The expansions include significant new features such as seamless freeform (manual pitch/yaw/roll) '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will it be possible to manually land on planets.3F|atmospheric flight and landings]]''' and '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I walk around the ship.2C planets and space stations.3F|on-foot and out-of-ship activities]]''' (such as FPS combat, walking around and boarding ships, walking in stations and walking and driving vehicles on entire 1:1 scale populated living planets), '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will I be able to hire crew for my ship.3F|multi-player crew]]''' and '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I own and control capital ships.3F|player executive controlled capital ships]]'''.
David Braben has said there will be several features not included at launch but will be eventually added in future updates. These features include:
Frontier intends to release small, free updates after launch. Expansions that include significant new features and content will have to be purchased.
For example, the initial roadmap is to add these features over the following expansions (in no particular order): [http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=1824c0b05a][http://www.pcgamesn.com/elite-dangerous/elite-dangerous-standard-beta-begins-next-week-last-chance-grab-lifetime-expansion-pack]
[[File:Wallpaper12.jpg|thumb|180px]]
* '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will it be possible to manually land on planets.3F|Landing]] / [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I walk around the ship.2C planets and space stations.3F|driving / prospecting on airless rocky planets, moons & asteroids]]'''
===The ability to land on a planet's surface ===
* '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I walk around the ship.2C planets and space stations.3F|Walking around interiors and combative boarding of other ships]]'''
* '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I walk around the ship.2C planets and space stations.3F|Combat and other interactions with other players and AIs in the internal areas of star ports]]'''
* '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I walk around the ship.2C planets and space stations.3F|Accessing richly detailed planetary surfaces]]'''
* '''[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Can I own and control capital ships.3F|Availability of giant ‘executive control’ ships to players]]'''
: The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM0Gcl7iUM8&t=35 scope for ''Elite'' is huge], so a sensible strategy is used to add to the game in stages.
Keep in mind that the game has been [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM0Gcl7iUM8&t=151 well planned and designed from the start] with all these features in mind (it is not an afterthought) and [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Does_the_.22Elite:_Dangerous.22_developer_Frontier_Developments_have_enough_expertise_to_pull_off_such_an_ambitious_project.3F Frontier Developments already has the technology for this.]
At launch you will not be able to descend all the way down to the planet surface.
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yd-m9AR7mY The Future of Elite: Dangerous]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM0Gcl7iUM8&t=35 Elite: Dangerous - Development Plan video]
*[http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5659 Q&A about Development Plan]
===[[File:Wallpaper09.jpg|thumb|180px]]The ability to move around within ships===
*[http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=ac1081437f&e=0439f6773e#launch%20and%20beyond Newsletter about Landing on Planets, Ship interiors and Walking around]
*[https://games.yahoo.com/video/interview-elite-dangerouss-david-braben-211040547.html In-depth Yahoo interview with David Braben about the scope of Elite.]
At launch Elite: Dangerous will be similar to the other incarnations of Elite in that you will be stuck in your cockpit looking out. However David Braben has said he would like to implement moving around inside your ship with functionality such as fighting fires etc.
*[http://www.edge-online.com/features/frontier-developments-elite-dangerous-the-rebirth-of-a-legend/ In-depth Edge article with David Braben and Jonny Watts about the scope of Elite.]
===[[File:Stationinside_08.jpg|thumb|180px]]The ability to leave your ship===
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Elite Dangerous Development Plan
Also mentioned was the ability to leave your ship, board other people's ships and walk on planetary surfaces as well as in space stations and ground stations. Suggested outcomes by David Braben include sneaking onto another ship, possibly even stealing them as well as big game hunting on planetary surfaces.
First encounters1 320.jpg|[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier:_First_Encounters Frontier: First Encounters] (Elite III) - 1995|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier:_First_Encounters
At launch Elite: Dangerous will be similar to the other incarnations of Elite in that you will be stuck in your cockpit looking out. However David Braben has said he would like to implement moving around inside your ship with functionality such as fighting fires etc.
Also mentioned was the ability to leave your ship, board other people's ships and walk on planetary surfaces as well as in space stations and ground stations. Suggested outcomes by David Braben include sneaking onto another ship, possibly even stealing them as well as big game hunting on planetary surfaces.
