FC interiors WITH Bridges, and a Unified Limpet controller. YES! YES!. I think I've written more threads about unifying the limpet controllers than anything else.Greetings Commanders,
Spooky season is here and with it the end of another month in our Earth-based calendar. As such, we are delighted to share with you the latest development progress from the team.
This week saw the release of Odyssey Update 8. This brought a number of new and exciting features into our galaxy, ranging from emotes and four-player multicrew to new social spaces in Megaships. We’ve been elated watching Commanders coming together to experience everything that Odyssey has to offer. If you would like to see some of the highlights from Update 8 you can watch our highlights video here.
As Update 8 has just arrived, we won’t be doing an issue breakdown as part of this post. Instead, you’ll be able to find more as Update 9 work progresses through our Supercruise News livestreams in November. That said, we want to provide you with some detailed insight on our optimisations for game performance, a number of which have arrived in Update 8 with more still to come.
Performance Optimisation
Engineers all across the team, from render, to AI, to low-level game systems, have been working hard on optimisation. As part of Update 8, extensive work has been carried out on Odyssey’s light and shadows, improvements to glass, skin, and particles, along with high-level rendering optimisations and further improvements to the Navmesh. These have delivered significant performance improvements to the on-foot experience in a number of areas. We have tested a number of different hardware configurations, and while not every system is identical, we have seen strong improvements across the board in areas such as planet port social spaces and planet surfaces more widely. That however is not to say our work is done.
Update 9 will see further improvement with optimisation already well underway for character animation, mid-far distance planet rendering, lighting, scatter rocks, object physics, AI and character models and much more, contributing to an ever better Odyssey experience.
Upcoming Updates and Content
Please note: These are at varying stages of progress. This is not an exhaustive list of everything that is being considered or currently being developed. They are not final, so they are subject to change. We will keep you updated with news and details as they progress. With that said, here’s a look at just some of the features and content in consideration, to go alongside the other development work required for future updates.
Update 9
The team have been incredibly busy working not only on optimisation and fixes, but to bring new and exciting content to Odyssey. You can see a preview of some of the features slated for release in Update 9 below.
Twin-Seat Combat SRV
We are making fantastic strides towards releasing our new SRV and we’re almost ready for our full reveal. Stay tuned to our channels for more details and in the meantime we hope you enjoy the small teaser below…
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Further Mission Additions and Improvements
We continue to expand player missions and their complexity, striving to make each mission more diverse and dynamic. As we previously mentioned we are continuing to work on this, below are just some of the examples of what mission features we will be adding for Update 9. Please remember this is only a snapshot of we have planned and will of course share more with you in the future!
Mission Contacts at POIs
Similar to the mission contacts recently added in Update 8, we'll also be adding new scenarios and related missions to help or meet individuals outside of the confines of settlements. Some of these individuals might need the player's help to get their ship running, or may be waiting for a courier to complete the next step of a sensitive delivery. Sometimes you may find you are just in time to save them from opportunistic raiders.
Settlement Mission-Providers
As we have in social spaces, some of the inhabitants at a settlement may also have requests they can make of the player. These missions are a lot more personal and will be granted by actual inhabitants who you visit again later to complete the mission.
Multi Limpet Controller
The multi limpet controller is a new module that works in addition to existing limpet controllers, allowing players to deploy multiple limpet types using a single module slot. This new controller is not intended to replace the existing dedicated limpet controllers and will be balanced against these within the game, allowing basic use of multiple limpet types without a dedicated slot for each.
After Update 9
Fleet Carrier Interiors
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We previously announced that we are bringing interiors to Fleet Carriers just as we did for Megaships in Update 8. As you might imagine, this poses a greater challenge due to a number of variables. These include allowing players to transport multiple other Commanders and their ships while existing in the same social space. We are pleased to say that we are making strong progress towards this and more details can be seen below.
Fleet Carrier interiors will reflect some of the existing services you choose to add to your carrier. For example, adding a Shipyard will add the ability for players to buy ships while on foot.
New optional services will be available to carrier owners. We’ll share more on these closer to launch.
Fleet Carrier interiors will feature escape pods, meaning that any player stranded aboard another Commander’s carrier will be able to abandon ship.
Commanders will be able to experience a hyperspace jump seated inside a carrier and enjoy the view!
Further details will be announced soon - we hope you will join us for a very special VIP Fleet Carrier tour in December!
Narrative
We’re pleased to see you getting involved and enjoying the current ongoing narrative around the Azimuth Saga. Without giving anything away, we have a lot more planned for 2022!
More to Come!
We hope you’re enjoying four-player multicrew and Megaship interiors from Update 8, and looking forward to pairing up in the new SRV come Update 9. As always, this is just a small look at some of the content that’s on its way and you can expect further mentions of bug fixes, performance improvements, plus new content in January 2022.
Thank you as always for your continued feedback and support.
~ The Elite Dangerous Team
FC interiors WITH Bridges, and a Unified Limpet controller. YES! YES!. I think I've written more threads about unifying the limpet controllers than anything else.
I wouldn't care as long as they undo the Python nerf.
Good old times.
If they continue to ignore consoles until Fall '22 there won't be many around to care.
Fantastic stuff! I especially look forward to the Fleet Carrier interior. Any thought to making an owner's suite while you're at it? Selecting a different destination in the elevator would be cool, especially if you are able to let those on your friend's list and/or wing also go there!
"Fixes for obscure bugs nobody noticed" is the right wording. Thx.Now to be fair we got bug fixes for obscure bugs no one has noticed. Oh wait, did they just write a bunch of random crap down, say they fixed it and that's our update for Horizons?
Yep, that's what we got - pre-announced in big violet letters (sorry Sally, but... you know ;-) ) this is kinda a real joke, if it was funny.
Is your point that development updates don't include consoles? You've made your opinion pretty clear lately.
It's still baking at 375 degrees, it's almost done. Seriously, I think they will likely restart console progress in earnest when they lock down the performance issues, probably after the new year and Update 10. Personally I'd rather they get it right this time, then rush, so I'm willing to wait. But yeah, it's starting to get to a point where I'm wanting to play. God I hope they keep up this new development pace. This game has desperately needed it.
A bacon paint job. Hmm. Fried bread wings ship kit.They will arrive earlier than ... you know what...
Cheers....
You have no idea what my opinion is.
As a semi-casual solo player who's not interested in a mindless grind, fleet carriers have been out of my reach anyway. I have considered finding some cheesy way to amass credits (I'm currently at 1 billion) and grind it out until I have enough to support an FC for a couple years. I just don't see what I'd be getting out of it as a solo player.
Not too excited about a combat focused dual seater SRV. Again, maybe it's because I'm a solo player and don't see the gameplay value. Even if I played with a buddy, wouldn't we just take 2 normal SRVs out? Then we could both drive and shoot?
More varied mission types are a welcome addition, but I'm not sure if it'll be enough to make missions engaging. So far the variety they've introduced hasn't helped. Best way I can explain it is... let's say I'm into doing some combat missions and there are 5 different types of missions to choose from. It won't be long until those 5 mission types run stale. Then they release an update and add 2 more mission types. Before long that's stale too. There's something about the missions themselves that feels lifeless and static -- more variety doesn't seem to help. I'll keep an open mind though.
The limpet controller is a great addition. I'm assuming they'll need to support the new mission types?
The current direction feels like a lot like more of the same... expanding breadth, not depth.
Not too excited about a combat focused dual seater SRV. Again, maybe it's because I'm a solo player and don't see the gameplay value. Even if I played with a buddy, wouldn't we just take 2 normal SRVs out? Then we could both drive and shoot?
More varied mission types are a welcome addition, but I'm not sure if it'll be enough to make missions engaging. So far the variety they've introduced hasn't helped. Best way I can explain it is... let's say I'm into doing some combat missions and there are 5 different types of missions to choose from. It won't be long until those 5 mission types run stale. Then they release an update and add 2 more mission types. Before long that's stale too. There's something about the missions themselves that feels lifeless and static -- more variety doesn't seem to help. I'll keep an open mind though.
The limpet controller is a great addition. I'm assuming they'll need to support the new mission types?
The current direction feels like a lot like more of the same... expanding breadth, not depth.
The Multi Limpet Controller would be a nice addition for all CMDRs so any chance that this module can be added to EDH and EDO please, as it is ship and not foot related that should be possible?
Yeah, I've seen your negative remarks towards console users, so I have a good enough idea.
Incredibly disappointed that there is still no update of console release. Pushed back until the base game is stable then they will look at console. It’s taken Frontier 8 patches to bring this game to a state where it should have been on its release and they are still bringing new content , undoubtedly pushing back a potential console release. I get it, stuff happens, but continued “nothing to discuss” responses only bring more frustration and resentment. Why is there no information on the release (or no release) on console? Is it hardware? If so, why not develop the game for the newest consoles only. Is it Microsoft and/or PlayStation rules or restrictions? Is it simple economics? (there would be no or little financial benefit versus the cost of development) Is it just contempt for a small part of the player base who have served a purpose and have now become irrelevant? Have courage Frontier, be bold, make a statement and tell us why you have no information to share. I took a leap of faith (as did many) I backed the Kickstarter even though I didn’t have a pc, I signed up and paid for the beta on Xbox and I’ve spent money on the Horizon update, frontier points and arks. I have had great value for money with over 5000 hours game time. You owe me nothing, but I, and many like me would appreciate some honesty about where you are on and with the console release. It’s not a lot too ask is it?
Congratulations, but that doesn't change your negative remarks towards other console users who do not have access to Odyssey through a PC.I am a console user
Not all console users actually just team pity party and their forum-wide tour to tell everyone how upsets they are.
Anyway not happy with me then mute or report I don't give a toss either way.
Bye, Felicia.
Because new consoles make up only 10% (read in some statistics somewhere) of the actual console player base due to semiconductor crisis, scalpers, yadayada.... won't change much until a while. I wouldn't expect a financially relevant new-gen console playerbase (willing to play the old ED game - nope EDOs graphics is not next-gen graphics... it's the same old ED in many many ways) before the end of 2023.
This is a financial decision. If they hold it back until then, ED as an old game will be forgotten amongst many many console players. Only few ED enthusiast would then return to this old game to play on their new shiny next-gen console an old ED game with a DLC which will have also grown old by then.
Leaving the old-gen consoles behind now (before the break even point) means actually leaving many wallets behind. Even big AAA titles (e.g. Horizon Forbidden west, coming in the next months) actually target also the last-gen. They have to financially, because when the break-even point is reached, all the hype of their new game now will be gone, and the sales will be low. Until 2023 (?) the old consoles will still be targeted, i would guess.
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Awesome! What about VR?