News Elite Dangerous - 2.4 and beyond

[amigacooke]

Sure there are some, but compare the amount of games running on PC and those made compatible with Mac, and then confirm to me again that Mac is a viable gaming platform.

It seems to me that you're shifting your ground from not technically possible to not financially possible. Aspyr and Feral both seem to run successful companies by doing Mac and Linux ports, so there must be a market.

If you want a games market that is no longer sustainable, I suggest you victimise the AmigaOS games market

 

[Metalwizard]

Just think about what this game can do WITHOUT firing a gun!!

My thoughts exactly. Exploration tools and missions with multiplayer functionality, missions for wings and multi-crew, trading tools, in-game INARA, atmospheric landings, more involved planetary mining and outpost interactions (outpost raids anyone?... ok that one is pew pew but you get the point)

Oh, and dig your username...

 

[Ziljan]

I don't think it's reasonable to blame fans for what FDEV have delivered. Did anyone spot PP, CQC, Engineers or multicrew before FDEV announced them?

For my part I'd like to see surface scanning, exploration and navigation given a good buff. Having the DSS reveal and list on the navigation panel, all points of interest and even rare fields of deposits, would be a good start. ymmv

You may not be aware but the reason that surface scanning has been put on the back burner (after Sandro announced a possible update) was because the community went to war with itself over what the update should look like. In the end Frontier went with the status quo so as not to upset the fans, even if it meant disappointing people who were hoping for something marginally deeper. So yes the fans do bear a sizable portion of the responsibility for that fiasco. The same drama has been repeated over numerous issues. Frontier comes up with a good long term solution, and then ~30% of the community gets up in arms and shoots it down.

The status quo is not sustainable however. At some point Frontier will have to decide to either revamp the mechanics and breath new life into them (stepping on old toes in the process), or let the game languish and suffocate slowly. They can only add new content once, so no Thargoids/Comets/Stuff^TM won't save the game. The only answer for longevity is revamping gameplay (Exploration, Trade, Bounty Hunting, BGS, PP, C&P, the whole enchilada).

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Did I read correctly? An Open beta, not a Paida?
This alone may jump us to superluminal results!

 

[karakino]

New Anaconda cockpit appearance?

Do you mean that FINALLY you updated the OLD 2.14 faulcon delacy firmware on the console?

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

You may not be aware but the reason that surface scanning has been put on the back burner (after Sandro announced a possible update) was because the community went to war with itself over what the update should look like. In the end Frontier went with the status quo so as not to upset the fans, even if it meant disappointing people who were hoping for something marginally deeper. So yes the fans do bear a sizable portion of the responsibility for that fiasco. The same drama has been repeated over numerous issues. Frontier comes up with a good long term solution, and then ~30% of the community gets up in arms and shoots it down.

The status quo is not sustainable however. At some point Frontier will have to decide to either revamp the mechanics and breath new life into them (stepping on old toes in the process), or let the game languish and suffocate slowly. They can only add new content once, so no Thargoids/Comets/Stuff^TM won't save the game. The only answer for longevity is revamping gameplay (Exploration, Trade, Bounty Hunting, BGS, PP, C&P, the whole enchilada).

Really. I don't remember FDev stating this. Please link to me this information as I have missed it.

 

[Gin RideIntoTheSun]

We’re happy to be able to confirm that the next major updates following 2.4 will focus on core gameplay, existing features, quality of life and other improvements! We’re delighted to be investing a considerable amount of development and effort into making the core gameplay experience even better for our fantastic community or players.

Core game improvements are OK... if they are free. I don't think many people will pay again for... ¿improved mining? ¿improved multicrew?

I want you to make money, Frontier... but I think updates like atmospheric landing or space legs will sell much better than updates with only core game improvements.

 

[Rhonda]

We’re happy to be able to confirm that the next major updates following 2.4 will focus on core gameplay, existing features, quality of life and other improvements! We’re delighted to be investing a considerable amount of development and effort into making the core gameplay experience even better for our fantastic community or players.

So, exploration is becoming an interesting profession at least and the waiting-game placeholder gets removed, ya?

I am delighted by your plans, but we heard a lot of "exciting news" from the "awesome dev team and their amazing journey" during the past 2 1/2 years... and there was only a tiny fraction of realy exciting, awesome or amazing game mechanics/content following these news.
In my opinion it is too early to unleash aliens into the galaxy, because the core gameplay and mechanics won't allow for a meaningful interaction.

I am looking forward!

 

[NeilF]

Veterans of this game have always wanted FD to focus on fully fleshing out the core gameplay mechanics before adding any more bolt-on features to the stack. The ability to walk around in-game as well as landing on Earth-Like worlds has always been a year or more away even before this latest news.

Not sure where the misinformation about these features coming out any minute came from, but that has always been misinformation and totally wrong.

If shelving ED and moving on to other games is your choice at this point, by all means go for it if that makes you feel any better. I'd set your calendar reminders for mid to late 2018 for the possibility of atmospheric landings, and 2019 for the so-called "Space-Legs or Elite Feet" addition.

I concur...

That said, ED is basically shelved for me at the moment... I just hope the future core developments adds features interesting and finally deep enough for me to dust it off again.

ps: I suspect we'll have to get a mixture of core gameplay revamps and new features - How else could they charge for it etc? And there's also the possibility of significant changes requiring instance blocking? - https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...tance-break-from-previous-versions-Any-issues

 

[Mengy]

You may not be aware but the reason that surface scanning has been put on the back burner (after Sandro announced a possible update) was because the community went to war with itself over what the update should look like. In the end Frontier went with the status quo so as not to upset the fans, even if it meant disappointing people who were hoping for something marginally deeper. So yes the fans do bear a sizable portion of the responsibility for that fiasco. The same drama has been repeated over numerous issues. Frontier comes up with a good long term solution, and then ~30% of the community gets up in arms and shoots it down.

To be fair though, community pressure has resulted in some positive changes to Elite as well. If not for explorers rallying loudly we wouldn't have the neutron jump mechanic that we have today, nor would we have the DBX design fixed to make it actually worth flying. Community pressure resulted in lessening the grind of Engineers to something much more manageable, bringing the beige planet disease to the forefront, and I'd wager that pressure from the players also had a huge hand in convincing Frontier to focus on the core improvements Zac is talking about. It can be a good thing.

Yes it's true, community pressure also resulted in Sarah's AI getting nerfed a bit, and it resulted in ship transfers being less useful, so it's not always good. Overall though I feel that it's much better to have the community involved and active than to have them passive and uncaring. That't one of the main reasons why I'd like to see Frontier make more announcements like yesterday, maybe even bring back the dev sneak peaks, just be more communicative in general with real information. It would greatly help to keep the community engaged and involved, and more positive than it's been as of late.

 

[rootsrat]

I concur...

That said, ED is basically shelved for me at the moment... I just hope the future core developments adds features interesting and finally deep enough for me to dust it off again.

ps: I suspect we'll have to get a mixture of core gameplay revamps and new features - How else could they charge for it etc? And there's also the possibility of significant changes requiring instance blocking? - https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...tance-break-from-previous-versions-Any-issues

Well, the updates and improvements can be new features. For example, the current QoL improvements were: ship transfer, increasing the materials storage and adding storage for modules. 2 of these 3 are actually new features - while still being technically improvements to the core gameplay.

Adding new stuff for explorers to find - new features, while improving gameplay.

Adding new mechanics for black markets (buy illegal/stolen goods; new, related missions; undercover cops offering stolen goods on mission board) - all new features, while... and so on.

If they combine this with adding some completely new stuff, that are not classed as improvements to current gameplay - I think it's perfectly understandable if they charge for it.

 

[Westyb]

This sounds a lot like Elite: Dangerous 2 in disguise.
Maybe not such a bad thing.
Westyb

 

[who?]

You may not be aware but the reason that surface scanning has been put on the back burner (after Sandro announced a possible update) was because the community went to war with itself over what the update should look like. In the end Frontier went with the status quo so as not to upset the fans, even if it meant disappointing people who were hoping for something marginally deeper. So yes the fans do bear a sizable portion of the responsibility for that fiasco. The same drama has been repeated over numerous issues. Frontier comes up with a good long term solution, and then ~30% of the community gets up in arms and shoots it down.

The status quo is not sustainable however. At some point Frontier will have to decide to either revamp the mechanics and breath new life into them (stepping on old toes in the process), or let the game languish and suffocate slowly. They can only add new content once, so no Thargoids/Comets/Stuff^TM won't save the game. The only answer for longevity is revamping gameplay (Exploration, Trade, Bounty Hunting, BGS, PP, C&P, the whole enchilada).

There is no "right" or "wrong" path here, different people just want different things from the game; and for it to work in different ways. (Just like real life). What you call a fiasco might be called a relief or a success by others.

I do agree the game can't really be polycratic in its future development. If FD try to keep everyone happy they'll end up doing nothing. FD have to have some kind of vision and press ahead, even if some decisions are unpopular. Sometimes that means we'll get features others hate, at other times it'll be the other way around. Not everything can keep everyone happy.

 

[Marc_Hicks]

Well, the updates and improvements can be new features. For example, the current QoL improvements were: ship transfer, increasing the materials storage and adding storage for modules. 2 of these 3 are actually new features - while still being technically improvements to the core gameplay.

Adding new stuff for explorers to find - new features, while improving gameplay.

Adding new mechanics for black markets (buy illegal/stolen goods; new, related missions; undercover cops offering stolen goods on mission board) - all new features, while... and so on.

If they combine this with adding some completely new stuff, that are not classed as improvements to current gameplay - I think it's perfectly understandable if they charge for it.

Its kind of like Favours. Technically Favours have been in the game-in an extremely limited form-since 2.1 (its what you use to choose Weapon Special Effects). However, were favours to be expanded out to their logical conclusion, then if would radically alter the game IMHO.

 

[Alec Turner]

Pheonix D'Fire,

Please stop misappropriating the term 'salt'.

Regards,
The PvP community

Seems an opportune moment to mention (for those that weren't aware) that there are two subtly different appropriations of the word "salt" on the internet.

There "salt" as in "salty" as in ...

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/salty

And there's "salt" as in "salty tears" as in "tear farming" (originally from Eve?) as in PvP agro (in and out of game) for the express purpose of savouring the subsequent complaints threads.

I reckon' most people here actually use it in the former sense whereas I suspect you're referring to the latter sense?

 

[Ziljan]

There is no "right" or "wrong" path here, different people just want different things from the game; and for it to work in different ways. (Just like real life). What you call a fiasco might be called a relief or a success by others.

I do agree the game can't really be polycratic in its future development. If FD try to keep everyone happy they'll end up doing nothing. FD have to have some kind of vision and press ahead, even if some decisions are unpopular. Sometimes that means we'll get features others hate, at other times it'll be the other way around. Not everything can keep everyone happy.

The fiasco wasn't that one group got their way and the other didn't. No that would be fine if it was a decisive development in a growth oriented direction. The fiasco was that the result was stagnation and continuation of status quo shallow gameplay. It might be comforting in the short term, but in the long term, it's a recipe for death. You're either growing or dying. And stagnation is death by attrition. Even for the people that wanted it to stay the same.

Also, let's not forget than in the case of scanners there was a solution floated where ALL the parties could have gotten a scanner they wanted. But ~30% rejected the universal solution because they thought everyone should be forced to use the same scanner.

 

[Curried-Cat]

The art of saying nothing with a wall of text. Master Zac.

I dunno, he did announce two events taking place. Can't give everything away now!

 

[who?]

The fiasco wasn't that one group got their way and the other didn't. No that would be fine if it was a decisive development in a growth oriented direction. The fiasco was that the result was stagnation and continuation of status quo shallow gameplay. It might be comforting in the short term, but in the long term, it's a recipe for death. You're either growing or dying. And stagnation is death by attrition. Even for the people that wanted it to stay the same.

Also, let's not forget than in the case of scanners there was a solution floated where ALL the parties could have gotten a scanner they wanted. But ~30% rejected the universal solution because they thought everyone should be forced to use the same scanner.

I don't think anyone wants stagnation, but no one wants features they hate added to the game either. You've asked for the ADS removed from the game in the past, IINM. I hate telepresence..

Not sure how to find the right balance. Good luck to FD trying to keep everyone happy.

 

[amigacooke]

Of course this week's newsletter will have absolutely no surprises now

 

[IamMe]

Veterans of this game have always wanted FD to focus on fully fleshing out the core gameplay mechanics before adding any more bolt-on features to the stack. The ability to walk around in-game as well as landing on Earth-Like worlds has always been a year or more away even before this latest news.

Not sure where the misinformation about these features coming out any minute came from, but that has always been misinformation and totally wrong.

If shelving ED and moving on to other games is your choice at this point, by all means go for it if that makes you feel any better. I'd set your calendar reminders for mid to late 2018 for the possibility of atmospheric landings, and 2019 for the so-called "Space-Legs or Elite Feet" addition.

I didn't expect earthlike planets, rather lifeless atmo planets.
Yeah i shelved elite few months ago, no big deal it was never on my priorities list cos i usually play flight sims not games, i just wanted some space feel or to be more precise atmo re-entry.
I'll get that this year in SC and infinity:battlescape and once it gets into elite i'll try it too.
I don't need to set reminder cos i'm sure i'll see those features on youtube once they are released.

Cheers!