Horizons How does it end? -or- The facts of a video game's life.

Swan Electro

Swan Electro
Hopefully, no time soon, but Eventually, at some point...

It is likely that Elite Dangerous will fall below a threshold of profitability, and it will loose it's corporate stewards.
Since ED is only able to be played with specialized server-side support in it's current form, I wonder if Frontier Development has put any thought into providing for those who would like to play it after it has passed out of vogue into the realm of retro-gaming.

I would like to think that they have, but it doesn't seem likely.

The current incarnation of ED wouldn't be possible without the reference provided by the original versions from the amiga era, so I'd like to know that someone is at least considering how it's death knell should be rung for posterity.
 

Robert Maynard

Volunteer Moderator
Robert Maynard
From memory, Frontier have said that, in the event that the game were to be closed down, then there would be a release of a package that would permit players to run their own server.
 

Swan Electro

Swan Electro
Thanks for the links!
Hmm... I feel an unpopular thought coming on (I hate when I do this):

I understand that saying this is not going to endear me to anyone around here, but I am skeptical of the phrasing David Braben used: "We plan to archive the game from time to time (ie matching client and servers and game world state)".
that seems like something someone says about an item on a "to do" list that has been buried 20 headers down, and 3 bullets and a semicolon in.

Nearly two years have passed since that post, and I see that David Braben's forum activity makes mine look downright chatty.
While I'm happy to know that someone thought about it once, after being prompted, I'd be happier still, seeing that expounded upon with past tense verbs.
 
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Nick Sticks

Nick Sticks
It would be nice to know officially that, say, the first server/client archive had been taken that could be released for third party use.
I suspect it is done at every point release and that there is a row of USB sticks on DB's desk incrementally numbered :D.
Really, even after having talked about it, there still could be nothing released after the game is "finished", there is no real obligation and you can always come up with a reason why some essential part of the code cannot be released to the public.
If it happens so be it, enjoy the ride while we can.
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Shadowdancer

Shadowdancer
For the new people, at launch the server architecture looked something like described in this presentation:

[video=youtube_share;EvJPyjmfdz0]https://youtu.be/EvJPyjmfdz0[/video]

I think it's fair to say that it wouldn't have become any simpler.
 
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