Oolite Bulletins

erm, tribbles werent in the original elite, they were put into the commodore 64 version

presumably to make up for the slow speed of that version- the bbc original didnt have them

phonebook wrote:

erm, tribbles werent in the original elite, they were put into the commodore 64 version

presumably to make up for the slow speed of that version- the bbc original didnt have them

Or to quote the words of Ian Bell

The Trumbles mission was a somewhat prankful addition to the C64 version to add something new over the BBC version.

I don't think I have anything against adding some hints to the game, as long as they are hints, and not blunt step-by-step-explanations.

But I'd like to say something about the general idea, that you have to give new players something like a purpose in game-play, in order to attract them:

I am with another_commander and Kaks here. Elite and Oolite are not about missions. They are not about walking through something. They are not about finding and fulfilling your in-game purpose. They are not about finishing.

They are exactly the opposite of all that. Open-ended, with nothing specific to do, except to explore the eight charts. This is the very purpose of the game. I am the very first to acknowledge that doing a mission is exciting, but any mission is only an interlude in your free and un-purposeful exploration of the eight charts.

If a new player isn't interested in the aspect of open-endedness and exploration only for exploration's sake, then there is nothing which can "hook" him to Oolite. He probably isn't susceptible for the very point of Elite/Oolite. That isn't his fault, and I wouldn't blame him. However I would conclude that Oolite is simply not his game, and he should try another game.

But sacrificing the point of the game for the player who isn't enjoying it is no solution.

Commander McLane wrote:

But I'd like to say something about the general idea, that you have to give new players something like a purpose in game-play, in order to attract them:

I am with another_commander and Kaks here. Elite and Oolite are not about missions. They are not about walking through something. They are not about finding and fulfilling your in-game purpose. They are not about finishing.

They are exactly the opposite of all that. Open-ended, with nothing specific to do, except to explore the eight charts. This is the very purpose of the game. I am the very first to acknowledge that doing a mission is exciting, but any mission is only an interlude in your free and un-purposeful exploration of the eight charts.

Thank for for helping to clarify this, for it helps to get my head around things. Understanding the mindset for the game is an important aspect of things.

If a game is approached with the wrong mindset, a person can be completely turned off against it, whereas if they approach it expecting something else, that very same game can be fully accepted by them.