That Cargo Deck AA link is an absolute gold mine:
Fidelity loses its shine:
"Another example on how CIG is good at modelling locations more than creating gameplay. "
"No the problem is that we weren't given any details on HOW they would work which is what people want to know.
Ooh pretty look cargo. Great! How does this all work? What are we actually going to do here? Details of intended functionality? "
"I watched a 78 minute SQ42 video which was just a fly through of an empty space station environment. No indication of what actual gameplay takes place there, no actual mechanics or demonstration of the intended mechanics ... just "wow, look at how cool this looks, hey... that looks like a good place to hide ... and over there, this thing could maybe go up and down, that could be really fun".
"That's what I get from all of this, having observed and listen to CIG try and explain their plans for this game over 8 years... they are wrapped up in what they think the game will look like while playing it, preconceived scenario's and bits of narrative, but they don't actually know what mechanics they'll create to actually support and drive the physical design of the game itself. "
Speaking to NPCs is now Social Gameplay, who needs other Players in this MMO?:
"Interacting with the crew on the Idris in SQ42. There are a lot of characters and you can play the relationship game. "
Some basic truths starting to be realised as the evidence mounts up:
"There's no programming, no new gameplay, just a location with a solid 95% of it being done by the art team. "
"Details on what the intended gameplay loops involved in these areas and how they will work is what is being asked for. "
"I genuinely believe that CIG don't plan that far ahead. Gameplay always seems to be an afterthought. "
iCache doesnt seem to hold the same awe as it did:
"right now there is no function, because the dependencies for actual physical cargo management are not met.
we're spinning in circles, because the answer is: iCache needs to be done.
It's gonna be the same with the refinery decks - they also need iCache for further gameplay. "
"That is the new answer for everything. We will see what the next one is after iCash*. "
"Server Meshing. "
"Nothing new. There were Jesus Techs before Icache and Servermshing and there will be Jesus Techs after them. "
An old friends makes a late appearance but gets shot down, again, doesnt seem to deflect as easily:
"Staggered development means that certain features are live before other features. The location was finished before the mechanics were finished. Mechanics will arrive in the future when they are done, but since the location is done now, they gave it to us absent of the mechanics.
"Staggered Development is a meme. You're trying to tell me that since the release of 3.9, this is all they were able to get done? That makes it even worse. You also didn't seem to read the part where I clearly say it takes seconds to implement a template, prefab, or whatever they call their components into these areas. Literally seconds. "
And overall, this response sums it up:
"Except that no where have the devs explicitly stated that. For all intents and purposes we have less information than if they had introduced a frozen yogurt stand with a closed sign. But yay! Milestone! "