Elite: Dangerous
Preview
Bring on the danger!
by Marko Susimetsä
previewed on PC
Ships (cntd)
All of the different kinds of ships - from fighters to freighters - will have unique cockpits or bridges equipped with holographic displays of message screens, radar and other information that you may need. The ships will be protected from incoming fire and space debris by a varying number of shield generators and while these shields form a protective shell around a ship, it will be possible to destroy, for example, a small part of the shields of a big frigate or destroyer and have smaller attack fighters dive underneath the rest of the shields to inflict damage directly to the ship itself – or shoot missiles through the same opening for a less adventurous tactic. The weapons systems will also be expanded upon from the earlier games and instead of almost complete focus on laser and missile weapons, Elite: Dangerous will also include auto cannons and other less fictional weaponry.
As a player, you can own multiple ships, but you can only fly one of them at a time. You will have to store the rest of the ships and pay berthing fees accordingly. The system on how you change from ship to ship remains to be confirmed, but it seems possible that you can pay a fee to have a ship brought to your position – possibly dependent on the dangerousness of the necessary journey. In any case, you can always travel to the system where the ship is stored to pick it up. This will be a convenient feature for, for example, explorers who may want to store their exploration ship at the edge of inhabited space and take some other, perhaps faster, method of transportation when they come and visit the commercial worlds to buy additional equipment or to sell the info that they have gathered.
Playing alone or in a shared universe with everyone else?
The choice is yours. While this topic has been under heated discussion on the specifics of PvP and PvE, the main thing to remember is that you can always choose to play the game alone – either offline in an unchanging universe, or online in a universe that changes as the result of player actions (even if you cannot meet those other players). Alternatively, it may be possible that there will be a grouping system that allows you to group up with a select few people and play a game where you will only ever meet those specific people. It is yet to be confirmed whether these groups will be transient, requiring re-invitations every time you log in, or if they are more permanent, allowing you to always log into the game to play with the people you already know (unless new players are invited to join).
Overall, the multiplayer aspect of the game seems to offer enough possibilities to cater to all play-styles and those who refuse to play multiplayer games in general should not be worried. You can always have your single-player experience.
A life to live?
Don’t count on it after this game is released. Actually, it is best to forget you ever had a day job or a family in the so-called “real” life. Elite: Dangerous will have something better to offer you: a life full of danger as you smuggle that cargo of contraband Magalan Green to an interdicted system. A life full of wonder when you jump through hyperspace into a system that has never been seen by anyone else. A life full of adventure as you take on missions and meet new people and NPCs on your journey to riches and fame.
