The weather, water, lava etc could be gradually added via multiple planet type DLC.
I just don't see how lava could warrant a paid DLC, or any one planet titbit.
On top of that, adding DLC with lava, then with Wind, then with Clouds, then finally with Storm - nope, that would be a slow financial suicide. Imagine the outrage if players would need to pay extra to have a wind or Lava on a planet, haha. And then what happens if they didn't - player who paid sees lava, player who didn't doesn't see it in the same spot?
It has to be a full package at least per planet type, or with minimum - added effects with planets they can be used on in their initial basic state.
but the tech likely won't be much more advanced than NMS. .... it's based more on scientific principles.
That is exactly why it is more advanced than NMS. NMS puts assets with a principle "Will it look cool like that". Elite planetary tech makes everything work as close to make scientific sense as possible. The difference is closer to - paint an apple and create an ecosystem to plant/grow a tree to grow an apple.
Well the gameplay could be new colonization facilities, mining, exobiology, hunt prey, farming.
Any gameplay requires developing assets, mechanics, systems, on top of planetary tech. That is how bit by bit you compound towards a very complex development. And one (planetary tech) won't be worth much for majority of players without the other (gameplay).
They have to monetize future updates so I think new planet types won't be free updates.
They could be, up to a point, if Colonisation is a successful feature and brings money. Any complex planet type for free is most definitely out of the question. But current landable types, expanded to other atmospheric effects and maybe some extra ground effects, could happen.
If you have high expectations then it would be years and years from now. ... If we get basic ELW in a short time (1-2 years), that's better than zero ELWs.
I don't think there is such a thing as "basic ELW". But even then, that's an investment of 1-2 years, to create something basic, that has a huge potential to be a flop simply because it would be basic and have a very high risk of much more problems than the whole of Odyssey had.
It seems like they're struggling to add sophisticated procedural tech to generate lush planets.
Right now, quite often it looks like they struggle with planets we currently have to work properly. It doesn't look like they even started to struggle with lush planets.
I doubt new, big expansions are in the pipeline due to Odyssey.
I doubt that too. That's why after discussions in Interiors thread, I think incremental development with Early Access + Cosmetics is the best approach, as it removes the need for huge investments upfront and allows to add things gradually.
For the exact same reasons, I don't see planetary DLC as something realistic - it would require quite a significant investments upfront on something that could go very wrong (as Odyssey have shown).
Colonisation has a realistic chance to pave the way with initial improvements to planetary tech that could lead to a more complex atmospheric and ground effects, maybe Gas Giants. Again, if it is successful and brings money.
After that tho, that is where I don't see a possibility of incremental development, as it is either a Water World, or how can it be without landing on water and going under water? I'm certain that the first thing that 9 or 10 players would do on their first landing on WW is - "Nose dive, submarine, here I come" - for that not only atmospheric flight systems need to be developed/improved, but also - swimming doesn't exist in the game at all, effects of various liquids on ships/hulls/suits/pressure/etc. And that is a small drop of what is needed, as there is also flora and fauna under water too, and the same old question of gameplay.
Even if one would go for that in some limited functionality version - Elite still simulates the Galaxy, so number of eligible worlds for that limited set of options won't be that big, and it could become something like - "sell a DLC for basic Water Worlds, there are about 10000 of them in 400 Bil systems, good luck locating that new game".
And if there are separate DLCs for each feature on planets - how would you cut a Water World in separate DLCs? You can fly above the water but can't land? Wouldn't work. You can land but you can swim, and the next DLC "Commanders learn how to swim!"? hehe.
ELW - another level or few on top in difficulty and details.
So yeah. Colonisation and basic systems for more complex planets, starting with current available types but with thicker atmosphere and some basic weather/ground effects. Then maybe, if and when there are enough money - complex planets as DLCs with years to develop.