Offline Mode In the Wild (We'll get it soon!)

Discussion in 'Planetary Annihilation General Discussion' started by brianpurkiss, August 31, 2014.

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  1. jendrykgaming

    jendrykgaming Member

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    It's not tolerable. It's a lie, or a gross failure on the developer's part if you're being generous. It was promised in Kickstarter two years ago and it hasn't been delivered.

    It's not DRM Free, there's no LAN play, and there's no offline. Now they've edited the site to reflect the fact that what was promised when soliciting funding is no longer true.

    That's unacceptable, no matter the reasons why, and the fact that there is no explanation or clear timeframe is even more damning.
    Aranfan likes this.
  2. squishypon3

    squishypon3 Post Master General

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    Again, not promised for release, no official date for offline was ever given, and only that it'd be in the game eventually. This is not lying, this is people making assumptions. Are they ridiculous assumptions? No, but that doesn't change the fact that people did assume things and when their assumptions are wrong they assume they've been lied to.
    spittoon, MrTBSC, Antiglow and 5 others like this.
  3. Lavenders2

    Lavenders2 New Member

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    [​IMG]
    You did this yourself. You clearly thought, like most people, that offline was coming with 1.0 and it hasn't.

    EDIT: Bigger picture here:
    http://i.imgur.com/1JHejZx.png
  4. squishypon3

    squishypon3 Post Master General

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    Yes- I did think it was going to be at 1.0, just because I'm defending them doesn't mean I didn't make the same assumptions too? :p
  5. jendrykgaming

    jendrykgaming Member

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    The first kickstarter page, before it was later edited:

    https://www.kickstarter.com/project...nihilation-a-next-generation-rts/posts/289765

    "Offline / LAN play support
    By popular demand we are happy to announce that we will support LAN play and running your own servers! There will be elements of the game that are online only and will only be available when connected. For example things like player stats, auto-updating, metagame etc. However, we feel it’s important to be able to have an offline experience as well.

    DRM-Free

    For offline play, the game will be DRM free. For online play that gives you access to the global community and social features, you will need to be logged in."

    2012 is the date. 2 years ago. Previously it was stated "upon release." Haven't bothered with wayback because I don't think it ultimately matters with those who will support the product no matter its state.

    Even if the page didn't unconditionally promise, it's 2014. There's no offline and there's still DRM. Call it whatever you like. I'll call it failure, rather than lie, because I don't think Uber actually ever intended to mislead backers.

    Still, I don't think when anyone read the Kickstarter page, they'd think "DRM-Free/Offline at an unspecified date sometime after release, 2 years after we accepted funding, for reasons we won't entirely explain."

    The fact of the matter is, DRM is unavoidably an integral part of PA, as is always online, and it affects every aspect of the game. And we still have no real, clear explanation why this is so.
  6. drz1

    drz1 Post Master General

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    Actually, at least one of the devs has noted on here before that allowing us to host offline games is a not trivial endeavour, hence it taking longer than expected.
    And I like how you define "building an entirely new RTS engine from scratch, with unprecedented scope and potential, with a small budget and team, in only 2 years" as a failure to deliver their promise to KS backers. I'm actually a little staggered. Again, if Uber give us all the finger next week and tell us offline is never coming and we all suck (they won't) then sure, I'll pick up the pitch fork with you. But until we know what's happening properly (and the devs have stated offline is in the works) I'm reserving judgement.
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  7. jendrykgaming

    jendrykgaming Member

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    Of course the devs know that offline is not a trivial endeavor. I'd never insult them enough to insinuate that they would ever think otherwise.

    The fact that they built "an entirely new RTS engine from scratch with unprecedented scope an potential with a small budget and team, in only two years" doesn't change the fact that offline and DRM free were listed in the Kickstarter page, the same page which encouraged many to involve themselves with the project.

    It was also listed on the official PA site for quite some time, until it was edited out. Stagger all you like, make the issue as simple as insults delivered by fingers, but the issue remains the same.

    The devs stated offline is in the works, but offline was also stated to be in the works ages ago in Kickstarter, and now that Kickstarter funding did its job and retail release has arrived, it still isn't here. Reserve all the judgment you like, it doesn't change the facts. Offline, LAN, and private servers aren't with the release and it's a DRM always online release like countless others.
  8. drz1

    drz1 Post Master General

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    Well this is just a circular argument now, so I will one last time point out that Uber have not failed to deliver DRM free play until they stop working on the game and it isn't there. That is the fact.
    Editing out the DRM FREE claim is to avoid false advertising, it doesn't mean they don't intend to add it.
    We clearly aren't going to agree, so it's up to people reading this to make up their own minds. I for one, will keep playing online until Uber release offline mode, which will happen "soon".
  9. MrTBSC

    MrTBSC Post Master General

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    why is how in this case ... just sayin
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  10. cdrkf

    cdrkf Post Master General

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    Guys, uber are working on the server now. It's coming, confirmed, happening :) mavor even gave the example of a lan party with only 1 copy of the game, so just give them a little time (they even confirmed this position in yesterday's stream).

    Once the server is out, the only drm will be for access to the multiplayer servers (which they have to pay for) which is quite reasonable if you ask me.

    Uber have stuck to their word thus far, I see no reason to doubt them on this- they just need a bit more time.
    spittoon, drz1, pieman2906 and 3 others like this.
  11. babeslayer66

    babeslayer66 New Member

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    I have a strong computer and good internet speed. I don't play RTS games online. The only RTS games I have ever played in multi player have been over LAN network.
  12. Bsport

    Bsport Well-Known Member

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    Your logic and fact's have no place here, be gone demon!
    Last edited: September 6, 2014
  13. popededi

    popededi Well-Known Member

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    The community has been feeding itself the misinformation about 1.0 coming with offline mode since before I came here about 6-7 months ago.

    I only realised Uber never actually promised it for main release when I did a bit of research to see what the did actually promise.

    I picked it up from someone in the forums, and I'm also guilty of taking it as fact and passing it on.

    Unfortunately it happens. :)
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  14. cola_colin

    cola_colin Moderator Alumni

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    I am pretty sure Uber was hoping to release the server at 1.0 as well. If not they would have said that.
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  15. corruptai

    corruptai New Member

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    I think the point Lavenders was trying to make was that you not only made the same assumptions you are now arguing against, you spread them to others as if they were fact, as shown in that picture. Stating that something will happen causes the reader to assume that it is a factual statement. You could have said may or might or even could possibly, but you chose the phrase "will be DRM free".

    In other words, you helped cause this confusion, so don't be surprised that people believed you.
    (Note: This post was non-hostile, simply a clarification on how I read Lavenders's post. I have no side in this debate.)
    A question I have for you is why did you think the game would be DRM free at release? I mostly lurk this forum, and before release (during alpha, beta, and gamma) most of the forum was convinced this was true. A more general question is where was this information acquired, and why is the entire forum suddenly backpedaling?
  16. squishypon3

    squishypon3 Post Master General

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    Well everyone thought it was gonna be at release! We aaaall assumed it would be, most posts I believe I said "should be at 1.0"

    But I'm not positive about that. :p

    Edit: Basically we all assumed it would be at release and told each other it would be, because we all assumed it was. And because I know someone's going to say "Well why did Uber not tell you otherwise", we'll because not only were they constantly working and couldn't be expected to clarify. They also weren't entirely sure when it'd be done themselves.
  17. epicblaster117

    epicblaster117 Active Member

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    The problem here is that it WAS PROMISED on the kickstarter page before it was edited, so it wasn't an assumption at the time, but a fact.
  18. squishypon3

    squishypon3 Post Master General

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    But it never said it'd be at release? Yes offline mode itself is promised, and will come. It being at release however never was promised.
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  19. epicblaster117

    epicblaster117 Active Member

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    Actually it DID say "upon release" on the kick-starter page, so yes it was a fact.
  20. squishypon3

    squishypon3 Post Master General

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    Where at?


    Offline / LAN play support
    By popular demand we are happy to announce that we will support LAN play and running your own servers! There will be elements of the game that are online only and will only be available when connected. For example things like player stats, auto-updating, metagame etc. However, we feel it’s important to be able to have an offline experience as well.

    DRM-Free
    For offline play, the game will be DRM free. For online play that gives you access to the global community and social features, you will need to be logged in.
    corruptai, spittoon and drz1 like this.
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