NeoGAF

Dakota47 · 01:44 AM

Kickstarter
We’re using Kickstarter both as a means of test-marketing the concept to verify there is still interest in such a game that extends beyond the individuals who regularly contact me about the game, and raising the funds to do so. There is also the fact that as long as we hit the threshold, it commits us to making the game. From where we are now, $2M/£1.25M will get us the minimum game, but I am hoping we can get more than that as it will allow us to be more ambitious with content and platforms

Game
In the game, you will of course begin with a spacecraft and a small sum of Credits. You will be able to trade, pirate, bounty-hunt, explore, and salvage your way to wealth and fame, building on those key elements of the previous games, and with sumptuous graphics only now possible with the performance of today’s machines. Only this time some of the ships out there will be other players like yourself – other members of a secret ‘Elite’ group of space-farers…

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.

Ships
Save your credits and upgrade your ship. Get new weapons, engines and equipment and customize your ship the way you want it. Check out the body-kits and paint jobs on offer, give your ship that personal touch.

Release date: March 2014. That means Braben is going head to head with the Chris Roberts game. The battle of the space sims.

Visualante2 · (11-06-2012, 01:42 AM)

Thought they were already working on it. No video? They really fucked up putting all that money into The Outsider.

Pie and Beans · (11-06-2012, 01:42 AM)

They could have made this game at any point over the last decade, a pretty financially safe studio, just not a very good one. Feels shady as shit to do a Kickstarter. Oh well, moneys to be made in them thar internet hills.

Dakota47 · (11-06-2012, 01:46 AM)

Originally Posted by Pie and Beans

They could have made this game at any point over the last decade, a pretty financially safe studio, just not a very good one. Feels shady as shit to do a Kickstarter. Oh well, moneys to be made in them thar internet hills.

The timing is a bit suspicious, especially so short after the Chris Roberts Kickstarter.

V_Ben · (11-06-2012, 01:47 AM)

Feels like they very quickly put a pitch together after roberts, not even a video.

Edit: Also 1.25 million quid holy shit. That's far too much money to be asking for. Backed at the minimum you'd get the game at, but JESUS CHRIST.

Freak · (11-06-2012, 01:48 AM)

I was excited until he said "Online" & "Kickstarter".

DiscoJer · (11-06-2012, 01:48 AM)

So basically he saw how well Star Citizen did, and wanted in?

Maybe he should have spent all that money and energy developing Elite IV instead of The Outsider, which I don't think anyone wanted and never got finished.

Teknopathetic · (11-06-2012, 01:48 AM)

"Feels like they very quickly put a pitch together after roberts, not even a video."

Yep.

"Maybe he should have spent all that money and energy developing Elite IV instead of The Outsider, which I don't think anyone wanted and never got finished."

And yep.

DangerousDave · (11-06-2012, 01:50 AM)

The objective seems quite big. I'm not sure that he will achieve it. I love Elite and even I am on the fence.

saelz8 · (11-06-2012, 01:50 AM)

No bueno.

Kifimbo · (11-06-2012, 01:50 AM)

For a game, is this a record in US dollars ?

More Fun To Compute · (11-06-2012, 01:50 AM)

It's on the BBC news homepage thanks to the nerds at the BBC who still want the world to think that the BBC micro was the most important computer ever.

V_Ben · (11-06-2012, 01:51 AM)

Originally Posted by DiscoJer

So basically he saw how well Star Citizen did, and wanted in?

Maybe he should have spent all that money and energy developing Elite IV instead of The Outsider, which I don't think anyone wanted and never got finished.

People *sort of* wanted the Outsider. If they made it into a Bourne game. And changed most of the cool things about it. Even less publishers wanted Elite.

Edit: Also, if the Kickstarter is to be believed, a small team at Frontier has been building this for a while now, or at least concepting it. Not even a demo video? Jeez.

CrunchinJelly · (11-06-2012, 01:52 AM)

Yawn. I don't think Frontier would even finish it.

DangerousDave · (11-06-2012, 01:53 AM)

So, basically this is a EVE Online?

Zaptruder · (11-06-2012, 01:56 AM)

Fuckin' hell Braben. The timing is atrocious.

When I thought space games in the last decade, my mind was always coming back here. "Where's my fucking Elite 4?"

Now Christ Roberts launches his kickstarter and basically promises (and shows) everything I want out of a space game.

Well, it's too fuckin' late Braben. Roberts has my money. I would've given it to you too if you'd something more substantial to show than TEXT. Goddammit.

Pie and Beans · 01:59 AM

So, up there with the highest of high Kickstarter goals at 2 million dollars. With not a screen to show.

Most of the reward tiers are amazing scam worthy stuff:
£300 to be a "design decision forum member", £1500 to have a meaningless in-game surname, and of course that all important 5k dinner date.

Already being up on the BBC with no concept video to speak of is another example of just how far reaching the "games journos as walking billboard cunts" fiasco of recent weeks is. Clap clap.

Visualante2 · 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by Pie and Beans

They could have made this game at any point over the last decade, a pretty financially safe studio, just not a very good one. Feels shady as shit to do a Kickstarter. Oh well, moneys to be made in them thar internet hills.

Well they've stayed open and retained their independence. They used to self finance their games to keep creative control... but I guess times are tougher now.

Originally Posted by More Fun To Compute

It's on the BBC news homepage thanks to the nerds at the BBC who still want the world to think that the BBC micro was the most important computer ever.

BBC tech reporting, especially in games has been dog shit lately.

Kifimbo · (11-06-2012, 02:02 AM)

Project by Frontier Developments, but let me put my face instead of the studio logo.

Dakota47 · (11-06-2012, 02:13 AM)

Originally Posted by Pie and Beans

Already being up on the BBC with no concept video to speak of is another example of just how far reaching the "games journos as walking billboard cunts" fiasco of recent weeks is. Clap clap.

Dew 'n' Doritos don't seem to suit the BBC dude. How about sherry and cucumber sandwiches?

HoosTrax · 02:30 AM

Originally Posted by DangerousDave

So, basically this is a EVE Online?

I think it's more along the lines of X3 and Freelancer, not EVE, but I could be wrong. So sparse on details though...I foresee this going the way of the Old School RPG kickstarter

Edit: Ok, stupid Yank question, but what is the significance of the thing on his lapel? I've seen something similar in people's avatars as well.

DangerousDave · (11-06-2012, 02:29 AM)

Originally Posted by HoosTrax

I think it's more along the lines of X3 and Freelancer, not EVE, but I could be wrong.

Edit: Ok, stupid Yank question, but what is the significance of the thing on his lapel? I've seen something similar in people's avatars as well.

Well, it's online, so...

Dakota47 · (11-06-2012, 02:30 AM)

Originally Posted by HoosTrax

Edit: Ok, stupid Yank question, but what is the significance of the thing on his lapel? I've seen something similar in people's avatars as well.

It's a poppy. Brits wear it on their lapel during the run-up to Remembrance Day.

HoosTrax · (11-06-2012, 02:31 AM)

Originally Posted by DangerousDave

Well, it's online, so...

Sounds more like Dark Souls style online than MMO.

CrunchinJelly · (11-06-2012, 02:31 AM)

Originally Posted by HoosTrax

Edit: Ok, stupid Yank question, but what is the significance of the thing on his lapel? I've seen something similar in people's avatars as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_poppy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Sunday

HoosTrax · (11-06-2012, 02:34 AM)

Originally Posted by Dakota47

It's a poppy. Brits wear it on their lapel during the run-up to Remembrance Day.

Originally Posted by CrunchinJelly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_poppy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Sunday

Ah good to know, thanks!

s_mirage · (11-06-2012, 02:34 AM)

I really want this to be a success as I loved the old games but their pitch is really poor at the moment. They need to show something. Why have the game running on monitors in the background of an interview but have absolutely nothing on the kickstarter page? Not even any concept art?

Acosta · (11-06-2012, 02:35 AM)

Yes, the timing is atrocious and oportunistic.

Yes, the pledge is bland and empty.

But I just can't say no to Elite.

I wish I felt as excited as I should be for this. Hopefully they have some kind of prototype or somehing along the way.

spanks · (11-06-2012, 02:38 AM)

How about a Kickstarter to finish Outsider? Seems like such a waste to throw all that work away.

HoosTrax · (11-06-2012, 02:39 AM)

Come to think of it, isn't this pretty much what Evochron Mercenary already offers?

sankao · (11-06-2012, 02:40 AM)

Well, the funding period is unusually long (60 days), so they could be planning on drip-feeding material. However, I think a mega blowout upfront is a better way to build momentum for the kickstarter, even if it leads to a lull.

Zaptruder · (11-06-2012, 02:48 AM)

Originally Posted by s_mirage

I really want this to be a success as I loved the old games but their pitch is really poor at the moment. They need to show something. Why have the game running on monitors in the background of an interview but have absolutely nothing on the kickstarter page? Not even any concept art?

Seriously.

SHOW US SOMETHING YOU TOOLS! SOMETHING TO MAKE US EXCITED!

CharmingCharlie · (11-06-2012, 03:50 AM)

I honestly never thought this day would come and to be honest I am surprised at how much I really could not care less about this and I loved the original Elite. I would spend literally weeks playing nothing but Elite. However having said that, this kickstarter really does not sit well with me.

I don't know whether I am becoming a bit sick and jaded of these kickstarters or the fact Braben didn't show a single thing with regards to the game or that I am tired of Braben's excuses or the fact this looks terribly convenient after Christ Roberts did his kickstarter.

I think for now I am going to limit my spending to stuff that actually exists rather than chucking it at things that I hope might exist in the future and I have to say I really doubt Braben can come through with this after all I have lost count of how many years I have been waiting for the successor to Elite he keeps promising.

JDSN · (11-06-2012, 03:53 AM)

Wow, thats a really expensive point of entry.

Munin · (11-06-2012, 04:13 AM)

This has to be the laziest Kickstarter in the history of Kickstarters.

Imp the Dimp · (11-06-2012, 04:22 AM)

This won't make it to 250k, let alone 1.25 mil.

Fusebox · 04:34 AM

Elite on C64 stole my childhood. I could have been out playing sport but instead I was inside, surrounded by notepads containing all the trade prices for the different planets and polishing my military lasers.

edit: I just tried pledging 40 quid but it doesn't take me to Amazon? Huh?

snowdog1971 · (11-06-2012, 04:47 AM)

Everyone seems to be missing a very important point - Chris Roberts' kickstarter was for a PC exclusive game, this is multiplatform. And Elite. I'm going to be all over this. Elite is the best game ever created imo and if they bring this to the U the GamePad will be invaluable. Can't wait!!!!

jett · (11-06-2012, 04:51 AM)

This guy is insane.

thelatestmodel · (11-06-2012, 04:54 AM)

Originally Posted by Acosta

Yes, the timing is atrocious and oportunistic.

Yes, the pledge is bland and empty.

But I just can't say no to Elite.

I wish I felt as excited as I should be for this. Hopefully they have some kind of prototype or somehing along the way.

Hate to break it to you, but I'd trust Chris Roberts' track record way more than David Braben's at this point. This might not be the Elite you remember, and Star Citizen is looking like it's going to be fucking incredible.

Plus, as others have pointed out, the timing is so sketchy.

lastplayed · (11-06-2012, 04:54 AM)

Originally Posted by DangerousDave

So, basically this is a EVE Online?

If EVE Online never existed I'd jump all over this. But yeah, it'll be hard to top EVE, maybe being able to landing on planets again might help.

CharmingCharlie · (11-06-2012, 04:55 AM)

Originally Posted by snowdog1971

Everyone seems to be missing a very important point - Chris Roberts' kickstarter was for a PC exclusive game, this is multiplatform. And Elite. I'm going to be all over this. Elite is the best game ever created imo and if they bring this to the U the GamePad will be invaluable. Can't wait!!!!

Erm where does he say that ? The only mention of platforms that I can see is this statement here :-

Originally Posted by David Braben Kickstarter gibberish

The game is planned to be released on the PC in March 2014. Make no mistake – this is a massive game, but by using procedural techniques that we have been cultivating over the years, a new approach to multiplayer, and bringing the raw power of today’s machines to bear, it is astonishing what is possible. This is your chance to help make it happen. Become one of “The Elite” once more.

Neff · (11-06-2012, 05:08 AM)

Make the game, I'll buy it.

DECK'ARD · 05:19 AM

Wat.

Elite is my #1 game of all time, but that Kickstarter is embarrassing and I wouldn't actually trust them to deliver it after Elite IV being permanent vapourware.

Even Frontier was lacking, and this is much more ambitious.

Teknopathetic · (11-06-2012, 05:32 AM)

I can't even fathom how Braben looked at this kickstarter and thought "Yep, this is a good representation of our company and the effort we'll put into the game we want people to pledge."

I'm surprised Kickstarter allowed it.

jett · (11-06-2012, 05:33 AM)

Originally Posted by Teknopathetic

I can't even fathom how Braben looked at this kickstarter and thought "Yep, this is a good representation of our company and the effort we'll put into the game we want people to pledge."

I'm surprised Kickstarter allowed it.

This KS is quite simply an insult.

DiscoJer · (11-06-2012, 06:28 AM)

Originally Posted by jett

This KS is quite simply an insult.

Yeah, the KS for Lore, which may or may not be a joke, at least has some concept art.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1376466869/lore

Chris_C · (11-06-2012, 06:36 AM)

Originally Posted by V_Ben

Feels like they very quickly put a pitch together after roberts, not even a video.

Edit: Also 1.25 million quid holy shit. That's far too much money to be asking for. Backed at the minimum you'd get the game at, but JESUS CHRIST.

Yeah, the page doesn't look very well put together at all. And yeah, that's a lot to ask for.

KPJZKC · (11-06-2012, 07:35 AM)

I feel guilty for this but as soon as I read the thread title all that came to mind was Molyneux and the "Don't believe his lies" image...perhaps we can get a Braben version?

(also I grew up played Frontier, and I love the game, but the timing is terrible and the lack of demo footage reaaaaaally doesn't sit well with me)

Keasar · (11-06-2012, 07:52 AM)

Originally Posted by Dakota47

From the Kickstarter page:

Release date: March 2014. That means Braben is going head to head with the Chris Roberts game. The battle of the space sims.

Wow, kudos to him but I think he is a little late to the Space Sim hype train. While this sounds great to succesfully manage its pledge amount, most people interested have already given their money over to Star Citizen.