Horizons I looked at the calendar, and wonder how will we get those 4 "major" expansions in 2016

[The Law]

With Engineers beta coming in May, the live release looks like early june at best. So if we do the math, it took 5 months for 2.1 to release. Now, with only 7 months left, and three expansions left, that means only 2 months and few days are between the release of those three expansions. I don't mean to be negative, but I honestly want to see how will FDev manage that and keep at least the same quality level of Engineers, that took 5 months with less then half a time of development for other three expansions.

 

[Nick Sticks]

Fear not. There was another thread discussing this somewhere.
The explanation I liked best went something like: 2.1 is the big one, the framework that needs to be done first. The other updates will either piggyback off of 2.1 and therefore will not take as long or are actually been worked on now, in advance.
.

 

[The Law]

Fear not. There was another thread discussing this somewhere.
The explanation I liked best went something like: 2.1 is the big one, the framework that needs to be done first. The other updates will either piggyback off of 2.1 and therefore will not take as long or are actually been worked on now, in advance.
.

This is also one of my fears. When we bought Horizons, they promised us 4 major updates in 2016. But if Engineers is the big one and all others just drip feed something from the Engineers, then it will surely not be major expansion, rather small expansion. So my fear is that they will downscale the 3 other expansions, to keep the 2016 deadline and also to sell Season 3

 

[Chris Simon]

This is also one of my fears. When we bought Horizons, they promised us 4 major updates in 2016. But if Engineers is the big one and all others just drip feed something from the Engineers, then it will surely not be major expansion, rather small expansion. So my fear is that they will downscale the 3 other expansions, to keep the 2016 deadline and also to sell Season 3

Okay, this has been discussed elsewhere at length and you can find it, or read the newsletters, but I'd like to point out one thing.
We weren't promised four major updates in 2016. We were promised four major updates this season. And we will get them.
Delays in development happen and if you don't like it, don't buy into early access, but wait for a finished product. [rolleyes]

That being said. Devs stated that the other updates are being worked on in parallel, already, so delay of one doesn't necessarily mean a delay of others. I have hope. [yesnod]

 

[TheDayman]

This is also one of my fears. When we bought Horizons, they promised us 4 major updates in 2016. But if Engineers is the big one and all others just drip feed something from the Engineers, then it will surely not be major expansion, rather small expansion. So my fear is that they will downscale the 3 other expansions, to keep the 2016 deadline and also to sell Season 3

Worst case scenario, it might leak over into 2017 a bit. Disappointing, yes but not overly a huge deal.

 

[SentineI]

Worst case scenario, it might leak over into 2017 a bit. Disappointing, yes but not overly a huge deal.

It might be more disappointing to FDev's bank & the stock market though... (Missing the Xmas period for Season 3.)

 

[The Law]

It might be more disappointing to FDev's bank & the stock market though... (Missing the Xmas period for Season 3.)

That is why they will not miss it. Horizons 2.0 was not ready for the release before Christmas last year, but they pushed it out, because of the Christmas sale window. So whatever happens, Season 3 will be for sale before end of 2016.

Last two years were indication of that, Elite 1.0 was pushed out too, despite not being ready.

 

[Tinman]

Where have they said that all updates will be "equal" in scope? (They haven't)

Some will be bigger and others will be smaller, just like last year. Especially if you take people different priorities into consideration in regards to what each player think is "major" or "minor".

We also know they have different teams working on different features (including things for Season 3 and 4). So one update being delayed doesn't necessarily mean other's are affected that much. Sure, to some degree it will affect things since they might pull some people off other teams to catch up with 2.1, but it's not like the entire team is working on 2.1 as it is anyway.

Them having 2.4 as "TBA" is obviously also a way to have a buffer...2.4 will contain whatever they have time to get in there.

 

[Chris Simon]

Where have they said that all updates will be "equal" in scope? (They haven't)

Some will be bigger and others will be smaller, just like last year. Especially if you take people different priorities into consideration in regards to what each player think is "major" or "minor".

We also know they have different teams working on different features (including things for Season 3 and 4). So one update being delayed doesn't necessarily mean other's are affected that much. Sure, to some degree it will affect things since they might pull some people off other teams to catch up with 2.1, but it's not like the entire team is working on 2.1 as it is anyway.

Exactly my thoughts. 2.1 is laying ground to other updates, coding-wise, so they are more easily implemented. Plus it contains some substantial graphical overhaul, it seems and new mechanics.

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

This is also one of my fears. When we bought Horizons, they promised us 4 major updates in 2016. But if Engineers is the big one and all others just drip feed something from the Engineers, then it will surely not be major expansion, rather small expansion.

Since 1.3 and 1.4, my fear/concern is that FD works on implementing new stuff, while the old stuff already implemented (not even talking about some things that are yet to be rebalanced since launch of the game!) dramatically needs a revamp or some tweaks.

I am at a point where I actually don't really want new content to be added, but FD to work on the existing stuff.
For instance, PowerPlay could be a masterpiece but is not, and barely nothing has been changed/tweaked/fixed since release about a year ago.
CQC (now Arena) could be so much fun but is also a fail.

The worst is that for most things, only a few easy tweaks of current mechanisms or tools would be required to make them great.
Anyway, I just hope that 2.1 or later will bring the changes, to the existing content, which "we" have been asking for so long.

 

[SentineI]

That is why they will not miss it. Horizons 2.0 was not ready for the release before Christmas last year, but they pushed it out, because of the Christmas sale window. So whatever happens, Season 3 will be for sale before end of 2016.

If so then we might end-up in the "amusing" situation where Season 2 stuff is still being released in early 2017, while Season 3 passes are being sold at end of 2016. I wouldn't rule it out...

 

[Wylie28]

Frontier did not say a season equates to a year. Just because season 1 took a year to make does not mean season 2 will

 

[SentineI]

I am at a point where I actually don't really want new content to be added, but FD to work on the existing stuff.
For instance, PowerPlay could be a masterpiece but is not, and barely nothing has been changed/tweaked/fixed since release about a year ago.
CQC (now Arena) could be so much fun but is also a fail.

Unfortunately it's much harder to argue that fixes to existing stuff will sell more new copies of the game than shiny new features. Although I do feel it's getting to the point where this is really starting to harm the game's sales: e.g. Anecdotal evidence of many people not (yet) recommending ED to their non-space-mad friends, because they don't think it's good enough. e.g. Slightly poor sales of Horizons (on Steam, before they changed it to DLC & thus hid the sales numbers).

Supposedly (some) existing stuff will get revamped in Season 2 (e.g. PowerPlay), although it remains to be seen whether a little or a lot.

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Frontier did not say a season equates to a year. Just because season 1 took a year to make does not mean season 2 will

Sigh. Please try to read the thread a little, before commenting. This is your answer why they'll want to release Season 3 by Xmas:

That is why they will not miss it. Horizons 2.0 was not ready for the release before Christmas last year, but they pushed it out, because of the Christmas sale window. So whatever happens, Season 3 will be for sale before end of 2016.

Last two years were indication of that, Elite 1.0 was pushed out too, despite not being ready.

 

[Wylie28]

Sigh. Please try to read the thread a little, before commenting. This is your answer why they'll want to release Season 3 by Xmas:

My reply was not directed at the thread but at the original post, if i was adding to the conversation going on in the thread i would have used a quote like this ^
I understand why they would want to, but that doesnt mean it will happen. Look at NMS Hello Games wanted to release by 2015 but that just wasnt possible. Seeing that they delayed 2.1 i think they have decided that releasing buggy content is worse than releasing better content later

 

[Chaz]

Unfortunately it's much harder to argue that fixes to existing stuff will sell more new copies of the game than shiny new features. Although I do feel it's getting to the point where this is really starting to harm the game's sales: e.g. Anecdotal evidence of many people not (yet) recommending ED to their non-space-mad friends, because they don't think it's good enough. e.g. Slightly poor sales of Horizons (on Steam, before they changed it to DLC & thus hid the sales numbers).

There is a way around this of course. Like showing people what the teams are working on. For example some prototype ship interiors or some more work being done on planetary surfaces such as atmospheric conditions and volcanism. Then at least folks might think; well this stuff is not due out for months and months yet but at least we're getting some insight into what is being done, the game does have a future after all, I think I'll stick with it. Give us some more info about multi-crewing and the ship launched fighters. The absence of info just leads to idle speculation.

 

[LKx]

It might be more disappointing to FDev's bank & the stock market though... (Missing the Xmas period for Season 3.)

They always might sell preorders for season 3 for Christmas, and release it later

However it's more likely that the "surprise" planned for 2.4 will be delayed to sometime in season 3

It's also likely that they'll rush the season 3 to keep up with competitors.

 

[imski]

Assuming it's Aliens (not saying Thargoids yet!), it's very likely that 2.4 would be a content only patch, so no new game mechanics and the majority of the design and even building of those assets is likely to be already complete.

No one believes they waited until halfway through last year to start work on Aliens do they!??! I'm expecting that update to likely be the easiest one to do simply because they've known about building towards it a long time.

 

[NMS]

Since 1.3 and 1.4, my fear/concern is that FD works on implementing new stuff, while the old stuff already implemented (not even talking about some things that are yet to be rebalanced since launch of the game!) dramatically needs a revamp or some tweaks.

I am at a point where I actually don't really want new content to be added, but FD to work on the existing stuff.
For instance, PowerPlay could be a masterpiece but is not, and barely nothing has been changed/tweaked/fixed since release about a year ago.
CQC (now Arena) could be so much fun but is also a fail.

The worst is that for most things, only a few easy tweaks of current mechanisms or tools would be required to make them great.
Anyway, I just hope that 2.1 or later will bring the changes, to the existing content, which "we" have been asking for so long.

I´m just waiting for the engineers release, to see if i come back to play ED or Not.

 

[Enderby]

It's strange to live on a planet on which a season can last longer than a year. Cosmic.

 

[Eymerich]

Okay, this has been discussed elsewhere at length and you can find it, or read the newsletters, but I'd like to point out one thing.
We weren't promised four major updates in 2016. We were promised four major updates this season. And we will get them.
Delays in development happen and if you don't like it, don't buy into early access, but wait for a finished product. [rolleyes]

That being said. Devs stated that the other updates are being worked on in parallel, already, so delay of one doesn't necessarily mean a delay of others. I have hope. [yesnod]

I hope they doesn't work in parallel like they did in "ships" expansion: the new ships, with the exclusion of the Corvette and of the Cutter were almost copy and paste of already model existent in the game.

I share the same doubts of Op by the way: the developing of Ed is getting too slow.

Consider that last year you already had 2 expansion and they were working to powerplay. Now we don't have nothing.

Let's see what they bring to us: I'll "delay" my judgment time once the expansion come out but... sorry to say this, I am not optimistic...