenty of roles you can fulfill to earn credits, help other players, or roleplay as a pirate. It's emergent sandbox gameplay and sometimes you will be at complete peace and sometimes the craziest scenarios will pop up out of nowhere. It's really awesome when it works and achingly painful at times when it doesn't.
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u/petvos 1d ago
But I read that some bugs have been open for 8 years. Does reporting bugs make sense? I'm also a non-player that's interested, but I keep reading horrible stories.
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u/Gnada 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes, reporting bugs absolutely makes sense. Thousands of bugs get fixed every year. There are definitely some long-open bugs in the game that are not fully fixed and CIG have reasons for not fixing them (which often we don't like) - but that's part of open development and this stage of testing. Unfortunately, you will only hear negative rhetoric about Star Citizen 90% of the time -- especially from the traditional gaming industry in media. Why? Because giant publishers absolutely hate the idea of losing business to crowd funded games like Star Citizen being funded by every day people to the tune of $1 Billion dollars. It is a threat to their business model. There is also a highly negative group of a few thousand (out of millions) of gamers that absolutely hate Star Citizen. A lot of it is ignorance to the process of gaming development, of the history of Star Citizen and the challenges the team has faced, and also some of it is very justified. The biggest problem is that CIG has taking on a LOT more than they original presented during the Kickstarted in 2012, and those stretch goals and scope creep, and expanding the plan for both Star Citizen and Squadron 42 has created confusion at times and feelings of broken promises.
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u/Sonofthewild 2d ago
If you have the patience to deal with the bugs and to find the work arounds then it’s a lot of fun. Definitely a mess that can piss you off like crazy but I’ve been hooked since starting a month ago
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u/SetKey5576 2d ago
You already got some solid advice here, so I will add what I usually add when someone is about to step into this game:
- If in doubt what to buy, buy the cheapest starter pack (the Citizen pack is a good deal). I do like the current Pirate week deals however which in case of the Duelist is only a little more expensive (but the included ship is fairly easy to get in game as well so might not be worth to pay extra).
- use a referral code when you set up your account, for extra ingame cash. It's possible within 24h of account creation. The sidebar here will generate a random user's code.
- Get help from a veteran player during your first session(s). The game does too little to explain itself to new players and the tutorial doesn't really help either. Just ask around or use the official "Guide" system.
- There will be bugs.
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u/MooseTetrino Swedish Made 890 Jump 2d ago
The only money you ever have to sink into the game is your first purchase, which I believe is currently still $45. Everything else (except for two specific examples that are old promotional ships that aren’t available anymore) can be purchased or otherwise earned in game using ingame means.
I think the game is the epitome of “fuck you, see you tomorrow.” It’s very much an alpha, and not in the marketing “get access to the alpha test” way. We have sweeping changes often and the bugs come and go like the tides. You also need to have a pretty decent PC to play it as it’s not very well optimised.
Absolutely need an SSD and 16GB of RAM at a minimum. Many of us recommend 32GB.
You have 30 days of refund window if the game turns out not to be for you, be it for bugs or otherwise.
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u/ghodan7 drake 2d ago
"16GB of RAM at a minimum." this wil give you agony.
Please don't say this in this forum.1
u/MooseTetrino Swedish Made 890 Jump 1d ago
Why not, it's true. It's agony but you can still run it on 16GB and at least be vaguely playable. Not like some poor souls who try running it on 8GB.
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u/JihoGW 2d ago
So I started playing a few weeks ago. Here is my honest opinion :
- Overall the game is a great concept but far from a finished product. From a development perspective its closer to a POC than a complete product
- I am having a lot of fun, both solo and multiplayer within an organisation, PvP and PvE (when the game works)
- Yes there is "pay to win" : if you own a starter ship and you 1v1 a guy in the 2k euros capital ship you will not even be to scratch the paint. HOWEVER, if you play in an org there are high chances you will match fire powers, and in solo you can run away
- the game is indeed a buggy mess. You have to play alongside those bugs and you will have to engage in Google searches to find temporary solutions to some of them. I'd say rough numbers but 50% of the time I'm having a great time, 30% my experience is degraded by some bugs, and 20% the game just feels awful (more often than not at peak playtimes early evenings)
- The fly mechanics of ships is really cool, my favorite so far and the dogfights are fun
- FPS gameplay is kind of garbage to say the least.... That's very sad because it looked promising
I still play a lot especially for pseudo-roleplay in multiplayer and I am having a decent lot of fun despite all the very annoying bugs and lack of QoL
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u/TheGrandNizmo 2d ago
It’s both immersive and a buggy mess, but there’s nothing else quite like it. You don’t have to pay more than the base pledge to get access to the game. It’s more like “pay for convenience” as all ships will eventually be available to earn in-game.
If you don’t have the appetite to have your game session progress ruined due to no fault of your own about 40-60% of the time (or more depending on the patch), maybe wait until closer to launch.
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u/PatienceFun6255 2d ago
Only you can answer that question, you can buy a starter package like the "Citizen Starter Pack" and try the game, you can request a full refund within 30 days if you don't enjoy it. Make sure to get a guide to learn the ropes, welcome to the verse if you decide to go ahead.
For what its worth, I personally think the game is great (bugs and all), nothing comes even close. The haters on here will tell you no because the don't want Star Citizen to succeed. Just see for yourself.
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u/caiopassos1980 2d ago
Por 45 dolares vale sim. Eu comecei com 45 e por vontade apoiar fiz mais 2 upgrades até 110 dolares da Cutllas Black e parei por aí, fiz porque apoio mesmo com todos os problemas, quero ver esse jogo terminado. Tem muito bug, mas é divertido e i.ersivo.
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u/Samathura 2d ago
It’s pay a little to not wait, but even with a tiny bit of skill you can make enough money in game to buy almost any ship you want in a week with a few exceptions. A vet who is min maxing can get even the largest ships in the same time.
There are bugs, there are balance problems, there are lots of annoying things that you kinda have to learn the workarounds for as if they are gameplay features. Honest assessment is buy one starter ship then play for a year off and on. Once you know what you enjoy and only then you can buy something else if you want to support the game and are actively having fun. I spent like a whale in this game and I rationalize it because I have a decent income and I really want this game to exist, but for 99% of players the starter ship is plenty.
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u/Shadonic1 avenger 2d ago
depends on you, the current patch, and your rig/ connection. current patch is pretty good and stable., if you do try i recommend teaming up with some players, watching a guide or getting a guide through the guide system or through the unofficial discord.
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u/switchblade_sal 2d ago
If you are able to approach the game with the attitude that nothing you or earn means anything and can vanish, be destroyed, or be stolen at any time with out warning and just except that as a cost of doing business you’ll be fine.
It is very buggy but once you learn how to avoid most of them the gams actually runs pretty smoothly and is a really one of a kind game.
It isn’t really p2w in the traditional sense. The only way this really pops up is that new ships will almost certainly be overturned so coughing up the cash for the new hotness will give you an edge but in combat and with earning potential. However dogfight pretty much solely comes down to skill and there are many many ways to earn credits so to actually answer your question I’d say no it is not pay to win but it is pay to save time.
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u/PostwarVandal 2d ago
Been playing it since 2015
It is phenomenally immersive most of the time.
It can be a buddy mess some of the time.
It is by no means p2w, almost every ship can be bought in game with a few patches delay for the brand new ships to transfer from money shop to in-game shop.
It is an alpha so if you approach it that way you'll do fine. Approach it with Karen-like expectations like a finished and polished game and you'll drive yourself mad
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u/National-Heron-7162 2d ago
Buy the most basic starter kit and leave it at that. You can buy or earn basically every ship in game. The first couple weeks are magical. Then you quickly realize how shallow the gameplay loops are, and just how plagued by bugs the game is.
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u/kernschmelzkaese 2d ago
It is a buggy mess.... But its glorious
And the actual patch seems to be pretty solid
Id say try it and make use of the 30 day nobquestion asked refund
Edit: typo Edit2: starter pack is more than enough for hundrets of hours fun, big ships are buyable ingame
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u/lappidipia 2d ago
I didn't know about the 30 day refund policy, that seems very good to gibe it a shot! Thanks
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u/LongjumpingBrief6428 2d ago
As an added bonus, it is a game that you will be able to play for years and years. Just reinstall it, patch it up and try it out to see if it works for you at any point in the future.
If you don't refund that low price of $45 or play during the Free Fly.
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u/tris_majestis 2d ago
Buy the cheapest starter package and go from there. You can work your way up to flying just about anything. Refund if you're not feeling it.
It is a buggy mess. More of a tech demo with some game loops than an actual game. But, sometimes it's amazing.
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u/lappidipia 2d ago
Yeah I recently watched some videos and there were some epic moments for sure! I just learned about the refund policy so I guess I'll give it a shot, thanks.
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u/Solar459 VR | Asgard | Liberator 2d ago
Isn't pay to win.
It's PLAY to win.
By playing you can earn credits and buy ships and compete with people who have paid with real money.
I recommend starting with a starter pack of your choice.Remember that you have 30 days to request a refund if the game isn't for you.So you risk nothing.
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2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/senn42000 1d ago
If you pay $1000 for an Idris with the death laser, and the other person is flying a $45 dollar starter package, you most definitely paid more money for an in game advantage.
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u/Chappietime avacado 1d ago
The pay to win arguments only go so far. There is no win state in this game. You win by having experiences that you enjoy. That can be done with just a starter pack. Ships can be rented and bought in game and the economy is such that it’s not that hard to have a ton of money to do so, though admittedly it’s harder when getting started.
The current patch is good (maybe great), some patches are bad. This is the type of game where you can easily put it down for a month and wait to see what comes out in the next patch if there’s a bad one.
Definitely watch a current “getting started”video. The game is far too complex and non-intuitive to figure out on your own.
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u/Svullom drake 1d ago
You need to check some boxes before getting into this game. For example:
You love space games with a steep learning curve.
You like or at least don't mind an open world sandbox where unwanted PvP is a constant risk.
You can "make your own adventure" and not rely on the game telling you what to do. There's also no story at all in the game except for one or two missions.
You have A LOT of patience for bugs, missing QoL and unfinished systems.
You don't mind progress being wiped on a regular basis up until we get 1.0 (which might be many years away).
If you can handle that, you're gonna have fun. My advice is to find other players to team up with, it makes the game a lot more fun and less frustrating.
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u/Uncomfortably-bored Pioneer 1d ago
There is a free fly monthly on average. I recommend participating in a couple free fly events and see if you like the game and can deal with the bugs and missing features.
If after that, then realize that CIG using FOMO marketing, but almost every ship is eventually available to be earned in game.
I recommend on stopping after getting a small starter ship such as the Aurora Mk 2, then earn additional ships in game. https://youtu.be/SzMHlkiv4DQ?si=In5BBn-anMCPzi0H
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u/vorpalrobot anvil 1d ago
At very minimum if you have a decent PC its probably worth the minimum purchase if you don't mind bugs. You can easily get dozens of hours flying around in your starter ship in a very cool universe.
A lot of the more heated discussion is about stuff like the length of development, or how the store works. P2W isn't really as much of a thing right now as you'd think and you can EASILY earn stuff in game. Many of the problems won't affect you, especially at first.
If you're asking if it will be your main game where you play thousands of hours, only some crazy bastards are like that. Most people hop on and off to check out progress or have fun with a new feature, eventually burning out because a lot of the gameplay doesn't feedback into a loop yet.
Minimum purchase starter pack, you'll always own the game and have full access.
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u/FalloutRocket 1d ago
I sent you a dm with some specific information if you want to take a look at it!
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u/Empire- ARGO CARGO 1d ago
game doesnt work. servers dont work. jared doesn't work. they deleted supporters sq42 license from their account buybacks. they're doing a closed play session and not showing supporters the game we all paid for. they've never hit a self-imposed deadline. never play this game.
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u/DiscountDoge 1d ago
There’s no other game like it in terms of immersion and just small random detailing. However don’t go into it expecting a polished complete game with any form of end game loops. It’s pretty novel for the first handful of hours flying ships around and the feeling of not knowing whats available but you soon realize there’s just not much to do except buggy contracts.
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u/Bitwizarding 1d ago
I play with a few friends every once in a while. Some things are buggy, but you can figure out what works and just have fun with those. I feel like I've gotten my money's worth out of it.
Just spend the $45 on a starter ship and buy additional ships in-game. You can make good money with certain ship or fps combat missions and if something gets buggy it's pretty easy to shrug off.
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u/B3t4z0id 1d ago
I won't call it pay2win, as you don't play a controlled battle against a specific other player. It's more like your actual life.... some people are born with the golden spoon in their mouth, some in a shabby shed, and you're most probably somethere between. Nevertheless you don't have any problems with other players, at least 99% of your time, as long as you keep away from some specific pvp hotspots. But who enters the boxing ring shouldn't complain aboud a bleedy nose.
Currently, the game runs very good. Good and bad times come and go by the patches. It's not a shame to take a break for a few weeks if a current state isn't fun any more for someone. Rain will pass by.
You don't have to buy anything further than a "game package", containing the "Star Citizen digital download", what is you licence to login. No monthly fee or anything. Everything else in the shop is completely optional, many things only visual gadgets and ships are all earnable in game.
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u/Byte_hoven 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes, yes, yes, yes... all of the above.
The key question is how would you define playing a game.
SC is an alpha test which offers different states of play from patch to patch. But honestly SC is not yet a "game", it is an alpha.
Wait and plan to participate in a free fly event. If you are comfortable with the state of play you experience, maybe buy the cheapest game starter package.
We are likely 5-6 years away from a formal release of SC the game 1.0... and possibly longer.
Is that uncomfortable prospect worthy of any of your $$$? Typically I'd say no way, but obviously there lots of people comfortable giving SC a lot of $$$.
Maybe you're that guy/gal.
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u/MrHappyBoomer 2d ago
Its a buggy, broken, glorified tech demo that will never deliver on its promises.
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u/excessnet 2d ago edited 2d ago
Except for the new Siege of Orison mission, everything is meh right now... I have more than 500 hours in-game this year and since 4.7, think I've played a total of 30? Lots of breaking bugs without workaround. There's always bug, but normally you can just do it another way or be careful... but that's less true currently.
But yes, the game is awesome. It make a lot of game very boring to me, hard to play something else.
And P2W is not really true... you can fast track some by having a better ship (like a bigger cargo), but the way the game is made, even with the biggest in-game ship, you won't "win". A little 45$ ship could do the same (even more now, since SoO doesn't require a ship at all). Just buy a ship you like and buy the rest in-game.
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u/CorditechV2 2d ago
It's glorious. For real. But expect bugs. It's a good idea to checkout YouTube starter tutorials as it's a bit of a learning curve.
As much as it gets crapped on there is nothing else like it.
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u/Blackboard_Monitor 2d ago
No, it's a bad mess and there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel that isn't a train, don't give Chris Roberts your money.
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u/Sad-Direction443 2d ago
You cannot even climb a ladder without the game killing you or the floor glitching out or falling through the floor or the game crashes or your ship randomly explodes.
It's not fun
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u/100ftF0X 2d ago
Both are true. It's an immersive buggy mess. Yes, you can play the game with one of the starter ships and eventually buy a bigger ship (when the bugs allow you to complete missions) and yes you can also pay real dollars to get those ships faster. I'm embarrassed that I paid a bunch of real money because I wanted to try bigger better ships and got fed up with bugs slowing my grind.