how does ED compare to SC ?

[Jenner]

@Mephane:

I understand that you're uncomfortable with the pay-for-ships/LTI funding model over at Cloud Imperium, but I can't really understand why it 'terrifies' you. It's not light years different (yuk yuk!) from what ED has done with some of their funding tiers: Want to start out on an Imperial planet with an Eagle? Open up your wallet. Want to be a founding member? Pay up. You don't have to! It won't affect your overall game experience all that much, but it's a nice perk that some people are willing to pay for. Do you feel under psychological pressure to 'jonty up' here as well as for SC? To me it seems like the same thing, as my bank account can attest.

 

[Hellhawk666]

LTI has been blown out of all proportions really. It's not that big a perk by the sounds of it, as regular insurance is just as good and doesn't cost a vast number of credits.

^^^
This!

When I first started looking at the SC site, which was only a few months ago, I discovered I'd missed out on the LTI gift that was only for early backers and felt like I was at a disadvantage. However after a bit of research I found out what a comparatively small thing it really is.

The big noise and panic about it is from new backers who have not looked into it and assume it means something it is not. LTI is not magic protection that will prevent harm coming to you, or guarantee the continued life of your ship. I think a lot of people used to other MMOs imagine that without it you will have to start again from scratch if your character is killed, and that just isn't so.

If you have no insurance at all that would be the case, but LTI is no different to ordinary insurance. It is just a single (and quite large) payment so you don't have to worry about paying for insurance again on that ship in the game. You will get precisely the same benefit by having a standard 3 or 4 month insurance contract - the only difference is that you have to renew your insurance periodically for what will be a relatively small sum of credits earned in-game.

Really - it was just a small perk for early backers to encourage them to put up money - I fail to see what is terrifying about it

 

[Hellhawk666]

how do SC requirements compare to E D minimum requirements as stated?

Not absolutely known, but in the alpha stage they will most likely be similar.

When the game gets its public release, however, it might be a different story. Part of the stated design philosophy of SC is to demonstrate how much better gaming can be on a PC rather than a console. The SC developers are intent on building a game that will push the limits of the personal computer as far as they can, so I expect it will need to run on a relatively highly specified machine. This is just a guess but I don't see them compromising their vision just so the game will run on older machines.

What that will mean in comparison to ED's final release requirements I have no idea.

PS - From the listed specs in your signature we have similar setups - I have the GTX 780 card, and that's about the only difference. I think we're both reasonably future-proof for the next couple of years

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

When I first started looking at the SC site, which was only a few months ago, I discovered I'd missed out on the LTI gift that was only for early backers and felt like I was at a disadvantage. However after a bit of research I found out what a comparatively small thing it really is.

Tell this to newcomers-buyers in grey market

SC ship sale has made me uneasy because they're actively advertised and sold as separate goods. Now, I know what you will say - it's all for the game, I understand. But they already got money, more than enough. Why not stop selling ships if they are only for pledges? If it's already "profit" part of the game, that it should be clarified, I really don't mind high class indies a profit I also think it wouldn't stop people buying them, but it would make things much clearer. Otherwise current situation cause this "scammy" feeling lot of people start to attribute to SC, because cause is alright, but it is de facto selling in-game content *very early* before game release.

Such potential accusations in my opinion was whole reason why David didn't want to do that - because of problems with forced FFE release in the past, and whole waiting for Elite 4. That explains lack of stretch goals too.

 

[Jack Booted Thug]

Tell this to newcomers-buyers in grey market

SC ship sale has made me uneasy because they're actively advertised and sold as separate goods. Now, I know what you will say - it's all for the game, I understand. But they already got money, more than enough. Why not stop selling ships if they are only for pledges? If it's already "profit" part of the game, that it should be clarified, I really don't mind high class indies a profit I also think it wouldn't stop people buying them, but it would make things much clearer. Otherwise current situation cause this "scammy" feeling lot of people start to attribute to SC, because cause is alright, but it is de facto selling in-game content *very early* before game release.

Such potential accusations in my opinion was whole reason why David didn't want to do that - because of problems with forced FFE release in the past, and whole waiting for Elite 4. That explains lack of stretch goals too.

1. People want to pay money for ships.
2. Star Citizen facilitates what people want.

I don't see a problem with it, it does bring in the big bucks efficiently.

 

[izzy]

1. People want to pay money for ships.
2. Star Citizen facilitates what people want.

I don't see a problem with it, it does bring in the big bucks efficiently.

Agree people do what they want with their money ...

 

[Oss133]

A fool and his money are soon parted.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I don't see a problem with it, it does bring in the big bucks efficiently.

Yes, when you sell something people want, it is calling a sale, not a pledge It's OK for CIG to sell ships, just call it accordingly. Currently rarely anyone buying ships knows that there's no contraction requirement for CIG to deliver anything. They could miss ship database tomorrow

Otherwise people already talking around about constructing some KS projects as purely scams. There are few examples for this. I would very much like to avoid such talk, because it also impacts other KS projects too, not only SC or ED.

 

[Mephane]

1. People want to pay money for ships.
2. Star Citizen facilitates what people want.

I don't see a problem with it, it does bring in the big bucks efficiently.

- The actual prices are very high. We are talking about three-digit numbers for some ships, four-digit in grey markets iirc. When a ship costs a hundred bucks of real cash, you can guess how much play time it will probably take to earn the ingame money to buy the same ship by simply playing. There is a massive grind implied by these figures.

- LTI. Regardless of the actual impact of LTI, it is a real, long-term benefit, not just a perk for the start of the game. And we actually do not know how big of an advantage it will be or what "a small fee" will actually translate to in ingame money or (more importantly) hours played to earn it, as the entire notion is highly subjective and speculative.

- At least some of the ships sold now are exclusive ship variants that won't be available by other means. This can be a huge plus for one group of people, and a huge minus for another group*.

- To actually benefit from the deal, you have to meet several criteria at once: you have been there when it was available, you were willing to back early, you actually had the cash to pay up front at that time, and on top of that the ship(s) you get with LTI actually are the ones you end up playing, which no one can predict at the moment.

- Stepping back and taking a look at the bigger picture, what is actually happening here, with exclusive ship variants available for a limited time? I call it arbitrary artificial scarcity. The one place where we are not bound to scarcity as a result of the make-up of the physical world, and we impose it upon ourselves - virtual worlds.


*Please don't read this as "those who have access like it, those who came late don't". Whether someone likes an exclusivity deal is orthogonal to the question whether someone takes part in the deal. Just for the record, I will have access to the Founder's System in ED and yet still would love it to be open to everyone.

 

[Wizaerd]

I never played Elite or Frontier, although I remember playing Wing COmmander back in the day...

Anyways, my hopes for a space game isn't so much about a single pilot, locked in a cockpit. I want to own and control fleets of trading ships, I want to build a financial empire, and then turn all those profits towards military conquest.

Will this game offer that kind of gameplay, or will I always be locked in a cockpit, fighting and shooting people/ships myself?

 

[jabokai]

I never played Elite or Frontier, although I remember playing Wing COmmander back in the day...

Anyways, my hopes for a space game isn't so much about a single pilot, locked in a cockpit. I want to own and control fleets of trading ships, I want to build a financial empire, and then turn all those profits towards military conquest.

Will this game offer that kind of gameplay, or will I always be locked in a cockpit, fighting and shooting people/ships myself?

No, it won't... at least not for a long time. The primary game is you flying your one ship (at a time, you can own more) for trading, exploring, fighting, etc.

Maybe after the initial release and two planned expansions things will change... but it's not necessarily that type of game.

Have a look at Limit Theory

 

[Oss133]

I never played Elite or Frontier, although I remember playing Wing COmmander back in the day...

Anyways, my hopes for a space game isn't so much about a single pilot, locked in a cockpit. I want to own and control fleets of trading ships, I want to build a financial empire, and then turn all those profits towards military conquest.

Will this game offer that kind of gameplay, or will I always be locked in a cockpit, fighting and shooting people/ships myself?

The initial release will be you in your cockpit. Future plans may expand on this but it is unknown at this time how far those expansions may go.

 

[Capt. Hook]

I never played Elite or Frontier, although I remember playing Wing COmmander back in the day...

Anyways, my hopes for a space game isn't so much about a single pilot, locked in a cockpit. I want to own and control fleets of trading ships, I want to build a financial empire, and then turn all those profits towards military conquest.

Will this game offer that kind of gameplay, or will I always be locked in a cockpit, fighting and shooting people/ships myself?

Only one ship at a time can be piloted. Although more than one ship at a time can be owned, no fleet can be deployed by a single player.

Players will be able to leave their ships in later versions of the game which includes planet landings and whatnot. It's even being mooted players will be able to sneak aboard other ships and steal then, the rascals.

 

[SAB380]

Sc has one of the most detestable forum communities I have had the displeasure to witness. This can effect how you perceive and enjoy the game, in particular the on-line aspect. It's subjective so check them out.

lulz you haven't spent much time on the web forums if you think SC's is 'detestable'

 

[SAB380]

I think one of the bigger problems with people going crazy on 'limited ships' in SC is they're going to start the game with every ship they could ever want and find they have no reason to spend time earning their 'dream ships' in game.

Everyone is different but a big part of the fun for me with Elite and other space sims was building my way up until being able to afford ships like the Anaconda and Panther.

Starting the game on day 1 with every type of ship you could ever need for any purpose seems odd.

 

[MarcusAurelius]

I just hope that Elite Dangerous keeps on giving us the best experience possible. I don't know how much work goes to making each ship for ED. But it seems its no less important to realize a good working model as it is for SC.

Of course there wont be the need for all the bells and whistles as SC are doing it. But regardless of that, I hope David Braben does make the effort in having a ship model that looks and feels current gen (technology graphicwise)

Doing otherwise will only break the immersion aspect, and if its going to be Oculus Rift ready, then its only prudent to maintain a level of detail contemporary with todays offerings. Star Citizen only raises the bar even more. But I don't think David Braben is one to shy from such challenges. Being in close contact with Chris Roberts makes me wonder if they are shooting ideas to each other every now and then. This can only be a good thing.

 

[Zarkon]

 

[Carsten]

I have backed both as well .... I just backed ED by a hell of alot more than I did SC.

As its already been stated at few times, the 2 games will be different, so I am sure you will prob. enjoy both of them.

I know I will

For me at least though, I am sure ED will have the most long term playability.

 

[Fromhell]

Elite launches well before Star Citizen

ha. Totally going to bookmark this one

 

[PacalB]

Now that was just pure class ! lol