Answers from the Devs 15/10/15

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Zac Antonaci

Head of Communications
Frontier
Zac,

Can you check whether it can be confirmed now whethet Keelback or other shilps are being design for underwater capabilities?

Certainly a question that we might be able to use in our next thread. Although we've already got loads of great questions. HOW WILL WE CHOOSE!!!!!
 
Hello Zac. How to have all the threads of the questions / answers with the dev. Since its creation ? A locked thread with a grouping, for example ?
 
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rootsrat

Volunteer Moderator
Thanks for the new batch of answers :)

OCD question:

Why does the high temperature audio warning kicks in at seemingly random 84% rather than nice round number 85% or 90%?
 
Hi Zak,

Question that I had while watching the excellent live stream on Wednesday, will there be deep accumulations of dust on the planets? I'm talking to the extent it could cover the SRV's wheels, like going through deep sand in a buggy? and could we completely buried by dust if not careful? Thanks and keep up the hard work, horizons looks excellent!
 
Certainly a question that we might be able to use in our next thread. Although we've already got loads of great questions. HOW WILL WE CHOOSE!!!!!

Easy. Just pick the questions that have been asked the most often and in the most places:

Is the Corvette 30% bigger or 30% smaller than the Anaconda?
Wehn can land on Eatrh?
Are Thargoids in Horizons?
30 ships, give?
I want to possess my own private starports and outposts. What do you mean this is not a question?
Y Horizons cost SO MUCH???! Y????!!
When do we get Anaconda paintjobs?

:D

Good point, I missed that one.

OMG I love your signature. Where can I pledge for Picard? :cool:
 
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rootsrat

Volunteer Moderator
Easy. Just pick the questions that have been asked the most often and in the most places:

Is the Corvette 30% bigger or 30% smaller than the Anaconda?
Wehn can land on Eatrh?
Are Thargoids in Horizons?
30 ships, give?
I want to possess my own private starports and outposts. What do you mean this is not a question?
Y Horizons cost SO MUCH???! Y????!!
When do we get Anaconda paintjobs?

:D


Don't forget about "Can we haz atomsphere landings in Horizons pl0x?"
 
No Dolphin or Beluga means that passenger missions are unlikely to be a thing.

They already confirmed, that passenger missions (and ships) will come later.
I'm speculating, that they don't want to add another relabeled simple cargo missiontype, but passengers with face and true personality, so Commander Creator will be an essential feature for this.

Fly safe! =)

EDIT:

Zac,

Are we getting more stations in space or in rings maybe?
Another question: I really like that stations have bigger, different markers on the sensor. Are we getting that in the main game.

Thank you!! =)
 
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Thanks for the response, Zac!

Having them on seperate days is ideal and certainly something we'll think about but we didn't want to hold back the info until next week.

You know what? You are right, it was quite a stupid idea to ask you to hold back news, I don't think I ever have done that before, don't know what I was thinking here. Please forget about it :D
 
I have a few questions, if I may be so bold:

QUESTION 1: It appears that some NPC names are used more than others (especially after they have been killed). How are NPC names determined?

As part of the original backer app at the end of the Kickstarter there was a field to name an NPC. Assuming, 70% of those eligible to name (had to pledge over £40) did that would make roughly 7,000 eligible. Assuming a standard two name convention, that would be potentially 49million (approx) names out there.

QUESTION 2: When Tier 2 NPCs become available, do we get our named NPC as a crew member?
Would be handy for my copilot to get his um rewards ;)
 

Zac Antonaci

Head of Communications
Frontier
Hi Zac,

I guess you can understand that I as Mac user – as probably are many other Mac users – am massively disappointed by this news, and have many questions regarding the future of Elite: Dangerous on the Mac.

Firstly, according to Apple's Metal developer documentation, it does support compute shaders. Why are these unsuitable?

Secondly, have you tried to get external expertise on this topic, e.g. from experienced Mac porting companies like Feral or Aspyr, or Apple themselves?

Thirdly, what future support can we Mac users expect at all? Will the Mac version be further maintained and get support for new features? And more specifically, which of the features mentioned in Newsletter #92 as coming with Horizons are affected by the lack of compute shaders? Do ship-launched fighters require compute shaders? Do multi-crew ships? The Commander Creator? The loot and crafting system?

Fourthly, and extending on the third question, in how far will the lack of planetary landings and/or other Horizons features affect the further plans of future expansions for Elite: Dangerous on the Mac? More precisely, what reason do Mac users holding a lifetime expansion pass have not to request a refund?

Fifthly, if no further expansions for the Mac version can be expected, can lifetime expansion pass holders request a refund, and if so, how exactly?

Hi,

Lot's of questions here and understandably so.

We know that the news is disappointing and as we've said, hand on heart, we would like to continue support for the Mac version. More importantly we very much expect that we will be able to support Mac again in the future and we're still working on that. However, we think it's important to be open and honest about the technical issues we are facing with Horizons so that everyone is informed.

In terms of Metal. As I said earlier in the thread, I'm not a technical guy but from speaking to the devs we know that the issue is more in the finer detail of how the compute shaders work in Metal at this stage. Safe to say that we're looking into it, we're working closely with Apple, and we hope to have some news soon.

As for the refund. If someone is a Mac customer and they want to discuss their lifetime expansion pass then of course will be happy to. Those people should get in touch with our support team by submitting a ticket here: https://support.frontier.co.uk/kb/
 

Zac Antonaci

Head of Communications
Frontier
As per the info on this thread (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=191917&page=4) and various documents from Apple (white paper, official documentation), Metal does appear to support compute shaders.

So... please enlighten me as I'm a confused Life Time Pass purchaser from the early beta stage. Obviously playing on a Mac.

I think the answer above answers this but please do let me know if you need more info. :)
 
Ah, one more question for the next round that I forgot to ask: back in February, Sandro mentioned some ideas/plans to introduce some kind of "hidden cargo" for smuggling purposes:

Also, smuggling stuff: yes, when/if we get time, we've some pretty cool options available to us (hidden cargo etc.)

Has this idea been discarded or is it still on the list?
 
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