General Elite Simulator: A Competitive PvP Companion Game for Elite Dangerous

Lael014

L
Executive Summary: "Elite Simulator" is a free, standalone and/or integrated competitive PvP game set in the Elite Dangerous universe. Its purpose is to provide a balanced, accessible combat platform where both new and veteran players can test, refine, and challenge builds and tactics—while simultaneously supplying Frontier Developments with real-time feedback to fine-tune balance in the main game. It can be accessed either as an independent Free-to-Play title or seamlessly within Elite Dangerous as a lore-consistent simulation mode.



Project Goals:
  • Fix and balance Engineering and PvP in Elite Dangerous.
  • Deliver a fair, modern, and engaging competitive experience.
  • Attract and retain players with an easy-to-learn, hard-to-master format.
  • Generate revenue through ethical monetization: cosmetics, seasonal passes, and esports events.


Deployment Formats:
  1. Standalone Game (Free-to-Play)
    • Instanced PvP in space and on-foot (Odyssey mode).
    • Custom ship builds with Engineering unlocked through skill progression.
    • Ranking system: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Elite.
    • Exclusive cosmetics and community tournaments.
  2. Integrated Mode in Elite Dangerous
    • Accessed via ship/station menus.
    • Fully synced with players’ actual ships and modules.
    • Feels like a tactical simulator within the in-game lore.


Simulator Features:
  • Loadout Importing:
    • Players can clone their existing ships and loadouts from Elite Dangerous.
  • Skill-Based Engineering Unlocks:
    • Engineering options unlock gradually as players climb the ranks.
    • Prevents immediate meta abuse and encourages learning.
  • Beginner-Friendly Presets:
    • Balanced ready-made builds for casual players and newcomers.
  • Ship Tier Classification:
    • Categories: Light, Medium, Heavy, Capital.
    • Game modes can restrict ship tiers to ensure fair matchups.
  • PvP Game Modes:
    • 1v1 Duels
    • Team Battles (3v3, 5v5)
    • Capture the Cargo (CTC)
    • Zone Control
    • Battle Royale
    • Combined Arms (SRVs + Odyssey FPS)
  • Live Balance Testing:
    • FDev can test changes to weapons, engineering, and modules live.
    • Community-driven feedback based on real use, not speculation.
  • Lore Integration:
    • Framed as a Pilots’ Federation tactical simulation.
    • Maintains immersion within the Elite Dangerous narrative universe.


Benefits for Frontier Developments:
  • New revenue stream without disrupting the main game.
  • Increased PvP engagement and player retention.
  • Reliable balancing data for the core game.
  • Expanded universe without needing massive new content drops.


Conclusion: Elite Simulator is more than a game mode—it's a smart, scalable solution to one of Elite Dangerous' longest-standing challenges. It brings accessibility to complexity, competition to immersion, and might just become the ultimate proving ground for Commanders galaxy-wide.



Proposed by: Lael, Engineer, explorer, and smuggler of the stars. Alongside his ship Hadassa, he dreams of an Elite Dangerous where PvP is as sharp as a railgun to the face.
 

BackToTheMud

B
I'm not saying that engineering couldn't do with some balance tweeks, or that Fdev shouldn't implement more structured PvP into the game, but...
What your suggesting wouldn't do much to fix the biggest problem of how engineering impacts PvP. Because the biggest problem isn't the engineering, but how flexible our ship building is. This result in ships built as a dedicanted combat ship will completely outclass a ship built to be a flexible mission runner.
Simply put: the max DPS increase we can have is 75%, but our defensive increase is mos more like <750%.
 
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Lael014

L
BackToTheMud said:
I'm not saying that engineering couldn't do with some balance tweeks, or that Fdev shouldn't implement more structured PvP into the game, but...
What your suggesting would do much to fix the biggest problem of how engineering impacts PvP. Because the biggest problem isn't the engineering, but how flexible our ship building is. This result in ships built as a dedicanted combat ship will completely outclass a ship built to be a flexible mission runner.
Simply put: the max DPS increase we can have is 75%, but our defensive increase is mos more like <750%.
Click to expand...
Good point. My main suggestion is a structure for testing and balancing the game, so your idea fits right into it
 

Darrack

Darrack
Lael014 said:
Executive Summary: "Elite Simulator" is a free, standalone and/or integrated competitive PvP game set in the Elite Dangerous universe. Its purpose is to provide a balanced, accessible combat platform where both new and veteran players can test, refine, and challenge builds and tactics—while simultaneously supplying Frontier Developments with real-time feedback to fine-tune balance in the main game. It can be accessed either as an independent Free-to-Play title or seamlessly within Elite Dangerous as a lore-consistent simulation mode.



Project Goals:
  • Fix and balance Engineering and PvP in Elite Dangerous.
  • Deliver a fair, modern, and engaging competitive experience.
  • Attract and retain players with an easy-to-learn, hard-to-master format.
  • Generate revenue through ethical monetization: cosmetics, seasonal passes, and esports events.


Deployment Formats:
  1. Standalone Game (Free-to-Play)
    • Instanced PvP in space and on-foot (Odyssey mode).
    • Custom ship builds with Engineering unlocked through skill progression.
    • Ranking system: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Elite.
    • Exclusive cosmetics and community tournaments.
  2. Integrated Mode in Elite Dangerous
    • Accessed via ship/station menus.
    • Fully synced with players’ actual ships and modules.
    • Feels like a tactical simulator within the in-game lore.


Simulator Features:
  • Loadout Importing:
    • Players can clone their existing ships and loadouts from Elite Dangerous.
  • Skill-Based Engineering Unlocks:
    • Engineering options unlock gradually as players climb the ranks.
    • Prevents immediate meta abuse and encourages learning.
  • Beginner-Friendly Presets:
    • Balanced ready-made builds for casual players and newcomers.
  • Ship Tier Classification:
    • Categories: Light, Medium, Heavy, Capital.
    • Game modes can restrict ship tiers to ensure fair matchups.
  • PvP Game Modes:
    • 1v1 Duels
    • Team Battles (3v3, 5v5)
    • Capture the Cargo (CTC)
    • Zone Control
    • Battle Royale
    • Combined Arms (SRVs + Odyssey FPS)
  • Live Balance Testing:
    • FDev can test changes to weapons, engineering, and modules live.
    • Community-driven feedback based on real use, not speculation.
  • Lore Integration:
    • Framed as a Pilots’ Federation tactical simulation.
    • Maintains immersion within the Elite Dangerous narrative universe.


Benefits for Frontier Developments:
  • New revenue stream without disrupting the main game.
  • Increased PvP engagement and player retention.
  • Reliable balancing data for the core game.
  • Expanded universe without needing massive new content drops.


Conclusion: Elite Simulator is more than a game mode—it's a smart, scalable solution to one of Elite Dangerous' longest-standing challenges. It brings accessibility to complexity, competition to immersion, and might just become the ultimate proving ground for Commanders galaxy-wide.



Proposed by: Lael, Engineer, explorer, and smuggler of the stars. Alongside his ship Hadassa, he dreams of an Elite Dangerous where PvP is as sharp as a railgun to the face.
Click to expand...
PvP balancing should never ever effect PvE, as long a this is completely separate from the current Elite it would be a good idea to have a separate game.

O7
 

Raedawn

Raedawn
No, this game has limited resources and a pvp is already possible. The pve in this game is not super developed either, that is just EDO's fiscal realities.
 

BackToTheMud

B
Lael014 said:
Good point. My main suggestion is a structure for testing and balancing the game, so your idea fits right into it
Click to expand...
I don't you quite see what an undertaking this would be. You can't just say that every small/medium/large ship are allowed to take "this" amount of hull/module/shield reinforcements and shield boosters. You have to balance each individual ship.
This wouldn't be helped by the fact that we players as a group understand the game way better than the devs. (This goes for every game, btw.) And before you say "The can just look at the numbers", I'd like to direct you towards warthunder. A game were the devs balance a vehicles battle rating by how well a vehicled does in the game, but don’t understand (or maybe care) the player reason why a vehicle perform the way it do.
 
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Lael014

L
Darrack said:
PvP balancing should never ever effect PvE, as long a this is completely separate from the current Elite it would be a good idea to have a separate game.

O7
Click to expand...
100% agreed. The idea isn’t to touch the core game or change what people love about Elite's open world. The Simulator would be its own thing—basically a “training ground” or testing chamber.

By separating it from the main galaxy, we can balance modules, test engineering tweaks, or even introduce new modes without fear of screwing up BGS or PvE missions. Players who want nothing to do with PvP never have to set foot in it—but for those who enjoy the fight, it could be a dream come true.
 

Lael014

L
Raedawn said:
No, this game has limited resources and a pvp is already possible. The pve in this game is not super developed either, that is just EDO's fiscal realities.
Click to expand...
That’s a fair point. FDev’s resources aren’t unlimited, and there are tons of areas in Elite that could use love.

But maybe that’s exactly why Elite Simulator could help. Instead of having to overhaul the entire game to fix PvP balance, Frontier could use this as a lightweight companion tool—one that helps the community help them. If done right, it could even boost interest in the main game. Think of it like a low-risk side hustle for the devs—with the added bonus of making their balance efforts easier to manage.
 

Lael014

L
BackToTheMud said:
I don't quite see what an undertaking this would be. You can't just say that every small/medium/large ship are allowed to take "this" amount of hull/module/shield reinforcements and shield boosters. You have to balance each individual ship.
This wouldn't be helped by the fact that we players as a group understand the game way better than the devs. (This goes for every game, btw.) And before you say "The can just look at the numbers", I'd like to direct you towards warthunder. A game were the devs balance a vehicles battle rating by how well a vehicled does in the game, but don’t understand (or maybe care) the player reason why a vehicle perform the way it do.
Click to expand...
Definitely a huge task, no question. There are so many ships, roles, and weird builds—it can be a nightmare to balance across the board.

That’s actually one of the reasons I proposed this. Right now, FDev has to make balance decisions somewhat in the dark. But if they had access to a dedicated environment like the Simulator, with PvP happening in a vacuum and a ton of player data, it becomes way easier to spot outliers. They don’t have to guess—they can see what’s broken, what’s underused, and what players are actually building. Real data = real balance.
 

BackToTheMud

B
Lael014 said:
Definitely a huge task, no question. There are so many ships, roles, and weird builds—it can be a nightmare to balance across the board.

That’s actually one of the reasons I proposed this. Right now, FDev has to make balance decisions somewhat in the dark. But if they had access to a dedicated environment like the Simulator, with PvP happening in a vacuum and a ton of player data, it becomes way easier to spot outliers. They don’t have to guess—they can see what’s broken, what’s underused, and what players are actually building. Real data = real balance.
Click to expand...
Dude, you clearly have no idea how much of a nightmare; because it's impossible, and it should be impossible. An Eagle can't be balanced against a fdl, and a fdl can't be balanced against a Type-9.
With the combination of your initial...idea including no information about what balance changes you would like to see with engineering, and your rather...bland...responses, I'm going to hazard a guess: You just started playing the game, and has barely done any enginnering. Am I in the ballpark?
 

Lael014

L
BackToTheMud said:
Dude, you clearly have no idea how much of a nightmare; because it's impossible, and it should be impossible. An Eagle can't be balanced against a fdl, and a fdl can't be balanced against a Type-9.
With the combination of your initial...idea including no information about what balance changes you would like to see with engineering, and your rather...bland...responses, I'm going to hazard a guess: You just started playing the game, and has barely done any enginnering. Am I in the ballpark?
Click to expand...
Yeah, you're wrong on that. I've got over 400 hours and done a lot of engineering already.
But honestly, you keep missing the point of the idea — and bringing up stuff that doesn't even interfere with it.
The whole point is to create an environment where builds and engineering can be tested and improved in a competitive way, without the classic grind.
I'm not saying an Eagle should beat an FDL (where did you even get that?).
It's about making PvP fun. Are you still in the ballpark?
 

BackToTheMud

B
Lael014 said:
Yeah, you're wrong on that. I've got over 400 hours and done a lot of engineering already.
But honestly, you keep missing the point of the idea — and bringing up stuff that doesn't even interfere with it.
The whole point is to create an environment where builds and engineering can be tested and improved in a competitive way, without the classic grind.
I'm not saying an Eagle should beat an FDL (where did you even get that?).
It's about making PvP fun. Are you still in the ballpark?
Click to expand...
Those are newbie numbers in ED. So I was little bit out of bounds, but still within the park.

You have this grand plan to balance engineering and pvp in Elite, but you say absolute nothing about what you want changed, or what you meant with "PvP . . . as sharp as a railgun to the face". I think that the only PvP you were thinking about when you drafted your post was dueling between equally matched ships. And yes, dueling is a part of ED PvP, but it's about as connected to the devs vision of what PvP would be as a boxing match is to a back alley stabbing.

You want Fdev, for Nuffle knows how much, to turn a role-playing space sim game into an arena fighter, to balance engineering, without any understanding of how other mechanics impact this, just so you can build ships without getting the mats.
That you apparently hadn't considered if an Eagle should be able to take out a fdl shows how shallow you thinking in this is. It should, btw, if flown well enough...and the fdl pilot is a potato. And if you don't think so, I'll just point out that Skyraiders has shot down mig-17s.

Nor do Fdev need this to gather data. They already know what ships we fly, what weapons we use, and the mods we put on them.

You know, absolutely nothing stops you from doing PvP with your friends that are new to the game. As long as no-one is engineered it's fair.
 

Lael014

L
BackToTheMud said:
Those are newbie numbers in ED. So I was little bit out of bounds, but still within the park.

You have this grand plan to balance engineering and pvp in Elite, but you say absolute nothing about what you want changed, or what you meant with "PvP . . . as sharp as a railgun to the face". I think that the only PvP you were thinking about when you drafted your post was dueling between equally matched ships. And yes, dueling is a part of ED PvP, but it's about as connected to the devs vision of what PvP would be as a boxing match is to a back alley stabbing.

You want Fdev, for Nuffle knows how much, to turn a role-playing space sim game into an arena fighter, to balance engineering, without any understanding of how other mechanics impact this, just so you can build ships without getting the mats.
That you apparently hadn't considered if an Eagle should be able to take out a fdl shows how shallow you thinking in this is. It should, btw, if flown well enough...and the fdl pilot is a potato. And if you don't think so, I'll just point out that Skyraiders has shot down mig-17s.

Nor do Fdev need this to gather data. They already know what ships we fly, what weapons we use, and the mods we put on them.

You know, absolutely nothing stops you from doing PvP with your friends that are new to the game. As long as no-one is engineered it's fair.
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First of all, calling 400+ hours "newbie numbers" made me laugh. Guess I should apologize for not sacrificing my soul to the game yet.

Second, I never asked FDev to turn ED into Call of Duty: Spaceships. I'm proposing a companion environment — separate from the main game — for people who want to enjoy the ship-building and PvP side without all the grind every single time. Like a "test server" or "simulation mode." It’s about offering more ways to enjoy the game, not replacing it.

Third, I’m not getting into how to "fix engineering" because that’s not the goal here — and honestly, that discussion could spiral into the next decade without anyone agreeing.
The focus is on giving players a space to improve and have fun without ruining the core game.

Finally — sure, an Eagle can kill a FDL if the FDL pilot is asleep at the cockpit. That doesn't invalidate the idea of creating a space where matchups are more skill-based rather than just who farmed more mats.

Anyway, I appreciate the engagement — seriously. Whether you agree or not, it’s good to see people passionate about the game.

o7
 

Tetra Trash

Tetra Trash
Isn’t this just CQC except with your own ship? I just don’t see it getting much engagement based on how that went (a handful of hardcore fans who love it but very limited engagement from the wider community).
 

Lael014

L
Tetra Trash said:
Isn’t this just CQC except with your own ship? I just don’t see it getting much engagement based on how that went (a handful of hardcore fans who love it but very limited engagement from the wider community).
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Yeah, it’s similar in spirit to CQC — but the idea here is to make it way less restricted and way more customizable.
Instead of preset ships and tight modes, players could use their own builds, test engineering, and fly pretty much like they would in the real Elite universe. Also, we can include Odyssey and make FPS instances.
 
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