Elite on Kickstarter...

[Mqark]

Ok, on the strength of that last video and image - I've caved in and contributed. Looks like I need to get a decent PC now...

[anon76235]

ELITE Eh?

[zip accident]

Ok, on the strength of that last video and image - I've caved in and contributed. Looks like I need to get a decent PC now...

What are the required specs?

[pogo]

From the FAQ (the last entry): "These have not been determined yet"

[zip accident]

From the FAQ (the last entry): "These have not been determined yet"

i.e. as little as we can get away with. A Steam Linux capable box will do fine (supposing that does turn out to be anything with a half way decent CPU and GPU).

Although, the example of Cliffs of Dover isn't encouraging, that turned out to be "The top of the line CPU and GPU six months after the system launched" .

[pogo]

If should be very scalable. It should be much easier than with most games: being a space fantasy they have a lot more scope for varying what you see, including to scale the detail, quality and effects for performance reasons. And with procedural content it's much easier to build in such scalability: far easier than providing different sets of assets in a traditionally built game.

As for Linux the first question is

Can you release “Elite: Dangerous” on the (iPhone/iPad/Console/Mac/Linux/Oculus Rift/Raspberry Pi) platform?
Yes. It would be great. The PC version comes first though, and then we will look at the demand for other platforms. If the game exceeds its target, then there will be scope to increase the number of platforms. We will discuss with the backers in the design discussion forum, and how to address the issues that will arise, but I have every hope that we will cover some or all of these platforms.

Other platforms is precisely the sort of thing that would make a good reach target to encourage further donations after they've hit their initial goal. But they're not on course to exceed their target. As for which platform might be a priority after PC the list in the question looks like it's based on order, so iOS next which would be logical.

[axel000]

Shit! that's purrdy...

Might have to switch from my normal stance of assuming something great will get funded anyway without my contribution and I just trot down to the shops and buy it to: I'm throwing money at this until it becomes a thing!

Will need to go and buy a capable machine to un it too, gulp!

Probably, their opening description talks about using the best cutting edge technology. I'd fully expect the graphics settings are highly customizable. Having said that, my home PC is at least 3 yrs old and wasn't even cutting edge when I got it. so will be getting a new rig for the living room in the spring/summer. We've got time though, Elite won't be out until at least next Xmas if not 2014.

[zip accident]

Shit! that's purrdy...

Might have to switch from my normal stance of assuming something great will get funded anyway without my contribution and I just trot down to the shops and buy it to: I'm throwing money at this until it becomes a thing!

Will need to go and buy a capable machine to un it too, gulp!

Probably, their opening description talks about using the best cutting edge technology. I'd fully expect the graphics settings are highly customizable. Having said that, my home PC is at least 3 yrs old and wasn't even cutting edge when I got it. so will be getting a new rig for the living room in the spring/summer. We've got time though, Elite won't be out until at least next Xmas if not 2014.

Cliffs of Dover started out as a monster, nothing played the first version right. It didn't sell well as a result. Now, several patches later, it runs on middling to high range current hardware, but people on the edges of that are still struggling.

I would suggest waiting until the program is released to buy your hardware, that way you will know what you are going to need. It may well be that by 2014 32GB of memory or more is standard, and at this point some motherboards (probably e.g. mine) won't accept more than 16GB.

[anon76235]

Anyone remember the one that came before elite with the big balls, wouldnt mind seeing a remake of that

[axel000]

Anyone remember the one that came before elite with the big balls, wouldnt mind seeing a remake of that

Do you mean Starion ?



Anyway, here's a nice fan made vid of the Elite content revealed so far, intended for the young-uns that never saw the original :

[Istar]

Stone me, if I hadn't pledged on Day #1 this would have me reaching for my wallet right now.

[pogo]

This is odd, copied from the pledges column.

Pledge £20 or more
10000 backers Sold out
Reserve a digital copy of the game, plus all rewards above.
Estimated delivery: Mar 2014
Pledge £30 or more
233 backers
Reserve a digital copy of the game, plus all rewards above.
Estimated delivery: Mar 2014

So if you want to but the game it costs £30 now. It didn't always, it was £20 but that pledge level's sold out. Lots of people wanted the game for £20 but very few it seems are willing to pay £30. I can understand this for a physical product, where you've got an initial manufacturing/print/pressing run which because it's fixed size is cheaper. But not a digital product. £30 is quite a lot for a PC game: it's the highest price you pay for a download PC game, and few are at that price. Elite when it's eventually released will probably be cheaper, if not immediately then soon after. So anyone interested in just getting the game will be better off waiting.

Still think it will fail, but if they want to reverse this then re-open the £20 pledge level, or make a new one at £21 for the full game. Then add £10 worth of something to the £30 level, such as a physical copy of the game. There could be a lot of people out there who would participate but won't pay £30 for an unfinished game, especially knowing that most people paid £20 for it.

[adam]

there were quite a few £30 buyers while the £20 was still available, elite was £14.95 originally, when other games were £6.95, he might still have the feeling he can charge more

he can add more at £20 if he wants to

[axel000]

I think 30 is fine for a game that has so much depth and longevity, don't be cheap now. The original 20 level was an early-bird special for early backers, and sold out a day ago. Too early to say the 30 level isn't selling. It was selling at a good rate yesterday.

[pogo]

In comparison two of the most successful recent games Kickstarters, Wasteland 2 and Double Fine Adventure, were rather cheaper: the full game was only $15, less than a third as much. They raised $2.9 million and $3.3 million each.

The game that raised the most of all ? Project Eternity by Osidian. And they also had a limited early-adopter price. But that price was only $20, was available to 25,000 backers, while the fallback was $25, only $5 more. Both prices were less than the £20 which you can no longer get Elite for (and Obsidian is rather better known).

I think they've really missed the boat on this: £30 is the most you pay for a boxed PC game today. Most are cheaper, and download-only games cost a lot less even high quality ones like Torchlight. If you want people to take a chance on your unfinished game you have to ask for less, a lot less, more like £10 than £30. Keep the £20 and £30 price levels for game + extras. Make backers feel they're getting a good deal getting in early, not overpaying for something that will certainly cost less once it hits Steam. If they'd done this instead of asking so much they'd be much closer to their goals now.