Console Update

[Miko]

I was joking about the off/on-topic

You know how it is/was.. in that age (early teens) kids take the mick out of each other for all sorts of reasons... what system you're on (system wars were vicious back then), what car your parents drove, where you went on holidays, your shoe brand...

I had to save up pocket money to afford it (and it was very expensive, our family wasn't exactly flush with cash either) and in the beginning there was a real drought of decent games on it. Many of the better ones I had to import via grey importers from the US/JP as they weren't available in Europe (and it required an adapter cartridge costing almost as much as a game). Now, those games live on on my RP3+. And yes come to think of it, there were quite a few space games out on it.

Haha funny how we've all been there. "My dad's car has 125 gears!". Actual quote I remember from a childhood friend.

You'd love talking to my bro. He had about 70+ games on the Mega CD! Almost all of the rarest you could get from Telegames! Lol.

 

[Naddesh]

Swings and Roundabouts really. Sure, 30% is a chunk lost, but it's not catastrophic if the remaining 70% stay loyal.
Besides, why don't Console players swap for a Computer? The cost is similar, if not possibly cheaper than a Next-Gen Console.

Actually PC matching the specs of a new gen console costs way more with current GPU prices. Also, how many people are willing to spend couple thousands dollars for one game? If you take a look at steam charts PC is dropping players so even if 10% of console players switch it wont make a difference.

Please note that all devs were moved from working on console to improving PC version already in June 2021 and I dont see any serious improvements in EDO in all that time. Seeing as Frontier is working on F1 Manager 2022 and new Warhammer game I think that we will actually have less devs working on ED than before instead of more. Those are the real moneymakers based on big licenses and much better financial prospects that 8 year old sinking ship. Corporations usually make decisions based on financials and ED is just a bad prospect now. Especially seeing as they will make more on actual game sales.

 

[CMDR Eodwyr]

Actually PC matching the specs of a new gen console costs way more with current GPU prices. Also, how many people are willing to spend couple thousands dollars for one game? If you take a look at steam charts PC is dropping players so even if 10% of console players switch it wont make a difference.

Graphics are getting better every year for games in general. Soon, everyone will need NASA grade technology to run them. So I really don't see the problem with upgrading or swapping platforms aside from personal preference for the most part. Granted, world economy isn't exactly the best right now, but this is the hand we've been dealt.

I can't play Star Citizen right now, because there's far too much going on for even my decently powered PC to render at once... so what do I do?
I accept my fate until I can afford to upgrade my machine that will run it smoothly alongside everything, of course!

Don't forget too, with a PC, you may only need to replace one or two underperforming components... not sure you can do that with a console.

 

[Naddesh]

Graphics are getting better every year for games in general. Soon, everyone will need NASA grade technology to run them. So I really don't see the problem with upgrading or swapping platforms aside from personal preference for the most part. Granted, world economy isn't exactly the best right now, but this is the hand we've been dealt.

I can't play Star Citizen right now, because there's far too much going on for even my decently powered PC to render at once... so what do I do?
I accept my fate until I can afford to upgrade my machine that will run it smoothly alongside everything, of course!

Don't forget too, with a PC, you may only need to replace one or two underperforming components... not sure you can do that with a console.

Consoles are way less cost intensive. You cannot switch components but the devs of all other games somehow manage to work around that and release their products and they dont suffer from issues stemming from different hardware configurations. I am a PC player and yet I acknowledge that console gaming is just plain cheaper. Also people will not invest in a PC for one single game when every other game works on their console perfectly without any issues with beautiful graphics on new gen and they also have access to exclusive titles. New gen consoles are quite powerful and even sold with loss / very little profit as the money will come from games and services (MS and Sony take %).

 

[Grengarr]

@David Braben, can you commit to biweekly updates on your investigations into account transfers? Surely you agree you owe your console customers that much?

 

[zabbadak777]

I think the main reason it's not being continued on consoles is that consoles have a buffer. Your game must be good or it is not allowed on consoles. On pc, you can keep people on a string by telling them " we are working on it". Isn't that what is happening right now? 10 updates further and it's still not where it has to be. But the revenues are already in the pocket as all pc gamers bought the DLC. So all that time they are spending on pc, that's not a biggy, the money is already collected while on consoles they have to work just as long but no revenues can be collected as the consoles will not allow it to be published or it has to be in a perfect state. Just my humble opinion. So in the end, consoles were not slowing anything down, I believe they just don't want to spend as much time on the consoles without revenues.

 

[Raxiel]

I think the main reason it's not being continued on consoles is that consoles have a buffer. Your game must be good or it is not allowed on consoles. On pc, you can keep people on a string by telling them " we are working on it". Isn't that what is happening right now? 10 updates further and it's still not where it has to be. But the revenues are already in the pocket as all pc gamers bought the DLC. So all that time they are spending on pc, that's not a biggy, the money is already collected while on consoles they have to work just as long but no revenues can be collected as the consoles will not allow it to be published or it has to be in a perfect state. Just my humble opinion. So in the end, consoles were not slowing anything down, I believe they just don't want to spend as much time on the consoles without revenues.

I used to think the same, but then things like this happened

 

[Dutchman141]

Swings and Roundabouts really. Sure, 30% is a chunk lost, but it's not catastrophic if the remaining 70% stay loyal.
Besides, why don't Console players swap for a Computer? The cost is similar, if not possibly cheaper than a Next-Gen Console.

If you can point me to a pc that runs Odyssey very well and as good as other games on console for 499 euros then I'll get it.
My Xbox Series X costs exactly that 499 euros.

Oh I'll also need a good monitor, speakerset, keyboard and mouse and preferably a hotas.

 

[Miko]

@David Braben If there's one thing we share in common it is that we share the same period to be alive in a Universe where our miraculous existence is but a blink in time by comparison to the expansive everlasting Universe itself. But like Stars surrounded by the infinite darkness of space, we can and do shine in life much like they do and create light in the form of great life achievements and the happiness we can bring to those we shine our light upon. You, David, are a Star. You shone brightly when you bestowed upon us Elite and Frontier: Elite 2 and beyond and I still look up to your light now as a grown man many decades later. Don't let that Star fade to black. Keep that Star alive and no amount of darkness will hide you from our sight!

I admit that I haven't always posted friendly comments towards Frontier when I have at times felt immensely frustrated with some of the updates. But I do ultimately stick around because I appreciate the potential of the company with Elite Dangerous. Sadly, however, my time has been almost entirely spent on console. I do not wish to lose access to the game and wish to be part of it's continued journey, as do many others I am sure. So I ask this below.

Please don't send us console players into a Black Hole. Be the lasting light of an undying Star; for no matter how long it travels through the darkness of space and time, so long as it reaches our eyes in the end then we will see the brilliance of it's existence. Let Odyssey live and cast it's light onto next gen consoles so that we can feasibly continue our journey there. If it takes time, then no problem. At least if it exists then it's light will arrive in time. In the meantime, book us an Apex Interstellar Transport to the Jameson Memorial bar. We could all use a drink!

Care to join us?

 

[Dunadin]

Besides, why don't Console players swap for a Computer? The cost is similar, if not possibly cheaper than a Next-Gen Console.

Two reasons: Cost and space. My Series X + Game Pass cost me $840 for 2 years. A somewhat decent game PC will be twice that at least. Also, my Xbox fits neatly behind the TV and is out of the way. There is no game PC with a similar form factor that I could find. I thought long about it as I was (still am) interested in trying E : D in VR. I may at some point go that route, but not until I can move my console commander over. If INARA, EDSM et al. can import all my ships, ranks and materials, why can I not move that over to a PC?

 

[KREEG911]

Almost everyone has a PC. The division of the bases, of course, had a negative effect. Now you should really focus on the PC version and the story. My vision of how it can be with aliens is based on the 1998 movie Starship Troopers. Finally, work is no longer just for programmers.
In my opinion, the old view of instances in the game, NPCs and their logic is outdated. The concept itself should expand for ships. After all, you can already go beyond, everything that is in your art can be realized. And to expand the old approaches to optimization.
I heard that players from Star Citizen are moving to us because of the whole galaxy and factions in them, we just have to get rid of teleports to the ship with the introduction of ship interiors. Going out of the ship into space in a suit. It's just that now the elite, even with the Odyssey, have old mechanics that have not changed, I mean ship mechanics and interactions. So that it would be possible to walk around the entire station and the entire centrifugal region where there are seats for ships. Perhaps you should pay attention to Star Citizen in order to adopt something for yourself.

 

[Naddesh]

Almost everyone has a PC. The division of the bases, of course, had a negative effect. Now you should really focus on the PC version and the story. Personally, or rather my vision of how it can be with aliens, this is based on the 1998 Starship Troopers movie. Finally, work is no longer just for programmers.
Again, in my opinion, the old view of instances in the game, NPCs and their logic is outdated. The concept itself should expand into ship form. After all, you can already go beyond everything that is in your art can be realized. And to expand the old approaches to optimization.
I heard that players from Star Citizen are moving to us because of the whole galaxy and factions in them, we just have to get rid of teleports to the ship with the introduction of ship interiors. Going out of the ship into space in a suit. It's just that now the elite, even with the Odyssey, have old mechanics that have not changed, I mean ship mechanics and interactions. Perhaps you should pay attention to Star Citizen in order to adopt something for yourself.

Hate to break it to you but consoles are way more popular than PCs - speaking as a PC player. Yeah the console users quite often have laptops. Laptops which will never work with EDO. Most games have bigger console population than PC population.

 

[Cmdr Nimineza]

We may discuss the the end of us console players for the next 200 pages. FDev won't care anymore. They simply got other studf to do, e.g. lighting their cigars.

 

[KREEG911]

Hate to break it to you but consoles are way more popular than PCs - speaking as a PC player. Yeah the console users quite often have laptops. Laptops which will never work with EDO. Most games have bigger console population than PC population.

I meant that the PC is a more versatile platform. For example, in my country, on the contrary, there are more PCs than consoles, but yes, consoles have influence because of users. Just to move on faster, you need to make a game on the PC, because the developers themselves make it on the PC. I don't know how they make an odyssey for consoles, but if it's a separate development it's very expensive and if it's a PC port, every update will spend a lot of time optimizing for consoles. It turns out that it is better to pause the update and achieve progress and development of content on the PC before releasing it on the console.

 

[KREEG911]

Hate to break it to you but consoles are way more popular than PCs - speaking as a PC player. Yeah the console users quite often have laptops. Laptops which will never work with EDO. Most games have bigger console population than PC population.

Just why grow into new generations of consoles and spend a lot of money - time and man hours. If on the PC Odyssey is now in the form of a base where there is no special content yet.

 

[DG128k]

Love all this 'JuSt GeT a Pc' chat. Lads, a midrange 3d card alone is more than a XBSX/PS5, if you can get one, and then I doubt it'd get 10fps in EDO lol

 

[Sunyavadin]

why don't Console players swap for a Computer? The cost is similar, if not possibly cheaper than a Next-Gen Console.

Because if you at any point tried to buy one to upgrade your PC in the last few years, you'd be well aware that the PC graphics card equivalents to those in the ninth gen consoles cost TWICE AS MUCH as a PS5 or Series X.

I actually at one point looked for my current existing graphics card to see if they might be cheaper, and second-hand listings for it are twice what I paid for mine! It's absolute insanity.

 

[Sunyavadin]

The point is that they would also have no legal obligation to restrict it either. My presumption is that FDev's hands are tied by MS/Sony here.

Except the only player data stored on MS and Sony's cloud is your keybinds and suchlike.
Your cmdr data is linked entirely to your Frontier account registered with FDev and stored on their login servers. It's why you cannot play the console version without registering one. The only interaction between the two is when Frontier's servers check your XBox or Playstation ID when the console client tries to connect, and go "Ah, this is the account linked with this Frontier account, this data is permitted to be shared with the client now we have verified the identity of the person trying to log in from a console as being this Frontier account holder". The data is only ever temporarily shared with the specific instance of the client running at the time, each time you connect to the game servers to play, and the XBox's permission to access that data is rescinded the moment you disconnect..

 

[Sakashiro]

Love all this 'JuSt GeT a Pc' chat. Lads, a midrange 3d card alone is more than a XBSX/PS5, if you can get one, and then I doubt it'd get 10fps in EDO lol

A mid range card from 2016 will get you 50fps @ 1080p in EDO settlements. Out of the box, without overclocking.

The reason why consoles seem cheap is because they are subsidized. Either by yourself, if you buy games at a higher price than corresponding PC versions or pay for monthly subscriptions. Or by the developer, because they have to share the sales revenue with the console manufacturer. This fact certainly played a part in FDev's decision to drop console development. If they sell you the PC version via their own website and launcher, there's no middleman that takes a cut. This makes the PC version more profitable to them. And profits pay for further development.

 

[Spaceman-FXL5]

They just canned 30% of the player base though so that's 30% of the revenue stream from this game. think this is the beginning of the end ..maybe time for Elite 2 on a better engine?

I'm convinced this is the only way. The only way they get more income is a completely new ED2 - where is the income from EDO? - zero, it is merely a DLC!
PC users are deluding themselves, there IS NOT gonna be more DLC's or EDO2, it is a dying game going into maintenance mode, just hope the servers stay on so I can play and do the things I still want to do and enjoy on PS4.
On a more optimistic note, I will have a PS5 for ED2 well before it comes out in 3-4 years, not a PC.