What exactly was wrong with the DDA?

[Cmdr Kurnek]

I feel like I've got to ask. These massively respected documents contained a crowdsourced vision of what your (FD's) future customers actually want in the game. Most companies would kill for this information.

And yet, more and more, they seem to be ignored and pushed aside for a very different type of gameplay.

So I simply ask: why? What possible benefit does this change of heart have for FD? On their current course it seems more likely to drive away it's most loyal players and leave them with notoriously disloyal MMO grinders, who will move on to a new game in a few months.

That would probably leave no-one loyal enough to buy expansions or skins for a game that has diverted course so radically, certainly...

I so dearly hope that 1.4 proves me wrong and we get the emergent gameplay, working professions, balanced weapons/combat and depth that we have collectively been waiting for. At least a hint of it. A hint would do. Show us you're still on that track.

As for the DDA, why do you all think it is (seemingly) being abandoned? Or do you disagree?

I welcome all points provided they are reasoned, and not just blind statements of opinion or insults...

 

[Schmack]

When you ask 'why do you think", how do you differentiate a response from a blind opinion?

 

[Zetta]

My opinion is; the game has been in development for a paltry 2 1/2 years. I am more than willing to wait atleast another 2 1/2 years (typical MMO dev period) before I start wondering whether things have been abandoned or questioning where the game is headed.
I wasn't involved at the design discussion phase but I can only think of them as proposals, not something set in stone and therefore some fluctuation is to be expected.

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

Helping FD design such a great game was enormous fun.

So it is especially annoying that they are building a different one.

As for why - well we are all guessing. FD have not told us, and I doubt that they will. I suspect that at least some part of it is that they have an awful lot to do, and so do not feel they need to ask us about anything else. I disagree with that, of course, and I'm sure that waving the designs for, say, powerplay at the DDF would have saved them significant development effort. They did not pass the designs for any extensions past the DDF, so I fear for those.

Of course, I don't think that they have necessarily abandoned stuff in the DDA. There will undoubtedly be some things they have changed their minds on. But from where we sit, we cannot easily distinguish between 'dropped the idea' and 'not got round to it yet'. So there are features like having NPCs in your wing (plus the support stuff like advertising for wingmen) that I have every expectation of seeing at some stage. Much of the grand design for exploration will be hard to put on top of the simplistic placeholder that we have now. So they may give up (which would be sad) or roll all exploration back (think of the whining that would cause), but are more likely to do some sort of bodge which doesn't quite fit, and does not really satisfy.

 

[X-Terminator]

Well indeed when do we get what the Trailer shows with large scale fights around our Stations. Why is the No Fire Zone so safe? Surely, the Station should NOT fire outside as it has a Police to help out. Lets have all that dodging around the Station with Flight Assist Off and fend off the cops whilst we claim any bounties. Bring it on!

 

[Mohrgan]

I believe your trouble stems from interpretation. You and FD interpret the in put differently. I have been pleased with each of the update so far, and I can see how what has been released meets with a reasonable interpretation of the DDF.

 

[Ironwolf]

Helping FD design such a great game was enormous fun.

So it is especially annoying that they are building a different one.

I'll guess that they always intended build a coffee table mass appeal mainstream game. I think it's obvious now PP is out.

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I can see how what has been released meets with a reasonable interpretation of the DDF.

I can only laugh at what must be a joke.

 

[Elgered]

I hope not to be right, but I fear FD feels to have reached the limit of players (buyers), they can get with the original intended game. People who wanted ED already have it. Now they are trying to reach other types of players instead of asking the community where to go and how.

 

[Derthek]

[redacted]

 

[Ironwolf]

And yet, more and more, they are ignored and pushed aside for a very different type of gameplay.

That is exactly the problem. We were 'sold' a completely different vision. Sure it's their game, but with things like PP it's becoming less of the game I'd want to play.

 

[Don Alvarez]

I welcome all points provided they are reasoned, and not just blind statements of opinion or insults...

You mean blind statements of opinion, up to but not including:

And yet, more and more, they are ignored and pushed aside for a very different type of gameplay.

On their current course it seems more likely to drive away it's most loyal players and leave them with notoriously disloyal MMO grinders, who will move on to a new game in a few months.

No-one loyal enough to buy expansions or skins for a game that has diverted course so radically, certainly...

 

[Cmdr Kurnek]

When you ask 'why do you think", how do you differentiate a response from a blind opinion?

Perhaps I wasn't as clear as I could have been. I meant please refrain from simply saying' No! FD are awesome and will follow through! ' or 'FD suck. This game will never be what they promised.'

Essentially please avoid stating opinions AS fact...

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

I'm only a beta backer, but the game has seemed to change a lot over the past few months. I really want FDev to stick to the plan instead of adding all this new content, as good as it is. They need to ignore most of these threads, only look at the DDA and listen to Alpha (perhaps PB) backers' opinions.

 

[Cmdr Kurnek]

You mean blind statements of opinion, up to but not including:

Hmm. Perhaps I should have said 'seem to be ignored' and 'probably no one' etc. I did write it quickly, sorry.

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I'm only a beta backer, but the game has seemed to change a lot over the past few months. I really want FDev to stick to the plan instead of adding all this new content, as good as it is. They need to ignore most of these threads, only look at the DDA and listen to Alpha (perhaps PB) backers' opinions.

To be honest, that's exactly what I want too.

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That is exactly the problem. We were 'sold' a completely different vision. Sure it's their game, but with things like PP it's becoming less of the game I'd want to play.

That might not be what I belive just yet (I have tendrils of faith left) but it is what I fear...

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The problem is that that tactic seems rather short sighted, and may bite them in the behind when it comes to paid expansion time...

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My opinion is; the game has been in development for a paltry 2 1/2 years. I am more than willing to wait atleast another 2 1/2 years (typical MMO dev period) before I start wondering whether things have been abandoned or questioning where the game is headed.
I wasn't involved at the design discussion phase but I can only think of them as proposals, not something set in stone and therefore some fluctuation is to be expected.

I hope that I can look back in 2 years and laugh at my paranoia. I really do.

 

[Darkphoenix]

I'm only a beta backer, but the game has seemed to change a lot over the past few months. I really want FDev to stick to the plan instead of adding all this new content, as good as it is. They need to ignore most of these threads, only look at the DDA and listen to Alpha (perhaps PB) backers' opinions.

^^ exactly. They should stay true to what they outlined first and foremost imo and if they feel after that it is time to add new stuff that was optional then they should at that point do so. It is very easy to see where some backers and players feel somewhat slighted at what we have seen of late. It is like they originally had a cake recipe with the DDF but now have decided to improvise some of the ingredients and are substituting Cinnamon with Cayenne Pepper instead.

 

[Space Fan]

I'm a backer, but was too occupied at the time to get involved in it, but whatever PowerPlay is, it isn't the way ahead in my opinion (although I see that some think it will come of age.)

Was there anything like PowerPlay in the DDF?

 

[Tinman]

They have not been abandoned (and more of it has been implemented than some seem to give FD credit for).

Wings was described (with a different name back then) in the DDF. It has been implemented.

Secondary benefits of wings, the ability for NPCs to form wings of their own, also lays the groundwork for us players to hire NPC wingmen as described in the DDF. Something that I think isn't to far off.

The powers is pretty much Tier 1 NPCs from the DDF.

Tier 1 characters are major characters within the game world, for example Planetary Presidents, Major Corporation CEO’s and top ranking crime bosses. Typically the player will interact with tier 2 characters associated with the tier 1 character rather than directly with the tier 1 character.

It has now been implemented.

Newsfeeds was part of the DDF. Improvements to these were made in 1.3.

The mining improvements (drones) in 1.3 can be found in the DDF mining proposal. They have now been implemented.

The list goes on...

.
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There is absolutely no reason for FD to abandon their own design documents. Assuming that they have isn't reasonable IMO. There will certainly be alterations, changes and improvements due to the evolving nature of the game, but at the core they are still a foundation for what to do going forward even if FD might not agree with everyone in which order these things should be tackled (including me).

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

I'm only a beta backer, but the game has seemed to change a lot over the past few months. I really want FDev to stick to the plan instead of adding all this new content, as good as it is. They need to ignore most of these threads, only look at the DDA and listen to Alpha (perhaps PB) backers' opinions.

I am not arrogant enough (though I'm close ) to assume that the DDF members/alpha/betas have 'better' opinions that the rest of the player base. But I do think that the game described in the DDA would have been much better than the thing we have.

 

[stummies]

I'm only a beta backer, but the game has seemed to change a lot over the past few months. I really want FDev to stick to the plan instead of adding all this new content, as good as it is. They need to ignore most of these threads, only look at the DDA and listen to Alpha (perhaps PB) backers' opinions.

Completely disagree. This will not be a popular opinion but... I paid for this game too and while it's great you helped get the game going it's now a released game which anyone can buy. We all all customers now, not just the entitled few that first bought into the game, and all deserve to be heard equally. Whether they follow one idea or another is up to them.

 

[Derthek]

[redacted]