Elite Dangerous Will No Longer Support Offline Mode

[zakblood]

Elite Dangerous Will No Longer Support Offline Mode

Elite: Dangerous will not support the planned offline mode when it launches next month. Frontier Developments had plans to offer two modes for Elite: Dangerous. The first was the changing and dynamic online mode, and the other was the single-player offline mode. This is no longer the case however, according to director David Braben.

A reaction thread has appeared on the official forums. It currently has close to 400 pages that are mostly negative reactions. Executive producer Michael Brookes Michael Brookes has taken to thread to try and explain a bit more. "The problem is that the galaxy mechanics all sit on the online servers," he began.

"The data set and processes are huge and not something that would translate offline without considerable compromise to the vision. Trust me we didn't sit down and think what would annoy people the most! It's a choice we've had to make and so we've taken it." Elite: Dangerous is out December 16.

copy paste for those who haven't read it yet...

funny how they said all the way along a very long road is tat there was going to be 2 version, which now turns out to be, online only, it was always going to happen with scale and scope of it, it's just a shame that they wasn't more honest and upfront from day one, design changes along the way, yea right, ah well, if you like the online only ones, then it maybe ok, if you like me, and don't, then forget it....

[Ostwindflak]

This is the first time I have ever heard of this game title. What kind of game is it?

[zakblood]

[X(]

[zakblood]

speechless i pressed before i even typed....

you joke?

[;)]

as everyone knows what elite is, don't they?

space game, trading?

upgrading, pirates, bloke been doing it since before most here was born....

3rd one now i think, first 2 were good, but then again i was 12 or so at the time, so also thought with lego you could build houses tbh....

was young and stupid way back then, now i'm just older, but last parts is still true[:D][;)][8|]

[uncc]

hhhmmm...sounds very similar to EA's initial claims that SimCity absolutely could ONLY be played online...and yet they somehow managed to fix the game so it could be played offline.

[Ostwindflak]

Sounds like Eve Online to me. I have never played Eve, but space and trading sound similar. I don't play those type of games so that is most likely why I have not heard of this one.

[VPaulus]

I'm quite disappointed with their decision.
I intended to play in SP Offline.
I wanted to play this game at my own pace and not at a MMO's pace. [:(]

[aaatoysandmore]

Shame all the sales they are going to lose by going online only. This is what happened to Diablo III as well. Thanks for saving me the money zakblood.

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

I'm quite disappointed with their decision.
I intended to play in SP Offline.
I wanted to play this game at my own pace and not at a MMO's pace. [:(]

I'm not in full knowledge of the facts but I believe you can play solo...and "generally" offline.

I think the status is that it needs to connect to the servers "from time to time" to update the universe. So everyone playing (trading/killing/pirating) will effect the universe and when your game connects it gathers that information.

It's essentially real people who make the universe evolve...the whole community, whether playing "online" or "offline". So when you are flying about in "offline" mode, you truly are not amongst other real world players.

But connection is required "from time to time", though he has stated it's a "light" connection dependency...but a dependency none-the-less - but you won't be mixing it up with other players if you are playing in solo mode.

[JudgeDredd]

I don't know what sales will be lost or how many people will ask for a refund.

I'm not.

I'm not really happy about the server connection requirement because we've seen how bad those can be implemented - but at the end of the day, even given the ALPHA and BETA versions, this has been and currently is by far one of the most intriguing, immersive, polished and quality games I've had the pleasure of purchasing in quite some time.

But YMMV

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

I'm quite disappointed with their decision.
I intended to play in SP Offline.
I wanted to play this game at my own pace and not at a MMO's pace. [:(]

You said it.

[Jevhaddah]

ORIGINAL: Ostwindflak

Sounds like Eve Online to me. I have never played Eve, but space and trading sound similar. I don't play those type of games so that is most likely why I have not heard of this one.

Elite first appeared in 1984 on the BBC Micro which had 32K RAM at the time. I played the Commodore 64 version which had a total of eight galaxies containing 256 planets. Yoo started of as Harmless and traded, bounty hunted or pirated yoor way to Elite.

It was The first of its genre with hidden line wire-frame graphics and was quite te sensation at the time. [:D]

Cheers

Gary

[Vasquez]

Played Elite on my Commodore 64 as well

Anyway.. since Iam an Early Kickstarter Backer Iam already in the Elite Dangerous Beta and guys I can tell you: Scrap all other Space Flysims. The "Fligh-Modell" is outstanding esp Super-Drive (once you have managed the screwed standard keyboard config).

Iam happy they canceled the offline mode. More ressources into the online and co-op gameplay.

[VPaulus]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

I'm not in full knowledge of the facts but I believe you can play solo...and "generally" offline.

I think the status is that it needs to connect to the servers "from time to time" to update the universe. So everyone playing (trading/killing/pirating) will effect the universe and when your game connects it gathers that information.

It's essentially real people who make the universe evolve...the whole community, whether playing "online" or "offline". So when you are flying about in "offline" mode, you truly are not amongst other real world players.

But connection is required "from time to time", though he has stated it's a "light" connection dependency...but a dependency none-the-less - but you won't be mixing it up with other players if you are playing in solo mode.

Can I pause the game like in any offline Single player game? Can I save it and reload?
And how will my gameplay be tainted by other players decisions? Can other players for example deplete mining resources from an entire system or even change its economy, while I'm not playing? I'm not intending to play 24/7.

I can understand why some people prefer to play on a dynamic Galaxy. But on my case, that's not the way I intended to play. I would like to have a choice as it was promised during Kickstarter. That was the reason why I pledged the Physical DRM-free collector's premium boxed edition of "Elite: Dangerous".

[gradenko2k]

This is rather disappointing. Elite Dangerous was supposed to be one that would blow Star Citizen out of the water.

I mean, it could still do that, but now it's more Washington vs Kirishima instead of Nishimura vs Oldendorf at Surigao

[zakblood]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

I'm quite disappointed with their decision.
I intended to play in SP Offline.
I wanted to play this game at my own pace and not at a MMO's pace. [:(]

i agree with you as well, was looking forward to this, but have no interest on what others are doing, so like o play my way at my own speed, doing my own stuff, so now will give it a wide berth as was going to pre order it as well, but think now i will wait for the backlash to make them alter it or miss it altogether

as the page count passer 600+ i see the first thread on refunds appear and start to see it rise on refunds also called Refund experiences (relating to offline issue) goes past 12 pages now, and will keep on growing as well, as when you change basic stuff that was a day one promise, prospective players will leave and ask for a refund as if they wanted a online space game a MMOG then eve is already out for them, but no most wanted and still offline game, like the rest in the past, no buts, no answers, no reply, just lies all over again, such a bad choice and a real shame, killed it dead in space for me and spoiled my xmas good and proper

[zakblood]

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore

Shame all the sales they are going to lose by going online only. This is what happened to Diablo III as well. Thanks for saving me the money zakblood.

you and me both so your more than welcome[;)]

[zakblood]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

I'm quite disappointed with their decision.
I intended to play in SP Offline.
I wanted to play this game at my own pace and not at a MMO's pace. [:(]

I'm not in full knowledge of the facts but I believe you can play solo...and "generally" offline.

I think the status is that it needs to connect to the servers "from time to time" to update the universe. So everyone playing (trading/killing/pirating) will effect the universe and when your game connects it gathers that information.

It's essentially real people who make the universe evolve...the whole community, whether playing "online" or "offline". So when you are flying about in "offline" mode, you truly are not amongst other real world players.

But connection is required "from time to time", though he has stated it's a "light" connection dependency...but a dependency none-the-less - but you won't be mixing it up with other players if you are playing in solo mode.

what puts me off is i have no interest in it going online at all, apart from patches / updates etc, and then when i ask, not update the stuff i have no interest in, as prices and what everyone else will be doing or has done, beta has been very good, and it's a shame how they announced it in a standard letter, as if anyone does this at the last minute then they get what they will have brought on themselves, feedback must have been known as feelings from day one have always been a two version mode, £7.5 million and they can't do it, my god, teach 3 monkeys, hire half of the top 10 3rd world IT programmers and the following month it's done, and you have £7 million left in the bank, and they will be all smiling as well...

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: Ostwindflak

This is the first time I have ever heard of this game title. What kind of game is it?

Watch and learn

[edit]
I want to add that the first Elite game is right there alongside with Civilization, Panzer General, and Doom. Knowing about it should be part of the education of video game players.

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

I'm not in full knowledge of the facts but I believe you can play solo...and "generally" offline.

I think the status is that it needs to connect to the servers "from time to time" to update the universe. So everyone playing (trading/killing/pirating) will effect the universe and when your game connects it gathers that information.

It's essentially real people who make the universe evolve...the whole community, whether playing "online" or "offline". So when you are flying about in "offline" mode, you truly are not amongst other real world players.

But connection is required "from time to time", though he has stated it's a "light" connection dependency...but a dependency none-the-less - but you won't be mixing it up with other players if you are playing in solo mode.

Can I pause the game like in any offline Single player game? Can I save it and reload?
And how will my gameplay be tainted by other players decisions? Can other players for example deplete mining resources from an entire system or even change its economy, while I'm not playing? I'm not intending to play 24/7.

I can understand why some people prefer to play on a dynamic Galaxy. But on my case, that's not the way I intended to play. I would like to have a choice as it was promised during Kickstarter. That was the reason why I pledged the Physical DRM-free collector's premium boxed edition of "Elite: Dangerous".

I wasn't meaning to sound like your grounds for concern had no validity. Of course they do to you (and others most likely).

As I said, I'm not stoked about online connection being required either - regardless whether it's a constant requirement (which it's apparently not) or an occasional connection...the fact it's required makes me very unhappy.

But I was simply pointing out that solo online is not the same as MMO in the sense that, for example, there's still a "solo" online system. I don't want little oinks (young or old) who get their kicks from fannying about online for shits and giggles at other peoples expense.

But I am still unhappy that if the server isn't there (for whatever reason) I won't be able to play. That annoys me.

But...the team have made such a hugely fantastic game, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. We'll see how it pans out. I was in at a not so inconsiderable amount of money - and that was my doing and my choice. I didn't know what the plan was for the game and didn't care I suppose. Now I know, I ain't overly pleased about it...but it is what it is. And who knows...it may go the polar opposite of other games that required a connection in that the service is superb. That isn't my experience of this kind of thing - but we'll see.