The Old Elite IV speculation thread

[Davidtq]

One of the best stories within the industry is how the cow got added to Black & White. Basically as the story goes Peter Molyneux was talking to the press and decided to hype the game by describing this wonderful looking cow that you could use as your creature.

The gameteam goes "we have a cow?"

We all live in fear over what our management is going to say next when we have our back turned

I can so picture the scene

Ive found this for you I dont think the cat is quite as far out of the bag as it seemed

When questioned by the assembled throng of developers, Braben conceded that development on Elite IV is scheduled, but not until he's finished current projects. "We started, we stopped, we started, we stopped," Braben said with a hint of frustration. "We do have people working on..." He paused, seemingly not wanting to reveal too much, but then went on: "...it's a very difficult game to realise. The plan is to do it after The Outsider. I know it's been an awfully long time, but we are, in terms of technology, very nearly there."

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6195162.html

 

[Sir.Tj]

We all live in fear over what our management is going to say next when we have our back turned

Stefan, You wait till David reads that one!

Oh and welcome to the forum Davidtq

 

[Steve O B Have]

I can so picture the scene

Ive found this for you I dont think the cat is quite as far out of the bag as it seemed

When questioned by the assembled throng of developers, Braben conceded that development on Elite IV is scheduled, but not until he's finished current projects. "We started, we stopped, we started, we stopped," Braben said with a hint of frustration. "We do have people working on..." He paused, seemingly not wanting to reveal too much, but then went on: "...it's a very difficult game to realise. The plan is to do it after The Outsider. I know it's been an awfully long time, but we are, in terms of technology, very nearly there."

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6195162.html

Hey nice find there altho not that far removed from the usual interview stuff. The Frontier chaps and chapettes are very good at keeping mum. What and epic undertaking and what I wouldn't give to have the talent to become part of that particular dev team. What is left is a 'dev experience by proxy' via the info fed through here.

 

[Davidtq]

Hey nice find there altho not that far removed from the usual interview stuff. The Frontier chaps and chapettes are very good at keeping mum. What and epic undertaking and what I wouldn't give to have the talent to become part of that particular dev team. What is left is a 'dev experience by proxy' via the info fed through here.

I guess its a bit like getting a part in star wars, a chance to be a part of the legend

But which role would you want? What part of creating a video game would appeal to you?

 

[Steve O B Have]

I guess its a bit like getting a part in star wars, a chance to be a part of the legend

But which role would you want? What part of creating a video game would appeal to you?

Personally I've always been keen on ship design and art direction. I always have stacks of ideas floating around in my head but entirely lack the skill to create anything from it. My fiancee always tells me that she'd be happy to have me quit my job and go back to study in 3d design and the like but I've been in the IT world for the last 12 years and I kinda loathe the idea of giving up the income and living like a student again.

 

[turwhitt]

But which role would you want? What part of creating a video game would appeal to you?

Quest-writing!

I honestly think that, should E4 be quest-based, Frontier should accept quest series ideas from forum users here. Obviously they'd have to be vetted for quality and content, but there is a wealth of imagination and inspiration here to be used! The more quests, the more depth, so use us and abuse us!

 

[Davidtq]

Personally I've always been keen on ship design and art direction. I always have stacks of ideas floating around in my head but entirely lack the skill to create anything from it. My fiancee always tells me that she'd be happy to have me quit my job and go back to study in 3d design and the like but I've been in the IT world for the last 12 years and I kinda loathe the idea of giving up the income and living like a student again.

Have you tried creating ships for oolite theres a tutorial and all the tools are free! its basic as the poly count is limited, but its an introduction and a taster and a canvass to play with!

 

[Davidtq]

Quest-writing!

I honestly think that, should E4 be quest-based, Frontier should accept quest series ideas from forum users here. Obviously they'd have to be vetted for quality and content, but there is a wealth of imagination and inspiration here to be used! The more quests, the more depth, so use us and abuse us!

I dont know about quest based, I think quests being available is great but quest "based" is taking away from the elite sandbox principle. I definetely think a huge number of "odd jobs" for random npc's is a great idea, but I have a strong dislike for games with "paths" you have to follow, the more open the better...

The real question is can people find a way around the whack 20 boars, deliver package and "use" item missions Thats the challenge

 

[Raxxla]

Elite 4 Technology Almost Finished

http://www.developmag.com/news/30256/Elite-4-technology-almost-finished-says-Braben
Frontier founder confirms that sequel to famed space game will land after The Outsider
Frontier Developments is close to finalising the technology that will power Elite 4, the long-awaited sequel to boss David Braben's space adventure series.

Braben confirmed the news during a talk at the Develop conference today (July 30th, 2008).

He said that the game itself "had not been forgotten" and that it would be released after his political adventure game epic The Outsider is released next year.

 

[CaptProton]

2010: The Year We Make Contact... with the Thargoides?

 

[turwhitt]

I dont know about quest based, I think quests being available is great but quest "based" is taking away from the elite sandbox principle. I definetely think a huge number of "odd jobs" for random npc's is a great idea, but I have a strong dislike for games with "paths" you have to follow, the more open the better...
D

I'm not suggesting that it shouldn't be open-ended and free-form. I'm also not suggesting that there should be an "end".
I'm saying that these days people will expect more than just a free-form trader with some random bulletin boards. I imagine, for example:

-Entering a system and being hailed by a ship under fire.
-Upon rescuing the ship, the pilot invites you to the remote research station he lives at.
-A chain of linked missions come from the station, and your reputation with various interests will be boosted or damaged depending on your actions.

I'm not saying that it should be neccesary to ever do a mission, but that the missions should be a lot more lengthy, involved and well-written than the ones in FFE. I would be happy to spend a whole evening just working for a group of people i've chanced upon randomly.
If, as i touched on before, the mission pools were added to by monthly updates, this would give the game lasting power and would also discourage software piracy.

 

[DrBaggy]

Well spotted Raxxla!

Yes, this feels as though things are finally on the move after so many years of waiting

(I tried to write "sense a c h i n k of light" but ***** was censored! Can this be amended smars, we are not going to be racially offensive here!) And from what has been written elsewhere, some hope of more info on Monday?

ps and water confirmed on Mars today! Small steps for man in both real and virtual space

 

[Steve O B Have]

I'm not suggesting that it shouldn't be open-ended and free-form. I'm also not suggesting that there should be an "end".
I'm saying that these days people will expect more than just a free-form trader with some random bulletin boards. I imagine, for example:

-Entering a system and being hailed by a ship under fire.
-Upon rescuing the ship, the pilot invites you to the remote research station he lives at.
-A chain of linked missions come from the station, and your reputation with various interests will be boosted or damaged depending on your actions.

I'm not saying that it should be neccesary to ever do a mission, but that the missions should be a lot more lengthy, involved and well-written than the ones in FFE. I would be happy to spend a whole evening just working for a group of people i've chanced upon randomly.
If, as i touched on before, the mission pools were added to by monthly updates, this would give the game lasting power and would also discourage software piracy.

I agree on both fronts -very keen for the expanded missions and I also agree with the online updates and the reduction in piracy. I think that there should be an end to storylines but upon reaching that end there should be the opportunity to find the start of another. It's the one thing that has bothered me with Mass Effect - it all came to a rather speedy end and left me craving considerably more. IMO the missions should certainly provide added depth and intrigue to the game but at the end of the mission I still want to be able to go back to my life in the Elite universe without the credits rolling.

The end result of the missions should enrich the overall environmental experience - i.e. either forever be enemy with a certain pirate/criminal group or have them as allies where you can get cheaper equipment or sanctuary when someone is after you.

 

[The Space Pirate]

Hiya all, i know this request is probably a lil over done by now but does anyone have any info on the new Elite 4: The Next Encounter Game? Game.com have listed a release date in 2010... but this cant be right can it? (By the way they are taking pre-orders for this which prompted me to hunt for info!) But yeah, any info anyone has would be so greatly appreciated!

Many thanks for reading

Hi and welcome. Those companies that are taking pre-orders for a game that's god knows how far away are bang out of order.

 

[The Space Pirate]

That's a subtle but interesting distinction. I know you can't possibly comment smars, But I'd interpret that as meaning that E4 is already in development, so our gloomy predictions about it being released a full production cycle after the release of outsider may be pessimistic.

For me, it depends on how many people Frontier have to call on: whether they've got enough people to work on two potentially huge games at once.

 

[The Space Pirate]

Please don't over-complicate it like Egosoft did with X3!

 

[The Space Pirate]

Quest-writing!

I honestly think that, should E4 be quest-based, Frontier should accept quest series ideas from forum users here. Obviously they'd have to be vetted for quality and content, but there is a wealth of imagination and inspiration here to be used! The more quests, the more depth, so use us and abuse us!

As long as it isn't one of those games you can 'finish'.

 

[The Space Pirate]

I'm not suggesting that it shouldn't be open-ended and free-form. I'm also not suggesting that there should be an "end".
I'm saying that these days people will expect more than just a free-form trader with some random bulletin boards. I imagine, for example:

-Entering a system and being hailed by a ship under fire.
-Upon rescuing the ship, the pilot invites you to the remote research station he lives at.
-A chain of linked missions come from the station, and your reputation with various interests will be boosted or damaged depending on your actions.

I'm not saying that it should be neccesary to ever do a mission, but that the missions should be a lot more lengthy, involved and well-written than the ones in FFE. I would be happy to spend a whole evening just working for a group of people i've chanced upon randomly.
If, as i touched on before, the mission pools were added to by monthly updates, this would give the game lasting power and would also discourage software piracy.

Agreed, as long as the paths don't lead to 'mission 1, mission 2, mission 3 and so on, especially if, by failing mission 3, you have to do it all over again. One of the things I really hated about the Star Wars games, for example, was the Tantive IV just got blown to stardust, so mission failed. You go back to do mission again and Tantive IV is alive and well! Avoid that like the very plague!

 

[The Space Pirate]

Water on Mars and Elite IV tech almost finished! This is a great day for mankind!

 

[JohannStrauss]

Omfg!

Water on Mars and Elite IV tech almost finished! This is a great day for mankind!

I am so nervous.

I suddenly feel 20 years younger.

EliteIV will be born.

Let's make that a day to remember.