Sandi

[Intro by Kantziko] - Hello and welcome here Kantziko of Star Citizen section JeuxOnLine, We are here in Switzerland, but as you see it with the poster who is behind and the little pin that I have here, I I could make this summer Colonge during GamesCom (not the Games Week, of course) for the event organized by IGC around its Star Citizen Thurs. The day after this event, we were able to talk with different members of the team including Ben Lesnick, Sandi and Chris Gardiner Roberts. In talking with them, we joked a little about a subject, then it became serious and it became a reality last week, with the completion of an interview, cross, Sandi and Ben, a day of Meanwhile, via Skype. For this interview, we chose with the editorial team of the section, namely Elglon, Altarec Smith and myself different questions to address different topics. Among the topics was the report of Sandi and Ben with France and the French language; and you'll be surprised at their answers. Then we talked about how the IGC adapts to different linguistic groups, including the French group, which of course concerns the French, but also Swiss, Belgian and Quebec (and others countries) . Finally, finally, questions about the game itself and marketing strategies they have around their play.

It is a new experience for us. We have surely made lots of mistakes and imperfections. I hope you will forgive us, but especially the content of this video will interest you. To make your return, you can use the comments below this article, or the Star Citizen section of our forums. Thank you, I leave you now with the interview and perhaps soon. Goodbye !

Kantziko (K) - Hi Ben! How are you ?

Interview with Sandi Gardiner and Ben Lesnick by JeuxOnLine
Ben (B) - I'm fine, and yourself?

K - Well, well, thank you. We had seen three months ago in Cologne and during our discussion, we learned that you have lived in France, is that true?

B - Yes, yes, I was a teenager. I lived in Aix-en-Provence.

K - How long?

B - about 2 years. My father worked for IBM, and they sent him out there for it develops databases for hospitals. So I went, like the whole family.

K - And you have learned a little French, but have forgotten everything, right?

B - In the past, I spoke French, yes. I still can read it, and if I put myself seriously for a few weeks, it would, but I do not have time to do it, at least right now.

K - It seems that you speak French.

Sandi (S) - Yes, I speak French ... a bit (in French in the text). I speak French because I studied in French schools, being small, Australia. There is the French Alliance in Australia, and also in Santa Monica.

K - But is it because you have ancestors who are French?

S - No, my father speaks French and he insisted that I also do.

K - Just like that?

S - Yes, just like that. I like Paris. I wanted a pied-a-terre in Paris, you know.

K - We met in Cologne for the Games Com. And we talked about on this occasion: So you lived in Paris? For how long ?

S - 1 year. In Paris.

K - How was it? Good ?

S - Yes, of course. Go shopping, etc ...

K - And at what age?

S - 12.

K - Ben lived in Aix-en-Provence, but he was a little older. 14 or 16 years, right?

S - Yes, I think so. It was his father who ...

K - Yes, his father worked for IBM there.

S - Oh, yes.

K - This is already registered (the interview of the day before). I have evidence.

S - I went to the Cannes Film Festival the last 12 years, and the Grand Prix of Monaco, too.

K - So beautiful part of France. All is not as pretty.

S - I love as Alsace, Bordeaux, Aix-en-Provence also very pretty.

K - So we can cross you in France by chance.

S - Yes. Yes I do.

K - Good to know! Now the mandatory question for people who have visited France: did you eat frogs and snails?

S - Yes! The snail, frog. It looks like chicken, frog. And the snail, with butter, to taste it .... it's good!

B - It is interesting to work in a number of cultures, not just the French. For example, how the Germans react to Star Citizen over how US react. And even through the development teams! Changing the way we work according to the people. And it is interesting to see how the project takes shape from this cultural difference.

K - Yes, sure, anyone who has worked in an international environment abroad, can say that it changes a lot compared to work in his own country.

B - If I go upstairs, everyone is noisy, and apostrophe. In the United Kingdom, everyone heads down and working in silence.

K - ... 17h and waits for the cup of tea!

K - Sandi, can you read a piece of Lord of the Rings in French?

S - No, I can not, I do not have the book with me.

K - But you keep reading with your book club? (reference to an old Reverse the Verse)

S - Yes, my book club is part of the French Alliance.

K - It's impressive, because the book is not so easy.

S - No it is not. But we also do others, which I do not remember the name, which are more traditional, classic.

K - About the French community in Star Citizen ... Do you hear often speak of them? Not enough ?

B - I would say not enough. The German community is almost more noisy, they are much more involved than other European countries. But I would like to read more from the French community.

K - Ok, we'll try! You've heard a lot about me to set up this interview. But we would like to do something more formal, more regular. So it will be no question that German only, and you also know that the French are waiting for your game.

B - I would love to do it more regularly! As I can do with Batgirl (Nikki D'angelo), if that tells you.

K - Yes, of course! Going back to the cultural diversity of the Star Citizen community, do you have any statistics on the country of residence of each? If most of the community comes from the Anglo-Saxon countries, USA, Australia and the United Kingdom in the lead, followed by Germany, France, Italians, too, perhaps? Other countries ?

B - The Americans represent the largest share, of course. But not as much as might be expected. They only 50% of the community. The Germans are the second largest group, about 20%, and then all other countries fall below 5%, with England head, behind France and then Italy, etc.

K - Ok, so you have about 70-75% of backers who are native English language.

B - Yes, it seems correct.

Sandi Gardiner JoL during his interview in November 2015
K - What do you think of the French? Do they annoy you? You having fun?

S - I love them! We just hire someone to marketing, and it is French. From Paris.

K - And where does it work? In Santa Monica? Or other?

S - Santa Monica. His name is Vincent Galopin.

K - This is a fun name. Will we see in videos, or events?

S - Yes, I hope, I wish!

K - Okay, cool. We expect to firm up. About the French community about Star Citizen, you often hear about us, or at least is showing particularly French backers, or you do not even know that we exist?

S - I can not say I hear a lot about you, but I guess it's because I do not often go to the forums. But elsewhere, where the French community? Dedicated sites?

K - Yes, we have dedicated sites. I work for one of them finally free. But yes, the fan sites perhaps three or four major, JeuxOnLine, Starcitizen.fr (big) and also starpirates.fr and surely others. We also have talented people like the person who made a lot of videos using components of the game ...

S - Do years1hundred is French?

K - No, I mean another. I forget his name [I was referring to the Phalanx Bloox with his video "Welcome to the Jungle", in fact, NdT] Yes, some talented people. But then, our presence is not obvious?

S - Are you on the Community Hub?

K - We're trying. And it is also one of my questions: what did you envisaged with this tool? Should we publish all of our items or make a single waypoint to our own site?

S - I think I should talk to Ben. We had talked about having a world map on which a fan could click on a country like France, and thus obtain a list of links to various French community sites.

K - That would be great! A backer recently proposed a Google map for each backer positions above, which joined a little idea, but there were no links above. So yes, it is surely a good idea.

S - This would be a way to connect people. Everyone would choose what interests him.

B - For me, you could push all your articles on the Community Hub. It's been two months that we have released this tool, and we are watching how people use it. Within a month, we will resume the subject and discuss everything that does not work, and the gap with the way people actually use it to redefine the process. So expect changes on this subject, and in the meantime continue to push content to the tool. Ultimately, I think we have to work with a limited number of content creator, we approve, as you, or INN (Imperial News Network), persons who provide high quality content. In any case, offer better visibility, notably through the Community Hub.

K - It's great, really.

K - Ah, for the next question, I was harassed by different people to ask.

B - It is never a good way.

K - We have heard of deploying local servers in Europe as an objective of the fundraising campaign (the objective of 25M). What can you say about it? I ask because our pings are still high (large latency), and if we know that you can not do everything at the same time, we are eager to learn more, whether it's planned or to 'stop.

B - It is always expected. For now, we still carry the game on the Google platform (GCE), and once this is over, we can explore new directions. I do not know the technical details, but we obviously want everything to be in place to ensure the success of the game, including Europe. If we think back to Wing Commander, we can say that he would never have had the success he has had no European players, very passionate, so it is important to treat this community.

K - So we just wait ... what, six months? 1 year ?

B - I never give date. * laughs * And I never fit me on the way engineers. I do not understand what they usually speak. Yes, you just need to be patient.

K - Ok, so if you have a chance to do, tell the people who care that we are eager to have better pings.

B - We go to Austin next week, to make a bunch of interviews and the Around the Verse, I will make sure to include this issue.

K - Cool. Thanks good !

K - How do you translate the official content of the project? For now, all is published in English. And a sub-group of French fans, reflecting as much as possible to allow all others to follow the news. But do you return to this in-house translation task, one day?


S - We always focus on the following languages (with the acronym EFIGS): English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. We could possibly work with some of the fans to produce this content translated, perhaps by paying them even if the terms remain to be defined. At least in the five languages mentioned above, at first.


K - Does it work by submission, piecemeal, saying, "oh, I translated this article in such a language, you can review and validate it for publication?"


S - Not really, it would be rather to establish the role of a semi-official translator for an entire language, a role that would be paid.


K - But that concern a single individual or an entire group of people, to have this responsibility on the translation?


S - Probably just one person, even she allocate work thereafter.


K - So just a person?


S - I do not know, maybe. I do not have the details on how it would work again ... with the Community Hub. I would have to talk about it with Benedict. Besides, you could interview him about it.



K - We heard Sandi speak German during GamesCom. And as we were saying earlier, about a quarter of backers do not speak English. What are your efforts to bring more official content in languages other than English? For now, these are just the fans that produce this translation effort, but do you have on your side initiatives?

B - Yes, we have. We do our best, but soon you will get to see a new charge of German communications, which will help us translate the content in that language, and then it will be the turn of the French, Italian and others. A priori in that order. But before that, we had to ensure we had the tools to do it. The official website and the game itself are designed to easily integrate content translated. So now it's really a matter of resources to produce content in different languages. If we imagine a section of the forum dedicated to French, we could very well set up and let her live her life, but we would like to moderate it, have someone to interact with the community ... but we do not want do that if we do it with the same level of quality that is done currently for English.

K - Yes, it is well aware of the quality that is dear to you and you stick to it. Thank you for this detailed answer. About the game itself, we saw some things translated for a few months, as the game settings, or assignment of the keys, and then you have backtracked. Was it for reasons of quality that you came back, or for another reason?

B - Ah, that's an interesting question. What you saw in the Arena Order was not really what we wanted to do initially, but simply rapid response to a legal constraint in Canada. We have partners in Canada (BHVR, Turbulent) and for reasons that are unique to Canada, we had to translate this into French. It was therefore only very partial and rudimentary efforts. But we will review everything and make these linguistic adjustments as needed, before the release of the game.

K - It is not vital to all backers but a fraction really expected this kind of adaptation is the reason why this question comes up.

B - You can tell them that it is not forgotten, it is still in the plans, just be patient.

K - Still in the same vein about the content of the game itself, in the Persistent Universe in 42 Squadron, all the dialogues and texts coming, how do you translate that? Do you use external resources, or let you internally? With your partners? And to cover all other (many) foreign languages?

B - For most languages, we will use consultants. Maybe the German part will be done with our branch in Germany. Most important, for now, the development perspective is to ensure that we can technically do these loads of different languages easily, we can replace the dialogue with another language, etc. It is very important to have the tools to do before interest us the content itself. At the time of first Wing Commander, they tried to do it in-house, and it did not go very well, especially by having foreign employees in Austin, Texas. So from Wing Commander 3, they began to go through external solutions.

K - And much more exotic languages, rare, will you try to rest on backers communities, or will you simply do not start the debate?

B - I wish we could do like that. With some modding tools, probably after the official release, we could offer this possibility. The most common languages such as German and French, we will have them before the release. But for others, yes, specific tools will allow backers to do these translations. Then we will probably have distribution partnerships. For example, in Asia, we will certainly be partnering with publishers, particularly in Japan, and we will make them make a localization of the game for the local market.

K - And for the Banu, or Xi'an?

B - For these languages, we have no need to translate, it is the advantage! * laughs * It will be the same in all languages.



Xi'An Scout Khartu


K - Squadron 42 has a lot of content, since we have seen the script of this huge campaign for Citizen Con. Is this content will also be translated, or not?

S - Yes, we always speak the same languages including: English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

K - Using external consultants?

S - I think so. Let me check with Erin taps on his keyboard * *

K - I think I have one last question about the location of the game: Chris mentioned the use of VoIP (Voice in direct communication in the game) to enable interaction between players in the vicinity 'universe. We also glimpse the thoughts floating mechanism to respond in dialogues of Squadron 42. Can we have a mixture of both Persistent in the universe, with a choice of stereotypical phrases, and whose meaning will be automatically translated to other players in their own language? Some games known as Dota2 or War Thunder, using such mechanisms and this is useful when you play collaboratively with strangers.

B - Yes, I think that we will have a similar tool before leaving the game It seems to be the optimal solution adopted everywhere.. If we talk of Wing Commander, of course access to a command button to trigger breaks the immersion, but we also need solid game mechanics. So yes, we will make efforts in this direction.

K - Ok, fine! Now less talking and more of the languages. We also hope that this interview will be seen by more than just French, so as to try to bring more exclusive news. Do you think the output of the FPS game, Star Marines, will bring in the game a whole new population of fringe players who previously were not interested in the vessels and the rest of Star Citizen? If so, how much do you think these new players will arrive? They account for 10% or 50% more compared to the number of existing backers? What are your estimates?

B - For now, as you know, we leave a little aside the FPS to focus on Alpha 2.0 and it really is the asset that will bring the most players. Alpha With this, people will really understand how the game works. The Commander Arena and fighting with the first vessels are not at all representative of the final game, they represented only a fraction of the game. While with the Alpha 2.0, even if it's only the beginning, when people go to connect, will be able to operate the different mechanical, all will be consistent for everyone. And besides, the FPS will be included directly into the gameplay. If you had asked me a year back about FPS, I would have said that we would do a campaign (marketing) specific about it, try to seduce players of this segment, and perhaps 50 or 60,000 to bring players through this. Now I think we'll skip this step (specific, to do marketing on this), even though we will continue to Star Marines, the simulator in the game, which will be integrated in the 2.1 or 2.2. In my opinion, it will not have a significant impact, compared to what will generate Alpha 2.0.

K - Ok, so what you just said, what is your strategy. But for this fringe players who are only interested in the shoot, and that could come in Star Citizen, how do you feel?

B - To be honest, it is not these players here that interest me first. I want the players adhere to a vision. I hope the game will be good enough to interest on certain aspects of specialized players, but they will not really aware of what is at work, such as double precision. And I do not really want to have players who are just to fire guns. I would prefer players who actually live in the Star Citizen universe.

K - Those players who do not want that pure shot would miss the game, do you?

B - Yes, that's my opinion. Even if a certain amount is dedicated to this, we do not want to specialize in the FPS and interest us at this point. This must be part of the larger whole that is the Star Citizen universe.

K - But you could use it as a loss leader, by bringing players to the game "specialists", who later discover the wealth of the universe and can be integrated into, right?

B - Yes, that would be fine. We will also perhaps months free access to Star Marine, history of interesting players of Call of Duty, for example, and it will be good enough to make them want to discover the rest.

K - Okay. Concerning the 2.0 Alpha, do you think that some of the backers who really plays, because they made the round of the Arena Commander, going back to the output of this Alpha and if so, how much percentage of the community?

B -. I think all those who have tried the game a day, and even new people, come try this Alpha as it represents a major change for the game It will be much closer to those for which the people have committed the top and the initial vision Chris Roberts final game. So yes, this Alpha should bring back all those who expect more content, and also with the agenda of the new features (mining, repair, etc.) provided, we should get to make them stay because the gameplay will be more varied and changes will no longer just small changes on a single facet of the game as with the Commander Arena.



Artistic view of Crusader


K - Think you can bring to the game a new population of players with new features, like the FPS?

S - Yes, absolutely. With the baby PU happens this month ...

K - Oh, you announce a date?

S - We are so close in recent weeks, yes, it will happen this month. And this universe embryo is so unique that it will drain players new to him, and sauté former players. The crew management will also participate in the craze.

K - In proportion, is that these new players will represent something like 20% of the current total of backers? 50%? 100%? What are your expectations ? I speak for the next six months, not five years.

S - You mean besides the current one million? Perhaps 200 to 500,000 new players.

K - So a good 20% more.

S - Yes, from 20 to 50% more. Ben said that?

K - He did not give a specific figure. He was not even sure there would be a special effort to appeal to FPS players, and the Alpha is sufficient to itself to obtain enough new products to exceed the simple framework of the FPS. And besides, he thinks that the players coming to the FPS will miss the real interest of the game. But in fact, it has mostly dodged the question.

S - I agree that the only FPS surely not have as much impact as the PU baby, to attract new players. The FPS market is vast, and very mature, with large franchises ...

K - ... but the interaction of the players in Star Citizen FPS level with the rest of the universe can bring this aspect of the game to a whole new level, right?

S - Yes, it's true. I think players will want to try our game, because they are curious, but I think part of our FPS game will be refined, become more mature over time. For now, these are just some aspects that will be mixed with the rest of the Alpha 2.0.

K - How do you do marketing on appearance alone FPS? Will there about the set of packages made just for that? Or free month of "season pass" to begin with this one aspect and finally integrate the universe?

S - Yes, because it will match the expectations of some players who want to start with the simple FPS and may be behind, will be interested in the rest of the universe. So, yes, we will sell access this way.

K - When that he will do?

S - I'm not very sure. I would have really immersed myself in the FPS and assess whether the level of quality achieved is sufficient.

K - You said he had a certain maturity. Is this maturity will be reached in six months? One year ? Or you just do not know yet?

S - I can not comment on product maturity in six months. I have to see him first.

K - The next question is very personal. I am very interested in game design. And I've seen a post from a backer, about the interest to consider each vessel inside (big enough) as a potential level of FPS. He hoped that this conjunction of interests was one of the constraints during the design of larger vessels. From there, I was wondering if you had planned to integrate directly in Star game modes Marines, simulating collisions and taking place in the interiors of large vessels, such as Idris. Is that the case ?

B - Yes, it is already part of our considerations. At the beginning of Star Citizen, when we were designing a vessel, all started from the original idea of a designer with a drawing of the exterior look of the ship, it seems cool and is adapted to the combat mechanics, and for us to neglect the inside. It was often six months after another designer ironed on the vessel and showed which parts of the interior of the vessel could operate in terms of gameplay and which parts not. Now we address all these issues simultaneously. Yesterday, for example, I was sitting with the person who made the design of the Crucible (which Ben forgot the name) and we did just that: go inside, wondering if it was a FPS level if it should or not. This amounts to asking whether the level would be fun, fair between the different teams, if possible pathways work, etc. You will see what I mean in a document detailing the Crucible, within a week or two.

K - So do some inland vessels will be used as level Star Marines?

B - No, because I think that these levels will be already there in the Alpha 2.0 before they are in Star Marines.

K - Yes of course, if we can have an open world as the baby PU, why bother working to integrate it into a single sub-module.

K - To the last question, she already had some answers thanks to last for the Writers Ten, but I'll ask anyway. I love role playing, and what worries me in Star Citizen is its "sandbox" (sandbox). This involves creating our own goals in the game, live our lives as we hear in the universe available. But sometimes people get tired simply are too lazy to create their own ultimate goal. Will you then lead them gently into a larger story? With major events that would be directed by the team of authors of the game? By having bits of information throughout the universe? And finally by changing the main plot of the universe? For we know that 42 Squadron, the single player campaign the game will be scripted and propose a clean frame, but is it the Persistent Universe will instead be static or change over time? Can we have, for example, star systems under human influence suddenly be controlled by Vanduuls after an attack?

B - Yes. The answer to all this is yes. We want to go through with our vision but also be responsive compared to players.




































But no.