Is this a rip off? Or is this Frontier first encounters all over again?

That being followed by a slap in the face with the cost of alpha access, it's hard not to feel resentful!

How is that a slap in the face? You had to pay for Alpha access in the KS campaign. Some people decided they wanted to upgrade the pledge after the KS finished so FD enabled this. Giving alpha access for free would have been a slap in the face for those that pledge at that tier in KS.
 
How is that a slap in the face? You had to pay for Alpha access in the KS campaign. Some people decided they wanted to upgrade the pledge after the KS finished so FD enabled this. Giving alpha access for free would have been a slap in the face for those that pledge at that tier in KS.

What some people consider to be a 'slap in the face' is a 'kiss on the cheek' for others. You have to respect other people's point of view.

Different folks, different strokes, etc. ;)
 
As a rule, during the lifetime of the DDF, we were explicitly told not to concern ourselves with whether an idea was possible or what it would do to the scope / timescales - just to throw things out there at the devs.

Sorry, a bit OT (if there is actually a T), but tenses used suggest DDF not really active any more.. Is this the case? Is there much on going interaction there or has it shifted to the alpha forum ?
 
Sorry, a bit OT (if there is actually a T), but tenses used suggest DDF not really active any more.. Is this the case? Is there much on going interaction there or has it shifted to the alpha forum ?

DDF is pretty much on hold whilst the devs work flat out on the alpha (and presumably beta too). It ended on a bit of an unresolved and sour note: the microtransactions thread, which non-DDFers will see at some point. Alpha forum is active, but it's rather uncivilised by comparison. :(
 
DDF is pretty much on hold whilst the devs work flat out on the alpha (and presumably beta too). It ended on a bit of an unresolved and sour note: the microtransactions thread, which non-DDFers will see at some point. Alpha forum is active, but it's rather uncivilised by comparison. :(
That's what happens when you let the peasants in :p
 
DDF is pretty much on hold whilst the devs work flat out on the alpha (and presumably beta too). It ended on a bit of an unresolved and sour note: the microtransactions thread, which non-DDFers will see at some point. Alpha forum is active, but it's rather uncivilised by comparison. :(

Aha, interesting, thanks.

I await that topic in the archive with bated breath!
 
Sorry, a bit OT (if there is actually a T), but tenses used suggest DDF not really active any more.. Is this the case? Is there much on going interaction there or has it shifted to the alpha forum ?

There is not really a topic for this thread, hence its popularity :p

But for a thread title stating that ED is either a disaster or a disaster the thread itself turned out pretty ok, if a bit OT and circular. I know plenty of fora where that flamebait would have been reacted to rather violently :cool:

I would surmise the thread in:
  • Globally there is agreement that FD could handle communication, specially about ongoing development, a bit better. As more may be less, a simple status thread accessible to all backers could be a low tech, low cost effective solution;
  • People don't pay all that attention to newsletters and videos. Subtlety is not a good way to make things clear
  • There is a rather futile evaluation of alpha access cost. It has been the same from the start. Some people asked for it, and FD listened
  • The original ED timeframe was a bit overoptimistic, but not only that is the rule rather the exception on this activity as there may have bee a significant feature creep with natural impact on the development time, for the better o the game. But that is not clear form FD communication
  • Beta backers would like to know when Beta is going to start. "When we approach the end of Alpha it will become clearer" is the best answer FD can currently give, and I suspect it has mostly to do with FSD.
  • Project management is a boring, fun, rich, sterile, interesting, naff thing to do and discuss :eek:. Software projects ca be done on time, budget and quality, although that is less common for new product development, specially creative products. But extensive delays usually lead to poor products.


Anything I missed?
 
It's a bit unfair to criticise the release date, esp as this is common in game development all the time. Yes the game was stated to be released in March 2014, but Frontier have to get it right.

You complain about the release date being pushed back further and further and mention First Encounters, yet with FFE, it was the publisher who forced the release too early, this is exactly what Frontier are NOT doing.

Im not criticizing the release date, im criticizing the poor communication to the community that funded this project. I'd rather wait another year and have a better product, but I need to see updates on progress and also a clear layout of project milestones.

So far, from what I have read in this post, I can see that there has been some kind of communication about progress, but that communication has been within the forum. I don't have time to follow every post in this forum. I do check my emails however.

A simple bi weekly project update email stating progress on current stage and also subsequent stages and their estimated duration would really be good. Of course these are only estimates and nobody will mind if estimated dates aren't achieved - after all we all went the best possible experience.... Again, thanks to the makers of this game. Im sure it will be awesome.
 
Im not criticizing the release date, im criticizing the poor communication to the community that funded this project. I'd rather wait another year and have a better product, but I need to see updates on progress and also a clear layout of project milestones.

So far, from what I have read in this post, I can see that there has been some kind of communication about progress, but that communication has been within the forum. I don't have time to follow every post in this forum. I do check my emails however.

A simple bi weekly project update email stating progress on current stage and also subsequent stages and their estimated duration would really be good. Of course these are only estimates and nobody will mind if estimated dates aren't achieved - after all we all went the best possible experience.... Again, thanks to the makers of this game. Im sure it will be awesome.

And I don't need to be spammed about the game development :p - my mail has enough mails already (yes WFTO, I'm looking at you).

Still think that Josh (from Limit Theory) approach is the best, although his daily dev post is a bit over the top. And the communication style and frequency only really works because it is mostly one person effort.
 

Squicker

S
And I don't need to be spammed about the game development :p - my mail has enough mails already (yes WFTO, I'm looking at you).

Agreed: I support more comms but I don't think email is right, backers should come to the PBF to get it. No one wants more spam and if we're interested enough to be demanding more comms, we are surely interested enough to bother to get to the PBF. We can't inflict our desire upon those that are actually happy with the status quo.

I am thinking that having taken accountability to donate some money, we should take accountability for tracking what's being done with it!
 
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