Minti2
Deadly, But very fluffy...
Alpha Release date speculation thread
- Thread starter Ruth Mackie
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No details have been released about that sorry as to how long / often you can play, but personally I will be there as often as possible.
Have also been thinking about the Alpha as already in on the Betas. The thing is, I *know* I will not be happy sat here reading the forums about the alpha and not actually being involved 
So for me, I will probably upgrade at some point and get involved.
The things I expect to get out of the Alpha:
1. Being a help in identifying bugs. This is the most important thing for me - anything I can do to make the game better is what the Alpha is about!
2. Getting familiar with the game (only ever played the original Elite on BBC micro before).
3. Decide on a controller. I don't currently have a joystick, but am thinking of getting one for the game, so want to make sure it's working/supported properly. Or decide on Mouse+Keyboard.
4. Being able to join in the Alpha discussions on the forums - I wonder if there will be a separate forum for that?
Then... onto the betas where most of the issues should have been resolved
So for me, I will probably upgrade at some point and get involved.The things I expect to get out of the Alpha:
1. Being a help in identifying bugs. This is the most important thing for me - anything I can do to make the game better is what the Alpha is about!
2. Getting familiar with the game (only ever played the original Elite on BBC micro before).
3. Decide on a controller. I don't currently have a joystick, but am thinking of getting one for the game, so want to make sure it's working/supported properly. Or decide on Mouse+Keyboard.
4. Being able to join in the Alpha discussions on the forums - I wonder if there will be a separate forum for that?
Then... onto the betas where most of the issues should have been resolved
I'd expect the alpha to last a specific defined time, for example over a weekend or certain hours during a weekday/evening. You won't be exactly "playing" the game either, as the point of the Alpha/Betas will be to test out mechanics, making sure things are working as they should, checking the flight controls, collisions etc. etc.
I'd expect a list of things that Frontier want us to concentrate on - maybe splitting us into teams to test specific features.
I think it will be an interesting experience, and you might gain a small advantage, with having a look at the universe before others and some time to get used to the mechanics of the game before others, but I wouldn't expect it to be much of an advantage... oh and if you do join the Alpha/Beta groups - expect issues, lots of issues
When did you get a tour and personal project update from FD ? lucky you hey
Alpha will be what it is .. The dates on KS are suggestive, not binding, so it will start when it does and last as long as it needs to. Any attempt to say otherwise is pointless speculation or worse trolling.
Do you have any clue how much time game development takes?
Unless they have 200 people sitting at FD working 24 hours a day, I wouldn´t expect too much from the alpha.
Christmas 2014 earliest, I expect to play something which resembles a complete Elite game. (Minus planetary landings, minus avatar gameplay )
They had multiplayer dogfighting before the Kickstarter even began.
Internally...
Same as the Star Citizen project.I didn´t say they won´t have anything by December, it will just be a smaller part of the game. Maybe an arena like Moonbreakers. With limited ship customization.
Let´s see, I´d be positively surprised if they have more to show until December.
Internally...
Indeed, but you were suggesting they'd release something LESS than that to Alpha players, OVER a year later! They could just make that internal thing the Alpha and have released MORE than you suggested.
I thought I was argumentative, geez!
They've already said March 2014.
As a game developer, yes I do.
Depending on when you define the development process to have started, as well as the scale of the game, it usually takes between 1-2 years from a finished design. I'll take 18 months as typical to further break it down.
Usually a playable prototype is ready within the first few months. The initial Kickstarter video, at a guess, is about two to three months of development, which by estimates would put the start of development (after the design stages) at around September 2012.
Typically, an alpha comes about 10-12 months in. This means I'd expect a "true" alpha between July-September this year. I think Frontier may be defining their alpha to be a bit later, e.g. after all features have been fully implemented instead of just the main ones, which would be around 14-15 months, or November-December.
Then beta is around 16-17 months, with all of the known game-breaking bugs fixed, and with nothing except bug-fixing going on. This'd put ED's beta at around January-February 2014.
Then it's released, after 18 months; fitting in with the March 2014 date.
From what I've gathered in the last few months in various places (sorry about being so vague), the alpha will probably be pretty rough, and beta will be more feature complete. For alpha, we might be asked to do specific things in order to test the strength of the code, rather than just mucking about; we can expect errors, and plenty of them, and we are expected to report them. So long as we don't expect that the alpha will be like getting the full game early, we should be fine . I am really looking forward to my first flight, no matter how broken it might be !
. I am really looking forward to my first flight, no matter how broken it might be !
I have to admit, I've never actually developed a game, but looking at other games, it does seem a bit of a stretch that ED will be ready in time. Even without planetary landings and avatars, I think the biggest hurtle is going to be multiplayer. Sure, I could see them making an SP game in the time frame they have suggested, but Multiplayer is extremely complex, and will require a huge amount of testing, balancing, reworking the code, etc. Just creating a simple, effective server browser is quite a difficult process based on the games I have played.
I just can't see ED getting the game 'playable' in time. However, I'll try to remain optimistic.
ON TOPIC: I'd shell out for the Beta, but I'm not sure the Alpha is worth it. Here is my reasoning, no matter how good the game is, it won't meet EVERY expectation we all have. I'd rather face dissapointment on a less buggy and somewhat tested build.
This way I won't swear off the game forever in a fit of rage when I disagree with one of the design decisions. Maybe, maybe not.
At least in ED 1.0 there is no avatar gameplay, no planet landings, no motion capturing, no story campaign with voiceovers like in SC. But I didn´t believe the SC release date either. Has already been moved from Q4/2014 to Q1/2015.
You're right, but usually you'd add more people to do that in order to keep the product turnover time as short as possible.
Minti2
Deadly, But very fluffy...
ON TOPIC: I'd shell out for the Beta, but I'm not sure the Alpha is worth it. Here is my reasoning, no matter how good the game is, it won't meet EVERY expectation we all have. I'd rather face dissapointment on a less buggy and somewhat tested build.
I will let you know, just upgraded to Alpha, hell if it aint the whole thing but just in bits i still wanna have ago(even if delayed)
Found DD post very interesting being a game developer himself.
@Dr Wookie yep that name should wrap round your ship a few times if you use a decal on it
...nice tribute.Why yes, I do actually, having co-written 4 video games of which 1 was published* and I know (from back then in the early 90s) that once the design is out the way, which takes the longest time of all the stages IMO, the game practically writes itself. Granted games today are far larger and more complex but the principle remains the same.
That aside, FD already has the game engine (COBRA) produced; the multi-player portion is working and final bugs being removed; concept art is coming along nicely and I expect as each day ticks by FD are getting a bigger buzz with excitement. Hell, look at Josh and his game - 3 months solo and had an awesome demo up and running - FD have more resources and experience than him so I expect them to do as good if not better.
Naturally things can become delayed but as there is zero indication of that I prefer to give them the benefit of doubt.
*oh don't get me wrong - I'm no expert, and the game scored 3/10 and netted £700 from sales but hey - at 18 that's a lot of beer money
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I also have a suspicion that the groundwork for E: D has been laid out for a long time now. They may even have prototyped code when they could by adapting code from their other games that might just be suitable for the Grand Enterprise. C'mon even the engine is named Cobra! Just a coincidence ?
I get the feeling Frontier were working on this game years before kickstarter was even mentioned. Kind of like the great escape movie... D:B smuggling plans down his trousers past the old publishers...Micheal with bits of cobra shaking them out when he gets home...Artists drawing concept art on the back of rollercoaster tycoon 3 disk covers in invisible ink..........
I hope it ends better than the Great Escape! Didn't they all die at the end of that one!
Minti2
Deadly, But very fluffy...
I hope it ends better than the Great Escape! Didn't they all die at the end of that one!
Alot of them did, but a few got away, unfortunately not Big X who would be DB!
Actually no, DB could be steve mcqueen, caught but saved...Hmmm i feel a story coming on
psykokow do we have a DB head to put on Steve?
I will let you know, just upgraded to Alpha, hell if it aint the whole thing but just in bits i still wanna have ago(even if delayed)
Found DD post very interesting being a game developer himself.
@Dr Wookie yep that name should wrap round your ship a few times if you use a decal on it
Gratz... See you in the 'Alpha' universe
I also have a suspicion that the groundwork for E: D has been laid out for a long time now. They may even have prototyped code when they could by adapting code from their other games that might just be suitable for the Grand Enterprise. C'mon even the engine is named Cobra! Just a coincidence ?
I get the feeling Frontier were working on this game years before kickstarter was even mentioned. Kind of like the great escape movie... D:B smuggling plans down his trousers past the old publishers...Micheal with bits of cobra shaking them out when he gets home...Artists drawing concept art on the back of rollercoaster tycoon 3 disk covers in invisible ink..........
Agreed... I had heard rumors way before the KS started that there was a new Elite engine in progress, the early Dev videos do give an indication that the March 2014 launch window was a possibility... However with the feedback and suggestions we have given, I can see it being pushed to Summer 2014...
...oh well, I can wait.
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