That improves the area immensely!
Well Done FD!!!
A Thank you Letter to Frontier
- Thread starter lysan
- Start date
Well Done FD!!!
I've been mostly positive about ED since I started playing (well, since I learned to fly my ship, learning was really uphill all the way), possibly because I still remember the days we got games on cassette and if it was bugged, it was bugged forever...
Maybe also as I don't have 'expectations' as to what the game should be, just enjoy what it is (which I know is an unpopular stance with some, going by past comments) and have truly enjoyed the updates I received before EDO released - and yes, I paid to be in the alpha for EDO, and was baffled how poor performance was on its release.
Regardless, I've kept playing, and having fun, and am liking the new ships, left cold by PP2, same as I was by PP1, so no complaints...
It'll be interesting to see what Vanguards brings, and whatever the 'new' bit will be at the end of the year.
Maybe also as I don't have 'expectations' as to what the game should be, just enjoy what it is (which I know is an unpopular stance with some, going by past comments) and have truly enjoyed the updates I received before EDO released - and yes, I paid to be in the alpha for EDO, and was baffled how poor performance was on its release.
Regardless, I've kept playing, and having fun, and am liking the new ships, left cold by PP2, same as I was by PP1, so no complaints...
It'll be interesting to see what Vanguards brings, and whatever the 'new' bit will be at the end of the year.
I agree with this sentiment. I'm glad that it seems that Frontier have found a good spot that isn't high pressure FOMO (ok maybe a little light pressure FOMO) but which is (hopefully) being used to improve the game.
I also think the community deserves a bit of praise too, especially those who stuck through the tough times and helped fend off the DOOOM. That's not to take away from anyone who's returning from any circumstances that made them take a break in the first place, it's good to have anyone and everyone back. o7 to all you glorious CMDRs.
I also think the community deserves a bit of praise too, especially those who stuck through the tough times and helped fend off the DOOOM. That's not to take away from anyone who's returning from any circumstances that made them take a break in the first place, it's good to have anyone and everyone back. o7 to all you glorious CMDRs.
There are still cosmetics and layout choices. Frontier could do well to offer a couple of new layouts and interior/exterior PJs...
I think it's possible for sure. As much as some folk don't like AI, I think ProcGen coupled with AI - maybe more as a way to validate / detect edge cases out of millions of planetary instances, along with assisting asset diversity on the scale needed to go with it can help the monumental task it would be otherwise.
However, my own personal priority preference would be to see Frontier implement some of the Planet Coaster 2 tech to Elite, especially with NPCs and some of the graphical eye candy, which would then set the game up for things like Water Worlds & Earth-likes.
Credit where credit is due, SC was stunning to look at, but as the majority have found out, it only flatters to deceive and empty wallets. If someone wants to feel like they're Han Solo or just a guy with a spaceship living their life among the stars, then Elite can't be beat.
I didn't start in ED during the kickstarter, but just was aware from the sidelines having played Elite II and III: FFE years earlier. At the time I was just waiting for the game to release and a year or so for the bugs to get ironed like like how games used to be before the web era of game rollouts. So I joined around a month after the first engineers arrived in horizons. But what can I say in my thoughts about this 'thank you letter' to Frontier. I'd always been a 'defender' of the development and progress of the evolution of ED, 'understanding' when Frontier and Fdev hit realistic obstacles, plenty of challenges tied to their real life company challenges in the competitive industry while still staying an independent entity, putting so much over the years into a niche genre and playerbase. Having to be patient for new developments even taking years to wait for. I always felt back then spacelegs would eventually come, just like I truly believe ship interiors will come someday whether 3, 5, to 20 years from now. And I never felt ED was truly abandoned, but Frontier waiting for better and more convenient times within their resources to continue to progress on the kickstarter preconceptual stretch goals.
And that's the thing. ED is still unprecedented, and was outstandingly ambitious yet responsible to realistic development. No extra hype, p2w , and pay-for-promises shenanigans, nor pretenders to . We'd seen past 'spacesim'-themed projects come and go like NMS, X4, the CIG/StarCitizen scam, dual-Universe, Starfield, etc. and none of them ever reached the ambitious benchmark of combination of the scope of interstellar spacesim to involved and interactive gameplay. i.e. on the scale of the fsx/msfs sim games expanded to space. I try to introduce ED sometimes to acquaintances who could be interested in sci-fi, sim, or space or they have a ppl and have flown flights to land on island runways off of the coast. And often they're amazed that something like ED with its scope even exists.
And that's the thing. ED is still unprecedented, and was outstandingly ambitious yet responsible to realistic development. No extra hype, p2w , and pay-for-promises shenanigans, nor pretenders to . We'd seen past 'spacesim'-themed projects come and go like NMS, X4, the CIG/StarCitizen scam, dual-Universe, Starfield, etc. and none of them ever reached the ambitious benchmark of combination of the scope of interstellar spacesim to involved and interactive gameplay. i.e. on the scale of the fsx/msfs sim games expanded to space. I try to introduce ED sometimes to acquaintances who could be interested in sci-fi, sim, or space or they have a ppl and have flown flights to land on island runways off of the coast. And often they're amazed that something like ED with its scope even exists.
The problem is that FDEV needed backers back in the KS days, so the road map created was not realistic compared to what they actually could do, I do not know the reason why some of the features was kicked to the corner, maybe the engine could not do it, maybe it simply was not possible however it's goo to see the now are getting back on track, and I will not expect anything and consider the old "promises" null and void from now on, only when it's announced as in the pipeline and when we see it in game we can start to clap our little hands together in excitement.
It's funny, the Big Jump really happened in November with Powerplay 2.0. We got spikes when the Python2 and Type 8 came out but not like the consistent player player numbers we're getting now. I'm actually looking forward to see what they come up with in Vanguards, because the last two releases have been excellent (not perfect but still excellent), so confidence is high about the next one in summer.Fun fact (and a sneak preview of something I'll cover more on Lave Radio tonight) ... in the last year the Steam player numbers for Elite Dangerous (both peak and average) have basically doubled. I also think it's no coincidence that Arf (who undoubtedly cares a great deal about this game) now feels content to move on from Frontier safe in the knowledge that Elite is in a better place than its been for a long long time.
Welcome back lysan, there's much to be thankful for!
Edit: reading that back it sounds like I'm thankful that Arf is leaving ... that's not what I meant AT ALL!!
Obviously, we have vanguards coming which I assume is a replacement for Squadrons. So I'm doing some speculation here are what I think is possible or not possible for the features in the future given the resources Fdev seem to have. So the possibilities for The last item of the year could be ;-
1. Ship Interiors - Unlikely - This is an Odyssey size piece of work and although I would love to walk around my ship, the changes to the backend and the changes needed woule be extensive. Can you imagine development needed to get players walking around a multi-crew ship while it's been flown in space? That alone is a huge piece of work before you get to the designing of the insides.
On Foot VR - Unlikely - even though I just really want head look VR for ED, the chance are people want the full body capture and new gestures to capture the actions for VR (like there are in NMS sky. I.e, reaching up and pulling back the canopy instead of the E key to leave).
2. Earth Like Worlds - Unlikely - it's the simulation of the entire world and it's wildlife. Trying to code that is immense and then you have the challenge of making the life forms in there not repetitive (which is one of the issues I had with NMS), and working out what meaningful gameplay there should be.
3. Water Worlds - Unlikely - Very similar to the above, obviously you'd want life in those waters.
4. Tera formable Worlds - Possible - you could have similar levels of life to the existing thin planet surfaces and getting the players to set up a terraforming operation, could have gameplay possibilities.
5. Volcanic worlds - Possible - again you could have new lifeforms and mining various new elements.
6. Thinker Atmosphere worlds / Plant Scanning / On foot mining? - Possible - This is the one I think is most likely. New plants to scan, new ways to scan them and maybe extract materials. Maybe even a exploration SRV or even better hover (i.e. one where you can scan for biologicals).
7. Crime and Punishment rework - Unlikey - I do feel that this one needs another pass. ED hasn't really felt Dangerous. The NPC pirates turn up quite rarely, and crime really needs to pay.
8. CQC - BWAH HA HA HA HA! - Seriously through, I do love a bit of CQC. problem is that although the core gameplay is excellent, the player matching, lack of a lobby, or a way to set up senarios, are all need a serious rework.
9. Return of the Thargoid war. - Unlikely - I seriously think the thargoids need a rest for a while. I loved the thargoid war when it was happening but its nice to move onto something new. Maybe come back in a few years, but not at the end of this one.
If I was a betting man, item 6 would be the favourite.
1. Ship Interiors - Unlikely - This is an Odyssey size piece of work and although I would love to walk around my ship, the changes to the backend and the changes needed woule be extensive. Can you imagine development needed to get players walking around a multi-crew ship while it's been flown in space? That alone is a huge piece of work before you get to the designing of the insides.
On Foot VR - Unlikely - even though I just really want head look VR for ED, the chance are people want the full body capture and new gestures to capture the actions for VR (like there are in NMS sky. I.e, reaching up and pulling back the canopy instead of the E key to leave).
2. Earth Like Worlds - Unlikely - it's the simulation of the entire world and it's wildlife. Trying to code that is immense and then you have the challenge of making the life forms in there not repetitive (which is one of the issues I had with NMS), and working out what meaningful gameplay there should be.
3. Water Worlds - Unlikely - Very similar to the above, obviously you'd want life in those waters.
4. Tera formable Worlds - Possible - you could have similar levels of life to the existing thin planet surfaces and getting the players to set up a terraforming operation, could have gameplay possibilities.
5. Volcanic worlds - Possible - again you could have new lifeforms and mining various new elements.
6. Thinker Atmosphere worlds / Plant Scanning / On foot mining? - Possible - This is the one I think is most likely. New plants to scan, new ways to scan them and maybe extract materials. Maybe even a exploration SRV or even better hover (i.e. one where you can scan for biologicals).
7. Crime and Punishment rework - Unlikey - I do feel that this one needs another pass. ED hasn't really felt Dangerous. The NPC pirates turn up quite rarely, and crime really needs to pay.
8. CQC - BWAH HA HA HA HA! - Seriously through, I do love a bit of CQC. problem is that although the core gameplay is excellent, the player matching, lack of a lobby, or a way to set up senarios, are all need a serious rework.
9. Return of the Thargoid war. - Unlikely - I seriously think the thargoids need a rest for a while. I loved the thargoid war when it was happening but its nice to move onto something new. Maybe come back in a few years, but not at the end of this one.
If I was a betting man, item 6 would be the favourite.
I don't think they can pull it off, unless you want no man sky kind of worlds, I'm more controlled by now in what I would like, ship boarding on mega ships would be a good start, maybe carriers later, on foot combat improvement, that one really need an upgrade.
What you mentioned about boarding and improving on foot would be great, but making some planets prettier without cutting and pasting would not be bad either... in most SCFI series or movies it looks incredible when they arrive or leave it with a beautiful sea of clouds o7
Good thing AI is coming on apace then.