ANNOUNCEMENT April Update - Coming 23 April 2019

I agree, the docking computer crying and hand-wringing is a laugh. I could never understand why someone else cares how I { or you} play the game, solo or not, with what modules etc. One of things { there are dozens} I like about ED the most is the ability to play your own game whatever that might be.
Now I'm relatively new to ED unlike some of the billioair class here. I missed all of the early versions and pioneer days of ED so I can't directly comment on what things were/ are better or worse. I can see when I came aboard some 3 weeks 5days and 39m ago I found the game extremely challenging, in fact difficult to even understand. So much so that I sought out this place to help me figure out which end is up.
It looks to my eyes then that the new improvements are just that, improvements. I'm thrilled about the updates and frankly all future updates. I'm a big time fan of the game design and even after earning well over half a billion credits so far am still learning something new about ED every day and still consider myself a noob. I'm glad the game designers are trying to make it a little easier to grasp, to get on your 'space feet' under you { not to be confused with 'space legs'} and am excited to try all of the new features.
Anyway just a note from the noobesphere, let the crying commence.


I love it all and I'm happy to know that we'll see Adam again =) Loved all his previous livestream from 3.3 - even when he crashed the Mamba 😅

I don't understand all the whining around the autodock / undock & SC help though...I mean they are optional so if it helps new players to focus on learning other aspects of the game it can only be good to grow the community !

I think the beginner area should allow new players to stay a little bit more longer than the first rank because they are earned very quickly.

Can't wait to learn more about the navigation tab, trading screen improvement and interstellar initiative...sounds promising.

Wasn't expecting that much QoL improvements that affect "older players" !

o7
 

Greetings Commanders,

We’re very pleased to announce that the next update for Elite Dangerous, the April Update, will release on... Tuesday 23 April 2019!

As mentioned in the beginning of March, this year's initial updates will focus on introducing quality of life improvements and improving the welcoming experience for beginners. This update brings with it two new modules to help get you out there, engaging in and exploring all that there is to discover - as well as ensure that you're able to access in-game information and training from the seat of your cockpit!

Read below for all of the details:


Beginners' Zone

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. In addition, the authorities here will provide simpler missions that even the smallest of Sidewinders can complete.

Across the galaxy, new Commanders will also have a reduced rebuy until they gain their first Combat, Trade or Exploration rank, a step in the path towards greatness!


New Modules

Advanced Docking Computer
We're adding an upgraded version of the original Docking Computer, a module designed to allow Commanders to relax, let go of their flight sticks and automatically dock in stations to the serene strings of Johann Strauss II.​
The Advanced Docking Computer will not only allow you to dock, but also allow you to automatically undock from a station without anxiously worrying about getting stuck inside the mail slot. Let's face it, it will also help with those embarrassing Type-10 spoiler moments!​
This module will also come as standard in all newly-purchased small ships. If you're starting up a new account, you will find the Advanced Docking Computer in your ship from the get-go - making it easier for you to embark and disembark from your favourite stations without colliding with the walls, landing pads or your fellow Commanders.​

Supercruise Assist
Available at your nearest starship department store (i.e. Outfitting) comes the new Supercruise Assist module. While in Supercruise, you'll be able to target a destination and activate Supercruise Assist, putting your safety in the reassuring hands of a machine. In this mode, your ship will automatically maintain the correct speed and approach to your target destination, and break out of Supercruise at the optimum time. You'll still have to align with the correct location, but you will no longer have to worry about doing a loop of shame!​
With the the Supercruise Assist, you will also be able to enter into orbit around a body - allowing you to launch discovery probes and take screenshots without the fear of face-planting the dusty, rocky ground.​
This module will also come as standard in all newly-purchased ships.​


Free module slots for everyone!

With the introduction of these new modules, small ships will be outfitted with two additional size one Optional Internal slots, while medium and large ships will also receive one additional Optional Internal slot. This will automatically and retroactively apply to all relevant ships.


Navigation Tab

In Beyond - Chapter Four, the cockpit was completely revamped, and with the April Update, come even more improvements! The latest area to feel the love is the Navigation Panel where, in places, we have added icons for a tighter, more visually appealing layout.

A new column has been added to this panel, denoting activities in an area, mission targets, plotted routes, Wanted status and if the threat level of some areas is too high. The Navigation popup expands on this information, providing more details about the location, such as faction details, star class, information of resources and more!

Two of these may sound new to you - so allow us to explain!
  • Activities - Every location in the Elite galaxy, offers different activities, be it collecting Combat Bonds in a Combat Zone, or mining asteroids at a Resource Extraction Site. Icons and links to the Pilots' Handbook (see below) have been added to help you easily identify what activities are available at a given location.
  • Threat Level - Threat Level is something that already exists in the game (previously only seen at Unidentified Signal Sources), but this new marker will now appear in all systems. If a location has a threat level too high for your current combat rank, a 'danger' icon will be displayed, warning you that the location might be too dangerous.
Pilot's Handbook

Like the Codex, the Pilot's Handbook is a treasure trove of information, providing details on the many activities available to you in Elite Dangerous. Whether you're a veteran, or you've only just graduated from flight school, these articles will help you discover what opportunities are out there - and what is required to get involved in them. With links from the cockpit straight to the Pilot's Handbook, sourcing information is easier than ever before!


Trading Screen Improvements

When you're an interstellar trader, every minute is a potential sale... so to help you avoid being badgered by a strange man trying to sell you the 'deal of a lifetime' (500 tonnes of bio-waste is not always a good deal, by the way!), a number of improvements have been made to the user interface of the Commodities Market.

You will find two panels in the Commodities Market, Buy and Sell. Each new panel will provide you with important information:
  • Commodities relevant to any active missions you're currently undertaking
  • Icons that provide feedback of profits and supplies.
  • Trade data on nearby local systems per commodity
  • Buy and sell commodities pop-up with much more info than before - helpful even to the seasoned trader!
  • Select markets or goods and view their trade data in the Galaxy Map.
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.


Interstellar Initiatives

Our name for the previously announced 'Community Events'. These are series of in-game events that play out over the course of around a month. Each one features several phases that will alter as the narrative progresses, and may end with lasting effects on the galaxy. We'll be delving deeper into these in just a couple of weeks.


...and there's more!
  • Revamped main menu layout, including featuring GalNet news and other important information.
  • Training Missions and Challenge Scenarios will now be accessible via the cockpit, allowing you to brush up your skills right from the seat of your ship.
  • Loading screen tips.
  • Bug fixes.
So there you have it, a brief take on some of the features coming in the next update.

Join us on Thursday 18 April (at 18:00 UTC) for a content reveal livestream, where Executive Producer Adam Woods will be showcasing how all of this looks in-game!

Until then, please feel free to share your thoughts and feedback with us below.

See you in the black, Commander!

As someone who only started the game two weeks ago these changes are great, I wish they had happened before I started. One area I would love to see improved in setting up all the bindings. Right now that is a hugely complex task, maybe there could be various default settings for at least the major joysticks. The game so far is really exciting and I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time in the Frontier!
 
As someone who only started the game two weeks ago these changes are great, I wish they had happened before I started. One area I would love to see improved in setting up all the bindings. Right now that is a hugely complex task, maybe there could be various default settings for at least the major joysticks. The game so far is really exciting and I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time in the Frontier!
There already are some default settings for various joysticks, you just have to select which one you want to use from the drop down at the top of the bindings options section. I think my gamepad had like 3 different default setting choices, for example and when I got a T.FLight Hotas it gave me 2 additional choices for that.
 
Dont look only at your belly and your needs and wishes and respect the others, they are entitled to play this too.

There is a time and a place where i would be prepared to fall on my sword and take one for the team saccrificing my own experience for somone elses. a videogame isnt it, therefore if I am worried about the direction of the game i will say it, and if i dislike it too much i will stop playing.... Fine you may say, then just leave....... but then i would echo what you just said in the above line. My game play is far less enjoyable than it used to be, and i am worried that there is a good chance this update may affect it even more.

last i looked i was entitled to post regardless of my opinion.

I totally agree the game needs to explain itsself better for new players, I totally agree the UI needs to be more intuitive. The more people buying into the game and sticking the better.

but i have yet to be convinced how making a game which is purely (at the moment) about flying a space ship, making flying the ship almost fully hands off for the majority of the time is good for the game. Personally I think the game needs MORE interaction with the nuts and bolts of flying a ship not less

honestly once you get past the initial "cliff" of fighting the UI and understanding the quirks and inconsistencies of the game, even in its current build the game is really easy. it does not need to be any easier imo. It only feels difficult because of the pi.. poor job FD do of teaching the game mechanics as well as a ui which has had bolton after bolt on forced on it. .. and this is what FD should be (and are) working on
 
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The other brilliance of this development will only become apparent in 2020, in my opinion. Because it will give us freedom to walk around the ship while it flies from A to B, and even as it lands at a station. It brings a fascinating insight to what is likely to come in the future, while solving an existing issue for new players. :)

My thoughts exactly, if walking is coming next.... Additionally attracting old and new players for the next big release (from NMS and elsewhere) will work considerably better now these features are in the game. The last thing you'd want is to drop atmospheric planets and/or walking and have them quit because they can't take off. That would be a real waste of time and effort on what is arguably going to be the most important release yet.
 
Do you think its such a good idea to put extra small slots on the bigger ships? Thats going to be a decent upgrade for the already OP FdL as its now going to be the default slot for an interdictor. The only thing that balanced that ship was its lack of internal space.
 

Goose4291

Banned
Do you think its such a good idea to put extra small slots on the bigger ships? Thats going to be a decent upgrade for the already OP FdL as its now going to be the default slot for an interdictor. The only thing that balanced that ship was its lack of internal space.

It wouldnt be an FDEV update if they didnt somehow turn the FDL into an even more bland PvP ship.
 

Will Flanagan

Product Manager
Frontier
Will all existing Docking Computers be upgraded, or will they still be an option along with the new Advanced DC?

Existing Docking Computers won't be automatically upgraded, you'll need to head back to a Starport to pick up the new Advanced Docking Computer.

While I like the Buy Sell changes, will we get a "Sell All" button?

We've passed the feedback on. :)
 
Rather than continuously adding to optional slots, which could unbalance ships further. We could add a new section to the ship called ‘software downloads’ (VIA outfitting) exclusively for the ships computer. In addition to COVAS, we can add the new advanced docking computer, programmable limpet control software (for when that arrives), supercruise assist...etc. Just think of the possibilities. \o/

Flimley
 
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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.
It's called GURPS Vehicles. :)
 
I can't see much here for existing players. Yes, it's it going to be an easier, more friendly environment for people who don't currently play the game. I'd like to see more effort for existing and long term players - call me selfish, but I play the game for my own enjoyment, nobody else's.

They need new players.
 
Thought about the idea of having ONE default Class E COMPUTER module with TWO "program" cards for the new ADC and SA in a dedicated CORE slot instead of risking the power imbalance of an extra 1-2 small optional slot(s) for everyone a bit more... (Original post here)

Extra optional size 1 slots would be nice but if the COMPUTER module could be upgraded with multiple limpet controller cards, we could free up more size 1, 3, 5 and 7 slots instead while maintaining a similar number of active limpets, range, lifetime and gaining cargo racks.

What might be really cool though, is the idea of these controller cards as rewards. How about on reaching allied with Farseer she offers an FSD related mission that eventually rewards you with a Class E Deep Charge Controller card, which gives a bonus +2% max fuel per jump.

Another 20, 50 or 100 G5 upgrades later she decides you're more trustworthy with her experimental prototypes and swaps your Class E for the latest Class D, with +4% max fuel per jump now she's had time and the materials you've been bringing her to tinker with it a bit more.

Figure out a balanced exponential progression and eventually end up with a Class A and the optimum +10% max fuel bonus controller to hot swap in and out of any ship as long as it has one empty program slot in the CORE "Computer" and the effect stacks with other engineering.

Each engineer could offer a similar reward that relates to their specialty or is preferably already an experimental secondary in their blueprint list so, Palin might offer a Drag Drives Controller since it says in the description it's basically a software level hack of the safety protocols.

As another example. Lei Chung might reward a Multi-weave Shield Controller but this one seems more hardware reliant so instead, how about a controller that provides a direct mitigation defense against a weapon effect like Phasing Sequence to reduce damage bleed through.

And here's where it could get really cool...
Assumption 1: We eventually get legs.
Assumption 2: The Torq wearable displays the EVA world
Assumption 3: The Dura-Brick interacts with the EVA world

Lets say a Class A CORE Computer module has 6x program slots, and you've already loaded three with the best controllers money can buy and you have three engineer reward cards that you typically transfer between ships as you switch because they give such an awesome edge.

Now imagine the Dura-Brick has two slots (one, until you upgrade it) and as long as you're sitting in the pilot's seat the Brick connects to the ship to apply bonuses (not enough bandwidth via wifi) as if you had swapped them in outfitting or with legs, walked down to the Computer bay.

In other words, you could keep all your best controller cards in your pack, swap them into the Dura-Brick slots as needed (even better if the bonuses applied to SRV and SLF) or even take a hatch breaker card with you on a surface EVA to help with hacking open doors and boxes.

Alternatively the controller cards for the ships and the Dura-Brick could be completely different sizes but that shouldn't rule out the possibility of overlapping software based engineering enhancements to creep the power ever skyward, and give the veterans something to keep grinding for.

Cash and rep rewards are nice, but what about shiny gizmos to keep for our efforts?

Edit: Further suggestions on how to integrate legs with factions, missions and permits...
 
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