A lot has been said about how Elite: Dangerous is a single player game in a multi-player universe, but as many alpha/beta/gamma vets will agree, this isn't so. Sure, the game doesn't make it as easy as other games, and the forthcoming wings feature will go a long way to make it so, but in the meantime you can still fly with your friends, fight with your friends and support your friends. This post will show you how.
Communications
The most important thing for group play is communications. If you don't have access to a TeamSpeak or similar server, the game has a built in chat feature that can support up to 6 players in a single channel. It can be a bit messy at times depending on networking, but it's improving all the time. Another option is to use Skype, which can support group chat and has no server requirements.
If you have no microphone/headset, then you'll have to use the in-game player to player text comms. If that's the case, stop reading now, buy a cheapo Logitech headset, then come back. Text comms are rubbish at the moment.
Flying Together and Staying Together
For short journeys this is extremely easy, to the point that it barely requires any explanation at all. All you need to do is decide which system you're going to next, then each player selects the destination system in the Nav list or galaxy map. Before you jump, all players should point directly at the destination reticle, and then activate FSDs at the same time. You'll all arrive in the destination system at the same time and within 60 or so light seconds of each other.
Longer journeys are a bit more involved. Although the route planner makes longer trips pretty easy, as ships with different masses, FSDs and fuel capacities will get different multi-system routes. To get round this, the player with the shortest jump range should be nominated as the group navigator. The group navigator will set the route in his galaxy map, and call off the next destination to the rest of the group, who can then manually set it as their own destination. The best way to do this is via the Nav list on the left-hand panel.
If you're travelling through Sector systems (the ones with generic names such as Col 285 Sector AB-Z D13-8), the best way for the navigator to call off the next destination is by its jump distance, and then clarify it by the end digits in the system name. More often than not there'll only be one system in the list at the given distance, but it's good practice to clarify anyway.
Once each player has locked in the destination and is facing it, they let the navigator know by saying "set", "locked" or whatever word you want to use. When everyone has locked their ship onto the destination reticle, the navigator (or a nominated jump leader) counts down to mark, and then the players activate their FSDs simultaneously. You can start this procedure from a standstill (and throttle up when prompted) or from moving - it doesn't really matter as you'll all arrive at the mainstar together anyway.
In groups with higher jump range ships which are operating in dense stellar regions, this can get a bit fiddly if the destination is cropped off your Nav list. This won't be a problem in most of populated space with most jump ranges, but it's worth mentioning just in case.
When you arrive in system, try to stay within a few tens of light seconds range of each other when you move. The navigator/jump leader should decide the group's in-system destination and say when to start moving.
Helping Each Other Out In Interdictions And USS's
Now we're getting to juicy bits.
When one of your group-mates gets interdicted, look for his Low Energy FSD Wake in your HUD, and then target it. Approach it exactly as you would a USS or station (you'll need to use the target panel on the left hand side of your dashboard), and when you're within range and below the right speed (both the same as when approaching a USS or station) you'll get the blueish safe to drop message above your scanner. Drop from supercruise at that point and you'll be in the interdiction instance.
This works for both helping out a group mate who's been interdicted, or helping out in an interdiction that a group mate initiated... For those who are looking for group vs group combat, this is what you're looking for.
To do this reliably, the critical thing is to be aware of where each of your group mates are in your scanner. Without that situational awareness you run the danger of dropping on the wrong FSD wake, and that's no good to anybody. And remember, FSD Wakes in Supercruise work exactly the same as Unidentified Signal Sources - so all this applies to dropping into the same USS.
Note: You don't need an FSD Wake Scanner to target or drop at FSD wakes in supercruise - they are simply markers for where someone dropped out of supercruise and into normal space.
Dividing Up The Loot
Unfortunately, there's no way to share bounties yet, so you'll need to work out between yourselves how you're going to manage that. At the moment only the killing shot pays out, so the best way is probably just to take it in turns to finish your targets off.
For dividing up the loot you can drop from supercruise into a shared instance (using the FSD wake thing above) and abandon cargo for your group-mates to scoop up. To do this, go to your right-hand panel, go to the Cargo tab and select the cargo you want to abandon. Scroll to the abandon option and select it and you'll drop however much cargo you select. Don't jettison it unless it's already stolen goods as it'll flag up as stolen when your group-mates scoop it.
Whatever you do, don't do this close to a station as you'll get fined, and nobody wants that. Always use the FSD wake thing in open space.
You can also use the abandon cargo method to give credits to group mates. Just buy cargo at a station then abandon as above for them to scoop and sell.
So that just about covers it for now. I'm sure other alpha/beta/gamma vets can add more to this guide, especially those from other player groups like TEST: Mostly Harmless or Mobius. Everything here is aggregated from our experience in the First Great Expedition.
One thing to bear in mind with Elite: Dangerous is that it's doesn't give you a one-button solution for stuff like this, and even with the wings system there's probably going to be a lot of hands-on management of stuff like this, so mastering these things early on will give you a lot of valuable experience going forward. Elite is the kind of game that hands responsibility to you for things that many other games do for you.
As David Braben once said "This game isn't going to treat you like an idiot."
Communications
The most important thing for group play is communications. If you don't have access to a TeamSpeak or similar server, the game has a built in chat feature that can support up to 6 players in a single channel. It can be a bit messy at times depending on networking, but it's improving all the time. Another option is to use Skype, which can support group chat and has no server requirements.
If you have no microphone/headset, then you'll have to use the in-game player to player text comms. If that's the case, stop reading now, buy a cheapo Logitech headset, then come back. Text comms are rubbish at the moment.
Flying Together and Staying Together
For short journeys this is extremely easy, to the point that it barely requires any explanation at all. All you need to do is decide which system you're going to next, then each player selects the destination system in the Nav list or galaxy map. Before you jump, all players should point directly at the destination reticle, and then activate FSDs at the same time. You'll all arrive in the destination system at the same time and within 60 or so light seconds of each other.
Longer journeys are a bit more involved. Although the route planner makes longer trips pretty easy, as ships with different masses, FSDs and fuel capacities will get different multi-system routes. To get round this, the player with the shortest jump range should be nominated as the group navigator. The group navigator will set the route in his galaxy map, and call off the next destination to the rest of the group, who can then manually set it as their own destination. The best way to do this is via the Nav list on the left-hand panel.
If you're travelling through Sector systems (the ones with generic names such as Col 285 Sector AB-Z D13-8), the best way for the navigator to call off the next destination is by its jump distance, and then clarify it by the end digits in the system name. More often than not there'll only be one system in the list at the given distance, but it's good practice to clarify anyway.
Once each player has locked in the destination and is facing it, they let the navigator know by saying "set", "locked" or whatever word you want to use. When everyone has locked their ship onto the destination reticle, the navigator (or a nominated jump leader) counts down to mark, and then the players activate their FSDs simultaneously. You can start this procedure from a standstill (and throttle up when prompted) or from moving - it doesn't really matter as you'll all arrive at the mainstar together anyway.
In groups with higher jump range ships which are operating in dense stellar regions, this can get a bit fiddly if the destination is cropped off your Nav list. This won't be a problem in most of populated space with most jump ranges, but it's worth mentioning just in case.
When you arrive in system, try to stay within a few tens of light seconds range of each other when you move. The navigator/jump leader should decide the group's in-system destination and say when to start moving.
Helping Each Other Out In Interdictions And USS's
Now we're getting to juicy bits.
When one of your group-mates gets interdicted, look for his Low Energy FSD Wake in your HUD, and then target it. Approach it exactly as you would a USS or station (you'll need to use the target panel on the left hand side of your dashboard), and when you're within range and below the right speed (both the same as when approaching a USS or station) you'll get the blueish safe to drop message above your scanner. Drop from supercruise at that point and you'll be in the interdiction instance.
This works for both helping out a group mate who's been interdicted, or helping out in an interdiction that a group mate initiated... For those who are looking for group vs group combat, this is what you're looking for.
To do this reliably, the critical thing is to be aware of where each of your group mates are in your scanner. Without that situational awareness you run the danger of dropping on the wrong FSD wake, and that's no good to anybody. And remember, FSD Wakes in Supercruise work exactly the same as Unidentified Signal Sources - so all this applies to dropping into the same USS.
Note: You don't need an FSD Wake Scanner to target or drop at FSD wakes in supercruise - they are simply markers for where someone dropped out of supercruise and into normal space.
Dividing Up The Loot
Unfortunately, there's no way to share bounties yet, so you'll need to work out between yourselves how you're going to manage that. At the moment only the killing shot pays out, so the best way is probably just to take it in turns to finish your targets off.
For dividing up the loot you can drop from supercruise into a shared instance (using the FSD wake thing above) and abandon cargo for your group-mates to scoop up. To do this, go to your right-hand panel, go to the Cargo tab and select the cargo you want to abandon. Scroll to the abandon option and select it and you'll drop however much cargo you select. Don't jettison it unless it's already stolen goods as it'll flag up as stolen when your group-mates scoop it.
Whatever you do, don't do this close to a station as you'll get fined, and nobody wants that. Always use the FSD wake thing in open space.
You can also use the abandon cargo method to give credits to group mates. Just buy cargo at a station then abandon as above for them to scoop and sell.
So that just about covers it for now. I'm sure other alpha/beta/gamma vets can add more to this guide, especially those from other player groups like TEST: Mostly Harmless or Mobius. Everything here is aggregated from our experience in the First Great Expedition.
One thing to bear in mind with Elite: Dangerous is that it's doesn't give you a one-button solution for stuff like this, and even with the wings system there's probably going to be a lot of hands-on management of stuff like this, so mastering these things early on will give you a lot of valuable experience going forward. Elite is the kind of game that hands responsibility to you for things that many other games do for you.
As David Braben once said "This game isn't going to treat you like an idiot."
Last edited:
