[Interview] David Braben talks Elite and Space Sims

[Devil's Refugee]

Just out today

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/art...aben-Discusses-Elite-Dangerous-and-Space-Sims

 

[Kotovsky]

The Escapist: Are you interested in seeing Elite: Dangerous move more into the Eve Online space?

Braben: I don't feel like that. The way I see it, the important difference between Eve Online and us is that Eve is an executive control game and Elite: Dangerous isn't. That's a big differentiator. What I see us doing is moving more into the richness of the experience and expanding the depth of space gameplay. I think the more games we have in the science fiction genre the better, because it's a genre that has been languishing for a bit. If you think about the way people work together in squad-type games like Battlefield 4 or even in Warcraft raids, the fun of it is in playing together and actually planning a little bit ahead. I've seen it a little bit in slightly more arcadey games as well, like Battlestations Midway, where a group of four players go against another group of four players and the difference in tactics makes a big difference. It's not symmetric. Someone might go in with a big Anaconda and essentially draw the fire, but then there will be other players in more nimble ships.

So DB thinks cmdrs should go with the galactical flow, ok.

But what is the incentive for those players to fight each other?
There is zero investment. And about only 5% in your ship.

 

[Hadron-Higgs-Boson]

Same old interview he has done a dozen times imo, dont really think there is anythinh new here, its cannned question and answer.

Even though I do genuinley like David, I think his passion for games has inevitably been blunted by the business of games but I still think it shows through. I was watching Scott Manley's interview with DB, which incidentally this could be a transcript of, and honestly I do beleive that when DB's eyes light up and he smiles its his genuine passion escaping

 

[CATPAIN KIRK]

So DB thinks cmdrs should go with the galactical flow, ok.

But what is the incentive for those players to fight each other?
There is zero investment. And about only 5% in your ship.

I'd be perfectly fine with fighting a game of thrones style civil war within the Empire, have the Federation grasp the opportunity and attack the Empire whilst more loosely aligned border worlds of both try to break free and seek to join the Alliance to avoid the war.

Pilots who wish to remain uninvolved with conflicts choose to not hold any navy rank wheras those wishing to get involved keep the rank in the navy they wish to support and those wishing to support the Alliance need to find more covert ways to support systems wishing to join the Alliance.

Then, when everything is in perfect turmoil the first Thargoids appear in deep space, which turns out to be the vanguard of a massive invasion fleet designed for the sole purpose of rendering humanity extinct.

Cliché? Non-creative? Sure - but certainly more fun than the meaningless arcade arenas we currently have in warzones. There was a glimpse of things like that to appear around launch, but FD have grown awfully quiet in that regard.

Anyway - for me, stuff like the above makes all the difference between a flash in the pan and a game I play for a decade.

 

[Tinman]

Oooohhhh!!!

Almost missed this one!

And as the stations become larger and more complicated rather than just single installations, it becomes much easier not to notice a small ship when it's not showing on your scanner.

YAY!! \o/

 

[Mohrgan]

So DB thinks cmdrs should go with the galactical flow, ok.

But what is the incentive for those players to fight each other?
There is zero investment. And about only 5% in your ship.

Fun = Incentive

 

[Daffan]

The Escapist: Are you interested in seeing Elite: Dangerous move more into the Eve Online space?

Than he answers talking about flight models.

The interviewer was for sure asking about player-driven persistance or CMDR having strong roles.

 

[[VR] Frank_G]

Thank you for sharing!

Nice to gain some insight on what things are of concern to FD and how decisions are being made on what basis. I especially liked the mention of ships with multiple crew members and landing on planetary surfaces. This hardens the hopes of these things actually becoming reality.

 

[CdrTwisted]

Fun = Incentive

But fun only happens if you stand some sort of chance of winning. People will only queue up to lose for a while. Unless there are stakes, in which case people will queue up to lose for much much longer (see also: the gambling industry, premier league football).

 

[Starocotes]

But fun only happens if you stand some sort of chance of winning. People will only queue up to lose for a while. Unless there are stakes, in which case people will queue up to lose for much much longer (see also: the gambling industry, premier league football).

No, you can have fun without winning. Not everything should be about struggle and some kind of achivment.

 

[[VR] Frank_G]

No, you can have fun without winning. Not everything should be about struggle and some kind of achivment.

The concept of playing because of playing is something many gamers need to understand. Also one dont need rewards from the game, if a personal goal can be achieved in a cool way.

 

[Jezzah]

I suppose it is a bit of a broad canned interview but then he's not there to go into the narrower weeds of the gameplay as much as he is there to pimp the game on a broad canvas.

As you nothing we haven't really heard before.