No Single Player offline Mode then?

[Adept]

As I said, simply release it without the secrets, only the static content in the human-colonized areas plus the general procedural generation. No Thargoids or whatever, but a fully functional game for everyone who depends on an offline version.

This would be fine, but it may be more cut down than they are willing to accept as a product.

Frontier seem both proud and protective of their baby. I think the reluctance to let us use an "army painter" colour picker on the paint jobs is that they think we would paint them pink, black and other shades that would mess with their chosen aesthetics.

I can totally understand that, and not willing to offer an off-line torso version of the game. Whether it's the "correct" approach has no full answer, but they are the ones who make the call.

Those who have no use for a game that requires an internet connection should seek a refund. I hope there won't be many, but some only have free time when working on an oil rig, I suppose.

 

[strangerdanger]

Nope, don't agree. There might have been wordings that could be interpreted as an intent to include an offline mode in the retail version of the game. There was never any such intent clearly stated for offline mode to be included in the alpha or beta phases. So, the retail game should be refunded, not the alpha or beta access.

Some pretty great excuses there, would expect no less from you, now in full damage control.

 

[Hamerstein]

Well a lot of early backers paid £200 and at the time the game was being advertised as having a fully offline mode at release. So it should be the full amount. Otherwise it fits the profile of a bait and switch scam.

Unless they reverse on this, they can pretty much kiss their good reputation goodbye.

Hmm good luck with that...

It'd be a bit like me saying that as Beta 3.04 and 05 have been borked for me, that I should get a partial refund on Beta - because it's not living up to my expectations...

People bought (bought into) a product, parts of that product have been delivered as expected by the company (unless anyone is saying that they haven't had their DDF/Alpha/Beta access?). The fact that the final product hasn't met with your expectations isn't sufficient reason to claim a full refund on your original purchase. There is a case for requesting a refund on the final purchase (around £40 I'd imagine) as you haven't received that yet.

Sure you could rouse a lawyer, who would say "Thank you very much for your generous contribution to my next Porsche" but there is no chance that you'd get a complete refund for products that have already been delivered as intended and accepted as such by the purchaser.

I genuinely sympathise with those that bought into ED on the basis of a premise, but Caveat Emptor applies most strongly when dealing with products in development. As with all products that you invest in, you should never invest what you cannot afford to lose, particularly if you hinge your decision (as many appear to have in this instance) on a single element of development.

 

[Im_Lost]

I guess this means that if a subscription model is ever implemented because of the obvious increase in server costs this would cause, then it'd be a case of having to pay or not play at all.

They would have to move to a superior client-server model if that were to happen. People wouldn't tolerate P2P networking with a subscription.

 

[Malisane]

nor does complaining about a lack of offline mode in an excellent game - yet here we are ......on page 19

Good luck playing the game when the servers shut down, after all that never happens with MMOs...oh wait

 

[Swan]

They would have to move to a superior client-server model if that were to happen. People wouldn't tolerate P2P networking with a subscription.

It'd still lock you in to paying the subscription if you wanted to play the game though.

 

[Lobstris]

My thoughts exactly, perhaps in the future (after release) they can dedicate their efforts in creating a canned universe that can run from the client's computer but that would have to be a separate game/account. I just can't imagine the size requirements for a 400billion star universe etc.

FFE had 513,982,470 star systems with system requirements of
•386DX/33
•4 MB of RAM
•Hard disk with about 5MB free space
•500KB free base memory (patch says 560KB !)
•DOS 5.0 or higher
•Standard VGA graphics
•CD-ROM drive (if you have the CD version)

 

[EAGLE 5]

Dunno but i hope for it Btw yes we have an amazing game thats for sure.
Frontier has allways heard us, i am confident they will look at it later, just a bit disapointed for the moment, but life continue

I hope for it too for obvious logistics reasons but I much rather see the current game complete first (planets mainly) before seeing the development team jump into that.

 

[Gortron]

How the hell can anyone think that any of the things in the kickstarter were set in stone?

No one can see into the future.

All the backers took a punt on the game,do you ask for your money back when the horse you backed comes second?

I don't care if the games always online or not, it was the last thing on my mind when I heard there was a new Elite game being made and when I backed it.

I'm broke all the time, I spend what little I have on computers and games,I'm delighted with the game but even if I wasn't I wouldn't be so cheap as to ask for my money back and I have invested a pretty penny into this game.

So make a choice , you are either in or out, support the game or move on, it's just a game, not your life savings.

I'm personally not bothered by this, but many people thought that there was going to be an offline single player version of the game. If people backed it partly for that reason (they work on ships in the middle of the South Atlantic or live in the middle of nowhere and have intermittent broadband). They have a pretty valid reason to be upset, just like you our I would be upset if they suddenly decided to make E: D a game of chess instead of a space game.

People that have a half decent internet connection have nothing to fear but those that have effectively been mis-sold a product imho should be entitled to a refund. I've replied to questions on You Tube where people have asked if they can play it offline with 'Yes' and I've been unwittingly misleading them.

I'm not saying this as an attack on your or FD. They have their reasons and I'm fine with it, but it's a pretty dramatic change that is indefensible, solo offline was a major feature.

 

[SelfAvenger]

The problem here is that you'd have access to the server which isn't something we'd want to allow as it contains the secrets of the galaxy. Which was also an issue with an online version.

Michael

Hi Michael,

How long have you guys known this would be the case? i.e. no offline variant of the game? To me this doesn't seem like something that would just pop up 1 month before release? If it is just an issue you guys have come across then fine. I'll accept that but if it's something you guys have known about for a while I can't help but feel like this whole thing is pretty dishonest. It also makes me look like a liar to the friends I've recommended the game to as they bought the game with the information that there would be an offline mode. If I had known I wouldn't have been plugging the game that way. Additionally for those people who suffer from poor internet connections (myself included) this is a real kick in the goolies. I've now supported a game with a lot of money that i currently have issues with playing because of the said connection.

What is FD going to do to make good with this specific broken promise and additionally support those who were really banking using offline as their primary playing mode?

I would really appreciate a response.

Thanks,

-Todd

 

[Mephane]

nor does complaining about a lack of offline mode in an excellent game - yet here we are ......on page 19

Yes it does, because some people have no regular or sufficiently stable internet access (e.g. people who work at sea). I myself, while always intending to primarily play in Online/Open Play mode, had included the "DRM free boxed edition" precisely because of the fact that it would allow me to install and play then game in places and times where I may not have internet access.

If it had been clear from the start that an offline mode only might become a possibility, maybe, the situation were different. But until today it was a confirmed feature that was at the heart of the game for quite a lot of people, and for some people the only thing that would ever enable them to play the game in the first place.

Finally, even if everyone who cannot play at all without an offline mode now gets a refund - they never get back all the time spent following the game's development, on the forums, not to speak of the emotional investment.

 

[EAGLE 5]

FFE had 513,982,470 star systems with system requirements of
•386DX/33
•4 MB of RAM
•Hard disk with about 5MB free space
•500KB free base memory (patch says 560KB !)
•DOS 5.0 or higher
•Standard VGA graphics
•CD-ROM drive (if you have the CD version)

Lol standard VGA graphics.... the 90s man...

 

[NeoRacer]

GAMER PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


But yea...if FD ever goes out of business they would give us the single player thing. But I doubt its gonna happen. 99.99% of people can get online, all the time. The only ppl who complain are often the game pirates. True.

No off-line singleplayer... well that sucks. Makes you wonder if Frontier has noticed the constant backlash that always on-line games catch? They better have the servers to handle it, because I expect devs who force always online to have pretty stable servers that allow me to play my game whenever I want to.
Yes.
Color me crazy, but I feel that Frontier has now taken it upon themselves to make sure that the servers are online and accessible all of the time, everytime. Without fail.

 

[strangerdanger]

GAMER PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


But yea...if FD ever goes out of business they would give us the single player thing. But I doubt its gonna happen. 99.99% of people can get online, all the time. The only ppl who complain are often the game pirates. True.

Then why can't they give it to us right now. huh?

 

[Scrat]

Just took a look at the store page. It states Internet Connection in the minimum requirements section so I don't know about refunds. I will be playing online anyway but I agree it would be nice to have some kind of offline universe or being able to connect once a week for people without a proper internet connection.

 

[Siggi]

As I understand it, one will be able to play online but in a group of one (oneself). And if the connection required is just to login once per game start-up and to update ones galaxy every few hours (?) isn't that a doable form of offline/SP?
And as with previous online titles, if the company goes bust they release a patch that turns the game offline (albeit it, in this case, with reduced functionality once the server update service is removed).

Is this a case of zero choice or is it for DRM reasons? I'm not sure how the game can't function without a server connection but maybe that's how its engine works (which one assumes they'd have known months ago). Would FD deliberately hold back such info to ensure maximum sales before dropping the bomb?

I was myself interested in the SP play originally but then the idea of being connected to a dynamic galaxy changed my mind. Especially as meeting other players, if I chose to play in Open mode, would be quite rare.

So, doesn't bother me but I fully understand how and why it narks a lot of people off. How about a compromise though...email support and get a promise of a refund IF, after giving the game a go as it is, you still don't like it. Give it a chance and see if it'll be as bad as you expect/fear. No promise from FD though, go for the refund now.

 

[Sylv3r]

I see some asking for a refund. This is leaving the boat very quickly when there is a problem. We are in beta, near gamma stage, best is to continue, ask for what we want/need and get it.
Frontier is not stupid, to make this game you need a brain and a great one. Better is to work together and ask for this feature and more we will be, more chances we will have to get it.

 

[stimutacs]

Just a quick thought here - I mean - I know many people mean well, and are attemting to help FD out of a jam here, but.

* having announced they are on track to deliver a product somewhat below expectations,

* including dropping a feature that is - simply, plainly, utterly essential for many people to run the game at all in any capacity whatsoever,

* some people then think that providing cover in order to weasel out of promises, on the basis of which people bought the game at upwards of hundreds of pounds (!), is a good look.

It's not a good look. "Ha ha - you're out of pocket, and it means nothing to me, and besides which we'll all fight you every step of the way in order to slime out of the clean promise to provide a game that works, at all, for many of our customers. "

The optics of this are ... how to put it? Not ideal? Do you think you could possibly turn it down a notch?

 

[Thunderchief]

I am extremely disappointed by this development, I supported the kickstarter specifically because an offline mode was promised, and because it was promised to be DRM free. It now turns out not to be the case.
-
I have been very happy with the game in almost all areas, so I have been happy to buy ship skins, which lets face it, are very expensive. I feel like I have been tricked.
-
I hoped that frontier were going to produce a great game, that like the original would be timeless. But now it will inevitably die when the servers are turned off.
-
It seems like I paid £100 to rent a game. :-(
-
Very disapointed.
-
Simon.

 

[FX2K]

The problem is that the galaxy mechanics all sit on the online servers. The data set and processes are huge and not something that would translate offline without considerable compromise to the vision. Trust me we didn't sit down and think what would annoy people the most! It's a choice we've had to make and so we've taken it.

Michael

This is starting to remind me of Simcity.. different game of course, but still. I feel for you guys who had your hopes up for completely offline.. Its not a major concern to me personally but the newsletter is very misleading, obviously on purpose..

Mind you, the clarification via this thread as to what "time to time" meant was appreciated. Essentially meaning.. extremely regular connections.... time to time was the wrong wording, IMO.

At the moment it's whenever you need to conduct a server moderated transaction like trading.
Michael