[Opinion] FD hasn't changed their mind about DDF

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I think there's serious echo chamber going around - and taking into account FD communication problems I don't blame anyone jumping to conclusions but still - that FD somehow have changed direction of the game.

First, it seems CG and PP has made people argue that these things weren't part of DDF and they never have been suggested or hinted by FD. Sorry, but this is not true, this has been debunked multiple times already. It's part of their dynamic galaxy. People can argue about how rich or simple or poor implementation is (while remembering that it is still WIP and no finite version of all it will ever come), but intent has been telegraphed long time ago - in fact during Kickstarter.

Second, in last few months when questioned Michael and devs has been confirming various parts of DDF as being on todo list, or something they want to do. Some of them Michael for example has given answer 'not anytime soon', and some of them have 'it's on todo list'. When Mike Evans were asked about DDF, he openly said that it is their wish list which they will implement if time and money allows them to do that. All these conversations has been recently done.

So please, tell me, what kind of evidence you have that FD has suddenly changed their minds about ED development?

If that's disappointment that their priority has been PowerPlay not cool jet beams for everyone, that's understandable. But please, stop making assumptions and stop making predictions. No, FD doesn't go bankrupt, in fact we will know their numbers really soon. Their revenue plans to be 22M this year, and if any evidence, they will end up having some profit (how big - not sure, they are hiring like crazy).

I know skepticism and stuff, but please. Apply same skepticism to your own arguments too.

 

[JeffRyan]

I don't disagree really as I've said a few times. I do disagree a little about PP. It is AN implementation of Tier 1, but in a way we were never consulted about (I'd have tied it more heavily into the lore).

But it's far too soon to say the DDA has been abandoned, I'd need to see 1.4 and 1.5 before I make that call.

 

[Ozmodion]

+1 to the post above.

 

[Hacker#451563]

... and taking into account FD communication problems ...

Why would they have communication problems?

Do they all work in differant places without any kind of modern conectivity or is the phrase 'communication problems' being used by a company again in place of an apology for screwing up?

I'm skeptictical all right.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Why would they have communication problems?

Do they all work in differant places without any kind of modern conectivity or is the phrase 'communication problems' being used by a company again in place of an apology for screwing up?

I'm skeptictical all right.

They don't tell us their day-by-day development plan, and that makes quite a room for speculations. To be true, that's how they done since beginning, and they are consistent in that. However for post release they need to give up some of that secrecy. They communicate with us just fine, in fact, I have received multiple answers from community manager. Problem is how much they can say about what's going on.

 

[Colonel Kenney]

I don't disagree really as I've said a few times. I do disagree a little about PP. It is AN implementation of Tier 1, but in a way we were never consulted about (I'd have tied it more heavily into the lore).

But it's far too soon to say the DDA has been abandoned, I'd need to see 1.4 and 1.5 before I make that call.

They won't even tell us what they have planned for 1.4 1.5 or if there even will be one before the first paid expansion. Also now they have a hell of a lot of work to do to pander to the xbox crowd.

 

[Herik]

I think there's serious echo chamber going around - and taking into account FD communication problems I don't blame anyone jumping to conclusions but still - that FD somehow have changed direction of the game.

First, it seems CG and PP has made people argue that these things weren't part of DDF and they never have been suggested or hinted by FD. Sorry, but this is not true, this has been debunked multiple times already. It's part of their dynamic galaxy. People can argue about how rich or simple or poor implementation is (while remembering that it is still WIP and no finite version of all it will ever come), but intent has been telegraphed long time ago - in fact during Kickstarter.

Second, in last few months when questioned Michael and devs has been confirming various parts of DDF as being on todo list, or something they want to do. Some of them Michael for example has given answer 'not anytime soon', and some of them have 'it's on todo list'. When Mike Evans were asked about DDF, he openly said that it is their wish list which they will implement if time and money allows them to do that. All these conversations has been recently done.

So please, tell me, what kind of evidence you have that FD has suddenly changed their minds about ED development?

If that's disappointment that their priority has been PowerPlay not cool jet beams for everyone, that's understandable. But please, stop making assumptions and stop making predictions. No, FD doesn't go bankrupt, in fact we will know their numbers really soon. Their revenue plans to be 22M this year, and if any evidence, they will end up having some profit (how big - not sure, they are hiring like crazy).

I know skepticism and stuff, but please. Apply same skepticism to your own arguments too.

I would agree with you on this; but I'd make it the DDA. not the "Design Discussion Forum". And I hope they are considering the DDA.

 

[jabokai]

So please, tell me, what kind of evidence you have that FD has suddenly changed their minds about ED development?

The evidence is the lacklustre, incomplete, buggy, and out of place (in unfinished, shallow "game we want to play" terms) updates. IMHO.

 

[Obsidian Ant]

Pecisk, my issue isn't whether or not they have implemented those things. It's how they have implemented them.

No one is going to change your mind on what you are saying - and that is fine. It doesn't make you right, and it doesn't make you wrong. It's your opinion plain and simple. My own opinion is that the current direction for Elite is all about progress based game play, with unlocks and state changes. What I wanted from Elite was a living breathing galaxy with emergent gameplay, but again that is just my opinion based on my interpretation of the discussions made during development.

That said - I am glad that you and many others are pleased with the style of game play Frontier are putting into Elite. There are many ways Frontier could have chosen to create the dynamic galaxy, however I am not a fan of the method they have chosen (as it currently stands, maybe in the future it will get better). And personally I feel the only relationship the current PP content has to the DDA is in a Paint-by-Numbers format. That's not interesting for me. But Frontier don't have to please me. It's clear they have pleased people such as yourself. We were both here from day one of the Kickstarter. At least one of us is happy with how things are turning out.

 

[Herik]

I don't disagree really as I've said a few times. I do disagree a little about PP. It is AN implementation of Tier 1, but in a way we were never consulted about (I'd have tied it more heavily into the lore).

But it's far too soon to say the DDA has been abandoned, I'd need to see 1.4 and 1.5 before I make that call.

Good exception and observation; on PP, tying it more into the Lore. But I also think implementing it in phases; so FD can more easily have a say in it as factioning and Powers occur....+1

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Granite, I am not perfectly happy with CG and PP and how it's about progression either. However, those elements aren't alien to the game. For the rest of things you mention - I want the same. And I agree that next updates in this year will show that FD are serious about implementing that part we both want more than meta game stuff from last few updates.

 

[Kirk-Fu]

OP, I could agree with your point of view if I was the kind to take FDev at their word. But since they've been professional liars-of-omission since day one I can't see any reason to do that. The near-constant silence or the weasel worded non-committal excuses for the few answers they do give leave us with essentially no information about what the game is like or where it's going at any one point in time. Sneaking in unpopular changes by burying them in the patch notes or just leaving them out entirely, implementing illogical game mechanics and then giving us no information about whether they're working as intended or not, just ugh. It goes on. This game could be the game of all years if the management would shape up and take some lessons from game studios with more modern sensibilities towards customer interaction.

 

[Obsidian Ant]

Granite, I am not perfectly happy with CG and PP and how it's about progression either. However, those elements aren't alien to the game. For the rest of things you mention - I want the same. And I agree that next updates in this year will show that FD are serious about implementing that part we both want more than meta game stuff from last few updates.

They sure aren't alien to the game, I agree.

I'm still hopeful the rest of the good stuff with come. And I still feel the foundation of the game is solid enough. I just hope we don't get too much more progression and unlock based gameplay.