The video critiques the current state of multi-crew gameplay in Star Citizen, highlighting that recent updates have added complexity without meaningful benefits, leading to an imbalance where multi-crew ships struggle against smaller single-seat vessels. The speaker calls for a reevaluation of the design and balance of these ships to enhance collaborative gameplay, suggesting that stronger incentives for multi-crew engagement are necessary to make it a more rewarding experience.
The video discusses the challenges and concerns surrounding the multiplayer crew experience in Star Citizen, particularly in light of recent updates like the new fire system. While the updates are visually impressive, the speaker questions whether the added complexity genuinely enhances the gameplay experience or simply adds more burdens without sufficient payoff. They argue that while challenges in multiplayer gameplay are welcome, the current state of multi-crew ships feels unbalanced and lacking in meaningful rewards.
The speaker outlines the various roles that players can take on in multi-crew ships, including engineering, firefighting, repairing, and turret gunning, as well as pilot and co-pilot roles. However, they express skepticism about the effectiveness of these roles in the game’s current balance. In practice, multi-crew ships often struggle against smaller single-seat ships, leading to a scenario where players are left feeling like “content” for those smaller ships rather than having a satisfying gameplay experience.
A significant concern raised is that players interested in multi-crew gameplay have little influence on the game’s design and balance. The speaker argues that multi-crew ships should function as force multipliers, offering distinct advantages over single-seat ships. However, due to the current imbalance, players are incentivized to use multiple single-seat ships rather than crewed vessels, as the latter do not provide enough power or effectiveness in combat situations.
To address these issues, the speaker suggests that the game developers should consider creating restrictions on larger ships to encourage multi-crew gameplay. For instance, limiting pilots from using certain powerful weapons could promote a more collaborative experience. The speaker believes that if multi-crew ships were made significantly more powerful than their single-seat counterparts, players would be more inclined to engage in multi-crew gameplay, as they would see tangible benefits from working together.
Ultimately, the speaker calls for a reevaluation of how multi-crew ships are designed and balanced within Star Citizen. They argue that the current mechanics do not provide a fun or rewarding experience for players who want to engage in multi-crew gameplay. By drawing comparisons to other games like Sea of Thieves, which offers a more satisfying multi-crew experience, the speaker emphasizes the need for Star Citizen to evolve and meet the expectations of players who desire a robust and enjoyable multiplayer experience.