Is elite dangerous really a full game?

[steviebuk]

Firstly, the lack of content in this game is very concerning. Even if you ignore the bugs, and balancing issues, the game still feels very rushed and unfinished.
£35-39 is the price of the common aaa game, but right now elite dangerous feels like half a game. The game is enjoyable, and the basics are there, but they are in desperate need of expansion.
The release trailer made the game seem like a fast paced space combat game, full of live action, and player interaction; but at the moment the game is nothing like that.
If frontier had acknowledged that the game needs more content, and plan on releasing them via free updates, then why are they calling it a full release?
They may have rushed it to get a release before christmas, and around the anniversary of the original, but this is no real excuse.
There are very few flyable ships.
No exterior ship customization, unless you want to pay for a skin.
No real progression for each job type.
Lack of additional things to do such as races, raids.
Npc's are all soul less and are too easy- they should all be 'elite'.
400 billion star systems; almost identical.
Every profitable activity feels like a grind.
I shouldn't have to use imagination as an excuse to repeat the same activity over and over. Right now its just: grind-> money-> more expensive ship-> repeat.
You could argue that the game will get more content over time, but the game version says 1.0, so any additional content could be charged for.
While micro transactions may be necessary to keep the servers running; Adding paid dlc's like planetary expansion will most likely damage the game. Players will become even more separated, and the galaxy will feel even more empty.
I'm pretty sure many other dlc's are planned, involving content that should already be in the game, all because they rushed the release.
Its already being described as "an ocean as deep as a puddle", "a sandbox without the sand" which is why Frontier needs to start acknowledging user feedback if they want to gain a decent player base.

If you played the original Elite or Frontier Elite (that's the one I played) then yes, it's a good recreation of an old classic so for me it feels finished because it's like those. BUT, yes, we're all aware there are things that need to be added but that is still to come. It's clear it's been released now because the base game is finished and they need to Frontier Development needs to make some money back after the £6million lose they made this year (which was predicted because of the game). But now it's been released more content will be added and it also helps them showcase their engine which they no doubt, want to licence to other developers/publishers.

 

[Jake_blakeson]

It's funny to see people in the forums like the OP calling for content. Not enough things to do. Lets compare Elite to other games for a second. All fantasy MMORPG's have the same formula, kill monsters, complete mission, kill monsters complete mission. Buy better gear with the money you make, kill monsters, complete missions. Why are these people having a problem with Elite ? You can kill pirates and bounty hunt all day, just that aspect of the game fulfills the amount of content most of the MMORPG's available today offer ? Seems to me that the problem with Elite is there is too much content, not enough structure, it doesn't tell you were your next, kill the monster complete missions is supposed to be. Your not held by the hand and shown what your supposed to do next. There are just way to many things to do for the seasoned mmorpg player, so they just don't know what to do, and therefore assume there is nothing to do. Even games that are supposed to be riveting and full of things to do like Minecraft can be summed up into very few things to do. Dig, resources build with those resources, dig more resources build with those resources, make some gear with the stuff you dig with, dig resources, build with those resources.
You guys need to get a life, wait....get up go to work, eat lunch, go home, eat dinner, go to bed...holy smokes theres not enough content, someone needs to make more content in the real world. Oh wait they made Elite dangerous for that, phew, thought I was in trouble there.

 

[ShadowGar]

I feel the game is designed around a massive time sink.

Doesn't matter what you do, there always seems to be a massive time sink to slow your progress down to a tedious crawl. I hope they sort these out soon. The time sinks are top of my list of things they need to address.

That is what is done in every MMO or multiplayer game. The reason behind that is if they allow players to move to fast, you run out of things to do before the next content release. So a group of people sit down and determine how long it will take them to produce something in the sorts of an expansion. Then the developers turn the grind up.

For instance, FFXIV. In order to play the last dungeon, you had to obtain raid gear. In order to obtain that raid gear you had to grind instances over and over to get credits towards the gear. But the catch was you couldn't get more than a few credits per week. Someone sat down and calculated how long it would take to get gear with that system and predicted the next content release. Their predictions were close to the month of release.

So with what we have here, I'm led to believe that FD is not expecting a new content update for a while. By the time everyone gets max rep, buys all the ships and gets sick of seeing the same 5-6 stars with 400billion names.. they should be close to a content release with not many people leaving the game. If they crank up profits on trading and other activities, people will play, get bored and leave sooner. Its hard to sell an expansion when your player base is dead or fading.

You can't win this though as a game company. Regardless of what FD does, people will come and go. FD has to find the balance of keeping players interested with newer content compared to the guys that can fly a ship around like a drone and be happy staring at little forever. From what I see on the forums, the newer generation of gamers do outnumber the older generation of gamers. That newer generation is used to getting content updates from every month to every six months at max. With FD being a small company, they have an uphill battle. There are people that would say, "Good, let them get bored and leave". But you really don't want that. The players that get bored fast are the players that are willing to dump a large amount of money into something to be entertained. While the hard to get bored group can buy something and not need to dump money because they are happy with what they got. The later group is bad for companies on making money but easier to deal with in tech support and just overall community base. But without the large spenders on stupid things to stay happy, FD will struggle.

 

[jamesmay]

I agree with Jack Booted Thug.

Elite Dangerous is NOT a full game. Not only for the addings they promised and they did not introduce on the final version, but the bugs. If you play a while the game you will find a lot of stupid bugs or unfair situations.

For example:

Bug when you are landing and the "helping map" (down there where appears your little ship in 3rd person) does not appear.
Unfair situation: You are fighting an Anaconda, if you kill it you will get 100.000Cr. You waste are your ammo and your hull is 25%. When the Anaconda is 1% hull, someone appears, shoot it the last shot and get all the reward.

I would call this game version a BETA, because it has things that have not been tested and fixed.

Bounty reward should be split amongst the participants, the share being based on damage done to the ship.

 

[nickson]

There will be NO combat action in this game as long as they keep these current death penalities that makes you loose progress and waste your time. It's worst than in Darksouls. This way you dont want to get part in much combat except the one you are sure to win 1 on 1. Anyway, No action until there is Billions players populating all the sectors.
This game is 10% charging supercruise, 50% super cruise looking for unidentified signal, 35% slowing down to stop at a station or at an unidentified signal, 2.5% wrong unidentified signal and 2.5% combat or scooping rebel transmissions. There is nothing to fly around just for fun like a multistation place. Everything is spread into individual supercruise places. it was fun the few first time but gets boring.

 

[EtherDragon]

Opinions are like ... well - I'll just show you mine and let you decide what to think:

Yes, Elite: Dangerous is a full game; that is not to say it is a complete game. (Kerbal Space Program is a full game, but also not complete). The core elements, as promised in Kickstarter are all here, but Frontier has always maintained that they want to fill out and add to the game more after release. As promised, on the tin, you can bounty hunt, trade, explore, and/or pirate your way to riches. It's not easy - sometimes brutally punishing you for silly mistakes - but it's fun.

I have played this game for hours and hours - and only recorded a couple hours in my Let's Plays.

 

[insistent]

Not really a full game for now imo, even the current content is pretty basics.

 

[Mr_Blastman]

Well, it depends. In 1983, compared with say Star Raiders or Star Master--YES! It is more than a complete game. Compared with more modern games... maybe not. But I've certainly got my fifty bucks worth already in only a few weeks. It is the most fun I've had in a space sim since Independence War 2.

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There will be NO combat action in this game as long as they keep these current death penalities that makes you loose progress and waste your time. It's worst than in Darksouls. This way you dont want to get part in much combat except the one you are sure to win 1 on 1. Anyway, No action until there is Billions players populating all the sectors.
This game is 10% charging supercruise, 50% super cruise looking for unidentified signal, 35% slowing down to stop at a station or at an unidentified signal, 2.5% wrong unidentified signal and 2.5% combat or scooping rebel transmissions. There is nothing to fly around just for fun like a multistation place. Everything is spread into individual supercruise places. it was fun the few first time but gets boring.

LOL did you ever beat Dark Souls? I have. It isn't that bad. Just play smart and with skill.

Go check out some planetary rings for some action sometime...

 

[Vasea Azure]

Another topic on this really?
This is Elite Dangerous 1.0 - that not mean the development has stopped.
We all know that this is not the full game because FD stated that there will be expansions.

 

[insistent]

Whats worrying me is to pay for the promised content.

 

[Bambi]

Most of the stuff in the DDF, dev logs etc is missing right now. I assume they rushed it out the door for a christmas release, and will now be working on ironing out the launch issues, the add content, fix up the half-finished game mechanics and then work on the expansions.

For now I guess you'll just have to use your imagination.

 

[Rockspider]

It is a full game and more will be added in time.
For a just out game the devs have done a fantastic job.
Could understand people moaning if they could not get on servers or the game kept crashing.. you know the serious stuff

I think an open sandbox space simulator to some is very alien to them ,
Finding they have to look for things to do rather then being told what to do is a very new thing for a lot of gamers I imagine.

 

[Rog]

Of course it's a full game. What's wrong with you people?

If you're not led by the nose from point A to point B while being treated like you're the center of the universe and having the context fed to you pre-chewed you don't feel like you're playing a full game?

How do you fellers define "A Full Game"? Must have FPS? When you're playing Call of Duty, does it also bother you you are bound to a planet? When will you devs implement space travel!?

Maybe the game isn't your cuppa, that's fair.

What will your excuse be when/if the promised FPS combat expansion (maybe) arrives for ED?

 

[DCello]

I'm starting to get a bit bored by these "Elite is not complete" threads, specially when 2014 had around 15 games that were released so full of bugs and issues they were literally unplayable for 60% of the population.

That being said, I have not encountered a single bug so far, and all the "imbalances" are minor and easily fixable.

 

[Ixnatifual]

I just think of it as an early access title. Then it's pretty good... For now. The potential is huge, so I'm sticking around. Especially since I have the expansion pass.

 

[Morbad]

Elite: Dangerous is actually a game.

Elite: Dangerous has no where near the number of features it was originally supposed to upon launch and is still far from bug free.

I've already put some three hundred hours in Elite: Dangerous, and I am not yet bored. Most AAA titles are subjectively much worse than Elite: Dangerous.

 

[rdizz]

This is Elite: Dangerous...

It is well built and solid. It just needs to be filled out.

I think it will be in time, we just have to be patient.

In the end though that is going to be one hell of a mancave.

 

[BigBadB]

Yes.

It's not everything that the game will become over the next few years, but no online game is. It was ready for release and completely playable now, though.

 

[wolverine5pl]

This is Elite: Dangerous...

It is well built and solid. It just needs to be filled out.

I think it will be in time, we just have to be patient.

Problem is with this game same as with empty house on your picture.
You wil need TO BUY STUFF TO fill it up - Expansions.
At the moment game is boring! been trying to find purpuse but making money gets boring.
Too bad its not Elite Frontier 2 with just updated graphics.

 

[Korenwolf]

I feel the game is designed around a massive time sink.

Doesn't matter what you do, there always seems to be a massive time sink to slow your progress down to a tedious crawl. I hope they sort these out soon. The time sinks are top of my list of things they need to address.

Warcraft : dailies / garrisons / tillers / pet battles

All time sinks desgined to keep the crack addict in game doing the same thing over and over again.