Version history: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 01:04, 30 September 2021

Elite Dangerous is the definitive massively multiplayer space epic, bringing gaming's original open world adventure to the modern generation with a connected galaxy, evolving narrative and the entirety of the Milky Way re-created at its full galactic proportions. Here is the version history of how it has evolved over time.

The current PC version is Fleet Carriers Update Patch 11, released on January 27, 2021, and the current console version is Fleet Carrier Update Patch 9, released on December 16, 2020. Since launch on December 16, 2014, there have been 7563 documented improvements to the live game, via 66 client/server and 25 supplementary-server updates.

This page is a quick reference for the purpose of informing returning-CMDRs, after time away from the cockpit, of what has been added to Elite Dangerous and when. Provided are highlights of each release version - approximately 95% of the changelog information is omitted - therefore they are ordered as follows:

Expansions bring key improvements - so are ordered chronologically, most recent first.
Patches mostly fix bugs and correct balance issues that appeared - so are ordered by release-date, under their parent expansion.

Each release is briefly described on this page as follows:

Version identifier, title of headline feature, and date publicly available
Summary of the content, features and key gameplay improvements added
Links to the complete changelogs (only ~5% is included here)

Version formatting

Each release version's numeric identifier (n.n.nn) is broken down as follows:

First digit refers to the Season
Second digit refers to the major release or expansion
Third (pair of) digit(s) refers to the minor release or patch
Example: a version identifier of v1.2.08 = 8th patch, of the 2nd expansion, during Season 1

History

v2.4 "The Return" & v1.9 - 26th September 2017

Mysterious and exciting things added...
Pilot's Federation Bounty and Ship Rebuy Penalty added, for PvP murders
Inbox revamped
Chained missions added
Hull/canopy repair limpets added
Stored ships can be sold from rebuy screen
Route plotting range increased to 20Kly, and new filters added
Search & Rescue gameplay & scenarios added
New Salvage scenarios added
Brazilian Portuguese language translation added
(Horizons) Mysterious and exciting things added...
(Horizons) Holo-Me save slots and new customisation options added
(Horizons) Synthesis can create heatsinks, chaff, limpets, and top-up life-support
Audio, Background Simulation, controls, gameplay, graphics, Journal, missions, networking, NPC, stability, and VR improvements
Changelog, 308 notes: v2.4/v1.9

v2.4.01 & v1.9.01 - 27th Sep

Gameplay, graphics, and stability improvements
Changelog, 3 notes: v2.4.01/v1.9.01

v2.4.02 & v1.9.02 - 3rd Oct

No-Fire Zone around stations & outposts increased to 8km
Anti-Thargoid weapon & module rebalancing
Audio, graphics, Journal, missions, networking, NPC, and stability improvements
Changelog, 55 notes: v2.4.02/v1.9.02

v2.4.03 & v1.9.03 - 11th Oct

Xbox One X support
Community Goal live tracking now in Transactions Tab
Background Simulation, gameplay, graphics, Journal, missions, networking, NPC, performance, and stability improvements
Changelog, 28 notes: v2.4.03/v1.9.03 & console-only #1, #2 & #3

v2.4.08 & v1.9.08 - 30th Nov

Taipan AX variant added
Controls, gameplay, and graphics improvements
Changelog, 5 notes: v2.4.08/v1.9.08

v2.4.09 & v1.9.09 - 6th Dec

Mysterious improvements
Changelog, 1 note: v2.4.09/v1.9.09

v2.3 "The Commanders" & v1.8 - 11th April 2017

Camera Suite: extensive, freeform camera controls
New weapons: turreted mining lasers
Ship Naming and ID plates for outfitting (DLC)
32 Asteroid Base Stations in deep space locations
Targetted stations show schematic in correct orientation
9 Megaship variants: Tanker, Cargo, Asteroid Miner, Flight Operations, Prison Ship, Science Vessel, Passenger & 2 unknowns
Multi-stage mission support & Passenger mission redirects are now optional
Updated mission/variant templates
Increased speed of Military career progression, SuperPower reputation, and Minor Faction influence gains
New Installations: Medical, Space Bar, Space Farm, Government & Security Station
New Challenge scenarios: 4 new Incursions, Speed Docking, Driver, Ship-Launched-Fighter
New wreckages, USS scenarios & "Mysterious Things"
Exploration data credit value increased
Bucky Ball Beer Mats rare good added
100 new Tourist beacons added
Audio, celestial, controls, CQC, gameplay, graphics, missions, networking, NPC AI, NPC loadout, Powerplay, stability, Stellar Forge, and VR improvements
(Horizons) Holo-Me: fully customisable Commander avatar creator
(Horizons) Multi-Crew: a team of upto 3 CMDRs with Helm, Gunner & FighterCon roles
(Horizons) New ship: Dolphin
(Horizons) Prisoner Cells added to cabin options
(Horizons) Scanner mods added
(Horizons) New surface POIs, features & organics
Changelog, 789 notes: v2.3/v1.8

v2.3.01 & v1.8.01 - 25th Apr

Audio, gameplay, graphics, missions, networking, Player Journal, Powerplay, and stability improvements
(Horizons) Multi-Crew payments and rebuys rebalancing
Changelog, 35 notes: v2.3.01/v1.8.01

v2.3.02 & v1.8.02 - 27th Apr

Reverted 2.3's increase in Minor Faction gains
Gameplay, missions, networking, and stability improvements
Changelog, 14 notes: v2.3.02/v1.8.02 & Server

v2.3.10 & v1.8.10 - 26th Jun

PlayStation 4 edition released
Audio, gameplay, missions, networking, Player Journal, and stability improvements
Changelog, 24 notes: v2.3.10/v1.8.10

v2.3.11 & v1.8.11 - 11th Jul

Gameplay, missions, and stability improvements
Changelog, 8 notes: v2.3.11/v1.8.11

v2.2 "The Guardians" & v1.7 - 25th Oct 2016

Passengers & Tourism
Passenger lounge with 18 archtypes of traveller with random traits & requirements for charter missions
Passenger cabin modules: luxury, first class, business and economy
Scannable tourist beacons providing lore
New Player Power: Yuri Grom
New & updated voiced training scenarios: docking & travel, basic & advanced combat, flight, and mining
New station interiors & hangars: agricultural, high tech, industrial, and services
Station contact for handling universal fines, bonds, and bounties
New & improved faces for all station contacts
New Galaxy Map filters: security, route-plotting, visited star systems
Space installations built from CQC assets, and docked Capital ships
Faction status summary added to Galnet news feed, and security level displayed when jumping to destination
Mission cargo can be sold on black market
Weapon & module storage, transfer and remote selling
Ship transfer and remote selling
Weapons and ships rebalancing
Player Journal API for external apps and mods
New graphics and FSD boost gameplay for Neutron Stars, White Dwarfs, and hyperspace
Audio, controls, CQC, gameplay, graphics, missions, networking, NPC AI, NPC loadout, Player Journal, Powerplay, stability, Stellar Forge, and VR improvements
(Horizons) Ship Launched Fighters & NPC Crew
(Horizons) New ships: Beluga Liner, F-63 Condor, Imperial Fighter, and Taipan
(Horizons) Crew Lounge with upgradable NPC SLF pilots for hire
(Horizons) New surface features: biological entities, fumeroles & geysers, persistent POIs, and "mysterious things"
(Horizons) New Engineers and Blueprints: scanners, defences, utilities
(Horizons) Planet surface terrain improvements
(Horizons) New voiced training scenarios: SRV & SLF
(Horizons) Engineer modifications rebalancing
Changelog, 1180 notes: v2.2/v1.7

v2.2.01 & v1.7.01 - 27th Oct

Reduced ship & module transfer costs by 50%
Gameplay, Powerplay, and stability improvements
Changelog, 27 notes: v2.2.01/v1.7.01

v2.2.02 & v1.7.02 - 15th Nov

Mission rewards rebalancing
Neutron Star witchspace arrival point made safer
Gameplay, graphics, networking, and stability improvements
(Server) Further mission rewards rebalancing
(Server) Passenger mission detours now optional with bonus payments
Changelog, 40 notes: v2.2.02/v1.7.02, Server #1 & #2

v2.2.03 & v.1.7.03 - 10th Jan 2017

Weapons, Shields and Ships rebalancing
Combat Defenses section added to Internal Statistics panel
New Ancient Ruins missions added
Massacre Conflict missions now only affect Conflict Zones
Module Reinforcement Packs added
Military slots added to combat Ships
Powerplay Consolidation voting added
Powerplay security and pirate NPC interdiction improvements
Powerplay rebalancing
Matchmaking, port forwarding, and router exchange improvements
Player Journal API additions
(Horizons) New Engineers' Blueprints
(Horizons) Commodities removed from Blueprint requirements
(Horizons) Engineers and Blueprints rebalancing
Gameplay, missions, networking, NPC AI, stability, and VR improvements
Changelog, 217 notes: v2.2.03/v1.7.03

v2.1 "The Engineers" & v1.6 - 26th May 2016

Mission & scenario improvements: new layout, new types, faces for NPCs, contextualised USS' & POIs, difficulty determined by rank, welcome messages, commodity/loot/treasure rewards
Mission limit reduced to 20, and military rank progress rebalancing to be easier

Huge lasers and muticannons added, and weapon, missile and mine damage rebalancing
Fer-De-Lance heat efficiency rebalancing to offset the increased power plant change
Customisable Bookmarks, Community goal markers, and Minor Faction state filters added to galaxy map
Background Simulation rebalancing, and improvements to mission and information feedback
Ability to scan a Nav beacon to get that system's exploration data added
Default number of items per page in Exploration selling increased from 20 to 50
Community Goal rewards now automatically redeem after 2 weeks
Clock added to cockpit's info panel
Add distances to wakes targeted by the player
Ships cannot enter super cruise if their thrusters are disabled, and hardpoint deployment in supercruise disabled
Large AI improvement, making combat more dangerous especially at higher NPC ranks
Spawning ambient & Powerplay AI in normal space updated, and Powerplay ships at stations, nav beacons and RES locations added
Silent Running blocking AI scans improvements
Credit reward for routing a cap ship in war zones increased to 150000

(Horizons) Materials can be spawned/dropped inside signal sources, destroyed ships and skimmers, scanned from wreckage and ships, mining including icy rings
(Horizons) Modules can be upgraded by Engineers, using materials, to create improved stats, visual & experimental effects

(Horizons) Point defence systems for settlements and bases, and skimmer disablers added
(Horizons) Collisions with skimmers are now also extremely disruptive to ships, hitting one will cause a temporarily loss of drives and shields
Changelog, 1337 notes: v2.1/v1.6

v2.1.02 & v1.6.02 - 3rd Jun

NPC overpowered-hybrid weapons removed
Gameplay, Powerplay, and stability improvements
Changelog, 25 notes: v2.1.02/v1.6.02

v2.1.03 & v1.6.03 - 22nd Jun

Huge burst lasers added
NPC AI, loadout, spawning and interdiction rebalancing
Audio, gameplay, graphics and stability improvements
(Server) Rare goods available rebalancing
(Xbox) Localised languages added: French, German, Spanish and Russian
(CQC) Gameplay improvements
(Horizons) Articles about sourcing materials available in Engineers bases' news feeds
(Horizons) Materials and data storage increased
(Horizons) Engineers' unlock requirements rebalancing
(Horizons) CMDRs can now expend reputation levels with Engineers to control experimental effects
Changelog, 157 notes: v2.1.03/v1.6.03 & Server

v2.1.04 & v1.6.04 - 1st Jul

Gameplay and stability improvements
Changelog, 7 notes: v2.1.04/v1.6.04

v2.1.05 & v1.6.05 - 28th Jul

Audio, gameplay, missions, NPC loadout, Powerplay and stability improvements
(CQC) Matchmaking improvements
(Horizons) Materials droprates and blueprint requirements rebalancing
(Horizons) Surface scan for materials added
(Horizons) Thermal weapons rebalancing
Changelog, 82 notes: v2.1.05/v1.6.05

v2.0 "Planetary Landings" & v1.5 "Ships" - 15th Dec 2015

New 64 bit client
Vive VR headset support added
New ships: Asp Scout, Viper MkIV, Federal Corvette, Imperial Cutter, and Keelback
New CQC-only ship: Imperial Fighter
New missions and scenarios added: Don't die, Don't get scanned, Multi-stage, Assassination variants, Contact, Unique cargo, Timed window, Search and rescue, Wrecked ships, Deep space salvage, Distress call, Alliance VIP escort
Missions and scenarios can now be received in space
Fer-de-Lance's manoeuvrability, Power Plant capacity and heat dissipation all increased
Shield Cell Banks, Hull Reinforcement Packages and Bulkheads rebalancing
More Player Group sponsored Minor Faction descriptions added
Master Chefs rare good added
Local emergency rescue NPCs added
Spanish community-created localisation added
Background Simulation rebalancing
(Horizons) Ships can land on planet surfaces!
(Horizons) New flight modes: Orbital cruise, Sub-orbital, Glide path planetary approach, and FA-off support
(Horizons) Planetary Approach Suite module slot added
(Horizons) Ability to dismiss and recall your ship added
(Horizons) Deployable SRV when landed and at planetary ports
(Horizons) New GUI indicators added: Landing radar, Gravity strength, Wave scanner, Terrain scanner
(Horizons) NPC surface skimmers added: Goliath, Sentry, Guardian, Stinger 2
(Horizons) Surface ports and settlements added, with defences and trespass zones
(Horizons) Surface points of interest added: Materials, Encounters, Natural, and Structure
(Horizons) Planetary Missions and Permits added
(Horizons) Planetary schematic map added
(Horizons) Planet Surface rendering overhaul
(Horizons) Materials & Synthesis added: AFM module resupply, FSD Boost, Ship projectile resupply, SRV hull repair, SRV refuel, SRV ammo refill
(PC/OSX) Bobbleheads added
(PC/OSX) Updated French, German and Russian translations
Changelog, 955 notes: v2.0/v1.5

v2.0.01 & v1.5.01 - 16th Dec

Gameplay and stability improvements
(Horizons) SRV control and targeting improvements
Changelog, 13 notes: v2.0.01 and Server

v2.0.02 & v1.5.02 - 21st Dec

CMDR statistics screen now shows time played
Audio, gameplay, graphics, performance and stability improvements
(Horizons) Gameplay improvements
Changelog, 33 notes: v2.0.02

v2.0.03 & v1.5.03 - 6th Jan 2016

(PC/OSX) Alternative Download option added to game launcher
Stability improvements
Changelog, 20 notes: v2.0.0.3

v2.0.04 & v1.5.04 - 26th Jan

Gameplay, networking and stability improvements
Changelog, 26 notes: v2.0.04

v2.0.05 & v1.5.05 - 1st Feb

(Horizons) Planetside object spawning improvements
(Server) Background Simulation improvements
Changelog, 7 notes: v2.0.05

v2.0.06 & v1.5.06 - 16th Feb

ED Arena (standalone CQC) now available
i Sola Prospect in the Brestla star system now always stocks all ships and modules
(Horizons) Gameplay improvements
(CQC) Gameplay, matchmaking and stability improvements
(OSX) Fix CMDRs not being able to save bindings
(Server) Background Simulation, performance, Powerplay, and reliability improvements
Changelog, 35 notes: v2.0.06 and Server

v2.0.07 & v1.5.07 - 24th Mar

Oculus 1.3 SDK support
VR Low & High graphics presets, new VR-only menu, and VR experience demo tutorial
Crossplay support for First Discovered, Top-5 Bounties, and Community Goal #1 contributor
(Horizons) VR comfort options for SRV
Changelog, 19 notes: v2.0.07

v2.0.08 & v1.5.08 - 31st Mar

Gameplay improvements
Changelog, 3 notes: v2.0.08

v2.0.09 & v1.5.09 - 26th Apr

Exploration data selling increased to 50 items per page
Gameplay improvements
Changelog, 5 notes: v2.0.09

v1.4 "CQC" - 6th Oct 2015

Elite Dangerous released on Xbox One
CQC Championship added
New ships: Imperial Eagle, Federal Gunship, and Federal Assault Ship
New CQC-only ship: F63 Condor
Hazardous Resource Extraction Sites added
Compromised Nav Beacons added
Legal salvage missions added
Outfitting for CQC added
Changed how powerplant damage is handled - small chance of instant destruction, otherwise malfunctions and halved power output
Assign Imperial Eagles to those who should have them from their Kickstarter backer rewards
(Server) Minor Factions sponsored by Player Groups added
(Server) Various Background Simulation, matchmaking, networking, performance, and stability improvements
Changelog, 396 notes: v1.4

v1.4.01 - 20th Oct

New Mission Templates
CQC Matchmaking improvements
Improvements to interdictions
(Xbox) Upload App now supported
(Xbox) Updated User Guide
(OSX) Support for Retina native resolutions added
(OSX) Support for Fullscreen, Borderless & Windowed display modes added
(Server) Rares goods' availability & legalities improved for Onionhead, Lucan Onionhead and Tarach Tor Spice!
(Server) More Minor Factions sponsored by Player Groups added
(Server) Daily limits to minor faction influence changes added
(Server) Background Simulation, performance and stability improvements
Changelogs, 24 notes: v1.4.01 and Server #1 & #2

v1.3 "Powerplay" - 5th Jun 2015

Powerplay added
Power map views on galaxy map, power information and action screens added
Power specific ship modules, ambient traffic, defector hunters, goods and actions added
New ships: Imperial Courier, Diamondback Scout and Diamondback Explorer
Drones for Cargo/Mining chunk collection, Fuel transfer and Prospecting asteroids added
Mission system overhaul
Inbox integration for branching missions
Missions scaling up based on rank, and reputation with mission giver
Mission targets can be generated in supercruise rather than USSs
Spawned AI difficulty determined by mission (if spawned by mission)
Low and high intensity resource extraction site scenarios added
Military progression missions revamped
Founders and Elite ranked missions added
Minable commodities Painite and Osmium added
More mission variants added, including slave, mining and alternate-assassination-target
Updated bounty system:
- Bounties cannot be paid off (Pilot's Fed contact is gone!), but expire after 7 days.
- Major factions don't record crimes anymore, only minor factions
- Fines now take 7 days to expire, but never coexist with bounties (bounties absorb fines and dormant bounties with the same faction).
- Expiry only actually happens when you login, hyperspace or resurrect
- Friendly fire values relaxed
Select navigation target in system map function added
Loan ceiling scales based on player's highest Elite rank
Added crimes for reckless flying (collisions) within Starport no fire zones:
- Shields only collisions above speed limit is a fine
- Hull damage only above speed limit is a larger fine
- Ship destruction within short window after collision above speed limit is a bounty
- Respects 'Report crimes against me' setting
Allow any general purpose slot on any ship to contain a fuel tank module
Networking improvements
Translations for missions added: French, German, and Russian
(Server) Background Simulation improvements
Changelogs, 602 notes: v1.3 and Server

v1.3.01 - 9th Jun

(Server) Various performance and reliability improvements
Changelog, 27 notes: v1.3.01

v1.3.02 - 10th Jun

Oculus Rift support updated to SDK 0.5
(Server) Powerplay rebalancing
Changelogs, 19 notes: v1.3.02 and Server

v1.3.03 - 12th Jun

Powerplay rebalancing
(Server) Exploration performance improvements
(Server) Powerplay rebalancing
Changelogs, 4 notes: v1.3.03 and Server

v1.3.04 - 16th Jun

Stellar Forge optimisations
Changelog, 28 notes: v1.3.04

v1.3.05 - 18th Jun

Mission improvements
Localisation text corrections
Ship repair costs overhaul
(Server) Stability improvements
Changelogs, 29 notes: v1.3.05 and Server

v1.3.06 - 25th Jun

Galnet news reliability improvements
Powerplay rebalancing
(OSX) Controller compatibility improvements
Changelogs, 34 notes: v1.3.06 and Server

v1.3.07 - 2nd Jul

Radius of the sphere of systems used to generate missions increased to 15ly
Cargo dumping limit increased to 100, when away from stations and outposts
(Server) Galnet news reports Powerplay predictions
(Server) Exploration optimisations
(Server) Powerplay improvements
Changelogs, 19 notes: v1.3.07 and Server #1, #2 & #3

v1.3.08 - 5th Aug

Matchmaking improvements
Appconfig option RouterPort added
Changelog, 13 notes: v1.3.08

v1.2 "Wings" - 10th Mar 2015

Wings functionality added
New ships: Fer-de-Lance and Vulture
Comms interface overhaul
NPC Groups added
Ability to reboot destroyed sub systems (modules) added
Flyable debug camera with limited range added
Changelog, 336 notes: v1.2

v1.2.01 - 11th Mar

Matchmaking improvements
Hotfix identified as v1.2.02 fixed critical crash bug
Changelog, 16 notes: v1.2.01

v1.2.03 - 12th Mar

Earnings from bounties, combat bonds, and exploration data all increased
Changelog, 21 notes: v1.2.03

v1.2.04 - 13th Mar

Head-tracking improvements
(Server) Background Simulation improvements
Changelog, 6 notes: v1.2.04

v1.2.05 - 18th Mar

Smaller ships are now better at smuggling
Changelog, 23 notes: v1.2.05

v1.2.06 - 25th Mar

(Server) Background Simulation improvements
Changelog, 21 notes: v1.2.06

v1.2.07 - 10th Apr

Prevent docking after the police 'notice' that a player is wanted
(Server) Performance and reliability improvements
(Server) Cap all bounties to 1 million credits per Minor Faction
Changelogs, 19 notes: v1.2.07 and Server

v1.1 "Community Goals" - 10th Feb 2015

Community Goals added
Route planning extended to 1,000ly
Russian language translations added
'Discovered by' tag to system map added
New graphics shaders for planets, and city lights added
Explored system details added to cartographics shop
Top benefactors support added to system map
Hotfix identified as v1.1.01 fixed critical crash bug
Changelog, 306 notes: v1.1

v1.1.02 - 11th Feb

Backers and Elite-rank discounts added
Collision damage tweaked
Changelog, 9 notes: v1.1.02

v1.1.03 - 12th Feb

Gameplay improvements
Changelog, 18 notes: v1.1.03

v1.1.04 - 13th Feb

Bounty vouchers can be redeemed at any local starport
Changelog, 8 notes: v1.1.04

v1.1.05 - 19th Feb

Friendly fire relaxed
Changelog, 15 notes: v1.1.05

v1.1.06 - 5th Mar

Gameplay improvements
Changelog, 6 notes: v1.1.06

v1.0 "Welcome to the Galaxy, CMDR" - 16th Dec 2014

Initial public version of the game :)

v1.01 - 17th Dec

Gameplay improvements
Changelog, 11 notes: v1.01

v1.02 - 18th Dec

Rare commodities supply limit added
Changelog, 13 notes: v1.02

v1.03 - 19th Dec

More UI and Control options added
Background Simulation improvements
Changelogs, 8 notes: v1.03 and Server #1 & #2

v1.04 - 8th Jan 2015

Background Simulation improvements
Changelog, 18 notes: v1.04

v1.05 - 15th Jan

Mission list improvements
Changelogs, 23 notes: v1.05 and Server

v1.06 - 22nd Jan

Matchmaking improvements
Changelog, 16 notes: v1.06

v1.07 - 28th Jan

(Server) Maintenance period now weekly
Changelogs, 10 notes: v1.07 and Server #1 & #2

Fandom>U Kataka