Hi - I only heard of this (Star Citizen) recently from a friend after I bought a Saitek X55 for something else. It sounds like the game you've always dreamed of!

However from the site I find it very confusing as a newcomer as to what is available right now to actually play (i.e. if I buy a game package is there something I can download and play with). I gather the hanger module allows me to look at the ships? I can then pay an extra $5 on top of the package to get the arena commander (fighting) part ? I've no idea what an alpha slot is (the FAQ talks about them but doesn't really explain what they are)
Do I also need to pay for a ship, or does the game package come with one?

Also what are the differences between packages? is it just the ships? There are too many and clicking on each one takes too long - could use a handy comparison chart if there is one. Also these are actually pledges (like Kickstarter levels?)

I'm basically decided to buy one, it's just a case of how much I can persuade my wife to let me spend!

Thanks for your time :)