Cmdr CMDR Hunter Saige gave us some of his ideas for more stuff we may get whilst waiting for 2020 “In last week’s podcast you asked the listeners to weigh in on what features Frontier might add to Elite Dangerous in the coming year. Here’s my two cents worth. [Full disclosure; I’m Elite in exploration but still both Harmless and Penniless, so my preferences are somewhat biased. Also, I’m a middle-aged guy with a wife and family, so I usually only manage to play for about an hour or so a day. Exploration works well for me because I can start and stop at will and play in short sessions as circumstances allow.)”
Gimme some SRV Love:
Others have mentioned this, and it seems like a no-brainer for FDEV to do. How about 2 new SRV models? Reposition the Scarab as the mid-size model. Introduce a smaller motorcycle-style SRV (the Cricket?) that is faster, but weaker and has no cargo storage; and a larger tank-style SRV that is slower but better armoured and has more cargo space. Perhaps style it as a walking “spider” tank (a la Ghost In The Shell (1995)) and call it the Tarantula! Change the SRV hangar mechanics to accommodate the range of sizes with a simple formula of 2 Crickets = 1 Scarab; 2 Scarabs = 1 Tarantula . For example a class-2 hangar could then store either 1 Scarab or 2 Crickets, and a class-4 hangar could store either; 1 Tarantula or; 2 Scarabs or; 2 Crickets + 1 Scarab or; 4 Crickets. A class-6 hangar could be similarly divided. Finally, add a super-lightweight class-1 hangar big enough for a single Cricket, for small ships that want to maximize their jump range yet still collect mats while out in the black.
Rogue Planets:
A rogue planet is a planet that has been cast off by its star and is now floating freely in interstellar space. Astronomers currently estimate there may be over a trillion rogue planets drifting through the Milky Way, ranging from frozen rocky worlds up to massive super-Jovians. We could assume that having a rogue planet too close to your ships course in witchspace will cause an FSD malfunction and drop you back into normal space, with the same ship damage you would get from an emergency drop. Frontier already have all the assets and logic in place for Thargoid hyperdictions; this could be reused for a rogue planet encounter. Rogue planets would never show up on the galaxy map, and need not be generated by stellar forge. Instead they could be a random occurrence rather like a scenario, with a probability of occurring every, say, 1000 jumps (or 0.1% of the time). Why bother? Rogue planets could have an increased probability of containing rare minerals and biologicals, or perhaps even ruins of some kind (Guardian, Thargoid, or something else). They would add an extra element of danger to exploration. It would also put a new twist on the possible location of Raxxla, eh?
Gas Mining:
If Frontier wants to take some baby steps toward atmospheric landings, they could implement gas mining of gas giants. This would give a taste of atmospheric handling without the need to implement the landing part. Perhaps they could introduce a new “gas collector” module that acts like a fuel scoop but instead of filling the fuel tank it directs gasses to the refinery module where they can be purified and stored in 1 ton canisters. Modify the DSS to show “geological” sites on gas giants that contain high concentrations of rare gasses. Pilots would need to dive into the upper atmosphere of the gas giant, compensating for chemical and storm effects upon the aerodynamics (or lack thereof) of their ship. Higher gas concentrations would be found at deeper altitudes, but heat and pressure also increase with depth, so going too deep will damage your ship.
Similarly, all those gas giants with either water-based or ammonia-based life might become a new resource if Frontier made a “bio sampling” module for ships. The DSS could identify “biological” sites on a gas giant with alien life. Alien bacteria and other small life forms could be scooped, packaged, and sold to pharmaceutical or other research firms.
Make black holes scary again:
I am told that, once upon a time, black holes were more dangerous than white dwarfs and neutron stars. Play testers complained about this, seemingly offended that the universe’s most dangerous objects were actually, well, dangerous. Frontier, apparently having left all of their balls on Bento, acquiesced to this request and nerfed black holes into the dark fluffy bunnies they are today. I say the bunny needs some fangs!
FD Account Linked to Multiple Steam Accounts (No idea – just heard about this, can’t find a citation!!!)
Main Discussion
We have five to maybe seven smaller updates until 2020. Speculation on what they could be.
Community Corner
Sarah Cmdr Symyoulater has a plan to raise awareness for Trans issues through participation in iRacing Leagues. This is the most respected Simulation for motorsports and includes drivers such as Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. She needs your donations to help her to bring her story to a wider audience and break some stereotypes along the way.
Your donations will be used to pay the fees to enter these Leagues.
On Sunday 2nd June Cmdr Nick Naylor in a Beluga called “The Community of Elite” protested cheats in Elite Dangerous, and the lack of apparent action by Frontier. By… cheating.
Protest Started about 20:00 BST
~ 21:45 he was pushed out of the mailslot by a determined Commander in an Imperial Cutter
21:49 he did a cheat, insta-high-wake from right next to the mailslot to another system (Nuenets)
At no point did he take offensive action against players.
He has turned on invulnerability and other things and is wedged inside the mailslot of Jameson Memorial in Shinrata Dhezra. He’s getting shot by players AND the station with no effect…
After the protest, he agreed to voice comms with Cmdr Plater
Sounds very humble
Fully accepts the loss of his Cmdr in to which he’s invested > 2000 hrs of game play
For those that didn’t see yesterday CMDR Nick Naylor, a vetran player of 2000+ hours put his account on the line by staging a protest yesterday. CMDR Plater streamed this – he used the hacks to block the mail slot of a station with a Beluga. Frontier has, appropriately, banned him – yet his first action resulted in a permanent where others get 3 days first, 1 month second and then permanent. The inconsistency should infuriate ALL players – WELL DONE TO NICK FOR TAKING THIS STEP!
A two-component damage model was used to estimate the damage partitioning of the newly developed AMCs. It was found that, when configured with AX ammunition, the AMCs deal 100% AX damage. That fact was leveraged to get a handle on the AX resistance of human technology. It was found that human shields have an AX resistance of 95% and human armor plating has a resistance of 90%. By corollary, other facts about about the AMC were confirmed, such as damage per shot and Armor Piercing.
Last week Fozza asked about busted ships to be mailed to info@laveradio.com
Cmdr Myrt (Diamond Frogs)
Here’s my entry, with 7 html/embedded pics, I hope they work properly: This is Apollo 2.
Cmdr Tomacco2k
O7 CMDRs,
I just started listening to Lave Radio about a month ago, a good friend told me about it. What a shame I started just now, exploring the black with my ASP Explorer is so much more fun when being entertained by you guys. Saved me from space madness I guess 😉
Speaking of my trusty ASP: In your last podcast you asked pilots to send in screenshots of their ships with degraded paint. Well, I don’t know when I last renewed the paint job on my ship, must be over 1 year ago I guess. The paint is down to 0% now, I guess that qualifies it, haha.
The ship’s name is “DORA THE EXPLORER” and I guess it is the ship I have used the most in the game. I’ve been to Sag A* with it, on the way back to the bubble I took a detour to Colonia. My jump range must have been around 45 light years at that time and I did not use any neutron boosts on the way because, well, I was too afraid to use them. No joke, I really was 🙂
Besides a lot of exploration (I am at the Zurara right now with that ASP) I also did a lot of bounty hunting with that ship and most of the things I learned about the game I learned while piloting that ASP. I’m still using it today for exploration purposes, although a jumpaconda could give me around 10 light years more per jump.
I will attach some screenshots to this mail where you can see what is left of the paint.
Greetings from Germany where it is cold and raining right now. The terraformers did a bad job over here I guess.
Have a nice week and thanks again for the podcast!
CMDR Tomacco2k on the PS4
CMDR LORD SMURPH
My ship (Pickard’s Pecker) at beagle point at the end of DW2 trip. I’m never fixing it
Cmdr Spike (Colin Wardman)
My dear gentlemen and scholars,
My story is not a long one, but tells a harrowing tale of paint, yes paint. For myself it has been a lifelong dream to gaze upon the vastness of the galaxy and tremble, not that they need tremble, solely so I can take in its greatness in one fell viewing. For my once in a lifetime journey I wished to look my best, which led me to Lave Station. From my time frequenting the Orange Sidewinder and listening to the only radio station my Lakon Spaceways Asp could tune into, Hutton radio, I had heard great things of Eddie and Son, plus his daughters. So I went to see the husband of Eddie Lee Wise, Ken, to sort me out. He had many great recommendations, and he guaranteed me that I would look smashing upon my arrival to Beagle Point. This was very exciting, but all of these great promises came with a catch. Ken needed some rare commodities for such a rare paint job that would last to edge of the galaxy. The first was quite simple, Centuri Mega Gin. You see with his excess of Lavian Brandy, he wanted something a little different, a little stronger. The second on the other hand was more suspect. He needed me to visit his “friend” at a station near Panem. To me this all seemed simple enough. It was easy enough to travel there and meet his friend with rope like hair. The only problem arose on my return when galactic security forces seem more interested than average in my humble ship. Needless to say, I was able to supply Ken with his credits and “extras”. When he applied my paint, he did not disappoint. His and Eddie’s paint turn my drab Asp into an orange masterpiece. I felt that it had been masterfully inspired by that unique place that so often saw my patronage. Ken did assure that is paint would have sufficient integrity to still shine in the glow of the Milky Way. With this I headed out into the great black yonder. I mined in Omega, I saw the abandoned habidomes at the Conflux Settlements, I collected water for Explorer’s Anchorage, and I made the 65,000 some odd light years out to Beagle Point. After shedding a tear for the good boi Zy I prepared to take the dream picture of myself and my shiny orange Asp at the edge of the galaxy. I felt like a boy in primary school the night before Christmas, I trembled with excitement. I prepared the picture limpet for the culminating achievement of my weary life. As my Asp came into focus through my old Rift DV1 scope, I was crestfallen, devastated. The picture I had been imagining in my mind for over 2000 jump was ruined. There sat my Asp at the edge of galaxy with nary a fleck of clear coat left. All but a few square meters of orange looked back at me through the scope. In a moment of anger I cursed Ken and the farse he had sold me. After reaching into my glove box for a pull of conciliatory Centauri Mega Gin, I calmed. Whether or not my asp looked its best I had made. I HAD MADE IT! Even though I felt that Ken, at minimum, owed me a drink, I was happy to have made it. I look forward now to a long flight home. Who knows maybe I will stop at Colonia for an extended vacation on my way back.
Howdy folks! I was sad to learn last week that you don’t get letters sent in, and truly your discussion of future console releases was insightful and pleasant, so here’s my request:
I’d like to hear your collective thoughts on historical snapshots, periodically – maybe an occasional segment with the proverbial ghost of christmas past.
Since everyone’s a dev these days, all vars double in this example: { this month x years ago we got patch y, which brought features z1, z2, and z3, all of which were horrible and spaced babies until patch y.1 fixed the obstetrics airlocks, but added z4: an rng multiplier to all tile-layers' spinal integrity. How features did z* play out? }
The forums are purged but we’ve been through so much game evolution, it would be lovely if you chaps could help keep the history of fdev’s work in perspective while we all fantasize about 2020’s release.
Probably best not to try reading this aloud. <flush sound>, Cmdr Myrt, Diamond Frogs
Paul Wortmeyer – Facebook Simple question , what’s with the DBX that was stolen , was it the one that did a flyby of Hutton and then zoomed off quicker than it should , and is it linked to the secret new hyperdrive tech that Sirius got from buying hyper technology’s?
During Monday’s FD Lunch stream “Hey Ben, thanks for Lave Radio, without it the trip to BP would have not been half as entertaining. o7 from Cmdr Olos Nah”
Ben blew the dust off of iTunes and noticed that whilst we’ve got loads of 5* reviews. They most recent one seems to be from 2017! So if anyone’s using iTunes feel free to let folks over there know that we’re still alive!!!
Lavecon 2019 is 5th – 7th July at the Sedgebrook Hall Hotel, and is sponsored by Spidermind Games!
