Horizons Beyond The Beyond

ZeroAi · Oct 9, 2017

The Elite Dangerous news coming out of FX17 has me looking forward to playing Elite through 2018 with The Beyond updates:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/382939-Elite-Dangerous-Roadmap-Summary

I'm also very happy they will be free to Horizon owners.

But that fact has me wondering what comes after "The Beyond?"

Totally speculating here, but it seems to me that it's completely possible only a fraction of the Elite team is working on these free Horizon "updates" and "gameplay refinements," while the majority of the team is working on something else?

And what could the something else be?

- A new Elite Dangerous expansion for 2019? Sometime like "Elite Dangerous: Worlds," an expansion with atmospheric planetary landings, new SRV's, ship and SRV EVA's (space legs,) and player owned stations and bases you can walk around?

- Or Elite Dangerous 2, using a completely overhauled engine supporting all previous content with but tons of new features?

- Or could it be 2018 is the end of Elite Dangerous development?

What do you think?

wstephenson · Oct 9, 2017

I think you're positing the existence of a God Patch here, and that just leads to disappointment.

But since you ask, I think Season 4 will be space legs, and code named The Beyonce.

SCNR.

Rob At Work · Oct 9, 2017

My therapist says "Mindfulness" - did you know Mindfulness is one of the seven steps to enlightenment?

or for those that do not know - "be happy experiencing the here and now."

Ian Phillips · Oct 9, 2017

I think that after 'Horizons' and 'Beyond' the next big update will be along the lines of 'The journey back home' or 'The long walk'

Jools · Oct 9, 2017

Greylock said:
Totally speculating here, but it seems to me that it's completely possible only a fraction of the Elite team is working on these free Horizon "updates" and "gameplay refinements," while the majority of the team is working on something else?

I`ve been hearing this since i can remember. People said exactly the same during horizons. And look at what we were presented with. 1 almost ready bugfix, 2 greyboxed ships, and some loose ideas and concepts

Also the "beyond beyond" is at best (they are really poor at hitting their time targets recently) 15 months away from now... 15 long months of Jurasic World Evolution development

ZeroAi · Oct 9, 2017

wstephenson said:
I think you're positing the existence of a God Patch here, and that just leads to disappointment.

But since you ask, I think Season 4 will be space legs, and code named The Beyonce.

SCNR.

No, not even close. Never ever posted anything in all my years about that lol

Rob At Work said:
My therapist says "Mindfulness" - did you know Mindfulness is one of the seven steps to enlightenment?

or for those that do not know - "be happy experiencing the here and now."

Glad you're happy in the here and now. I am as well, and one thing that makes me happy is speculating on the future - hence this post

Ian Phillips said:
I think that after 'Horizons' and 'Beyond' the next big update will be along the lines of 'The journey back home' or 'The long walk'

...maybe after another cup of coffee...

Jools said:
I`ve been hearing this since i can remember. People said exactly the same during horizons. And look at what we were presented with. 1 almost ready bugfix, 2 greyboxed ships, and some loose ideas and concepts

Also the "beyond beyond" is at best (they are really poor at hitting their time targets recently) 15 months away from now... 15 long months of Jurasic World Evolution development

In recent years many development studios have dedicated a small number of staff to keep fresh content coming while the bulk of the staff work on the next DLC. Bungie is one that comes to mind.

That said, with all the 2018 content being free, I have to imagine they are either working on a new DLC or Expansion pack for 2019, or something else. Or not lol.

Daish · Oct 10, 2017

With all said it's a long haul till Q4 2018. I guess it will be the titbits that keep us going, for now anyway, new ships yeah all love new ships lets be honest, Graphics update would be a welcome change depending on frame rate! for some though. Mining Hmm seems interesting as long as it pays as we all know about balance, and nerfing, Exploring Hmm very interested to see if we finally will get better ways to locate things both in space and on planets the POI needs a complete dumping for something better the coordinates system is hideously bad, as for the rest of exploring we have to wait and see.

Squadrons great if you in wings and multi-crew completely useless if you play solo, (just hope they don't lose sight of solo players)

Thargoid expansion well with 2.4 moving along and what seems to me as a human outter bubble thargoid invasion likely with more station damage visuals coming that could be quite interesting.

Type 10 hmm as I thought another rehash of an existing ship

Space legs and Atmosphere planets now really do seem a long way off which is super annoying I did feel space legs where coming what with holo me etc...

The rest is a wait and see hang the carrot in front of the donkey sitrep

Kerrash · Oct 10, 2017

wstephenson said:
... God Patch ...

You are thinking of that other game and their baby Jesus

Phoenix_Dfire · Oct 10, 2017

There are three major items which were in the 'Plan' of the kickstarter ;-

Atmospheric Landings
Walking around ships and Stations
Capital ship command

You could argue that the Squadrons could be part of the last one with enhanced multi crew if you like but I feel that each of these major items will be paid for updates. I can't imagine that they'd be able to approach these items in any other order. As far as timescales? your guess is as good as mine.

Pville_Piper · Oct 10, 2017

Rob At Work said:
"be happy experiencing the here and now."

I'd be much happier in the here and now if someone could just tell me where the here is right now... [where is it]

ZeroAi · Oct 13, 2017

Well, FD posted elsewhere on the forums that there will also be purchasable DLC coming alongside the "Beyond" next year as well - the plot thickens...

Gun Star · Oct 13, 2017

I'm still waiting on my in flight sandwich dispenser and working lavatory...You know, for immersion....

I think the next pack will include the super simulation mode.

File flight plans
Real time ATC holding patterns
Customs waiting lines
Check Rides and written Tests
Real time fueling and repairs
Comm interviews to see if you are qualified to haul their cargo.
Pink Slips
Repo-men when you cant pay your bills

Codenamed... "The Real"