Kickstarter - Elite 4 "Elite Dangerous"

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/…lite-dangerous

Great news for fans!

Wouldn't it be Elite 3?

Sounds great, but I'd like to see more than just a written description.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Wouldn't it be Elite 3?

Sounds great, but I'd like to see more than just a written description.

No, Frontier: First Encounters is considered to be Elite 3.

Meh to the multiplayer, but otherwise sounds great. Also I know this will annoy purists but it seems they are ditching the Newtonian physics in Frontier to make it more like Elite - good as far as I'm concerned.

Edit: link to BBC interview with David Braben: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20187897

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.

Multiplayer Elite?
As fan to the original one, I'll skip that yet-another-noreasonforbutstilladded-multiplayer and toss the money elsewhere. Sorry.
I'm pretty sure this project will be funded successfully, but I still won't buy it when it gets out.

No video? Not a single piece of concept art? Didn't bother to proofread the tiers (20 and 30 pound have the same description)? OK.

Multiplayer Elite?
As fan to the original one, I'll skip that yet-another-noreasonforbutstilladded-multiplayer and toss the money elsewhere. Sorry.

No reason being one that Joxer can't personally appreciate

I'll admit it's not a very impressive Kickstarter - but given it's Braben (the guy who single-handedly did Frontier in assembler code) and they've obviously been working on the technology for a very long time - I'll remain hopeful.

But I'm still waiting for a single proven Kickstarter for a game on this level before supporting it.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
No reason being one that Joxer can't personally appreciate

I bet you knew I'll react like that.
For god's sakes he placed multiplayer as the first and foremost feature of the new game. Was it so hard to leave that as an option for some stretch goal? Not only I'd have pledged already but I wouldn't get so negative at all.

If that's his vision of the game - then it'd be pretty stupid to have it as a stretch goal.

I much prefer developers going with their vision instead of trying to please everyone - which is impossible anyway.

That's pretty much the best thing I can see about Kickstarter - because it means they don't have to rely on publishers and their concept of what sells.

Personally, I think multiplayer is essential in a huge space trading game like this.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
No video? Not a single piece of concept art? Didn't bother to proofread the tiers (20 and 30 pound have the same description)? OK.

If your KS is a sequel to "Elite", why bother…

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Personally, I think multiplayer is essential in a huge space trading game like this.

The X series has done pretty well without it.

Originally Posted by DarNoor
The X series has done pretty well without it.

Except I don't play it because it doesn't have multiplayer. That's why I *personally* consider it a vital feature.

Again, with Kickstarter - you can follow your vision without trying to appeal to the masses. That's the great thing about it.

I have no illusions that the masses desire multiplayer. But the designer has a vision and that requires multiplayer. It's a vision I can support easily - because I understand the appeal of sharing a universe with other people..

It's not like people are forced to support it.

They are asking for a lots of $, err £. Also, the tiers are more expensive then most games too when you factor in the money conversion. :/ You need to put in 75£ to access the backer forums?

Also, nobody ever learn don't they. You should wait for the other kickstarters (in the same categories) to finish before you make your own. *sigh*

Also, is this really the studio that worked on RollerCoaster Tycoon 3? And Elite 4 have been in dev for 12 years too? (going by the wiki, was originally a MMO).

They're probably going for a smaller audience with more dedication. I kinda feel bad for not supporting it - but I'm afraid I need to see this model working before I do that. I just think there are too many ways this kind of thing can fail.

But it makes sense to ask for more money from a smaller audience. People are either into this or they're not - and it'll never be a game for the masses.

That said, they definitely need something showing their technology working - and it's strange how they don't have that after so many years. It's not a good sell.

I grew up with x-wing / tie fighter / wing commander / privateer. Played some elite in the 90s but it was buggy and not very interesting.

I just saw that it's a 60 days campaign. Failure assured right there.

I think it's the last chance to see a new Braben's Elite. As being an Elite fan I had no chance but to back it.

We haven't get much details about the game and how it will be played. However Braben already stated :

The underlying network technology to support the multi-player version of the game is almost done and stress tests are being carried out to ensure it can support large numbers of players. A single player version will also be available.

The Multiplayer part won't be an MMO, from what I understand in KS page:

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.

That's basically what I wanted for Elite. Games like the Evochron series, have already explored and extended original Elite. But it can be improved, and that's what I'm expecting from a Braben's version.

Hm, someone noticed the success of Star Citizen.
This seems very hastily put together.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
Didn't bother to proofread the tiers (20 and 30 pound have the same description)? OK.

The reward tiers are pretty crap altogether, but 20 and 30 tiers are not the same - the former is limited.

Sorry to say, but so far just talk with no substance - even the BBC interview is lacking in terms of showing any new technology. For a game developer I would have thought that they are keeping with the times and have at least done some homework. Star Citizen is more well established.