Re: Elite: Dangerous - and the return

[drew]

And some more

Creator Frontier Developments 1 minute ago

@ Liqua

Your starting to dip into details that aren't decided yet

- Will the NPCs auto level to track you in game ? (Elite became dull once you owned a military laser and could pick off pirates at max range with 0 risk)

There will be ways for balancing out top level players.

- Once you own the best of everything (irrespective of how long it takes) will there still be challenges ?

Yes, that's partly why we want an evolving galaxy.

- Will you procedural generate ships / space ports / towns ? (Plenty of examples on YouTube on people who have done this)

Sorry, can't answer this yet.

- How will you handle inflation ? (If it's a concern that is)

It is a possible problem, but we haven't finalised the counter measures.

- Will there be crafting (Player made items from blueprints for example) and if so how will you handle inflation ?

I doubt it.

- Will you be able to mod ships, weapons and other ship parts ? (Using in-game items)

I can't answer this yet.

- Will avatars that represent you be stock pictures or fully customisable ? (As in Diablo 3 - all look the same; or EVE - everyone looks different)

I can't answer this yet.
- Will you change your minds about offering credits for cash (ie Pay to Win!) to a different model to support multi-player ? (In game vanity items is a much better approach)

I don't know.

Michael

Cheers,

Drew.

[Commander McLane]

Hmm. The answers sound like variations on the same theme: "We don't know yet."

Is there anything they do know about the game they're developing?

[Thargoid]

That they don't know much?

I must admit I had much the same thoughts, it being rather odd how little specifics there are on a project they're looking to get funding on from outside sources...

[Commander McLane]

That they don't know much?

Perhaps they should rename it to Elite: We Don't Know Jack.

On a slightly more serious note, there is also this from a recent comment by Michael Brookes:

- "Will you be able to play E:D without an internet connection?"

We're currently looking at a shared universe, that makes no connection at all difficult (but not impossible).

I don't like that. At all.

[Cody]

On a slightly more serious note, there is also this from a recent comment by Michael Brookes:

- "Will you be able to play E:D without an internet connection?"

We're currently looking at a shared universe, that makes no connection at all difficult (but not impossible).

I don't like that. At all.

I tend to agree. I just noticed the pledge upgrades section:

+£500* Have a physical 3D model of a Cobra Mk III to scale (approx. 15cm) shipped to you (Delivery March 2014)

[Gimbal Locke]

I don't like that. At all.

There should be a possibility to pledge conditionally on Kickstarter: "I back this project with §100 if there is a standalone mode." Then the issuer can choose if he/she/it accepts the pledge or not, depending on whether he/she/it can agree with the conditions or not.

What a can of worms would such a system open?

[drew]

That they don't know much?

Perhaps they should rename it to Elite: We Don't Know Jack.

On a slightly more serious note, there is also this from a recent comment by Michael Brookes:

- "Will you be able to play E:D without an internet connection?"

We're currently looking at a shared universe, that makes no connection at all difficult (but not impossible).

I don't like that. At all.

I think it depends a lot on the outcome. Here's some scenarios:

1. The game can operate totally in offline mode, with a dynamically generating galaxy according to built in rules. It will lack the potential richness and dynacism that other player interactions might cause (i.e. trade wars, political shifts etc) in favour of random events. If you don't go online - WYSIWYG.
2. The game can operate offline, but will take an optional universe update periodically (probably quite small) rather like a 'news update' which will add other player generated events, shifts in prices, political situations etc into 'your' universe if you desire.
3. Co-op online game play with your friends by invitation. Clearly you need to be online for this to work.
4. MMORPG style.

Personally I don't have a problem with 2 or 3, and I'd want to be able to do 1 when away from bandwidth.

The only other game I play a lot is Gran Turismo 5. I don't play multiplayer online, but I don't mind it phoning home to give me the occasional new car, track or event that has become available. If Elite works like that I think it will be fun and add to the 'what else is going on out there?' factor.

Cheers,

Drew.

[Disembodied]

On a slightly more serious note, there is also this from a recent comment by Michael Brookes:

- "Will you be able to play E:D without an internet connection?"

We're currently looking at a shared universe, that makes no connection at all difficult (but not impossible).

I don't like that. At all.

I don't think this is ruling out single-player games. If it's "not impossible" to play without an internet connection, then multiplayer, by definition, will not be compulsory. In fact, if it's "not impossible" (i.e. it's possible) to play without an internet connection, then why didn't he just say "Yes"?

[cim]

Oddly, they seem to know less than they admit to for some of the questions.

- "What ships are planned to be in the game from the start?"
Not decided yet.

...based on what they've already said elsewhere (and a slight bit of extrapolation on their motivation from me), a more interesting answer could be:

"Definitely the Cobra III, of course, and you can see the Anaconda, Viper II, and the as-yet-unnamed ship from the asteroid field video in the various pieces of concept art. We're looking to have about 15 types in total, to start with - which is lower than Frontier and First Encounters had, more in-line with the original Elite, since the new damage model we've talked about means that the individual ships take much longer to model. We think it's better to have a small number of distinctive ships than a lot of very similar ones, and we want to include some new ships, of course.
The rest of the list is going to be decided as we go along, based on your feedback. If the design decision forum members all turn out to be great fans of the Osprey X from First Encounters, or beta testing reveals that there aren't enough real choices for freighter captains, we're going to need to respond to that, so it might well be this time next year before the final ship gets decided."

It's still not revealing anything new, but it's a more interesting way to do it.

[Griff]

Oh that's sad news about their plan of having one galaxy stored on Frontier's server that everyone will have to log into, i mean it's an awesome and exciting thing but with my crap internet connection i'm not going to be able to download masses of data regarding what everyone else has been up to or upload details about my exploits back into the server either

[Cmdr James]

1. The game can operate totally in offline mode, with a dynamically generating galaxy according to built in rules. It will lack the potential richness and dynacism that other player interactions might cause (i.e. trade wars, political shifts etc) in favour of random events. If you don't go online - WYSIWYG.
2. The game can operate offline, but will take an optional universe update periodically (probably quite small) rather like a 'news update' which will add other player generated events, shifts in prices, political situations etc into 'your' universe if you desire.
3. Co-op online game play with your friends by invitation. Clearly you need to be online for this to work.
4. MMORPG style.

Im pretty certain that they mean 4, and the not impossible bit is option 2.

At the end of the day they have made it clear this is an MMORPG, why anyone is clinging onto the hopes that it will be the game they wanted is beyond me. If you dont want something along the lines of an MMORPG version on Frontier, probably with simplified physics, then this isnt the game for you. For those who did want that, then I guess they will be very very pleased. If it is ever released

[DaddyHoggy]

The more vague FD are more worried I become - this is a game they intend to release in 15 months time - all of the fundamentals (of which of these questions are related) should be cast iron by now because they're going to massively influence the structure of the capability of the game.

DB et al have had almost 20 years to worry about this and they're coming across as clueless amateurs.

So far the ONLY good thing to come out of this is the chance for Drew to write an official Elite Novel.

Every day I am less confident no only of the KickStarter to actually be able to raise the funding, but yet again of FD to actually be able to deliver ANYTHING at all. I've lived my 20s and 30s with false starts and false dawns and it looks like the buggers are going to do it to me again in my 40s!

[Thargoid]

One has to point out at this point - if people like us who actually want the game and have inherent interest in it are having feelings, views and discussions like this, what hope is there of interest and goodwill from the general gaming populous?

[drew]

1. The game can operate totally in offline mode, with a dynamically generating galaxy according to built in rules. It will lack the potential richness and dynacism that other player interactions might cause (i.e. trade wars, political shifts etc) in favour of random events. If you don't go online - WYSIWYG.
2. The game can operate offline, but will take an optional universe update periodically (probably quite small) rather like a 'news update' which will add other player generated events, shifts in prices, political situations etc into 'your' universe if you desire.
3. Co-op online game play with your friends by invitation. Clearly you need to be online for this to work.
4. MMORPG style.

Im pretty certain that they mean 4, and the not impossible bit is option 2.

At the end of the day they have made it clear this is an MMORPG, why anyone is clinging onto the hopes that it will be the game they wanted is beyond me. If you dont want something along the lines of an MMORPG version on Frontier, probably with simplified physics, then this isnt the game for you. For those who did want that, then I guess they will be very very pleased. If it is ever released

It's not an MMORPG at all, I don't see where you've got this from? Option 2 raises concerns for off-line mode (i.e. will you be able to play with no internet connection at all ever), but at no stage has Elite:Dangerous been pitched as a '4' compulsory MMORPG as per Eve Online etc. You may have that option - some will enjoy that, but it's not being foisted on you as far as I can see.

I see 2 and 3 as a sweet spot, I think that will be great fun, but I understand that many people want reassurance there will be a '1'. I think they're focussing on the '2' personally.

Of course, this could all be clarified rather a lot by FD!

Cheers,

Drew.

[drew]

Recent update

@ Styggron

Yes it does mean you can play the single player offline, but I would like to reiterate that the online single player will be a richer experience. So I hope you'll at least give it a try.

Michael

FAQ clarification to follow apparently.

Cheers,

Drew.