No Single Player offline Mode then?

[CmdrDanPos]

Okay just had a thread closed down and told to post here.

What is the fate of mods with the game? Offline mode would have been great to play with mods.

I'm not that disappointed with the lack of an offline mode as it's very rare I am without internet and tbh most devices can tether to each other nowadays and everywhere has free wi-fi (here in England some cities phone boxes are kitted out with wi-fi as well as buses and trains).

What disappoints me the most is I doubt it'll be easy to mod now. Think of the ships fantastic modders could have created. I could have had Samus' hunter class gunship to fly around in pretending I was playing Metroid Prime 4.

 

[Vlodec]

I wonder what the reaction would have been like if the boot was on the other foot?

Suppose DB had mentioned that the multiplayer was just not working out so E: D would be released as single player only. Would those who are busy telling the dispossessed to pipe down be on the barricades instead?

I said that earlier. Got a load of bad rep for it too. Don't mention what they don't want to hear.

 

[Adept]

You'll possibly see their dumb-ass names all over the place too? News feeds, discoveries, etc? I don't know for sure, but potentially?

I do expect you indeed may. And those NPC names by KS backers as well.

Btw, I had forgotten how fond some people are of the save & load option. I prefer actions (my own and others) having consequences you can't just take back by loading an earlier save, but that is a matter of taste and preference. If the freedom to never risk anything you can't restore by loading a game is the key thing that makes playing enjoyable and liberating, then I can see how the lack of an offline mode really spoils things.

I would recommend trying to learn to enjoy a different type of game as well, but that is just because I feel they are missing out a lot if they just abandon Elite altogether. Solo should be close enough to offline for many (but of course not all) of those who normally only play off-line games.

 

[Skizomeuh]

I think your reaching a little there ... FD have completely changed the nature of the game? .. err no they haven't ...

If you look at the original KS campaign, the various videos doing the rounds at the time, it was pretty obvious that the game was intended first and foremost to be an online experience.

Apparently for some people, our rose-tinted glasses prevent us to see ED has become a WWII themed CCG.

 

[Ilseroth]

Respect goes both ways though. I don't think dropping a bomb as big as this one semi-hidden in a newsletter entry one month prior to release was respectful towards the sizable portion of customers who bought the game specifically to play it in offline mode, nor is it very respectful of them to insist on this radio silence.

Honestly, I think this has two primary things about it.

Firstly; I don't think they thought it would be this "big" of an issue. Considering the overwhelmingly positive reactions to the vast majority of beta users (with the occasional muttering of "too empty" ) considering that all of those beta users are playing online, they figured it was a "smaller" issue then it was; so addressing it via the newsletter seemed reasonable to them.

Secondly; considering all of the work they have ahead of them, they have not been radio silent. Several developers, have been in just this thread alone talking about the issue. The reason why they have not continued to talk about the issue is because there is nothing to talk about.

You say respect goes both ways, but this forum has displayed nothing but contempt towards them. In response their actions have been measured and restrained. They have come in and specified why they did it, if you don't believe them that is your own issue.

 

[WeirdWizard]

What news ? The only news that counts is that due to technical limitations offline is out, that's old news. No amount of screaming, shouting or waving of pitch forks will make the technical limitations any less technically limited.

You'd be surprised how often "technical limitations" vanish in the face of substantial bad publicity and/or public pressure.

 

[Perramas]

What news ? The only news that counts is that due to technical limitations offline is out, that's old news. No amount of screaming, shouting or waving of pitch forks will make the technical limitations any less technically limited.

This line has been used in other games and products before. But with enough pressure and bad publicity those limitations were overcome.

 

[Titus Balls]

I thrown my money at FDEV hoping they could achieve their game. So if it would become a solo offline, I would not have been disappointed either. The only thing that could disappoint me is if I wasn't able to play ED at all.

Well said, and if Frontier gave in to the offline crowd now after what has been said then that might actually happen.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I was so looking forward to the offline version.

Its a great shame but there is only one reason why they would choose to go with the online version over the offline.

That was always intention. Online was always primary. Offline would be cut down from it.

MAKING MONEY!

David's vision was always MMO like. Their KS FAQ before offline mode addition clearly indicates that. Yes, money are involved too. But money can also bring advancements to the game.

You guys kick started their hopes and dreams to start developing a new and improved money making / micro payment driven paradise.

I gave money because I wanted ED to be made and multiplayer based one was exactly what i wanted. ED has no other MT than cosmetics. In fact, it was "we will look into mone for credits", which changed a lot.

They have got what they wanted and cast all the die hard fans (their bread and butter) aside.

There's enough die hard fans who have fallowed Elite: Dangerous for years and support online version.

Never bite off the hand that feeds you!

Please, don't overstate. There have been lot of pledgers with lot of different reasons.

 

[Quietman]

People's rage is incredible.

I don't even want to THINK about anyone else possibly being there!

The possibility of someone in my game fills me with the urge to litigate!!!

Good Christ. Alright. I'm done looking at you people.

You'll be back, Threadnaught's event horizon has surpassed all human physical boundaries; there is no escape.

 

[Memnoch]

Internet connection isn't an issue. I wanted to play it like I did Elite all those years ago rather than as an evolving universe that I dip in and out of. This is mainly down to the amount of time I have available for gaming. If I play for 1 hour a week, online play is pointless for me.

True but in that case it shouldn't really matter to you at all if you play online or offline. In that 1 hour a week, what is likely to displease you about playing Solo Online? The few issues that have arisen are things like:

Discovery of new systems (remains to be seen how much of an issue this really is)
Flattened markets due to big traders (almost certainly a real issue but perhaps less of one once the entire galaxy is opened up)
Lack of equipment at equipment docks (unsure about this one. Equipment selling out is a possibility)
Missions disappearing from under your feet (Annoying if it happens to be a lucrative one)
Play on your laptop on the train (Yeah, this is a biggie! Other than using some king of mobile internet/tethering option you are sadly stuck)

I'm sure there are others but the only one that would really bother me would be the last one.

 

[mbabbs]

The reason why they have not continued to talk about the issue is because there is nothing to talk about.

@Wyzak - there will be more information coming soon. We will be issuing further details. We're not ignoring anybody by waiting, we're letting the dust settle, and we're making sure that we get the right message across.

@mdevil666 - We'll get the formal information about that to you as soon as we have it.

@Nick - as Jedra explains, we'll be offering refunds on a case by case basis, more information on that soon.

Thanks guys - we truly appreciate your support, and sincerely hope you understand the reasons behind the decision. The offline mode was impossible to create without compromising the quality of the final product.

Cheers.

Ed

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=8377610#comment-8377609

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

All of which makes the rushed 2014 launch and cutting of offline all the more difficult to understand when they are well placed to delay and deliver a stronger better product mid next year.

2014 launch is not rushed - it was planned since start of the year. So in essence, feature wise, with some additions coming (and those additions might be quite significant of importance) this was what they planned for 1.0 (of course they have lot of small tasks on todo list, but in big picture).

Only FD knows for sure if they game is ready. We are playing 5 weeks old build. For end rush time for development next version will be completely different.

 

[WeirdWizard]

Okay just had a thread closed down and told to post here.

What is the fate of mods with the game? Offline mode would have been great to play with mods.

I'm not that disappointed with the lack of an offline mode as it's very rare I am without internet and tbh most devices can tether to each other nowadays and everywhere has free wi-fi (here in England some cities phone boxes are kitted out with wi-fi as well as buses and trains).

What disappoints me the most is I doubt it'll be easy to mod now. Think of the ships fantastic modders could have created. I could have had Samus' hunter class gunship to fly around in pretending I was playing Metroid Prime 4.

Assuming Frontier don't see the light and release an offline server you'll have to wait and hope that someone comes up with a 3rd party one. The upside is that a 3rd party offline galaxy server is likely going to be vastly more moddable (probably even open source) than a Frontier offering would likely be.
When/if (probably when)

 

[amigacooke]

I said that earlier. Got a load of bad rep for it too. Don't mention what they don't want to hear.

My apologies. I've been on holiday for two weeks and haven't read the entirety of the thread.

 

[Obsidian Ant]

What happens if in 3-4 months we are told that planetary landings won't be happening now as due to technical limitations it's not possible. I suspect some people calling complainers here 'whiners' would change their tune pretty fast.

Watch this developers expression on the subject of Planetary Landings. The fact is, your words may be closer to the truth than anyone is willing to admit.

http://youtu.be/8yd-m9AR7mY?t=4m38s

 

[synchromesh]

Okay just had a thread closed down and told to post here.

Its called Containment !!

 

[Brammers]

Putting this in a very simplistic way, Elite has 400 billion star systems. So assuming each system has 1 sun, which has an X, Y Z co-ordinates plus it's size, orbit, type plus lots of other data.

Starting with that fact, anyone want to work out the offline storage requirements before adding in planets, moons and space stations?

 

[Phil Lee]

True but in that case it shouldn't really matter to you at all if you play online or offline. In that 1 hour a week, what is likely to displease you about playing Solo Online? The few issues that have arisen are things like:

Discovery of new systems (remains to be seen how much of an issue this really is)
Flattened markets due to big traders (almost certainly a real issue but perhaps less of one once the entire galaxy is opened up)
Lack of equipment at equipment docks (unsure about this one. Equipment selling out is a possibility)
Missions disappearing from under your feet (Annoying if it happens to be a lucrative one)
Play on your laptop on the train (Yeah, this is a biggie! Other than using some king of mobile internet/tethering option you are sadly stuck)

I'm sure there are others but the only one that would really bother me would be the last one.

I should have said, that 1 hour a week might be split over 2 or 3 sessions. I have a young family so gaming time is limited. Elite Dangerous got me excited about playing Elite again in a modern game. The removal of offline play has removed that excitement completely.

 

[Jorlin]

@Wyzak - there will be more information coming soon. We will be issuing further details. We're not ignoring anybody by waiting, we're letting the dust settle, and we're making sure that we get the right message across.

@mdevil666 - We'll get the formal information about that to you as soon as we have it.

@Nick - as Jedra explains, we'll be offering refunds on a case by case basis, more information on that soon.

Thanks guys - we truly appreciate your support, and sincerely hope you understand the reasons behind the decision. The offline mode was impossible to create without compromising the quality of the final product.

Cheers.

Ed

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=8377610#comment-8377609

i still don't get it why i have to follow facebook, twitter, reddit and the kickstarter page to get any information....