A Moan About Frontier Releasing Info

[VR jefranklin18]

I understand your point of view and to an extant empathise with it, but the question is where do you draw the line on what is revealed?

If Frontier limited it to just announcing upcoming store updates would that be enough or would attendees want more? And after that failed to satisfy what then: exclusive footage from the next upcoming expansion, announcement of the following season's features, etc?

I admire the effort and planning that goes in to Lavecon, along with the commitment Frontier staff show it. However, I do think any announcements made at Lavecon will necessarily have to be small as it does not register as a blip on the gamer press radar. I do hope to go next year so if Frontier decide they would like to show season 4's trailer, I wouldn't be disappointed

 

[Alien]

And yet in the same post you're asking for a token of gratitude from Frontier. What do you think those free vanity items they hand out at Lavecon are?

Those "free vanity items" that they also hand out at every games event they go to?
Again ... NOT what I am discussing here.
To clarify ... what I am discussing is Frontier attending a Q&A session, and not preparing something more than what was already known, and a stock response of "Gamescom".

 

[Red Anders]

So Allen is upset because they waited for Gamescom to release new details? The reasons for it have been clear for quite some time.. By giving the Press first look, they have an incentive to write about the game and this in turns leads to free marketing etc.. ED is competing in a tough market space and its not gonna be a good thing if they had nothing new to report there.

Sorry bud but Lavecon and Lave radio etc aren't well known outside the ED community. I'll agree that the Q&A at Lavecon was a quite light on details but I don't think its worth getting your knickers in a twist over.

True that. Especially with Gamescom coming so soon after NMS's release FD have to sieze on the opportunities that it presents as an industry show in terms of generating buzz outside of the existing player base.

 

[Cosmo]

www.pcgamesn.com/elite-dangerous/elite-dangerous-aliens-patch-22

That one?

EDIT:
It isn't so much about the site releasing the info too early, but more about Lavecon getting nothing to talk about. If you were there at that Q&A, you'll know what I mean about the "Gamescom" response to nearly all the questions.

Lavecon is not a major event. That's why. Most gamers never heard of Lavecon and will never visit it.

 

[Alien]

I understand your point of view and to an extant empathise with it, but the question is where do you draw the line on what is revealed?

If Frontier limited it to just announcing upcoming store updates would that be enough or would attendees want more? And after that failed to satisfy what then: exclusive footage from the next upcoming expansion, announcement of the following season's features, etc?

I admire the effort and planning that goes in to Lavecon, along with the commitment Frontier staff show it. However, I do think any announcements made at Lavecon will necessarily have to be small as it does not register as a blip on the gamer press radar. I do hope to go next year so if Frontier decide they would like to show season 4's trailer, I wouldn't be disappointed

Tell me Jeff, what do you think of the newsletters now vs what they were to begin with?

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People are missing the point. I'm not saying "Give Lavecon everything, and other events nothing" ... What I am saying is "Give Lavecon *something*"

 

[Jools]

you have my support

 

[Jenner]

Lavecon is not a major event. That's why. Most gamers never heard of Lavecon and will never visit it.

Pretty much.

I've never been to Lavecon - way too far away. I'm sure it's a fantastic meet-up, but no way does it compare with the press that comes with Gamescom or E3. Obviously if you attend Lavecon it would be great if FD shared a lot of stuff with you, but I understand the reasoning behind holding that back for a big event where FD will garner some gaming press (read: new sales).

 

[VR jefranklin18]

Tell me Jeff, what do you think of the newsletters now vs what they were to begin with?

Have you not seen my newsletter/communications diatribes?

If you compare the early kickstarter newsletters with the current, they are chalk and cheese. I fully acknowledge that the early ones were there to get kickstarter backers on board and I have zero problems with that. However, over time we have lost the sneak peaks, the Michael Brookes updates, etc and now it's focus is virtually solely on the community*, which although important doesn't whet the appetite of the hard core ED gamer or the casual who receives the letter but has no interest in Gamescom and the like.

* I fully acknowledge that this week's newsletter(s) may be slightly different from the recent norm

 

[DustyArne]

So what exactly do you know now that we didn't know already?

 

[Vasious]

Way to drop a log all over the fans there bro, grats.

Yes, because if you are not for people always getting what they feel entitled to all the time, you must be a monster out to ruin everything for everyone.

Give me a break

It is the false impression, of I have done something there for you own me, even though I did it would of the love for doing it, you still owe me.

It would be like me expecting something for you, as I read your post and replied.

I mean I put in all this effort, I am entitled to it right?

You didn't ask me, to, but I did reply, and now you owe me.


It is the implied expectation of obligation that is the problem.
FDev should have the choice of it they given Lavecon teasers or what not, or the choice not to

There is not obligation to, nor entitlement to, by the mere fact Lavecon exists.

 

[Ziljan]

Simply put, Lavecon was earlier. Maybe the reason they release info for Gamescom is because it was not quite ready before this week? It doesn't have to be a conspiracy against players every time.

 

[Grumpy181155]

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Not what I am discussing here.

But it think it should be. FD support Lavecon by turning up, in person, and providing exclusive content to those that do turn up. I am half the world away and will never get to Lavecon while you have had the opportunity to meet the developers and obtain these exclusive items. As others have pointed out it was a commercial decision to release the details of the up coming patch at Gamescon.

 

[PavelKCZ]

I get it. No really, I do get it. I, like most of you, are the consumers or customers. In the ladder of where we rank, it's somewhere near the bottom, just above those who either have not bought the game, or got a refund. The only time we matter, is when Frontier (or any game developer) wants our money from us ... remember that, it'll be relevant in a minute.

So, today saw a gaming news site release some info about the 2.2 patch Frontier are going to release. They got this info from a press conference at Gamescom, in Cologne. Frontier are going to livestream tomorrow (Thursday 18th August) to tell us all about the new patch. Here's the issue ... we already know about it. By telling a load of journalists what is coming, Frontier's big reveal has been spoiled.

I get it. No really I do. A games developer attends these conventions to sell their games. They give the press exclusive access to what is coming to give them something to print (either physically or digitally) to not only sell their site/publication but to sell the developer's game. Everyone is happy ... or are they?

Gamescom is not the only convention Frontier attended. About a month ago, Frontier attended Lavecon, you know, a convention organised by fans of the game Elite: Dangerous, for fans of that game to gather and gossip and get exclusive insight into what is coming. It's why one of the two most popular parts of Lavecon this year were the Frontier Q&A and the exclusive reveal of the FEII theme by Dave Lowe.

Let's talk a moment about that theme tune. Dave Lowe allowed Lavecon to play a sneak preview of the theme. It was a preview by about a week, and only 95% complete, and was not streamed live and was played once and deleted straight away ... yet to hear it, filled the room. Dave Lowe allowed it because it was a thank you to Lavecon for getting the project funded on Kickstarter a year previously. The only other thing to fill the room like that was Frontier's Q&A, yet why?

A lot of questions were asked, and not much info was given out. The standard response was "Gamescom". It became a joke. So Gamescom is here, and did us, the fans, the ones who funded this whole thing 4 years ago, who re-invigorated Frontier Developments as a company, who pushed them to become a much bigger player in games development ... and what happens? Some no-name site gets an exclusive scoop. Thanks Michael.

So if Michael, David, Zac or anyone at Frontier is reading this ... you guys are very welcome at Lavecon. We do love you to bits. But for crying out loud, I feel that us, the fans, the paying customers, deserve better. If we go to the trouble of organising an event, could you please, please FOR THE LOVE OF BRABEN ... please actually give us, the fans, the customers, some exclusive stuff for a change, and not hide behind "Gamescom" for an answer.

Rant over.

LOL. You (and I) are a fan. Someone who already paid for a game. Maybe you bought (like me) the Lifetime Pass.

Why the hell should be FD interested about you, me or some other fans ? We already paid, so we are "Expandables".

Yes, there are companies, who value their customers, because they know that maybe there will be some kind of long term profit from them. But FD is definitely not one of them and never was.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

Don't click it. Problem solved.

 

[Bacalao]

If I just accepted the status quo, THEN this thread wouldn't exist.

Or rather, if you'd accept that the status quo meets the needs of the community better than individual's selfish wants, it wouldn't exist. Not accepting the status quo 'just because' is senseless.

 

[knowles2]

I get it. No really, I do get it. I, like most of you, are the consumers or customers. In the ladder of where we rank, it's somewhere near the bottom, just above those who either have not bought the game, or got a refund. The only time we matter, is when Frontier (or any game developer) wants our money from us ... remember that, it'll be relevant in a minute.

So, today saw a gaming news site release some info about the 2.2 patch Frontier are going to release. They got this info from a press conference at Gamescom, in Cologne. Frontier are going to livestream tomorrow (Thursday 18th August) to tell us all about the new patch. Here's the issue ... we already know about it. By telling a load of journalists what is coming, Frontier's big reveal has been spoiled.

I get it. No really I do. A games developer attends these conventions to sell their games. They give the press exclusive access to what is coming to give them something to print (either physically or digitally) to not only sell their site/publication but to sell the developer's game. Everyone is happy ... or are they?

Gamescom is not the only convention Frontier attended. About a month ago, Frontier attended Lavecon, you know, a convention organised by fans of the game Elite: Dangerous, for fans of that game to gather and gossip and get exclusive insight into what is coming. It's why one of the two most popular parts of Lavecon this year were the Frontier Q&A and the exclusive reveal of the FEII theme by Dave Lowe.

Let's talk a moment about that theme tune. Dave Lowe allowed Lavecon to play a sneak preview of the theme. It was a preview by about a week, and only 95% complete, and was not streamed live and was played once and deleted straight away ... yet to hear it, filled the room. Dave Lowe allowed it because it was a thank you to Lavecon for getting the project funded on Kickstarter a year previously. The only other thing to fill the room like that was Frontier's Q&A, yet why?

A lot of questions were asked, and not much info was given out. The standard response was "Gamescom". It became a joke. So Gamescom is here, and did us, the fans, the ones who funded this whole thing 4 years ago, who re-invigorated Frontier Developments as a company, who pushed them to become a much bigger player in games development ... and what happens? Some no-name site gets an exclusive scoop. Thanks Michael.

So if Michael, David, Zac or anyone at Frontier is reading this ... you guys are very welcome at Lavecon. We do love you to bits. But for crying out loud, I feel that us, the fans, the paying customers, deserve better. If we go to the trouble of organising an event, could you please, please FOR THE LOVE OF BRABEN ... please actually give us, the fans, the customers, some exclusive stuff for a change, and not hide behind "Gamescom" for an answer.

Rant over.

I bet it part of the deal they agree with Gamescom for floor space that they had to do a press briefing to reporters before us plebs get to a look in on the action. This was all suppose to stay behind a NDA.

At least not everything got release, not shots of those alien basestars are out in the open, yet.

 

[xyphic]

I completely agree. The whole "exclusive closed room preview for select press people" thing is especially frustrating because news, especially gaming news, have not been working like that for a long time. You announce something on a convention for the whole public, and if it is noteworthy half an hour later major gaming news sites have it on their front page anyway.

It clearly does still work like that, because there's a whole day of Gamescom open only to the gaming press, and it's dedicated to exactly this sort of thing. Frontier are by no means the only company giving behind-closed-doors previews.

And then beyond the particular issue of press-exclusive events-within-an-event there, it is generally extremely annoying when some actual news (as in, entirely new to the dedicated player base who soak up every bit of available info) comes on some (sometimes mostly unknown) third party site - or even worse: only in a printed magazine (I am still salty about you giving away an exclusive paintjob with a print magazine issue... this is just so backwards). When I want the news, I check the official YT channel, official forums, official twitter (already that becomes questionable if social media are the only source). I have no desire nor time to scour all the gaming news sites all the time in case there is something that we, as the players and customers, should know about.

Frontier don't view you or me as a potential customer. They already have our business, so they're looking to target those who don't frequent the forum, twitter or YouTube channel. By giving particular outlets exclusive news they guarantee a prominent article (works for both parties: the news outlet gets additional clicks for people going looking for Elite news, Frontier gets to reach a wider audience who may not know about the game or have had previous interest in it). The same thing goes for the exclusive paintjob -- Elite collectors will buy the magazine (good for the publisher) and readers of the magazine might like the look of the paintjob and decide to take a look at the game to redeem it.

As to why they don't post updates on the forum / website at the same time, that would seriously devalue the exclusivity of the news. It'll always be on the forum or Reddit within minutes of publication anyway, so it's unlikely anyone is actually going to miss it.

Frontier aren't trying to short-change anyone here. This is simply a tried and tested marketing strategy. We'll get all this news (and a lot more, I'm sure) during the livestreams.

 

[LeoBartlet]

Simply put, Lavecon was earlier. Maybe the reason they release info for Gamescom is because it was not quite ready before this week? It doesn't have to be a conspiracy against players every time.

I find it hard to have any sympathy for the OP's point of view.

Lavecon is a captive audience where as the potential benefit of Frontier revealing details about future content at large games conventions far outweighs revealing details to a few blokes in thargoid outfits.

 

[Flimley]

I give this moan thread 1 out of 10 Flimley points...

Flimley

 

[cheesenbiscuits]

"remember that, it'll be relevant in a minute"
Is where i stopped reading.