#support3rdparty - Why we temporarily shut down our sites.

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DCLXVI your God

DCLXVI your God
Cmdr Thrudd said:
I've taken my site (Thrudd's Elite Dangerous Tools elitetradingtool.co.uk) down in support as well.

The lack of 3rd party support over the years has been really disappointing. When I put my site up in ALPHA there was talk of an API and we still haven't got it. Instead we got a journal that didn't include the data I needed and now with the companion API no longer officially supported we're in a pretty bad place.
I've put 1000's of hours in to working on my site for the good of the community but am seriously considering just taking the site down as I don't feel there's any future in it.
For the last 6 months or so I can't even use it myself due to a API bug meaning I don't get any data from the companion API any more.

The new journal gave me nothing to work with regarding trade data or even simple things like station distance from jump in so I cant even convert my site to use that.
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Thank you for your effort.
I really do appreciate it. [yesnod]
 

Aidan Brooder

Aidan Brooder
I value the third party tools provided very highly and I think it is not too much to ask to get a working communication set up between FD and third party tool providers.

Though I only use a fraction of those tools I feel they do enhance the value of Elite Dangerous for many.
And though some tools go a step too far in my opinion, making aspects of the game too easy, I'm not forced to use them after all.

A trade computer recording prices e.g. should be part of the game.

I fully understand your frustration and support your course of action.
This should not turn into bad blood between FD and third party programmers using their API, but into a new fruitful partnership as seen in many other games.
 

thebullfrog

thebullfrog
Phoenix_Dfire said:
This sounds as if its a deliberate attempt to destroy the event on the 29th. A years worth of preparation is going to be lost. So I guess that's it for any more events like the 29th because if creating events like this causes this much hassle or open to exploitation/Blackmail, I don't see Frontier doing any others.

The 3rd Party Tools in question are excellent, no-one is doubting that, and, to some players, they are essential. Personally, Coriolis.edcd.io and INARA are two I really enjoy using and enhance the E : D experience but they don't stop me playing if they're not available.

Isn't the API a 'Nice to Have'?

Frontier didn't have to supply one

Wasn't the API reverse engineered from the old iPad app?

If companies provide this kind of thing, they're normally provided with goodwill and the understanding of, 'we might have to change the interface at any time'. Its something developers have to be aware of whenever a new API is released (Looks nervously at the next Android release). I know its frustrating but you can only work with what is provided, things like this will just erode that good will.

We know that 2.3 is being a pain and there is always a flurry of patches after a big release. It might have been better to wait until a couple of patches have stabilized the release, before performing this action. You would have still gotten the support and you would have had mine. However this, combined with toxicity around 2.3 has got me worried that not only will we see no new events like the Salome event but development might on E : D might even stop after 2.4.
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How, exactly is it affecting the 29th in ANY way. It's following Drew and friends around engaging in some PVP fisticuffs. What does trade market tool being down do to "destroy" that?
 
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kromit

kromit
They do it all for free in their free time for us to enjoy. FD profits from them since they provide missing game features for free. They are just showing us and FD what would happen when they are gone.
 

Delilah

D
I support #support3rdparty. These developers have performed a great service to the community, and Frontier has dropped the ball by not closely coordinating with them. I urge Frontier to make working with these folks a top priority.
 

jasonbarron

jasonbarron
Paramemetic said:
Frontier isn't being held ransom here, you are not entitled to the labor value generated by 3rd party tool developers. The third parties are absolutely allowed and should be encouraged to demonstrate their necessity to the community. For two years, 3rd party developers have been working without an API to develop tools that make this game playable, not just convenient. Strike action is the correct action to make a demand here for support which was recently withdrawn.

When you donate your labor to a cause, and Frontier makes it harder rather than easier, this seems like a reasonable action. Quit having a whine because people who value their own time and effort to make things better for you and for the entire community, without pay, mind, are demanding some minor concessions from Frontier.

If you think that this is "ransom" that only proves that their services are valuable and necessary, and that only goes to show that Frontier needs to provide working API solutions to work with these people rather than against them.

http://i.imgur.com/tnnHio3.png
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Labor unions and Communism all rolled into one neat little package; typical amphibian.
 

Freakazoiden

Freakazoiden
I give my full support to the 3rd party Tools Developers! I use several tools when playing Elite, and these fill the gaps the game lacks. I didn't know Frontier ignored this community at this extent so they have to go on a strike. I really hope they listen to the community and fix this, or else someone at Frontier has to take the walk of shame.

Live long and prosper! o7
 

Kharadrass

K
Jpfan01 said:
Need, no, make it easier yes, but I have local copies so not going to play part in this childish game. I'll do what fdev is going to do, wait until it goes away.
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Ah but you're still using them, even a copy is still the 3rd party tool. Kinda making my point for me...thanks. And yup agree with you, they will most probably wait until it goes away. But so will a lot of players...unfortunately. I use them occasionally, but can see why they are taking this action and I support it, As another post said and I recall reading this as well...Braben did in fact tell players to use these services thereby endorsing them since he is the MD over at FD. So there you go, FD say use it but don't give support.
 

Cmdr Thrudd

Cmdr Thrudd
Un1k0rn said:
But could someone PLEASE, enlighten plebs like me what "support" actually means?
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I cant speak for the other devs but in my case the issue I've been having is that the api we've been using to get data from the devs is now classed as 'no longer supported' so when bugs happen theres nothing they will do to fix it and you can do about it. My characters fail to get data from any queries making testing or even using my own site impossible. I get many emails per week from users demanding I fix my site but the problem isnt with my site its with the no longer supported API just suddenly deciding to not feed data.

What many of us have been asking for since alpha is a formal api with documentation and security so we can develop our tools on a solid foundation rather than the current ad-hoc system that can suddenly be pulled out from underneath us invalidating all the hard work weve put in over the years.
 
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