Gradually Losing Respect for Frontier Development - Here is Why

[daan2002]

I know some that would consider it game over if they received 5 bill, no need to farm missions to get the biggest ship/best weapons yknow and it doesn't sound like theres much else out there

if i had got it not game over for me just starting but first i start by going back to noob town and having fun with them maybe for the next month then i set out to see the galaxy then who knows

 

[{SAS}Stalker]

Here's the post you are referring to : https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=92883&p=1448005



Could you point me at where Michael says the 5 billion people did not cheat or do anything wrong please.

I've looked through and I can't see any such post.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=92233&p=1437939&viewfull=1#post1437939

its in there, specifically;

After shoring up the database, in the early hours of the 2nd of January, we automatically refunded all the affected players for their lost transactions and also granted them a 20% bonus for their troubles. However, during this refund process, a very few (lucky) commanders received more credits than perhaps they were entitled to (5 billion credits in some cases)!

To be clear - these players will not be banned. Over the next 24 hours we will be investigating every affected player and performing individual commander rollbacks where we feel it's fair to - which may include credits, assets and rank where appropriate. We may reach out to individual commanders where this situation may not be straight forward. None of these players will be eligible for the "Race to Elite" competition if we feel they have gained an unfair advantage over the competition.

Which insinuates that the 5B issue was a FD created problem and not player related. Did these people instigate the issue initially and benefit from the fixing that FD did, who knows and you / we are likely to ever know. All that is known is that FD don't think the player did anything wrong, hence taking no action.

 

[Voron]

I can't agree really.

It was a mistake to go live right before a major holiday, but a minor one. I played the entire time with only ONE bad server day. It went surprisingly smooth for such an anticipated game.

A week to refund isn't that big a deal in the "real world". Again, over a holiday. If he never received a refund that would be different.

I am, miffed on how they handled the billionaire raffle and I could care less about the "race to elite" (I have a job), only what ships may be blowing me up for no risk to the billionaires in the future. Key there is miffed. I still played yesterday.

There is far to much awesome in elite to complain about a few issues the first few weeks.

holiday, what are you talking about

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if i had got it not game over for me just starting but first i start by going back to noob town and having fun with them maybe for the next month then i set out to see the galaxy then who knows

yeah and then ur left with nothing else to do arnt ya

 

[Marikc0]

I think it was going to cause too much damage to rollback to fix the billionaires/exploiters, too much damage or too much time as really there was no precident that they'd actually get to keep the funds so its not like they had to save face. They can only have chosen this path from a conclusion drawn with more information and just like I said when it first came to light that everything was breaking, the longer you wait to rollback the less likely you will.

Honestly, I think it's far more damaging not to admit you were wrong as a developer. I have a lot of respect for some developers who came back and said, "You know what, we made a mistake with that decision".

 

[Beetlebum]

My way of thinking, which certainly would relieve a lot of perceived stress and disappointment you seem to have is this;

Less than 50 people won the "galaxy" lottery.

In real life, someone winning the lottery has not affected my life, or anyone I know or have ever known's life in any way, shape or form. It will not in Elite either. The chances of you ever meeting one of the billionaires is minutely small. As it is in real life.

My advice, and please don't take this the wrong way, is just get on with it, and enjoy yourself man.

I found the less time I spent in the forum whinging about things and the more time I spent playing the game, the happier I was with how I was spending my free time. Give it a try, chill out and try to just enjoy it for what it is.

Goosefraaabaaaa

This post reminds me a bit of the Stockholm Syndrome. If you can't change things, submit yourself. Sorry, this is not my style. I think the more realistic way to see it is a bank error which has to be corrected. A lottery would have been announced and you had to buy a ticket (risk vs reward). I wouldn't mind having a lottery ingame. But I don't put a slant on things.

 

[Crabwich]

Because it insults my sense of fairness. I don't want that cheated money has influence in the game at all. Not a single bit. Not 0.0000000000001%. It opens the box of pandora.

This is what is most upsetting. Obviously, there is no impact to economy now or in the future. The fact that FD allowed people to keep billions of free credits tells me that credits are, and will always be, nothing more than a path to ship upgrades. There is no plan for a real economy, any type of manufacturing path etc. to give credits any meaning. There is no power to credits beyond the ships that they bring. This is a depressing realization. If there were plans to have a real economy, FD would never let a few people have such an advantage. So, I'll enjoy the combat/docking simulator until it gets really boring or until [game x] comes out.

 

[daan2002]

holiday, what are you talking about

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yeah and then ur left with nothing else to do arnt ya

not really still rep to gain see this my thing if them having 5 billion does not and i "affect my gameplay" then why would me getting it affect yours this why dev should just make a console command that lets anyone who want to use said command get 5 bill one time

 

[Marikc0]

This post reminds me a bit of the Stockholm Syndrome. If you can't change things, submit yourself. Sorry, this is not my style. I think the more realistic way to see it is a bank error which has to be corrected. A lottery would have been announced and you had to buy a ticket (risk vs reward). I wouldn't mind having a lottery ingame. But I don't put a slant on things.

The fact that people are comparing this to a lottery blows my mind.

 

[Dire]

Perhaps FD could make a new sub-forum just for click-bait, attention hungry threads where all the "Another thread about what I think MUST BE DONE!", "MY PROBLEM IS THIS...", "I WANNA ....", "Everyone REALLY needs to know I'M LEAVING ED!", " I'm a Dev, and I...." can be put, It'll improve the forums no end, which are gaining a reputation of not being a very nice place to be.

 

[Marikc0]

Perhaps FD could make a new sub-forum just for click-bait, attention hungry threads where all the "Another thread about what I think MUST BE DONE!", "MY PROBLEM IS THIS...", "I WANNA ....", "Everyone REALLY needs to know I'M LEAVING ED!", " I'm a Dev, and I...." can be put, It'll improve the forums no end, which are gaining a reputation of not being a very nice place to be.

A troll has entered the thread.

Here is a bridge. Don't stay out past sun up.

/------------------------------------------------------\

 

[daan2002]

The fact that people are comparing this to a lottery blows my mind.

ya lottery is something everyone can enter this was just literally 5 billion appearing out of thin air there was no lottery

 

[Shintai]

Remember, Frontier gave the players 3 choices. Its not like it couldnt be undone.

 

[LARY STARKEEPER]

Hi Marikc,

There were a few people (less than 50) that were accidentally given 5 billion credits by a process that was refunding credits people had lost.

It's only these accidental billionaires that have been given choice of keeping those credits, not anyone who's repeatedly used an exploit like you describe happening on IRC.

Those who repeatedly exploited the various problems that arose will be tracked down and dealt with Andy Barlow said.

Those "accidental billionaires" can keep their credits ? If I knew, I would sold my shields for 5 billions...
... Seriously, many players are hard working to get credits but 50 people have the right to keep 5 billions ? Okay, I want 5 billions too ! Accidentally of course ! Give it to me !
What does those people to get 5 billions ? Nothing ? I've done nothing ! I swear ! Give me 5 billions ! Come on !


... Totally non-sense ! We are in ELITE ! ELITE ! DAMN ! How David could think that community will accept that 50 peoples earned 5 billions credits freely ! Those guys don't have the right to play with us, get them out !

 

[daan2002]

Remember, Frontier gave the players 3 choices. Its not like it couldnt be undone.

if it was me i would have picked to keep it i dont care about any competition

 

[Voron]

not really still rep to gain see this my thing if them having 5 billion does not and i "affect my gameplay" then why would me getting it affect yours this why dev should just make a console command that lets anyone who want to use said command get 5 bill one time

think im debating, and saying that u getting 5 bill will ruin ur game

 

[MJallday]

The fact that people are comparing this to a lottery blows my mind.

i know.

to the OP - you are bang on with some very reasoned arguments. As the head of IT in a software house - which also encompassed Technical services and Customer services, i can tell you that if I treated any of my customers like this, we'd be out of business in 6 months.

fundamentally

* the software was released before it was ready. Sometimes that happens , but in a s/ware house - you choose accept that risk based on commercial elements.
* There has been a total lack of communications from official channels where there needed to be. - Yes developers work hard (60-80 hours is pushing it a bit, but certainly not 9-5 daily - they tend to work longer hours in a focused project) - BUT the development work should have already been completed. the people working over christmas should have been technical support. This was completely lacking over the festive period - and its taken FD by surprise.
* They are trying to remedy the situation - very admirable
* They absolutely should not have allowed this situation of "well some people can keep their credits" - look at the hoo-ha its caused. What they should have done is said "very sorry, we're rolling back to 50 people, heres a free gift" - but they didnt do that. and you have to ask yourself "why" -

in my view Theres 3 reasons why we are ware we are

a) its not 50 people, its a lot more and theyre not telling you that. OR
b) they have no capability of a rollback at that level (and publically admiiting that would be an issue) OR
c) theyve made a decision to annoy several thousand people rather than 50 "in good faith" thinking it wont cause an issue

(FWIW i believe the answer is c)

well guess what FD - your decision has well and truely bitten you on the behind. look at the fallout. you might be able to control this forum. but facebook, twitter, reddit (which are much bigger social platforms than this forum) is awash with people being negative - and look at the comments - people WERE defending you. now they are not.

the problem youve got now is that you cant go back. youve set a precident, and now your in quite a bad place in terms of your relationship with the buying public. people can be won around in time, but this is now going to take you months and years to recover the situation. so i absolutely urge you to get your PR sorted.

such a shame.

in anycase, i shall be enjoying the game in my little corner of the universe.




There

 

[Voron]

not really still rep to gain see this my thing if them having 5 billion does not and i "affect my gameplay" then why would me getting it affect yours this why dev should just make a console command that lets anyone who want to use said command get 5 bill one time

Ur elite at the game u must of put a lot of time into it, have u finished it already?, imagine if u had that money and didn't have to mission to get ur big ships

 

[Steve_T]

Tend to agree with the OP's points regarding holidays and the online store problems. If someone pays money for something online and there is a problem with their order, it is completely unacceptable for them not to deal with the issue during a holiday period. While many companies may not deal with admin stuff over the weekend, closing the office completely for more than a few days is just not on.

 

[Beetlebum]

So do you feel somehow cheated out of money you weren't entitled to in the first place, and now want it? Has it harmed your enjoyment of the game in some way perhaps? I think too many players are looking over their neighbours fence with envious eyes and should probably concentrate on their own back yard a little more and enjoy what they have, not lament what they don't.

I'll leave the thread when I am bored though, not when I am told, thanks. Don't feel hurt or attacked, I'm just expressing an opinion just as you are.

I am not discussing to your entertainment. If you don't care about this issue, I don't talk with you about this issue. Besides, all your questions have already been answered a dozen times. No one is jeolous here. The people here care about a fair game and attitude of the developers. Just read the thread.

 

[CMDR Byr Goefin]

Those "accidental billionaires" can keep their credits ? If I knew, I would sold my shields for 5 billions...
... Seriously, many players are hard working to get credits but 50 people have the right to keep 5 billions ? Okay, I want 5 billions too ! Accidentally of course ! Give it to me !
What does those people to get 5 billions ? Nothing ? I've done nothing ! I swear ! Give me 5 billions ! Come on !


... Totally non-sense ! We are in ELITE ! ELITE ! DAMN ! How David could think that community will accept that 50 peoples earned 5 billions credits freely !

I would be upset if I DID get the 5 Billion. It would ruin the sense of accomplishment I get when seeing a new high balance in my account.

Sure, I could delete save, but then I would lose the progress I had made so far...

So stop crying, you get to actually play the game on the terms intended, while these 50 players just got robbed of their $60 bucks.