Elite: Dangerous

I'm guessing that there are a fair few people on this forum with fond memories of the Elite games. David Braben, co-creator of the original and sole author of Frontier, its expansive sequel, wants to make another one using modern tech and adding a multiplayer element.

The catch? He wants £1.25 million before he starts it.

Kickstarter page here, with a pitch video. Few shots of how Elite: Dangerous might look too.

i loved frontier, elite 2.......brilliant game

Have to say, haven't pledged anything to this Kickstarter yet, and it'd be my first ever pledge if I did, but yep - superb games. Getting the Milky Way onto a floppy disk (along with planets you can land on) remains a stunning technical achievement.

So if you pledge and it never happens you just get refunded? (like the Pompey Trust)

i loved frontier, elite 2.......brilliant game

This...

Although Eve Online is basically this game now, in fact its way better than Elite was due to its MMO so I doubt this will be a big hit. Will wait and see how this develops fo' sure.

So if you pledge and it never happens you just get refunded? (like the Pompey Trust)

I think if they don't make the kickstarter target, it never happens. However, once they've got that dosh; it is supposed to happen. Not sure what happens if Braben gets the 1.25M an decides to run off to somewhere exciting with all the pledged cash, like Great Yarmouth.

I've not seen anything more about this, but it has been confirmed by Egosoft that the latest chapter in their X universe series will be released in 2013 (no actual date yet)....

The beta is now £50. £35RRP at retail.

Sold.

I just bought the beta and started playing this afternoon, but it's going to take some practice. I spent a lot of time pressing this key and that key trying to figure out how to dock. It looks awesome.

As said above. Frontier, elite 2 was one of my favourite games of all time

This looks good

Finally got a nice little trading run from the game's starting position.

I am hauling textiles from Aveban City to Chango Dock, using a 360 controller for now.

The headlook view is amazing; probably the single biggest upgrade beyond the mere cosmetic. It's useful, you can work out where stuff is without moving the direction of travel. I've got no docking computer, so I'm having to do all of that manually. One of the coolest parts of this game is queuing up to dock and seeing a ship you've never seen before, wondering "wtf is that?".

Xbox 360 controller? How does that work on a laptop?

At ℗ the time it came out the original Elite was mind blowing in its complexity and expansiveness. Played it on Spectrum and C64 and it was beyond anything previously attempted. Alien artefacts, trading between leesi and lave ( I think) saving up for a docking computer and an ECM

Trying to smuggle narcotics and trying to outrun the viper police.

Yes by today's standards the graphics were awful but the game was a huge part of my youth.

Remember the spectrum game came with some sort of lens as a copyright protection device.

Xbox 360 controller? How does that work on a laptop?

You can buy wired 360 controllers which just go into the USB slot. There's also a version out there that comes with a wireless dongle, so you can use wireless pads too.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend a 360 controller to play Elite: Dangerous with. I'm starting to look at flight sticks myself.

Quick shot 2! the only joystick

Finally got a nice little trading run from the game's starting position.

 

I am hauling textiles from Aveban City to Chango Dock, using a 360 controller for now.

 

The headlook view is amazing; probably the single biggest upgrade beyond the mere cosmetic. It's useful, you can work out where stuff is without moving the direction of travel. I've got no docking computer, so I'm having to do all of that manually. One of the coolest parts of this game is queuing up to dock and seeing a ship you've never seen before, wondering "wtf is that?".

Gonna have to get on this.

Is it Newtonian flight style, or original Elite?

Gonna have to get on this.

 

Is it Newtonian flight style, or original Elite?

http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Elite:_Dangerous_FAQ#Will_there_be_newtonian_physics.3F

Some screenies from a triple monitor set-up.

Quality not as good as in-game, as I had to shrink 'em using JPG, but yeah, wow - and believe me when I say it looks even more impressive in motion.

Xbox 360 controller? How does that work on a laptop?

I bought a wired Xbox controller for Windows in Game for £29.99 whilst in Torquay a couple of weeks back, but I've also got a wireless dongle that I've got plugged into my desktop. You can get them on Amazon, but the downside is that the one I got, and a few others come with drivers on disks that don't actually work. I found a clip on Youtube that explains how to hook it up manually after downloading the driver from Microsoft. Works a treat after that.

I would agree with Pap, I don't think the controller is great for playing the game. I switched headlook off because I was losing orientation all the time, but I'll plug my Logitech Attack back in tomorrow and see if that's an improvement.

I've only just managed the nuances of docking the bloody thing so far and one kill in the scenarios.

I did laugh at some of the complaints on the Elite Dangerous forum from people saying they weren't going to pay out for something that was full of bugs etc. Er, it's Beta, of course there will be bugs. Wakners!

I bought a wired Xbox controller for Windows in Game for £29.99 whilst in Torquay a couple of weeks back, but I've also got a wireless dongle that I've got plugged into my desktop. You can get them on Amazon, but the downside is that the one I got, and a few others come with drivers on disks that don't actually work. I found a clip on Youtube that explains how to hook it up manually after downloading the driver from Microsoft. Works a treat after that.

 

I would agree with Pap, I don't think the controller is great for playing the game. I switched headlook off because I was losing orientation all the time, but I'll plug my Logitech Attack back in tomorrow and see if that's an improvement.

 

I've only just managed the nuances of docking the bloody thing so far and one kill in the scenarios.

 

I did laugh at some of the complaints on the Elite Dangerous forum from people saying they weren't going to pay out for something that was full of bugs etc. Er, it's Beta, of course there will be bugs. Wakners!

I got a Logitech Flightstick yesterday. I was going to go for the X52 by Saitek, but the only one my local PC World had in stock had already been opened, and was cheekily still at full RRP. Pretty happy with the new control scheme. I'm doing the retro thrusters on the keyboard, but pretty much everything else is done through the stick. It has tons of buttons I've not even bothered mapping yet, so I could potentially move some of my other commands onto it.

The worst thing on the 360 controller is probably the throttle. It's digital, kinda relies on a meter. Not great for precision control. A flightstick with a proper throttle makes a lot of difference - so does rudder control.

I can see this game becoming a YouTube wonder. There are so many opportunities for little meta challenges, like docking a ship in a particularly expedient way, or my new favourite - blasting out of a space station at full speed.

such a million miles away from elite 2.....

http://www.oldiesrising.com/images_testsv3/PC/Frontier%20Elite%202/Frontier%20Elite%2028.jpg

Had a good look at this earlier. Getting on it when I'm back from my hols....

Looks awesome.

I got a Logitech Flightstick yesterday. I was going to go for the X52 by Saitek, but the only one my local PC World had in stock had already been opened, and was cheekily still at full RRP. Pretty happy with the new control scheme. I'm doing the retro thrusters on the keyboard, but pretty much everything else is done through the stick. It has tons of buttons I've not even bothered mapping yet, so I could potentially move some of my other commands onto it.

 

The worst thing on the 360 controller is probably the throttle. It's digital, kinda relies on a meter. Not great for precision control. A flightstick with a proper throttle makes a lot of difference - so does rudder control.

 

I can see this game becoming a YouTube wonder. There are so many opportunities for little meta challenges, like docking a ship in a particularly expedient way, or my new favourite - blasting out of a space station at full speed.

Well I've tried using my controller and my joystick this morning. The problem I'm finding at the moment is lack of manoeuverability, particularly when trying to pitch up and down, it's so slow. I'm trying to do that combat scenario with the Crimson Sidewinder who shoots the hell out of me because I can't turn quickly enough to get back onto his tail. I found the same when I tried to use the mouse.

Is there a way of improving this?

Actually, I managed to get a reply about this on the Elite Dangerous Forum. If you keep your speed within the blue area on the speed gauge, then turning and pitching is much faster.

Pap, if you flog textiles at Chango, what do you buy to take back to Azeban City?

Pap, if you flog textiles at Chango, what do you buy to take back to Azeban City?

Azeban City is a bit of a red herring at the beginning of the game.

You're better off doing the run between I-Bootis - Chango Dock (Fish) and Aulin - Aulin Enterprise (agri meds, then terrain enhancers).

This might be handy too:-

If you want to add me in game, I'm "pap".

Azeban City is a bit of a red herring at the beginning of the game.

 

You're better off doing the run between I-Bootis - Chango Dock (Fish) and Aulin - Aulin Enterprise (agri meds, then terrain enhancers).

 

This might be handy too:-

 

 

If you want to add me in game, I'm "pap".

Cheers. I'm not that advanced into adding players just yet. I had to clear my saved game because I ran out of fuel and got shot up.

My nick is Saint-Richie.

Cheers. I'm not that advanced into adding players just yet. I had to clear my saved game because I ran out of fuel and got shot up.

 

My nick is Saint-Richie.

I think I'm on my fourth. It's a lot of trial and error, and sometimes, just luck.

Most of the time tho', you can get away - even in the piddlin' Sidewinder. Divert your power to engines, do a bit of strafing about while they shoot at you to minimise the impact, then hit your super charger as soon as it's ready. It'll take about 6x-10x longer while you've got other mass nearby, but I've never been caught once I've gone.

I think I'm on my fourth. It's a lot of trial and error, and sometimes, just luck.

 

Most of the time tho', you can get away - even in the piddlin' Sidewinder. Divert your power to engines, do a bit of strafing about while they shoot at you to minimise the impact, then hit your super charger as soon as it's ready. It'll take about 6x-10x longer while you've got other mass nearby, but I've never been caught once I've gone.

Cheers Pap, I'll try and add you tomorrow

Well I tried, but the search option did nothing at all. Well it is in Beta I suppose

I was doing quite well when as I approached Chango Dock, I noticed I was 'Wanted' and as I went through into the station, it killed me. I had just got to the stage where I could afford either an Eagle or a Hauler too. Now I only have enough credits to buy 3 agri medicine. Bloody annoyed because you can't go to an earlier save point.

I lost an Eagle myself. Going to skip it next time. Same size cargo hold

They've released Beta 2, followed by 2.01 and 2.02 in quick succession and although they've mad more features available, all of my game play has been lost.

They have at least got the Search Player option working, but I still can't find pap on it