The Truth about Elite Dangerous

[Kristov]

Do you really think that they will restrict the wing stuff? If they do that, the forums will burn even more and for a right reason! Anyway, only time will tell us after all because if you don't care, I do as well.

Do you really want me to provide a TON of link that leads to the exploration forum discussion with a lot of suggestions in? I bet you can do it alone no?

What made the players getting interested to the game at the first place? What has frontier discussed with them about the future of Elite? Those suggestion made the game going into the market, they HAVE TO implement them EXCEPT for the technically impossible ones. That's why it was not a promise. Do you really think that they just trolled their base community?

BTW I'll be happy if you can tell what my problem is.

They already restrict Wing stuff, no sharing missions, remember? People still playing the game and winging up all the time, doesn't seem to have killed it or the game.

I've read those ideas, they aren't usually feasible in a way that makes the average gamer want to take them, do you not understand this? Do you have any experience at all in the industry, making games, designing missions, anything of that sort? I do, I'm baffled by the problem, it's NOT an easy one no matter how many people think it is.

What made players interested in this game in the first place? For me, the fact that it's Elite from 1984 redone with modern graphics, from what I've read, I'm far from alone in that, LOTS of the KS backers exist for that very reason. The DDF are blue skying between the devs and the potential playerbase, great concept, awesome PR , and that's about it. Most of the DDF are totally worthless, SOUNDS great, totally unfun when implemented no matter what you do. I'd love to spend an hour or so scanning EVERY single star, planet, moon and asteroid belt in a system, me and about 10,000 other people at most. So what, FD is supposed to make exploration totally worthless to the other 300,000 players who enjoy it? Oh, yeah, BRILLIANT idea that is. That's one of the DDFs, along with a lot of other really cool and complicated and boring as all hell ideas and concepts that only a handful of people would actually enjoy, while the majority would hate them. That's a fact, most of that stuff, horrible for actual gameplay, so it won't be happening nor should it. Making a game unfun for the majority is suicide.

Combined with the constant refrain of not promised, subject to change, not set in stone, may never be done...yeah, no, the DDF isn't something Elite HAS to follow up on, and for most of it, they'd be damned idiots if they tried. FD seems to be aware of this, guess the over 20 years of business, successfully making video games, winning awards and making a profit has taught them the basics, which you don't seem to get, thank the gods FD gets them.

 

[Helgarth]

They already restrict Wing stuff, no sharing missions, remember? People still playing the game and winging up all the time, doesn't seem to have killed it or the game.

I've read those ideas, they aren't usually feasible in a way that makes the average gamer want to take them, do you not understand this? Do you have any experience at all in the industry, making games, designing missions, anything of that sort? I do, I'm baffled by the problem, it's NOT an easy one no matter how many people think it is.

What made players interested in this game in the first place? For me, the fact that it's Elite from 1984 redone with modern graphics, from what I've read, I'm far from alone in that, LOTS of the KS backers exist for that very reason. The DDF are blue skying between the devs and the potential playerbase, great concept, awesome PR , and that's about it. Most of the DDF are totally worthless, SOUNDS great, totally unfun when implemented no matter what you do. I'd love to spend an hour or so scanning EVERY single star, planet, moon and asteroid belt in a system, me and about 10,000 other people at most. So what, FD is supposed to make exploration totally worthless to the other 300,000 players who enjoy it? Oh, yeah, BRILLIANT idea that is. That's one of the DDFs, along with a lot of other really cool and complicated and boring as all hell ideas and concepts that only a handful of people would actually enjoy, while the majority would hate them. That's a fact, most of that stuff, horrible for actual gameplay, so it won't be happening nor should it. Making a game unfun for the majority is suicide.

Combined with the constant refrain of not promised, subject to change, not set in stone, may never be done...yeah, no, the DDF isn't something Elite HAS to follow up on, and for most of it, they'd be damned idiots if they tried. FD seems to be aware of this, guess the over 20 years of business, successfully making video games, winning awards and making a profit has taught them the basics, which you don't seem to get, thank the gods FD gets them.

Can't you see the shared wing stuff coming? Wait a bit! ;-)

Yeah we are all game devs here... Actually I'm a computer science researcher so don't talk to me about technical issues please. And can't you find little realistic suggestions? Really? Not even one??? Dude, browse a bit further. ;-)

And why even talking about the DDF if it's to make the playerbase disappointed? This made me come on Elite!

20 years of videogame? No. They did some years where the market was empty, now they have to improve. The basics you say? Well the basics change! Happily!

And I would be very happy if you can tell me, in addition to what my problem is, what are those basics.

 

[grammatonfeather]

It all comes down to expectations....

I am pretty devoid of expectations. I expect little so am sometimes pleasantly surprised.

I don't see Elite as a colossal reality simulator set in space. At this point it doesn't try to be all encompassing in the way Star Citizen wants to be. It seems that Braben certainly wants to make it all-encompassing in the future but right now Elite to me is a flight simulator set in space. Thus I am perfectly fine without any story to get in the way. I am vaguely aware of the back stories to the Elite factions but I totally ignore them.

"What made players interested in this game in the first place? For me, the fact that it's Elite from 1984 redone with modern graphics, <<< Yes, seeing how far we've come since 1984 is amazing and it was one of the draws for me.

I actually don't mind that the core gameplay hasn't evolved that much at this point.

I see Elite as DCS flight sim in zero gravity. From that perspective I love it and have a lot of fun dog-fighting and exploring.

I do think that some of the complaints and suggestions people make would make things better though and some ideas would make it worse for me. I'm being vague but that's because it's Christmas.

Elite seems to be a lone-player experience at this time. Even though I have a friend who joins me online we often end up not flying together because either he is focused on his thing and I am doing what I do.

I'm ok with that. I don't need it to be Battlefield in space.

 

[DefiledDragon]

That would be the most logical answer. Though I'd see that as being some sort of inside job (Perhaps a virus of some sort or malfunction), since taking the defenses head on in a ship would be suicide.

It would be awesome though. Imagine it, your just milling along doing your thing and you suddenly receive a broadcast from a faction you're allied with asking you to assist in the defence of their station, or indeed assist in the assault of a rival factions station. That would be immersive, emergent gameplay and would go a long way to help alleviate the inevitible monotony of the current RNG content.

 

[seanjo]

This game came into being because of the original fan base from the 1984 game, it has been driven by them and largely financed by them.

If you want an EVE clone then play EVE.

As has been pointed out in earlier posts, the game will evolve, FD have a plan, I foresee an Elite universe with the ability to explore and claim a system, build stations, mine and defend, set up your own oligarchy...the one truism throughout the Elite experience over the years has been patience!

 

[acenickells]

I'm going to do what that chap earlier said. Go away for six months and see if they fix the bugs that make this game unplayable for me in this new version.

 

[lifeschool-amiga]

The Truth About Elite Dangerous????

You make your own fun in life, otherwise it seems unfair or pointless.

 

[Soulstain]

It all comes down to expectations....

I am pretty devoid of expectations. I expect little so am sometimes pleasantly surprised.

I don't see Elite as a colossal reality simulator set in space. At this point it doesn't try to be all encompassing in the way Star Citizen wants to be. It seems that Braben certainly wants to make it all-encompassing in the future but right now Elite to me is a flight simulator set in space. Thus I am perfectly fine without any story to get in the way. I am vaguely aware of the back stories to the Elite factions but I totally ignore them.

"What made players interested in this game in the first place? For me, the fact that it's Elite from 1984 redone with modern graphics, <<< Yes, seeing how far we've come since 1984 is amazing and it was one of the draws for me.

I actually don't mind that the core gameplay hasn't evolved that much at this point.

I see Elite as DCS flight sim in zero gravity.

This game is NOTHING like DCS in space! There isn't one speck of DCS level sim in this game. It 's 100% arcade. You don't even have to start your engines friend. Maybe try Rogue System!

 

[Krait_79]

You need an imagination to play a game like this. I grew up in an age when your imagination was your best toy, compatible with all other toys.

This.

Also the main problem with this game is that people have really let their expectations run away with them. Nothing wrong with that but it should be reigned in.

For myself i spent years hoping that the original Elite would one day be remade and finally it's happened. Of course back then you needed your imagination to make the game work. These days we are spoilt with a plethora of games with great story lines and we automatically expect that level to be maintained across the board. I think that's where a lot of people's disappointment stems from.

That said whilst the game has technically been released it is still very much a work in progress and I'm sure looking back in another couple of years most will be happy.

 

[Zandraak]

Well, if you can only play with ur imagination can you go out and play with a wooden stick? We talk about a 2015'game and not a 1980.


Elite is today a good Fly Simulation. And NOTHING more. Actually, univers, "trade" ect are just decoration around the PVE content.

PVE on Elite:
Boring, they are overpowered and incredibly , they spam interception and know you smuggle (How?), please improve iA and stop fitt a Plasma on all NPC.

Trade:
It's borken cause players have NO EFFECT. You can block a port (all players) the station will continue to produce and export. Actually it's not a real breathing univers, it's market going at +1 or -1 ress/sec at a number.
If you don't want a real economy, please change the offer/demand system. If we block a port, price will be hight, production stop ect, and all univers will be impacted. And if we sell too much metals (miners effect) production will be impacted and price will be lower.

A planet produce and "auto export" to a planet (Only DB move) when players interdict the NPC traders, you do the % and you delete it. And impact the rest of the chain. That's ALL.
With this SIMPLE and BASIC system, players can build alliance between traders and miners. But no, Braben want a 80's game.

Smuggling:
Like french say "It's only about RP in your head LOL", smuggling is USELESS like trade cause it have no effect (Selling slave will upgrade production? And drug will up disorder?) AND the black market is so broken, you will earn 100K/hour with Smuggling (try to buy drugs and sell them on non-legal are... 300CR/T, woot thanks Braben.)
Now, can you edit this and upgrade prices by 100% or more where it's not legal? I'm ok for 75% for stolen stuff, but for illegal trade (real smuggling indeed), it's broken.

For the Trade AND smuggling upgrade, hire a trainee 2 month, and he will do it, it's only database edit, not real gameplay edit. And with it, you create an incredible gameplay. But are you lazzy?

Mining:
Due to non corporation, non transfert ressources and no craft AND no real trade system, it's incredibly useless. Just read the "trade" and you'll understand.

PVP:
Doing PVP is useless. I don't will restart the OpenVSHeresy troll, but upgrade the "open" trade bonus or just give some reality to pvp (killboard? Count of Pirates killed? In game bonus? FAme? IDK...). Actually, Elite isn't a PVP game.

CQC:
It's a joke?

PowerPlay:
Hmm, I'm actually for Aisling, for the Shield. And I just farm point (doing 100% useless actions, but give points.)
The system is fully broken, there is no in game forum, no in game players decisions, doing useless actions give points, doing it on Open or Private/solo change nothing (I mean it's not a PVP gameplay...) and finally AND THE BEST, your power have all the Galaxy or have only 1 system, it change noooooooothing for you, so yeah, I don't care to win/lose. System fully broken.
Re-think that, with Players real decisions (elections/in game forum), with no points for useless actions (like continue to farm after 100%) with incredible bonus for open PvP and find a solution to make annexion of a system really important. Seriously PP is a joke actually.

SandBox:
Is a picture a sandbox? You can watch and imagine. But you have no effect on it (and don't talk about PP or "possibilty to help a faction", this is NOT sandbox).
On Elite there is NO SANDBOX today, we can't build or annexe, we can't conquest for your corporation (and there is no real Alliance/Guild/Corpo, only a "RP" group of players, where FD only rename a faction... FD tell us directly that you Take us for idiots ?).
I dream about a FD with Stations constructions (and it will give us something to do with money) and system management, alliance. I mean where we REALLY play to a sandbox. But no, Elite is a Sandbox ONLY FOR BRABEN and his "CG". Give us power.

Exploration:
Due to no conquest or players colonisation, exploration is... Just like going to museum. You visit systems, it's only for money and screens cause it will NEVER have any station/Players anymore there. Elite have "a lot of systems" but we can play on 1% and can't have any interaction the 99.99%.
With colonisation, conquest ect, we will try to find oud paradise ect.

Horizon:
Seriously guys? 40€ for a "lol Voumvroum" on planets? And it give NO BONUS to exploration? It's useless for trade? And quest give...200K? It mean after 1h, i will never back there? k, I'm not gonna pre order anymore.

FINALLY:
Today Elite is a LONG grind game with only "RP on your head" gameplay, with no real "multiplayer" side (only a Co-simulation sometime), with all possibilities to do a great game... But Braben and all old fan refuse any evolution, and prefer wait competitor...
You enter on the game, you grind mission for "rank" (Chain Co-Deco for give missions....) and after you grind money for buy/fitt all ships and... That's all.
Give us conquest, Guilds, and "global economy" where players can impact due to they're effect. And PLEASE do a real system.

PS: No, the argument of "If you want EvE go EvE" is invalid, If you want to play to the 1984 Elite, install it and play it. Seriously can you stop the stupid argument of "I've back and wait 30years", have a little reflection.
If we upgrade the gameplay and give real univers life it's JUST better. Elite: Dangerous have EVERYTHING to became a huge game, but the old (cause you are) "casual gamers" only want nostalgia with good graphisms with a univers here for the decoration.
WAKE UP.

 

[Rampant]

This opinion garners a 5 out of 7.

The perfect score.

 

[ShimEnki]

+1 to OP, I agree completely. I've played since launch, and now that Horizons is out and Frontier seemingly hasn't learned their lesson, I'm now convinced that this game is actually a cash grab. They make it look pretty, add the bare minimum of content to it to make it playable and draw players in, charge an exorbitant price for the base game and the so-called 'expansion', and then focus on adding more ways to grind; repeating the same garbage tasks to artificially extend playability. Add to that the fact that many of the bugs reported in the beta stages of 1.5 and the expansion still clearly haven't been fixed, and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to trust that Frontier actually cares about their game - and not just their sales.

and that FD feels that the ELITE AND DANGEROUS ones are the NPCs...not YOU.

 

[Theta Sigma]

I'm now convinced that this game is actually a cash grab.

- games companies, in the main, exist in order to make money, Frontier are regularly releasing content and sequentially building an enormous game
- if you are convinced Elite is a cash-grab, simply compare and contrast with other games with similar scope and complexity - there aren't (m)any comparisons, and even less that a) are at a similar stage in their lifespan b) have a release date this side of 2017

 

[DefiledDragon]

- games companies, in the main, exist in order to make money, Frontier are regularly releasing content and sequentially building an enormous game
- if you are convinced Elite is a cash-grab, simply compare and contrast with other games with similar scope and complexity - there aren't (m)any comparisons, and even less that a) are at a similar stage in their lifespan b) have a release date this side of 2017

The scope is there, but I'm not seeing much in the way of complexity? Unless you're referring to the obfuscation that pervades the game of course, but that's not the same as complexity.

 

[Gortron]

I think the truth is that people need to stop trying to turn ED into a mainstream game. Almost all people seem to do in the forums is slag the game off or try and turn it into another game. ED is mindboggling massive in scale but trying to personalise content at that scale has to be hard. Especially when they are still mainly focused on making the galaxy. Listening the people moan about this game is like a cliché fest now. Grind now= doing anything more than once since Elite dangerous was invented. 'I've grinded my way to a house'. I always wanted a car but after I'd 'grinded' my way to a ford fiesta I couldn't work out what to 'grind' for next so I 'grinded' for a boat. The game loop isn't well hidden because ED is more of a space simulator than a game and they haven't found a solution to that yet.

 

[Theta Sigma]

The scope is there, but I'm not seeing much in the way of complexity? Unless you're referring to the obfuscation that pervades the game of course, but that's not the same as complexity.

See: "sequentially building"

Also, please feel free to point out examples of other titles in this genre which have appreciably greater complexity... "a) at a similar stage in their lifespan b) have a release date this side of 2017"

 

[Zandraak]

@Gortron: Sorry, add content and try to do a living univers is mainstream. LOL.
Can you found real argument to say you only want a poor copy of original Elite with new graphics? You know, If you want just re-install it and let the 21 century gamers on ED evolution

 

[DefiledDragon]

See: "sequentially building"

Also, please feel free to point out examples of other titles in this genre which have appreciably greater complexity and that are... "a) at a similar stage in their lifespan b) have a release date this side of 2017"

I'm still not seeing the "complexity" in the game? Can you give me examples?

 

[KellyR]

The scope is there, but I'm not seeing much in the way of complexity? Unless you're referring to the obfuscation that pervades the game of course, but that's not the same as complexity.

Obfuscation? I have no idea what you mean. Could you explain, please?

 

[Theta Sigma]

I'm still not seeing the "complexity" in the game? Can you give me examples?

The complexity is "sequentially building."

This rate of increase in complexity isn't swift enough for some, but if you wish to make an apple pie from scratch you must first invent the universe.