Will single player be completely and utterly offline no internet needed

[Styggron]

A burning question for me.

1. Will pure single player mode be completely offline. No internet ever needed if I choose never to get updates etc.

I can open the box, install the game in the middle of nowhere on the laptop say and play for months and never needing to connect to anything.


This of course will restrict that "save" ever being able to go on multiplayer so you would in effect need several pilots. An online one that syncs to the servers etc and a completely separate universe for your single player that you run so you can experiments with careers, trading, choices etc

I'm fine with the universe being synced for multiplayer etc but I really hope single player is completely and utterly single player so I don't need to downloads all these updates, syncs etc to play in a universe where there are no other real players in.

Just a big worry of mine. I am really hoping to know the answer by Jan 5th.

There are lots of ifs and maybe's but no solid direct answers to this I'm afraid.

 

[Capt. Hook]

I kinda hope that the single player game does not require the internet to ever be switched on (once pledge snazzy decals etc have been downloaded ). Ireland's intertubes are v creaky at the best of times and it would be great to be able to play the game without wondering if I'm going to be booted off or not at any time.

 

[nats]

Well it will probably be the same as Rise of Flight. You will need to be online to download patches, sync your account to reflect any bought ships etc, as well as download any changes to the universe since you played last bearing in mind it will probably be updated as it goes along in certain ways (new missions etc). But I guess we wont know for sure until the game gets much further along in development, I doubt you will have an answer by end of the Kickstarter because they probably haven't sorted out the exact details themselves yet.

 

[Styggron]

Well it will probably be the same as Rise of Flight. You will need to be online to download patches, sync your account to reflect any bought ships etc, as well as download any changes to the universe since you played last bearing in mind it will probably be updated as it goes along in certain ways (new missions etc). But I guess we wont know for sure until the game gets much further along in development, I doubt you will have an answer by end of the Kickstarter because they probably haven't sorted out the exact details themselves yet.

and if I don't want to download any patches then I don't need any connection. Like I said, open box, install game and play "101" version as is totally stand alone no internet ever needed unless you want to update.

I fear however this will not be the case but fear is not confirmation.

Single player means exactly that. Single player. We can save, experiment and it does not affect anything else because our universe is stand alone no sync no forced updates nothing. Just us.

 

[Styggron]

What I can understand is

Need to login one time to get all the extras you got as a pledger like decals etc

But the game should still be playable without ever going to get that decal and then even when you do you should never have to connect again to play single player.

Sure there are updates which I agree should be only accessible by loggin in, of course, makes sense but if I choose not to get updates then I should not have to.

Minecraft for example I can stay for years with no updates in single player. I am hoping it is like that. Hoping is not the same as knowing though. That is what I am worried about.

 

[Completely Harmless]

I am with you, Styggron, hoping SP is 100% separate and not needing any online component. So, I would like to hear for certain this too.

I would play my own SP games and then I probably would share another universe with my spouse in our own private server -- but beyond that I have little interest of online stuff

 

[Capt. Hook]

I think alot depends on what the updates out there are and which ones cost money to purchase etc.

DB says on the FAQs for example, that 15 or so ships will likely be available on game launch. That's quite a small number so I think an update to download new ship classes and so on would be high on most player's agendas as this would impact single player games alot.

I also wonder if future updates might be new constellations or nebula or wormholes leading to saterlite galaxys etc, which if not purchased, might mean elements of the galaxy are somehow not accessible in the vanilla game.

 

[Styggron]

I am with you, Styggron, hoping SP is 100% separate and not needing any online component. So, I would like to hear for certain this too.

I would play my own SP games and then I probably would share another universe with my spouse in our own private server -- but beyond that I have little interest of online stuff

Exactly. 100%

 

[Styggron]

I think alot depends on what the updates out there are and which ones cost money to purchase etc.

DB says on the FAQs for example, that 15 or so ships will likely be available on game launch. That's quite a small number so I think an update to download new ship classes and so on would be high on most player's agendas as this would impact single player games alot.

I also wonder if future updates might be new constellations or nebula or wormholes leading to saterlite galaxys etc, which if not purchased, might mean elements of the galaxy are somehow not accessible in the vanilla game.

I don't see how it would impact single player games at all because they are TOTALLY stand alone. Zero impact. Those ships are just not in the single player universe unless that single player chooses to do an update online which is fine if they choose too.

Just like minecraft. I can play indefinitely without any updates but if I want something in the update, I login (which is fine) I get the update and I leave.

If this is the same then I'm find with it.

 

[Capt. Hook]

I don't see how it would impact single player games at all because they are TOTALLY stand alone. Zero impact. Those ships are just not in the single player universe unless that single player chooses to do an update online which is fine if they choose too.

Just like minecraft. I can play indefinitely without any updates but if I want something in the update, I login (which is fine) I get the update and I leave.

If this is the same then I'm find with it.

Completely agree with what you are saying about player choice and choosing to update and everything. Only saying that I think the single player game would be richer for more content (such as new ships) but yes, you are totally right that its the player who should decide if they want to access them or not.

I'm just really hoping that the single player version is not a cinderalla version of the game and gets equal support from the frontier developers and so on.

 

[The Space Pirate]

I hope so. I'm thoroughly bored of games that require connection to the 'net at all times - even when playing SP!

 

[Completely Harmless]

I hope so. I'm thoroughly bored of games that require connection to the 'net at all times - even when playing SP!

I know, right? Because, what do you get out of it? Achievements, usually, and I could care less about that myself.

Let SP be true SP, please.

 

[The Space Pirate]

I know, right? Because, what do you get out of it? Achievements, usually, and I could care less about that myself.

Let SP be true SP, please.

Tell me about it. Right now, mods for Xcom Enemy Unknown are being overwritten by some sort of 'phone home' procedure. Why? Because Firaxis don't want people cheating in MP... I couldn't care less about MP!

If MP finds a way to ruin this game...

 

[Kipper]

What's so evil about multiplayer games?

Elite is the perfect game for a multiplayer universe imo. Single player will have its charms, but having some level of involvement with other players and all working in a galaxy together just sounds great.

 

[SnowGhost]

I hope so. I'm thoroughly bored of games that require connection to the 'net at all times - even when playing SP!

Now, just so you know where I'm coming from ....
I have an xbox 360but no Xbox live (and in fact have never played a single xbox game on line)
I have exactly zero friends in my steam list
I have zero friends in the Wii
I never played eve, WoW, everquest
I did play evony to the point where the only way to move forward was to spend real $$$, but I still wasn't into the social aspect of it all.

So, I'm not a online multi player type of guy.

so ...... I think you're going to have to get over this idea. Having a game authenticate to a central server is a good way to try and lower piracy rates. It ensures a reasonable chance that the player actually paid for the game. It's a minor annoyance I think I'm prepared to pay if it allows a smaller dev house (like frontier) to create a game like Elite.

But it depends on how they do it. Some of the systems i've heard about, are so rude I'd not buy the game on general principals. There is one out there that requires a constant full time connection. A hickup in the Internet connectivity drops the game. (Note to Frontier & DB ... DO NOT DO THIS).

But steam works wonderfully well and the connection requirements are not huge. (2nd note to frontier ... release Elite - dangerous on Steam).

 

[Styggron]

I despise Steam and everything like it.
I want to put the CD in, install it and that's it. NO internet connection.

I've already gone through in previous places why I hate steam so much. If ED was only via steam I would pull out immediately, that is how much I hate Steam.

Eg like in Skyrim. You have the CD yet steam INSISTS on downloading GIGS of update. No thanks. Then even though AUD is higher than US you look on steam and the SAME game is $30 MORE for AUD than it is for US and for a download ? Sorry I despise Steam. I know some people like it and that's fine but any game that uses Steam I REFUSE to buy/support. I'm tired of DRM as it punishes users that are doing the right thing (Diablo III for example).

Elite is DRM free and it looks like it is using the minecraft model. You login once, you get updates if you want them etc.

This is why I am so concerned that single player is EXACTLY that...single player.

Like Snowghost I don't play anything multiplayer except I go further than if anything needs Steam, it gets dropped as well.

 

[Steve O B Have]

I LOVE Steam and want to have its babies

Cereal though, I entirely agree about the pricing, it's a rip and someone needs to get a stern talking to about it. Having said that, I actually like Steam, especially when talking about games like Skyrim and Portal 2 where the user development and modding ads a tremendous amount. For that alone it's worth having it. I could live without it but it does have its advantages.

 

[Mika]

I admire the job the steam guys do (mind you: only the absolute elite gets to be an employee of valve.... the have like the highest corporate capital per employee ratio evar)...

Yet, i wouldn't want to buy any game from them. You know, thanks that i can redownload my purchase anytime, thanks for all the online services you provide, thanks for the "shop" you provide.... but in the end....

i would like to OWN my purchase, instead of technically only having RENTED it.

Remember: Who in 2004 would have expected microsoft to close down the xbox servers, thus rendering all purchases depending on online play VOID? Now, some may say that this won't happen as early for Valve, as for microsoft.

Yet, it WILL happen.

Any game only playable with an internet connection, is a RENTED game, not a PURCHASED/OWNED game.

Now, some may argue, that a lot of players do not care, because they do not play games for long.

TRIVIA: Could braben pull off E4, if FFE had beeen become unplayable in 2000? Would the cult about elite exist nowadays, if any of its instances could only have been "rented"? Would anyone of you even still be able to play elite, without having actually purchased it?

 

[Completely Harmless]

Personally I have used mods for all Elder Scrolls games I have played, and long before Steam Workshop entered and made it, well, more awkward and clumsy... I haunted the Nexus (TES and Fallout 3+NV) and other places, I have kept games updated by downloading patches manually and so on. Automatic updates (which in Steam can be turned off, if in a rather hidden place) can and do break mods you may enjoy playing with.

Either way, Skyrim is a prime example of how silly things can get with a single-player game; I have to run Steam to play it, even if I can choose offline mode (in a roundabout and awkward way), mods or no mods. The package claimed "only to activate". Yeah, right.

All that aside, I have nothing against MP being in Elite, not at all, what I want to hear is that SP is completely separate, that I can run my own server where me and my spouse can, eh, mess up the universe ourselves and that any kind of sync or other online system is indeed purely optional. My universe should me my universe.

 

[Styggron]

I just want to open the box install it and that's it NO internet connection EVER if I so choose it.

Not interested in multi player only SP for me which is why I started the thread hoping that SP is real SP.

@Steve OB of course you love steam and want to have it's babies because I want to hunt it out and completely destroy it from the face of the planet. Steam will NEVER be on my system. EVER.