Pilots Guide
This guide is designed to help a new or experienced pilot get the most out of their spacecraft. It uses the Falcon Delacy Sidewinder as an example but the concepts are applicable to all spacecraft in the universe of Elite: Dangerous.
For a more detailed guide see Forger's detailed pilot's guide.
Also check the official guide for the Beta 2 additions.
And the official Beta FAQ.
Pilot Training
These videos outline the basics of Elite: Dangerous and are recommended for all new players.
Center HUD
The centre area shows important tactical information.
Target Information
Displays textual information on the current target, such as their name, ship type, and currently targeted subsystem. If no target is selected then information on the system is displayed.
Target Hologram
Shows a holographic image of the current target.
The following information is provided by the hologram:
- orientation relative to ship
- shield strength
- displayed as three blue circles for full shields and reduces to three red for downed shields
- hull health
- displayed underneath the target ship model
- position of incoming damage
- displayed as flashes of light on the hologram
Compass
The white circle marker indicates the position of the target relative to the ship's current heading. If the marker is a solid white then the target is in front of the ship and if the marker is an outline then the target is behind. The Compass turns blue when the ship is lined up for a hyperspace jump to another system.
Heat Indicator
Displays the current temperature of the ship (as a percentage). Once the ship reaches around 140% heat it will begin to take damage. Normally heat is radiated away from the ship through vents, however there are still a few ways that a ship can overheat - flying too close to a star, Silent Running mode which will stop the ship from emitting heat will cause the heat to build up inside the ship, or using too many heat inducing modules too quickly (such as continual boosting followed by FSD activation). Under normal conditions, the heat vents of a ship will be able to keep a ship's heat manageable - though, in some situations the pilot may want to use a (previously equipped) Heat Sink Launcher to cool the ship.
Scanner
| Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | Friendly |
| Yellow | Neutral |
| Red | Hostile |
| Grey | Cargo or FSD Wake |
| Flashing Red | Shooting at Player |
| Square | Weapons Not Deployed |
| Triangle | Weapons Deployed |
| Solid Icon | NPC |
| Outlined Icon | Player |
| Flickering Yellow | Unresolved Contact |
Displays contacts and signals in the surrounding area. Objects are displayed depending on their position to the player's ship. Contacts are shown in various colours and shapes, indicating information about each contact. All signals are resolved once their signature strength exceeds a certain sensor threshold. Signature strength is determined based on distance to the signal and its emitted heat. The scanner can be switched between linear and logarithmic mode, in logarithmic mode the area nearest to the ship is magnified to provide more resolution on the relative positions of object nearby.
The yellow marker in the gauge directly underneath the edge of the scanner circle shows the current scanning range. The scanner range is smaller if the marker is towards the left-hand side and at its maximum when set to the far right. By default the scanner range can be changed by pressing Page Up to decrease range and Page Down to increase range.[citation needed]
Speed Indicator
The speed indicator displays many things and can be one of the most important gauges when maneuvering.
- The current speed is displayed at the top as a number
- The horizontal bars indicate how fast the ship is moving relative to it's normal maximum speed (note that it is possible to temporarily go faster than the normal maximum by boosting)
- The moving horizontal line represents the current throttle
- The blue section indicates the optimal turning speed - try to keep the throttle within this zone to make tight maneuvers
Ship Hologram
Shows a holographic image of your ship.
The following information is provided by the hologram:
- orientation relative to ship
- shield strength
- displayed as three blue circles for full shields and reduces to three red for downed shields
- hull health
- displayed underneath the target ship model
- position of incoming damage
- displayed as flashes of light on the hologram
Power Distribution
Displays the current power distribution between the ship's three capacitors - Systems (SYS), Engines (ENG), and Weapons (WEP). Energy in each capacitor is filled based upon how many pips are allocated to that capacitor.
There are 6 pips that can be distributed at any time between the three capacitors by pressing the Left Arrow for Systems, Up Arrow for Engines, Right Arrow for Weapons, and Down Arrow to reset the pips to 2/2/2. Each capacitor can be allocated a maximum of 4 pips which will cause them to regenerate at maximum speed and a minimum of 0 pips which will cause them to not regenerate at all.
Each capacitor can store a maximum amount of energy determined by the ship's Power Distributor. When power is expended (either by shooting, regenerating shields, boosting, etc.) it then begins to regenerate back to maximum capacity at a rate determined by how many pips are allocated to its capacitor.
Players can view what capacitor each module draws from in the ship's right control panel under the Module section.
Systems
Shield and ship systems draw energy from this capacitor. The more energy stored here, the faster the shields will recharge. Pips in this capacitor will influence the overall strength of the shields (note that zero pips will result in very weak shields).
Engines
Boosting draws energy from this capacitor. A boost can only be activated if there is a sufficient amount of energy stored. Pips in this capacitor will influence the ship's maximum speed, optimum maneuverability range, and top boost speed.
Weapons
Weapons and some scanners draw energy from this capacitor. Pips in this capacitor will allow weapons to cool faster thus reducing overheating problems.
Signature
The waveform in the heat signature display indicates how much heat the ship is emitting to space. A flatter waveform means less heat is being emitted, therefore it will be more difficult for the sensors of other ships to detect the ship's signature. When Silent Running is switched on the waveform will be replaced with blue "Silent Running" text.
Contacts Panel (Left Panel)
This panel shows contacts and subsystems of a targeted contact. The contacts sub-panel can be used to target a contact. It shows the type of the target, hull health and shield strength.
Once the target is scanned, the subsystems panel will show more information on specific sub-systems of it, and allowing players to target them. The health of each subsystem of the target is displayed here.
Systems Panel (Right Panel)
This panel has two important sub-panels: Modules, Fire Groups
Modules
The modules panel shows each system module of the ship along with its health, type and amount of power drawn from the power plant (this translates in to heat generated).
Modules can be turned on/off and re-prioritized. Prioritization affects which systems will shut down first if the ship cannot sustain energy flow for all modules (due to damage to the power plant).
Disabled systems don't draw power and thus don't generate heat. Total power usage and heat generated are shown below the list.
Fire Groups
Ships can hold multiple weapons of all varieties and kinds. Fire groups can be assigned to weapons, the Yellow squares representing the primary fire, and the blue squares secondary fire. Multiple fire groups can be created, allowing different combinations of weapons and fire button assignments to be used. Previously created groups can be switched on the fly using the "cycle fire group" button.
The first single-player combat mission starts with a configuration of only one fire group with both weapons assigned as primary, meaning they both fire when the trigger is pressed. In this example, another fire group could be set-up, with only one gun assigned to each of the two fire groups. It will help to try around with this to get a good understanding of the mechanic.
Centre top
Proximity
The two elongated white panels (with red lights in them) flash red or yellow on proximity alerts. These panels may be in a different location or have a different shape depending on the ship's type.
Additional Guides
- Blazing your own trail in Elite: Dangerous
- This infographic provides a good overview and insightful starting information for each profession.
