Elite: Dangerous looks better already!

[SteveMill]

Trading is currently a question of buy what is at a low price, and fly somewhere where there is normally a low stock. There is no standard way to check prices in other systems, but there is a third-party piece of software which will give the best deals based on the current state of the universe. This of course means that anyone using this software will rush to do the same trades and the market can (and does) get swamped.

.

There's also the very detailed trade View in the galaxy map from which you can see the type and intensity of trades going on. I only found this out from youtube though.

[SteveMill]

RSLAG (or RSLG as it's more commonly spelled) is a perfectly valid combat strategy if you're jumped by three heavily armed NPC pirates in cobras. Over on the FD forums it's called the "Sir Robin".

Basically you turn flight assist off and boost until going flat out and hit supercruise the moment the Frame Shift Drive comes back on line. While waiting you can also put full power to shields.

AI combat is intentionally variable, but some of the pirates are too damned good at it.

Some of the combat AI's are way too good for me. I run screaming from most encounters. I'm a trader not a fighter-jock, although my Hauler now has a gimballed multi-cannon and a point defence system to discourage lone chancers.

Edited to add: one of the reasons i liked the original Elite and the X series so much was they were sand-box settings in which you can can tell yourself you own story.

I'm really looking forward to the exploration implementation - the whole 'space, the final frontier' thing. I'll probably join one of the Exploration Guilds setting up. Boldy Going etc etc.

[Alee Enn]

@Ravenhurst
Why are you spending your time and energy hating on them so much? OK, I get it, you don't like Frontier and/or Elite Dangerous. No-one is forcing you to like them, and you are entitled to your opinion. Why not find something more constructive to do with your life? Instead of spending so much time hating Frontier, find something you like and spend your time and energy enjoying that.

Yes, I am a fan of the Elite series. No I don't think Elite Dangerous is the best thing since sliced bread. Yes there are things I disagree with, but I'd rather spend my time doing something I enjoy than wasting my time hating on it.

Feel free to reply to me, but I'd rather you found something that made you happy and spent your time on that. Your choice.

[Oldman]

Well I am tired of have to reinstall patccher and going through 10 hrs of downloads evertime SC comes out with a patch so I am giving them some space (no pun)for the next 6 months

Aye!...I gave up quite quickly on that too, right back to when the 'hanger module' was released. Too much mucking about with c+ files and other stuff, patches etc.
So I'm going to wait until the game's actually released, hopefully it should be a straightforward install & run.

....
Let´s leave it at that, you´re a "fan", and we all know that "fan" is the short term for "fanatic".

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" (Winston Churchill)

I'm a 'fan' of 'Hardwar', X 3TC, Civilization, I War, Silent Hunter, Settlers, Frontier Elite Elite 2, Frontier First Encounters, oh! and 'Dragons Breath' for the Amiga ....remember that one anybody?..etc. etc.
I wouldn't call myself 'Fanatical' though...
'Fan' has many meanings, for example 'Devotee' or 'Enthusiastic', so in this sense (and knowing some history of Steve Mills posts on this forum) I'd say Steve is 'Enthusiastic' about games in general, and especially Elite Dangerous. Fanatical?....nope!....Steve I think would be one of the first people to voice his disdain at any 'dodgy' dealings or bad development practices, especially concerning Elite Dangerous, in a 'enthusiastic' way.

As regards the 'ship skins' part of this topic...If you think they're overpriced or not in keeping with the 'tradition' of the game then don't buy them. Voice your opinion in a calm and constructive manner if you think you have to. Whatever forum you choose to voice it on. Eventually by word or monetary choices you make the developers of any game will get the message, some quicker than others though.

ED's in Beta. The game will eventually be what it's going to be at first commercial release, even after this it will still be in a state of flux, with the 'fan' base in close partnership with the developers on various aspects of it's features and marketing. There's already a poll on that forum that shows that the 'Cobra Anniversary Skin' is generally thought to be overpriced, so it's pretty obvious that this is being flagged up for Frontiers inspection. What they do with this information is up to them, but at least potential players can have a say in the matter.
Same goes for the Beta stages, you have a choice of whether you want to participate or not, there's plenty of video's and in game player information to help you make the choice. The only point I'll make on the Beta is that I'm amazed that some contributors don't seem to understand what this means in real gameplay terms. You are paying a monetary sum to test the game at various stages in it's development. It won't have anything like the full content it will have on it's final release, and I'm confused by some of contributors reactions when they experience this, or read about this in the media. It is frustrating I can imagine, as I've in the past beta tested a couple of games of a similar nature, but I think it's unreasonable to make general comments about the games lack of features or gameplay until the game is nearer completion in the late 'Gamma' stages of final development.
There are some 'hints' that what people are experiencing in the current beta is only about 5 to 10% of what will be in the final release of the game, so...*shrugs*...imho it's too early to say if the game's going to be brilliant or a flop.
Going by a lot of players reactions though, it seems to me it will be nearer the former than the latter.

Oldman

[SteveMill]

ED's in Beta. The game will eventually be what it's going to be at first commercial release, even after this it will still be in a state of flux, with the 'fan' base in close partnership with the developers on various aspects of it's features and marketing. There's already a poll on that forum that shows that the 'Cobra Anniversary Skin' is generally thought to be overpriced, so it's pretty obvious that this is being flagged up for Frontiers inspection. What they do with this information is up to them, but at least potential players can have a say in the matter.
Same goes for the Beta stages, you have a choice of whether you want to participate or not, there's plenty of video's and in game player information to help you make the choice. The only point I'll make on the Beta is that I'm amazed that some contributors don't seem to understand what this means in real gameplay terms. You are paying a monetary sum to test the game at various stages in it's development. It won't have anything like the full content it will have on it's final release, and I'm confused by some of contributors reactions when they experience this, or read about this in the media. It is frustrating I can imagine, as I've in the past beta tested a couple of games of a similar nature, but I think it's unreasonable to make general comments about the games lack of features or gameplay until the game is nearer completion in the late 'Gamma' stages of final development.
There are some 'hints' that what people are experiencing in the current beta is only about 5 to 10% of what will be in the final release of the game, so...*shrugs*...imho it's too early to say if the game's going to be brilliant or a flop.
Going by a lot of players reactions though, it seems to me it will be nearer the former than the latter.

Oldman

Hi Oldman - good to see some of us real Old Guard are still here. Bang on about Beta. And a first beta at that. There's a ton of stuff we aren't yet seeing. What impresses me is that this first beta is so good already.

It impresses me just like XBTF did when it first came out. (before you know it i'll be writing another trilogy). Both share that basically simple gameplay that just keeps unfolding as you immerse yourself in the story/universe.

And damn right - if Frontier tried to pull anything within 10 light seconds of what Ego pulled with XR - me and thousands of others would be crying foul. Although with the open gamma their ability to pull a stunt like that is minimal.

I remember all those games you mentioned and played most of them. Not Dragons Breath though.

Ah - The Golden Age of Gaming.

[thrangar]

Ah I looks like next month will be just the right timing for me then.
@Rug,Steve(nice to hear from you again)Bruce,and Oldman

Thanks for the info, I will head over and check out the packages

[SteveMill]

I still wish I could be back as an XR fan. But let's hope the next in the series gives ED a run for its money.

Just to enthuse more.

finally worked my way up to being able to buy a good ol' Cobra Mk III becasue it was being offered at a discount in the game as part of the 30th anniversary of the series.

With 4 hard-points I've chosen to load with a combination of 2 fixed cannons in the nose and gimballed multi-cannon and a gimballed burst laser top and bottom for the first time I feel I might be able to fight back.

Progression via ship type and equipment combinations is a big part of the game-play. It was something the early X series did well I thought.

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Look out for Commander Max Force in game.

[Ravenhurst]

Ah I looks like next month will be just the right timing for me then.
@Rug,Steve(nice to hear from you again)Bruce,and Oldman

Thanks for the info, I will head over and check out the packages

Don´t forget to pick up a 13€ ship paint job from their cash shop!

They´ll need some extra funding to put something into their empty, dull universe. Next stretch goal: A third rotating station maybe?

[SteveMill]

Actually, the second beta introduces the third and fourth pending the final game mechanic of procedurally generated stations which means unlimited station designs.


http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Space_Stations

This includes the asteroid outpost base type.

But thanks for playing.

[ATTACK_HAMSTER]

Don´t forget to pick up a 13€ ship paint job from their cash shop!

They´ll need some extra funding to put something into their empty, dull universe. Next stretch goal: A third rotating station maybe?

Whilst I am no fan of cash shops, i do not feel too disgruntled if they are cosmetic, as a fool and their money is easily parted.

The universe is expected to be dull in beta, are they not drip feeding features so that they can be adequately tested? is that not the point of beta?

I don't even see the point in continually complaining about the game, why waste your time? you have made your points known…..

[StoneLegionYT]

Actually, the second beta introduces the third and fourth pending the final game mechanic of procedurally generated stations which means unlimited station designs.


http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Space_Stations

This includes the asteroid outpost base type.

But thanks for playing.

The base looks great. Is it also spinning or is it more static?

[SteveMill]

Actually, the second beta introduces the third and fourth pending the final game mechanic of procedurally generated stations which means unlimited station designs.


http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Space_Stations

This includes the asteroid outpost base type.

But thanks for playing.

The base looks great. Is it also spinning or is it more static?

All the bases are spinning to generate gravity. And they look even better close up.

I don't know about the asteroid bases but I expect not. These are intended to be backwater watering holes you might find out there in the black.

Hives of scum and villainy so to speak.

In the final game the dynamic universe will lead to new stations being constructed based on faction interactions and conflicts and player exploration. This will in turn generate player missions to help construct them, help defend the construction site etc.

I trust Frontier to deliver on their promises because they have systematically delivered the features hey say they would at each stage.

My only fear is that they may succumb to the temptation to release early to hit the Xmas market.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new stuff in the second beta. Five hundred systems, more ships, more equipment, more game mechanics.

If someone had ever come along and offered beta 2 as a complete game I'd have snapped their hands off.

[Rug]

I'm looking forward to seeing the new stuff in the second beta. Five hundred systems, more ships, more equipment, more game mechanics.

If someone had ever come along and offered beta 2 as a complete game I'd have snapped their hands off.

This is actually my main concern about the game. Five hundred systems is lots, probably plenty. By generating 400,000,000,000 systems I get all sorts of alarm bells about lack of interesting content out there. The fifty-five that we currently have are not hugely varied already - but that could be down to Frontier keeping their cards close to their chest for the sake of excitement upon release. If they are indicative of the final 4x10^lots then there will be very little incentive to explore.

But fingers crossed, eh ?

Rug

[SteveMill]

Inevitably there will be vast amounts of emptiness. Probably system after system will be devoid of happenings. That is what the Explore game-play is partly based upon.

Every once in a while you can strike gold and build a fortune. Meanwhile you'll be gathering scientific and survey data and filling in the game map. And as players blaze the frontier civilisation will follow.

But I'm sure there'll be hostiles to deal with or run from all over the place. I never found the Frontier universe empty back in 1992. Like with the X series for me it's about the story I'm telling myself as I play. It's the imagination-space aspects of games like this and the X series that appeal. I could happily spend hours mapping and scanning a system no one has ever been to.

Here's an interesting article on the exploration side of the game.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/09 ... ploration/

And here's the Newsletter horses mouth.

http://us2.campaign-archive.com/?u=dcbf ... urowntrail

The reason to do this, to do the scanning and return the data, is the big prize. Getting such information back to a civilised planet with a data claim registration facility (most Federal or Imperial worlds with a high enough population will have one) and logging the data earns money for the explorer – more or less depending on the value of the planet and its location. Discovering a world with indigenous life is incredibly valuable, but even scanning seemingly worthless moons has value – both for completeness of maps (verifying there isn’t something there is still useful), but very rarely, something interesting may be there after all – maybe even a strange artefact. A wise explorer will buy the latest such data before leaving – to see which systems have been explored first, so as not to duplicate the efforts of others.

Perversely, The Federation and Empire do not share this data with each other – indeed they are competitive about it. Taking such information to the Federation earns the player a good reputation with them, but the parallel is true of the Empire. Unscrupulous players have taken the information to both, but woe betides the player who is discovered doing this – which can happen if both mega-powers send a research team to investigate!

[Ravenhurst]

The fifty-five that we currently have are not hugely varied already

understatement of the year.

Not hugely varied = 100% identical

As I said this game is all smoke and mirrors, celebrating one type of station for half a year now, imagine Egosoft showing 1 station over, and over, and over, and over again than make the BIG announcement of a second one!!

"HOLY SHIT TWO DIFFERENT STATIONS IN ONE GAME, CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE IT??? QUICK, SOMEONE GIVE THEM A GAME OF THE YEAR AWARD!"

hahaha

Anyway. Elite Dangerous will be an epic fail, I can tell you that. When it´s released in a few weeks, or on the last day of 2014, there will be no more valid excuses for no content, no variation and little to no gameplay.
Instead: fantasy alpha/beta prices, fantasy cash shop prices, lying to backers about "everything available in game for credits", excuses, delays.

[SteveMill]

The fifty-five that we currently have are not hugely varied already

understatement of the year.

Not hugely varied = 100% identical

As I said this game is all smoke and mirrors, celebrating one type of station for half a year now, imagine Egosoft showing 1 station over, and over, and over, and over again than make the BIG announcement of a second one!!

"HOLY SHIT TWO DIFFERENT STATIONS IN ONE GAME, CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE IT??? QUICK, SOMEONE GIVE THEM A GAME OF THE YEAR AWARD!"

hahaha

Anyway. Elite Dangerous will be an epic fail, I can tell you that. When it´s released in a few weeks, or on the last day of 2014, there will be no more valid excuses for no content, no variation and little to no gameplay.
Instead: fantasy alpha/beta prices, fantasy cash shop prices, lying to backers about "everything available in game for credits", excuses, delays.

You do realise you're actually just embarrassing yourself at this point surely?

[kurush]

You do realise you're actually just embarrassing yourself at this point surely?

I'm pretty sure the "lying to backers" thing will surface one way or another At this moment I am not sure how they will make it work in "offline solo" mode. But I hope they release something decent - writing bots for this MMO that is not MMO will be fun. And people complaining about billions of stars should really go somewhere else, this is not a game for them.

[SteveMill]

You do realise you're actually just embarrassing yourself at this point surely?

I'm pretty sure the "lying to backers" thing will surface one way or another At this moment I am not sure how they will make it work in "offline solo" mode. But I hope they release something decent - writing bots for this MMO that is not MMO will be fun. And people complaining about billions of stars should really go somewhere else, this is not a game for them.

I'm pretty certain it doesn't have an offline mode as such. Just solo online because part of the gameplay is that events in the full online universe will generated dynamic changes in all instances of the game. Which means trade prices will change, new systems open up etc etc. I largely play solo online but you can switch between them whenever you want by relogging.

[kurush]

I'm pretty certain it doesn't have an offline mode as such. Just solo online because part of the gameplay is that events in the full online universe will generated dynamic changes in all instances of the game. Which means trade prices will change, new systems open up etc etc. I largely play solo online but you can switch between them whenever you want by relogging.

Right now it does not have the offline mode, but it was promised during kickstarter and many people would likely withdraw their pledges if it wouldn't. "Lies to Backers", here it comes I don't think they officially said that it is not going to be there in the final version, so it might still appear. My biggest gripes with it is that you can't just hack the creds and fool around with big ships for the purpose of beta testing. For any new game I always start with this and go for a legit grind only if the gamplay is worth the effort. And considering that the beta progress is likely to be wiped anyway, I am just not playing it ATM That and the fact that all goods got sold out on the starter planet, presumably because they finally implemented the logic for it

[felter]

I can't find any mention of an offline mode in the kickstarter page, or even a mention of a single player game.

Multiplayer: you will be able to control who else you might encounter in your game – perhaps limit it to just your friends? Cooperate on adventures or chase your friends down to get that booty. The game will work in a seamless, lobby-less way, with the ability to rendezvous with friends as you choose. This technology is already working, using a combination of peer-to-peer (to reduce lag) and server connections.

· Play it your way: Your reputation is affected by your personal choices. Play the game your way: dangerous pirate, famous explorer or notorious assassin - the choice is yours to make. Take on missions and affect the world around you, alone or with your friends.

The nearest I came to finding anything about single player is in the above quote right at the end, where it says alone or with your friends.