No off-line mode

[Flip]

Originally Posted by David Braben View Post
We have no intention of taking the servers down, but I understand what you are getting at. We plan to archive the game from time to time (ie matching client and servers and game world state), and would release such an archive if the servers were to come down. That would also address the issue of how you preserve an online game for the future, from the whole 'retro' perspective.

[GlobusDiablo]

Refund denied.

I have insisted in my reply, on the grounds of false marketing.

[Silverwolf]

Refund denied for me as well.

I would never had paid 200 pounds for a game that will probably be shut down at some point.
I paid 200 pounds for a game I would play for life.

Still I will just try to make the best of it now and hope someone does figure out how to set a server with all the required backend and data when it does go down...

Edit: So DB mentions that they may release an archived version of the server, but I have to hope someone could figure out how we could run it on our PC's and also if FD goes bust DB may loose the right to even give it out anyway. Still it is something, perhaps I may just get my game for life, fingers crossed

[SJT]

Originally Posted by David Braben View Post
We have no intention of taking the servers down, but I understand what you are getting at. We plan to archive the game from time to time (ie matching client and servers and game world state), and would release such an archive if the servers were to come down. That would also address the issue of how you preserve an online game for the future, from the whole 'retro' perspective.

Yeah. Much as I'd like to, I can't believe anything they he says now. Plus, if they go bust, unless there's some formal escrow thingy, it's no longer up to them. It's down to the administrators. He can spout all the words he likes but it means absolutely shite all unless it's tied up legally. A bit like saying there "will" be offline really.

Edit: Anyway, I've decided I'm going to stop moaning about it. Nothing I can do about it and it doesn't affect me that much. Hopefully they will actually release some sort of a game on Saturday.

[Silverwolf]

I will stop moaning about it as well and just learn to trust companies less in future.

Hopefully I can get my spirit up for the game again.

[Turjan]

The refusal of all these refunds bothers me.

From the start, David Braben pitched Elite as a dream project. The reason this worked so well was because so many others shared the same dream. Braben is an emotional, extremely creative guy, and he of all people knows the power of dreams. So he also must be aware of how much damage he's causing to the dreams of his backers by first bugging out of offline mode, then following that up with all these refusals to offer refunds.

Yet he calmly posts that refunds are available in his Q&A at the same time as those same refunds are being refused.

So...he's okay with that? Really?

Well, if he is, then he's not the man we thought he was. And that's...sad.

But if he isn't okay with it...why is it happening?

He owns over half the company shares I believe, so it's not like he's frozen out of the decision-making process. Returning money would surely be seen a goodwill gesture in the face of overwhelmingly negative publicity, whereas everyone who's been denied a refund will then go on to post about it on the Frontier forums and anywhere else their angry typing fingers can find. I'm sure FD have enough readies from E-D and the other game titles in their stable to be able to suck up the financial loss of a few (and in the big scheme of things it likely will be just a few) refunds for the sake of minimising the mess they've got themselves into. It doesn't exactly take a mathematical genius to balance that equation and come down on the side of refunds as the better bet.

And yet, here we are.

Reluctantly, I'm forced to conclude that as far as admin is concerned, both David Braben and his entire admin staff at FD are simply not able to tell one part of their anatomy from a certain other part...

[Flip]

I agree, Turjan. Whether he knows or not, this is not looking good at all.

Also they said they would handle the refund requests on a case by case basis, but the reasons for refusal that I've seen here apply to everybody.

[Combiseries]

Instead of a refund I would like a 'lifetime expansion pass'. I missed out on it by a few days on account of being skint.

[GlobusDiablo]

Indeed a standard refusal copy pasted to all.

I'm disputing mine, but as others have said, faith is lost.

I've been buying into this "dream", but truth is that it's a business. And the bottom line is the bottom line. DB got the funds to make the game he wanted to make. What he told us to get us to give him money doesn't matter any more.

And as to what he "promises" from now on regarding the game? How much is his "promise" worth? I'm not that stupid. (No Kharma...)

Good luck on all the other aspects of this game DB has "promised".

It's all a joke anyway:

http://youtube.com/v/jHPOzQzk9Qo

[Glen Fiddik]

I suppose that he doesnt want to set a precedent, but I cant understand why FD will be planning to spend money advertising the game but are not prepared to buy some goodwill.