Is Elite Dangerous a dead game? I compared it to some others ...

[Rat Catcher]

Frontier surprised me with Odyssey to begin with, even if it was obvious in hindsight.

Not being a kickstarter nor backer, EDO did not surprise me in the least as it is the stepping stone to every other potential activity in the game. Without perambulation the player can never leave the seat of their ship, SRV or SLF. Certainly the announcement and following teaser videos served to encourage me to keep playing and make me eager to get this amazing expansion. EDO launched with many issues, but, for me at least, added a new dimesion to the game that made the wait worthwhile. I'm fortunate, I play games, lots of them, and my PC is built to mainly do just that. EDO at release taxed my PC at release, now it has improved sufficiently to be extremely playable and makes less demands from my PC than a few other games I enjoy.

Will there be further paid DLC development of the game? I don't know, but the business head says it is unlikely, EDO did not realise profits enough to pay for its development - the development team needed to produce a potentially profitable expansion in the future would need to have considerably greater skill in game development than the one that produced EDO, or the management the ability to recognise when a product is so far from 'reasy to release' and to prevent another abysmal launch.

 

[Shabine]

Promised? You know anybody can visit the Kickstarter website and view the original statements right? Are you familiar with what a Kickstarter is? Do you understand how it works? I suspect not.

Elite Dangerous Kickstarter Statement of Riskhttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous

View attachment 345149

At this point I think it's fair to assume that everything David said has either been delivered or disregarded.

The real issue here isn't what was promised or alluded to, and I misspoke earlier in this thread when I used the word "promised". The real issue is far more nuanced than that. It's the direction that has inarguably been taken, because it's clear as day, and whether or not that direction lines up with the reasonable expectations that the game's developer/publisher built up over the course of almost a decade. It's easy to absolve everyone in retrospect given that none of us should have had any expectations in the first place, but you can't really argue that Braben and many others didn't hype features that either materialized differently than we thought they would based on what they said or, even worse, didn't materialize at all. It's why I have given up hope for damage models, and interior interactivity, and updated PP/CQC/Engineering, and a richer and more diverse galaxy; if they were going to do any of that, they would have done it by now.

That's why I feel like Elite is dying for me. I'm going to try Odyssey again. Hell, I might even enjoy it. Will it be enough to make up for the fact that development on the gameplay that drew me to Elite in the first place is likely abandoned? Probably not.

 

[Greasetrap42]

...but you can't really argue that Braben and many others didn't hype features that either materialized differently than we thought they would based on what they said or, even worse, didn't materialize at all. It's why I have given up hope for damage models, and interior interactivity, and updated PP/CQC/Engineering, and a richer and more diverse galaxy; if they were going to do any of that, they would have done it by now.

Of course statements made in a kickstarter that started in 2012 were hyped. And over ten years things changed. Wow. Amazing. Things change. Companies make new goals, change direction, have new ideas. Are we really going to dwell on a kickstarter page from November 2012?* (apparently yes, because it comes up once a week)

Most people decide on the value of an item based on circumstances today. Don't be basing your opinions based on hyped stuff a decade ago. If you don't like the game today, or where it appears to be going tomorrow... fine.


*Public fundraising commenced in November 2012 using the Kickstarter website.

 

[AlSki]

Sorry in advance, I'm quoting you out of context...

....didn't materialize at all. It's why I have given up hope...

For me this is the fundamental point that people seem to miss. ED is not finished yet. There is still a development team, there are releases, there are bi-weekly streams, new cosmetics, new content. And yes, the content might not be what each of us would have chosen to deliver if we were in charge which we aren't.

So I offer an alternative..

...hasn't materialised yet, but I'm enjoying what's here now and haven't given up hope...

Admittedly it has taken nearly 40 years, so far...

 

[Shabine]

Of course statements made in a kickstarter that started in 2012 were hyped. And over ten years things changed.

Indeed. However, the promises and allusions and hype didn't end in 2012. They have been consistent for a decade. You're 100% right about enjoying what we have now. That's true. But even as recently as carriers and Odyssey, there were plenty of reasonable assumptions we could have made that never panned out.

There is still a development team, there are releases, there are bi-weekly streams, new cosmetics, new content. And yes, the content might not be what each of us would have chosen to deliver if we were in charge which we aren't.

Of course things will still be added to Elite. However, my point stands; the Anaconda has had damage modelling since day 1. In all the years since, that feature was never expanded to a single other ship. What reason would I have to believe that they would do it now or in the future? Because the game is still not finished? Although that might be technically correct, I'd kinda be a sucker to put my eggs in that basket, wouldn't I?

 

[AlSki]

Of course things will still be added to Elite. However, my point stands; the Anaconda has had damage modelling since day 1. In all the years since, that feature was never expanded to a single other ship. What reason would I have to believe that they would do it now or in the future? Because the game is still not finished? Although that might be technically correct, I'd kinda be a sucker to put my eggs in that basket, wouldn't I?

If this was boolean logic, then you would be correct, but I don't think it is.

I would suggest that adding damage modelling to the Anaconda was an experiment that proved that it was a lot of effort to extend to all ships. Maybe it depended on having the whole ship interior built (not just mocked up, but pixel perfect). Maybe it demonstrated that they needed to take it further, e.g. model all the optional modules inside the ship as well as well just the ship.
And at this point, you could be correct and they decided never to do it.

Or they could have said, "Actually this is cool, but we have an entire list of cooler things too. Let's come back to it later." Maybe they realised that they needed things like different faces for the characters you would meet in this space. Maybe they needed working lifts to get around the ship. Maybe they needed to redo all of the ship models at a higher LOD. And maybe a lot of these things got ticked off the list and there are only just one or two before they could implement this, if they weren't working on "something cooler"

I don't know. I wasn't there. Either way my drivers are re-installed so its time to have some fun.

 

[Greasetrap42]

Indeed. However, the promises and allusions and hype didn't end in 2012.

I was actually responding to @Eymerich who was referencing the kickstarter and various "promises" and "lies".

Regarding any hype statements made by Braben or Frontier following the Kickstarter, its a game. There is hype. People can make their own choices before going to the theatres, buying a book, or a video game. Does the pizza restaurant in my town actually have "The World's Greatest Pizza"? Not even close, it not very good at all. I still get it sometimes though.

 

[Rat Catcher]

I'm going to try Odyssey again. Hell, I might even enjoy it.

Honest comment - please take it as written (even if badly so)

EDO is EDH + other content. The foot content is described as a poor FPS rip-off, it isn't, it is quite uniquely ED, the combat is not the "churned out in the same mould" as the dedicated combat games, which appears to be the commonest complaint - it is different, and all of those elite FPS skills will more likely hinder than assist the FPS player...
Stealth missions are poorly paid, time consuming and often quite challenging, nothing like the simple space flight fare we know and love...
New planetary tech, some like it, other loathe it, but chalk & cheese to Horizons content. New BGS content, if that floats your boat, a bunch of new mission types to dig in to, and still everything else that Horizons offers (with a few extra bugs and annoyances, admittedly).

Try it with an open mind, you may indeed be surprised.

 

[Rat Catcher]

Stealth missions are poorly paid, time consuming and often quite challenging, nothing like the simple space flight fare we know and love...

I left out a bit there, I'm old and tired...

After challenging should have been "but are great fun to do."

 

[Shabine]

Regarding any hype statements made by Braben or Frontier following the Kickstarter, its a game. There is hype. People can make their own choices before going to the theatres, buying a book, or a video game. Does the pizza restaurant in my town actually have "The World's Greatest Pizza"? Not even close, it not very good at all. I still get it sometimes though.

I can't disagree with you. It's an excellent point. However, gripes about this gain a new sort of gravity when we consider the following: I do not recall, at any time, anyone at FDev ever hyping up this game's infamous grinds. What has always been alluded to are more general and universally appealing features, some of which happen and some of which don't. That said, the things that are in Elite that are generally reviled were never spun in a positive light. They were never spun at all. They were simply deployed.

EDO is EDH + other content. The foot content is described as a poor FPS rip-off, it isn't, it is quite uniquely ED, the combat is not the "churned out in the same mould" as the dedicated combat games, which appears to be the commonest complaint - it is different, and all of those elite FPS skills will more likely hinder than assist the FPS player...
Stealth missions are poorly paid, time consuming and often quite challenging, nothing like the simple space flight fare we know and love...
New planetary tech, some like it, other loathe it, but chalk & cheese to Horizons content. New BGS content, if that floats your boat, a bunch of new mission types to dig in to, and still everything else that Horizons offers (with a few extra bugs and annoyances, admittedly).

Try it with an open mind, you may indeed be surprised.

I'm sold. And I do plan to try it again with a very open mind. Instead of looking for things that I hoped would be there, I'm just going to play it for what it is. If it turns out to be enjoyable, then believe me, I'll be celebrating. I've been on the fence about returning to Elite, because these days I just don't have the time to bounce around from game to game, so when I do have 3 to 4 hours in the late evening or a few consistent hours on the weekend, that time kinda needs to be well spent, or else I feel like I'm wasting it. One thing that hasn't been a waste since returning is teaching my kid how to fly a Courier. He's 8, and despite all the cool stuff I've shown him in the past few days, he has informed me that he won't be truly happy until he comes face-to-face with an alien.

So, I guess we're installing Odyssey... and then we're gonna look for some Thargoids.

 

[Rat Catcher]

If it turns out to be enjoyable, then believe me, I'll be celebrating

I hope it does - I have enjoyed the content since the alpha (which was, let's just say... Interesting) and the shine hasn't gone off of it yet. But as I'm a vagrant and vermin in the game, murdering lawfuls just for the sport just doesn't get old...

teaching my kid how to fly a Courier

Now that is what I call a responsible parent... I only have 5 couriers on this account, and a few other ships...

So, I guess we're installing Odyssey... and then we're gonna look for some Thargoids.

go for it!

 

[metatheurgist]

Oof. Imagine using the "things are not what was promised" argument in the SC forum. And that's the most successfully funded game ever. If only we could bring some of that energy over here then maybe we'd have less Doom threads (who am I kidding ).

On Frontier saying "it's not being looked at". They were saying legs isn't being looked at for the longest time when Ody dropped. I still remember someone saying they would eat a sock if Horizons was planetary landing. Truth is, we don't know what they're doing and it seems they enjoy misleading us.

 

[OrdinaryMan]

As far as I know, the game is regularly tried to be killed every month. (!) However, there is no need to organize a funeral ceremony and the place where he will be buried is not known. Because the game is not actually dead, nor is it dying. Only in the real world, times change, people's attention shifts from time to time, the company's policies do not remain constant and change according to the general situation of FDev.

Depending on all these, the number of players increases or decreases from time to time.

Just this is.

 

[Eymerich]

Promised? You know anybody can visit the Kickstarter website and view the original statements right? Are you familiar with what a Kickstarter is? Do you understand how it works? I suspect not.

Elite Dangerous Kickstarter Statement of Risk
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Dude, you seems to me a bit troubled.

We are not discussing the risk of kickstarter but if ships interior should be added or not: in this case, doesn't matter waht you like or not.

Elite was born with such feature in mind.

The fact that they would'nt be probably able to deliver is a different matter of things: also it's too easy blame the customer.

He definitly accepted a risk but he can do nothing if the developer is just unprofessional and overpromise and underlivered.

Just like Frontier did with Elite.

Period.

 

[Darrack]

unprofessional and overpromise and underlivered.

O7

 

[Greasetrap42]

Dude, you seems to me a bit troubled.

We are not discussing the risk of kickstarter but if ships interior should be added or not: in this case, doesn't matter waht you like or not.

Elite was born with such feature in mind.

The fact that they would'nt be probably able to deliver is a different matter of things: also it's too easy blame the customer.

He definitly accepted a risk but he can do nothing if the developer is just unprofessional and overpromise and underlivered.

Just like Frontier did with Elite.

I am a Dude. And I do have lots of troubles. That is completely unrelated to the topic.

Try to read and absorb the things that you have posted. If you can't follow your own posts, then the point of discussion is lost.

However:

• I was capable of viewing Frontiers Kickstarter page found here and understanding what was being pitched.
• I understand what a Kickstarter is, the terms, and the risks.
• I understand the difference between general statements vs promises vs contracts.
• I do not go around calling people "liars" witout a shred of evidence.
• When making an arguement I try to site actual supprting evidence. Not made up crap.

If you have something worthwhile saying thats great. Maybe next time.

 

[angusmadmac1]

O7

It's a personal opinion ? So how can it be wrong ? Does someone's opinion out weigh someone else's ? I generally read all posts as "In my opinion" apart from the CM's. You can put your point of view across but it's just your opinion right or wrong .

 

[Greasetrap42]

It's a personal opinion ? So how can it be wrong ? Does someone's opinion out weigh someone else's ? I generally read all posts as "I'm my opinion" apart from the CM's. You can put your point of view across but it's just your opinion right or wrong .

There is a difference between opinion and making statemets as fact.

When somone is making incorrect references, claiming promises were made, and calling people liars based on incorrect information it goes beyond posting an opinion. Also, the post in question is in fact ironically way off topic of this thread. As is this post.

 

[Darrack]

It's a personal opinion ? So how can it be wrong ? Does someone's opinion out weigh someone else's ? I generally read all posts as "In my opinion" apart from the CM's. You can put your point of view across but it's just your opinion right or wrong .

That was my opinion

O7

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Three weeks and 20 pages later, the naysayers who are obviously still completely obsessed with the game keep trying to convince us all that the game is dead.

Amazing.