Elite / Frontier What would prevent *you* from buying E4?

[DraQ]

Post only things Frontier Developments has some degree of control over.

Certainly:

• Dumb DRM scheme limiting the number of installations, installing potentially malignant code on my machine or otherwise forcing me to jump through the hoops I might not desire to jump through.
• Required subscription fees - just no, I'm mostly a single player gamer, I want to be able to buy the game, then play it whenever I want for as much time as I might desire.
• Being MMO - see above, plus I don't think I would enjoy the grind and interaction with "differently brained" gamers.
• Lack of realistically scaled, astronomically correct systems governed by orbital mechanics - why remove one of the chief differences between Frontier and :insertanyarcadespaceshooterhere:?
• Lack of Newtonian flight model, complete with gravity and without arbitrary restrictions like inability to rotate independently of flight direction or arbitrary max speed - see above (unless it's superseded by an Einsteinian flight model - then, by all means, indulge me).
• Lack of option to directly control thrusters in combat, without pesky ship's computer interfering - preferably full Jordanian Controls, but Frontier's main+retro will do in a pinch
• Being console only

Likely:

• Online activation necessary to play the game - I'm such a strange person that might suddenly want to install this game while being deprived of the network access or 10 years from now, in a fit of nostalgia - necessity of online activation may limit my ability to enjoy the game and adversely affect my desire to buy it

Your list?

 

[Adrena1in]

At the moment I think only the only thing that would stop me buying it would be if it had a subscription fee.

 

[turwhitt]

I will buy it whatever.

I will be disappointed if:

-It's over-simplified and dumbed down
-It's a MMO
-It isn't free form. A central storyline quest is fine (desirable actually), but the player should always be free to go off and do his/her own thing.
-It doesn't feature realistic physics
-I can't join the Empire!

 

[DrBaggy]

For me the only deal-breaker was if it was console or MMO only. But having to be online really spoilt my enjoyment of Empire Total War.

But then again, entering the third letter down of page 54 of the manual every so often was a pain too...

 

[DraQ]

console only.

Ah, yes, this one too.

(OP updated)

 

[shrapnel]

If I am brutally honest with myself there is nothing at all that will stop me from buying Elite 4, but there are things that will stop me from liking it.

Such as:

• Lack of newtonian physics
• MMO
• Lack of realistically scaled, astronomically correct systems governed by orbital mechanics (robbed from DraQ)

Subscription fees are a tough one, one presumes they would only exist for an MMO structure as this would justify regular costs of backend server upkeep, maintenance and upgrade. I think if it was MMO it would become too much like EVE and not enough like Elite. This would not prevent me buying it, but it might mean I only play it for 6 months.

If we're talking single player subs for upgrades then I think it would be a much better model for all that you pay as and when for the add-ons that you want.

 

[DraQ]

If I am brutally honest with myself there is nothing at all that will stop me from buying Elite 4

Addressing you and similarly (in this regard) thinking people:

Don't you think that this kind of behaviour robs you of this tiny bit of influence you have over gaming companies?

I think buying something despite not liking it is a pretty bad idea for a customer.

Of course, I do hope E4 fulfils at least my most basic requirements and this will simply make me buy it - no "but"s and "if"s here, it'll probably make me spread good word about it and word of the mouth tends to be effective, but if it doesn't - I don't intend to buy it.

If we're talking single player subs for upgrades then I think it would be a much better model for all that you pay as and when for the add-ons that you want.

But then, those subscription fees won't be required to play the game, will they?

I'm also playing with the thought of placing real advertisements in the game.

On one hand, I'm usually vehemently opposed to this kind of things, on the other, Frontier already had billboards with various advertisements, so, as long as they aren't too anachronistic and don't intrude into the gameplay any further, it shouldn't matter if some of them advertise real life companies (some should still advertise Foam Metals corporation and such, obviously).

 

[Steve]

I'm also playing with the thought of placing real advertisements in the game.

On one hand, I'm usually vehemently opposed to this kind of things, on the other, Frontier already had billboards with various advertisements, so, as long as they aren't too anachronistic and don't intrude into the gameplay any further, it shouldn't matter if some of them advertise real life companies (some should still advertise Foam Metals corporation and such, obviously).

The ads in FE2/FFE did work well, even though they were obviously ficticious.

As far as real ads are concerned, it would depend on who the advertisers were. It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect, say, Coca-Cola or Pepsi to still be around in the 33rd Century.

Going back to the original topic of the thread... old age?

 

[DraQ]

It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect, say, Coca-Cola or Pepsi to still be around in the 33rd Century.

It probably would, but they wouldn't seem anachronistic.

Going back to the original topic of the thread... old age?

Haha... Hopefully not.

 

[bananascope]

mmo and subscribtion fees. i have no problem with an optional multiplayer online dogfighting mode (or some such thing) but i hope the main game is single player only in keeping with the elite series.

 

[shrapnel]

Addressing you and similarly (in this regard) thinking people:

Don't you think that this kind of behaviour robs you of this tiny bit of influence you have over gaming companies?

I think buying something despite not liking it is a pretty bad idea for a customer.

Oh I agree, it's an outrage that I would buy it regardless, but I have to own up to what a buffoon I am sometimes. If I saw it, in a shop, I would buy it, unless it had been made into Wing Commander and had Mark Hamill in it, alongside a cast of talking cat-men.

Originally Posted by Steve
It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect, say, Coca-Cola or Pepsi to still be around in the 33rd Century.

It probably would, but they wouldn't seem anachronistic.

Any advertisement for a company that exists in 2009 is going to be anachronistic to an extent. I agree with Steve that making it a potentially believable advertiser for the 33rd century is a good idea, it lessons the blow anachronically, and adds atmosphere.

If marketing are reading this forum I am sure they will mention that to Coca-Cola when they are setting their pitch!

 

[Steve O B Have]

Well you lot will probably hate me for this but I would like for there to be some form of online interaction possibly with co-operative play. I think it would be cool to have some missions that being in a squadron is advantageous. I definitely think there is room for online these days.

I agree I wouldn't want it to be entirely MMO and it should be entirely playable as single player but I think it would be remiss in not containing some sort of online components and for them to be persistant to a certain extent.

I don't think my imagination is quite as forgiving as it was when I played FE2 and FFE.

What would stop me - not much really - perhaps if the reviews said that it was an EVE/X series clone

 

[Sir.Tj]

I think the only things that would stop me buying it would be -

Subscription.
Too much of a departure from the previous games
Lack of free roaming, if you had to follow a set path.

It would be very hard for any of these to stop me. I'd be more dissapointed with waiting so long and the game not living up to expectations.

 

[Spacegamer]

I can only think of two thing which may stop me from buying the game.

1 Any DRM/online activation which has to be done ever time you play the game.

2 If there is no retail version of the game.

 

[The Space Pirate]

I will buy it whatever.

I will be disappointed if:

-It's over-simplified and dumbed down
-It's a MMO
-It isn't free form. A central storyline quest is fine (desirable actually), but the player should always be free to go off and do his/her own thing.
-It doesn't feature realistic physics
-I can't join the Empire!

I agree entirely, especially with the MMO point. As for it being dumbed down, I'm afraid I think it will be, since it's coming out on the damned consoles as well! How far ahead of the PS3/Xbox 360 will the PC be by the time Elite IV comes out? Yet will it be able to fully utilise its abilities? No. It'll be hamstrung by the consoles. Unless, of course, the PC version is a completely separate project? If all formats get the same version, the game will be ruined.

 

[Sir.Tj]

I agree entirely, especially with the MMO point. As for it being dumbed down, I'm afraid I think it will be, since it's coming out on the damned consoles as well! How far ahead of the PS3/Xbox 360 will the PC be by the time Elite IV comes out? Yet will it be able to fully utilise its abilities? No. It'll be hamstrung by the consoles. Unless, of course, the PC version is a completely separate project? If all formats get the same version, the game will be ruined.

I cant see it being dumbed down personally. The consoles are a different breed to the PC but remember how small Elite's programming was and how much was in the game, intelligent programming will make a huge difference to many of the current games which in my opinion go over the top with the graphics and twinkly bits and lack storylines etc.

 

[The Space Pirate]

Well you lot will probably hate me for this but I would like for there to be some form of online interaction possibly with co-operative play. I think it would be cool to have some missions that being in a squadron is advantageous. I definitely think there is room for online these days.

I agree I wouldn't want it to be entirely MMO and it should be entirely playable as single player but I think it would be remiss in not containing some sort of online components and for them to be persistant to a certain extent.

I don't think my imagination is quite as forgiving as it was when I played FE2 and FFE.

What would stop me - not much really - perhaps if the reviews said that it was an EVE/X series clone

I agree: these days, if a game has no online at all, then I'd be disappointed. As long as the singleplayer isn't treated as an afterthought to the online (as happens with so many games these days), then I'd be fine with that.

 

[Gibbon]

Online subrsciption, def no no.
Console only
DRM activation

I'd prefer some online madness as well. Ability to do missions in a group would be nice but singleplayer was always the mainstay of this game and i'd expect nothing less in E4. Online play is a must, we are in the 21st century now lol

 

[Steve]

Console only

The only thing I would say about "console only" is that Frontier did a pretty good job of CD32 FE2. I guess the market has changed since those halcyon days though

 

[turwhitt]

Yes but that was a console port of a PC game.

Who cares if it's ported to consoles? That's fine. I think the point is that we don't want the game to be designed for consoles and then ported to PC.