Pot meet kettle.
No Single Player offline Mode then?
- Thread starter Brandon31
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Pot meet kettle.
The beauty of Elite was not the server
Elite captured our imaginations way back when, not because we could all play on some huge NASA simulation, but because this world was all self contained within our little home computers. That was what blew us away, and still does 30 years later.
I read the arguments from Frontier Devs about, well, the sever performs all the magic, handles the galaxy, and cool stuff.
I don't think a single backer or pre-order or beta purchaser ever once thought for a second we were effectively buying (and getting all excited about) a game run on a Galaxy simulation server. Pffft. DUDE... ? Seriously. David, Michael what were you guys thinking?
The beauty, the mystery, the love of Elite was ALWAYS that the magic was all perform on everyone's computer and YES, everyone had a slightly different experience and no, it wasn't perfect, but there is a reason Elite was a classic. It sure as heck wasn't because some server was doing all the work.
As I wrote in in my request for a refund note last night, it's not the "online" thing that bothers me, but just like when you open a book, Lord of The Rings, for example, for that time you are reading the book, the story, the character, everything is in a world that only you and the characters are experiencing, and you are alone to experience the magic in your own little thoughts. And then the kid starts crying and real world comes back. But you have escaped for a time from Bob and Mike and Mary and your day at work.
Elite USED to capture that moment. But now basically we're going to be reading a book that there will be signs that others are there too, the Door on Moria will have a note carved on it, "Mike was here first, there are orcs inside, go around south and don't bother coming in."
That is not the game I thought I was buying.
Elite captured our imaginations way back when, not because we could all play on some huge NASA simulation, but because this world was all self contained within our little home computers. That was what blew us away, and still does 30 years later.
I read the arguments from Frontier Devs about, well, the sever performs all the magic, handles the galaxy, and cool stuff.
I don't think a single backer or pre-order or beta purchaser ever once thought for a second we were effectively buying (and getting all excited about) a game run on a Galaxy simulation server. Pffft. DUDE... ? Seriously. David, Michael what were you guys thinking?
The beauty, the mystery, the love of Elite was ALWAYS that the magic was all perform on everyone's computer and YES, everyone had a slightly different experience and no, it wasn't perfect, but there is a reason Elite was a classic. It sure as heck wasn't because some server was doing all the work.
As I wrote in in my request for a refund note last night, it's not the "online" thing that bothers me, but just like when you open a book, Lord of The Rings, for example, for that time you are reading the book, the story, the character, everything is in a world that only you and the characters are experiencing, and you are alone to experience the magic in your own little thoughts. And then the kid starts crying and real world comes back. But you have escaped for a time from Bob and Mike and Mary and your day at work.
Elite USED to capture that moment. But now basically we're going to be reading a book that there will be signs that others are there too, the Door on Moria will have a note carved on it, "Mike was here first, there are orcs inside, go around south and don't bother coming in."
That is not the game I thought I was buying.
I believe this not very well worded letter from Mr. Braben served to ignite this issue at hand. Quote: "A fully offline experience would be unacceptably limited and static compared to the dynamic, ever unfolding experience we are delivering."
First off, rarely I have read a more offhanded way to drop a "promised" feature. You better had admitted from the very beginning (and not via later multiple peacework replies of Mr. Mike to angry forum members) that they way you programmed the game impede now a goal you initally proposed for the kickstarter campaign and as well admit that you do not have the resources to trace your way back and reroute the development process to make your initial proposal actually compatible with what you have produced so far. I think a lot of anger would have been avoided then. As other forum posters have pointed out, this is PR speak as you should not do it. Be more straightforward with your fans. We know already that this game is awesome, so stop patting your own shoulders in front of us.
Think about how the recent "flight-assist-off" debate got handled. Frontier changed it without prior discussion and also had an angry community at its throat. The compromise which was then proposed was a wonderful result and virtually everybody was content. I would have thought Frontier would have learned something from that episode.
That being said, I also do not believe much in this vision of a "ever dynamic" universe. What I have seen so far in the beta was still very static. All that happened was some commodity prices shifting and some wordy mumbo jumbo about a war at Eranin. Sorry, even a Children´s Day event or the Dark Moon market in the good old World of Warcraft is more dynamic than this. Maybe a lot of non-understanding would have been avoided if Frontier would explain exactly how dynamic this online-Universe is going to be. The current explanations about blockades and market shifts are really too little of a gain for a big feature cut like this.
First off, rarely I have read a more offhanded way to drop a "promised" feature. You better had admitted from the very beginning (and not via later multiple peacework replies of Mr. Mike to angry forum members) that they way you programmed the game impede now a goal you initally proposed for the kickstarter campaign and as well admit that you do not have the resources to trace your way back and reroute the development process to make your initial proposal actually compatible with what you have produced so far. I think a lot of anger would have been avoided then. As other forum posters have pointed out, this is PR speak as you should not do it. Be more straightforward with your fans. We know already that this game is awesome, so stop patting your own shoulders in front of us.
Think about how the recent "flight-assist-off" debate got handled. Frontier changed it without prior discussion and also had an angry community at its throat. The compromise which was then proposed was a wonderful result and virtually everybody was content. I would have thought Frontier would have learned something from that episode.
That being said, I also do not believe much in this vision of a "ever dynamic" universe. What I have seen so far in the beta was still very static. All that happened was some commodity prices shifting and some wordy mumbo jumbo about a war at Eranin. Sorry, even a Children´s Day event or the Dark Moon market in the good old World of Warcraft is more dynamic than this. Maybe a lot of non-understanding would have been avoided if Frontier would explain exactly how dynamic this online-Universe is going to be. The current explanations about blockades and market shifts are really too little of a gain for a big feature cut like this.
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Tag team with RPS. Nice
The internet has taught me that it's not hyperbole when it supports your argument. I do kind of wish I'd had a better teacher though.
Looks like someone at the Beeb was looking forward to the offline version
Well it is now officially out of hand......
Probably the best article I've seen yet. Nice work Beeb
That was nothing like this thread. I got what I wanted from John Lewis.
As it adds to the game offline mod? How do I play it, when I do not have a modem on a notebook?
Get in there BBC!
The last quote's the worst IMO. Whilst I do applaud MB for replying to a lot of Qs over the weekend, many of the responses give me the impression of a company that doesn't get that this was a big deal and just wants to forget about it and get on with things. They dropped a bomb (dirty one at that), but seem frustrated at having to clean up the mess afterwards. Sorry guys, but I think you created this sticky situation yourselves by keeping this info private for so long and then releasing it the way you did.
Looking forward to the official announcement (as mentions over on KS). Please make it right FD; don't try and spin it.
Nor do I expect a refund.
btw, I don't expect a refund, although it's pretty clear from the store language that because I have not received the final product, I should, in theory, be entitled to my money back.
But I won't argue the outcome. I just wanted in on record that this long time Elite fan of 46 years old is disappointed, probably more than normal because it's been a string of classic games getting infused with "new blood" that ends up screwing them up because they never understood what the original was all about. I'm thinking SimCity here, among others.
So I'm on record, I want my money back. If Frontier Keeps it, they do so knowing they didn't earn it.
btw, I don't expect a refund, although it's pretty clear from the store language that because I have not received the final product, I should, in theory, be entitled to my money back.
But I won't argue the outcome. I just wanted in on record that this long time Elite fan of 46 years old is disappointed, probably more than normal because it's been a string of classic games getting infused with "new blood" that ends up screwing them up because they never understood what the original was all about. I'm thinking SimCity here, among others.
So I'm on record, I want my money back. If Frontier Keeps it, they do so knowing they didn't earn it.
Ah. Those were the days. Not anymore though. That only works when the press speaks to isolated audiences. Now that everyone can be a part of the conversation bad press can become an albatross around one's neck for good.
That BBC article was right on the mark.
Thanks for posting it.
Reminded me alot about what ekholbrook had just expressed.
Thanks for posting it.
Reminded me alot about what ekholbrook had just expressed.
The entire "we're still getting what we want (as far as we know) so could you all just suck it up pretty please with sugar on top and go away so that we will (possibly) get it" mentality is also wearing thin.
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