Suggestion for Frontier Developments: a weekly Q&A

[Anne Otherplayer]

What is important to frontier from their own reports are they, have to have Elite dangerous released, this year, so COBRA (Their Software) has another notch in its growing portfolio. Because that technology for porting software to different platforms is key to their success which they have been working on for decades. They need to market and licence its use, thats were their growth is.

Elite and its kickstarters and Beta backers have helped Frontier Dev and in return, Frontier Dev completing, the game, they have helped us get the game we, the majority want.
Their has to be a viable business plan for the next stage, and DLC addon content is what its gonna be. They have thought of that early on. They just need a kick start.
I paid for DLC for arma3 , I got a bundle cheaper than the individual cost of 3 separate additions. I support them by doing that.
Elite will Dev will get my support.

They have designed this game to be modular, thats the exciting thing. Every new stage should be a positive improvement or addition.

And yet, according to their own words, words to the effect of: they are making the game they want with the features they want and if we want a game we like we should go and make our own game.

 

[Tarman]

And yet, according to their own words, words to the effect of: they are making the game they want with the features they want and if we want a game we like we should go and make our own game.

Thistles!

 

[Hellhawk666]

This is a fantastic idea, definitely something I'm going to look in to doing. Now things have calmed (slightly) after the last few week's controversy, we'll have more time to put something good together. We've been busy arranging a launch party, and a press tour, and we've been held back with most of the information we can give.... we've got to keep a few secrets about the game. Why does everyone want to know absolutely everything anyway? For what it's worth, I'm sorry about the lack of regular communication.

That's good to hear, Edward. Anything that can improve communications about the game would be welcome, but please don't water it down into just a marketing exercise or a litany of "we like that idea but we won't say any more about it yet" responses.

As for secrets - well no one wants the game spoiled, and we realize that you need to pace the release of features. However as long as it is prefaced by a disclaimer that "this is WIP and subject to change", some real information about precise features that are being worked on would be far more positive than negative.

Scenario 1: "We have lots to come, but we won't tell you what it is until the last moment" = community exclusion, arguments and frustration

Scenario 2: "We are working on wings right now, but we don't want to give out any more details yet because it's still in flux" = community involvement, excitement and good free publicity

 

[1500]

I'm reminded of this thread I wrote back in September of 2013. Warn Jeff did. But no-one listen to Jeff. Very sad life, probably very sad death at hands of thargoids.

That's my line.

 

[Tar Stone]

Just going to throw my opinion in here, for what it's worth.

I would much rather be reading stuff that relates to the game universe, what's happening, who has done what and gone where - rather than reading dev q&a or a regular "community meet and greet".

Here's why.

There is community building to be done after the last few weeks, so why not do it right, and build it around the game. Give the game a pulse, and let the community and players feed into that pulse.

I read a player account on the Star Citizen forum (of all places) that was amazing, and tonight I watched a youtube video of Isinona and Neon Raven working together to hunt bounties. The stories that these players are generating are amazing so why not make an in-game platform for this kind of material instead of doing the same old forum stuff?


Every time I watch an Isinona video I get completely inspired to try something different in the game. It seems to me to be a no-brainer to try and direct some of that inspiration into the game as news items, little videos, whatever. Give new and old players something to tap into within the game showing them what's going on.

The Lave Radio guys have managed to make their podcasts really come to life with all their little bumpers and adverts and things scattered throughout them. The game has nothing like this at the moment - the station voices in game remind me of tube safety announcments, and the lave radio bits are much more human and exactly the kind of thing you'd expect in game.


So if you read this Eddie, please please please consider doing something WITH the community instead of FOR it. Something that feeds into the game and gives it a PULSE.

Cheers commanders.

 

[Darkmatter]

Just going to throw my opinion in here, for what it's worth.

I would much rather be reading stuff that relates to the game universe, what's happening, who has done what and gone where - rather than reading dev q&a or a regular "community meet and greet".

Here's why.

There is community building to be done after the last few weeks, so why not do it right, and build it around the game. Give the game a pulse, and let the community and players feed into that pulse.

I read a player account on the Star Citizen forum (of all places) that was amazing, and tonight I watched a youtube video of Isinona and Neon Raven working together to hunt bounties. The stories that these players are generating are amazing so why not make an in-game platform for this kind of material instead of doing the same old forum stuff?


Every time I watch an Isinona video I get completely inspired to try something different in the game. It seems to me to be a no-brainer to try and direct some of that inspiration into the game as news items, little videos, whatever. Give new and old players something to tap into within the game showing them what's going on.

The Lave Radio guys have managed to make their podcasts really come to life with all their little bumpers and adverts and things scattered throughout them. The game has nothing like this at the moment - the station voices in game remind me of tube safety announcments, and the lave radio bits are much more human and exactly the kind of thing you'd expect in game.


So if you read this Eddie, please please please consider doing something WITH the community instead of FOR it. Something that feeds into the game and gives it a PULSE.

Cheers commanders.

Best suggestion I have read in this rather inflammatory thread by far. Don't let an idea like this get buried among all the bitterness.

 

[Hellhawk666]

...
So if you read this Eddie, please please please consider doing something WITH the community instead of FOR it. Something that feeds into the game and gives it a PULSE.
....

Well said, sir - have some rep, and +1

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

And yet, according to their own words, words to the effect of: they are making the game they want with the features they want and if we want a game we like we should go and make our own game.

...but this applies to almost all games.
Go over to the Halo or GTA offices and rant about some functionality that only you want...see how far that gets you
It's like going into a restaurant and asking for gazpacho soup when they don't sell it then having a rant at them about them not selling it. If you want gazpacho soup go to another eatery.
If game developers listened to, and implemented, every last single idea that people demanded then the game would be terrible and extremely dumbed down.

 

[Tiran Kenja]

...but this applies to almost all games.
Go over to the Halo or GTA offices and rant about some functionality that only you want...see how far that gets you

True (except many "triple-A" titles these days are designed more by committee and focus groups). But then those games don't involve the future players in funding the game and release it regularly in it's development cycle. Or claims to have an open development model.

 

[Edward Lewis]

Just going to throw my opinion in here, for what it's worth.

I would much rather be reading stuff that relates to the game universe, what's happening, who has done what and gone where - rather than reading dev q&a or a regular "community meet and greet".

Here's why.

There is community building to be done after the last few weeks, so why not do it right, and build it around the game. Give the game a pulse, and let the community and players feed into that pulse.

I read a player account on the Star Citizen forum (of all places) that was amazing, and tonight I watched a youtube video of Isinona and Neon Raven working together to hunt bounties. The stories that these players are generating are amazing so why not make an in-game platform for this kind of material instead of doing the same old forum stuff?


Every time I watch an Isinona video I get completely inspired to try something different in the game. It seems to me to be a no-brainer to try and direct some of that inspiration into the game as news items, little videos, whatever. Give new and old players something to tap into within the game showing them what's going on.

The Lave Radio guys have managed to make their podcasts really come to life with all their little bumpers and adverts and things scattered throughout them. The game has nothing like this at the moment - the station voices in game remind me of tube safety announcments, and the lave radio bits are much more human and exactly the kind of thing you'd expect in game.


So if you read this Eddie, please please please consider doing something WITH the community instead of FOR it. Something that feeds into the game and gives it a PULSE.

Cheers commanders.

Yeah this is a good idea. With all the things I can't tell you, I can give you some information that I have complete control over. We're working on an idea at the moment that will be somewhat along these lines - I don't want to spoil the format just yet, but it'll have weekly updates on story activity and community content round-ups et cetera... plus it won't just be a written blog.

Look for more information on that in the next few weeks - we're trying to produce something nice, rather than rush 15 minutes of scraped together content here and there.

 

[Edward Lewis]

Just going to throw my opinion in here, for what it's worth.

I would much rather be reading stuff that relates to the game universe, what's happening, who has done what and gone where - rather than reading dev q&a or a regular "community meet and greet".

Here's why.

There is community building to be done after the last few weeks, so why not do it right, and build it around the game. Give the game a pulse, and let the community and players feed into that pulse.

I read a player account on the Star Citizen forum (of all places) that was amazing, and tonight I watched a youtube video of Isinona and Neon Raven working together to hunt bounties. The stories that these players are generating are amazing so why not make an in-game platform for this kind of material instead of doing the same old forum stuff?


Every time I watch an Isinona video I get completely inspired to try something different in the game. It seems to me to be a no-brainer to try and direct some of that inspiration into the game as news items, little videos, whatever. Give new and old players something to tap into within the game showing them what's going on.

The Lave Radio guys have managed to make their podcasts really come to life with all their little bumpers and adverts and things scattered throughout them. The game has nothing like this at the moment - the station voices in game remind me of tube safety announcments, and the lave radio bits are much more human and exactly the kind of thing you'd expect in game.


So if you read this Eddie, please please please consider doing something WITH the community instead of FOR it. Something that feeds into the game and gives it a PULSE.

Cheers commanders.

Also I'm an Ed or Edward! Eddie Symons is the only Eddie at Frontier

 

[Darkmatter]

If game developers listened to, and implemented, every last single idea that people demanded then the game would be terrible and extremely dumbed down.

Yup, that is the gist of it. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and this is one of them roads to hell in software development.

 

[Tar Stone]

Also I'm an Ed or Edward! Eddie Symons is the only Eddie at Frontier

My apologies Edward / Ed

Thanks for looking.

 

[xyphic]

Also I'm an Ed or Edward! Eddie Symons is the only Eddie at Frontier

I was hoping for a Brookes-style "get my name right or thou shalt feel my wrath!". You're too nice Ed!

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

Look for more information on that in the next few weeks - we're trying to produce something nice, rather than rush 15 minutes of scraped together content here and there.

Hi Ed

Shame we didn't get chance to speak during the launch - it was a hectic night for you guys so I understand, just make sure to dump your cargo when we meet in game there's a good chap

On a related note to the thread - if you do announce stuff please can you put it into the forums as well : Many of us don't use Twitter (I don't even know how to send one) and Facebook is full of "I like that kitten" and "Thumbs up if you are having Turkey for Xmas!" to even consider using ... I mean, my Moms on there and she would definitely want to be friends .. oh the shame!

Finally - regarding the roadmap. There are plenty of things in the DDA that have not made it to release. Whilst I accept it's a list of intent rather than a feature list it would be nice of we had an idea if they are still on the agenda. Things like 3 commander slots (we only have 1 right now); Ironman; Wings; etc ... Whilst you wouldn't have to commit to dates (given the recent thread that would be suicide) at least along the lines of "Next major content patch we're thinking of adding ..."

Gives us old timers something to hope for.

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

On a related note to the thread - if you do announce stuff please can you put it into the forums as well : Many of us don't use Twitter (I don't even know how to send one) and Facebook is full of "I like that kitten" and "Thumbs up if you are having Turkey for Xmas!" to even consider using ... I mean, my Moms on there and she would definitely want to be friends .. oh the shame!

This is a good idea. I'm in the same boat as yourself, no social media accounts at all. Frontier Forums and email are the only places I get ED info from.
Since I can't update my non existent Facebook page, for the record "I hate that kitten" and "Thumbs down to turkey, I'm having pheasant"

 

[Shoklar]

The subject line says it all.

The current modes of communication are a bit too top-down and "managed". I'm sure that works well for Frontier Developments plc, but for your customers it has a tendency to breed uncertainty and negativity in the long run.

So, back to the proposal. It could work as so: have a weekly Q&A thread that people can submit their questions to. At the end of each week, a selection of the questions are answered, by those with the knowledge and authority to do so. Simple enough, and something you've already done with the livestream Q&A, so you have the ability to handle it.

Obviously, you would prioritise based upon the importance of the question to the players - if you get what is essentially the same question from multiple players, that would obviously indicate the question is a "hot topic" to your customers, and therefore warrants answering properly.

If an answer must be "we don't know", or "we can't say yet", fair enough - but if a question can be answered when prefixed with suitable disclaimers (like "this is not definitive", or "unofficially", or "this is a very rough estimate, so take that into account"), then please do so. Any information, however vague, is better than none.

Obviously if FD staffers want to post reponses to forum posts (e.g. "Soon..."), that is a great thing. But I think this would allow people to get an idea of the real state of play re: the development roadmap and other things, without having to trawl the forums for random dev posts.

While it sounds a good idea. Most that I've seen of this nature usually degenerate in to a basketcase of annoyed gamers; throwing questions, accusations, and trying to pick apart what they say over and over. It becomes tedious even for those who read through it.

Shok.

 

[chris5281]

Ed,

In the short term, while these things are being set in motion, perhaps someone could at least keep the website up to date? Currently the most recent news post is 2 months old talking about beta 2.

As things stand all the news seems to come through this forum and the newsletters, but anyone new and interested in the game is naturally going to go to the 'news' section of the website, and might be put off by it's current stagnation. This is especially true since the link to the forums is hidden away down the bottom of the page (which seems a strange choice to me, but that's a different topic!)

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

I'm having pheasant"

Oooh .. posh lad !

 

[Cody]

... if you do announce stuff please can you put it into the forums as well...

This! It seems at times that the forum is the ugly sister!