Elite: Dangerous - updates!

Looking forward to trying Elite again. Almost all I saw is looks interesting to me :smiley: but then, this winter probably is kitty-time, baby :f14:

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So much truth…

As for a baseline number of probes, just start in-line with what we already see elsewhere in Elite.

For example… somehow, a Class 4 Multi-cannon carries 2200 rounds of ammo inside it’s dimensions. Take a look at how huge the quad barrels are on the C4 MC.

So I’d happily start in the 1,000 to 2,000 range for micro-probes carried inside the DSS module.

I tend to think the larger issue is that many players (or at least vocal players) appear to dislike anything that might add any play time to Elite.

But the way I see it, the new exploration system (without surface mapping probes) already gives 100% of existing exploration credit payout, and does so WAY faster than the current system (no need to even fly to any celestial bodies). The surface mapping is a new layer of exploration, and IMO, there is nothing wrong with new content and gameplay introducing some added depth and player investment.

I’m not really bothered by the decision, it works. But it’s a bit disappointing to see a deliberate “pass” on a small opportunity to go beyond the old “inch deep” cliche.

But that’s what I’m saying— what’s the point then?
Just pretend you synthesize them now and then…

No really, I much prefer to just concentrate on the fun part of exploration…

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I’m not bothered by the infinte probes thing. Compared to the bovine excrement telepresence stuff its peanuts.

What I am really happy about it is the codex stuff. It may be a day late and a dollar short, but at least its getting there.

I’ve spent hours upon hours playing spacegolf with the probes in Mass Effect 2, so this may be a fun thing to have the hands and eyes do while the ears listen to Dan Carlin narrate the rise and fall of the Japanese empire.

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https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/452363-Content-Recap-Beyond-Chapter-Four-Livestream-Background-Simulation-and-Scenarios

Impressive updates incoming.
Not groundbreaking BUT, boy, sorely needed!

Example:
BGS (Background Simulation) Changes

The Background Simulation (BGS) is a representation of how the actions of all players, no matter on which platform or mode, impact the galaxy. The factions that inhabit these system battle for influence over the population and control of the starports, installations and outposts. Player actions can push these factions into various states; such as economy, security, health and influence. With concerted effort players can help grow a faction’s economy, destroy its security status, or help win a war.

As part of Beyond - Chapter Four, we’re making a few changes to the Background Simulation that will have a big effect on how you will manage and spread your faction’s influence across the Milky Way.

Multiple States

  • From Beyond - Chapter Four onwards, factions will no longer be limited to a single state. Instead a faction could be in multiple states per system.
  • For example, rather than being in ’ War ’ across all of the systems the faction is present in, the faction will only be at war in the single system in which the war is taking place.
  • This new change means that the faction can also be in several different states at the same time. A faction could be in many different states, such as Bust and Civil Unrest .
  • The Background Simulation is woven into the fabric of the galaxy, and so this change will impact everything from USS spawning to mission spawning. The systems your faction is present in may very well change up!
  • The addition of multiple states means that managing an intergalactic empire will come with increased challenges. In order to make this more manageable we’ve added additional feedback to the game that should make interacting with the Background Simulation easier to understand.
  • Part of this feedback includes how Local News works. We’ve expanded the faction summary news article, so that each faction has their own individual article which informs players of the states currently active in that system.

State Categories

We’ve broken a number of faction states into the following categories:

  • Economic status - reflects the wealth of a system.
  • Security status - reflects the safety of a system.
  • Conflict - based on the system influence and represents the control of the assets and population in a system.
  • Movement - based on influence and our new Happiness value these states determine the movement of a faction between systems.
  • Other - Anything not included in the above, and reserved for future states that we are not ready to talk about!

And—

Economy and Security

  • For Economy and Security states we’ve added two new player-facing elements:

  • Security Status - represented via a marker moving along a bar. As the marker enters certain sections of the bar, the faction moves into the related state.

  • Economic Status - also represented via a marker moving along a bar. As the marker enters certain sections of the bar, the faction moves into the related state.

  • Both can be found on your right-hand status panel and also in the Squadrons Allegiance page (which we will be talking about in the Squadrons livestream).

  • As Commanders perform various in-game actions and activities, such as trading or completing missions, they will push the marker along one of these Security and Economic bars .

  • Each area on the bar represents different states and when the marker reaches these areas, the faction will adopt that state.

  • The center of each bar is a ‘no state’ region which represents a neutral state.

  • As the marker on the Economic bar is pushed upwards, the faction can move into Boom and then Investment . The other end of the Economic bar consists of Bust and eventually… Famine .

  • The Security bar consists of Lockdown , Civil Unrest , and a new state called Civil Liberty on the positive end. Civil Liberty represents a period of safety and freedom for the faction’s population.

Conflict and Movement

  • Movement states are based on Influence and work in a very similar way to how they did previously.

  • For example, if a faction loses the majority of its influence, it can enter into a Retreat state.

  • Conflict states trigger in the same way but winning a conflict has changed. This is explained in greater detail below.

Conflict changes

  • Wars , Civil Wars and Elections will now freeze the influence of both factions involved.

  • The conflict between the two factions will be resolved weekly, following a process of winning victories on a daily basis.

  • To claim a victory, players need to complete relevant missions handed out by their faction and take part in the newly revamped Conflict Zones.

  • You can find information on how your faction is doing during the war, and the assets it has on the line, in the status panel .

  • This information can also be found in the Squadrons Allegiance page.

  • At the end of a week, the side that has won the most days wins the war!

Expansion

The new States have also influenced the way in which Expansion works.

  • Expansion is a faction-wide concept and takes the following into consideration:

  • The percentage of Influence of the faction per system.

  • The Happiness of the faction within that same system.

  • Happiness is a new concept and is based on the states that are active within that system.

  • For example: a faction that has Civil Unrest , War and Bust occurring is not going to be the happiest, while a faction experiencing Civil Liberty and Boom will be much happier.

  • To increase your faction’s happiness, you need to defeat negative states and push your faction towards positive ones.

  • Large factions, with lots of influence across many happy systems will be more likely to gain the Expansion state.

  • A faction in Expansion after a certain amount of time will attempt to expand from the happiest system that faction is present in. Therefore, you will be better able to coordinate your expansion efforts to ensure which system you want to expand from.

It’s worth noting that some of the gargantuan factions, led by a handful of people, will need to scale up their group in order to manage their existing holdings. With these changes, maintaining widespread factions will pose an added challenge, but we’ve introduced improved in-game BGS feedback to help coordinate your group’s efforts.

Other

  • There are chaotic and unpredictable states that can occur. These states, much like the real-world parallels, are out of your control. One of these states is Outbreak , a faction in outbreak will suffer negative economic and security effects, as well as many of the faction’s population becoming unhappy.
  • Further information on all the factions’ active states can be found in the right-hand panel.

Megaship and Installation Population

For Beyond - Chapter Four, we’ve introduced a vast number of new Megaships and Installations .

  • Some of these Megaships will have set routes (moving on the weekly tick) and when in a new system, will be under the protection of the controlling faction.
  • If a Megaship jumps into your faction’s system, you should look after it because if it is attacked, your faction will feel negative Background Simulation effects.
  • Installations have also been added. These are static assets that once assigned to a faction can be fought over during conflict states.

Scenarios

Scenarios are new and enhanced versions of the Unidentified Signal Sources (USS) and fixed events that you may already have encountered. They are random events that can occur across the galaxy, providing you with additional opportunities to blaze your own trail the way you want to.

  • Each Scenario is fully voice-acted, by a range of different actors.

  • They feature bespoke UI, providing you information on what you need to do to engage with a Scenario and the rewards you will receive for doing so.

  • There are specific Background Simulation (BGS) rewards for successfully completing a Scenario; such as increasing the security status of the faction involved.

  • Some of the new and enhanced Scenarios include:

  • Assisting distressed or stranded pilots.

  • Engaging with new, fluctuating objectives in the new and improved Conflict Zones.

  • Attacking or defending Megaships and Installations.

  • Providing aid and assistance to damaged Megaships.

  • …and more!

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3.3 Beta is now LIVE!

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/452950-Beyond-Chapter-Four-Beta-1-Feature-Instructions

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/453145-Sweet-new-Lighting-system

Yup, it looks good. It always has. I also think I will enjoy learning the scanner. It seems intricate enough to make you feel like you are getting good at something.

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I wasn’t particularly interested in mining before but this looks like it could be fun:

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How long does this beta run?

I believe for another few weeks at least- they’re still doing feature adds and livestreams showing new features upcoming.

Also, the server appears to be down right now.

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Ok now another stupid question, what happens after the update? Like everyone is running around finding stuff in the codex and mining and stuff… does that all stay or get reset?

No clue, but that’s a very good question. I think it’ll be reset, as the things people are finding now may not be in the real-world server environment?

It will all be reset.
The beta server is a separate server that gets wiped at the end of the beta period along with everything that was done in it

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This. Always been like this with Elite’s beta and the only move that makes sense. :slight_smile:

Don’t want to be too bothersome but check out the new lighting…
(Unmodified screenshots- Straight outta comp–uter)


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Beautiful @komemiute!

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The new lighting is very nice. I’ve not visited a ring yet in beta, but I hope to get time soon.

New lighting is gorgeous. Mist in rings is awesome too. Multle light sources is sorely needed tho, in places where there’s more than one star the current system produces odd results.