News 2.3 Dev Update

[JuntiFour]

We should be encouraging and applauding their efforts to cater for both styles though, especially as we all want the game to be a big success and live on. The more players, the more dev effort they can afford.

People said the same about CQC, and look where that ended.

We should not applaud their efforts to cater for both styles. The reasons is that catering for a style is not free. It uses development resources, something which Frontier is apparently increasingly short of when it comes to Elite Dangerous.

 

[Maruun]

would somebody ever leave the comfort of a tropical earthlike planet, if he could remote control a space vessel through the whole galaxy in realtime?

Why would there be space stations with habitat zones, if you could remote control your ship from your home office?

Why would anyone live on the surface of an icy rock?

Why would anyone pay you the equivalent of 100+ sidewinders, to remote control a ship to point X to get some data, if he could easily do from the couch himself...

Why would anyone risk his life, in a fighter, of an remote controlled ship?

Why would there be cockpits on ships?

Why would there be life support on ships at all?

Why would you jump 100s of systems to get some data collected, if you could remotely buy a ship in the target system 1000ly away, tele precense into its cockpit, and start from there....


While I understand, this tele precense idea grounds on gameplay comfort reasons, it completely destroys the inner logic of this sci fi setting, built around travelling a huge galaxy.....

You do realize that HoloMe is actually a fancy mirror right?

 

[Adam Jay]

would somebody ever leave the comfort of a tropical earthlike planet, if he could remote control a space vessel through the whole galaxy in realtime?

Why would there be space stations with habitat zones, if you could remote control your ship from your home office?

Why would anyone live on the surface of an icy rock?

Why would anyone pay you the equivalent of 100+ sidewinders, to remote control a ship to point X to get some data, if he could easily do from the couch himself...

Why would anyone risk his life, in a fighter, of an remote controlled ship?

Why would there be cockpits on ships?

Why would there be life support on ships at all?

Why would you jump 100s of systems to get some data collected, if you could remotely buy a ship in the target system 1000ly away, tele precense into its cockpit, and start from there....


While I understand, this tele precense idea grounds on gameplay comfort reasons, it completely destroys the inner logic of this sci fi setting, built around travelling a huge galaxy.....

We had to sacrifice realism when we acknowledged that we do want to hear sound in vacuum imho.

I would however personally prefer the system when commanders have to physically meet to board each other's ship as I find idea of both the limitations and possibilities much more enjoyable.

Also there is the question within the borders of the game's own rules why the fighter cannot get more than 30 km from the mothership when real time telepresence is possible at any distance.

In any case I believe there is no point in complaining about this, it's not like they'll throw away and completely rework such feature, especially few days before the update release, it is what it is and we better get used to it.

 

[MacAllister]

Ok, this is just a request, but can I get an avatar that looks like this?

 

[Dharrch Streynjer]

I've seen a few people complain that this would chase them out of open play.
However as a player that rarely leaves solo I feel that this is one way to attract me back into open play. With multi crew in my anaconda I feel I would now have some ability to survive the griefers that constantly plague the open play System.
Also I think I side with the opinion that there is some gameplay benefit to having physical presence alongside telepresence. Both systems are useful in adding to gameplay. In fact it could even be said that there might be a good excuse for bringing out a dedicated client for players that only ever want to be crew.
What I wonder though, is, can a host commander specify a minimum standard for crew?
Will there be a method of selecting from potential applicants?
Or will the process be completely random unless the host issues invites.

Fly safe commanders.

 

[CMDR Cillian Raynor]

The real issue with the commanders is not holo me how shallow and boring it is. I don't suspect most players will be multi-crewing past the first couple of months. I mean it's so limited what you can do as crew i don't really understand how you could play as crew and not fall asleep within 5 minutes. The number of times i expect to multi crew are about 0. As far as im concerned they could save the dev time spent in making it work and invest that time in working on....well pretty much anything else. But that would be assuming the designers of this game are not clueless. Or i dont know, maybe they just don't have the resources to make any major interesting changes and additions to the game. I guess we'll know soon enough when season 3 (and what it is) is announced. I'd hope I eat crow on that one but i'm losing faith.

 

[NeilF]

The real issue with the commanders is not holo me how shallow and boring it is. I don't suspect most players will be multi-crewing past the first couple of months. I mean it's so limited what you can do as crew i don't really understand how you could play as crew and not fall asleep within 5 minutes. The number of times i expect to multi crew are about 0. As far as im concerned they could save the dev time spent in making it work and invest that time in working on....well pretty much anything else. But that would be assuming the designers of this game are not clueless. Or i dont know, maybe they just don't have the resources to make any major interesting changes and additions to the game. I guess we'll know soon enough when season 3 (and what it is) is announced. I'd hope I eat crow on that one but i'm losing faith.

It's going to be interesting watching the "multicrew lobby", and seeing how the figures fair over the first 2-3 months... I predict a steady drop down to a niche usage level. And I have a notion, some of the most consistent users will be people sitting their own seconda (AFK) accounts in their own ships (eg: upping their weapon power by 50% from 4-0-2 to 4-0-3)...

Ok, this is just a request, but can I get an avatar that looks like this?

Only if they're wearing the fishnet shirts!

 

[Ian Skippy]

Ok, this is just a request, but can I get an avatar that looks like this?

Isnt that already weirdly compatible with current options? The make-up, the pink bob, those facial features...

- - - Updated - - -

Nothing wrong with it. You just hear a vocal minority from one end of the spectrum who's immersion when south. If FD had taken the 'joining at a station' route, you would of heard a vocal minority from the other end of the spectrum who would not have been able to join a comrade in battle instantly. The rest just plays the game. So nothing special, just another day at the office...

The difference is that in beta there are nearly always ships you can join, even with the limited people in beta. In contrast, I havent run into a cdmr at a station since leaving Wyrd. The 'immersion way' would have insta-killed MC for anyone not in a player group. The current way sees you friend list grow rapidly.

If some dudes want to meet up at stations: have at it. Noone's stopping you.

- - - Updated - - -

would somebody ever leave the comfort of a tropical earthlike planet, if he could remote control a space vessel through the whole galaxy in realtime?

Why would there be space stations with habitat zones, if you could remote control your ship from your home office?

Why would anyone live on the surface of an icy rock?

Why would anyone pay you the equivalent of 100+ sidewinders, to remote control a ship to point X to get some data, if he could easily do from the couch himself...

Why would anyone risk his life, in a fighter, of an remote controlled ship?

Why would there be cockpits on ships?

Why would there be life support on ships at all?

Why would you jump 100s of systems to get some data collected, if you could remotely buy a ship in the target system 1000ly away, tele precense into its cockpit, and start from there....


While I understand, this tele precense idea grounds on gameplay comfort reasons, it completely destroys the inner logic of this sci fi setting, built around travelling a huge galaxy.....

Its a game.

 

[Juniper]

Its a game.

Indeed, and unfortunately FD are now doing all they can to remind us of that fact - having previously tried to straddle the simulation genre too (with no small amount of success I might add). The game used to be about you flying around the galaxy in a space ship, creating your own story. In VR you could actually believe you were there.

The way this "multi crew" has been implemented completely breaks that fourth wall. And that's a real shame.

 

[Winterwalker]

The way this "multi crew" has been implemented completely breaks that fourth wall. And that's a real shame.

You don't think holome multi-crew is a stopping off point, staged development thing!?

For me it's a good thing crew roles are limited atm. How would a ship engineer <hologram> hold a spanner!?

 

[Juniper]

You don't think holome multi-crew is a stopping off point, staged development thing!?

For me it's a good thing crew roles are limited atm. How would a ship engineer <hologram> hold a spanner!?

Well holograms can suffocate if the canopy breaches, so my guess would be FD will simply have a hologram holding a spanner.

As to whether it's a "staged development thing" - that applies to pretty much every game mechanic in E: D. If we are to believe the devs, everything is placeholder.

 

[wstephenson]

I choose to believe that the hologram holding a spanner is projected around a hovering skutter holding the spanner. Too few pips to SYS and the illusion drops.

 

[Winterwalker]

As to whether it's a "staged development thing" - that applies to pretty much every game mechanic in E: D. If we are to believe the devs, everything is placeholder.

I believe the term is 'future proofed'? Although this article is a bit off topic, you want all the mechanics you can, to be develop-able in that you can improve that particular screen independently of everything else in the game.

Although I suppose FD could have removed suffocation, to better represent a hologram-crew, at least they were good enough to remember it, so should present-presence happen on other people's ships later, you're affected by the conditions in the ship. (GOOD THING!)

 

[Komemiute]

What could happen is that to allow for Multicrew a CMDR has to buy an "N-Persona.Tr." better described as a remotely activated Robot that has no face features, just a bland white mesh-screen.
It has , though, a Holo-Projection device that covers up the "N-Persona.Tr." shell with the Body and face features of Remotely connected CMDRs.

This way, having a physical body beneath the Hologram is can still interact with the surroundings and the "suffocation" warning is more of a way to get a feedback about the Ship's state, like "Uh, guys- in case you didn't notice the canopy has been breached! Outta here!".

Now, if we could have proper ejection mechanics...

 

[wstephenson]

What could happen is that to allow for Multicrew a CMDR has to buy an "N-Persona.Tr." better described as a remotely activated Robot that has no face features, just a bland white mesh-screen.

Excellent idea - and they are already in game.

"To enable Multicrew, please stock up on Xihe Biomorphic Companions."

 

[Komemiute]

Excellent idea - and they are already in game.

"To enable Multicrew, please stock up on Xihe Biomorphic Companions."

Thanks. Makes sense, no?

 

[DaveG]

I feel sorry for the FDev staff who have to wade through this intense whinging on a daily basis - I'd probably resign if it were a job given to me.

It's a space game - it's a bit of fun.

They have a road map that we don't know, just let them do it, and the strategy (or folly) will become clear in time.

 

[dreampage]

In my opinion there's nothing wrong with either the character creator or Multi-Crew. This is how a game should work. Features and options, that's another question. I know I won't use Multi-Crew much because I'm not interested in multiplayer but there could be some occasions when a friend would like to show me another part of the galaxy or vice versa and that's a great tool for that. And the character creator is awesome, some of the best I've seen in games. No problems there. I really welcome the new camera system, too.

 

[Wobblin-Gobblin]

Will I see NPC-mates in my ship if i hired somene? For example, in my Cobra 3 or the ASPX?

 

[fennster]

Will I see NPC-mates in my ship if i hired somene? For example, in my Cobra 3 or the ASPX?

No.

They exist elsewhere on the ship.

Because elsewhere is where the SLF controls are, just like players control SLF from elsewhere.... No, wait they don't. Players are on the bridge! :S

Seriously though. I think it'll cause issues having NPC on the bridge and then have players jump in. With no walking mechanism to remove NPCs it can get messy.

Yeah, there are workaround, like the option of no Multi Crew if NPC on bridge for solo players, but it's not happening right now....