Why are features on INARA not in the game itself?

[Red Fox Four]

Only recently I came across the website http://inara.cz/

After I registered and started using it I realized it has almost all the stuff that is missing in the game with respect to social tools and guilds.

• It allows you to create a Wing (ergo guild).
• It allows you to create a Squadron / Flight, e.g. dedicate players to specific roles... e.g. a mining squadron, or pirates, or bounty hunting.
• It allows you to create Missions (e.g. events that other members can sign up to)
• It allows you to upload your Elite .log file to generate a Flight Plan (showing systems you went to, stations you docked at, interdictions etc)
• It lets you set up a quick overview of your pilot (e.g. my signature below).
• It lets you form a coalition with other Wings (guilds) to work together.
• It even has a logbook feature, where you can type in anything from a few words of what happened that day to a long entry of thoughts and ideas.... and you can share the logbook with others, or keep it private.
• It has nice discussion forums
• It has a cool gallery function where we can share screenshots.
• It has the latest news, community goals and even radio channels to listen to!

So the real question is... why is NONE of this incorporated into the game itself?

Hats of to the guys/gals who set up INARA. It added a new level of depth to the game for me and it is great how it lets us create a Wing/guild that we can all be part of and where we can plan activities, share experiences and so forth in a more tangible manner.

But in all honesty, almost the entire website should be an ingame feature. Frontier needs to hire these INARA guys/gals and make it happen. It is a shame that we have to experience the game outside of the game. Heck, it took Frontier a year+ since it was suggested to add notes/bookmarks in the maps until it happened (well, soon to happen as it its part of the current engineers beta).

Many thanks to the INARA guys/gals for making my Elite experience better.

Frontier... learn from this!

 

[lysan]

I agree, but as I understand it, there is only so much FD can do, and they are now heavily focusing on getting the furniture into the house. I can't remember who said it, but they are aware and its on the list, just not for now.

 

[Iskariot]

Why are features on INARA not in the game itself?

For the same reasons other features are either not yet in the game, or never ever will be in thegame:
Developers have to make choices all the time.
Because developers might have different ideas about how their game should be.
Because this is a long term project and developers can't do everything at once and therefore have to set priorities about what to do first.

This is a game in the midst of development so we can be sure that a lot of stuff is going to be added over time.
Some of it might be what you want, and some of it might even be what I want.

 

[Red Fox Four]

I don't know of many people who wouldn't want better social and/or guild features in the game.

INARA has loads of guilds, http://inara.cz/wings, ranging from 2 members to nearly 1000 members in the largest one. So there is absolutely a genuine interest having guild functions for the game where players can collaborate together.

For these functions to be down prioritized is simply disappointing. Especially knowing how much guilds and social tools in a game adds to the enjoyment of the game as you can share the experiences and fun together with others.

There is no reason why social and guild functions can't be added in iterations as they add more content to the game.

 

[Max Stingray]

I also think that something like INARA is an essential addition to the game, but as others have said, it probably is not part of the game just because FD has prioritized other things.

I use INARA all the time, and use the ED market connector to quickly update the market data, but everything else needs doing by hand.
(Hint -->) If FD provided an API to read the flight logs, credit balance and ship value/loadouts/location (<--- Hint) so that INARA could do it more automatically, I'd be a happy enough [yesnod][yesnod][yesnod] (although I understand that FD may have business reason not to do so)

Having all INARA provides integrated into the game as well as having a companion web-site would be awesome, but in terms of priority an in-game flight log is what I miss the most.
Imagine having an in-game panel that provides a simple timestamped list with docking/undocking/land/take-off, jump and ship events (buy, sell, swap, take a ride in the e-pod), buy/sell events, discoveries, promotions etc ...
Imagine being able to quickly target anything from your history with keyboard shortcuts for last system, last station, last persistent POI (CZ, RES, Nav ... )
Imagine being able to add comments to the log (as done on real ships) and pictures .... or videos ....
Imagine being able to plot one's wanderings on the galaxy map ...

 

[Komemiute]

I agree, but as I understand it, there is only so much FD can do, and they are now heavily focusing on getting the furniture into the house. I can't remember who said it, but they are aware and its on the list, just not for now.

Very very very much this.

 

[Robert Maynard]

There is no reason why social and guild functions can't be added in iterations as they add more content to the game.

There is *one* reason. Frontier left guild features off the feature list of the game - and DBOBE seems to dislike some of the gameplay facilitated by such features.

 

[Marra Morgan]

I kinda prefer those features to be on INARA rather than in the game, simply because I can access INARA from work.
It's public too, so you can check out other pilots, other wings, read logbooks etc.

 

[cmdr_Havalok]

Why is the terran sky blue? Why is water so wet? Why do the 12 Gugas sing at the rising of Mbarra'ungurro? Why is Inara so great?

Asking questions is the first step in seeking knowledge. Seeking knowledge is the first step in finding it.

Remember Fdev is using a non-standard development cycle. They have limited resources that have to be doled out by a priority. Getting the main game up and running as a foundation comes before the the social interaction and its tools.

 

[Red Fox Four]

Why is the terran sky blue? Because of the way white light from Sol is refracted when passing through the gases in the upper atmosphere.
Why is water so wet? Because of the way the molecules bind together and the viscosity of H2O under ambient temperatures. Why do the 12 Gugas sing at the rising of Mbarra'ungurro? Because they are in heat. Why is Inara so great? Because it encompasses all different social and clan/guild based features often found in within the games themselves in any game that focuses on a collaborative effort by members in a self-defined group or community.

Asking questions is the first step in seeking knowledge. Seeking knowledge is the first step in finding it.

Remember Fdev is using a non-standard development cycle. they have limited resources that have to be doled out by a priority. Getting the main game up and running as a foundation comes before the the social interaction and its tools.

I answered the questions.

Now can I have INARA in-game? [wacky]

 

[Becks]

Why is the terran sky blue? Why is water so wet? Why do the 12 Gugas sing at the rising of Mbarra'ungurro? Why is Inara so great?

Asking questions is the first step in seeking knowledge. Seeking knowledge is the first step in finding it.

Remember Fdev is using a non-standard development cycle. they have limited resources that have to be doled out by a priority. Getting the main game up and running as a foundation comes before the the social interaction and its tools.

That's true. Nonetheless is the lack of implemented social interaction one of the bigger weaknesses of the game.

On the other Hand, an organization like the FuelRats profits from not being implemented into the game.

 

[DNA-Decay]

Artie is AWESOME.


I just hope he doesn't implement a forum like this one.
Not that there's anything WRONG with this forum.
Just it's nice to have somewhere else that is in the Elite Galaxy that isn't always here.
Like a lot of Elite - it's amazing at first, and then a bit samey, and then you find some rabbit hole and off you go deep.

But yeah, INARA the blogs, and image store, and wing pages.
There's a great collection of wings out there. Sorted by number of registered pilots.
Some teams rock it and work it heaps, and some teams just have a sign up and their phone number written in sharpie.

Awesome awesome stuff.

I would not have as much fun playing Elite without INARA. *
Also all the other third party sites. But yeah INARA is pretty special.

Actually that reminds me, tomorrow is payday and I should donate a few bucks.
He's best host, non intrusive, and doesn't mind if you swear or don't clean up the vomit on your carpet.
And mostly folks put their pretty dresses on, and brush their teeth and generally look pretty good out there.

I haven't written anything for a while, but here's me: http://inara.cz/cmdr/3414

some folks REALLY rock the whole INARA thing.
Check this CMDR's blog: http://inara.cz/cmdr/1355

Kind of a bit to read but worth it.








* Actually the AEDC runs a few websites and third party tools.
Link off the sig.

Not so much blogs and galleries, but I would probably think there was nothing much happening in this game if I didn't hang there.

 

[Voz]

I think the distinction of what can be done outside of the game vs what can't. As INARA has done such a great job of filling a need, if anything it's reduced the need for FD to focus on this inside the game. To be honest I would rather they did focus on the in-game only stuff.

Having said that - we originally had a very limited API to get CMDR status, location etc in the IOS app. The talk back then was that this would be extended and I think a decent API structure would help a lot. I don't see the need to cram all functionality into the base game, I think it's great to allow the community to extend the functionality where they see a gap.

 

[cmdr_Havalok]

I answered the questions.

Now can I have INARA in-game? [wacky]

But you got the answers wrong.... Still you tried and that is encouraging but you look for the quick and cheap answers based on old year 2000 science. Time shall erode this quality within you one day. Now go hire about 20 additional programmers and put them at Fdevs disposal with the caveat that they create in-game social tools. You can afford to pay them, right?

EDIT: or maybe petition Fdev to include an Inara Button and leverage what Inara already has. They can open a Browser to the Fdev Ship Store from within Outfitting, why not open Inara from in-game? Of course, there is the Windows Key (what is it on Mac?).

 

[Boomer Kay]

I think the distinction of what can be done outside of the game vs what can't. As INARA has done such a great job of filling a need, if anything it's reduced the need for FD to focus on this inside the game. To be honest I would rather they did focus on the in-game only stuff.

Having said that - we originally had a very limited API to get CMDR status, location etc in the IOS app. The talk back then was that this would be extended and I think a decent API structure would help a lot. I don't see the need to cram all functionality into the base game, I think it's great to allow the community to extend the functionality where they see a gap.

Actually I joined this forum with the purpose to support that thread about 3rd party sites and interaction with FD's API (there is one).
a) there are some players (how many we do not know - some million is not even signed up to the forums) who actually dislike such features in the game
b) multiplatform (solution: get an additional tablet for 50 bucks and have all the 3rd party ressources you want - FD can not make the XBox have better input devices)
c) With a sanctioned API access (was sanctioned during that thread .. after a year of fighting that sort of access), the community can (and did) create a multitude of tools (inara, eddb, edshipyard etc.) - more than FD could ever come up with on their own - there will *always* be a functionality missing in the game that someone can provide better/faster

Next step is NOT to include some simplified (multiplatform requirement) of what we already have into the game, but to maybe provide a sort of in-game API for 3rd party apps.
WoWs default UI was junk - that's where a multitude of plug-ins came into play.

 

[Iskariot]

I don't know of many people who wouldn't want better social and/or guild features in the game.

I have no doubt you are right about that.
I happen to be one of the few (or perhaps not so few) who do not care about those type of features at all.
I am a bit differently wired so to speak .

For these functions to be down prioritized is simply disappointing.

Well, don't know if they are down prioritized.
But just look at the enormous size and complexity of Elite's game world. These devs have sooooo much on their plate.
Personally I feel that there's enough stuff that is much more important for the game world and how we perceive it than those social/guild features.
I am not against them being added eventually, but they would do nothing at all to improve my experience.
I want:
- NPC crewmembers
- Winging up with NPC (which will enable escort missions)
- Passenger mechanic/missions
- Volcanic planets
- Thargoids, not just their ships, but also Thargoid bases, colonies on planets, Thargoid ruled systems etc. etc.
- More NPC militiary capital ships like Destroyers, frigates, troop transports, medical ships, military tankers etc.
- more assets added to the game, like station types: mining installations, industrial complexes, military fortresses, prison installations, impressive corporate HQs, true shipyards, Pirate stations hidden in asteroids etc etc.

I could go on and on with stuff I think is more important than more social stuff and I did not even mention flying in the upper atmosphere of gas giants and landing on atmospheric planets (oops I mentioned it), because that stuff will be a total game changer of enormous proportions.

There is no reason why social and guild functions can't be added in iterations as they add more content to the game.

I really have no idea if that is true.
Perhaps there are very good reasons for now and perhaps they have planned just such an iteration for later this year.

 

[Artie]

EDIT: or maybe petition Fdev to include an Inara Button and leverage what Inara already has. They can open a Browser to the Fdev Ship Store from within Outfitting, why not open Inara from in-game? Of course, there is the Windows Key (what is it on Mac?).

Honestly, it is something I rather do not want to happen. With all the players Elite has it will surely crash the server.
But, regular, full, official API will definitely help and I am sure other great tool authors (Themroc, AnthorNet, Biobob, Mcleod, Maddavo to name just few) will be also happy with it. Let's push Frontier more that way...

In any case, thank you for your praise and kind words, everyone!

 

[Max Stingray]

I think the distinction of what can be done outside of the game vs what can't. As INARA has done such a great job of filling a need, if anything it's reduced the need for FD to focus on this inside the game. To be honest I would rather they did focus on the in-game only stuff.

Having said that - we originally had a very limited API to get CMDR status, location etc in the IOS app. The talk back then was that this would be extended and I think a decent API structure would help a lot. I don't see the need to cram all functionality into the base game, I think it's great to allow the community to extend the functionality where they see a gap.

Extending the API to allow INARA to get what needs to be entered manually (credit balance, flight logs and ship inventory/location/loadout) it's all it's need to make INARA seamless. In-game integration could come much later.

A shortcut to quickly enter the target system/station is all one would need to make all sort of flight plan/bookmarks extensions off-line.

 

[Gaarp Kobayashi]

I don't know of many people who wouldn't want better social and/or guild features in the game.
(...).

Me!!! I like it exactly how it is now. The level of interaction between other Commanders is perectly suitable for me. I dont have the time nor will to play "classic" MMOs, with PMs all the time, guild chats etc. Been there though. I've been a Guild Master for over 2 years in SWOTOR. The guild was around 300 peps. I made a aware choice about playing Elite Dangerous. Knowing it wont steal my time for typical social activities I had during 2 years of my life.

Ofcoz you can say "dont use social side of the game if not liking it", but I'm more than sure there are many Commanders out there like me, who would probably not start to play this marvelous game, knowing it could steal their precious time with all this typical MMO social interactions. As usually its just to tempting not to use those.

So as you see, Mr. Braben's approach tegarding the case you dont like, but there are many like me, who loves it! I hope this answers your question in the OP.

 

[The_Quasar]

Imho, it's good how it is...

Inara is great, Artie has done a great job, and listens and helps the Wings when he can. I don't think FD could possibly be as responsive as he is when something comes up.

Best thing FD could do is to support Inara, and when they eventually have the time, and the will, to integrate Inara into the game, keeping Artie to run it on their behalf.

I already expect that FD check Inara to see if a Wing/faction has the support it says, etc before injecting them into the game. That just makes sense.