Greetings Commanders,

Some of you have expressed concerns over suspicions of bot usage in Elite Dangerous. Frontier is committed to offering the best gaming experience to all of our players and we actively monitor and act on any developments that might unbalance the Elite Dangerous Universe, or offer any unfair advantage to some players.

We take any form of cheating or hacking in Elite Dangerous seriously. This includes the use of bots and third party software, which directly infringe on our Terms of Use that every player agrees to before accessing the game.

Our investigation teams constantly monitor and will ban any players found to be cheating in game - the use of bots is no exception. We take care to ensure that the tools and methods used to detect the use of bots remain discrete in order to prevent malicious users finding ways to avoid them.

We are extremely grateful to players who have voiced their concerns over the use of bots in game, and encourage them to keep reporting any and all infractions they are aware of to our Customer Service team. Frontier wants to reassure everyone that we are committed to addressing these types of issue now and in the future.

If you believe you have encountered a player using bot or cheating software please reach out to our Support Team who will take the information and investigate. As always, please avoid attempting to name and shame any suspects on the forum as this can hinder the investigation process and lead to innocent players being harassed.


o7

Greetings Commanders!



We’re back this week to answer more of your burning questions on Elite Dangerous: Odyssey! This week we’re focusing on the brand new ‘First footfall’ system.


Q: Will I be able to disembark on every planet I can land on?
Odyssey will allow players for the first time to disembark their ships and SRVs and explore the galaxy on foot. The ability to disembark however is subject to the survivability of the environment, with temperature and gravity both playing a part in the length of time you can survive. In extreme conditions the ability to disembark will be blocked completely.

Q: Is First Footfall available to be claimed for every planet?
The galaxy of Elite Dangerous isn’t new, the year is 3307 and humans have been exploring space for more than 1,300 years. Planets and moons in human occupied systems, along with particular bodies of historical significance will have First Footfall already claimed.

Q: How does Odyssey affect the number of landable planets in game?
The number of planets that will be landable for the first time in Odyssey will be in the billions but to give you a more tangible reference point, based on regions we’ve tested so far Odyssey will have around 20% more landable planets than the base game.

Q: If I join after launch will I still be able to experience First Footfall?
Elite Dangerous is a huge and expansive galaxy containing more than 400 billion star systems. To date our players have traversed just 201 million of these systems which equates to around 0.05%. In the same way that new Commanders continue to join the world of Elite and make their own, personal discoveries, we have no doubt that commanders will have the opportunity to make their own discoveries for many years to come.

Q: How quickly will First Footfall accolades be claimed?
Your achievement will be displayed alongside the names of those who first discovered and landed on the planet, which you can find in the system map.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of places I can get feet first on in a set amount of time?
We won’t be imposing any limits here but it will be naturally limited by the speed at which you can travel between planets.

Q: Can First Footfall achievements be disputed?
In the same way we monitor ‘firsts’ in the live game today our anti-cheat team will be monitoring the system and will not hesitate to revoke First Footfall if obtained by illegitimate means.

Q: Are there new discoveries (Wrecks etc.) that I can get the First Footfall for?
First Footfall is recognised and recorded at a planetary level and not for individual points of interest.

Q: If I change my name will the First Footfall change with it?
Similarly to records of other achievements First Footfall is treated as a historical record and will be recorded with the Commander’s name at the time of exploration – this will not change with any name changes.

Q: What happens if two people land first at the same time?
In the same way that Buzz Aldrin made way for Neil Armstrong to be the first man on the moon, the control to disembark is for an individual commander and there will always be someone first down the ladder, this accolade will not be shared between commanders.


Keep an eye out on here and our social channels for more exciting news and updates on Elite Dangerous: Odyssey!



o7

Greetings Commanders!



We have a fresh selection of answers to your Elite Dangerous: Odyssey questions! This week Gareth Hughes has graciously shared the answers you gave us on Ships and Vehicles!


Q: Can a ship and SRV damage a player if I run over them?
Absolutely! An SRV can damage or kill a player if they are not fast enough to get out of the way. This goes the same for AI, though they will do their best to evade you if they see you coming!



Q: Will there be updates to ship and SRV combat, as well as ground combat?
Ship combat and SRV combat is in a healthy place right now, our focus is on ground combat for Odyssey, and ensuring that it is balanced well against vehicles. We will be looking closely at balancing in the upcoming Alpha.



Q: Do player shields affect ships like other ships do?
Players will not be able to ‘ram’ a ship whilst on foot no, though it would be fun to watch someone try.



Q: How will you balance night vision on ships with on foot players?
Night vision will work as it does currently; providing ship Commanders improved vision in low light environments. It is worth noting that ‘on foot’ players will be very small targets for Commanders in ships, and too small for ship weapons to lock on to. However, Commanders in ships will be very big targets for players on foot, with some handheld weapons being able to lock on to them.



Q: Will the ship launched fighter be used in ground combat?
Yes, all deployable vehicles can be used. A player can choose to deploy in a fighter if they want, with all the benefits and drawbacks that will provide.



Q. Will we be getting an addition to the ship HUD? As seen in the gameplay reveal, we will have a compass. Surely to make things easier to communicate between players on foot and in ship/SRV a North directional indicator should appear on your radar when in orbit around a planet, or in atmosphere.
The current HUD for ships in Elite Dangerous provides all the relevant information that Commanders will need in Odyssey.



Q. Will spaceships be able to deploy anti-personnel/vehicle bombs/missiles?
We have no plans to add specific anti-personnel ship weapons. We’ve put a huge amount of work into ensuring the combat triangle remains balanced and fair. Ships will however have creative opportunities to use their existing arsenal…



Q: Will we be able to drop in from our ships or do we have to leave and exit the ship like normal during combat situations?
In order to deploy from your ship Commanders will need to land first.



Q. Can we engineer our SRVs?
There will be extensive engineering options for suits and weapons in Odyssey, however there are no plans to engineer SRVs.



Q. When doing a multiple vehicle assault, is it possible for player crew members to drive SRVs from the ship, they are not owning? Similar way to launching a SLV is now?
Absolutely! For instance, there would be nothing to stop a Commander in an Alliance Crusader have their 2 multi-crew teammates deploying in a Ship Launched Fighter, before landing, deploying an SRV and heading in on foot themselves.

We are very excited to see how Commanders team up to complete missions in Odyssey!



That's it for this week. Keep an eye out for more Elite Dangerous: Odyssey news in future!

o7

Edit: To clarify - in order to deploy the SRV the ship will need to be landed. Sorry for any confusion this caused.

Greetings Commanders!



We’re back with a brand new selection of answers from developer Gareth Hughes to your Elite Dangerous: Odyssey questions.

This week we’ll be covering the topics of Interface changes and NPCs.




Q: Will night vision, or a light be available on the HUD?
You will be able to upgrade suits in many ways, night vision and lights are just two of the upgrades available. More on this in the future. All suits have a torch by default though so you’ll always have some way to see.



Q: Does the player’s radar show players and NPCs before combat? If so, do they change to indicate relationship?
Yes, much like in space the RADAR displays information regarding players around them and their current state.



Q: Can we officially call the 2nd icon in on the display "Tigger mode"?
Yes! *Bounces away*



Q: Will the HUD be customisable? (I.e. different colours for the visually impaired)
The interface won’t be customisable for Elite Dangerous: Odyssey though we will of course be taking feedback on board regarding accessibility.



Q: Can players turn parts, or all of their HUD off?
No, the HUD whilst on foot, will be as essential to getting around as it is in space.



Q: Can we hide from other players' radars?
We are still in the process of reviewing how PVP and the HUD will work so we can’t confirm an answer on that just yet.




Q: Will we be able to use NPCs as a team in Combat? Or just other players?
Combat zones will be a mix of both computer AI characters and players on both sides.



Q. Do on foot NPCs spawn per instance or is there some sort of permanence, if so is it timed like space POIs or permanent?
Settlement AI is spawned based on the settlement theme and state. Star system factors will also affect the AI difficulty, so the BGS can also have an effect.



Q. Does oxygen level impact combat ability and does this apply to NPCs as well?
If your suit loses power, its life support will shut down causing the suits emergency air supply to be used. If the emergency air is fully depleted then you will start to asphyxiate, making aiming and locomotion more difficult. Loss of suit power will also stop you from using your assisted jump and your audio will change, lowering awareness of what is happening around you.
This does not affect AI as they will use consumable batteries to recharge their suit when required.



Q. How does energy level impact combat ability, is it just about your shield generator and do NPCs have the same energy constraint too?
Energy levels are critical to combat as this powers your shields. This supply is not infinite so know when and where to activate your shields will be key.



Q. Can NPCs get into NPC vehicles or ships for combat or are those treated separately?
On-foot NPCs do not get into vehicles. They can deploy from dropships.



Q. Do on foot NPCs chase you?
Yes, if given reason NPCs will pursue you!



Q. Is combat AI scripted for the new settlements or is the AI clever enough to adapt itself to open terrain or other obstacles?
AI will actively investigate areas, report findings, use cover and communicate to call reinforcements.



Q. Any information on the scope of line of sight for the AI?
AI line of sight will be governed the same way the player's is.



Q: Will NPC's engage in combat without player input?
If you are wanted – NPCs may engage you without provocation.



Q: Will Oxygen levels affect NPCs?
AI will not be affected by Oxygen levels the same way a player is.



Q: Will NPCs have different states depending on the time of combat (i.e. Will they be asleep if a player attacks at night)?
NPCs won’t have time of day states, so they’ll be ready to fight back no matter what time of day.



Q. Will we see ground combat between NPC factions like we do in Conflict Zones?
Yes, conflict zones will be a mix of AI and players.



Q. Will you consider adding Superpower navy armours for ground combat (i.e. NPCs wearing imperial/federal uniforms/armour, or such armour being available to players)? It could prove to be a very potent world-building tool.
We are always looking at what customisation option players would like to see in game.



Q: Will there also be some kind of on-foot System Authorities?
Yes – OMNIPOL – they are often kitted out with the best gear, so if they turn up make sure it’s not for you!



That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with a new set of answers for your Odyssey questions!

o7

Greetings Commanders!



Prior to the winter holiday break we asked you to share your questions on Odyssey with us so we could bring them to our developers and get the answers to you. Well you delivered, whoo boy did you deliver! We've had so many questions answered that we've had to break them down into categories to share with you and we'll be doing so over the next few weeks!

To kick things off we got together with Developer Gareth Hughes and we've all the answers to your Settlement questions here:



Q: If I go to an outpost and wipe everyone out, do they all respawn eventually, or is that town now a ghost town?

Outposts will send for reinforcements that will become progressively tougher, however these are not infinite. It would be possible to kill everyone and then loot the outpost, however the consequences there after would be severe…



Q. You have said in one of the Dev Diaries that the people you encounter in stations and outposts are related to the faction in control. How will we get missions from other factions in the station?

There will also be mission boards on terminals available in ports and outposts that can support on-foot missions from all factions in the system. Mission Givers in ports and outposts can also be from a variety of factions.



Q. Do NPCs spawn only at these new Settlement Outposts or do they appear anywhere on a planet like those parked NPC ships that pop up in random places?

NPC’s will not spawn randomly in the ‘wilderness’, however they may stumble across you at a place of interest.



Q. What permanent states can the new Settlement outposts have, like conquered or destroyed etc.

The states are as follows: Active, abandoned, war, damaged, Online, Online Damaged, Offline, Offline Damaged and Conflict Zone



Q: If I eliminate everyone in a Settlement, do they respawn or will it remain empty?

Settlements won't stay empty forever. They will repopulate over time.



Q: Will there be Engineers for your weapons and suits?

Yes, the original cast of engineers will remain, and they will be joined by a new group – all of whom you will be able to meet in person for the first time.



Q. Are there destructible items in bases e.g. exploding barrels that can be used for tactical purposes?

Yes, you’ll be able to take advantage of certain environmental elements for a tactical advantage. If you want to stand next to big red barrels feel free to…



Q. Can we hack weapon emplacements to turn them on defenders, or switch off station power to disable weapon emplacements?

Yes, you will be able to bring down settlement defences, allowing others to enter the combat zones in vehicles. Powering down a settlement will also allow you to access restricted areas.



Q: Within Odyssey, thinking of the open air combat zones, what's to stop me from using an Orca, equipped with mines, to carpet bomb a settlement?

Settlement defences are quite potent, without shutting them off first you may find yourself suddenly without that ORCA...



Q: What's going to be able to stop an SLF with Shard cannons?

Outside of the settlement defences which we have already stated are not to be taken lightly – some hand held weapons can be very effective.



Keep an eye on our channels for the next set of answers next week!



o7

Greetings Commanders,



We wanted to share an update with you regarding the ongoing development of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.

2020 was a difficult year for many, but in spite of those challenges we are pleased with our progress towards what is a truly ambitious new era for the game. We’ve been delighted with the excitement and positive response to our development diaries, interviews, streams and trailers and want to thank all of you for your continued support.

The ongoing impact of the pandemic however, including the renewed lockdowns in 2021, continues to put added pressure on our teams and ultimately our development timeline. We have therefore had to make the difficult decision to make some adjustments and changes to our existing development roadmap.

Our PC plans have only been affected by a small amount, however our plans for the console release will unfortunately see a larger development shift. Please do know that these difficult decisions have been made with a focus on making Odyssey as incredible as it can possibly be for all our Commanders regardless of their platform, while also respecting realistic project deadlines for our teams during this difficult global situation.

We would like to sincerely apologise to all of our community. We know you have been waiting patiently and how disappointing and frustrating this must be. With that in mind, we would like to share with you our latest roadmap so that you are fully aware of our plans.


Alpha – early spring 2021
We are continuing with plans to bring Alpha access to our PC players and get boots on the ground. This will now be a little later than originally planned, in early spring.

Much like our original Elite Dangerous release, we will be taking a phased approach to our Alpha, bringing new features and systems online throughout the period. This will allow us to focus and best consider our community feedback while also providing vital user testing on key areas of the game. We will be sharing further information including details of feature drops and Alpha plans as we get closer to release.

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Deluxe Alpha and Lifetime Expansion Pass holders will get access to this release.

PC release – late spring 2021
Following the completion of our Alpha phase we are targeting a full launch on PC in late spring.

As with every era in Elite Dangerous’ history, we will be closely engaging with our community and continuing to react to feedback refining Odyssey through to the console launch.
Elite Dangerous: Odyssey pre orders will be able to access the game with this release.

Console release – autumn 2021
After continued feedback, iterations and balancing, we are targeting our release on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One in the autumn of this year.


We understand that for many, this additional delay will be frustrating. Once again, we would like to apologise wholeheartedly to our community, especially our console Commanders. However, as mentioned previously, we feel it is vital to ensure that the content being released on consoles meets the highest standards and this will require this additional extension to our roadmap.

Throughout this time we will continue to bring more news, videos and content of the development in progress. We would like to thank you all for the ongoing support and we are very excited to bring in this new era to the game with you. Your feedback, support and involvement is a vital part of this process and we are looking forward to a shared Alpha experience, which will be touching down very soon.



o7 Commanders

Greetings Commanders,

Last week we celebrated the sixth anniversary of Elite Dangerous with a bumper stream full of news, races, screenshots and Twitch Drops! First of all we'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who joined us on stream and watched along, we definitely couldn't have done it without your support!

You can catch up on each part of the stream here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3


2020 has been a unique year in more ways than one, but even throughout trying times, the incredible Elite Dangerous community have provided plenty of highlights for us to choose from (too many for us to talk about in the show)! From Hutton Truckers' Operation HOTMess and a virtual Lavecon, to various amazing charity streams from Commanders like CrispyTaytortot, it's been a truly memorable year. If you haven't already, head over to our stream and watch our recap of 2020 for a short overview of some of the main events of this year.

We'd also like to say a massive thank you to the brilliant development team, who are working tirelessly to make Odyssey the best experience possible. The team have also been working hard to implement important game balancing changes to improve Elite Dangerous for everyone. Looking further back on the year, it's easy to see the hard work they've put in: The beginning of 2020 saw the Fleet Carriers Beta and release, with many Commanders taking the opportunity to have a home away from home. Along with the Odyssey announcement, Elite Dangerous also welcomed an influx of new Commanders from the Epic Games Store, as well as the Horizons expansion becoming accessible to all!

September saw the return of GalNet and Community Goals, which wouldn't be possible without the development team dedicating time and resources on a regular basis, and since then we've been hard at work producing dev diaries for Odyssey, so Commanders can get a glimpse into the future of Elite Dangerous.

Finally, we want to say a special thanks to you, Commander. It's been a difficult year for everyone, and the entire team at Frontier appreciate the support and patience you've shown during our transition to safely working from home. We look forward to a brighter 2021, where things can hopefully return to normal and enjoy the future of Elite together!

Now to talk about last week's stream!



The Community Team were lucky enough to take part in some fantastic races last week, first of which was the Buckyball Race around Napier Installation!
This was helmed by CMDR Alec Turner from the Buckyball Racing Club & CMDR BlackMaze from EliteRacers (Join their Discord server here), so a special thank you to them. If you'd like to give this type of racing a try, there's plenty of videos online to get you started, and you can check out the race from CMDR Blackmaze's POV here:



Who knew canyon racing Type-9's could be so much fun? CMDR Ascorbius certainly did. We'd like to say another big thank you to him for organising a spot of Cow Racing during last week's stream, and if you'd like to see more Type-9 racing, check out this video from The Buur Pit:





After a brief and unexpected news report from the O7 News Team, we shared the next part of our Road to Odyssey series, this time focusing on ground combat.



Within this part, we really wanted to highlight how getting out of your ship forces you to change your mindset and approach to the game. There'll be plenty of environments to fight in, both indoors and outdoors, and making use of SRV's and ships will certainly be important in tactical combat. We also heard from the fantastic audio team on how they are bringing the weapons of Odyssey to life, and helps to support you with vital information during combat.

There will be a variety of weapon types in Odyssey, and each one has been designed to feel different, not only in their impact, but how they affect you when you wield them.

After the Dev Diary, Community Manager Arthur sat down with Lead Designer Gareth Hughes to answer some of the most-asked questions regarding Odyssey. In case you missed it, we also posted some answers to frequently asked questions on the forum early last week. That's not all though! The Dev team are going to be answering even more questions - so we'll have another forum post for you soon.



The anniversary stream also saw 10 of the finest screenshots of the year inducted into the SPVFA Hall of Fame! We'd like to thank CMDR's OrangePheonix & Exorcist for joining us on the show to discuss their selections, as well as the fine art of photography in Elite Dangerous - and a big thank you to the rest of the SPVFA judging panel!

Congratulations to all the Commanders featured in the Hall of Fame, and thank you to everyone who entered an image into #StellarScreenshots this year! Here are the stunning top 3 images from last week's show:





You'll be able to check out the full top 10 on our Instagram!

Once again, thank you all for a great year, and we can't wait to share more about Elite Dangerous: Odyssey in 2021.

Greetings Commanders,

The first developer diary gave us a look at exploration and the second gave us a look at missions, spacesuits and station interiors. In Dev Diary 3 we're charging into the fray with the Sphere of Combat in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.



We'll be sharing a break down of the developer diary tomorrow on our forums. Share your burning questions on combat in the comments!

Stay tuned for future episodes and updates on Elite Dangerous: Odyssey on our social channels.

o7

Greetings Commanders!


This Thursday 17 December at 12:00 UTC, we're celebrating the end of the year and Elite Dangerous' 6th anniversary with a very special extended livestream. To make sure the team are ready, there won't be a Supercruise News episode today but here's what you can expect on Thursday:


Twitch Drops
The hugely popular Twitch Drops are making a return for the stream! Here are the prizes which will be available:


Watch the stream for 30 minutes to get the Festive Sidewinder and Purple Paint Job.


Watch the stream for 60 minutes to get the Festive Cobra MK III, Alliance Chieftain, and the Purple SRV and Fighter Paint Jobs.


Watch the stream for 90 minutes to get the Festive Asp Explorer and Festive Krait MK II Paint Jobs, and the Purple Engine and Weapon Colours.

To Receive Your Drops:

1. Link your Twitch account to your Frontier account here: https://twitch.frontierstore.net/.
   
   • Make sure you link the account you wish the Twitch Drops to apply to (console OR PC account).
2. Watch the stream on Twitch for 30, 60 or 90 minutes for each tier.
   
3. Once you receive a drop:
   
   • Click on your Twitch profile
     
   • Scroll down to the 'Drops' option
     
   • Claim the drop
4. The rewards will now be available the next time you play Elite Dangerous using the account you linked.

Elite Dangerous Odyssey: Combat
We'll also be joined by special guest Garath Hughes from the development team, who will discuss combat in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey. If you have any questions regarding combat in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey, please leave them below for a chance to have them answered on stream.

Please keep your questions as short and concise as possible. We will not be bringing suggestions to the Q&A. Only questions about combat in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will be used.


...and more!
That's only SOME of what's to come during the stream, so make sure to join us for our final look back at the year!



o7

Greetings Commanders,

If you haven't seen the Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Gameplay reveal trailer then go check it out here! If you have and want to know more about the heads-up display, we have you covered.

Below we have broken down the different HUD elements that will appear in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey, along with a couple of questions and answers for you!



1) Character Information - Displays other characters':

• Name
  
• Health and Shields
  
• Rank, Criminality
  
• Authority Level at the current Settlement
  
• Relationship to the player (allied or enemy)"

2. Weapon Reticule - This is used for aiming when the player is not aiming down a weapon/tool's sight.

3. Ammunition- Shows the remaining ammunition in the magazine and the ammunition reserves for the equipped weapon.

4. Grenade - Shows the currently equipped grenade type and the remaining number of grenades.



5. Radar - This shows:

• Character position
  
• The direction and state of characters (hostile, neutral etc)
  
• Indicates the position of specific interactions (eg. terminals)

6. Environment Info - Shows the environment temperature and gravity.

7. Compass - Shows player direction and highlights the direction of key in-world elements (eg. Mission Objectives)

8. Player Coordinates - The precise location of the player on the planet's surface.



9. Health - Shows the player's current health.

10. Authority Level - The level of access to settlement facilities that the player currently has.

11. Active Player Bounty - This shows that the player has an active bounty on them in their current location.



12. Suit Power - Shows current capacity and level of suit power charge. This also has icons that show the suit functions which are causing power drain.

13. Emergency Air - Shows current capacity and level of emergency air supply.

14. Shields - Shows current shield power and status (active, turned off, or recharging)



When will Odyssey Release?
Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will release in Early 2021.

What platforms will Odyssey be available on at launch?
PC, PS4, and Xbox One

I’m a lifetime expansion pass holder – will I receive Odyssey free of any additional charge?
Yes.

When will the Alpha run for Odyssey?
We’ll be announcing more details on this in due course so keep an eye on our channels for further announcements.

Can I play Odyssey in VR?
Odyssey will be compatible with VR and you’ll be able to enjoy the same fully-featured cockpit experience players have enjoyed in Elite Dangerous so far. When leaving the cockpit of your ship or SRV, VR players will see a projected screen on which they can continue their journey without removing their helmets. They may also remove their helmet if they choose. VR is only compatible with Elite Dangerous on PC.

What does the exclusive Pioneer suit skin in the Deluxe Alpha Expansion Pack look like?
We don’t have any imagery to share of this skin just yet but we’ll be sharing this very soon.

How many tracks/How long is the Odyssey soundtrack?
Full details of the soundtrack are yet to be announced, keep an eye on our channels for further announcements.


Want to get your hands on Elite Dangerous: Odyssey as soon as it's available? Pre-order now on PC here