I think there has been said enough. As for refunds there are most likely a queue.
No Single Player offline Mode then?
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I think there has been said enough. As for refunds there are most likely a queue.
No but it's the same sentiment I've expressed much earlier in this thread, and I remain steadfast behind my own expectation of a refund now that offline is gone.
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Are we playing the I'm a more important Elite fan than you game now?
One possibility is because the skins and other cosmetics they're planning on flogging to us are already embedded in the executable.
If they released both a server and a client, it would be possible (probably trivial) to work out what the relevant packets were to be sent to enable those skins & other cosmetics.
The same packets would also apply to the online version.
Therefore, it would be relatively trivial to come up with a method or even a utility that instantly gave everyone all cosmetics. The stuff we're supposed to buy to keep the servers running after release.
It may have nothing to do with the "secrets of the galaxy" as Michael put it, and everything to do with an important revenue stream for them being cut.
It's all about money.
Only available online!
+1 this exactly
its a repeatedly loss making company without significant future plans beyond releasing a crowd funded game that is fairly niche and with strong competition. doubt elite has the sales potential to turn it around. im not so sure a long hold is a good move here. This is a sharemarket only opinion- id like to see FD do well despite the majorly poor comms effort and game bugs.
I love elite, btw, so dont flame me off, just adding a very experienced investors words here.
DB will likely be given advice by his accountants to lay off staff post release and to move some shares before the value returns to something that makes sense (revenue ratio etc).
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If some one isn't vocal on the forums and joins after a feature as been cut out of a game they paid for does't make them a troll, as for you a self appointed representative of FD who as been out spoken on their views, i would class you as the troll on this thread
I know at least seven (in real life) purchasers / backers who were counting on offline that have never signed up for the forums or haven't played. What's that got to do with anything? What business is it of yours? :S
The same as "This problem does not concern me so what the heck are you moaning about?".
Not specifically at you but this attitude is common here as well.
Not to mention that those playing offline would be very unlikely to buy cosmetic items anyway...
meaning one less revenue stream for Frontier.From what I get of Michael comment is they dont want the secret seed of the galaxy out there. They dont realize that this will be done as it has with many games even if elite is online only.
Elite has nothing special over other games in terms of protection and the more you try give hackers a hard time the worst you are going to get it me thinks
Not to mention that those playing offline would be very unlikely to buy cosmetic items anyway...
And they were not supposed to. The game was supposed to be modable. So you could make your own skins.
Been told to post this here, fyi I'm not angry only regrets, but I'd like this post added to this big heap.
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Do I want to play a game I own and have a right to play but through no fault of my own I sometimes can't?
Do I want to play a game with some corporate monstrosity looking over my shoulder watching my every move?
Do I want to play a game where I can be bullied or ripped off by some quick fingered 12 year old (either directly or indirectly)?
Do I want to play a game where arbitrary rules and conditions are injected into my world that will dictate my freedom to chose what I do and when I want to do it?
I am surprised just how strongly I feel about it, but as an 84er it can't be some sudden snap reaction.
Like many I've also thought long and hard about why I regret the sudden loss of Elite D offline and my reasons actually feel strangely deep and personal, almost spiritual you could say .
Call me mad (yes I'm mad) because I'm not even sure if my regrets are entirely rational:
~
I have regrets because I still think I look cool dancing to Spandau Ballet, but I secretly know I don't.
I have regrets because I still think it's great to have big hair, but when I'm honest, I know it's not.
I have regrets because I still find Blondie absolutely stunning but some now say she isn't.
I have regrets because I still believe I have no responsibilities, but the wife says I do.
I have regrets because I still think I'm young, but my kids keep saying I'm not.
I have regrets because I still hoped that I could be that geeky, sleep deprived teenager playing space games on my own late into the night in my own universe surrounded by a reality that only I commanded, no rules, that felt free from an awful, commercialised, bullying world, that was fresh and that as a young frustrated adult was the only true space in my life that was truly mine (all mine!) and the only place that at this point (or that point) in my life I could affect or influence in any meaningful way, it was my escape, it was selfish but it was mine and I was the only one watching and the only damn one in it.
So now 30 years later, I'd hoped, as an old(ish) man, when the discos over and younger one's gone, even after the lights and servers finally dim, that at least I'd be there sat, left all alone playing in the dark but as happy as Larry in my own bit of space, that I'd thought was all mine.
And now after this week I think that this my last little personal fantasy has gone too.
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Do I want to play a game I own and have a right to play but through no fault of my own I sometimes can't?
Do I want to play a game with some corporate monstrosity looking over my shoulder watching my every move?
Do I want to play a game where I can be bullied or ripped off by some quick fingered 12 year old (either directly or indirectly)?
Do I want to play a game where arbitrary rules and conditions are injected into my world that will dictate my freedom to chose what I do and when I want to do it?
I am surprised just how strongly I feel about it, but as an 84er it can't be some sudden snap reaction.
Like many I've also thought long and hard about why I regret the sudden loss of Elite D offline and my reasons actually feel strangely deep and personal, almost spiritual you could say .
Call me mad (yes I'm mad) because I'm not even sure if my regrets are entirely rational:
~
I have regrets because I still think I look cool dancing to Spandau Ballet, but I secretly know I don't.
I have regrets because I still think it's great to have big hair, but when I'm honest, I know it's not.
I have regrets because I still find Blondie absolutely stunning but some now say she isn't.
I have regrets because I still believe I have no responsibilities, but the wife says I do.
I have regrets because I still think I'm young, but my kids keep saying I'm not.
I have regrets because I still hoped that I could be that geeky, sleep deprived teenager playing space games on my own late into the night in my own universe surrounded by a reality that only I commanded, no rules, that felt free from an awful, commercialised, bullying world, that was fresh and that as a young frustrated adult was the only true space in my life that was truly mine (all mine!) and the only place that at this point (or that point) in my life I could affect or influence in any meaningful way, it was my escape, it was selfish but it was mine and I was the only one watching and the only damn one in it.
So now 30 years later, I'd hoped, as an old(ish) man, when the discos over and younger one's gone, even after the lights and servers finally dim, that at least I'd be there sat, left all alone playing in the dark but as happy as Larry in my own bit of space, that I'd thought was all mine.
And now after this week I think that this my last little personal fantasy has gone too.
DB: Things are too quiet. We really need something to get the media excited about just before our launch next weekend.
MB: Well, we still have a few hundred mugs we can send out to them.
DB: No .. No .. We need to try something explosive .. something dangerous.
MB: Theres no way I am getting in that g-string again!
DB: In Fridays newsletter, I want you to slip in something quietly that will ruffle a few feathers.
MB: Ahhhhhh .. the Thargoids awaken .. I like it.
DB: No, Sweenys still struggling with their HOTAS grip.
DB: We need to break them down, before we can build them up.
MB: Huh?
DB: You sir, may be a imaginative writer, but your blind to your dark side. We tell them that something has been pulled ... umm, like that offline version.
DB: Then we sit back and wait.
MB: But we finished implementing that offline module even before the Beta started. Thats why we never tested it.
DB: Yes, but they don't know that. Then we sit back and enjoy the show.
MB: But that will be a disaster which will cause irreparable damage.
DB: Normally it would, but I have recently aquired a rather unique shinny artifact which can work PR miracles.
DB: Once a fews days have passed, the BBC will get aboard, and whip them into a frenzy, ready for us to strike!
DB: I can even get Drew to prepare a story on the disaster.
DB: <evil laugh> Our own private War of the Worlds!
DB: With the world's media attention focussed on us, at the official launch we announce a sincere apology and ask our loyal backers for forgiveness.
DB: We then inform them that we, through our own personal funds, will work night and day to ressurect the offline version before Christmas.
DB: We will be lauded beyond belief, and will be seen as Legends. You might also be knighted yourself, or at the very least be delivered a truckload of pizza.
MB: Thats so crazy, it might work.
DB: It is destined to work my dear fellow. Now get to work ... we have history to make.
MB: Well, we still have a few hundred mugs we can send out to them.
DB: No .. No .. We need to try something explosive .. something dangerous.
MB: Theres no way I am getting in that g-string again!
DB: In Fridays newsletter, I want you to slip in something quietly that will ruffle a few feathers.
MB: Ahhhhhh .. the Thargoids awaken .. I like it.
DB: No, Sweenys still struggling with their HOTAS grip.
DB: We need to break them down, before we can build them up.
MB: Huh?
DB: You sir, may be a imaginative writer, but your blind to your dark side. We tell them that something has been pulled ... umm, like that offline version.
DB: Then we sit back and wait.
MB: But we finished implementing that offline module even before the Beta started. Thats why we never tested it.
DB: Yes, but they don't know that. Then we sit back and enjoy the show.
MB: But that will be a disaster which will cause irreparable damage.
DB: Normally it would, but I have recently aquired a rather unique shinny artifact which can work PR miracles.
DB: Once a fews days have passed, the BBC will get aboard, and whip them into a frenzy, ready for us to strike!
DB: I can even get Drew to prepare a story on the disaster.
DB: <evil laugh> Our own private War of the Worlds!
DB: With the world's media attention focussed on us, at the official launch we announce a sincere apology and ask our loyal backers for forgiveness.
DB: We then inform them that we, through our own personal funds, will work night and day to ressurect the offline version before Christmas.
DB: We will be lauded beyond belief, and will be seen as Legends. You might also be knighted yourself, or at the very least be delivered a truckload of pizza.
MB: Thats so crazy, it might work.
DB: It is destined to work my dear fellow. Now get to work ... we have history to make.
The biggest let down is that FD is perfectly happy to hide behind the apologist army, effectively cutting their fanbase in two.
I wonder where that fits in the smart business ideal.
Long post warning.
Conclusions and TL;DR at the bottom.
[Probably workable design for on- and offline ED]
Yet, in my ignorance, after a bit of thinking I've managed to come up with what looks like a design that would allow a game like this to work without problems and still fulfill Frontier's marketspeach.
I can have no doubt that the far more experienced minds at Frontier will have come up with much better, much more efficient designs.
Yet, somehow, they claim they failed to do so. :S
Now, I'm the first to call for Hanlon's razor to be used, but it's very difficult, if not outright impossible, to apply it to people who are clearly neither incompetent nor stupid.
Which, tragically, leaves us with only one possible explanation.
TL;DR: Brookes' excuses don't hold water; they make no sense; by any rational analysis, we are for some unknown reason (which I'd like to know) being given false information.
Which, frankly, sucks.
I'd use or give them the benefit of Hanlon's razor.
Being a software developer myself, my guess is:
They designed & coded with online play as a priority, offline only being a secondary concern.
And now time is running out, and they have discovered, they designed and coded themselves into a corner.
The "online-only"-, and "oh my god, we won't get offline workable in the given time frame"-corner.
Basically, they screwed up, but at least got the online part (badly in multiplayer) in workable shape, and they cared more for online in the first place.
So DRM, injectable events, better patchability of the galaxy's content (may not be ready in all itr's glory or simply pretty dull on release), and a possible subscription are only a bonus with online-only.
That they noticed, that they would not be able to deliver offline in time and bearable shape, this late in development, is untrue and/or unprofessional.
Presentation of this fact by DB in a footnote of a newsletter, one month prior to launch, is a travesty, that will haunt FD's reputation (and probably of other Kickstarter games projects), for a long time.
I hope a late official apology, explanation, and a generous and openly communicated refund policy, will help them save some face.
But the clock is ticking, not only until next patch, gamma, and later release (and they probably are in crunch mode for some time already), but also till most faith in FD's ability for good PR work after this disaster is lost.
I won't try for a refund, fear what we'll get on release day, and mourn the (for now) lost offline mode (pretty sure it could be delivered later, if they only try hard enough), but glad I only bought into Beta.
If I would have been a Kickstarter backer, I would be really ticked off.
I bought a release version of the game. While the developers have promised it offline mod. I rarely subscribe to the forums. I find it difficult to communicate in another language. My native language is not English. I signed up as soon as he learned the news.
Honestly I register in the hope that this news will fake, but. But I'm still not fully decided to return to me the game or not.
I do not like, but I'm afraid that will have to(
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