The trouble with tribbles - humour in Elite Dangerous?

[Erimus Kamzel]

Can anyone remember these little critters from the original Elite?

As far as I can remember once you'd earned about 5,000 credits from trading you'd be greeted at a station by the merchant prince of Thrun who would offer you the chance to buy "the most precious item in the universe - for 5,000 credits"

If you fell for it and pressed yes, you'd be given a Tribble - a fury little space-rodent. Eventually your whole ship would be infested with them to a point where they'd cover your cockpit window.

The only way to get rid of them was to skim a sun and burn the little sods off

I remember spending a couple of hours scouring the galactic maps looking for planet Thrun to exact some revenge. Never did find it (or Raxxla for that matter).

Do you think D. Braben will add this kind of humour and trading pitfalls to ED? Personally I hope so. I hope the game doesn't take itself too seriously and has the subtle humour that was in Elite.

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

Do you think D. Braben will add this kind of humour and trading pitfalls to ED?

Yes

 

[Cody]

Squirrels!

 

[jabokai]

Trumbles? :S

 

[ianw]

Commanders - frankly I'm concerned - space is a serious business.

Perhaps you'd be better off pledging for Elite:Teletubbies.
























Nah - can't keep that up - alright then - +1 for Tribble reboot

 

[ianw]

Trumbles? :S

I got confused with this the other day - there was Tribbles & Trumbles - one was Star Trek and the other was Elite - can't remember which way round..

 

[Philip Coutts]

Tribbles were star trek, Trumbles were Elite (I think!)

I think David has a very British sense of humour and as we know is a big fan of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy so I would expect there to be some nice touches of humour in the game.

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

Star Trek : Tribble

Elite : Trumble

I think David has a very British sense of humour and as we know is a big fan of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy so I would expect there to be some nice touches of humour in the game.

Very true sir

 

[Erimus Kamzel]

Elite : Trumble

That's 'em!

Now all we need is the ability to smuggle Pangalactic Gargleblasters and carnivorous tree shrews :smilie:

 

[Kerrash]

That's 'em!

Now all we need is the ability to smuggle Pangalactic Gargleblasters and carnivorous tree shrews :smilie:

Yes and yes.
Want both

I am hoping the game will be crammed with Easter eggs

Personally I want a planet with a whale shaped crater and smashed bowl of petunias.

 

[Calebe]

A fun mission from a low tech level station Ni, asking you to bring them some shrubbery, but you must only land at night.

Calebe

 

[ianw]

A fun mission from a low tech level station Ni, asking you to bring them some shrubbery, but you must only land at night.

Calebe

I think I see where you're coming from Commander Cleese

 

[Phoenix_Dfire]

We could ask Mr Idle if frontier could use the galaxy song when you're docking at Earth.

 

[Darren Grey]

My opinions are more in line with this: http://xkcd.com/16/

Fallout 2 was ruined for me by being crammed with unoriginal references to a big range of pop culture. I hope Elite: Dangerous doesn't go the same way. Subtle stuff that fits in the universe is fine. Jokes clearly shoved in word for word from other fiction is lazy and offputting.

But maybe I'm just a boring unfunny fart

 

[Selezen]

My opinions are more in line with this: http://xkcd.com/16/

Fallout 2 was ruined for me by being crammed with unoriginal references to a big range of pop culture. I hope Elite: Dangerous doesn't go the same way. Subtle stuff that fits in the universe is fine. Jokes clearly shoved in word for word from other fiction is lazy and offputting.

But maybe I'm just a boring unfunny fart

Nope, I completely agree. There's a drive in the selection of player names and NPC names to stay away from pop culture and other sci-fi references (at least for those who took part in the KS) so I'd hope that the "references" don't get out of hand.

No issue with one or two (since it did give the original game a bit of humour) but not too many of them...

 

[Philip Coutts]

My opinions are more in line with this: http://xkcd.com/16/

Fallout 2 was ruined for me by being crammed with unoriginal references to a big range of pop culture. I hope Elite: Dangerous doesn't go the same way. Subtle stuff that fits in the universe is fine. Jokes clearly shoved in word for word from other fiction is lazy and offputting.

But maybe I'm just a boring unfunny fart

I agree, not about being a boring fart but the other stuff. I would like the humour to be quite subtle, more of a nod than a giant headbutt. It should really be the kind of stuff that some people will pass over, never getting it but some will have a wee chuckle when they come across it.

 

[Slawkenbergius]

I agree with the general consensus here. Humour yes, definitely. Pop culture references, which aren't actually funny anyway, kept to a minimum please...

 

[withnail]

I slipped the Trumbles mission into the DDF mission thread the other day, not sure if anyone noticed!

It was more like subliminal messaging really

 

[Patrick_68000]

Yes agree with the majority. Of course, humor, but it must not that the game is denatured and become invading. And gadgets should not be imposed but proposed. Elite: Dangerous must remain dangerous.

 

[Mentski]

We're talking about a game universe where in previous games where one planet was plunged into a giant religious civil war based purely on the haircare regimen of one of it's leaders. I'm pretty sure there will be a decent level of humour in the game.

From what I remember hearing at Lavecon, Kate Russell's book hardly has a serious tone, either... and the stories and locations in the books are to become a part of game canon, aren't they?