Official response to DDA features? (Not malicious, simply curious.)

[FreeburnSage]

I've just recently looked at the DDA after playing the release for a while, and noticed a few features that I, personally, would have considered "core" functions. Namely, they are the Persistent NPCs, Communication Interaction, and the Player Logs. Now, it could just be my own incompetence, but I have seen not a shred of any of these features (minus maybe the text/voice chat to other players) in the game at all.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the game as it is, and I'm not here to passively aggressively call FD out like a lot of these recent threads do, I'm simply curious as to what happened. Are they there and I'm simply missing them, are they still in the works, or have they been cancelled? It's perfectly understandable either way, I'd just like to have some sort of official response to what the plans for these features are, as I don't see how you could pass off communications or a good NPC system as a DLC.

Again, no malicious intent or underlying disappointment, simply curiosity. I'd just like some sort of word of clarity on the situation, please. It'd be much appreciated.

(BTW, good job on the launch to everyone at FD! Having an absolute blast over here!)

 

[LionheartRichard]

One of the more popular theories is that the game isn't ready for release yet.

 

[Jexter]

I think the middle D in DDA (decision) is an unfortunate wording and is what people are getting worked up over. They should have called it something like PFA (planned features archive).

 

[Phaedra]

I doubt they'll be a paid for DLC. However, most online games are in continuous development (if the aren't, they tend not to survive) and I would expect that many of the DDA items that haven't been implemented yet, will be implemented in the future as part of this process.

 

[Joe Spivey]

I tend to think of the DDA as a 'This is what we want to do and see and what we are working towards.' Remember, the DDA isn't just a work by FD alone it was contributed to by the early backers too. What eventually comes may differ for technical reason, game reasons or reasons they hadn't even considered when making it. But it IS what they are working towards realising in some form.

 

[LeiHarper]

One of the more popular theories is that the game isn't ready for release yet.

Over time through the development stages the DDA has gone from "this is going to be the feature set at release", ending up as "the DDA is the list of planned features for the future" or "the DDA was just a list of ideas" as things progressed through Beta and it was realized that the actual feature list would be very short of the DDA vision at release time.

The real watershed point for this was around Beta 2 / Beta 3 when the December 16th release date was announced. Generally the forum was split between the cynics who loudly decried the decision to release with a limited feature set (and pointed to the DDA) and the Frontier apologists who painted the DDA as "just ideas" or "plans for the future", or the apologists who vehemently believed that Frontier was withholding a massive number of features that the testers hadn't seen yet (the old "vertical slice" discussions).

As predicted, reality fell somewhere in the middle with the bias mostly towards the opinion held by the cynics. There were very few significant features added through the gamma period, though the two additional ships were a welcome surprise. Some features deemed highly critical did not materialize (Wings, better communications, better exploration mechanics). Watching the cognitive dissonance held by some people was really quite amazing though. They really did seem to jump through many, many mental hoops to justify their continued support of the game and their defense of Frontier to the point where they reframed the DDA to the whole "just ideas or plans" level whereas in the weeks prior they'd swore blind that the DDA would be the feature set at release.

 

[zorianarki]

Over time through the development stages the DDA has gone from "this is going to be the feature set at release", ending up as "the DDA is the list of planned features for the future" or "the DDA was just a list of ideas" as things progressed through Beta and it was realized that the actual feature list would be very short of the DDA vision at release time.

The real watershed point for this was around Beta 2 / Beta 3 when the December 16th release date was announced. Generally the forum was split between the cynics who loudly decried the decision to release with a limited feature set (and pointed to the DDA) and the Frontier apologists who painted the DDA as "just ideas" or "plans for the future", or the apologists who vehemently believed that Frontier was withholding a massive number of features that the testers hadn't seen yet (the old "vertical slice" discussions).

As predicted, reality fell somewhere in the middle with the bias mostly towards the opinion held by the cynics. There were very few significant features added through the gamma period, though the two additional ships were a welcome surprise. Some features deemed highly critical did not materialize (Wings, better communications, better exploration mechanics). Watching the cognitive dissonance held by some people was really quite amazing though/ They really did seem to jump through many, many mental hoops to justify their continued support of the game and their defense of Frontier to the point where the DDA had reached that whole "just ideas or plans" level whereas in the weeks prior they swore blind that the DDA would be the feature set at release.

+1 spot on, very very spot on

 

[Sardonyx]

Given the comments on missing features, I'm glad I missed out on following Elite's development. I saw the Kickstarter and having played Elite and other similar games before I was intrigued, but I had been recently burned by some Kickstarter non-deliveries (I'm still waiting on one, looking at you Star Command...).

I recently got bitten by the Star Citizen bug and people posting WTB beta access to ED in the SC trade forums intrigued me. So I bought a Merc Edition and played with the combat demos. Having no expectation at all of what would be in game and taking it on it's own terms, I've found it quite enjoyable. There's a bit of a learning curve, and not a lot of explanation other than the mechanics of flying a ship. But from the perspective of someone who's not followed ED's development at all, I think the game is pretty fun.

The items you mention seem fun and will definitely add to the game play. I've heard about landing on planets too and that sounds awesome. But the game seems pretty good as it is.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

It's not design document for 1.0 only, but it's not just bunch of ideas thrown together. See it as dev wishlist - they want to do all these features, and they most likely will most of them. Most of them will be just patches.

 

[Krait_79]

Over time through the development stages the DDA has gone from "this is going to be the feature set at release", ending up as "the DDA is the list of planned features for the future" or "the DDA was just a list of ideas" as things progressed through Beta and it was realized that the actual feature list would be very short of the DDA vision at release time.

The real watershed point for this was around Beta 2 / Beta 3 when the December 16th release date was announced. Generally the forum was split between the cynics who loudly decried the decision to release with a limited feature set (and pointed to the DDA) and the Frontier apologists who painted the DDA as "just ideas" or "plans for the future", or the apologists who vehemently believed that Frontier was withholding a massive number of features that the testers hadn't seen yet (the old "vertical slice" discussions).

As predicted, reality fell somewhere in the middle with the bias mostly towards the opinion held by the cynics. There were very few significant features added through the gamma period, though the two additional ships were a welcome surprise. Some features deemed highly critical did not materialize (Wings, better communications, better exploration mechanics). Watching the cognitive dissonance held by some people was really quite amazing though. They really did seem to jump through many, many mental hoops to justify their continued support of the game and their defense of Frontier to the point where they reframed the DDA to the whole "just ideas or plans" level whereas in the weeks prior they'd swore blind that the DDA would be the feature set at release.

I think the reason why we have seen less features then perhaps they would of liked is that they spent too much time trying to get offline to work.

As soon as it was appearing unviable they should have dropped it. They obviously could forsee the outcry over it and probably desperately threw additional resources at it.

Unfortunately that didn't work out and here we are with the current state of play. Well that's just a theory.

What we do have to realise in Frontier are a small company, this is probably their biggest project ever and they don't have the financial firepower to be able to get things quickly back on track if they fall behind schedule.

Early access allows these developers to generate much needed cash flow. More and more this is becoming a popular model for game development. As such we tend to see a game released at a playable bare bones stage if you like with additional things added going forwards.

They could have delayed release i guess but to weather the offline storm and the financial cost of that, they probably had no choice but to push forwards with the release.

I for one am very happy with what we have. Under the circumstances they have done a terrific job and there is plenty more to come.

 

[Arubeto]

Good post, +1 to the OP. I, too, would like some official statement about which of the DDA features they intend to implement in the future. Not demanding any specific feature, only want to know what ideas have been abandoned and which might still find their way into the game one day.
Can't find the quote right now, but one of the devs once said something like "good thing we never actually promised to implement any of them" in a thread raging about missing DDA features.

 

[LeiHarper]

Given the comments on missing features, I'm glad I missed out on following Elite's development.

If you ever were curious and wanted to see a snapshot of the community feeling during the later stages of development, the one thread I'd suggest you look through is this one:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=56452

This was the "release announcement" thread on the Beta forum (before it became the gamma forum). I think it gives a perfect view of the different folks in the community at that time and the general feelings around the state of the game, the DDA thoughts, etc. There is a great deal of positive and negative thought and sentiment encapsulated in that topic.

 

[Krait_79]

Good post, +1 to the OP. I, too, would like some official statement about which of the DDA features they intend to implement in the future. Not demanding any specific feature, only want to know what ideas have been abandoned and which might still find their way into the game one day.
Can't find the quote right now, but one of the devs once said something like "good thing we never actually promised to implement any of them" in a thread raging about missing DDA features.

We will probably get drip fed this. Afterall they need something to put in their newsletters. But yeah an outline of what they are looking to do next would be good.

 

[Kicks]

It's not design document for 1.0 only, but it's not just bunch of ideas thrown together. See it as dev wishlist - they want to do all these features, and they most likely will most of them. Most of them will be just patches.

I agree with you, but I think it's a bit of a shame as back in Beta if someone questioned anything, the DDA was used as "official source". There were even posts that said "Look, this is how it's going to be. Now hush, they're not going to change it now.". I hope FD manage to create all the lovely things they have in these "documents", and am having fun in Elite regardless.

 

[3LDRITCH]

One of the more popular theories is that the game isn't ready for release yet.

>FD has grand plan for best game in world
>tell everyone about it
>SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! GIVE US GAME!
>2 years later, game development is going great, but taking much more time then expected
>buszineess people have been promised repayment/finished product by X date.
>game is not game to end all game but is game and suits will not be ignored so release game
>hopefully continue development to make game game to end all game

 

[Nagual]

FDev Mike Evans, commented on this a while ago, and basically said the DDF was where they wanted to go with the features, however various reasons may mean that some may not make it. The design of the game may change so much that features may no longer be right, needed or even possible. Other ideas may get made that aren't in the DDF, however the DDF is still being used as the guide they want to follow.

 

[ciger]

We should be up for a few surprises next year, looking forward to how this game is going to expand. Devs now deserve a bit of time off for holidays as they obviously worked their asses off the past couple of weeks.

 

[LeiHarper]

It's not design document for 1.0 only, but it's not just bunch of ideas thrown together. See it as dev wishlist - they want to do all these features, and they most likely will most of them. Most of them will be just patches.

I agree with you, but I think it's a bit of a shame as back in Beta if someone questioned anything, the DDA was used as "official source". There were even posts that said "Look, this is how it's going to be. Now hush, they're not going to change it now.". I hope FD manage to create all the lovely things they have in these "documents", and am having fun in Elite regardless.

See, this exchange kinda makes me smile and is relevant to the stuff I posted above about how attitudes to the DDA changed. The reason I smile is because you're replying to Pecisk, who very frequently (pre Beta 2) would respond to people querying the release feature set and suchlike with simply with something akin to "Go read the DDA" as though it were the word of law. And now, it's not.

 

[Zvanya]

I think the developers want to deliver as much of the DDA as they can. But will the marketing <expletive deleted> who seem to be making decisions let them? I thought being a kickstarter meant the developers would have more control than the marketing <expletive deleted>. I was naive.

 

[FreeburnSage]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. It'd still be nice if we could get some sort of official statement from one of the devs on this, or even some sort of roadmap as to what is coming and in what order it's coming.