I'll make no apologies for a long post. Stop reading right now if you don't like them. I don't do TL;DR.
So, generally I love the game. I've been in since the Kickstarter, tested since Premium Beta, and yes I'm an '84 Elite original.
Mostly I've been positive throughout the various Beta stages and Gamma and into release.
.
Recently that changed for me, with a seemingly small change by FD, which was changing the final shot kill rule. That isn't the point of this post however. The point is for me to explain why that small change was the tipping point for me personally, why I'm so concerned about the change in attitude very recently by the Devs and the direction they seem to be going in.
.
So I'll start by saying straight out that I'm really concerned that the Devs have seemingly changed attitudes recently, and are making the game too easy, far too accommodating to new players who have been playing less than a week and whine like crazy, and taking out the challenges in the game.
.
These challenges are what actually makes the game Elite, to me. Yes it's harsh. Yes it IS often unfair, but that is what MAKES it Elite. It's not a happy clappy universe where everyone is treated fairly or gets rewarded nicely and by damage dealt. It's where the highest, most respected ranking in the galaxy is based on killing people. Not 50% of them or even 99% of them. It's based on killing them. It has been for 30 years.
.
It's a universe with cops who shoot to kill without much provocation, where stations will blow you to smithereens wihout you doing much wrong, where slavery is common and a whole sector of society encourages and supports it. Where there are pirates who rob and kill you, where pretty much anything goes, and you live life on the edge. You can buy narcotics and trade in them, rob, kill, assassinate, steal and smuggle, and earn a living doing it. You can be an upstanding member of the Galaxy, a peaceful trader or the lowest scum imaginable, and that is up to you to deal with the consequences. And I love it exactly because of all of that.
.
This is where you come in to the universe with your crappy little ship and a handful of credits to make your own way anyhow you choose.
.
That has always been the case for me for 30 years. That's a long time, and not to be underestimated. Even back in the day, in my young mind that is how it was. I mention it because It's a key factor in how Mr. Braben managed to get a lot of money out of people like me to get this game made at all. It's why there are several really great books out right now where all this goes on and more, and why I have a copy of them all, and have read them all. It is, simply put, the Elite world I grew up with, and the established lore I devoured and lived my space fantasies in.
.
Some of the newer players to Elite really should try and appreciate that fact, and truly think about it, and take that on board before making calls for ANY change to that ethos. The Devs REALLY need to please consider that much more seriously before making any further change that will alter that background.
.
Throughout development FD have always given the impression they will make the game their way, and while they do read and listen to the playerbase, they will go with what they feel is best in the end. Which up until recently has always really been within the spirit of the original Elite game. I didn't always agree with some changes, but supported them if it fell into that category. They always said that while you can switch between open and solo play the NPC's will be just as tough and act just like players so it doesn't matter what mode you play in. To all intents and purposes, it shouldn't matter to you if that ship over there is a player or an NPC, you and they, will react in much the same way so you don't really tell much of a difference. This is being eroded in my opinion. Little bit by little bit. That is why I'm writing this to you, Mr. Braben and you the Devs, and you the players. It is not very often I do a long post like this at all. We've all been encouraged to give feedback. We all have our own opinions, and whether you agree with me or not, this is my opinion, and therefore my feedback and concerns.
.
This latest change has simply been the last in a fairly long list of things changed, in some cases quite literally in the last few weeks, that incrementally has started to change the game for the worse in my opinion and start to dumb it down too much. For me this latest change really makes it obvious (with other changes made) that I'm playing among NPC's and not other ships in the galaxy, really wrecks immersion for me and goes in the face of what I've been told throughout Beta, and what the Devs vision was when explaining why they can combine Online and Solo play and why it makes no difference which mode you are in.
.
Don't mistake me saying all this for not welcoming new players or wanting them to have the help they need to get going. I really understand how hard it can be to get your head around Elite, how the tutorials are fairly poor at the moment and how there is no real manual. These things need to be addressed really quickly, but in the meantime at least you do have the forums to ask your questions (I try to answer newbies questions often) and there are some great You Tube vids up that go some way to explaining things to get you going. When I started in Beta there was, practically, nothing to help and we had to figure it out as we went along. So yes, I get it. That doesn't mean I think things need to change to make it easier, or that challenges should be removed just because people are new to Elite. Changes that can actually change the premise of the franchise. The feel of it being Elite itself.
.
I get why people think I'm just moaning about this recent change. I'm not.
.
Devs (So primarily Mike, Sandro and Mr Braben himself) before you make any further changes please really think about what you are doing to MY Elite.
.
Here is a list of things that have been changed or introduced since Beta, for me, that make the game worse and provide less challenge and fun. Hopefully some will then understand why this latest change had me annoyed, because the culmination of them all is the issue, not any one of them on their own.
.
So, I ask you, before making any more changes, and what seem like knee-jerk reactions too often, please think about what you are doing to the Elite I love and the long term effects of seemingly minor changes, because they do add up and can ruin a game so easily. Please don't lose people like me who will stick with you for years to come, just to appease a younger, seemingly at times ADHD inflicted audience who will be gone in 6 months time. We lost a lot of good people over the offline debacle already.
.
It can and does happen through poor choices early on by devs, and all those previous games are dead in the water when they lose the core fan base and the fundamental core idea and lore of the game we all set out on this journey together to see come to fruition. I will continue to support you. I will still be here in months to come. I'm just asking you to think a little bit longer and harder before making seemingly small decisions to the game we all love, apparently to appease new players and make things easier all the time.
.
Regards,
.
Draig
So, generally I love the game. I've been in since the Kickstarter, tested since Premium Beta, and yes I'm an '84 Elite original.
Mostly I've been positive throughout the various Beta stages and Gamma and into release.
.
Recently that changed for me, with a seemingly small change by FD, which was changing the final shot kill rule. That isn't the point of this post however. The point is for me to explain why that small change was the tipping point for me personally, why I'm so concerned about the change in attitude very recently by the Devs and the direction they seem to be going in.
.
So I'll start by saying straight out that I'm really concerned that the Devs have seemingly changed attitudes recently, and are making the game too easy, far too accommodating to new players who have been playing less than a week and whine like crazy, and taking out the challenges in the game.
.
These challenges are what actually makes the game Elite, to me. Yes it's harsh. Yes it IS often unfair, but that is what MAKES it Elite. It's not a happy clappy universe where everyone is treated fairly or gets rewarded nicely and by damage dealt. It's where the highest, most respected ranking in the galaxy is based on killing people. Not 50% of them or even 99% of them. It's based on killing them. It has been for 30 years.
.
It's a universe with cops who shoot to kill without much provocation, where stations will blow you to smithereens wihout you doing much wrong, where slavery is common and a whole sector of society encourages and supports it. Where there are pirates who rob and kill you, where pretty much anything goes, and you live life on the edge. You can buy narcotics and trade in them, rob, kill, assassinate, steal and smuggle, and earn a living doing it. You can be an upstanding member of the Galaxy, a peaceful trader or the lowest scum imaginable, and that is up to you to deal with the consequences. And I love it exactly because of all of that.
.
This is where you come in to the universe with your crappy little ship and a handful of credits to make your own way anyhow you choose.
.
That has always been the case for me for 30 years. That's a long time, and not to be underestimated. Even back in the day, in my young mind that is how it was. I mention it because It's a key factor in how Mr. Braben managed to get a lot of money out of people like me to get this game made at all. It's why there are several really great books out right now where all this goes on and more, and why I have a copy of them all, and have read them all. It is, simply put, the Elite world I grew up with, and the established lore I devoured and lived my space fantasies in.
.
Some of the newer players to Elite really should try and appreciate that fact, and truly think about it, and take that on board before making calls for ANY change to that ethos. The Devs REALLY need to please consider that much more seriously before making any further change that will alter that background.
.
Throughout development FD have always given the impression they will make the game their way, and while they do read and listen to the playerbase, they will go with what they feel is best in the end. Which up until recently has always really been within the spirit of the original Elite game. I didn't always agree with some changes, but supported them if it fell into that category. They always said that while you can switch between open and solo play the NPC's will be just as tough and act just like players so it doesn't matter what mode you play in. To all intents and purposes, it shouldn't matter to you if that ship over there is a player or an NPC, you and they, will react in much the same way so you don't really tell much of a difference. This is being eroded in my opinion. Little bit by little bit. That is why I'm writing this to you, Mr. Braben and you the Devs, and you the players. It is not very often I do a long post like this at all. We've all been encouraged to give feedback. We all have our own opinions, and whether you agree with me or not, this is my opinion, and therefore my feedback and concerns.
.
This latest change has simply been the last in a fairly long list of things changed, in some cases quite literally in the last few weeks, that incrementally has started to change the game for the worse in my opinion and start to dumb it down too much. For me this latest change really makes it obvious (with other changes made) that I'm playing among NPC's and not other ships in the galaxy, really wrecks immersion for me and goes in the face of what I've been told throughout Beta, and what the Devs vision was when explaining why they can combine Online and Solo play and why it makes no difference which mode you are in.
.
Don't mistake me saying all this for not welcoming new players or wanting them to have the help they need to get going. I really understand how hard it can be to get your head around Elite, how the tutorials are fairly poor at the moment and how there is no real manual. These things need to be addressed really quickly, but in the meantime at least you do have the forums to ask your questions (I try to answer newbies questions often) and there are some great You Tube vids up that go some way to explaining things to get you going. When I started in Beta there was, practically, nothing to help and we had to figure it out as we went along. So yes, I get it. That doesn't mean I think things need to change to make it easier, or that challenges should be removed just because people are new to Elite. Changes that can actually change the premise of the franchise. The feel of it being Elite itself.
.
I get why people think I'm just moaning about this recent change. I'm not.
.
Devs (So primarily Mike, Sandro and Mr Braben himself) before you make any further changes please really think about what you are doing to MY Elite.
.
Here is a list of things that have been changed or introduced since Beta, for me, that make the game worse and provide less challenge and fun. Hopefully some will then understand why this latest change had me annoyed, because the culmination of them all is the issue, not any one of them on their own.
.
- Solo play. Throughout most of Beta it was all effectively forced Open play. I preferred it looking back, to all this switching business.
- Reduced interdictions. Gone way too far.
- Availability of A grade components practically everywhere.
- NPC AI reduced from Beta. They got a whole lot dumber and easier.
- Reduced practical use of Silent running. It used to work well and have a purpose. No one does it any more.
- Reduced jump in range at stations from 20k to less than 10k. Totally safe zones effectively. We had fun around them in Beta.
- NPCs with no shields. I mean....what? C'mon...
- Shield Cells. No point in power management any more.
- USS with multiple attackers no longer exist unless you shoot cops. Where did they go?
- Insurance tweaks to increase the penalty of ship destruction were reversed.
- Cargo insurance (it's not in yet but it is on the panel so coming) Really? More cotton wool!
- Rare commodities - what a farce that was.
- Easier docking. Way too easy!
- Living after crashing into a station quite easily. Where's the danger gone from docking? That was a huge thing back in the day!
- Anarchy systems are the safest systems to fly in. No fines or bounties, kill what you want and steal what you want. No danger!
- Escaping anything is a case of boosting not a chance of failing to get away. Ever.
- Interdiction mini game too easy to avoid. May as well ask you "Do you want a fight? Y/N"
- Change to kill gets reward mechanic. Totally immersion breaking, NPC should have the same rules as players. No risk of losing a kill ever.
So, I ask you, before making any more changes, and what seem like knee-jerk reactions too often, please think about what you are doing to the Elite I love and the long term effects of seemingly minor changes, because they do add up and can ruin a game so easily. Please don't lose people like me who will stick with you for years to come, just to appease a younger, seemingly at times ADHD inflicted audience who will be gone in 6 months time. We lost a lot of good people over the offline debacle already.
.
It can and does happen through poor choices early on by devs, and all those previous games are dead in the water when they lose the core fan base and the fundamental core idea and lore of the game we all set out on this journey together to see come to fruition. I will continue to support you. I will still be here in months to come. I'm just asking you to think a little bit longer and harder before making seemingly small decisions to the game we all love, apparently to appease new players and make things easier all the time.
.
Regards,
.
Draig
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