So, "Horizons" isn't a DLC for the game, but a separate game on the same servers?
It's a bit complicated... It is NOT common DLC, that is correct.
It isn't quite a new game either. Generally it is marketed and sold as a different product, but with full backwards compatibility, i.e. Elite
angerous and Elite:Horizons share the same servers and universe.
Content that cannot be gated off without breaking that compatibility is granted to elite:dangerous owners for free (It's downloading the update on my machine as I write), which for example includes all new ships, and if I'm not mistaken also the new planet visuals (you can't go landing on them, but they should still look a lot prettier from orbit).
People that had a certain level at kickstarter backing are getting it for free, and will be getting all future expnisons for free too.
Owners of elite:dangerous can currently buy Horizons on a 25% discount while it is in early access. I don't know if a similar offer wil be extended after that.
Furthermore, you're not buying Horizons as is. You're buying the next year of updates for the game, which seems to include some kind of crafting and customisation system, Multi-crew ships (two people can fly the same ship) and, can you believe it, Avatar customisation. Pink bunnies ftw! :lol:
It is a bit weird, but as far as business models go, I think it's not the worst. You're rewarding people that backed you graciously in the beginning, you're delivering a solid amount of content at no cost at all, and you're taking most money from people who can't wait. I'm sure there'll be periods this year when you can get the whole deal at reasonable DLC prices. And having just bought Elite
angerous for 15 bucks and getting a massive update at no additional cost, I really can't complain :shifty:
Why that? Does Empire have bad ships? The standard uniform of your PC is a bunny costume then?
Really noit sure there... As I understand it, the empire was quite the hype at the beginning. At least in the old games they had the best ships, and while the loss of the classy design is regretable, specs-wise they still seem to be very good. They even have their own version of the Eagle. But I've not yet been around civilisation enough, spent most the time some distance away from it so far...
I must admit, even in its half built buggy state, Star Citizen seems to offer more.
I really couldn't get into Elite Dangerous, got boring very quickly for me.
It is ironic that this debate is older than most think :lol:
In the olden days, there was the same debate about Frontier:First Encounters and WIng Commander Privateer (though many people forget that that game was by Erin Roberts, not Chris). The concepts still mostly seem the same: One offers a vast, seamless (more or less), physically credible gameworld and (by now) landable planets, but all with very little context and inferior graphics. The other offers a more constrained and sectioned game world with more context, a story and better graphics. It's really a question of what's more important to you.