I think the issue here is that I find it unlikely that their ongoing stretch goals are really deriving additional funding from existing contributors (which is what I’d expect if stretch goal X was really what the funders wanted), but instead from new contributors (who simply want in on the game as-described).
As we get further from the initial funding drive, the individual stretch goal amounts become more and more noise-like in terms of dollar value. At $10M, an extra $1M for a stretch was substantial, but at $42M, that extra $2M is what exactly? Is it really that the backers want kitchen sinks? Or is it that more people are just being exposed to the concept and want a space combat/trading game?
I know the scenes leading up to the PAX event are probably par for the course in terms of a software development lifecycle, but aren’t they hoping to release the dog-fighting module like, very soon (“shortly after PAX East”). If those scenes were mere days before PAX, seems like they sure have their work cut out for them to get something released that is stable and in healthy enough shape in the given time-frame. The last thing they need is a disaster launch, yet they delayed this from December already and must be feeling some pressure. I expect a bumpy ride for backers and RSI if they launch this module half-baked.
I would disagree. “Preparing for E3” is for selling. A smoke and mirrors display, which can take time (and money), and generally would produce something that will never be used. Why sink the money in that?
By the looks of things, I would say at $42mil the game is already sold. There should be a different kind of presentation. One from a development progress perspective.
Seems like there is a great deal of concern about an unfinished product being unfinished based on what was shown. If that is the case, then the mistake that was made was doing the PAX presentation in the first place.
I would think the focus for those that have bought in should be on this upcoming module - when it is going to be released, and what the requirements for it (i.e. your expectations) are. Then you should evaluate the progress based on that, and determine when the next features release is going to be.
If you run it by that method, the first module was a hit right out of the park. I would think expectations would be high for the next one.
What particularly concerns me is the “jitter” on the targeting reticules. I don’t know anything about programming, but something about that is ringing alarm bells for me intuitively, I mean that’s such a fundamental basic thing that the feedback to player should be smooth, isn’t it? And how much more difficult to get that over the internet!
However, the positive feedback from the players on the “floor” at the end (re. multiplayer) is encouraging.
the original public reveal was supposed to be Dec 2013, and it had already slipped 4 months. so he probably wanted to show something just to head off the “omg its vaporware” crowd.
and he had commited to a reveal at PAX for some reason. i’m not sure why he still has the old school mentality that things have to be revealed at conventions. just live stream a reveal when it’s convenient, and forget arbitrary dates centered around conventions.
Yeah, I’m normally the first guy to fork over my wallet for a game like this, but I held back for some reason, too. Starting to feel like pie-in-the-sky game design.
I missed the boat originally because the whole crowdfunding thing was new to me. By the time I was ready to chip in I was leery of all the ship sales and rapidly ballooning scope of the game. It started sounding like an unfiltered “wouldn’t it be cool if…” deluge and combined with the frequent releases of new ships to purchase… I don’t know, it just set off some red flags for me. I put my money on Elite instead and I’m feeling better and better about that decision as time goes on.
I’m still going to be rooting for this game, just at a safe distance.
Well, Elite Dangerous has its Premium Beta starting tomorrow, which has tons of content, multiplayer, trading, several systems, docking, space stations and what have we. Not really what I expected back when both games were announced, and David Braben had a piece of paper and some ideas more or less to show.
I was actually just about to buy into it, but I have so many alarms going off about how the process has been till now, that I’ll hold back until someone has played a portion of it that actually works as promised.
Wasn’t this the part that was promised to be there before Christmas?
Pie in the sky design aside, this is what happens when you give someone 42 million dollars with no milestones, deadlines, or accountability - especially when it comes to software development.
The embarrassing Pax demo and video that showed the making of it made me start to worry for this game. It’s apparent that they don’t understand how to approach large scale projects. Developers are there, artists are there, but it’s obvious that it’s missing people to actually manage the project (you know, project managers). With a nearly infinite budget, they really need people to help control it. Get a freakin’ scrum board on the wall or something and work toward deliverables.
I feel like the tipping point into “whoa, wait…?” territory was the announcement of the first person content this game is supposed to feature. It’s starting to feel a little cramped with features, at this point, so I’m also holding off until it’s a thing that I can play, in a finished state, that others are enjoying.
I think all these features sound great, but I also think they should be features that are added as expansion content once the core game is complete. Just making a good game is hard enough as it is, I wish they would focus on making a great space game and then expand out from there. I don’t care if they do it as expansions or DLC or free updates or whatever, but they really need to keep their eye on the ball.
If the community is going to get these updates, then I would think people should applaud this transparency, and those that are disappointed in the no release should track it. It will be interesting to see if this delay is counted in days, weeks, or months.
