Elite Dangerous: Difference between revisions

Three seasons of post-launch content updates were released for ''Elite Dangerous'': ''[[Elite Dangerous: Horizons|ED: Horizons]]'' (expansion), ''[[Elite Dangerous: Beyond|ED: Beyond]]'' (season of updates), and ''[[Elite Dangerous: Odyssey|ED: Odyssey]]'' (expansion). Since 27 October 2020, all ''Horizons'' and ''Beyond'' content is included for free with ''Elite Dangerous''.

==Features==

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Vertical-Poster-by-atackart.png|right|250px|thumb|Pre-launch poster for ''Elite Dangerous'']]''Elite Dangerous'' builds upon the legacy and foundations of the classic [[Elite series|''Elite'' games]] while expanding it to a modern context with brand new and innovative features.

* The [[Background Simulation]] is dynamic, complex and reflects the evolution of the known galaxy with ever changing power and system influence of factions in response to player behavior. Every station has its own demands and supply that change dynamically. Players on different platforms cannot directly play with each other. However, every player on every platform affects the same shared galaxy, star systems, factions and the dynamic background simulation.

*Player actions can change the shared, overarching narrative and history of humankind. Such as battle [[pirate]]s, advance a [[:Category:Factions|faction]]'s influence via [[Powerplay]] or participate in [[Community Goals|community goals]] to leave a mark in the galaxy. The shared narrative is influenced by the players who can change the course of events in a [[star system]], the [[Core Systems]] and [[galactic regions]].  

== Game modes==

[[File:Elite Dangerous Physical Gamepack Art.jpg|thumb|250px|Elite Dangerous Physical Gamepack official art]]

Open Play means you may encounter any other player who is also in open. Rendezvous with friends or encounter players by chance. The other players can be friendly, neutral or hostile towards you. This mode has higher risks which makes it more exciting for those who like PvP (Player vs Player).

===Networking tech===

Elite Dangerous has a seamless, lobby-less galaxy, with the ability to rendezvous with friends as the player chooses. The server transparently creates free roaming sessions (instances) when meeting other players and NPCs within those locations in the galaxy based on a perception bubble around the player, that is defined by your scanner/visual range. Those instances are '''not''' a fixed location in space as in other MMOs, but they dynamically move around. The effects of those instances are stored on the central galaxy server and shared by everybody.  There can be many sessions within a [[star system]] and those sessions can dynamically move around. The sessions are typically spread out much further due to the size of the galaxy.

People can play with up to four players in a [[Teams|Team]] or join another ship via [[Multicrew]]. This uses a combination of peer-to-peer (to reduce lag) and server connections. Frontier spent a lot of time to develop a complex, custom built system for instancing and matching players. It is which is way more complicated than a central server.<ref name=":93">[https://archive.li/r1cmc#selection-900.0-900.3 Rolling Stone: 'Elite' Creator on Sci-Fi, Politics and His Studio's Next Big Thing], through archive.today</ref> The networking system has gradually improved since the pre-launch beta phase.

===Massively Multiplayer===

Player encounters are very rare due to the gigantic size of the full-scale Milky Way. Most players are active inside the [[Core Systems]] (aka the Bubble). This inhabited space has the highest concentration of players and NPCs. It has a 200 lightyear radius around [[Sol]] and encompasses circa 20,000 star systems. Furthermore, splitting the players between 3 modes (Solo, Private Group and Open) diminishes the chance to randomly meet other players.

What makes Elite Dangerous massively multiplayer is that it's always online and all players influence the same shared [[Galaxy|Milky Way]] galaxy with a shared, interactive, overarching narrative via the [[Background Simulation|background simulation]]. This persistent galaxy records macro effects and events such as economy, society and war status.

Players on other platforms such as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One could not directly play with each other, but their actions affected the same [[galaxy]] in [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons|ED: Horizons]]. Console support for old-gen consoles ended when [[Elite Dangerous: Odyssey|ED: Odyssey]] became PC only in 2022.<ref name=":1" />

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a12IYynvXlY COPDMCRULEZ - 3 Jun 2017]</ref> On 3 December 2023, for AXIN's 5th Birthday, over 350 CDMRs of the [[Anti-Xeno Initiative]] got together.<ref name=":0">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK9eoD1hVHY Largest instance ever in Elite:Dangerous? - 3 Dec 2023 - CMDR Mechan - YouTube]</ref> There were 150 players in a single instance.<ref name=":0" />

==Evolving Universe==

[[File:Aulin-Enterprise-Station.png|thumb|250px|Aulin Enterprise Orbis Station]]Elite Dangerous has a vast 1:1 scale simulation of the [[galaxy|Milky Way]] which evolves in real-time. The galaxy is based on real scientific principles, scientific data and theories.

In order to allow each player to explore each career they are able to own multiple ships. Every ship can be customised to fill a certain career. Unused ships are stored in station hangars and can be retrieved by returning to that station at any time. It can also be delivered to a station near your location, as long as it has a shipyard. Here are some [[Careers|career]] examples:

===Exploration===

[[File:Anemones-planetary-ring.png|thumb|250px|Anemones and a planetary ring]][[Explorer]]s have the opportunity to earn income and gain reputation by making pioneering jumps into unexplored [[Star system|star systems]], and gathering data on [[planets]], [[stars]] and other points of interest within systems. Exploration data can be sold at the [[Universal Cartographics]] tab of [[Starport]] Services. The first player who sells information about a celestial body will be credited in-game with a "Discovered By" tag on the [[Galaxy Map]].

===Trading===

[[File:Type-9-Heavy-Coriolis-Station.png|thumb|250px|Type-9 Heavy trader and Coriolis station]]In the classic Elite games trading was limited to a relatively small number of different commodities such as hydrogen fuel, precious metals, computers etc. [[Trader]]s in Elite Dangerous have access to a vast number of [[commodities]], both legal and illegal. There's also [[rare commodities]] which are unique to a specific star system. These increase in value the further from their origin they're sold.

The [[Commodities Market|markets]] in star systems and dynamic and respond to events in the vicinity such as war, famine and blockades. This creates opportunities for players to exploit the markets by manipulating supply and demand. Players can [[Smuggler|smuggle]] goods by moving fast or use precise management of ship heat in order to slip past station security forces.

=== Piracy===

[[File:Pirates in rings.jpg|right|250px]]Players can be [[pirates]] and steal cargo from other ships by using a variety of means. They can employ [[Limpet Controller/Hatch Breaker|hatch-breaker limpets]] 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 has the same effect, but requires more skill in most cases. Once stolen cargo has been scooped, it can be smuggled and sold at stations and outposts with [[Black market|black markets]]. The [[Crime & Punishment]] system affects PVP and piracy.

Various combat events (e.g. performing tight turns, firing weapons) heat up a ship's hull, which makes the ship easier to be spotted on scanners. This in turn makes it easier for [[pirates]] and bounty hunters to locate such ships. This helps players detect on-going battles and join in.

===Bounty Hunting===

[[File:Bounty Hunter FDL.jpg|thumb|250px|Bounty hunter]]Throughout the galaxy players may encounter NPC ships, which are controlled by AI, and real players who have taken a life of crime. Once scanned, a player can see the current [[Bounty Hunter|bounty]] issued against that pilot. As a [[bounty hunter]] you can destroy them in combat to receive a [[Bounty Voucher|bounty voucher]]. It can be redeemed at a [[starport]] controlled by the faction that issued the bounty to receive a reward.

Consequently, many criminals seek refuge in systems with an anarchy status. Anarchy systems are ruled by a faction that doesn't enforce 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 a wanted ship the player can travel to the system the bounty was issued and claim it.

=== Mining ===

[[File:Type 9 mining.jpg|thumb|250px|Type-9 mining]]Players can [[miner|mine]] a plethora of [[materials]] from planetary ring systems and asteroid belts that orbit around stars. When a [[Mining Laser|mining laser]] and [[refinery]] module are equipped to a ship, the player can fire at suitable asteroids and use the cargo scoop to collect asteroid chunks. The pieces are refined onboard the ship.

Refineries have temporary bins that will store a refined product (after you've scooped it). Once 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.

==Codex ==

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Codex-Commander-Stats.png|thumb|250px|Commander stats in the Codex]]The [[Codex]] shows your findings and progress in the [[galaxy]]. It has personal stats, session logs, discoveries in both a collaborative and individual way. It also provides encyclopedia-style information about [[lore]] topics, the latest news via [[GalNet]] and exploration data pertaining player-made discoveries of [[species]] and [[Points of Interest]] in the [[Galactic regions|Galactic Regions]].

==Space Travel==

[[File:Anaconda-Hyperspace-Jump.png|thumb|250px|Anaconda hyperspace jump]]The [[Elite series|Classic Elite]] games obeyed the laws of physics to a certain extent. This meant conventional thrusters were limited by the laws of relativity i.e. players couldn't travel faster than light within a star system. [[Frontier: Elite II]] used the Stardreamer feature (perceived time dilation by slowing the pilot's bodily functions) as a realism/gameplay trade-off.

=== Supercruise Overcharge ===

==Galactic and personal==

[[File:Horizons-reveal-cobra-landing.jpg|thumb|250px|Planetary landing]]Since ED launched on 16 December 2014, the player was limited to experience the galaxy from a ship's cockpit or an SRV seat. However, [[Horizons|ED: Horizons]] update 2.0 added [[Planetary Landings|Planetary Landing]] on December 15, 2015. This made realistic, full-sized, airless [[planets]] and [[moons]] accessible.

Up until early 2021, the player was essentially the vehicle: a ship or SRV. Walking in person was a long awaited feature which the community dubbed "Space legs". In 2021, [[Elite Dangerous: Odyssey|ED: Odyssey]] added [[On Foot]] features which extended the level of detail to a first person scale. The player could finally walk around as an individual person rather than a vehicle. Ships became extensions of the player. [[Atmospheric Landing|Atmospheric landing]] on planets with tenuous atmospheres became possible. Players can set foot on unexplored planets and receive an accolade that recognizes their [[First Footfall]] on a planet.<ref>[https://customersupport.frontier.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/4405415875218-What-is-the-First-Footfall-system-in-the-Odyssey-expansion What is the First Footfall system in the Odyssey expansion? - 20 August 2021 - Frontier Developments]</ref> Visit [[Settlement|settlements]], [[outpost]]s, [[starport]]s etc. Drive around with an [[SRV]] or walk in person to explore the surface for [[materials]], alien [[species]] etc.

==Customization==

===Outfitting===

[[File:Ship-Outfitting-Fer-de-Lance.png|thumb|250px|Outfitting Fer-De-Lance]][[Ships]] are highly customisable via [[outfitting]]. This gives the player control over its strengths and weaknesses. Modules within each ship affect how it performs and functions. [[Thrusters]], [[Sensors]], [[Frame Shift Drive]]s, [[Power Plant]]s and more can all be swapped. [[Livery]] - paintjobs and decals - are customizable too. All ship customization occurs in the outfitting screen when docked at a [[station]], [[outpost]] or [[starport]]. Anno 2024, there are 40 flyable [[ships]], 6 [[Ship-Launched Fighters]] (SLF), and the [[Drake-Class Carrier]]. They are designed by 7 ship manufacturers and each ship has a distinct spec, purpose, handling, and capabilities.

===Hardpoints===

A wide variety of energy, projectile and missile-based weapons are available for ships. These are thermal, kinetic, thermal kinetic, explosive and defensive weapons. There are also mining lasers.

The [[Hardpoint|hardpoints]] on a ship can be stowed or deployed. Other players in your vicinity who have their weapons stowed will show up on your scanner with a square symbol. This changes to a triangle when their weapons are deployed. NPC ships have solid squares/triangles. Real players (CMDRs) symbols are hollow.

==Vehicles==

[[File:SRV-Scarab-Driving-Planet.png|thumb|250px|SRV Scarab drives on a planet]]The first available [[Vehicles|vehicle]] is the [[SRV]] [[Scarab]]. It's primarily designed for [[Explorer|exploration]] to allow pilots to drive and jump across planetary surfaces. It's also useful for [[Miner|mining]] [[materials]]. The [[Planetary Vehicle Hangar]] module provides a hangar space on-board a ship to carry and repair an SRV. It's equipped with a [[Wave Scanner]] which is an unidirectional long-range forward facing scanner that detects a variety of vehicles and points of interest. A 2 seater combat SRV called the [[Scorpion]] was added with [[Elite Dangerous: Odyssey|ED: Odyssey]] in 2021.

==Realistic Astrophysics and scale==

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Milky-Way-Galaxy.png|thumb|250px|Milky Way in Elite Dangerous]]Elite Dangerous features realistic astrophysics, with bodies in star systems at the correct distances, scale, and move 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 recent galactic charts. New features will be added iteratively over time. [[David Braben]] confirmed the inclusion of new encounters with e.g. comets, black holes and quasars.

File:How_BIG_is_Elite_Dangerous%3F_(Galaxy_map_size)

</gallery>

==Aliens==

[[File:Thargoid-Scouts-and-Interceptors.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Scouts and Interceptors]][[File:Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]There are several sapient [[species]] in the Milky Way. The most notable are [[Human]], [[Thargoid]] and [[Guardian]]. There's speculation about additional species, but they are yet to be discovered.

The [[Guardians]] were an alien humanoid species which became extinct 1 to 2 million years ago.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTtiGxJIFyM YouTube: PAX East 2017 - Interview with David Braben]</ref> Their [[Ancient Ruins]] were first discovered in the Synuefe XR-H D11-102 system on October 27, 3302.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/59l4hk/cmdr_xdeath_found_the_monolith/ reddit: Cmdr xdeath found the monolith!]</ref> The decrypted data from the ruins, as well as from [[Structures]] discovered the following year, provided significant insights into the history and culture of the Guardians.

==Story==

''Elite Dangerous'', like the classic ''Elite'' games, takes place in the fictional [[Elite Universe|''Elite'' ''universe'']]. It is set 50 years after the events of ''[[Frontier: First Encounters]]'', starting in the year 3300 (which equals 2014). The alien [[Thargoid]] [[species]], introduced in ''Elite (1984)'', also returned in ED.[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Hero-Connected-Artwork.png|Elite Dangerous hero connected artwork|thumb|250px]]Elite Dangerous features a shared narrative which is influenced by players on all platforms. This occurs with community events like [[Salomé]], community goals and [[Powerplay]] activities. All of the meta data for the galaxy is shared between players. It's not traditional storytelling, rather an interactive, overarching narrative. Players have influenced and changed the course of events. The story unfolds in real time, in which players decide the outcomes and can be the stars.<ref>[https://www.polygon.com/2014/12/16/7402069/elite-dangerous-launch-campaign-single-player-story Polygon: Elite: Dangerous actually has a story, here's how to find it]</ref> The latest news on in-game events and remarkable stories are reported on [[GalNet]]. See the [[Elite Dangerous Timeline]] for a chronological list of events.

''"But those are stories that work for all the players. You know, if you get invited to join a secret organisation, that can happen to lots of people. And the great thing is, if it doesn't happen to you you'll go ‘oh, why have they not invited me?‘ But then that's exciting, you'll think ‘oh well, ok, I did kill that policeman the other day, maybe I need to get my reputation a bit higher."''<ref name=":15" />

===Summary===

[[Elite Dangerous Role Playing Game|EDPRG]] has an official description of life in ED: cheap and faster than light travel has enabled humanity to expand across the stars. This led to the rise of the [[Federation]], [[Empire]] and [[Alliance]]. These major [[factions]] attract [[Power|powerful people]] who scheme to gain more power.<ref name=":23">[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/edrpg/elite-dangerous-role-playing-game Kickstarter: Elite Dangerous Role Playing Game]</ref>

The middle-classes of the galaxy can afford spaceships like cars in the 20th century. People who own spaceships gain tremendous freedom. They're encouraged to do all kinds of jobs such as delivering goods and supplies to [[Station|stations]]. For people in the bottom of society, little has changed. Space trade is seldom hampered by politics. The planet-spanning [[Mega Corporation|mega corporations]] employ entire nations and rule unchecked over vast sections of the [[galaxy]]. There's a laissez faire attitude towards weapon ownership and people are inclined to shoot first. The general lawlessness of space, navigational hazards and fierce creatures on [[planets]] make it a dangerous place.<ref name=":23" />

==Procedural Content==

[[File:Elite Dangerous - procedural generation|right|250px]]''Elite Dangerous'' uses procedural generation. It is 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 etc. 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 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]] used this tech for star systems and planets. [[Frontier Developments]] goes much further with this technique in Elite Dangerous.

==Flight Model==

The [[Flight Model|flight model]] of Elite Dangerous has Newtonian physics with a fly-by-wire layer applied over the top to make the combat feel visceral and seat-of-the-pants, rather than [[Frontier: Elite II|Frontier]]'s jousting at huge distances.<ref name=":03">[https://www.pcgamesn.com/elite-dangerous-will-have-100-billion-star-systems-plus-thargoids-braben-reveals-whats-next PCGamesN: Elite: Dangerous will have 100 billion star systems, plus Thargoids — Braben reveals what's next]</ref>

The fly-by-wire system of [[Flight Assist]] is a ship computer which keeps the ship within flight parameters, constrains the angular and linear velocity and makes it easier to pilot. It can be turned off so you have to manually adjust the thruster forcers, but Flight Assist and fly-by-wire is always partially on to keep the ship movement in specified limits overlayed on a Newtonian mechanics model.

==Virtual Reality==

Elite Dangerous is a groundbreaking title for [[Virtual Reality|virtual reality]] gaming, because its one of the first major titles to offer full VR support with an exceptionally immersive experience in an all-encompassing universe. It was the go to game for many VR headset demos before the devices were commercially available. From a technical standpoint, Elite Dangerous is one of the PC’s most high-end VR titles, pushing even very powerful PCs to their limit. Elite Dangerous is designed from the ground up to support Virtual Reality and 4K Ultra HD display technology. It has Cutting-edge visual quality and performance enabled by Frontier's COBRA engine. It supports the latest displays at 4K resolution, and is built for the future with full 8K and 16K support. It's compatible with Oculus Rift, SteamVR and Vive headsets.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180324213554/https://www.elitedangerous.com/en/made-for-vr/ Elite Dangerous: Made for VR], through archive.org</ref>

The [[Elite Dangerous: Odyssey|ED: Odyssey]] expansion added [[On Foot|on foot]] first person gameplay in 2021. However, this currently does not support virtual reality. There are issues with motion sickness and the user interface that require significant changes to make VR enjoyable.

==Sound and Music ==

[[File:Elite_Dangerous_OST_Cover.jpg|thumb|250px|Elite Dangerous OST, released on April 1, 2015]]The [[Elite Dangerous Music]] was made by composer [[Erasmus Talbot]] and Frontier Head of Audio, [[Jim Croft]]. The Elite Dangerous Original Soundtrack has over 2 hours of music content to immerse yourself in the Elite Dangerous universe.

File:Elite_Dangerous_Soundtrack_-_Menu|Menu and Theme Song

</gallery>

==Elite Dangerous Packaging==

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Limited-Edition-Box-Set.png|thumb|Elite Dangerous Limited Edition Box Set|250px]]Elite Dangerous was delivered to most people digitally. There was a special boxed edition and a Limited Edition Box Set for certain Kickstarter backers and the [https://www.frontierstore.net/ Frontier Store]. Some backers received an official star map poster.

The Elite Dangerous Limited Edition Box Set was part of certain Kickstarter rewards which backers received. The Limited Edition Box Set contained an Elite branded polo shirt with the correct shirt size, a limited edition game pack (copy of the game), a paperback novel of [[Elite: Legacy]], the original soundtrack, an Elite pin badge which worked as a fastener and a personalized letter written by [[David Braben]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empire OBE] for each of the 7,000 recipients. It all fit into a bespoke shipping carton and was distributed to 7,000 individuals worldwide. It was designed so that owners felt like they received something special. This boxed set was nominated and ‘Highly Commended’ in the 2015 British Luxury Packaging Design Awards.<ref>[http://www.bridgemediagroup.com/Blog/files/tag-elite-dangerous.html Bridge Media Group: Elite Dangerous], through archive.org</ref>

==Behind the Name==

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Official-Key-Art.png|250px|thumb|Elite Dangerous official key art]][[David Braben]] explained the story behind the name: ''"This is Elite 4, but I wanted something that was a fresh start. We looked at the story behind the other names. So Frontier is because the key thing with Frontier versus Elite is the action takes place on the periphery, on the frontier. Because logically from a story perspective if you imagine sort of cowboy semi lawless worlds they will tend to be on the frontier of human space. The core systems will be a lot more secure. You wouldn't get unruly systems so close."''<ref name=":83" />

Dangerous is the third best rank for members of the [[Pilots Federation]] and the galaxy is dangerous. Here's related lore: ''"Relentless, increasingly well organized piracy and the need to maintain their reputation and influence as the best of the best caused the Elite Pilots Federation to start opening its membership to candidates from the Deadly rank who were able to pass a rigorous test and then, as demand continued to soar, to those from the Dangerous rank."''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200517111759/https://us2.campaign-archive.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=f72c0f91b2 Elite Dangerous Newsletter #22]</ref><ref>Elite Dangerous - Digital Art Book</ref>

==Buy to Play==

''Elite Dangerous'' has a fixed, one-time purchase price, and no subscription fees or free-to-play fees. After purchasing the game, it can be played at any time provided that the owner has an adequate internet connection and the servers are online. Only one player profile is permitted per account, however, and players who wish to have multiple profiles must purchase multiple accounts.

All microtransactions are [[Livery|cosmetic]] except [[Ships|Pre-Built Ships]] which give newbies a jump-start in a [[:Category:Careers|career]]. In order to purchase cosmetics, players must first purchase a denomination of the microtransaction currency [[ARX]]; players can also earn up to 400 ARX per week through normal gameplay.

==Development==

===Planning ===

[[File:Edge-Magazine-Elite-Dangerous-Rebirth-of-a-Legend.png|thumb|250px|Edge magazine, Elite Dangerous - The Rebirth of a Legend]]At the 2011 Game Developers Conference, [[David Braben]] gave the presentation [http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014628/Classic-Game-Postmortem Classic Game Postmortem - ELITE]. During the Q&A, an audience member asked, ''"Is Elite 4 still on the drawing board?"'' Braben answered, ''"Yes, it would be a tragedy for it not to be."''<ref>[http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014628/Classic-Game-Postmortem GDC Vault: Classic Game Postmortem]</ref>

[[Frontier Developments|Frontier]] had been working on the game as a "skunk-works" background activity for some time prior to its Kickstarter launch. Other projects were prioritized. It ''“...has been worked upon by a small team as a ‘skunk-works’ activity in the background as availability permits”''<ref name=":103">[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/06/elite_dangerous_on_kickstarter/ The Register: Classic game 'Elite' returns … on Kickstarter]</ref> Elite Dangerous uses Frontier's own state-of-the-art in-house COBRA Engine tools and technology. COBRA has been carefully planned, developed and evolved since 1988.<ref>[https://www.frontier.co.uk/node/639 Frontier: COBRA DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY & TOOLS]</ref>

===Kickstarter===

Elite Dangerous was first announced to the public on November 5, 2012.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/EliteDangerousOfficial/posts/10152235720990564?__tn__=C-R Facebook: Elite Dangerous, 5 Nov 2012]</ref> Over a quarter of a century after the original, David Braben of [[Frontier Developments]] launched a successful Kickstarter campaign in November 2012. The purpose was to test-market the concept, verify whether there's broader interest in a fourth game and to raise funds to help make the game.

Braben wrote, ''"We’re using Kickstarter both as a means of test-marketing the concept to verify there is still interest in such a game that extends beyond the individuals who regularly contact me about the game, and raising the funds to do so. There is also the fact that as long as we hit the threshold, it commits us to making the game."''<ref name=":103" /> By April 2014, £1.7m had been raised.<ref>[http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/DAVID-ELKS-thesentinel/story-20992380-detail/story.html The Sentinel: David Elks: Gaming industry is worth the investment], through archive.today</ref> This was a fraction of the total budget for developing the base-game, Elite Dangerous (1.0). At Gamescom 2014, Braben said, ''"The original budget, because we put a lot of our money towards it, was £8m, it's grown by quite a lot."''<ref name=":113">[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-09-11-elite-dangerous-original-budget-was-8m Eurogamer: Elite: Dangerous' original budget was £8m]</ref>

===Design Decision Forum ===

People who pledged £300 or more in the [[Elite Dangerous]] Kickstarter were invited to take part in the Design Decision Forum (DDF), a private section of the Frontier forums, giving them an unusually high level of access to and input in the development of the game. DDF members received no in-game privileges.

Discussion in the DDF was closely focused on proposal documents written by Frontier staff as part of the game development process, which were then posted for discussion. Frontier have stated that all posts in the DDF were read by the development team, and developers frequently engaged in discussions and dialogue on the forum, sometimes starting polls to gauge community feeling. However, the final decision on all aspects of development remained with Frontier.

===Pre-release builds===

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Alpha-1.0-Dec-2013.png|thumb|250px|ED Alpha 1.0 December 2013]]Those who pledged big during the Kickstarter got beta-access. People also bought beta access at £50 a pop. This included the full game. In mid-August 2014, more than 75,000 people were playing the Elite: Dangerous beta, providing ''"more and more money that moves ever closer to the game breaking even in a really good way."''<ref name=":113" />

Iconic features of the classic ''[[Elite]]'' games were updated for ''ED'' such as the [[Coriolis]] station and the [[Cobra Mk III]]. The Coriolis was the first updated station for ED's modern visual character. Many [[ships]] are based on the classic, polygonal shapes of ''Elite (1984)''. Thus ED continues the rich heritage of the ''Elite'' series.<ref>Official The Art of Elite Dangerous art book, August 17 2016</ref>

===Release===

Elite Dangerous (1.0) was developed and published by Frontier Developments and the Windows PC version launched on December 16, 2014. Since then it has had many updates and launched on multiple platforms.

The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GxJbOMaXa0 Elite Dangerous Premiere] was held in November 2014. There were interviews, videos, speeches, reveals, prize giveaways and a detailed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQXgcV3JMrY 1:10 scale model] of the Cobra MkIII.<ref>[http://daftworks.co.uk/eliterpg/index.php/Elite_Dangerous_Launch_Event Daftworks: Elite Dangerous Launch Event], through archive.org</ref>

===Consoles and Mac ===

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Premiere-Cobra-Model.jpg|thumb|250px|Elite Dangerous Premiere Cobra Model]]The Xbox One version launched on October 6, 2015.<ref name=":63" /> The PlayStation 4 version launched on June 27, 2017.<ref name=":73" /> The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions can be played on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility,<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/ids3nk/ps5_and_xbox_x_support_from_day1_according_to/ reddit: PS5 and Xbox X support from Day1 according to Interview with Joss Herraez]</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/johmtc/elitedangerous_we_can_confirm_that_elite/ reddit: @EliteDangerous: "We can confirm that Elite Dangerous is backwards compatible with Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5."]</ref> However, game ports optimized specifically for next-generation consoles are not currently planned.<ref>[https://twinfinite.net/2020/08/elite-dangerous-odyssey-interview/ Twinfinite: Elite Dangerous Interview: Devs Detail Upcoming Odyssey Expansion]</ref>

The Apple Mac version was released on May 12, 2015.<ref name=":53" /> It doesn't have [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons]] due to the lack of high-performance Compute Shaders in the graphics API's supported by OS X.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/answers-from-the-devs-15-10-15.191898/ Frontier Forums: Answer from the Devs 15/10/15]</ref> Since 11 December 2018 and the Q4 update of [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond|ED: Beyond]], the Mac OS version was no longer playable due to technical barriers.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/important-mac-announcement.424243/ Frontier Forums: Important Mac announcement]</ref>

===Post-launch===

Post-launch it can be estimated that the development budget for Elite Dangerous is in the tens of millions of pounds or more when major updates and expansions are included such as [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons|ED: Horizons]] (2015), [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond|ED: Beyond]] (2018) and [[Elite Dangerous: Odyssey|ED: Odyssey]] (2021).

Since 27 October 2020, all the content of the ''[[Elite Dangerous: Horizons|Horizons]] expansion'' and the ''[[Elite Dangerous: Beyond|Beyond]]'' season of updates is included for free with the base game of ''Elite Dangerous''.

File:Elite Dangerous Cobra Teaser-0|Anaconda interior - old teaser

File:The Making of Elite Dangerous

File:Elite- Dangerous Premiere

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==ED anniversary==

====5th anniversary====

[[File:Elite Dangerous 5th Anniversary infographic.png|thumb|250px]]To celebrate the 5th Anniversary of ''Elite Dangerous ''since it launched on 16 December 2014, [[Frontier Developments]] compiled an infographic illustrating various player milestones and accomplishments.<ref name="5th3">[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/celebrating-5-years-of-elite-dangerous.533151/ Frontier Forums: Celebrating 5 years of Elite Dangerous!]</ref>

File:THIS_IS_ELITE_DANGEROUS_2.0_-_HAPPY_5TH_BIRTHDAY

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== Development Team==

On May 26, 2017, the producer for the Elite Dangerous PS4 version Lloyd Morgan-Moore said, ''“The Elite Dangerous team is over a hundred people strong, and while we have a dedicated PS4 team to handle things like PSN infrastructure, everyone is working on content which will appear simultaneously on all platforms. We don’t regard platforms separately when it comes to content."''<ref>[http://www.redbull.com/en/games/stories/1331858657533/elite-dangerous-ps4-interview Red Bull: The tech behind Elite Dangerous’s PS4 debut]</ref> The team size was confirmed by a few people who visited the Frontier offices during the week of June 9, 2017.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/my-visit-to-frontier-developments-and-the-future-of-the-game.356790/ Frontier Forums: My visit to Frontier Developments and the Future of the Game]</ref>

==Development Plans==

[[Frontier Developments|Frontier]] uses an iterative approach with development. They gradually build upon features to expand and improve them. Expansions and major updates will bring [[Development Plans|various new features]] to Elite Dangerous. Some of these were available in classic Elite games and some are completely new to the [[:Category:Elite series|Elite series]]. [[Horizons]] is the first expansion which consists of a season with major updates that add many new features, content and improvements to the Milky Way. [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond|Beyond]] is the third season of expansions which will add 2 major updates and 2 content updates through 2018.

The_Future_of_Elite_Dangerous

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==Reception==

Check the [[Elite Dangerous Reception and Awards]] page for information about the reception by the press and awards.

=== Sales===

''Elite Dangerous'' sold around 1.7 million franchise units by the end of May 2016. The term "franchise units" combined all sales of the ''Elite Dangerous'' base game and the ''Elite Dangerous: Horizons'' expansion.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161016145046/http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/FDEV/12881582.html London Stock Exchange: Frontier Developments plc Full year trading update], through archive.org</ref>

*By January 13, 2021, the ''Elite Dangerous'' base game had sold over 4 million units.<ref name=":133">[https://web.archive.org/web/20211209035954/https://www.londonstockexchange.com/news-article/FDEV/trading-statement/14824350 London Stock Exchange: Frontier Developments plc Trading statement], through archive.org</ref> A further 8 million base game units were claimed for free on the Epic Games Store during a giveaway week in November 2020.<ref name=":133" />

*By September 2022, over 4.8 million base game units were sold.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230911120811/https://frontier-drupal.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/production/frontier-corp/s3fs-public/press-releases/financial/Frontier%20Developments%20plc%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Accounts%202022.pdf "Annual Reports and Accounts 2022"] (PDF). Frontier Developments. 14 October 2022. Archived from [https://frontier-drupal.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/production/frontier-corp/s3fs-public/press-releases/financial/Frontier%20Developments%20plc%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Accounts%202022.pdf the original] (PDF) on 11 September 2023.</ref>

===Revenue===

In 2019, ''Elite Dangerous'' made more than £100 million ($133m) in revenue. This is a traders quote from the investment firm Liberum in 2019: ''"The company is working on a number of exciting updates for both franchises and our expectation is that we could see a big refresh release of ED in FY20."''<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/aoc8ue/liberum_our_expectation_is_that_we_could_see_a/ reddit: Liberum: "our expectation is that we could see a big refresh release of ED in FY20, five years after launch"]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Br0Ue1-eE YouTube: Frontier's Financial Position and the Future of Elite Dangerous]</ref> By 2020, ED generated more than £100m ($131) of revenue which first released in December 2014<ref>[https://www.financialdirector.co.uk/2020/10/23/frontier-developments-cfo-on-strength-of-video-games-market/ Financial Director: Frontier Developments CFO on strength of video games market]</ref>

===Monthly players===

In March 2021, Elite Dangerous had an estimated 500 thousand monthly active players according to stockbroker report by Liberium.<ref name=":43">[https://massivelyop.com/2021/03/24/elite-dangerous-has-an-estimated-500k-monthly-active-players-according-to-stockbroker-report/ Massivelly Overpowered: Elite Dangerous has an estimated 500K monthly active players according to stockbroker report]</ref> They log into the game on a regular basis and at least once per month, and only count players that are active instead of those who got the game from the Epic Games Store for free.<ref name=":43" />

===Steam concurrent players===

The table below lists the 10 highest records for concurrent ''Elite Dangerous'' players on the Steam platform according to Steam Database.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/selite-dangerous-steam-just-set-a-new-4-year-record-for-concurrent-cmdrs-the-highest-since-nov-2015s-ath.541687/ Frontier Forums: Elite Dangerous (Steam) just set a new All Time record for concurrent CMDRs, beating previous highest in Nov 2015]</ref>

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==Trivia ==

*''Elite Dangerous'' takes place in a 1:1 scale recreation of the Milky Way. The play space is so vast it will take players more than 30,000 years to chart the entire [[galaxy]].<ref>[[:File:Elite-Dangerous-Trivia.png|https://elite-dangerous.fandom.com/wiki/File:Elite-Dangerous-Trivia.png]]</ref>

==See also==

* [[Achievements]]

*[[Elite logo]]

* [[Elite series]]

==Videos==

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File:Beauty of Elite Dangerous -part V-

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==Gallery ==

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File:Elite-Dangerous-Alpha-1.0-Dec-2013.png|ED Alpha 1.0 December 2013

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==References ==

<references />