FX17: No space legs and no atmospheric planets

[Rob At Work]

After the main streaming this is the conclusion, there are a few upcoming features that are good but not enough, at least for me. They showed a roadmap until Q4 of 2018 and in the incoming features there were no mention to space legs, atmospheric planets and other features promised by FDev. I have the feeling that FDev refuse to compete. It seems like they have accepted the second place behind Star Citizen.

LOL

 

[Kerrash]

SC would have had to left the starting blocks in order for ED to be in second place

 

[Toumal]

SC would have had to left the starting blocks in order for ED to be in second place

The real problem is that neither can ever live up to the majestic glory and the breathtaking depth of Star Rangers.

 

[LJITimate]

they said they where doing stuff to give the core elements depth but all I can remember are different planet colours and lighting and new ships, I know they are working on core elements but come on FD give us something

 

[Jex =TE=]

Good, I'm glad there's no space legs and no atmos planets - FDev need to work on adding gameplay in - not repetitive tasks that some people think is gameplay as they have no experience to draw from. Expectations need to be addressed though - these updates won't be here till late 2019, early 2020 as FDev cannot work to deadlines as proven already but that's fine, as long as they add decent gameplay I'm happy to wait 2/3 years.

 

[Jex =TE=]

I guess that means you'll not be posting on the forums or playing anymore. I mean anything else would logically be hypocritical. Sorry to see you go.

Rather spiteful.

 

[BoggiBlanko]

I think atmosperic planets would be a new "eyecatcher", that could increase sales! Take a look at the NMS Hype! In Elite it'll be much more than eyecandy, because if they do it, I'm quite sure they'll do it right!

 

[Jex =TE=]

Really? Tell us what you heard (or wanted to hear) about changes to game mechanics? They described nothing about changes to gameplay mechanics in any detail*. Aside from saying once again that they're addressing C&P, FDev only described adding stuff to the existing mechanics along with vague talk about how they plan to release "exciting stuff" and "we're going to's...".

I'll start by listing a couple of the top items:

• Squadrons. What new gameplay does this introduce? It sounded like today's existing Wings together with the friend-list and some add-ons. Sure, the squad station moves but so does Jacques - and it will probably only move on nightly or possibly weekly server updates same as Jacques. But they described nothing about how it changes gameplay mechanics only stating it can be bought by player groups (implied) which will likely be a mega-grind for credits. But in the end it's a station like we have today but now it's one you own. Maybe they'll even throw in a daily maintenance fee to burn credits / create more grind like the NPC crew get. Comms enhancements may be nothing more than a new selection in the existing chat window.
• Mining. No real detail provided other than improved detection /extraction which may be simply a new rock scanner. Great. Maybe you will need a rock scanner + discovery scanner + surface scanner. We just don't know.
• Exploring. Bringing back colored planets but nothing about new gameplay. If anything this simply helps take us back to the better looking universe before 'beigification' was introduced. (Wouldn't it be surprising if they created "art packs" or texture packs in the store to buy these assortments similar to suits and weapon colors?)
• Galnet voice. Okay, so you can hear the simple sometimes daily Galnet post. Still won't see anything in-game that the text describes - you still won't see these glamorous battles or awesome events being described. It's a book reader. Gameplay stays the same.
• New ships. Other than aesthetics they'll likely remain similar to what we have today which is very little variation other than a new combo of slots.
• Wing missions. It's likely a new menu panel with the same haul/fetch/deliver/etc. that we have today but for 4x players at once.

*Okay, there was one game mechanic change mentioned today with the RNGineers having rolls that will be better. Let's see what this means when implemented.

Seriously, help describe the gameplay mechanic's you heard that are changing or getting stronger, and how they will be better. Or point to the detail in the stream video timecode. Maybe I missed it, thanks.

The Squadrons thing sounds interesting, can someone go into more detail please?

Improved detection/extraction for mining - ok what about the gameplay?

Exploration - resetting the game back to what it was before - that's not an update and again, where's the gameplay? Do coloured planets mean more gameplay?

Wing Missions could be great if they are made for wings and not just bigger SP missions.

The other stuff isn't interesting.

 

[LJITimate]

I think atmosperic planets would be a new "eyecatcher", that could increase sales! Take a look at the NMS Hype! In Elite it'll be much more than eyecandy, because if they do it, I'm quite sure they'll do it right!

that's the problem, they will do it right, the reason it didn't take hello games forever to make planets is because they did it badly, if FD is to do it they will either a. take forever to get it right and people will complain or b. they do it by cutting corners and finish in a year and people will complain for good reason because it will be rubbish

 

[killminster]

- not repetitive tasks that some people think is gameplay as they have no experience to draw from.

Rather condescending.

(and yes I did read what you wrote in the style of Jim Sterling's 17th century aristo)

 

[Jex =TE=]

you guys can stop it. SC will never be able to out compete ED based on the single fact that SC will never release on consoles.

/end discussion

Thank god - look what happened to ED! (which tanked btw on PS4)

 

[uliando]

So let me get this straight. People complain about mile wide inch deep problem. But when FDEV starts digging deeper people complain and want game to be 2 mile wide and an inch deep. I say let them dig now even though we might not get space legs.

Heck space legs are very low priority for me, removing screwed in HOTAS is pain during end session, being forced to switch between like in SC makes my head spin on how the hell am i supposed to do it, maybe with controller it could be temporary solution but still, spacelegs are meh right now. What you want to do on foot? Stand still and look around? We barely have SRV content that is viable to use.

Atmospheric flight might be also bit easier to implement because you can still lock out planets with life and have lifeless planets with atmo. Still this would unlock insane amount of game areas such as. Planets with atmosphere, DUH! Waterworld, gas giants, cold dwarves? Heck screw it, fly into star's corona because SCIENCE!

 

[LJITimate]

gas giants should be available to fly in by now, the early concepts they had were great

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

- not repetitive tasks that some people think is gameplay as they have no experience to draw from.

It is a gameplay, and one especially enjoyable in such game as ED.

You don't like it? There's a deal - you don't have to. It is all fine. No need to shame people for liking it.

Games are full of repetitive tasks. Repetition is in fact how we learn and that's for most of games are major selling point.

My major issue/goal is for FD to get those repeatable tasks to feel more at home, to feel more engaging, more interesting, more immersive. Fun.

 

[Jex =TE=]

Yeah but there's the whole "glib liar who will say anything to get money" thing. And the whole "never right about almost anything" thing. And the whole "nothing in the game is suited to VR implementation as it stands" thing. And the whole "Roberts is moving away from an actual launch and seguing into perpetual early access and dismissing the very idea of a traditional launch in interviews" thing.

Accomplish something before taking a victory lap: release a game. Hire some VR devs who know what they are talking about. Discuss sim sickness and the problem of locomotion to imply that you are at LEAST vaguely thinking about those issues instead of hand waving and mushmouthing the problem away. Lesick is an idiot thinking they merely have to "flip a switch" at the end to turn on VR support.

The work has to be done, the planning has to factor VR into it if they want to produce something that isn't an acutely uncomfortable, broken experience for everyone. Absolutely NOTHING they have done in years shows they give a damn about any of it.

Maybe they should get a DDF t owork from and release their game early too.

 

[uliando]

Good game have repetition that you do same thing over and over again and everytime you get different results. That's fun in randomness. Some people enjoy it. I don't know what broad interrests ED fanbase have and sometimes I wonder if there even is one. People play this game for so long and wonder why it's starting to bore them. I take huge break and enjoy tons of new stuff. Do this for few games and you won't know what to enjoy first.

 

[TinyPwny]

Time and again FD have stressed that space legs and atmospheric planets won't happen any time soon and still people get their panties in a bunch every time plans are announced that don't include these new features. Get over it already.

 

[Harmoniser]

SC would have had to left the starting blocks in order for ED to be in second place

But doesn't the tortoise eventually beat the hare.....

 

[Jex =TE=]

Wait, what?

The next expansion cycle will be free?

Well, I guess I'm off to the store to buy some ship kits I'm still missing.

I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing - that means no funding coming in.

 

[Muetdhiver]

But doesn't the tortoise eventually beat the hare.....

Except here the tortoise has started the race 3 years ago, while the hare is braging on how it's going to
run a marathon whilst starting after the tortoise and still come ahead.

meanwhile the tortoise is running a 10km race on 10 years...