Elite Dangerous

[Anteaus]

Just look at GTA 5 on PC.

Already it is at 1/4 of players as when it was first released.

And that was one of the most anticipated games in a long time.

The fact is there are just TOO MANY games out there so the population per game is incredibly thinned out.

If Star Citizen is primarily single player then it won't matter so much.

But primarily multiplayer based games, such as the new Dirty Bomb, they are just destined to fail at this point. There is a major Attention Deficit Disorder issue with PC gaming, a lot of people consider a game to be old once it's out of beta.

Look at all these survivalist games on Steam. DayZ, Rust, etc etc... they are all dying. And they aren't even out of Beta.

I can see your point regarding certain types of genres, just not PC gaming in general. Recent single player PC gaming has exploded with the likes of Pillars of Eternity, Cities Skylines, Divinity Original Sin, and Witcher 3.

At its core, GTAV is the same GTA that we've seen time and time again, except with better graphics. In my view, GTAV is an artifact of the "Call of Duty" era where the same game is repackaged ad nauseum. I'm not picking on console gamers, but for whatever reason they are more inclined to perpetuate that cycle by gobbling up millions of units.

In regards to games like DayZ and Rust, games that go into early release aren't any less buggy than games that don't. They are there to bring money into the developer and actually are risky because mediocre games will be exposed and interest will wane. They are dying because they simply aren't that good, not because of gamer "ADD" as you would describe it. The post apocalyptic genre in general isn't as strong as it once was. There will always be demand for well made games, but demand isn't such that we will forgive mediocre design.

In short, I believe you are incorrect in your assessment of the state of PC gaming as a whole. A large selection of games is a symptom of healthy demand. That said, you do have a point about the state of games that are designed as online only products. I think interest is less, especially in the face of huge single player releases showing up.

 

[DigDog]

looks like elite came out and changed absolutely nothing in the gaming horizon.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Why do people fight over Elite and SC? Why can't we simply enjoy that there could be two good or great space sims?
Makes no sense to me to choose a side a troll away. I'll admit Elite didn't do much to excite me to buy it but I'm not a huge single player game fan lately. This certainly doesn't mean I'll never buy it or that I want it to fail.

 

[DigDog]

are you talking about me?

i never even considered SC vs Elite a real thing, since SC doesn't actually exist as a game, and if it ever comes out it will be a generation away.

i am only pointing out that my concerns (which i posted when elite was announced) did in fact come true.

 

[Red Storm]

So... "Seasons".

Not really liking the sound of this. Yearly expansions that cost money? They might as well have made this game require a subscription. Considering the fact that I personally still don't see the game as complete, this means I'm probably going to wait many years...err, seasons, before I bother buying any of the expansions.

 

[ShintaiDK]

http://techreport.com/news/28771/elite-dangerous-scans-horizons-finds-gameplay-expansion

Looking forward to it.

 

[Fallen Kell]

So in other words Elite: Dangerous just became a $255 game as the expansion packs that are going to add all the functionality that was not included on the initial release will be added in as paid expansion packs, costing $60 individually or $195 for lifetime access.

Don't get me wrong, I have spent that much on other games, just would have been nice to know earlier. You have to pay the bills somehow to continue development...

 

[Sabrewings]

$230 total for me. You get $15 off if you buy soon, so $180.

I already bought. I'm all in when it comes to space sims. I'm barely half as far into Elite as I am into Star Citizen.

 

[bbhaag]

Elite: Dangerous scans Horizons, finds gameplay expansion
by Bruno Ferreira — 2:21 PM on August 6, 2015

Get in your space suits, gentlemen. Elite: Dangerous is about to get its first paid gameplay expansion, titled Horizons. Developer Frontier calls it a "season of major gameplay expansions," the first of which adds planetary landings to the game's universe. Take a look at the teaser here:

In Horizons' first new feature, players will be able to do low-orbit searches over airless planets and then jump out in a Surface Recon Vehicle. Planetside activities include searching for mineral deposits, structures, and a whole lotta trouble. Multiple players with Horizons can land on the same planet for extra fun. Fret not, though—the rest of Elite: Dangerous' persistent universe remains the same for all players. Frontier says this planet-exploring and terrestrial fighting will happen seamlessly, "without loading times or breaks in gameplay."

Horizons will be released late this year for $60, just in time for Star Citizen's next delay. Frontier is offering a $15 discount to existing players who pre-order, as well as access to the Cobra Mk IV ship. A Lifetime Expansion Pass is also available for $195, offering players access to all future expansions for Elite: Dangerous.

I chuckled.
Honestly my 13 yo son is way into ED than I ever was. I am a little irked that I spent $60 for what was supposed to be an entry way into the ED universe and that they would update it as the game progressed.

Now they want another $60...idk man. This time I'll wait and read the reviews before I spend the cash. $60 for an expansion pack seems a little steep. Even by Blizzard standards.....

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Wait so to play you need base game and $60 expansion?

 

[Red Storm]

Wait so to play you need base game and $60 expansion?

No you can buy only the base game and just play that, but then you miss out on all the expansion content.

Making things like planetary landings (and eventually first person walking around) separate expansion packs means they will never become core parts of the game. I worry this will make it feel like a bunch of disjointed mini-games instead.

 

[Harabec]

The landing in the trailer looked like a cut-scene, meaning you do indeed go through the expansion door on the way down.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

The final update to the base game will be 1.5. 1.4 is CQC, 1.5 is "Ships". The expansion pass for Horizons gives you access to Season 2. Season two includes the expansion (airless landings) but also future content updates. (Like 1.6, 1.7 etc) The base game will continue to get security updates and bugfixes. Season two will stop late 2016 or early 2017 it looks like, and Season 3 will start, possibly with atmosphere landings or walking around. Season three will give you all updates past what Season 2 updates. If you wait until Season 3 comes out to buy any expansions then you'll get all of season two and three.

At the moment pricing is $45 for Horizons, $60 for Horizons beta, and $180 for beta forever. The lifetime pass might also grant beta access to 1.4 and 1.5. It's not clear.

 

[Nograts]

I haven't touched this game since before Wings came out, have been tempted a few times but felt lazy having to hook up the HOTAS again and what not. Maybe on a long weekend.

I DID catch a long stream just the other day of SC on twitch. Some sort of gamecon. WOW. Just WOW. I mean I won't try to derail the thread to talk about SC but I'll just say it made me really depressed with Elite's launch. They were years behind and should have waited 2 years before they released the game, especially with how much I paid for such a barebones game.

I did get a nice HOTAS though so that purchase is out of the way.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Yeah, I would move that over to the SC thread. I don't think Elite could afford to have waited before their "launch". Basically, their funding/budget may have dried up if they had waited (and then they would also be competing directly against SC). As it stood, releasing early was the right decision for them, as they got their game out and on the market.

 

[Sabrewings]

And us space sim lovers have a polished game with promised future features while SC continues development. Having Elite come to market while SC waits for full release is the best way this could've played out.

Definitely pick up Elite. It's still lacking a bit, but missions are better after Power Play and with Horizons coming I'm pretty excited.

 

[Unoid]

I'm still suffering from "inch deep" syndrome. Got my imperial courier and have no desire to come back.

 

[clamum]

So in other words Elite: Dangerous just became a $255 game as the expansion packs that are going to add all the functionality that was not included on the initial release will be added in as paid expansion packs, costing $60 individually or $195 for lifetime access.

Don't get me wrong, I have spent that much on other games, just would have been nice to know earlier. You have to pay the bills somehow to continue development...

Yeah, that's a bunch of shit. I'd like to play the things featured by these expansion packs, but that's a ton of money to spend on a damn game. It's too bad I remember when you used to buy a game and then you played it, and whatever else was released for it. I bought Quake and good lord I can't even count how many things were ultimately released for that. I can't imagine paying for all that crap if they had done it like ED is doing it.

 

[JamesV]

I tried playing ED, but there should be a warning that playing it with a KB + mouse is crappy.

Got a Logitech joystick I'm going to try at some point, a little ticked about the expansion also, but at least I got the game for $14 on sale.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

I tried playing ED, but there should be a warning that playing it with a KB + mouse is crappy.

Got a Logitech joystick I'm going to try at some point, a little ticked about the expansion also, but at least I got the game for $14 on sale.

If you buy the $60 horizons pass you get a $15 pass so it makes evens out to paying $60 for the entire thing and getting access now. Though owners up horizons are getting to play right now too. :\

Proof that horizons isn't all random crap, some beautiful images from horizons. The ice looks like ICE!

There was another of a perfect ice hill, but I can't find it now.

 

[Red Storm]

I finally got an Anaconda.

I don't get to play much so it took me a while. Got her mainly for trading, tried bounty hunting in it and did not enjoy the sluggishness, so it will be used strictly for trading. Now saving up for an FDL which will be my combat ship.

Is it just me, or is there nothing interesting about Horizons? Driving around on a planet surface seems cool but without the ability to actually get out of the vehicle and explore on foot it just feels incomplete. Not to mention there's many issues with the core game that still haven't been addressed and instead they're pushing new stuff. There's no way I'm paying $45-$60 a year for new content, no thanks.

 

[SMOGZINN]

There's no way I'm paying $45-$60 a year for new content, no thanks.

Personally, I'm going to wait 2 years and pick up on a Steam sell for $10 including all the DLC. That is if it has not gone Free-to-play with a bunch of micro-transactions by then.

 

[Red Storm]

Personally, I'm going to wait 2 years and pick up on a Steam sell for $10 including all the DLC. That is if it has not gone Free-to-play with a bunch of micro-transactions by then.

It won't. Next year the next "season" is going to cost another $60 (and I figure $45 for owners of the current expansion). They have a ten year plan, so that's 10x60 or 10x45. $450-$600 to get all the content they have planned.

I wonder if this means that if you wait 9 years, will you be able to get all the expansions and the core game for $60?

 

[SMOGZINN]

It won't. Next year the next "season" is going to cost another $60 (and I figure $45 for owners of the current expansion). They have a ten year plan, so that's 10x60 or 10x45. $450-$600 to get all the content they have planned.

I wonder if this means that if you wait 9 years, will you be able to get all the expansions and the core game for $60?

Sure, this is the plan but it won't work out that way. This is not WoW. In two years the player base will be down to just a few thousand and they will barely be able to get anyone new to buy into the game. So, to keep the money coming in they will lower the price. First it will be the main game down to $2-5 on the July Steam sell, with the DLC costing $40-60. Then they will add the DLC with the main game at that $5 price and try to push the next DLC at full price. By the Winter Steam sell in 2017 I'm betting you will be able to get everything for $5-10, with them hoping it will expand the player base enough for them to make money on the 4th DLC, and my guess is that the DLC planned for after that will never happen.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

It won't. Next year the next "season" is going to cost another $60 (and I figure $45 for owners of the current expansion). They have a ten year plan, so that's 10x60 or 10x45. $450-$600 to get all the content they have planned.

I wonder if this means that if you wait 9 years, will you be able to get all the expansions and the core game for $60?

I wonder if the original game will run normally on hardware 10 years from now?