Elite Dangerous Odyssey

[Stewgar]

If selling copies that can arbitrarily be destroyed later on by a publisher isn't fraudulent or scammy behavior then I don't know what is.

I'm doing some research and I cannot find any evidence of this. I'm not saying this is not true and for all I know any game with in-app or in-game purchases may do this from time to time. If you have any kind of article or forum post describing this as a global problem in Elite Dangerous, please share it.

I've played Elite Dangerous from time to time alone. It's a fun alternative to Freelancer. I like the quick dock missions on the frontier because of the alien invasion. Combat is strategic and requires management throughout the fight. I've never played with a group so once my wrist heals up the rest of the way from a recent surgery, I look forward to some co-op stuff.

In terms of any kind of story building or lore, there isn't a whole lot that grips my attention. So if you are looking for something like Freelancer that has background to it, you won't find much here.

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[Sally]

I'm doing some research and I cannot find any evidence of this. I'm not saying this is not true and for all I know any game with in-app or in-game purchases may do this from time to time. If you have any kind of article or forum post describing this as a global problem in Elite Dangerous, please share it.

Well I thought it was obvious what the problem was but I guess it might not be for some people given how normalized this practice is. Here's what you can do to experience the issue first-hand:

1. Buy and install the game.
2. Run the game, create account and whatever other requirement it has.
3. While the game is running unplug your ethernet cable or switch off your WLAN NIC, see how the game immediately throws an error and closes.

You might think this is not an issue because many other games are the same (online only on a centralized server), the difference with other games and games like Elite Dangerous is the terms of purchase and consumer rights are vastly different; games that are offered free of charge or through a subscription fee such as gachas or MMOs are services under those terms, that is you play for free so you're not owed anything with gachas and if you stop paying subscriptions, you loose your access in the case of MMOs. Games like Elite Dangerous, Need For Speed 2016, The Crew, Fallout 76, Sea of Thieves, Raiders Republic, Helldivers 2 and a ever-increasing concerning list of more titles are selling you a copy with the classic consumer terms (one-time purchase and you keep the copy forever) that depends entirely on a proprietary server that the publisher owns and controls, so when the server goes down all copies are effectively dead, unless someone figures out a way to emulate those servers (so far the only game I know that could be preserved with this design is the first The Crew). This is legally and technically speaking equivalent to Microsoft, two decades ago, hiring thugs that go into your house and destroy your copy of Freelancer today, it's blatantly illegal and malicious and it's a problem they introduced deliberately to control what people plays and when, to push further for a consumer culture of use-and-throw-away.

Hopefully this explains what the problem is, if you have more doubts go ahead and search for "Accursed Farms Games as a Service" on YT, the guy has an hour long video going through every single detail of this issue.

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"I suppose many people will continue moving towards careless computing, because there's a sucker born every minute." - RMS

[Xenon]

I have no idea what scam you are talking about

If selling copies that can arbitrarily be destroyed later on by a publisher isn't fraudulent or scammy behavior then I don't know what is.

There's a big reason why you'll never see the same kind of shenanigans with this game that you got with Freelancer throughout the last two decades; the developer pulls the plug and every single copy is a bunch of worthless zeroes and ones, even though you paid for it (many paid full price). There was a campaign flying around to outlaw this practice because it's technically illegal in many countries, I wish victims paid more attention about it than money on these games that will be dead in a decade.

I am sorry, I still don't understand exactly what the problem is with buying a game and playing it.
No one can take it away from you. It's your game, and it's the same as if you had the DVD or CD for it, but it's digital through Frontier Lines and Steam.
You can play the game without buying any ships or cosmetics using real money, and you can get what you want through the game credits, which can be obtained by playing the game.

Anyway, Thanks for your input. This is all about those who play the game, so if you don't play it, then you are posting in the wrong place

Have a nice day, Sally.

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[Kherty]

Hi Xenon.

The situation here, is that digital game ownership is no longer treated by publishers in the same way physical ownership is.
When you buy a boxed game, or a DRM-free download, you DO retain access forever, regardless of what the publisher later decides (and even that still depends).
However, more and more games today require constant online verification, a proprietary launcher, or access to servers controlled by the publisher simply to function.

The moment the plug on these servers pulled; the game no longer works, even though you paid the price for it and legally "own" it. Elite Dangerous fits some of these criteria.

This is why there are concerns and campaigns like “Stop Killing Games.” The issue is not about optional cosmetics or micro-transactions. It is the shift from "I own this product, this video game", to "I am only allowed to play it for as long as the publisher permits me", which once again, fits for Elite Dangerous, and plenty of other games (such as gacha games. The only example I have here is Limbus Company).

That conditional access undermines what most players reasonably understand as ownership.

That is the point @Sally has been talking about. The "video games industry", is moving away from true ownership (like I said before, you own the game forever, yeah.), and toward temporary access, which puts every single digital purchase at risk of becoming unusable in the future.

Because you won't be able to say:

[...]
No one can take it away from you. It's your game, and it's the same as if you had the DVD or CD for it, but it's digital through Frontier Lines and Steam.

Because it's digital, as you said, and they have the final say. You won't have said game anymore: when they inevitably pull the plug. Or if the company/companies goes under. Hard to imagine Steam going under, but it still can. Easier to imagine Frontier Games going under.

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[Laz]

Easier to imagine Frontier Games going under.

Especially given their financial situation ain't the best and they keep fumbling the bag with many of their products. Their stock price on LSE isn't looking too good either (currently $6.98, for those needing it translated):



Personally I'll never touch one of their products after Elite Dangerous, they fumbled that game so hard it's actually saddening. Had so much potential that was entirely wasted. Still a very pretty game though, wont deny that at least.

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[Sally]

Easier to imagine Frontier Games going under.

Especially given their financial situation ain't the best and they keep fumbling the bag with many of their products. Their stock price on LSE isn't looking too good either (currently $6.98, for those needing it translated):



Personally I'll never touch one of their products after Elite Dangerous, they fumbled that game so hard it's actually saddening. Had so much potential that was entirely wasted. Still a very pretty game though, wont deny that at least.

This brings me joy. I wish bad actors got what they rightfully earned more often.

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"I suppose many people will continue moving towards careless computing, because there's a sucker born every minute." - RMS

[Xenon]

I have no idea what scam you are talking about

If selling copies that can arbitrarily be destroyed later on by a publisher isn't fraudulent or scammy behavior then I don't know what is.

There's a big reason why you'll never see the same kind of shenanigans with this game that you got with Freelancer throughout the last two decades; the developer pulls the plug and every single copy is a bunch of worthless zeroes and ones, even though you paid for it (many paid full price). There was a campaign flying around to outlaw this practice because it's technically illegal in many countries, I wish victims paid more attention about it than money on these games that will be dead in a decade.

I am sorry, I still don't understand exactly what the problem is with buying a game and playing it.
No one can take it away from you. It's your game, and it's the same as if you had the DVD or CD for it, but it's digital through Frontier Lines and Steam.
You can play the game without buying any ships or cosmetics using real money, and you can get what you want through the game credits, which can be obtained by playing the game.

Anyway, Thanks for your input. This is all about those who play the game, so if you don't play it, then you are posting in the wrong place

Have a nice day, Sally.

I think any game or company can shut down
And I don't think that Elite Dangerous or Steam will shut down anytime soon
Enjoy it while it lasts, cheers

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[Sally]

I think any game or company can shut down
And I don't think that Elite Dangerous or Steam will shut down anytime soon
Enjoy it while it lasts, cheers

The point flew right over your head, despite the fact you're posting this on a forum dedicated to a 2003 videogame that was developed by a company that died over two decades ago.

I'm not surprised either way, try to save yourself the embarrassment if you're not gonna bother to pay attention to the topic, though, that's my just my advice.

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"I suppose many people will continue moving towards careless computing, because there's a sucker born every minute." - RMS

[Geno]

sally try not to be evil and twisted when responding to someone else's post challenge (impossible)

[Xenon]

I think any game or company can shut down
And I don't think that Elite Dangerous or Steam will shut down anytime soon
Enjoy it while it lasts, cheers

The point flew right over your head, despite the fact you're posting this on a forum dedicated to a 2003 videogame that was developed by a company that died over two decades ago.

I'm not surprised either way, try to save yourself the embarrassment if you're not gonna bother to pay attention to the topic, though, that's my just my advice.

Thank you for the advice. You are welcome to enjoy your time playing with us on Elite Dangerous, and if not, then please enjoy your time bombing someone else's thread, please , Thanks again.

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