Beyond the EXPANSIONS

[Calebe]

As said if you pledged enough all the expansions are free, and they should be. Now if they have a 'collectors' edition of an expansion those extra's could be sold to backers for additional funds, but they are not needed to play the game. An example the free to the backers has a new digital downloadable map of a new system or such, and those who purchase it get a cloth map or fold out map. You can buy them if you wish, or as downloadable print them out.

You get it all, but if you want the 'bonus' of a real map pay extra. So if you want the fluff pay extra. Some will, some won't but it is an option, and not needed but may be nice for some to have.

Other items, computer voice we all get one. They add more make them a purchase. Not needed as you have a default voice, want other voices buy them. So the deluxe version may include one extra free voice, as part of the expansion we also get it for free, but they add some later not an expansion then buy it.

Calebe

 

[Bingo Brewster]

Fishing, hunting, clandestine meetings, actually going out and inspecting geological formations, finding a fugitive in a hive of villainy, arranging transport contracts, finding someone's itinerary for nefarious purposes, stealing projected market prices for Lavian grubs, spying, just hanging around.

Sounds great. Not sure it would all be for me, but it would be fantastic to have all this kind of thing available in the game for those who want to take advantage.

The potential is
HUGE

 

[Erimus Kamzel]

Sounds great. Not sure it would all be for me, but it would be fantastic to have all this kind of thing available in the game for those who want to take advantage.

The potential is
HUGE

Add the introduction of land vehicles to Elite and the scope broadens massively.

I've always envisioned an Elite-type space game where I'm in a battle in some far off system and eventually crash land on a desolate world. I'm standing beside my wrecked ship - marooned. Luckily on my pocket scanner I've detected a small mining colony 100kms off in the distance - maybe there's a way off this rock awaiting me there? And doubly luckily my ship carried an all terrain vehicle. So I'm now off on a journey of survival in my buggy across a desolate landscape. What sort of adventures will I have on the way?

Land based missions and exploration does add huge potential to the game - and if done right could add years of longevity to ED. A win win for Frontier Developments.

 

[Mentski]

I agree with the original poster. I hope my 80 quid pledge is worth far, far less than Frontier promised.

Oh wait... No I don't. That's bloody lunacy.

 

[Patrick_68000]

Here's an email exchange I had with Frontier during the Kickstarter.

January 1, 2013 :

• Me : I am interested in a commitment to 80 pounds but I do not know if the free future upgrades of the game is unlimited in time or if it is just for a limited period ?
• Michael : It is for an unlimited time.

 

[Oddball]

I just hope that the pledge included expansions are limited to the three main areas I put in the OP... any further expansions should be content rich enough to be charged for it?

Erm, well, if I had the choice of paying for future expansions or getting them for free I know which option I would choose.

woof woof! - That's my other dog impression.

 

[Oddball]

I hope too that a lot of thought goes into it but Having a weapon is not a prerequisite to good gameplay. You could be searching for someone or something for example, meeting in a public place to find better missions.

Good point Kerrash. I suspect that this is where the tools and tech from 'The Outsider' will come into play.

 

[breakpointUK]

for the people that missed it...
...as there still seems to people referring only to the OP

I take it back...

I guess I hadn't considered that backers (at £80 or above) would be a small proportion of the overall player base, leaving plenty of players who will have to pay for extra content...

... I suppose my main hope in regards to expansions is that bespoke content is added in years to come, going further than the initial expansions we know about...

... I certainly don't want people to think that their early support shouldn't be rewarded, I would actually like some exclusives (only available to the original backers) for decals or maybe an anniversary cobra skin, when the later expansions are released

I hope now we might be able to either, discuss content for later expansions or simply stop the fairly abusive sarcasm... as I stated fairly early in this topic (post 5) I made a mistake, for which I apologise

 

[MikeSnos]

This business with the expansions got me thinking....

How will FD go about testing expansions prior to release? Are they going to test in-house or do those who pledged for Alpha and Beta access get the chance to test in a separate environment?? (please.... let it be the latter....)

 

[SAB380]

Planets are apparently 'hopefully in under 1 year'

I think we're looking at

Space: early 2014
Planets: early 2015
3rd person: early 2016 (which includes the ability to walk around space stations, etc...)


If they can get all that worked out, I'm not worried about much else

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

for the people that missed it...
...as there still seems to people referring only to the OP


I hope now we might be able to either, discuss content for later expansions or simply stop the fairly abusive sarcasm... as I stated fairly early in this topic (post 5) I made a mistake, for which I apologise

Edit your OP then

 

[Caribou]

To do planetary landings justice you really need to go to town graphically. And you've got to find a way to do the "seamless" bit.

And as soon as your wandering around planets on foot (or wandering around spaceships and space stations) the immediate question is: what's the gameplay? Won't the expectation be that you'll be armed? ...and then you've got to (a) graft a great 1st person MMO shooter into the game and (b) make this work on a planetary scale with cities, mountains etc... I can't see how it's realistically possible. Or in keeping with the rest of the gameplay.

So if you're not armed, what will you be doing?

Mine craft like world building and survival sandbox! ( I am not joking )

N.B. anyone seriously going off on one now should look at just how few of my suggestions coincide with the direction of development...

 

[breakpointUK]

Edit your OP then

I have always left posts stay as the original, only because the replies no longer make sense.

But seeing as people seem to reading the OP only then I will edit the OP

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

I have always left posts stay as the original, only because the replies no longer make sense.

But seeing as people seem to reading the OP only then I will edit the OP

You could copy the OP and put it as a quote at the bottom ?

 

[Erimus Kamzel]

Planets are apparently 'hopefully in under 1 year'

I think we're looking at

Space: early 2014
Planets: early 2015
3rd person: early 2016 (which includes the ability to walk around space stations, etc...)


If they can get all that worked out, I'm not worried about much else

If Carlsberg made Elite Dangerous;

2014 - Space
2015 - Planets
2016 - 3rd person walkabouts on ships, stations AND PLANETS!
2017 - The invention of the Intergalactic Hyperdrive - and human expansion into Andromeda begins

 

[Roi Danton]

Is there a development plan available that roughly lists features that are planned for the expansions (beyond the planetary thing)?
How expansions were handled in the former Elite games (or in the other Frontier games)?

The thing is - a dozens of friends of mine have pledged for Star Citizen. I am currently the only one who supports E, too. So in the next days we will talk about E and the question will arise: What is the benefit of the £80 package, won't £25 be enough? At the moment I'm not able to give any answer.

 

[Silverflyer]

I think from the wording of the Kickstarter any and all expansions would be free at that level. I.e. you will never HAVE to pay any more to play ED. They may offer other extras you WANT to pay for, but that'd be a different story.

I also hope that they're more frequent than 2 or 3 years as that is a pretty long time to wait for expansions. I'd say more like 12 - 18 months.

Anything longer than 1 year will obsolete the game.

 

[Zieman]

Former Elite games: there were no expansions.

£80 vs £25: all future updates free vs. have to purchase said updates separate

 

[kilvenny]

You would need to read through the kickstarter stuff for the detail but to summarise.

There are two expansions planned Seamless Planetary Landing (SPL) or being able to land on planets and Walking around your space ship/planet both of which will be chargeable (20/30). SPL means you have to have a visible world on the planet, buildings, terrain etc. Walking around is effectively an FPS, so if you think about it these are full games in themselves.

There will be small updates which are free.

Some discussion has taken place on the possibilities around space station ownership/modding/side apps on tablets but there is nothing firm on this.

To an outsider the 80 level is a gamble, if the game bombs then you lose money, if it doesn't then these addons will get made.

I am at the 100 level with access to beta and the physical rewards. I started at 90 in the Kickstarter. This was the sweet spot for me. I played the original Elite, it was the best game ever then and I anticipate this version will be for this generation and I want the box set to remember it by.

Do I think I gambled. No I dont. The previous version you can land on planets so I think that the SPL will be done regardless. Frontier developed an FPS game called Outsider and having seen it I see no reason to think it cannot be moulded to fit a space environment. I am utterly confident the two expansions will be made beyond that is dependent on take up.

Anyway enough said. I hope that answers your question.

 

[Tinman]

Is there a development plan available that roughly lists features that are planned for the expansions (beyond the planetary thing)?
How expansions were handled in the former Elite games (or in the other Frontier games)?

The thing is - a dozens of friends of mine have pledged for Star Citizen. I am currently the only one who supports E, too. So in the next days we will talk about E and the question will arise: What is the benefit of the £80 package, won't £25 be enough? At the moment I'm not able to give any answer.

You know what...why not let them go for the £30 reward. Then you can see them squirm when they have to open up their wallets to buy the expansions. Trust me. If FD does what I think they will your friends WILL open up their wallets. More money for FD, yay!!