Elite Dangerous: Difference between revisions

UnlikeElite previousDangerous games,has ina Elitescientifically Dangerousaccurate the1:1 Milky Wayscale [[Galaxy|Milky Way galaxy]] willwhich evolveevolves in real-time. As players explore, the different factions will be seen to spread to further star systems, colonizingcolonize planets and buildingbuild space [[Station|stations]]. Players can participate in this process by completing missions for a particular [[Minor Factions|minor faction]] to increase their [[influence]] in thata particular system. This can eventually lead to wars,. which playersPlayers can then continue to help their chosen faction by participating in them. In addition to war, players can also influence minor factions in star systems in other ways such as by causing an economic boom.

New star portsstations are slowly built in real time. These events create opportunities for players in the form oflike [[Community Goals]],. as theThe resources and workers required for building need to be transported to the site, which becomes a prime target for piracy and increaseincreases the demand for bounty hunting.

There are several sentient [[species]] in the Milky Way galaxy. The most notable are [[Human|Humans]], [[Thargoids]] and [[Guardians]]. More species are yet to be discovered.

Elite Dangerous uses [[Procedural Generation|Procedural generation]]. of content isIt's a technique where content is generated from rules. It abstracts repetitive or arbitrary elements of content creation in a very efficient way.

Imagine a medieval landscape. Laying out towns, roads, castles, farm land, forests and so on can be done by a system of rules – putting castles widely spaced out on vantage points, towns near rivers but under the protection of such a castle, roads between them, then with farm land to support them all. An artist can still design the castle, the houses in the towns, but this approach greatly magnifies the content that can be created. [[Frontier: Elite II]] did this for the star systems, and planets, and with Elite Dangerous,. [[Frontier Developments]] havewill gonego evenmuch further with this technique in Elite Dangerous.

Unlike RPGs, players in Elite Dangerous do not choose their [[Roles|role]] by customising their character. Instead, the choice and customisation of their ship gears it towards specific role(s). Some examples are [[Roles#Trader|Trader]], [[Miner]], [[Roles#Explorer|Explorer]], [[Roles#Bounty Hunter|Bounty Hunter]], [[Smuggler]], [[Courier]], [[Mercenary]], [[Assassin]] and [[Roles#Pirate|Pirate]]. However, hybrid roles are possible through emergent gameplay e.g. For example defensive bounty hunting while trading in a multipurpose vessel, or taking long-range trade missions and exploring systems along the way.

In order to allow each player to explore each role they are able to own multiple ships. andEvery eachship can be customised to fill a certain role. WhenUnused notships in use a ship isare stored in astation stationhangars and can be retrieved by returning to that station at any time,. orIt havingcan italso be delivered to a station younear areyour atlocation, as long as it has a shipyard.

[[File:Elite Dangerous Trading Dev Diary|right|250px]][[Roles#Trader|Trading]] inIn previous Elite games [[trading]] was limited to a relatively small number of different commodities such as hydrogen fuel, precious metals, computers etc.

Traders in Elite Dangerous have access to a largevast number of commodities, both legal and illegal. AlsoThere's presentalso are "[[rare commodities]]" thatwhich are unique to a specific star system. andThese increase in value the further from their origin they are're sold.

Instead of static prices per star systemssystem, [[Commodities Market|markets]] respond to events going on in the vicinity such as war, famine, blockades etc. This creates the opportunity for players to "game" the markets by manipuatingmanipulating supply and demand.

Players are also able to [[Smuggler|smuggle]] goods, needingby to movemoving fast or use precise management of ship heat in order to slip past station security forces.

Players are able tocan steal cargo from other ships by using a variety of means. They can employ [[Limpet Controller/Hatch Breaker|hatch-breaker limpetlimpets]]s which, when fired at an un-shielded target, will latch onto the [[Cargo Hatch|cargo hatch]] and extract cargo canisters from it. In addition, once shields have been dropped a player can shoot the cargo hatch manually to damage it which will havehas the same effect, but inrequires mostmore casesskill takesin moremost skillcases. Once stolen cargo has been scooped, it can be smuggled and sold on the black market at stations and outposts thatwith feature[[Black onemarket|black markets]].

Various combat events (e.g. performing tight turns, firing weapons) heat up thea ship's hull, which will makemakes the ship easier to be spotted on scanners,. whichThis in turn will makemakes it easier for [[Piratespirates]] and bounty hunters to locate such ships. This means thathelps players will be able to detect on-going battles and join in. [[David Braben]] has hinted at the ability for combatants to communicate with ships in the vicinity to "do deals".{{cite}} This maycould mean that the player may get a share of the profits if they save a trader from pirates or get a share inof the loot if they don't mind getting a bounty on their head.

Throughout the galaxy players may encounter computernon-player ships, which are controlled shipsby AI, and otherreal players thatwho have taken to a life of crime. Once scanned, a player is able tocan see the current [[bounty]] issued against that pilot. If destroyed in combat the player will receive a bounty voucher. that theyIt can redeembe redeemed at a [[starport]] controlled by the faction that issued the bounty to getreceive thea reward.

As a result of thisConsequently, many criminals seek refuge in systems with an anarchy status. Anarchy systems are ruled by a faction that doesdoesn't not respectenforce the rule of law. However, players are able to scan other ships in these systems with a [[Kill Warrant Scanner|kill warrant scanner]] in order to see if they are wanted in any other systems. Upon destroying thema theywanted willship bethe ableplayer tocan travel to the system the bounty was issued in and claim it.

Players arecan ablemine toa mineplethora resourcesof [[materials]] from planetary ring systems and asteroid belts inthat orbit around stars. OnceWhen a [[Mining Laser|mining laser]] and [[refinery]] module isare equipped to a ship, the player can fire at a suitable asteroidasteroids and use theirthe cargo scoop to collect the asteroid chunks. The pieces are refined onboard the ship.

[[Limpet|Limpets]]s - disposable autonomous drones - can be very helpful when mining. [[Limpet Controller/Prospector|Prospector]] limpets can help you find the best resources, while [[Limpet Controller/Collector|Collector]] limpets can retrieve mined asteroid chunks for you.

Refineries have temporary bins that will store a refined product (after you have've scooped it);. onceOnce each respective bin reaches 100%, the bin contents will then be automatically transferred to your cargo hold as a unit of 1, at which point it can be sold at a station.

Previous Elite games tried to obey the laws of physics to a certain extent. This meant conventional thrusters were limited by the laws of relativity i.e. players could notcouldn't travel faster than light within a star system. [[Frontier: Elite II]] used the Stardreamer feature (perceived time dilation, as a result ofby slowing the pilotspilot's bodily functions) as a realism/gameplay trade-off.

However, such a mechanism would notdon't work in a multiplayer game,. soThus Elite Dangerous features faster-than-light travel called [[Supercruise]]. Each ship comes equipped with a [[Frame Shift Drive]] (FSD) thatwhich allows it to travel faster than light within a star system, or to other star systems via a [[Hyperspace]] jump. A FSD can be upgraded to increase its range, enabling faster travel around the galaxy or forand long-range exploration. The Hyperspace range of ana FSD is decreased by the ship's mass, so know. thatSo if your areship is outfitted with heavier ship partscomponents (hardpoints, internal modules, etc) your jump distance will be reduced. The mass of any carried cargo or fuel reduces it, too. This is referred to as the laden and unladen jump range.

Planetary LandingsLanding areon nowrealistic, full-sized, airless planets and moons is possible withsince athe newrelease of the season of updates, called [[Horizons|Elite Dangerous: Horizons]]. In which youYou can land, you may visit [[outpost|outposts]], or[[starport|starports]], use a [[SRV's]] to drive and explore the surface for materials, alien and fungal[[Fungal Life| lifeforms]] etc.

Ships can be customized and [[Outfitting|outfitted]]. toThis givegives the player control over its strengths and weaknesses. Modules within each ship affect how the shipit performs and functions. [[Thrusters]], [[Sensors]], [[Frame Shift Drive|Frame Shift Drives]]s, [[Power Plant|Power Plants]]s, and more can all be swapped out to customise a ship. [[Livery]] - paintjobs and decals - canare also becustomizable customisedtoo. All ship customization takes place in the the outfitting screen when docked at a [[station]], [[outpost]] or outpost[[starport]].

Weapon [[hardpointHardpoint|hardpoints]]s on a ship can be either stowed or deployed. Other players in your vicinity who have their weapons stowed will show up on your scanner will indicatewith a square symbol,. thisThis changes to a triangle when their weapons are deployed. NPC craftships have solid squares/triangles,. realReal players (CmdrsCMDRs) symbols are hollow.

==Realistic Astrophysics and Scale==

Elite Dangerous features realistic astrophysics, with bodies in star systems at the correct distances, scale, and movingmove along their orbital paths in real time. Planets orbit and rotate around stars in 1:1 scale and real-time. The universe is modeled based on authentic and current galactic charts. New features will be added iteratively over time. David Braben has confirmed the inclusion of new encounters with e.g. comets, black holes and quasars.

==Development and Expansions==

Expansions[[Frontier Developments|Frontier]] uses an iterative approach with development. They gradually build upon features to Eliteexpand Dangerousand improve them. Expansions and major updates will bring [[Features in the expansions|various new features]] to theElite gameDangerous. Some of these were available in previous Elite games and some are completely new to thisthe oneElite series. [[Horizons]] is the first expansion which consists of a season with major updates whichthat add many new features, content and contentimprovements to the Milky Way galaxy.