Elite Dangerous plans for 2024

[Kallipar]

There was space at the start of 2023 - and still is now.
Had things not broken then, the space would have run out approximately now, though: PMFs were taking 2000-3000 systems a year pretty consistently since the start of the game. There were only 2000 left at the start of 2023. Even allowing for it getting more difficult for existing PMFs to expand into one of the few remaining systems towards the end, it would still have been now or not much later.

The breakage may have been caused by the live/legacy split - it was quite a while after that that they next added a new NPC faction to the game - but not having any urgency to fix it for PMFs was probably because it would only have been putting off the inevitable anyway.

I don't disagree about lack of space in the bubble being an issue. However, there should have been the ability to subtract as well as add ( simplistic lol)
The system did break and that's the point.

The original technology limited changes outside of server downtimes. Odyssey framework has more ability for dynamic changes. They tested that with spray paint. That made me laugh as Anarchy Online did the same in 2009 with the change in their database, except Funcom went the extra mile allowing players to spray paint. CLANS FTW lol.

So not disagreeing per se. I think the new npc faction was in all likelihood using the Odyssey Framework. Maybe the Thargoid invasions are clearing down the unused PMF's ?

 

[Ian Doncaster]

However, there should have been the ability to subtract as well as add ( simplistic lol)

Wouldn't really have helped since most of the abandoned PMFs are ones you can tell are abandoned because another PMF controls the system - in some cases, this will have been the cause of the abandonment. Even an ultra-harsh definition which would have had substantial false positives would have bought maybe a few months of usable space (and taken longer than that over the "hey, we were using that" arguments). Space ran out primarily because the biggest (and unarguably active!) PMFs have upwards of 50 systems controlled each (and the very biggest are over 150 systems each nowadays) and there's just not room for everyone to do that.

Maybe the Thargoid invasions are clearing down the unused PMF's ?

To the very limited extent that they are ... only by also making the system unusable for any activity based on the Political BGS.
(And they do come back if the system is later recaptured by humans)

 

[metatheurgist]

PMFs: a problem that didn't have to happen.

 

[terasz]

If those numbers are affecting your own game, that is sad.

In an MMO the number of players affecting my game, yes. For example, try to complete a CG only with your friends, find wing members in an empty server, or discover alone the few hundred million systems that are left undiscovered. Let me remind you that the number of players also affects your game: if there aren't enough players, the game will be shot down. That is what I'm talking about.

 

[IstvaanDCIV]

Not sure that I understand the hate for PMFs. The missions they give are just as good as the ones offered by the likes of Procedurally Generated Democrats of LP 69-420. Nothing stopping groups of players from engaging in BGS shenanigans with NPC factions so far as I can tell. Besides, I ran across the Hull Seals (PMF presumably) a couple of days ago, and got a small chuckle out the fact they're a theocracy.

 

[Phoenix_Dfire]

It’s a case of what I’m expecting and what I’m hoping for and It all depends on what level of confidence that fdev have in the game. The radio silence is not helping the community’s confidence in the game either.

What I am expecting.
I am expecting one or maybe two updates to cap off the thargoid war. They announce that the feature rewrite can’t be done due to technical debt and after that the game goes into maintenance mode until they switch the servers off ( probably find out about that around May when the end of year results are published). Yes, I know they’ve said they’ll support it for the next couple of years, but they’re currently supporting the console versions and legacy at the moment arn’t they?

What I’m hoping for.
More updates for the thargoid war, and that the feature rewrite is announced and implemented. (Personally would love that to be some kind of Powerplay / BSG update but there are quite a few things that need a second pass). In addition, either a new ship (with plenty of new arx costing skins) and a new headline feature. I.e. a new world type to land on, or planetary base management, which was hinted at in the leak but obviously was not in Odyssey in the end (that’s why you don’t always believe leaks)

What I expect will not be updated
I don't think CQC will ever get any updates again, including fixes. There hasn’t been anything remotely CQC fixes since the fleet carrier launch.
On Foot VR - This one hurts because as an avid VR player it is a massive hole in the game, but to put it in would be a lot of work (as I’m finding out myself at the moment). I’d be willing to pay extra for this one (kind of like they did with SkyRim VR) but even then I don’t know if it would be financially viable.
Ship Interiors - This one would be such a huge update I just can’t see it them putting it in, even though I think it is the most requested feature, regarding odyssey content. I mean you could argue at the amount of revenue they’d get just by getting cosmetics for the inside of the ships (a missed opportunity with fleet carriers at the moment).

I mean this is an ‘expecting the worst and hoping for the best’ kind of post but there are a lot of players out there who are still willing to spend a money to support elite (and thus frontier) but I don’t know if fdev realise that!

 

[alexzk]

if there aren't enough players, the game will be shot down

False statement.
Game will be off IF it will produce not enough of money for period. "Active" player who demands a lot and don't buy skins do not produce money.

 

[Ronzer]

I saw a tweet, or hex, or whatever you call it, from DB..and though it's nice to see, I hope they realize some folks happily seeing a post like that, doesnt mean they can "like" it, since me and maybe others dont use txitter or whatever its called. I say that only because it has a small number of reposts, or re-x's or whatever its called, but Im sure more folks have seen and like to see that.
Not really sure on status of things or plans, but it's still there, so if you like it, play it while you still can. I hope it continues forever, though, or leads into ED2.

 

[Killerskullmk]

Are we going to have an update 18? Any news or improvements? or just the usual buggy update?
It's very unlikely that someone from Frontier will view this post, but it's worth a try.
There are countless suggestions for features to be implemented in ABA. Suggestion from the forum, Frontier hasn't been there for a while. The Thargoids' Narrative was cool, but it has been dragging on for a long time and has become saturated. There is no need for a big new update or DLC, but listen to the frontier community, there are countless ideas to consider in the suggestion tab, I have even collaborated there several times, but very little has been done in terms of new features.
Perhaps something similar could be done with issues.frontierstore.net but for community suggestions, this way it could have priority in the most voted suggestions, but be sure to listen to the community please! It has already been a huge impact with the Odssey DLC with a loss of players, if nothing new is presented and the current community and frequent players who love the game are not heard, this community will soon die. I would at least like to know if this post has been seen by any of you at Frontier.

 

[vanFace]

Are we going to have an update 18? Any news or improvements?

FDev is busy with themselves. Don't expect anything for the next half a year or so. Except for wear and tear on the servers, maybe.

 

[alexzk]

There is no need for a big new update or DLC,

Exactly. It is enough to fix bugs once and for all Unloading refinery when donate tritium to carrier does crash AGAIN They fix it each 2nd update :/
...they made AI driven thargs. This clear shows, they want spend less time on manual adjustment, players should self entertain with AI.

 

[Killerskullmk]

FDev is busy with themselves. Don't expect anything for the next half a year or so. Except for wear and tear on the servers, maybe.

I'm here and I still play because I believe in the project, I've been playing for 8 years, but at some point I'm going to get tired of it. But if new things are presented my enthusiasm for playing will be renewed, but if it continues on this path of not listening to the community and our suggestions I don't know which path this could take other than the project's disaster. Who knows, there might not be a certain competitor to whom we can migrate in the future, if FDEV doesn't know how to capitalize while there is still time to change.

 

[Killerskullmk]

Exactly. It is enough to fix bugs once and for all Unloading refinery when donate tritium to carrier does crash AGAIN They fix it each 2nd update :/
...they made AI driven thargs. This clear shows, they want spend less time on manual adjustment, players should self entertain with AI.

Not that the elite doesn't have bugs, it does and every day I deal with it and I'm used to it, but that's not all. I also support that the Bugs are fixed, but whoever survived the beginning of Odssey knows that it was strong to be playing until now. But the point is There must be news, improvements to existing or new resources and the "Suggestions" tab must be useful for something. - To this day we have weapons that have no engineering. - We cannot help crew commanders consistently. - Fighters do not have good customization options. - We can't walk inside the ship. Among others and thousands of other suggestions that have been floating around on the forum for years. In this year 3309 we only had 1 thargoid skimer, a new thargoid, new thargoid mission and that's it.

 

[Killerskullmk]

Another thing that scares me is developers and some FDEV employees who have left the company, this all worries me, over time there have been several employees leaving here on the forum and in the community...

 

[alexzk]

We can't walk inside the ship.

And never will. It's a trade: Custom Ship or Walk. You cannot draw properly each combination of modules player can put it. Some are "impossible". For example, I think, Anaconda has opening +/- near 5th slot. If you put 7th grade fighters, or 6th grade car, how it should go out without opening? And how should they draw it ? Months of work just for your fun? I doubt.
(Take a look on SC, they just added "modules" and those are fixed, you can't put car into guns slot).

 

[Killerskullmk]

And never will. It's a trade: Custom Ship or Walk. You cannot draw properly each combination of modules player can put it. Some are "impossible". For example, I think, Anaconda has opening +/- near 5th slot. If you put 7th grade fighters, or 6th grade car, how it should go out without opening? And how should they draw it ? Months of work just for your fun? I doubt.
(Take a look on SC, they just added "modules" and those are fixed, you can't put car into guns slot).

Nothing is impossible for those who want to do their best, it can be hard work, but there is nothing more rewarding than doing something consistently. It's not just me who thinks this way or dreamed about it. If you don't agree with this, that's no reason to say it's impossible or unlikely. It's not just about "my fun" here, but yours and the community's.

 

[Killerskullmk]

Nothing is impossible for those who want to do their best, it can be hard work, but there is nothing more rewarding than doing something consistently. It's not just me who thinks this way or dreamed about it. If you don't agree with this, that's no reason to say it's impossible or unlikely. It's not just about "my fun" here, but yours and the community's.

Given the magnitude of what has already been done, improving the game is nothing. In addition to ensuring that he stays alive.

 

[alexzk]

Nothing is impossible for those who want to do their best, it can be hard work, but there is nothing more rewarding than doing something consistently. It's not just me who thinks this way or dreamed about it. If you don't agree with this, that's no reason to say it's impossible or unlikely. It's not just about "my fun" here, but yours and the community's.

Sure. Are you ready to pay for that ? Let's count. Senior man will have 5000 usd / month avr. Add there, let's say 50% tax -> 7500usd, add there bills, let's say 20% -> 7500 + 0.2 * 5000 = 8500.
So 1 working man on interiors walk will cost 8500 / mo. I guess, that will take 1-2 months per 1 ship for 1 man.
Tell them when you will be ready to fund this.

 

[Fizzatron]

Sure. Are you ready to pay for that ? Let's count. Senior man will have 5000 usd / month avr. Add there, let's say 50% tax -> 7500usd, add there bills, let's say 20% -> 7500 + 0.2 * 5000 = 8500.
So 1 working man on interiors walk will cost 8500 / mo. I guess, that will take 1-2 months per 1 ship for 1 man.
Tell them when you will be ready to fund this.

I think there are ways to streamline asset generation if Frontier were to commit to creating ship interiors. I'm not talking about AI, though for prototyping it might serve a purpose. For example, we already see the style differences in the cockpit and exterior for the different manufacturers, there may already be an internal style guide document that can be drawn upon for the look of corridors etc., some stuff can be standardized throughout and at that point a lot of the effort would be to create a realistic and logical layout connecting the different parts/exits of the ships. After that, asset placement could flow reasonably quickly, especially as a lot of furniture etc. assets could be pulled from Odyssey settlements.

There is a bit of an elephant in the room though, and I think that it may be to do with the fact that things like the windowed corridor you see on the Anaconda might not be tall enough and require a bit of cosmetic surgery on the ship model. I don't know how much that increases the workload, I'm sure a decent bit, but I don't know it would be prohibitive in itself.

Other complicating factors would be if there had to be ladders, this would require ladder climbing animations and abilities etc.. As part of an expansion, all quite doable and I'd happily purchase it upon release.

 

[alexzk]

I think there are ways to streamline asset generation if Frontier were to commit to creating ship interiors. I'm not talking about AI, though for prototyping it might serve a purpose. For example, we already see the style differences in the cockpit and exterior for the different manufacturers, there may already be an internal style guide document that can be drawn upon for the look of corridors etc., some stuff can be standardized throughout and at that point a lot of the effort would be to create a realistic and logical layout connecting the different parts/exits of the ships. After that, asset placement could flow reasonably quickly, especially as a lot of furniture etc. assets could be pulled from Odyssey settlements.

There is a bit of an elephant in the room though, and I think that it may be to do with the fact that things like the windowed corridor you see on the Anaconda might not be tall enough and require a bit of cosmetic surgery on the ship model. I don't know how much that increases the workload, I'm sure a decent bit, but I don't know it would be prohibitive in itself.

Other complicating factors would be if there had to be ladders, this would require ladder climbing animations and abilities etc.. As part of an expansion, all quite doable and I'd happily purchase it upon release.

I imagine C++ programmer there will be needed. To create automatic interior generator, because user can move modules in random combinations, code must put it properly. And some designers with knowledge of machines. They will have to make couple templates for algorithm to work with.
It's hard work if we want "simulate".
When this work will be done, you should be able to create such a ship from the metal in reality