Elite Dangerous is not a Game you own, its a Service
- Thread starter DoppelGanger
- Start date
I asked to point out of accused fallacies and garbage arguments and he didn't, im not trying to be an a *hole.
Only FD knows for sure if it's possible and how complex would be to do it. As user hunvagy pointed with the video, looks like the architecture is complex, knowing that it's hard to say if it would be possible to emulate on a different server.
Oh damn, if they would have to release the back end, then its for sure a no-go. It looks like its very naive to think that there will be an option for running the game once the servers end. Today I learned...
Yeah, I was thinking that as well - take it back to the original 1984 model of having systems be static and their threat level determined by their government type. And that wouldn't actually be bad to play. I'd probably buy it.
Edit: I wonder how much of the NPC AI is client-side?
You're determined to see the gloomy side of things, aren't you? Cheer up - it's not dead yet.
Well at it's basic level, Elite Dangerous is Elite 1984, just E-D has fancier graphics, is online, and has some backend processes to add 'variety' and be somewhat 'dynamic'
This is exactly what I wanted to convey, but of course you are far more knowledgable than me and explained it far better. I also work as programmer, but not on the scale of like such a video game.The BGS Update; Should be coded so only the systems that have been visited need attention; from there the 'attention' they require would be set as (a)synchronous events on separate threads depending on requirement.
I'm willing to bet I could reduce the required architecture to a former of what they are using now, because, most of it would no longer be required. The net code would no longer be required. Most of the BGS could go in the bin. Being straight out frank, Elite would become an offline HazRez and Explorer.
I have no issues with Database sizes, I have full Gold Partner membership in MSOk, not everyone has that, but.. again, those DBs could hugely reduced as only one person would be using the data and they can only thread onto so much data in any given period of time.
Add into that, the BGS would likely not be needed or only a portion of it, in any offline mode.
Remember this; The actual base of Elite is a galaxy (data) rendered in a 3D environment. This whole procedural thing is given far too much weight in today's world. Again, remember DB wrote this in '84 when, yes, it was a big deal. If you strip away the marketing hype, the actual bases of the game have been done many times.
Where Elite excels is in it's graphical renditions and it's ship flight models. Take those away and all you have left are Databases with some menus and basic math.
And finally, you only need one person/team to make the conversion and everyone could use it. Nothing Frontier do (code wise) is amazing in the least. There are many many others doing the same, for different reasons. The graphics are where it's at. And like I said elsewhere, Frontier are not going to release Cobra, so this entire thread is moot.
As far as I understood, they would have to "plug" a lot of holes that required online presence like Thargoid war, Stations under attack(?),Gnosis, and other instances, but the basic premise of the game is very simple if only one player exists in entire instance/universe. The BGS is not required at all and as you stated the database would be much smaller, maybe would be possible to refactor into a save file, keeping your progress and actions in the universe.
Well they did say that, but as many things FDEV said in the past they could flip on a coin and not do it. I do not believe they would do it, they would most likely make a sequel, however if the game is to run for 10 plus years it would make a good business case to start from zero and rebuild.
All of that would (probably) be possible, but I don't think it would be easy or quick to do, and currently they have no incentive to do so since it goes against their core requirement of Elite being an online game. There would have to be evidence of a significant ROI for them to consider it (in my opinion, of course).
(I've been using various database servers in my job every day for the last 30 years or so going back to dBaseII (I still wake up screaming some nights), and I still laugh when a customer starts a sentence with "but surely all you have to do is...")
DBase? Pure luxury lad !! Try Vax RMS with an FMS front end
)On the subject of a Standalone Elite with VR, as a consumer I'd be first in the door to be honest. They'd get AAA cost from me, plus they could have a ship/paint job/Expansion shop. I'd be one happy camper.
Are you listening Dave?
DBase? Pure luxury lad !! Try Vax RMS with an FMS front end
I lived through the hell that was dBase IV 1.0 in a networked environment - turned out that indexes didn't update reliably in a networked environment, forcing me to re-index certain databases several times a day (the system I wrote and admined essentially ran a machinist shop for automotive wiring loom parts. Downtime was not exactly welcomed).
This would have been shortly after Aston-Tate got Borged by Borland, and I damn near strangled the sales rep at a show I went to when they told me what the issue was, and how they considered it be be of no major importance..!
LMAO here.. you reminded me of the mess that was BDE... I was what we called a 'Borland Guru' back then, answering forum questions, but on my side for Delphi 1-3. I stayed the hell away from BDE though
Remember 'Paradox'? by name and nature
I certainly remember the name, but I never actually used it. And dBase IV was, thankfully, as far as I went on that.LMAO here.. you reminded me of the mess that was BDE... I was what we called a 'Borland Guru' back then, answering forum questions, but on my side for Delphi 1-3. I stayed the hell away from BDE though
Remember 'Paradox'? by name and nature
I then jumped ship to an OS called 'THEOS' for a decade...!
1984 Elite was procedurally generated. They generated and generated until they found a seed they were content with and went with it. Would have never fitted into the available memories otherwise. Or can you imagine loading the correct system on ZX Spectrum with tape recorder?The BGS Update; Should be coded so only the systems that have been visited need attention; from there the 'attention' they require would be set as (a)synchronous events on separate threads depending on requirement.
I'm willing to bet I could reduce the required architecture to a former of what they are using now, because, most of it would no longer be required. The net code would no longer be required. Most of the BGS could go in the bin. Being straight out frank, Elite would become an offline HazRez and Explorer.
I have no issues with Database sizes, I have full Gold Partner membership in MS
Add into that, the BGS would likely not be needed or only a portion of it, in any offline mode.
Remember this; The actual base of Elite is a galaxy (data) rendered in a 3D environment. This whole procedural thing is given far too much weight in today's world. Again, remember DB wrote this in '84 when, yes, it was a big deal. If you strip away the marketing hype, the actual bases of the game have been done many times.
Where Elite excels is in it's graphical renditions and it's ship flight models. Take those away and all you have left are Databases with some menus and basic math.
And finally, you only need one person/team to make the conversion and everyone could use it. Nothing Frontier do (code wise) is amazing in the least. There are many many others doing the same, for different reasons. The graphics are where it's at. And like I said elsewhere, Frontier are not going to release Cobra, so this entire thread is moot.
FD said if they make an offline patch it will be a static galaxy.
I don't think that is the issue here. Its not that they couldn't do it. They probably simply don't want to do it, not now, possibly not ever.
We can only hope they will keep their promise to release an offline patch when the game reaches EOL. And then people will have to accept that at least to start with, it will be very static. Maybe FD will release tools to allow people to make stuff dynamic or add their own content (modding tools?) But i wouldn't get your hopes up.
I don't think that is the issue here. Its not that they couldn't do it. They probably simply don't want to do it, not now, possibly not ever.
We can only hope they will keep their promise to release an offline patch when the game reaches EOL. And then people will have to accept that at least to start with, it will be very static. Maybe FD will release tools to allow people to make stuff dynamic or add their own content (modding tools?) But i wouldn't get your hopes up.
I agree, as long as they can make a profit out of the franchise, they will not give it away, it will be sequels instead.
I'm safe, I've yet to find a GaaS, which is actually fun to play.
I look forward to playing Elite: Mostly Harmless.
A crossover between the ED universe and that of Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy.
People who complain about how all ships have the same UI will be totally broken by the black cockpits with black buttons that light up black when pressed.
Better get used to that, its the way the world is going.
there were words about an eventual release of the source code.
which probably no sane opensource developer will want to touch with a pole.
so i imagine the code would languish there until a decade later some really bizarre nostalgic tech nerd manages to embed a PC emulator into his "smart i-Fingernail display" chip and get it to run on the tips of his fingers, for the greater glory of youtube