Is 1.2 the real 1.0 release?

[fergal]

Just tried out the 1.2 version for the first time, I don't think I even tried 1.1.

This seems like what the actual game release should have been.
There are actual multiplayer friendly features.

I can see where my other ships are parked on the galaxy map, you can see where people on your friends list are, and the navigation route seems to plot to them, no more waiting or looking for a system half way between.
When someone in your wing jumps, you jump with them, if they are interdicted you join them (if anything its a bit too easy now).

Just got surprised with a gold honey pot. An Anaconda and a bunch of Cobras and Eagles popped in from no where.

Cargo scans are shared across all players in the wing, so are kill warrant scans, and the sharing of bounty hunting money seems like a much needed improvement.

Its a shame this isn't the version of the game that gets reviewed.

Obviously things are still missing, the 13 or so extra ships and passenger missions, but this seems more like what I thought the game would be like, not what was called the 1.0 release in December.

Not sure what wings will do to "solo" players in open, I guess time will tell.

 

[Hadron-Higgs-Boson]

well its a lot closer but its still a long way short of where it needs to be (IMHO), but we have no choice or options so we accept the drip feed.

On the plus side the FD Devs are probably finding their feet and gaining some confidence, 1.2 seems to be a bit smoother than 1.1 and I'm sure 1.3 will be another incremental improvement

 

[Conestoga]

Nothing anyone could do. Time has proven that a game hitting the holiday season will sell better than one that doesn't, on average. And when your livelihood is on the line, you take the best odds you can. To quote Donald Rumsfeld, "you go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you have." All hands on deck only got them so far for a holiday release. If they had chosen to stay in beta until last Tuesday, and released 1.2 as 1.0, it would have been a disaster for their sales numbers, even though it would technically have been a sounder release build. That's my belief, anyway.

 

[beelbeebub]

I have to agree that 1.2 really rounds out the game, but the real issue is the concept of the "finished" game which no longer applies. From my perspective as a Pbeta player ED has been one continuous and rapid improvement from a game with many bugs, no mp, 5 systems, no SC in act a real bare bones "game" to now. At some point someone decided to change the version numbers from gamma to release but the pace and level of development hasn't changed.
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Those that say it shouldn't have been released until 1.2 are missing the point. If they hadn't released until now we wouldn't have any more features than now, is fact the game would be buggier as the tester base would have been smaller.

 

[Ydiss]

Wings was the only mechanic I sorely missed in 1.0. So I sort of agree. But I don't care. I've had a lot of fun and now I'm about to have even more fun.

 

[Cmdr Thrudd]

Yeah for me 1.2 really feels like what I had hoped for for release. I'm also hoping the 1.3 patch will give us content improvements for the background sim/missions so we've got more stuff to do together. I said to friends back in Oct of last year that I felt the game would need until about Easter to get to where it really needed to be and so far it's looking like I might be close to my guess.
Really happy with 1.2

 

[Kancro Vantas]

It certainly feels great now and definitely more flesh to it.

However, when all present pieces do what they are supposed to do, I'll call it a Gamma 1.0.

So, is not so much about bringing new things, as much as repairing what is already there but not doing what is supposed to. Wings fixed the problem of how to communicate and coordinate: the chat was there, and we could friend people already but the cooperation "buddy" flying element was not working as it should. So they fixed it.

The background simulation, the missions, and the factions automatic mechanics should now be the focus: they are present in game, but not working as intended.

1.3 Powerplay can't be here soon enough! *wink, wink*

 

[StuartGT]

Does it matter? The game we have now is better than it was before, and as more updates are developed it'll get even better

 

[Iskariot]

This game will get better and better. FD are doing a great job. If only people could be a bit more patient.
What version number you want to stick on it is up to you.
Personally I don't care about that one bit.
The mission system needs some serious fleshing out, so does mining. FD already acknowledged that.
So expect some great updates in the near future.

 

[fademist]

Nothing anyone could do. Time has proven that a game hitting the holiday season will sell better than one that doesn't, on average. And when your livelihood is on the line, you take the best odds you can. To quote Donald Rumsfeld, "you go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you have." All hands on deck only got them so far for a holiday release. If they had chosen to stay in beta until last Tuesday, and released 1.2 as 1.0, it would have been a disaster for their sales numbers, even though it would technically have been a sounder release build. That's my belief, anyway.

with that they could release at easter holidays;p

 

[Chek]

Not being on the development team I have know idea of what the game is supposed to be only what it is. Consequently I keep playing. Proof of the pudding and all that and this ones pretty tasty.

 

[galenhammond]

I got in as a PB2 player (right before PB was closed back in July), so I've seen the development from that point until now. People complained during PB that the game was not ready....even though they should have known that they were getting a "game in development". I paid knowing that I was a being a beta tester, but I didn't mind. I was an Elite fan from the Atari ST days (and eventually got FFE on my Windows computer) and those versions, while iconic, did have their own bugs and quirks.
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That being said, and to get back on topic, I am happy with the progress FDev have made. I would much rather be in this situation, where the game is being constantly evolved and improved, instead of having a retail release with a few limited patches to fix the worst bugs, and then letting the game fend for itself out in the wide, wide world.
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While the statement that Elite Dangerous 1.0 was not ready for prime time might have some merit, I would counter that it was a calculated risk on the part of the developer. While having some hiccups in the Customer Service arena (and which were not helped by impatient "I want everything like three months ago" types), FDev have been pretty solid in getting patches out for the game breakers (the true ones) and they have also implemented two major free updates since release and are planning a third one. So it is taking some time for them to get in their element, but in the end I think Elite Dangerous will be the better for it.
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So, in conclusion, I would not say that 1.2 is the "real" 1.0 release. I would say it is an improved version of the released product.

 

[Zplintz]

No it's called 1.2 because that is exactly what it is.

 

[fergal]

Does it matter? The game we have now is better than it was before, and as more updates are developed it'll get even better

This is true, but how long should people have to wait to get a finished game?
I've been playing since beta (I really can't call it testing the way it was set up) and I have no complaints for getting value for my money.

The game released in December, thats 3 months ago. 3 months is a long time to play a game after release, I was done with the game over a month ago.
I know some (many?) players may say this is a different type of game and they will be playing for years, but I wonder what percentage of players this is true for.

The only other players I saw in my session were the 2 on my friends list that I met up with to try out the wings feature with. One play session doesn't really indicate much, but I wonder what the actual number of players logging into open is compared to just after release in December. Are the number of new players getting close to the number of players who have stopped playing, or are laying much less?

It would be ironic to now have a more streamlined multiplayer experience, but with less players to take advantage of it.

 

[ADCKnight]

Still a long way off from what I would call a release-worthy game, even FE2 and FFE were released with more features/content/ships/missions/things and at least back then FDev had the cojones to admit they had released the game unfinished and far too early.
Game needs major work, more ships, better interaction, reworked economy, reworked missions, more customization, missing features added, hacking stopped, and then of course bug fixes.

 

[Soon(TM)]

ED won't be a true 1.0 release IMO until they fix the mission system, improve station menus, add in alternate HUDs for each ship, change the darn orange from being in EVERY menu, fix mining, fix the background simulation, add in planetary landing (this was in the original frontier elite II, should have been here for release, not getting out of your ship, just landing on planets would have been enough for 1.0), more diverse station interiors, improved or changed super cruise and improved exploration.

All that makes it 1.0 for me.

I also think that the move to Xbox is a double edged sword, they clearly want the revenue but is it also an attempt to buffer a dwindling player count on the open play servers?

I know I can only manage around 40 mins a week on the game now before I'm bored, and I paid £100 for it!

 

[Rall]

Not quite there yet, mission overhaul and a working engaging background sim and that's what I consider the "base release".

However 1.2 will renew a lot of people’s faith in frontier ability to deliver, 1.3 will cement that but it won't be quite there yet either.

I see 1.4 being the update that brings everything together.

 

[TheoZ]

Just tried out the 1.2 version for the first time, I don't think I even tried 1.1.

This seems like what the actual game release should have been.
There are actual multiplayer friendly features.

I can see where my other ships are parked on the galaxy map, you can see where people on your friends list are, and the navigation route seems to plot to them, no more waiting or looking for a system half way between.
When someone in your wing jumps, you jump with them, if they are interdicted you join them (if anything its a bit too easy now).

Just got surprised with a gold honey pot. An Anaconda and a bunch of Cobras and Eagles popped in from no where.

Cargo scans are shared across all players in the wing, so are kill warrant scans, and the sharing of bounty hunting money seems like a much needed improvement.

Its a shame this isn't the version of the game that gets reviewed.

Obviously things are still missing, the 13 or so extra ships and passenger missions, but this seems more like what I thought the game would be like, not what was called the 1.0 release in December.

Not sure what wings will do to "solo" players in open, I guess time will tell.

Totally agree, it feels like 1.2 is like how 1.0 should be. no problem that we got it as 1.2 patch!! and I can't wait for more features!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ixnatifual]

It's still a good deal from what I would consider a typical 1.0, but with XBox and Mac versions coming out there's hope for increased funding for further development of the game.

 

[Dante80]

There is never going to be a "1.0" release. This game will be getting updates for some time to come.

And also, it would never be considered complete until we can do the same things as in Elite 2 and 3.

Oh, and Thargoids.