Design decision forum member
- Thread starter Styggron
- Start date
I am a DDF member,but my main reason was to get this game made. I am a experienced mmo player,and i hope this experience can be of any help regarding multiplayer.
As much as i want Elite Dangerous to be true to it's predecessors,i also want it to fit in with todays players. That means the game has to be accessible for new players,not only old dogs as us.
I know a lot of you will probably be upset when i say this,but a docking computer should be equiped from start,because it would simply not work in a mp world,and new players would be easily put of playing if there is no docking computer.
You must think of a spacestation/starport as a airport. So if you imagine the most heavily trafficed spacestations(probably Sol) Then picture yourself a bunch of players tries to dock at the same time,without any kind of traffic control. That will only leave a huge mess. If you think players will be all gentlemen,and wait for their turn,forget it. It's a multiplayer game,and that means a lot of ego's. So expect people bumb into you,and push you away(maybe damage your ship in the process) Just for their pleasure of being first man docked.
As much as i want Elite Dangerous to be true to it's predecessors,i also want it to fit in with todays players. That means the game has to be accessible for new players,not only old dogs as us.
I know a lot of you will probably be upset when i say this,but a docking computer should be equiped from start,because it would simply not work in a mp world,and new players would be easily put of playing if there is no docking computer.
You must think of a spacestation/starport as a airport. So if you imagine the most heavily trafficed spacestations(probably Sol) Then picture yourself a bunch of players tries to dock at the same time,without any kind of traffic control. That will only leave a huge mess. If you think players will be all gentlemen,and wait for their turn,forget it. It's a multiplayer game,and that means a lot of ego's. So expect people bumb into you,and push you away(maybe damage your ship in the process) Just for their pleasure of being first man docked.
I never thought the controls from Frontier were complicated i.e. you pointed your ship in the direction you wanted to fly and the computer adjusted your heading to match. True you also had independent control over thrusters but you didn't need to use them if you didn't want to, it just made combat a lot easier. I would like both options in E: D.
It could be that all the core world stations have guidance systems that act like a docking computer for incoming ships. But the cheaper frontier stations don't have them, so you better know how to dock if you're heading out there (or buy a docking computer).
That might work.
I'm going for the Diploma in Management, eventually leading to the MBA in Technology Management. I've previously done the Certificate in 2001 to go with a BScTech (Hons) in Control Systems and Computer Science from Sheffield Uni, which is what I blame for not making Elite ranking
From what I recall it's very intensive; I think I had a TMA to hand in on New Years Eve! Best of luck with your assignments!
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I would not necessarily jump to that conclusion, I'm not a young gun, but I think I can say I'm not an old timer.
I never played elite before, so I am playing Oolite now (literally) to get a feel for the experience. I find docking in Oolite, even with just the keyboard interface, not difficult (after a couple of attempts, I accidentally fired at the station once).
So if docking in ED is no more difficult than Oolite I would not say docking computer is necessary. In fact, if the computer slows docking down than can be done manually I'd say the 'gamer' would not use it.
And when you assume that ED would use the mouse input, as the default for ship steering, than I think ship control would be more than smooth enough.
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But you will still have the problem with players ego's,but i think @HenryS suggestion would work out quite well,since border systems will not be as heavily trafficed as the core systems.
Realistically you would think that, with health and safety surviving in to the future, that the authorities would make it law that any ship have to legally have a docking computer and that ship stations would have some way of remote piloting a ship trying to dock if this failed for some reason.
There would just be too much at stake to not have these features. A bit like cars nowadays not having headlights, you just wouldn't get away with it.
That said, space is a big place and there might be a reason to have them intentionally removed or disabled.
There would just be too much at stake to not have these features. A bit like cars nowadays not having headlights, you just wouldn't get away with it.
That said, space is a big place and there might be a reason to have them intentionally removed or disabled.
Hello.
Another DDF member here. It seems like this is becoming the place to introduce yourself. Like others here, I decided to throw in the extra money because the game means a lot to me, not out of any particular desire to buy a privileged position.
I bought BBC Disk Elite for my BBC Micro Model B when I was somewhere around 11 with my own pocket money and then played it pretty much obsessively for the next 4 or 5 years. Always on a BBC, though I progressed through to a Master 128 which I later upgraded to a Master Turbo, allowing me to play the co-processor version of Elite. I only got as far as Deadly, unfortunately, as getting further on the BBC version (which required a *lot* of killing) finally became too much for me to manage together with finishing school work.
It's fair to say that Elite is one of the things that encouraged me to go into computing and I've been a programmer since. I felt that forking out for E : D would allow me to "give something back" and be involved in some small way in the design of the spiritual successor.
I look forward to working with the other DDF members here to help FD make something amazing.
Another DDF member here. It seems like this is becoming the place to introduce yourself. Like others here, I decided to throw in the extra money because the game means a lot to me, not out of any particular desire to buy a privileged position.
I bought BBC Disk Elite for my BBC Micro Model B when I was somewhere around 11 with my own pocket money and then played it pretty much obsessively for the next 4 or 5 years. Always on a BBC, though I progressed through to a Master 128 which I later upgraded to a Master Turbo, allowing me to play the co-processor version of Elite. I only got as far as Deadly, unfortunately, as getting further on the BBC version (which required a *lot* of killing) finally became too much for me to manage together with finishing school work.
It's fair to say that Elite is one of the things that encouraged me to go into computing and I've been a programmer since. I felt that forking out for E : D would allow me to "give something back" and be involved in some small way in the design of the spiritual successor.
I look forward to working with the other DDF members here to help FD make something amazing.
Yes,i can imagine that in federation/imperial controlled starsystems. But in independent systems,the laws might not be that strict.
Also a DDF pledger.
I originally played Elite on a friends BBC micro because we only ever had a VIC 20.
I did eventually get an Amiga and reached Dangerous on that.
Bought and played both the sequels as well and joined this forum back 2006, mostly lurking and checking in every 3 months or so to see when/if we were ever going to get a new game.
I pledged to the Founder level on the second day then upped to DDF two weeks later, simply because I wanted to be involved in the design and stay engaged during development.
In the meantime I've bought a new HOTAS setup for both this game and SC and have been sharpening up using Independence War.
Look forward to talking to you guys over the coming months.
I originally played Elite on a friends BBC micro because we only ever had a VIC 20.
I did eventually get an Amiga and reached Dangerous on that.
Bought and played both the sequels as well and joined this forum back 2006, mostly lurking and checking in every 3 months or so to see when/if we were ever going to get a new game.
I pledged to the Founder level on the second day then upped to DDF two weeks later, simply because I wanted to be involved in the design and stay engaged during development.
In the meantime I've bought a new HOTAS setup for both this game and SC and have been sharpening up using Independence War.
Look forward to talking to you guys over the coming months.
I'd fix that with 'levels' of docking computer algorithm.
The core, high tech busy stations have docking systems which cater for guiding in even the most basic ships computers, where stations in lower tech areas with less traffic have less sophisticated ones.
Players can upgrade to an "ultimate" computer, which will dock anywhere.
Excatly
This is a good way to reflect how poor or rich a starsystem is,or if it is a anarchy system,or autocrazy system,etc
For some reason I got the image of Leon from Airplane switching off the runway lights: "Just kidding!".
It would be good if there were space stations out on the frontier that don't even run their docking computer, regarding it as non-essential equipment. So even if you've got a HAL 10000 on board your ship, you'll still have to dock manually.
It would be good if there were space stations out on the frontier that don't even run their docking computer, regarding it as non-essential equipment. So even if you've got a HAL 10000 on board your ship, you'll still have to dock manually.
I remember that one of the pulls of the original game was how hard it was to get a foot on the ladder. I spent hours and hours saving the money up to get a docking computer, and felt like I had properly earned something when I got there.
To stay true to this, giving new players the opportunity to feel this, I would like the docking computer to be earned.
I do like the idea of several stages of complexity with the docking computer but wonder how it could be implemented?
To stay true to this, giving new players the opportunity to feel this, I would like the docking computer to be earned.
I do like the idea of several stages of complexity with the docking computer but wonder how it could be implemented?
In 30 years,we will have cars that will probably drive themself,and all you need to do is instruct the car of the destination.
So i would think a HAL 10000 in the year 3250 would be able to dock anywhere.
But i think there should be a player choice if they want to own a docking computer or not,but the downside of not owning one,will restrict you to dock in starsystems with strict laws,unless if it is a rich and advanced starsystem that could take control of your ship,and dock it,even if the ship does'nt has a docking computer. Many factors into play here