Why Wasn't ED's Core Mechanics Fixed Before PP/Xbox/CQC?

[Sentience]

This is a straight up honest question to FD. This question has been hinted at here and there buried in sub context over various threads, but it deserves its own thread.
This is point blank:

Question: Why wasn't the core of ED, meaning all the professions and their mechanics, balanced and optimized before you dumped a ton of development hours and money into major patches that build off those mechanics?

Smuggling doesn't make as much money as trading.
Piracy hardly makes anything with a 20 ton jettison limit.
Right now bounty hunting makes the most money for the majority of players.
Exploring is extremely bare bones.

Shouldn't all of these balance against each other in income?

Why are you pushing for things like PP and Xbox when plenty of folks are asking for the core of ED to be solid before moving on?

If you build a house on sand....well you know what they say.

 

[Arjin]

This is a straight up honest question to FD. This question has been hinted at here and there buried in sub context over various threads, but it deserves its own thread.
This is point blank:

Question: Why wasn't the core of ED, meaning all the professions and their mechanics, balanced and optimized before you dumped a ton of development hours and money into major patches that build off those mechanics?

Smuggling doesn't make as much money as trading.
Piracy hardly makes anything with a 20 ton jettison limit.
Right now bounty hunting makes the most money for the majority of players.
Exploring is extremely bare bones.

Shouldn't all of these balance against each other in income?

Why are you pushing for things like PP and Xbox when plenty of folks are asking for the core of ED to be solid before moving on?

If you build a house on sand....well you know what they say.

I am not FD, but will answer anyways, It's all about the monies, it is a business after all. New platform = moar money, current core dynamics already exists and does not generate as much.

 

[Dbrn47]

Who's to say they can't do all of these things concurrently?

 

[Moosegun]

Right now bounty hunting makes the most money for the majority of players.

My money would be on slave trading and no they shouldnt all balance against each other income. This is not a communist state.

That said I agree about smuggling and piracy

 

[vitriol]

Need money. Cast a wide net to grab as many players as possible.

E is immune to the Steam refund policy because the underlying problems only become apparent after tens of hours of gameplay.

 

[Arjin]

Who's to say they can't do all of these things concurrently?

Because they aren't! problems that have existed since the beta's still plaque the galaxy...Each patch fixes once thing yet breaks another. if you can't focus all effort's something is always invariably missed.

 

[Bomba Luigi]

Plenty of peple want plenty of diffrent of things from FD, so doing what others want them to do wouldn't really work. And that you don't like the balancing does not mean FD does not want it like that.

I mean, I doubt they are all happy and done with it, but I also doubt that they are aming for a "No matter what you do Credits/Hour Ratio is always the same" balancing.

 

[Vincent Starson]

Money678

 

[Dbrn47]

Because they aren't! problems that have existed since the beta's still plaque the galaxy...Each patch fixes once thing yet breaks another. if you can't focus all effort's something is always invariably missed.

You are going to have to cite information saying they are not. So far, based on the insane amount of games I've played over the years, what you are saying seems normal. There's always something broken, then the fix breaks something else, once that's fixed another feature is added that breaks something else. Sounds like software development.

 

[Soulstain]

This question has been asked so many times in so many threads my friend. It's the big question that FD don't seem to want to answer. They got the PC backers money and the MAC now the Xbone and next the PS4. I fear by the time they fix the basic meat and potatoes of the game most will have lost interest. Too many other space sims on the horizon. This has turned out to just be a a pacifier for me until the better ones are released. It's unfortunate but each new update wears my patience down. In my opinion there are far more exciting things on the horizon but they are not with ED.

 

[darthyank]

Why do most poster count in credit for hours?

It's not a job if you dont like the game, you shouldnt be playing it.

After an enormous amount of hours spent on the game, I still enjoy it and I really didnt do things for the money. I guess if I did, I probably would be in an anaconda by now and probably would also be bored by the game.

Not saying you should get money for the different things you do that is how you progress in the game but I am pretty sure that counting credits/hours is the reason most people dont like the game.

 

[Vincent Starson]

Why do most poster count in credit for hours?

It's not a job if you dont like the game, you shouldnt be playing it.

After an enormous amount of hours spent on the game, I still enjoy it and I really didnt do things for the money. I guess if I did, I probably would be in an anaconda by now and probably would also be bored by the game.

Not saying you should get money for the different things you do that is how you progress in the game but I am pretty sure that counting credits/hours is the reason most people dont like the game.

Elite 1984, a space trading simulator game, where your score is represented by credits, where you progress in the game by making more credits through trading, is suddenly the incorrect way to play the new Elite because it has good graphics and audio?

 

[Sentience]

Why do most poster count in credit for hours?

It's not a job if you dont like the game, you shouldnt be playing it.

After an enormous amount of hours spent on the game, I still enjoy it and I really didnt do things for the money. I guess if I did, I probably would be in an anaconda by now and probably would also be bored by the game.

Not saying you should get money for the different things you do that is how you progress in the game but I am pretty sure that counting credits/hours is the reason most people dont like the game.

Because almost every MMO operates on a system of player progression as an incentive for actually playing.
ED's current main progression is acquiring ships and modules, which you can't do without credits.
The ranks of the 3 major profession types are secondary, like steam achievements.

 

[darthyank]

In elite 1984, once I had enough money to buy a docking computer (and that took time) and equip my ship with the weapons I wanted, I stopped focusing on money and became a pirate. Pretty sure I didnt grind for money but played for fun.
Was that the wrong way to play the game?

Guess I was a kid, I should have known better

 

[Andromalius]

Don't expect a straight answer from FD, they haven't given a straight answer since beta. Which is a big part of why people are actually angry with them.

 

[Vincent Starson]

In elite 1984, once I had enough money to buy a docking computer (and that took time) and equip my ship with the weapons I wanted, I stopped focusing on money and became a pirate. Pretty sure I didnt grind for money but played for fun.
Was that the wrong way to play the game?

Guess I was a kid, I should have known better

Sounds like you played to earn credits to me.

 

[NVNM]

Why do most poster count in credit for hours?

Because it's a good way to gauge how far you've progressed in the game after a couple of hours.

 

[Sonoskay]

Don't expect a straight answer from FD, they haven't given a straight answer since beta. Which is a big part of why people are actually angry with them.

Hey I bet I have the awnser! It's becuase they are having trouble fixing the issues stated. And it's not becuase they are not trying. But they can't very well say this becuase it's bad for buisness. Every business ever focuses on their sucesses and not the things they are struggling with. And fixing these "issues" are not a priority because they are forced as a money making business to do what brings more people in, capitalism! It's great isn't it? And I can promise you, they want their simulation to be perfect . But it's something that is likely hard to fix, and other things are put first becuase money. The game is great, and while there are 2 or 3 games similar to ED being made, it doesn't change the fact that E: D is the best space sim made to date.

 

[darthyank]

Sounds like you played to earn credits to me.

Or I played the game and by doing so gained credits.

Let say I find a very boring but very good cr/hour way to play the game. I might do it a bit to get the ship I couldnt afford but after a few hours I give up and go back to doing things for the fun of it and not for the credits.
RES hunting was before the patch the most lucrative but worst way to bounty hunt.


I dont think piracy or bounty hunting or mining, exploring or trading should give the same cr/hour.

I am not saying that the 20 tons limit for pirates is justified, nor that the professions other than trade shouldnt get more money just that the best way to find this game dull is to count your time in cr/hours.

Trying many things just for the sake of it is a lot more fun. And you will still get some cash for it.

BTW USS have some interesting new content

 

[Vincent Starson]

Or I played the game and by doing so gained credits.

But if you didn't receive any credits at all, and it actually cost more to do piracy than play the game I bet you would not have found as much enjoyment in it. To ignore that is what you are ignoring now. That players appreciate progression, and when the only way to measure progression is through the number of credits you have then that is why players focus on it. It doesn't make them any different from you, or their complaints less valid than yours. A diverse group of opinions and feedback is healthy for the game to advance.

But if you enjoy this game not for the credits, then I suggest you also check out Space Engine which is free and pretty awesome on it's own.