Pre-order Eagle a free ship?

[hiddengecko]

I do apologize if the answer to the question is obvious, but the wording of the Newsletter seemed a little unclear. If we receive upon launch an additional Eagle docked in a different system, is this going to be another "free" insurance option, like the Sidewinder or the kickstarter backer options, or do we simply receive an Eagle that we'll have to insure like any other ship that we have the option of using?

I'm quite hoping it's the former, as I have a certain affection for the Eagle, but find it generally not worth spending actual credits on, but I'm not sure at all.

 

[DarkMere]

I was not made clear in the newsletter, but my guess is that it will be a one off ship and will be treated just like any other. Otherwise it would be too much of an advantage over players who did not have this.

 

[Zephyriel]

I also think it will just be the one ship. Can't have people going around choosing their free ship from a list now! The insurance won't be very high anyway, as soon as you get a little money coming in it will just be a formality.

 

[JamesBondage]

i think the idea is to give you that one free fighter in case thats the route you want to go right off the bat. Definitely not a continuous free ship like the sidewinder, Plus what other ship could they give for free that would be both satisfying to get for free, and not be too ridiculously over or under powered

 

[JamesBondage]

it means im pre ordering as soon as i get paid haha

 

[Iskariot]

I really hope it will not be a free insurance option like the Sidewinder. For me that would go against the nature of everything Elite stands for and I do not want any freebies like that at all, because I feel they cannibalize on gameplay. I want to earn my ships myself.
If it was up to me I would want to have to pay off my sidewinder too (including interest) before being able to save up for a new ship.

It is a nice gesture from FD to give us a freagle, but to be honest I do not want it. I will just let it sit in its hangar and never use it, unless I have to pay rent for the hangar, in which case I will have to destroy the freagle asap so it won't eat into my funds.

I do like cosmetic gifts like the skins. These do not cannibalize on gameplay as they are not buyable in game anyway.

 

[StayFrosty]

Well this game will offer several different start options. Some were offered during the Kickstarter:

• start in an Imperial Colony with an Imperial Eagle Mk II Fighter with upgraded weapons and shields and 1,000 CR
• start in a Federal border system with a basic Cobra Mk III loaded with cargo worth 1,000 CR and 1,000 CR in cash
• start in an anarchic Frontier system with a stolen but upgraded Cobra Mk III and only 100 CR
• start in the Lave system with a basic Cobra Mk III and only 100 CR
• start on the edge of explored space with a long range version of the Cobra Mk III and 3,000 CR
• start in the founder's world with any starter ship and 4,000 CR

The Mercenary pack obviously is just another start option, with a Sidewinder and 100 credits, and a Freagle in a hangar nearby. So obviously, we won't have insurance with it, not more than the others, though maybe they would give like two weeks free hangar fees along with it, so your money isn't drained from the start.

 

[OVMorat]

Those sound like tempting options!

Also, because I'm hard of understanding, does beta count as pre-purchase? I've bought beta access (can play right now) and the downloadable content - am I good to go from now on?

 

[Thespen Tombs]

As things stand now I going for:

* start on the edge of explored space with a long range version of the Cobra Mk III and 3,000 CR

Eagle will just be a nice bonus, not sure it will get much use however

 

[Harbinger]

Those sound like tempting options!

Also, because I'm hard of understanding, does beta count as pre-purchase? I've bought beta access (can play right now) and the downloadable content - am I good to go from now on?

If you've already paid for the beta then you're also entitled to the gamma and release versions and as such will get the Freagle. Not sure about the other start options though, depends on the price you paid for beta access I guess.

In the kickstarter campaign the second round beta would have got you:

• start in an Imperial Colony with an Imperial Eagle Mk II Fighter with upgraded weapons and shields and 1,000 CR
• start in a Federal border system with a basic Cobra Mk III loaded with cargo worth 1,000 CR and 1,000 CR in cash
• start in an anarchic Frontier system with a stolen but upgraded Cobra Mk III and only 100 CR

And the first round beta (premium beta) would have additionally got you:

• start in the Lave system with a basic Cobra Mk III and only 100 CR
• start on the edge of explored space with a long range version of the Cobra Mk III and 3,000 CR
• start in the founder's world with any starter ship and 4,000 CR

 

[Myspace Kaitsu80]

Eagle is practically Sidewinter of Empire, basic ship, so who knows...

Maybe as a bounty hunter?

 

[Iskariot]

Eagle is practically Sidewinter of Empire, basic ship, so who knows...
Maybe as a bounty hunter?

The current Eagle is a federation design.
David Braben said something like "We have not seen the imperial Eagle yet." (I am paraphrasing)

So you can imagine that I am very much looking forward to seeing the imperial version.

 

[Patrick_68000]

The current Eagle is a federation design.
David Braben said something like "We have not seen the imperial Eagle yet." (I am paraphrasing)

So you can imagine that I am very much looking forward to seeing the imperial version.

The discovery of all things of the empire will be an event in itself

 

[DeepFried]

I also think it will just be the one ship. Can't have people going around choosing their free ship from a list now! The insurance won't be very high anyway, as soon as you get a little money coming in it will just be a formality.

To be honest I'm not terribly keen on everyone starting with the same ship, in the same location. Its kind of immersion breaking to see swarms of new spawn sidewinders in Eranin. I'd rather have something like Frontier where you can pick a start area e.g. Empire, Federal, or Alliance space (preferably a random system, and choose a ship from one of 3-4 options in a similar weight class but with different loadouts.

 

[Valcrow]

I'm glad FD decided to add some pre-order bonuses, that was my primary complaint about paying extra for early access and now it's been addressed.

Just a little something goes a long way for people backing early. And there's actually an incentive now to pre-order/beta rather than the opposite (waiting and getting it $25 cheaper) Good move!

 

[StarTux]

Just re-iterating with the help from official sources (newsletters etc).

1. The 'Freagle' is an added bonus ship given to everyone who backs now until I presume release (or when they say its no longer available), its not a different starting option:

"- An additional Eagle fighter ship docked in a secondary location"

"You will have noticed that one of the features of the Mercenary Edition pre-order pack is an additional Eagle fighter docked in a secondary location. This is in addition to the standard Sidewinder (or other ship if you have one of the Kickstarter packs)."

Newsletter 40

2. Starting location in the final game.

The best I have right now is this:

"Imperial Bounty Hunter: Have the option to start in an Imperial Colony with an Imperial Eagle Mk II Fighter with upgraded weapons and shields and 1,000 CR (randomised start system choice for multiplayer reasons)** plus all rewards above."

So, unless you were a Kickstarter backer I suspect the choice of start system will be random.

Kickstarter backers at the appropriate level or above will have an option to start in Lave with a basic Cobra MK III and 100 credits, or the Founders world.

Maybe during now until release we'll see more benefits from having backed early, as suggested by this bit of news:

"- Plus additional in-game benefits and other digital goodies to be announced over the coming weeks"

Exciting .

 

[cmdr awesome]

I'm glad FD decided to add some pre-order bonuses, that was my primary complaint about paying extra for early access and now it's been addressed.

I'm glad you are happy now, but the lack of extras in the beta package isn't something you can justifiably complain about. FD have always clearly described what you get for each of the items you can buy, even though this has been a bit complicated through the kickstarter, alpha, premium and standard beta. Its a bit unreasonable to complain when you buy X you don't get X+Y.

As for the freagle, I think it will be perfect for letting friends use my rig to sample ED and the oculus. That way they won't cost me the insurance on a heavily upgraded Asp when they make a mistake.

 

[hiddengecko]

The comparison of the free Eagle to the other Kickstarter alternate starts is what makes me hopeful that I'll have an Eagle as a free insurance option. With respect to the Sidewinder, I do really like the idea of having a tiny, long-range fighter instead of a tiny, jack-of-all-trades ship as a failsafe starting option.

I love the Eagle, but having tried it, I can say that so far I don't think it's worth the purchase price or insurance cost as it stands, even if you're focusing on combat. It's not a bad little ship, jump range aside (And they're fixing that, I understand) but it really doesn't offer enough advantages that I'm willing to seriously consider it as a stepping stone to a Hauler and/or Cobra.