Elite: Dangerous

[Sir T]

I like mining I have to admit. Like mining in other games its a nice thing to do when you are listening to a podcast or something. Plus I find the action of the collector drones to be oddly hypnotic.

[Falconeer]

Alien noises? Some say you can hear these noises all the times, but what are they?

[Tale]

Alien noises? Some say you can hear these noises all the times, but what are they?

Trumbles?

edit: More here, lower down in the article. Just my theory though.

[Baldrake]

I just picked this game up (after having passed up the half price sale in December). It's making me feel old. There's way too much configuration choice for my limited brain. And I'm hitting a learning curve from never having played a 3D flight sim before.

My real question for now is, I'm struggling with how to set up my Xbox 360 controller. I really don't want to futz with this kind of stuff, at least not yet - I just want to play the game. If anyone has a favourite config, are you willing to point me at it?

[Pennilenko]

I would skip the x box controller and just go keyboard and mouse if you don't have a joystick. You'll have to interact a ton with the keyboard still, even if you set up a x box controller.

[Sky]

I get that they want to cater to the joystick crowd. However, that doesn't interfere with also catering to the 360 controller crowd (and widening the appeal of the game substantially).

I don't even bother with most of these games that can't be easily set up on a controller and get me right into gameplay, add complexity as it goes. I admit I'm too old for that shit these days, I don't have days to sit around learning how to control a game anymore.

[Baldrake]

Thanks - Sky, that makes be feel better.

I figured out that the key is to use the profile that turns off yaw, and then you can map the right stick to something more useful. Booya.

[Falconeer]

The plan/calendar of the other big updates coming this year as part of Season 2.

2.1 – The Engineers
Coming Spring 2016
Everything changes. Introducing an expanded mission system and game-changing loot. Craft exotic weapons and modules for your spacecraft and build a ship unlike any other.

2.2 – Guardians
Coming Summer 2016
Take what comes and strike back with double. Bring a second ship to every combat encounter with Ship-Launched Fighters and defend your passengers against the deadliest threats in the galaxy.

2.3 – The Commanders
Coming Fall 2016
Team up and stand together. Forge your own identity with the new Commander Creator, then share your bridge with Multi-Crew and fly with friends.
 
2.4 – ?
A secret to be revealed in Elite Dangerous: Horizons’ final expansion!

[Venkman]

Just picked up the Elite Arena $7.50-ish thing on Steam.

Pretty fun, though only DM, TDM and CTF modes.

I had been avoiding Elite until I have time to go all full-VR on it. But the lower-cost bet paid off. Also, I can not believe how much value I've gotten out of my MS Sidewinder flight stick. This thing is as old as my very first PC back in '99, complete with the special serial-to-usb adapter. For you youngin's, we're talking hardware that goes abck to the Freespace 2 era, back when that was a thing, before it went so free it became open-source.

Windows 10 recognized it no problem, and it only took some setting fiddling to get it just right for Arena.

I totally suck. I'm all of a decade+ out of practice. But it's real nice to have a combat space sim out there even if I've only got time for the occasional arena version.

[Falconeer]

Sneek Peek of the upcoming patch which introduces some more humans in the coldness of Elite space.

This in an engineer NPC, Todd Blaster something. They are named, unique, react to your reputation and will do things for you if you qualify.

[Samprimary]

so much stuff is supposed to be happening and yet nothing is happening

this game's becoming even more of a ghost town by its already impressively ghosty standards

[Falconeer]

Space Traffic Control coming. Worth noting that the voice refers to you and your ship dynamically using the first three letters of your name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFsJ7e2oDuc&feature=youtu.be

Also, here is a screen of the new Mission page. Human faces everywhere.

[Sir T]

Space makes everyone mopey and sad.

[Surlyboi]

In space, no one can hear you, "meh".

[Sir T]

I'm sorry, but adding faeces faces tot he mission page adds nothing to the in game experience. Hell it can arguably detract from it.

And I bet they still havent fixed the godawful buying modules interface which is what pissed me off so much I largely quit playing.

[Falconeer]

Well this is certainly not the core of the coming expansion, just a couple of welcome additions meant to tackle one of the issues of Elite Dangerous, which is the lack of "life". Faces for missions are actually not only a good thing, but they are faithful to the Frontier (Elite 2) legacy, so it's about time.

Also, I totally understand the "meh". Clearly, Elite Dangerous is more popular than many would have predicted is scratching a lot of itches for a lot of people. It is also absolutely boring to some others and while they keep adding stuff, chances are that the direction they went with will just never click with some players.

[Sir T]

Well yeah. As a "space trucking" game its fantastic. People want it to be "Space battles opera - the game" and it just isn't that. But its great at what it does.

And yeah I was serious about the ship upgrade interface. It was always a bloody chore to use.

[Falconeer]

Approach to one of the new Engineer bases, and first examples of crafting.
Interesting to notice that not only the Engineers offer unique new weapons with unique effects, including stuff that prevents enemies from warping away (!), but they allow you to create weapons with unique and customized values using some sliders. Easier to take a look for yourself.

Another planetary base.

[Lucas]

Elite 2.1 ("The Engineers" update) launches later today: servers are currently down, and should remain so for the next 5-6 hours. There is currently a YT livestream going on (Braben on camera as I write this) and should run 'til the server go live:

https://gaming.youtube.com/watch?v=aYHJY9JZNBA

Patch notes (scroll down a bit) :
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=253924

[Lucas]

....Aaaand it's live!

[Falconeer]

Trailer.

[Samprimary]

how do i make the most money these days

[Pennilenko]

how do i make the most money these days

Bounty hunting in a combat ship, while pledged to a power with a bonus, while in that power's territory.

[Samprimary]

is that really more money per hour these days than hauling/courier missions?

[Pennilenko]

is that really more money per hour these days than hauling/courier missions?

They nerfed the shit out of stacking those types of missions. So it is my opinion, based on attempting to use both styles, that bounty hunting with appropriate powerplay bonuses is the fastest way. Again that is only if you have a top tier combat ship, FDL or better with good upgrades. You also have to be capable of handling the upgrade AI.

[Samprimary]

Have they changed weapons significantly?

[Pennilenko]

Have they changed weapons significantly?

If you grind up engineer mods the weapons can get a bit ridiculous. However, the weapons are mostly the same. Even though I play regularly, I feel like Frontier is doing a shit job of taking advantage of the game's potential. Every fucking change they make increases the grind and monotony.

[Falconeer]

[Sir T]

Its time to build a wall to keep the Aliens out.

[Khaldun]

Honestly? As a non-player at the moment? That feels really generic. It does not make me want to come back to see what it's all about, not unless there's some interesting twists.

[Samprimary]

it makes me want to be they're copyeditor. theirs really no excuse at this point.

[Sir T]

[rattran]

it makes me want to be they're copyeditor. theirs really no excuse at this point.

Damn you, there's coffee in my keyboard now.

[Sir T]

The sad thing is that I was typing a post to correct his grammar when my brain kicked in, for once, and said "hang on..."   

[WayAbvPar]

I just started playing this again, so add me to your friends list if you are active.