Competition does a lot as standard game

[Tiamat]

The fact that SC will only have 100 or so systems that are hand crafted and each one different with more content is better than 400 billion empty ones, i sometimes wish ED had gone down this road.

I would disagree with that. 100 hand-crafted systems are going to get stale pretty quickly and once that happens RSI will need to expand so "new systems suddenly appear out of nowhere" will need fudging into the lore. Yes the Elite universe is currently pretty empty but FD can spend the next few years filling it up without new systems appearing out of nowhere. For me the former indicates that x number of hours play are planned before you have to start buying expansions and the latter shows forethought for lore and continued development.

I backed both and both have fairly different ideas and goals. FD truly seem to want to spend the next 10+ years expanding on what they currently have without gouging their customers every 5 minutes. RSI appear to just be interested in how high they can get their bank balance given how little progress they seem to be making at anything other than selling ships and I really hope I am wrong about that.

 

[nosscar]

I would disagree with that. 100 hand-crafted systems are going to get stale pretty quickly and once that happens RSI will need to expand so "new systems suddenly appear out of nowhere" will need fudging into the lore. Yes the Elite universe is currently pretty empty but FD can spend the next few years filling it up without new systems appearing out of nowhere. For me the former indicates that x number of hours play are planned before you have to start buying expansions and the latter shows forethought for lore and continued development.

I backed both and both have fairly different ideas and goals. FD truly seem to want to spend the next 10+ years expanding on what they currently have without gouging their customers every 5 minutes. RSI appear to just be interested in how high they can get their bank balance given how little progress they seem to be making at anything other than selling ships and I really hope I am wrong about that.

You could be right, and SC already mention new systems will be an ongoing project.
And i do agree about the amount of ships they seem to be producing now, rather than just getting the game out.
I think they are trying to milk the most from the cow now with selling ships, as when the game is released this money flow will stop.
I also wonder how in the future they can fund many of the international offices and staff they have now, i do fail to see why they just do not have one bigger office for everything in the USA, instead of all over the world and having all the associated travel and hotel bills, and exchange rate problems.
I too have backed both, and will probably play both, i just hope SC is released as stated, and yes, i realise ED is here now, and for that i am grateful to have a good space sim/game on my PC.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

I find these sorts of threads pretty useless.

For a start, go take a read at the FAQ on the wiki. Provides a good explanation of the differences and similarities between ED and SC.

And two games that are not even released yet? Not good to compare really.

And finally, its like people comparing Rise of Nations with Command and Conquer with Starcraft (choose appropriate ones that are roughly equivalent in terms of release date if you don't like these 3 being compared) - all are the same type of game, but each vastly different in their own way.

 

[Lupin]

Well at this point I would be careful with programing for landing on a planet and walk around with VR releases due this year and next.
Lets face it these 2 features would be worth a lot more to ED with VR supported correctly.