ANNOUNCEMENT April Update - Coming 23 April 2019

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I assume the downside of the autopilot is that it only travels in a straight line at the maximum sustainable straight-line speed, so a manual approach could save a couple of minutes per trip, plus avoid interdictions. Plus it takes a module slot (and power?), of course, which could certainly be used better for something else.

Those seem pretty significant disadvantages to me.

power isnt really a thing tho is it when in supercruise? and power management would just shut it off when weapons are deployed. in principle i am not against it (though would be far better if it were crew doing it imo) but imo FD need to be making the game more hands on, and harder for botters not easier for them.

once we can get out of our seats and have other stuff to do whilst the ship is flying then there will be a much stronger reason for it.... but to me, in a game which is currently fundamentally about flying our ship, then makign the ship fly itself is removing the experience not adding to it.

NOTE this is not a "i want to make the game hard to get into".... I applaud better ingame instructions, making the hud better etc etc etc...

 

[Uridium]

But that doesn't make sense, because this is just the opposite. It's one thing to say, "Only admirals are allowed in this briefing room." It's quite another thing to say, "Only recruits are allowed in this room - Admirals may not enter!"

Put it like this:

Briefing room - Only Admirals
Local back street bar - any military personnel who come in will be made extremely unwelcome. Not to mention a general order from the Top Brass states that specific areas of the local town are off limits.

Just roll with it, Elite players have their locked zones, why not give the noobs a little starter area to cut their teeth in.

 

[Rubbernuke]

View attachment 127422 You get an Optional Internal slot! You get an Optional Internal slot! You ALLLLLL get an Optional Internal slot!

The FDL guys are going to love the new interdictor slot.

 

[Fake Newts]

This horse may be dead but checking in again today to say... please start restricting optional internal slots. Even if it's "only size 1s" it's potentially adding minutes on to TTK and exponentially increasing the discrepancy between casual and min-maxed ships, making Open even less workable as a multiplayer ecosystem.

Full, unrestricted modularity doesn't actually promote interesting choices if you have consistent best-in-class defence modules available. Healthpoint differentials between ships is already way out of hand and it's only getting worse.

 

[Myrm]

What if they need fuel and ask the Fuel Rats for help? Are all of the Fuel Rats expected to buy alt accounts and maintain no ranks in order to provide fuel to these new players? ...

The Fuel Rats are not expected to do any such thing. If they wish to have an alt account, they can, some do, but it’s not obligatory for any Rat to take part in any particular rescue. Just as a Fuel Rat is not expected to purchase a PC, XB and PS buy ED on all of them and rescue on all platforms. You do as little or as much as you want as a Fuel Rat.

 

[M00ka]

The Fuel Rats are not expected to do any such thing. If they wish to have an alt account, they can, some do, but it’s not obligatory for any Rat to take part in any particular rescue. Just as a Fuel Rat is not expected to purchase a PC, XB and PS buy ED on all of them and rescue on all platforms. You do as little or as much as you want as a Fuel Rat.

I am still trying to work out how some newbie flying around a single system could run out of fuel? Well if they managed that then they deserve to see the rebuy screen, after all they have a discounted insurance so it won't be an expensive loss. And it would be a good learning curve, cos I don't think they would let themselves run out of fuel again whilst in the bubble

 

[Uridium]

Why not simply add those functions via right hand panel tabs like FA / lights / night vision?

Why TWO new modules and new slots? I mean, more slots are great, all my ships will get new modules, just not the new ones

So why are you complaining?
They arn't added as natural ship functions for the reason that you have to make a decision to fit these and sacrifice module slots.
There are a lot of people who are opposed to autopilots, so these people who dont use them have the benefits of two extra slots.

 

[Noobilite]

Still no panther clipper :< ?

I have a feeling that comes with the big update!! 8D

And there are some hidden bonuses to the auto pilot. You can now adjust your throttle keybinds differently and focus only on combat or something weird potentially. I use 25% throttle per mouse wheel move. This should free up some logic for finer controls since it may not be as monotonous.

When are we getting unexplored purple map criteria to go with visted and unvisited for FSS? And then the ability to filter out unmapped planetary types for advanced searching of DSS targets of previsited systems? We need that versatility! 8)

That and localized infinite bookmarks!! Preferably with a tool to categorize and name groups of bookmarks for loading and maybe eventually attach to more advanced route plotting and stuff.

 

[maboleth]

I'm thrilled with the news. I'm so happy with Beyond updates that the only thing I wish now is ironing stuff out even further, like fixing some minor but annoying bugs.
Giving extra QoL content is a bonus. Thumbs up!

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox IV]

Loving all of that. Creating a safe space for new commanders away from the infantile murder hobos and bringing the pilots handbook and training missions into the game will be of enormous help to noobs.
Flight automation, because why not. That sort of technology exists today so it's seemed bizarre that it wasn't available in the future.
More module slots, excellent news.
Looking forward to hearing more about the bug fixes.

 

[Noobilite]

Just out of curiosity, but they do realize that removing slots and switching to a totally m^3 as a flat value, and not worrying about true 3d dimensions, is the easiest way to deal with these sort sof things. Then they just give an available m3 for each ship and maybe section things like engine rooms or whatnot for seperate rooms if needed. Kind of like it looks the original game did. It's the simplest system to scale with later, potentially realistic, changes. Any artifical system like slots creates complexity in design changes later. Then you use slots for things like weightless items like Fuel Scoops and computers like this that might actually be modules like a computer board. Even the hardpoints could be converted if needed. Flat simplified m^3(volume) sort of systems makes the easiest scaleable system for later changes. And it's combineable with mass.

 

[Burke]

Noone is forced to use either Supercruise Control or the Advanced Docker Computer, and you can leave all the additional internal slots free for a challenge. Some even fly FA-OFF all the time todays. Options are virtually always better than no options. And it's you who decides what flying style suits you best.

Imagine if they had applyed that logic to the FSS...

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox IV]

The way I'm reading it, they become permit-locked after you get at least one Elite rank.

A new collection of systems has been added for newly-created Commanders, and can only be accessed by pilots until they earn their first Combat, Trade or Exploration rank.

It says nothing about being Elite. The way I read it is as soon as you rank up you're excluded.

 

[GonzTheMalificent]

Extra modules hooray! Especially as I'll be selling Advanced Auto-dock......

 

[Noobilite]

Won't griefers just make fresh accounts and attack people?! I guess the weaker ships is excusable though. It would be a good intro into pvp then. As it's a fair fight and all. The only disadvantage is the griefers ability to get equipment better from simple knowledge. Maybe if the systems are enclosed even as newbs(can't leave until you level up.) and the equipment options limited. Then real noobs just have to fight equally strong ships or play solo. It could actually make a good potential system to cut your teeth on pvp then.

 

[Six6VI]

I think this is a terrible idea, and needs to be reconsidered HARD before being pushed to Elite Dangerous. Think about the newer players that take on a more experienced mentor early in the game... are these players going to have to fend for themselves without mentoring? What if they need fuel and ask the Fuel Rats for help? Are all of the Fuel Rats expected to buy alt accounts and maintain no ranks in order to provide fuel to these new players? I think this just serves to segregate the community and further isolate new players, preventing them from picking up the game.

Instead of isolating new players into systems where they cannot interact with experienced players, you should instead focus on an isolated, on rails "tutorial" section of the game, where absolutely no harm can come to the player (including running out of fuel) until they learn the basics of navigating the Elite Dangerous galaxy, taking missions, and interacting with the commodities page. But at any time, the player can choose to opt out of this "on a rail" tutorial and be jettisoned straight into the game, incase they are already experienced or wish to be mentored by an existing, experienced player.

EDIT: Yes i know the tutorial section of the game exists. That's the joke.

Cant it be a system that locks the newbs in the handwavium safety of the Pilot's Federation simulator training bootcamp until they get enough flight hours, eg at least 20 mins on each profession AND 3x "Mostly..." levels to get a passing grade on all the basic skills before they're allowed out of the tutorial?

If this is mandatory on every save wipe as well it might waste so much of the average ganker's time they might only do it once to see what's new, a second time to find out they can't skip it and won't bother again.

 

[M00ka]

Won't griefers just make fresh accounts and attack people?! I guess the weaker ships is excusable though. It would be a good intro into pvp then. As it's a fair fight and all. The only disadvantage is the griefers ability to get equipment better from simple knowledge. Maybe if the systems are enclosed even as newbs(can't leave until you level up.) and the equipment options limited.

I have suggested a solution to that problem previously - just make this newbie area open to new Commanders only, not reset accounts. Sure you will get the odd idiot who will buy a new account just to gank a couple of newbies but I can't see a lot doing that ..

 

[Noobilite]

I think, as others have pointed out, the reduced rebuy should cover fuel and mistakes. The rest could be covered by allowing them to leave the area and get an auto rank up or something. But they couldn't be allowed to return if it's sealed off. Else it's still PVP heaven for people dropping to new accounts to fight them. Can you do that without buying a new account?

I have suggested a solution to that problem previously - just make this newbie area open to new Commanders only, not reset accounts. Sure you will get the odd idiot who will buy a new account just to gank a couple of newbies but I can't see a lot doing that ..

That would also be a good idea. Then the only way to grief is at 15 dollars a pop! Dear god, can you imagine the money they would make!! ><

If one rich bored you know whats it's decides to be funny, they could sell all their game numbers out. They would potentially have to redo their entire game code system(they use one of those right?!) and extend it potentially.(BTW, this is why drm free is potentially good. Assuming you would make a sale is not guaranteed. Not spending money on code changes is however!! ;d That applies regardless of cost/payment method because of time being a factor in development potentially.)

 

[Phoenix_Dfire]

Beginners' Zone

Excellent Idea. Protect the newbies until they can get the hang of things. As far as the seal clubbers are concerned; a Mostly Harmless Sidewinder is probably going to be just as easy as Harmless. I probably would have preferred something like a 'Learner' Rank, so that once they leave the Beginner Zone, they're harmless. Heh, Even give them 'L' plate decal. ​

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New Modules

Advanced Docking Computer​

Supercruise Assist​

​

Both will take some of the slow grind out of the game to some extent but you do worry if it will make the 'Botting' problem worse. I do worry that Elite: Dangerous might be going a little NMS. Maybe I would have these New Modules fitted only to the starter ships and once you move up to the Cobra/Viper level, then you loose those training wheels.​

Free module slots for everyone!
Always welcome.

Navigation Tab
Interesting

Pilot's Handbook

Now, this is needed. I do like the fact that you can also access the training missions while in the cockpit. Does that mean you can use the Supercruise Assist to approach a planet, while playing these training missions? Could that mean in future we could play CQC while doing the Hutton Orbital run?​

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Trading Screen Improvements

'All these improvements have been introduced to make the Commodities Market easier to understand at a glance, ensuring every Commander can become a wolf of the interstellar Wall Street.'

The Wolf of Wall street was a Fraud and Criminal, what are you saying here Will?

Interstellar Initiatives

Now this is what I'm really looking forward to, fingers crossed to an increase in the various plot threads in Elite.

Would everyone say this is about the size of the Beyond 3.1 and 3.2 updates? Heck, if we get this level of Interaction once every three to four month until 2020, I'll be happy.

 

[Factabulous]

I have suggested a solution to that problem previously - just make this newbie area open to new Commanders only, not reset accounts. Sure you will get the odd idiot who will buy a new account just to gank a couple of newbies but I can't see a lot doing that ..

Another suggestion I see is - first time you earn notoriety you are out. Even better if that only happens against CMDRs I guess. If it's a reset per kill then that would encourage most to move on.