Oolite Bulletins

I think that if we can collectively get in on the £300 or more level then we actually get to have REAL INPUT on the development of the game. The Ooliteers' voices would be heard...

I think that many of us have a lot of experience and knowledge that would be very valuable to the Elite IV development process. Look what all you coders have achieved! Those who play the game also have a great deal of say, I think, as it's the gameplay that has kept us coming back. Frontier need to be aware that the longevity of the game has always been the open, simple gameplay and the ability to "fill in the blanks". Adding the ability to modify or update the game and expand on the universe is key to keeping people coming back.

Visual candy helps too...

Selezen wrote:

We have […] kick-ass graphics and bleeding edge technology right here...

Speaking as someone with significant insight into Oolite and a reasonable grasp of kick-ass graphics technology: no we don’t.

Meh. I scorn your negativity. Oolite kicks bottom. OK, it might not be bleeding edge, but it can render realistic and convincing scenery and brings the Oolite world into view spectacularly well. ANd with oodles of customisability. No other game I know has the level of customisability and expansion that Oolite does with such ease.

I see your point though. This article has a lovely concept art image that yes, kicks Oolite's ar$e.

Selezen wrote:

I see your point though. This article has a lovely concept art image that yes, kicks Oolite's ar$e.

The artwork for that station would appear to have been inspired by Griff's Coriolis Station.. certainly nothing like that appears on the station in the Dark Wheel cover art.

Selezen wrote:

Meh. I scorn your negativity.

It’s not “negativity”, it’s “recognition of available potential”. :-)

Made my pledge. It's closing in on £200 000. I wonder if it's going to make it.

Diziet Sma wrote:

The artwork for that station would appear to have been inspired by Griff's Coriolis Station.. certainly nothing like that appears on the station in the Dark Wheel cover art.

i dunno, if it was it'd have more rivets and a whacking great big rust texture stamped all over it

JensAyton wrote:

Selezen wrote:

Meh. I scorn your negativity.

It’s not “negativity”, it’s “recognition of available potential”.

I, reluctantly, agree with Jens. Oolite's eye candy is sorely lacking in a number of areas, which are limits to the 'engine' (such as it is) that the game is built on. There are also significant design compromises based on it being an Elite clone at its heart. Not to denigrate it, but to coin a phrase "If I was going there, I wouldn't start here."

Of the top of my head:

Lasers
Collision Detection
Planet sizes
Sun rendering
Planet Landing
2D Maps
Polygon Count
Light sources
Shadows
Transparency

Etc.

Cheers,

Drew.

drew wrote:

Lasers
Collision Detection
Planet sizes
Planet Landing
2D Maps
Polygon Count
Light sources
Shadows
Transparency

I'd add drive plumes to that list.

While I agree that Oolite has limitations, I prefer to focus on game play and the fun part. There is no better game available right now. This is of course a very subjective opinion, and my children would probably laugh their heads off if they heard me say that. Also, this community is probably a big part of the total experience. From that perspective, I don't expect even Elite: Dangerous to surpass Oolite. But I still want a modern and up to date version of Elite and of course, it's going to be interesting to see and play what Mr Braben comes up with.

Griff wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

The artwork for that station would appear to have been inspired by Griff's Coriolis Station.. certainly nothing like that appears on the station in the Dark Wheel cover art.

i dunno, if it was it'd have more rivets and a whacking great big rust texture stamped all over it

Heheheh..

Regardless, has anyone else ever designed an orbital station with towers and buildings attached to the outside of the hull? Not that I'm aware of.. (which is not saying a lot, admittedly)

500 members on the design ctte? Ouch.

Welcome to "Elite IV: Giraffe."

(Also, hi, how is everyone? Seems work gets me through times of no Oolite better than Oolite gets me through times of no work )

Hi! Doing good here.. (although I submit you have that last sentence backwards.. )

Ramirez wrote:

Selezen wrote:

Why don't we offer him OUR services to write the new version - or sell him Oolite?

We have an ALREADY enhanced version with kick-ass graphics and bleeding edge technology right here...

Or we licence back the content of this forum on the basis that I think it contains some very valuable design and gameplay discussions...

That's not a bad idea actually getting a number of people onto the design forum might prove to be quite the coop.

Interesting news but it comes a bit late. First bear in mind that this game will be bleeding edge. That probably means buying a new computer to run it well. And Second 'multiplayer' in space just (IMO) sucks because the playable area is too big. Unless you have a big big user base such as EVE. Still it will be interesting but just as interesting as Star Citizen (speaking of bleeding edge in graphics technology).

Oolite is not bleeding edge on the graphics side but it can be applauded for its playability, customization and community of people who love the game and come up with crazy new add ons almost on a daily bases.