: '''''[http://www.elitedangerous.com Elite: Dangerous]''''' is the [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f9f6f99d01#4 ''4th'' installment in] the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier:_First_Encounters ''Elite'' series] of games, which includes [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Is .22Elite: Dangerous.22 an MMO.3F|mass-multiplayer]] as an integral part, while still allowing [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will single player work.3F Will I need to connect to a server to play.3F|online single player]]. It will also be the first in the series that will be [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_are_the_expansions.3F|expanded]] with [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Can_I_walk_around_the_ship.2C_planets_and_space_stations.3F|walking around]]. See the '''[[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_are_the_main_features_of_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22.3F|main features here]]'''.
: '''''[http://www.elitedangerous.com Elite: Dangerous]''''' is the [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f9f6f99d01#4 ''4th'' instalment in] the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier:_First_Encounters ''Elite'' series] of games, which includes [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Is .22Elite: Dangerous.22 an MMO.3F|mass-multiplayer]] as an integral part, while still allowing [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will single player work.3F Will I need to connect to a server to play.3F|online single player]]. It will also be the first in the series that will be [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_are_the_expansions.3F|expanded]] with [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Can_I_walk_around_the_ship.2C_planets_and_space_stations.3F|walking around]]. See the '''[[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_are_the_main_features_of_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22.3F|main features here]]'''.
: The subtitle "Dangerous" refers to the 3rd best [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f72c0f91b2#Badge%20of%20Honour Elite Rating] you could achieve during combat in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier:_First_Encounters ''Elite'' games.] In the new game it has been [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6279 expanded] to include more than combat.
: The subtitle "Dangerous" refers to the 3rd best [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f72c0f91b2#Badge%20of%20Honour Elite Rating] you could achieve during combat in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier:_First_Encounters ''Elite'' games.] In the new game it has been [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6279 expanded] to include more than combat.
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*[https://www.facebook.com/EliteDangerousOfficial Official News & Updates]
*[https://www.facebook.com/EliteDangerousOfficial Official News & Updates]
*[http://forums.frontier.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=29 Official Forums]
*[http://forums.frontier.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=29 Official Forums]
=== How will we travel those vast distances in such a huge galaxy?===
=== How will we travel those vast distances in such a huge galaxy?===
: There are [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cfcdbae60e#The%20Need%20for%20Speed two modes of super luminal (faster than light) travel] to cover [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How big will planets and star systems.C2.A0be.3F|those vast 1:1 scale distances]], but keep in mind that their current implementation of them are '''[http://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/25pcrk/hyperspace_sequence_is_still_placeholder/ still placeholder]'''.
: There are [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cfcdbae60e#The%20Need%20for%20Speed two modes of super luminal (faster than light) travel] to cover [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How big will planets and star systems.C2.A0be.3F|those vast 1:1 scale distances]], but keep in mind that their current implementation of them are '''[http://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/25pcrk/hyperspace_sequence_is_still_placeholder/ still placeholder]'''.
# '''[http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cfcdbae60e#The%20Need%20for%20Speed Super cruise (or frame shifting)]''' is used for '''freeform (manual pitch/yaw/roll) '''travel within star systems. The maximum speed will vary based on proximity to celestial bodies, up to '''2001 times the speed of light (2001C)''' that [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=345753&postcount=174 will rarely be reached], to be able handle [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_exoplanet_extremes#Orbit_characteristics the most extreme spatial distances.] It will [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14422 consume fuel] and you will also be able to see other ships that are '''super-cruising''' within a star system from a long distance away visually and with long range sensors and also do [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=441493&postcount=2 combat maneuvering] to perform interdictions.[http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=441493&postcount=2][http://laveradio.com/podcasts/laveradio-egx.mp3]
# '''[http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cfcdbae60e#The%20Need%20for%20Speed Super cruise (or frame shifting)]''' is used for '''freeform (manual pitch/yaw/roll) '''travel within star systems. The maximum speed will vary based on proximity to celestial bodies, up to '''2001 times the speed of light (2001C)''' that [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=345753&postcount=174 will rarely be reached], to be able handle [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_exoplanet_extremes#Orbit_characteristics the most extreme spatial distances.] It will [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14422 consume fuel] and you will also be able to see other ships that are '''super-cruising''' within a star system from a long distance away visually and with long range sensors and also do [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=441493&postcount=2 combat manoeuvring] to perform interdictions.[http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=441493&postcount=2][http://laveradio.com/podcasts/laveradio-egx.mp3]
#* [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7892 Old Super-Cruise proposal: Note that the speed has increased to 2001C and micro-jumps have been discarded.]
#* [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7892 Old Super-Cruise proposal: Note that the speed has increased to 2001C and micro-jumps have been discarded.]
# '''[http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cfcdbae60e#The%20Need%20for%20Speed Hyperspace drives]''' are used to '''travel from anywhere between star systems.''' Hyperdrives with different ranges, charge up times and [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14422 fuel consumption] parameters are available, and so your particular model of hyperdrive governs your specific ability to move around the galaxy. The game will ensure that you will [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Is_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22_an_MMO.3F get grouped] with other ships near the largest mass (star) during hyperspace exit. There will also be ways to follow each other's hyperspace trail.
# '''[http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cfcdbae60e#The%20Need%20for%20Speed Hyperspace drives]''' are used to '''travel from anywhere between star systems.''' Hyperdrives with different ranges, charge up times and [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14422 fuel consumption] parameters are available, and so your particular model of hyperdrive governs your specific ability to move around the galaxy. The game will ensure that you will [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Is_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22_an_MMO.3F get grouped] with other ships near the largest mass (star) during hyperspace exit. There will also be ways to follow each other's hyperspace trail.
: That said there will be extensive [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6279 ratings and reputation] systems that affect how NPC's and players perceive you, even going so far as taking [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6279 ship appearence (age/damage)] into consideration.
: That said there will be extensive [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6279 ratings and reputation] systems that affect how NPC's and players perceive you, even going so far as taking [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6279 ship appearance (age/damage)] into consideration.
: There will also be [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NSMMTfwTOU&t=203 extensive customization options] for the ships.
: There will also be [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NSMMTfwTOU&t=203 extensive customization options] for the ships.
*'''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be any missions or quests.3F|Missions/Quests]]'''
*'''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be any missions or quests.3F|Missions/Quests]]'''
: In addition to this the '''Elite '''universe does have an extensive background history which is covered in many different sources, like In the official novellas - '''The Dark Wheel''' from '''Elite''', '''Stories of Life on the Frontier Life On The Frontier''' and '''The Gazetteer''' from '''Frontier: Elite 2''', and '''Further Stories of Life on the Frontier''' from '''Frontier: First Encounters''' which can all be found in the following links [http://www.lotf.co.uk/lib.shtml] [http://frontierastro.co.uk/Gazetteer/intro.html] [http://www.lotf.co.uk/fe2_gazetteer.html] .
: In addition to this the '''Elite '''universe does have an extensive background history which is covered in many different sources, like In the official novellas - '''The Dark Wheel''' from '''Elite''', '''Stories of Life on the Frontier Life On The Frontier''' and '''The Gazetteer''' from '''Frontier: Elite 2''', and '''Further Stories of Life on the Frontier''' from '''Frontier: First Encounters''' which can all be found in the following links [http://www.lotf.co.uk/lib.shtml] [http://frontierastro.co.uk/Gazetteer/intro.html] [http://www.lotf.co.uk/fe2_gazetteer.html] .
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===Will there be detailed ship managment and avionics?===
===Will there be detailed ship management and avionics?===
===Will landing and docking be seamless in "Elite: Dangerous"?===
===Will landing and docking be seamless in "Elite: Dangerous"?===
: <span style="line-height:21px;">'''Yes''', just like in all the [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|previous ''Elite'' games]] you will be able to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJGUvr-uBRA&t=201 manually dock with space stations seamlessly.]</span> There will [https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=557701&postcount=268 '''not''' be loading screens in ''Elite''].
: <span style="line-height:21px;">'''Yes''', just like in all the [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|previous ''Elite'' games]] you will be able to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJGUvr-uBRA&t=201 manually dock with space stations seamlessly.]</span> There will [https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=557701&postcount=268 '''not''' be loading screens in ''Elite''].
: <span style="line-height:21px;">Future </span><span style="line-height:21px;">[[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_are_the_expansions.3F|expansions]] will also add the posibility to seamlessly freeform</span><span style="line-height:21px;"><span style="line-height:21px;"> </span>[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will it be possible to manually land on planets.3F|land on planets]]. </span><span style="line-height:21px;">Landing and docking will be doable either using auto pilot, or manually. Additionally to simply flying into a station's door, in E:D you'll have to fly and land your ship onto the landing pad within the station.</span>
: <span style="line-height:21px;">Future </span><span style="line-height:21px;">[[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_are_the_expansions.3F|expansions]] will also add the possibility to seamlessly freeform</span><span style="line-height:21px;"><span style="line-height:21px;"> </span>[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will it be possible to manually land on planets.3F|land on planets]]. </span><span style="line-height:21px;">Landing and docking will be doable either using auto pilot, or manually. Additionally to simply flying into a station's door, in E:D you'll have to fly and land your ship onto the landing pad within the station.</span>
* '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-gyDLRMXg&t=389 Preview of Eagle MKII and Cobra MKIII landing on the pad within a space station.]'''
* '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-gyDLRMXg&t=389 Preview of Eagle Mk. II and Cobra Mk. III landing on the pad within a space station.]'''
* [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=7157d0e3e1 Newsletter about Space Stations]
* [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=7157d0e3e1 Newsletter about Space Stations]
* [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f9f6f99d01 Newsletter about Space Station Docking]
* [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f9f6f99d01 Newsletter about Space Station Docking]
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: Yes, just like in the last two Elite games, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv0Tj-UGOtY&t=440 Frontier: Elite 2] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0_WewBEGew&t=265 Frontier: First Encounters (Elite 3)], planets and moons [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j77gOdFFFyo&t=1064 will orbit and rotate in 1:1 scale real-time] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEVutbSqBI0&t=477 tilt will affect their seasons.]
: Yes, just like in the last two Elite games, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv0Tj-UGOtY&t=440 Frontier: Elite 2] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0_WewBEGew&t=265 Frontier: First Encounters (Elite 3)], planets and moons [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j77gOdFFFyo&t=1064 will orbit and rotate in 1:1 scale real-time] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEVutbSqBI0&t=477 tilt will affect their seasons.]
: This affects gameplay somewhat, since you will have to match the orbital velocities of the celestial bodies and stations.
: This affects gameplay somewhat, since you will have to match the orbital velocities of the celestial bodies and stations.
: Full orbital periods will be noticable in a short time for [http://www.space.com/22451-fastest-earth-size-lava-planet-kepler78b.html many celestial bodies].
: Full orbital periods will be noticeable in a short time for [http://www.space.com/22451-fastest-earth-size-lava-planet-kepler78b.html many celestial bodies].
----
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===Will there be alien life forms?===
===Will there be alien life forms?===
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6z5OK8J5pg&t=580 Alien life is common, but sentient alien life is rare.] From these the major alien race are insectoids called The [http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Thargoids Thargoids], which appeared in the [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|original Elite]] and had an [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the .22Elite.22 series have no actual storyline. Is that true.3F|extensive story arc]] in''' '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|Frontier: First Encounters (Elite 3)]] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6z5OK8J5pg&t=458 they will make a return in Elite: Dangerous]
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6z5OK8J5pg&t=580 Alien life is common, but sentient alien life is rare.] From these the major alien race are insectoids called the [http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Thargoids Thargoids], which appeared in the [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|original Elite]] and had an [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the .22Elite.22 series have no actual storyline. Is that true.3F|extensive story arc]] in''' '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|Frontier: First Encounters (Elite 3)]] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6z5OK8J5pg&t=458 they will make a return in Elite: Dangerous]
----
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: It's very hard to measure "success" or "pulling off" a project objectively, because in the end the game will be judged not only by it's technical merits, but also subjectivity by the player. So we can really only talk about technical expertise. As the game conceptually is almost a technical marvel, it will be easy to measure.
: It's very hard to measure "success" or "pulling off" a project objectively, because in the end the game will be judged not only by it's technical merits, but also subjectivity by the player. So we can really only talk about technical expertise. As the game conceptually is almost a technical marvel, it will be easy to measure.
: First of all, leader of '''[http://elite.frontier.co.uk Elite: Dangerous]''' is '''David Braben''', who was co-author of the original '''[http://elite.frontier.co.uk/media Elite]''', and sole creator of the first sequel and lead developer of the second sequel. While sequels have been given mixed reviews, the majority of people who have played them agreed that both titles succeeded to give the immersion of space travel and succesfully emulated all the issues associated with that.
: First of all, leader of '''[http://elite.frontier.co.uk Elite: Dangerous]''' is '''David Braben''', who was co-author of the original '''[http://elite.frontier.co.uk/media Elite]''', and sole creator of the first sequel and lead developer of the second sequel. While sequels have been given mixed reviews, the majority of people who have played them agreed that both titles succeeded to give the immersion of space travel and successfully emulated all the issues associated with that.
: Before '''Elite: Dangerous''', David Braben and his company have also produced a lot of high class games, like RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and Coaster Crazy, the Lostwind series, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lX4uZ9nVEM Kinectimals], and most recently the 1st party XBox One title, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcYwUEgsA4k Zoo Tycoon], which can give you the impression of craftmanship of the '''Frontier '''developers and technical capablities of in-house software tools.
: Before '''Elite: Dangerous''', David Braben and his company have also produced a lot of high class games, like RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and Coaster Crazy, the Lostwind series, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lX4uZ9nVEM Kinectimals], and most recently the 1st party Xbox One title, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcYwUEgsA4k Zoo Tycoon], which can give you the impression of craftsmanship of the '''Frontier '''developers and technical capabilities of in-house software tools.
: They have also done considerable work on an unpublished open world city game known as [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsjsvHCs-94 The Outsider] using '''[https://frontier.co.uk/our_technology COBRA]''', which featured [http://intrinsicalgorithm.com/IAonAI/tag/david-braben/ advanced AI and dynamic story generation] and is likely to influence '''E:D's''' [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I walk around the ship.2C planets and space stations.3F|planets / cityscapes]] / [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the .22Elite.22 series have no actual storyline. Is that true.3F|dynamic event system]] etc.
: They have also done considerable work on an unpublished open world city game known as [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsjsvHCs-94 The Outsider] using '''[https://frontier.co.uk/our_technology COBRA]''', which featured [http://intrinsicalgorithm.com/IAonAI/tag/david-braben/ advanced AI and dynamic story generation] and is likely to influence '''E:D's''' [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I walk around the ship.2C planets and space stations.3F|planets / cityscapes]] / [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the .22Elite.22 series have no actual storyline. Is that true.3F|dynamic event system]] etc.
: '''Frontier''' uses their in-house '''[https://frontier.co.uk/our_technology COBRA]''' engine for all their game development, and now they have started to license it to other development houses.
: '''Frontier''' uses their in-house '''[https://frontier.co.uk/our_technology COBRA]''' engine for all their game development, and now they have started to license it to other development houses.
: '''Elite: Dangerous''' uses a mix of '''[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Procedural_Generation procedural generation with artist direction]''', this means that they don't need to hand create all their star systems, they just need to be sure that all the special overrides, the event system, etc works in one place and therefore it will work in the rest of galaxy. As '''Frontier''' has already worked with this concept for all <span style="line-height:21px;">[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|previous Elite games]]</span> and many more recent games, '''Frontier''' as a company has the knowhow to deliver such a product.
: '''Elite: Dangerous''' uses a mix of '''[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Procedural_Generation procedural generation with artist direction]''', this means that they don't need to hand create all their star systems, they just need to be sure that all the special overrides, the event system, etc works in one place and therefore it will work in the rest of galaxy. As '''Frontier''' has already worked with this concept for all <span style="line-height:21px;">[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#What is .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|previous Elite games]]</span> and many more recent games, '''Frontier''' as a company has the know-how to deliver such a product.
: The '''[[ships]]''' in ''Elite: Dangerous'' have '''airlocks, '''proper [https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/113131/all-the-ships-are-broken-sort-of-ok-not-really-ship-design-now-with-science-see-second-post mass distribution with no off-centre main thrusters] and [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Viper_Mk_II?file=Viper_Mk_II_02.png separate tessellated cargo holds.]
: The '''[[ships]]''' in ''Elite: Dangerous'' have '''airlocks, '''proper [https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/113131/all-the-ships-are-broken-sort-of-ok-not-really-ship-design-now-with-science-see-second-post mass distribution with no off-centre main thrusters] and [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Viper_Mk_II?file=Viper_Mk_II_02.png separate tessellated cargo holds.]
: However, just like the [http://www.frontierastro.co.uk/Ships/ships.html ships in the previous Elite games], there will be a lot of [[Ships|variety in designs]] with [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=a4bd777a7f#4 each manufacturer having its own unique style], which can customized into [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NSMMTfwTOU&t=203 numerous configurations.]
: However, just like the [http://www.frontierastro.co.uk/Ships/ships.html ships in the previous Elite games], there will be a lot of [[Ships|variety in designs]] with [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=a4bd777a7f#4 each manufacturer having its own unique style], which can customized into [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NSMMTfwTOU&t=203 numerous configurations.]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-gyDLRMXg&t=389 Preview of Eagle MKII and Cobra MKIII landing on the pad within a space station.]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-gyDLRMXg&t=389 Preview of Eagle Mk. II and Cobra Mk. III landing on the pad within a space station.]
* [[Ships]]
* [[Ships]]
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
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: Heritage:
: Heritage:
: ''Elite: Dangerous'' is the ''4th'' installment in the [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_is_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22.3F|''Elite'' series dating back to 1984]].
: ''Elite: Dangerous'' is the ''4th'' instalment in the [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_is_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22.3F|''Elite'' series dating back to 1984]].
: ''Star Citizen'' has a heritage in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Roberts_%28game_developer%29#Biography ''Wing Commander'' / ''Privateer'' / ''Starlancer ''/'' Freelancer'' series dating back to 1990].
: ''Star Citizen'' has a heritage in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Roberts_%28game_developer%29#Biography ''Wing Commander'' / ''Privateer'' / ''Starlancer ''/'' Freelancer'' series dating back to 1990].
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: Methods of Travel:
: Methods of Travel:
: ''Elite: Dangerous'' has freeform (manual pitch/yaw/roll) [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#How_will_we_travel_those_vast_distances_in_such_a_huge_galaxy.3F|interplanetary fast travel]] with combat maneuvering. Due to the [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How big will planets and star systems.C2.A0be.3F|realistic 1:1 scale galaxy]] with proper distances, it necessitates [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will we travel those vast distances in such a huge glaxy.3F|faster than light speeds]], up to 2000 times the speed of light (2000C), to make travel times practical with [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be detailed ship managment and avionics.3F|very long range sensors and combat interaction]] and you will be able to seamlessly enter [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will we travel those vast distances in such a huge glaxy.3F|hyperspace]] to travel from anywhere to another star.
: ''Elite: Dangerous'' has freeform (manual pitch/yaw/roll) [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#How_will_we_travel_those_vast_distances_in_such_a_huge_galaxy.3F|interplanetary fast travel]] with combat manoeuvring. Due to the [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How big will planets and star systems.C2.A0be.3F|realistic 1:1 scale galaxy]] with proper distances, it necessitates [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will we travel those vast distances in such a huge glaxy.3F|faster than light speeds]], up to 2000 times the speed of light (2000C), to make travel times practical with [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be detailed ship managment and avionics.3F|very long range sensors and combat interaction]] and you will be able to seamlessly enter [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will we travel those vast distances in such a huge glaxy.3F|hyperspace]] to travel from anywhere to another star.
: ''<nowiki>Star Citizen'</nowiki>''s interplanetary fast travel will allow a speed of up to 20% the speed of light (0.2C), which necessitates [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5M5DXzcMmg&t=1066 scaled down] star systems to compress [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f9f6f99d01#4 spatial distances] to make travel times practical. It also won't be freeform (Autopilot Only) nor have combat maneuvering in this mode, [http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/12grru/i_am_chris_roberts_creator_of_wing_commander/c6uxa22 so you will not have the ability to specify an exact random location in space. You can navigate to known locations or tag a ship they want to track or ambush.] Also you must fly through [https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/comment/1738871/#Comment_1738871 wormhole-like jump points (which will allow some interactivity) at fixed locations to other star system.]
: ''<nowiki>Star Citizen'</nowiki>''s interplanetary fast travel will allow a speed of up to 20% the speed of light (0.2C), which necessitates [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5M5DXzcMmg&t=1066 scaled down] star systems to compress [http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f9f6f99d01#4 spatial distances] to make travel times practical. It also won't be freeform (Autopilot Only) nor have combat manoeuvring in this mode, [http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/12grru/i_am_chris_roberts_creator_of_wing_commander/c6uxa22 so you will not have the ability to specify an exact random location in space. You can navigate to known locations or tag a ship they want to track or ambush.] Also you must fly through [https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/comment/1738871/#Comment_1738871 wormhole-like jump points (which will allow some interactivity) at fixed locations to other star system.]
: Galaxy:
: Galaxy:
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: In ''Star Citizen'', planetside movement will be restricted to specialized locations, connected by scripted sequences, such as star ports, small city hubs, bars and FPS arenas, while the rest of the planet is off limits.
: In ''Star Citizen'', planetside movement will be restricted to specialized locations, connected by scripted sequences, such as star ports, small city hubs, bars and FPS arenas, while the rest of the planet is off limits.
: Artifical Gravity:
: Artificial Gravity:
: In ''Elite: Dangerous'' there is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-gyDLRMXg&t=219 no artificial gravity], so [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will landing and docking be seamless in .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|space stations]] are [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6AxOoBF7SM&t=34 designed to rotate] as opposed to ''Star Citizen''.
: In ''Elite: Dangerous'' there is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-gyDLRMXg&t=219 no artificial gravity], so [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will landing and docking be seamless in .22Elite: Dangerous.22.3F|space stations]] are [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6AxOoBF7SM&t=34 designed to rotate] as opposed to ''Star Citizen''.
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: Additional Links:
: Additional Links:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY5x85F-DKM ''Star Citizen'' vs ''Elite: Dangerous'' - Flight Model Comparison]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY5x85F-DKM ''Star Citizen'' vs. ''Elite: Dangerous'' - Flight Model Comparison]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6WmsnwNq98 Dev Diary about cockpits, avatars and HUD]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6WmsnwNq98 Dev Diary about cockpits, avatars and HUD]
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: '''Elite: Dangerous''' features [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Is .22Elite: Dangerous.22 an MMO.3F|dynamically created free roaming multiplayer instances, based on perception bubble]], that are decoupled from the star systems themselves [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will single player work.3F Will I need to connect to a server to play.3F|(but you can also play solo)]].
: '''Elite: Dangerous''' features [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Is .22Elite: Dangerous.22 an MMO.3F|dynamically created free roaming multiplayer instances, based on perception bubble]], that are decoupled from the star systems themselves [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How will single player work.3F Will I need to connect to a server to play.3F|(but you can also play solo)]].
: Due to a lot less network traffic, this allows ''Elite: Dangerous'' to have [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be any roleplaying elements.3F|twitch based action instead of classic MMO click 'n' roll]] (where actual world updates are comparitively slow depending on server load and all attacks are caculated on servers using modified D&D system) which is used in ''EVE''.
: Due to a lot less network traffic, this allows ''Elite: Dangerous'' to have [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be any roleplaying elements.3F|twitch based action instead of classic MMO click 'n' roll]] (where actual world updates are comparatively slow depending on server load and all attacks are calculated on servers using modified D&D system) which is used in ''EVE''.
: That means that ''Elite: Dangerous'' combat is [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be any roleplaying elements.3F|twitch skill]] based.
: That means that ''Elite: Dangerous'' combat is [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will there be any roleplaying elements.3F|twitch skill]] based.
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=== Will there be Newtonian physics?===
=== Will there be Newtonian physics?===
: '''Yes''', <span style="line-height:21px;">just like in the [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_is_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22.3F last two Elite games]</span>, the '''[http://www.mmorpgitalia.it/2013/04/03/6509-elite-dangerous-david-braben-exclusive-interview/ flight physics are Newtonian]'''.[http://www.pcgamesn.com/elite-dangerous-will-have-100-billion-star-systems-plus-thargoids-braben-reveals-whats-next][http://www.mmorpgitalia.it/2013/04/03/6509-elite-dangerous-david-braben-exclusive-interview/] While this time the forces are fed to a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigid_body_dynamics proper rigid body,] (so rotation is properly taken into account) instead of a simple point mass (where only linear dynamics matters), the fly-by-wire system (flight control computer) in ''Elite: Dangerous'' constrains the ship's angular and linear velocity relative to a common reference frame during regular local flight, to induce [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Why_is_yaw_so_slow.3F|intesteresting tactical dogfights at close range]] and this [[Flight Assist|flight assist]] can be partially disabled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZBKC56vhUo to be able to skid more freely]. Also unlike the last two Elite games, only the [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#How_will_we_travel_those_vast_distances_in_such_a_huge_galaxy.3F|Super-Cruise mode]] (Work In Progress) takes planet interaction into account (subject to change).
: '''Yes''', <span style="line-height:21px;">just like in the [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#What_is_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22.3F last two Elite games]</span>, the '''[http://www.mmorpgitalia.it/2013/04/03/6509-elite-dangerous-david-braben-exclusive-interview/ flight physics are Newtonian]'''.[http://www.pcgamesn.com/elite-dangerous-will-have-100-billion-star-systems-plus-thargoids-braben-reveals-whats-next][http://www.mmorpgitalia.it/2013/04/03/6509-elite-dangerous-david-braben-exclusive-interview/] While this time the forces are fed to a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigid_body_dynamics proper rigid body,] (so rotation is properly taken into account) instead of a simple point mass (where only linear dynamics matters), the fly-by-wire system (flight control computer) in ''Elite: Dangerous'' constrains the ship's angular and linear velocity relative to a common reference frame during regular local flight, to induce [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Why_is_yaw_so_slow.3F|interesting tactical dogfights at close range]] and this [[Flight Assist|flight assist]] can be partially disabled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZBKC56vhUo to be able to skid more freely]. Also unlike the last two Elite games, only the [[Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#How_will_we_travel_those_vast_distances_in_such_a_huge_galaxy.3F|Super-Cruise mode]] (Work In Progress) takes planet interaction into account (subject to change).
: Here some quotes from the creator David Braben:
: Here some quotes from the creator David Braben:
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: So there is a fly-by-wire system that keeps the ship within flight parameters, with a '''flight assist''' mode that is on by default, that helps you maintain your turns and dampen the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_momentum angular momentum] when rolling, pitching and yawing by automatically calculating the thruster forces needed to stabilize the ship and reduce the skidding.
: So there is a fly-by-wire system that keeps the ship within flight parameters, with a '''flight assist''' mode that is on by default, that helps you maintain your turns and dampen the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_momentum angular momentum] when rolling, pitching and yawing by automatically calculating the thruster forces needed to stabilize the ship and reduce the skidding.
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZBKC56vhUo You can turn '''flight assist''' off], so you will have have to manually adjust the thruster forces to control the skidding and counteract the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_momentum angular momentum], the fly-by-wire however will '''always''' be partially active to keep your [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TrvJoViw8w ship constrained within the specified limits.]
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZBKC56vhUo You can turn '''flight assist''' off], so you will have have to manually adjust the thruster forces to control the skidding and counteract the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_momentum angular momentum], the fly-by-wire however will '''always''' be partially active to keep your [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TrvJoViw8w ship constrained within the specified limits.]
: Cargo mass will also affect the maneuverability of your ship.
: Cargo mass will also affect the manoeuvrability of your ship.
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: '''Yes''', '''[https://store.elitedangerous.com ''Elite: Dangerous'' is an MMO]''', but with the important addition, that you can [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6300 choose if you want to meet other players].
: '''Yes''', '''[https://store.elitedangerous.com ''Elite: Dangerous'' is an MMO]''', but with the important addition, that you can [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6300 choose if you want to meet other players].
: The game features a shared persistent galaxy server, where macro effects and [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the .22Elite.22 series have no actual storyline. Is that true.3F|events such as economy, society and war status]] etc are recorded.
: The game features a shared persistent galaxy server, where macro effects and [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the .22Elite.22 series have no actual storyline. Is that true.3F|events such as economy, society and war status]] etc. are recorded.
The subtitle "Dangerous" refers to the 3rd best Elite Rating you could achieve during combat in the Elite games. In the new game it has been expanded to include more than combat.
Pilots will be breaking blockades, battling pirates, attacking enemy positions and installations, and more, leaving their mark wherever they go.
All actions will change history of human kind.
Free-form play allows everyone to choose their own path, becoming an angry pirate, a spy, a peaceful trader, an explorer, a soldier, or a mix between these roles.
Specially handcrafted overrides for 160,000 known stars in the night sky and planetary objects that we know and love. For example, our solar system with Earth, Moon and Mars, other systems with recently discovered planets, etc.
Freeform (manual yaw/pitch/roll) interplanetary flight allows to fly freely through star systems in realistic scale to get to a destination. Players can choose to travel wherever they want, including vista points to see Earth rise on the moon, or sun appearing behind of Mars. Or they could choose to explore the vast expanse of space and discover new points of interest in star systems.
What are the minimal system requirements to run "Elite: Dangerous"?
While the full release of Elite: Dangerous will be available on both Windows PC and three months later on Apple Macintosh computers. Everyone who bought the Elite: Dangerous, will be able to download the game for Windows and/or Macintosh computers once it is available, at no extra charge.
Development of the game is ongoing, and so recommended specifications are currently only available for the Beta builds.
Direct X 11
Quad Core CPU (4 x 2Ghz is a reasonable minimum)
2 GB System RAM (more is always better)
DX 10 hardware GPU with 1GB video ram
Internet connection
Supported Operating Systems:
Windows 7.x
Windows 8.x
For the final game the minimum hardware specifications may be lower as further code optimisations are completed.
Are there plans for other platforms to be supported?
Frontier Developments have confirmed that the game will be released as a timed-exclusive on Xbox One in the Summer of 2015. A Playstation 4 release will follow at some point in the future[1] and also Linux desktop[2], but the initial release is only planned to support Windows and Mac OS X.
Does "Elite: Dangerous" support Physically Based Rendering (PBR)?
Short answer: yes it does. Elite: Dangerous adopted a physically-based rendering (PBR) model right from the start - we want it to look as good as possible under a variety of lighting conditions (and space certainly gives you that!). We expect the visual quality of Elite: Dangerous will continue to improve as we progress through development. It's worth mentioning though that PBR isn't a one-size-fits-all solution as much as it's the start of a discussion that could probably occupy someone for their entire career - kind of like the way "High Dynamic Range" was quickly adopted by everyone years ago but people are still arguing over the fine details!
Yes, the modules all have a position in or on the ship, and some calculations are done based on your armour to decide if there's any penetration at all (which gets more likely as your armour gets beaten up), then how far it's likely to penetrate and which modules are along the path of that penetration and might take damage (there's several more subtle rules, but that's the broad strokes). [3]
Super cruise (or frame shifting) is used for freeform (manual pitch/yaw/roll) travel within star systems. The maximum speed will vary based on proximity to celestial bodies, up to 2001 times the speed of light (2001C) that will rarely be reached, to be able handle the most extreme spatial distances. It will consume fuel and you will also be able to see other ships that are super-cruising within a star system from a long distance away visually and with long range sensors and also do combat manoeuvring to perform interdictions.[4][5]
Hyperspace drives are used to travel from anywhere between star systems. Hyperdrives with different ranges, charge up times and fuel consumption parameters are available, and so your particular model of hyperdrive governs your specific ability to move around the galaxy. The game will ensure that you will get grouped with other ships near the largest mass (star) during hyperspace exit. There will also be ways to follow each other's hyperspace trail.
How are players going to meet each other in such a huge galaxy?
Most of the action will take place within the human populated core systems of the major factions and because of the way interstellar hyperspace travel works, the game will ensure that you will get grouped with other ships near the largest mass (star) during hyperspace exit. You will also be able to find other ships that are super-cruising within a star system from a long distance away visually and with long range sensors.
There will also be ways to follow each other's hyperspace trail.
Having such a large quantity of star systems permits the game to have many major discoveries and many more minor ones, enough for hundreds of thousands of players to experience the opportunity of unique finds without the feeling of tripping over the Ark of the Covenant every two minutes.
Yes, missions fall into several types, the ones that you find en route and the ones that will have you actively engage in through a contract. These can earn you both credits and status within the organisation you are working for, whether it is a disreputable criminal group or the Federation or Empire themselves. Initially these will be arranged either through direct messages or on a common message board. More details to follow.
Just like in all the previous Elite games, you are not fixed to a specific role like in a traditional roleplaying game, there are also no skillpoints that directly affect the way your avatar performs. Instead you will always be directly in control of your avatar so your own skill will determine the outcome of your interactions.
The story wasn't explicitly told with traditional cut-scenes, but unfolded from a first person perspective with the help of news events and corresponding missions.
The game will also have more than 13 official book tie-ins to tell different stories about Elite universe, with lots of places, events and people referenced in the game.
In addition to this the Elite universe does have an extensive background history which is covered in many different sources, like In the official novellas - The Dark Wheel from Elite, Stories of Life on the Frontier Life On The Frontier and The Gazetteer from Frontier: Elite 2, and Further Stories of Life on the Frontier from Frontier: First Encounters which can all be found in the following links [6][7][8] .
Their loyalty will depend on their morality and faction connections, so they will be able to betray you, or simply refuse to engage in certain criminal acts.
Future expansions will also add the possibility to seamlessly freeformland on planets. Landing and docking will be doable either using auto pilot, or manually. Additionally to simply flying into a station's door, in E:D you'll have to fly and land your ship onto the landing pad within the station.
Q: Star Citizen is using cry engine, while Elite is using an unique engine of its own. What advantages and disadvantages do you have, when using a homemade engine, while making the space simulator?
A: As a developer we’ve used our own game engine throughout the company’s history so we have considerable experience in our own technology. For Elite: Dangerous the game presents a number of challenges that we have to solve. The first (and most obvious) is the scale of the game, putting aside the requirements of procedural generation for a moment the spatial size of the game’s locations are an immense (pun intended!) problem. It’s quite common in space games to fudge the scale to make things look good and work, however this results in spatial locations being condensed. In Elite everything is the scale it should be, so the planets are the correct size and distances between objects are also correct. Using the Cobra engine means that we can tailor our solutions to fit the game rather than the other way round.[9]
Does the "Elite: Dangerous" developer Frontier Developments have enough expertise to pull off such an ambitious project?
It's very hard to measure "success" or "pulling off" a project objectively, because in the end the game will be judged not only by it's technical merits, but also subjectivity by the player. So we can really only talk about technical expertise. As the game conceptually is almost a technical marvel, it will be easy to measure.
First of all, leader of Elite: Dangerous is David Braben, who was co-author of the original Elite, and sole creator of the first sequel and lead developer of the second sequel. While sequels have been given mixed reviews, the majority of people who have played them agreed that both titles succeeded to give the immersion of space travel and successfully emulated all the issues associated with that.
Before Elite: Dangerous, David Braben and his company have also produced a lot of high class games, like RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and Coaster Crazy, the Lostwind series, Kinectimals, and most recently the 1st party Xbox One title, Zoo Tycoon, which can give you the impression of craftsmanship of the Frontier developers and technical capabilities of in-house software tools.
Frontier uses their in-house COBRA engine for all their game development, and now they have started to license it to other development houses.
Elite: Dangerous uses a mix of procedural generation with artist direction, this means that they don't need to hand create all their star systems, they just need to be sure that all the special overrides, the event system, etc works in one place and therefore it will work in the rest of galaxy. As Frontier has already worked with this concept for all previous Elite games and many more recent games, Frontier as a company has the know-how to deliver such a product.
For example, why would you pilot space ships yourself, when the most efficient way to make money and progress in a game is to sit back in an office and hand out commands?
It's also problematic from a lore and immersion standpoint, since the game is simulating realistic societies, social structures and time scales, so building an empire would involve a lot of resources and politics that only big nations can afford and would stretch over months or years, even building a large space station can take a month or more.
What are the general differences between "Elite: Dangerous" and "Star Citizen"?
The differences are predominantly in issues surrounding scale, complexity of background simulations, adherence to recognised science of the universe and release schedule.
Both Elite: Dangerous and Star Citizen will have an on-going background story which will be influenced by the players and augmented with developer injected events.
Elite: Dangerous has lightspeed pulse and beam lasers on all ships fitted with energy weapons, as opposed to Star Citizen which has slow moving beam weapons only on capital ships. The remainder of the Star Citizen fleet will have slow moving laser bolts like one would see in Star Wars.
In Star Citizen, planetside movement will be restricted to specialized locations, connected by scripted sequences, such as star ports, small city hubs, bars and FPS arenas, while the rest of the planet is off limits.
There are major differences in how each game handles close combat flight (as you can see from this video). There is an inherent flaw with the premise of close combat space flight, leading to endless turreting and circle-strafing especially in PVP multiplayer due to the lack of terrain features in mid space, compound that with the fact that Elite also features lightspeed pulse and beam lasers making this issue even more apparent.
Elite: Dangerous deals with this by limiting the yaw rate and enforce an optimum corner speed by way of thruster placement and limits in the flight control computer, forcing to roll and then pitch to get the most efficient turn rate (less efficient, but most comfortable for a human pilot), in addition there is a G-LOC system, a preliminary version can be seen here.
In Star Citizen ships can be pointed more intuitively in a fashion akin to FPS, requiring a strong yaw (most efficient, but discomforting for a human pilot). It deals with turreting by having a G-LOC system as seen here, but this alone doesn't alleviate the problems completely, but it is less critical due to the lack of lightspeed lasers on the smaller ships.
Multiplayer:
Multiplayer is handled with a grouping system in Elite: Dangerous and a PVP-PVE slider which doesn't completely control engagements in Star Citizen.
Another major difference is that in EVE everybody within a star system is in one big instance and when there are too many people within it they slow down the update rate of the game.
Due to a lot less network traffic, this allows Elite: Dangerous to have twitch based action instead of classic MMO click 'n' roll (where actual world updates are comparatively slow depending on server load and all attacks are calculated on servers using modified D&D system) which is used in EVE.
That means that Elite: Dangerous combat is twitch skill based.
Another important difference is that EVE has a lot of empire building and RTS elements, while Elite is what it would be like to be a spacefarer in a galaxy from a first person’s perspective.
There is an inherent flaw with the premise of close combat space flight, leading to endless turreting and circle-strafing especially in PVP multiplayer, due to the lack of terrain features in mid space, compound that with the fact that Elite also features lightspeed pulse and beam lasers making this issue even more apparent.
Elite: Dangerous deals with this by limiting the yaw rate and enforce an optimum corner speed by way of thruster placement and limits in the flight control computer, forcing to roll and then pitch to get the most efficient turn rate (less efficient, but most comfortable for a human pilot), in addition there is a G-LOC system, a preliminary version can be seen here.
Will there be Newtonian physics?
Yes, just like in the last two Elite games, the flight physics are Newtonian.[10][11] While this time the forces are fed to a proper rigid body, (so rotation is properly taken into account) instead of a simple point mass (where only linear dynamics matters), the fly-by-wire system (flight control computer) in Elite: Dangerous constrains the ship's angular and linear velocity relative to a common reference frame during regular local flight, to induce interesting tactical dogfights at close range and this flight assist can be partially disabled to be able to skid more freely. Also unlike the last two Elite games, only the Super-Cruise mode (Work In Progress) takes planet interaction into account (subject to change).
Here some quotes from the creator David Braben:
"David Braben I think in many respects it's more comparable to Frontier in terms of the way the galaxy works, that sort of thing. But in terms of the way you fly it's much closer to Elite. We're going to have Newtonian physics. But the way that we apply the fly-by-wire layer over the top of makes the combat feel really visceral and seat-of-the-pants, rather than [as in Frontier] jousting at huge distances"[12]
"David Braben Most of the ‘brutal realism’ of Frontier will continue. The real galaxy and so on. For the combat model we are doing more fly-by-wire than in Frontier, but this is to improve the feel of the game; the realism is still there. Don’t forget there was fly-by-wire in Frontier too."[13]
So there is a fly-by-wire system that keeps the ship within flight parameters, with a flight assist mode that is on by default, that helps you maintain your turns and dampen the angular momentum when rolling, pitching and yawing by automatically calculating the thruster forces needed to stabilize the ship and reduce the skidding.
The server transparently creates free roaming sessions (instances) when meeting other players and NPCs within that galaxy based on a perception bubble around you, that is defined by your scanner/visual range. That means that those instances are not a fixed location in space as in most other MMOs, but they dynamically move around.
The effects of those instances are then stored on the central galaxy server and shared by everybody.
Because the game features very high speed twitch combat and very detailed damage models, this is the most reliable way to do it, also keep in mind there can be many sessions within a star system and those sessions can dynamically move around, also because this game uses a 1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy, sessions will typically be spread out much farther away (although most of the action will be within the core systems) and it wouldn't be immersion breaking as opposed to a space game in a smaller area.
How will single player work? Will I need to connect to a server to play?
Yes. The online galaxy of Elite: Dangerous is a shared universe maintained by a central server. All of the meta data for the galaxy is shared between players. This includes the galaxy itself as well as transient information like economies. The aim here is that a player's actions will influence the development of the galaxy, without necessarily having to play multiplayer.
The other important aspect for the developers is that they can seed the galaxy with events, often these events will be triggered by player actions. With a living breathing galaxy players can discover new and interesting things long after they have started playing.
Yes, Elite: Dangerous will officially support OR at initial release. It's already supported in "Elite: Dangerous" Alpha Combat Test 1.1, released 20.12.2013.