homepage Forums Miscellaneous Outer Space Simulation & Combat Games Star Citizen Buying the damn thing

Is there one location where the purchase options are clearly explained? I have been unable to locate simple information about what I am actually getting with a purchase. Its quite confusing...different ships, different levels, different hangers, etc. I miss the days when you just paid money and bought a game, rather than pieces of a game. Still, I'm willing to put some money into this if there is value in what I manage to get.

Also, can someone please explain the concept of insurance? When your "policy" runs out, and then you lose your ship in combat, what happens?

Thanks!

Game Packages come with a ship, some credits and access to the game.

Single Ships come with just a ship.

This is the very basic package that comes with beta access.

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/store/316-aurora-mr



The old packages also came with Alpha access. Because you are buying into the game right now you do not have Alpha access (what is currently playable is the Alpha.) So you also need to buy Alpha access.

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/store/403-arena-commander-pass

If you want another package other than the Aurora just make sure it comes with beta access and remember you also need to buy alpha access with the arena commander pass.


As for insurance, if your insurance runs out and your ship blows up you are screwed as the game will no longer replace your ship for free. But you can buy/extend your insurance in game. Also remember the insurance is for the persistent universe only which wont start for another year or two (which is probably optimistic.)

Hope that answered your question if no just post it here again and Ill try to answer it.

Thank you. Very helpful.

A couple of follow-up questions.

After insurance has lapsed, is it possible to replace a lost ship with in-game currency? Or, must you use real money to repurchase a lost ship? What is the cost of "insurance" and what is the cost of replacing a ship with real currency?

What is the difference in the various hangars? For instance, what's the difference between the discount and business classes?

Is alpha access limited to the arena zone presently, and is the price of admission only $5.00?

Finally, what is the additional content that comes with a package, other than the self explanatory? For instance, what is Squadron 42 Digital Download?

Thanks again.

Squadron 42 is the single player campaign component.

Ship: RSI Aurora MR ------This is your starter ship. You can buy more ships in game (Star Citizen Persistent Universe) with in game currency once it goes live.

Starting Hangar : Discount ----- this is your FREE starter hangar. You can get more hangars in game but you have to spend your in game UEC. The 3 hangars are just different looks and some fit larger ships. The deluxe hangar (fits the largest ship currently) is actually ugnly. The best hangar is the discount one by far.

Starting Money: 1,000 UEC ------ this is your in game starting money for the Star Citizen persistent universe. You cant spend it yet. (used to buy starting equipment/fuel/cargo etc) Once the game launches you wont be able to buy ships for real money and will have to use UEC to buy things in game. You can buy a limited amount of UEC with real money but it will be capped so you cant pay to win (well at least not to a certain extent)

Insurance: 3 Month ----- This is your in game (SC PU) insurance length. This represents IN GAME TIME not real time. SO 3 months will last a long time if you dont play often. (90 days worth of playing the game. It wont count the days when you are not playing) If you let your insurance lapse and then get blown up you will be shipless and have to crew other people's ships until you can buy a new ship. You can buy insurance in game with UEC though and they said it wont be too expensive for the basic insurance. If you do have to buy a new ship you will have to do it IN GAME WITH UEC. You wont be able to use real money to buy a new ship once the game launches. The ships you buy with real money are crowd funding options only. Everything will be able to be bought in game with UEC once the game goes live.

Digital Star Citizen Manual ----- game manual

Squadron 42 Digital Download ------ Single player (coop) military / story campaign. This will be presented in a multi part release before the SC PU goes live.

Star Citizen Digital Download -------- This is the Star Citizen Persistent Universe

Beta Access ---- This gives you access to every module released before the s42 and SCPU goes live but NOT access to the arena commander.





Currently in playable side of SC is the Alpha access. You will get access to your hangar no matter what but if you want to play the dogfight thingy you will have to buy an Arena Commander pass IN ADDITION TO your game package (beta). You cant JUST buy a ship and AC pass. You have to buy a package that comes with Star Citizen (PU) in order to get access to the hangar and Arena Commander.

Excellent. Thanks a lot guys.

Ah, pretty cool about the insurance. Didn't know it was in-game days.

I was actually thinking, why bother with it? Why not go the MWO route and just return a blown up ship to a player as an extremely damaged hulk they can repair? "Insurance" seems like somewhat useless chaff just there to be there and be different.

But what if there isn't enough to salvage?

What if the other player took your damaged ship after you ejected? Or you were killed and the ship still ok'ish.

There is plenty of reasons for insurance.

I see. When I think "insurance" I think "another great place for microtransactions". If it's strictly gameplay oriented without asking for my wallet it's good to go in my book.

Well "so they say", you can buy insurance in game with in game money (not real money) and it won't be too costly and achievable by all. Not sure if there will be several tiers of insurance or just a basic type covering the hull of the ship only.

IIRC life time insurance will not cover cargo or mounts on our ships we purchased.

This game is not going to be free to play, it will cost a purchase fee to play so microtransactions should be (hopefully) not a game balancing issue.

Wait a second...are you saying there is going to be a monthly subscription required...even for the single-player campaign?

The presence of microtransactions will pretty much decide if I enjoy this or toss it in the bin. I hate playing online stores.

No monthly subscription. One you buy the game you own it and can play it (minus any DLC they come out with.)

But you can also buy a limited number of UEC (in game currently) per money with real money. This is to 1) combat gold farmers and 2) allow people who work full time jobs who only want to play every now and then to be able to play and not take forever to earn a larger ship.

But that is the extent of their P2W model. Anything you can buy with real money NOW you can buy with in game currency later when the game launches.

There is an optional subscription currently that gives you insider information (jump point magazine) and a special forum for donators to post in. There is no info on if that subscription will survive to the game release though. My guess is it probably will.

Supposedly they are NOT balancing the game so that you need to use micro transactions to keep up. They are just allowing you to buy a very limited amount of UECs every month. We wont know exactly how that works until they launch though.