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[PracticalTechnicality]

The three smaller snakes (Sidewinder, Viper and Cobra) are dedicated combat vessels, with the cobra occupying a 'Millenium Falcon' armed blockade runner niche (heavy, well protected and good weapons).

The Anaconda bucks the trend by being an 'Armed Freighter'.  It occupies the class below fleet vessels (frigates and up), being heavily armed, shielded and armoured, with respectable cargo and ferocious forward firepower (and not shabby turreting possibilities).  It is also the only vessel that can current fit 'line ship' weaponry, in the form of a class 8 plasma accelerator (slow moving high damage projectile designed for defeating fleet-grade shielding - think of it like a bomb launcher). 

The Anaconda can be argued to be a heavy attack strike craft, but it lacks maneuverability compared to it;s smaller cousins and the cargo bay betrays it's purpose as an armed freighter.  It is more agile than true freighters, however, due to a rail system cargo bay - which uses sliding rails to manipulate the centre of gravity during turns.  You can feel this in game as the ship fights you initially on the turn, but slides into it as you persist in the move. 

[Louella Dougans]

looks interesting, but, I don't think my life is going to work out in a way that would allow me the free time to play such games.

if/when EVE folds, I don't think I'll have the time to look at Elite, or star citizen. :S

[Silas Vitalia]

How is the beta going?

I hear they've had some big updates lately?

I definitely get more of an 'eve' feel when I see videos showcasing stations and pew pew than compared to Star Citizen.

I've sort of already cast my chips for the latter but very interested in Elite's development and release!

[Elmund Egivand]

The three smaller snakes (Sidewinder, Viper and Cobra) are dedicated combat vessels, with the cobra occupying a 'Millenium Falcon' armed blockade runner niche (heavy, well protected and good weapons).

The Anaconda bucks the trend by being an 'Armed Freighter'.  It occupies the class below fleet vessels (frigates and up), being heavily armed, shielded and armoured, with respectable cargo and ferocious forward firepower (and not shabby turreting possibilities).  It is also the only vessel that can current fit 'line ship' weaponry, in the form of a class 8 plasma accelerator (slow moving high damage projectile designed for defeating fleet-grade shielding - think of it like a bomb launcher). 

The Anaconda can be argued to be a heavy attack strike craft, but it lacks maneuverability compared to it;s smaller cousins and the cargo bay betrays it's purpose as an armed freighter.  It is more agile than true freighters, however, due to a rail system cargo bay - which uses sliding rails to manipulate the centre of gravity during turns.  You can feel this in game as the ship fights you initially on the turn, but slides into it as you persist in the move.

Wonderful. I look forward to flying those when it comes live along with OR and Thrustmaster joystick. My need for rustbuckets must be sated.

[PracticalTechnicality]

Elite Beta 2 is coming Sept 30th!

http://www.pcgamer.com/uk/2014/09/19/elite-dangerous-beta-2-goes-live-at-the-end-of-the-month-original-elite-is-free-right-now/

High lights include:

• New ships (ASP explorer among others)
• Exploration (uncharted space, data market, mapping, system maps)
• 4k capability (meh, not got a beast machine to run that )
• 500 new systems (555 total)
• Classic Pilot's federation ranks and factional missions
• Full starship modularity; hardpoints are no longer the only things you modify.  Different models of life support, frameshift drive, sublight drive and so on are available!
• Improved bulletin board with scalable missions
• RUMOUR: Passenger missions, with quarters quality providing a chance for 'story chain' style missions of increasing quality

As ever, add me ' Sakhr Amir ' and post your pilot ID here if you're interested in grouping up sometime.  I am looking forwards to pushing the boundaries of space back with a view to creating new markets - the more the merrier!

[Jace]

Is there a lot to do that isn't dog fighting? If I wanted to be a trader/hauler/businessperson is that a valid option in the game? Or is that meant to be a side thing to pay for the pew pew?

[PracticalTechnicality]

Trading, mining, transport of persons, smuggling and data courier/explorer are all viable career options.  Violence is the most accessible career in terms of exposure and media attention, but civvie street is well stocked. 

Trading lies on an artificial economy based on scarcity and planetary specialisation.  You can game the market but it requires team work, huge cargo bays and an effective 'union' presence to blockade or buy out goods as they're spawned.  As the universe gets bigger it will be easier to affect backwaters and harder to impact civilised space. 

Mining is not implemented yet but is effectively dogfighting of a kind.  the right mining gear, with good aim and patience will be required to avoid release of volatile gasses, debris and potential void critters.  Every rock could be a pay day or a mega tonne explosion depending on how you handle it.  Gun mining is 'possible' but with terrible waste and almost guaranteed cataclysm.  (Source: FD Design Document)

Transport of persons is another rumoured option.  Design documents state it will be in at launch, and you can install quarters of vary quality into your ship.  Specialised ships can fit high tier VIP quarters .  The importance of your guest and quality of their accommodation affects the number and quality of spin off missions they may offer you.  After all, knowing a licensed free spacer is useful no matter who you are.

Smuggling, like trading but chillier (running silent means venting your heat sink and cutting 'non-essential' features; shields, engines, sometimes life support).  The Feds don;t want their people getting access to sporting equipment like 'High Calibre Battle Weaponry'?  Fight for freedom by enduring potential hypothermia and explosive decompression by picking up some life-ending hardware form an anarchy or indie system and coasting into a station with underground connections available.  Make mad profit and try not to lose sleep over it. 

Exploration requires going out into the unknown, scanning a lot of things and returning with data chits to hand in for exploration bounties.  You can have these stolen from you, but unlike cargo they cannot be scanned - engineer your situation by playing dumb with your attack if you think you have the charisma for it.  Scanning lights you up big time, so data pirates may just wait for you to scan the system while running cold, then try to hunt you down.  However, if you luck out and find life bearing planets or resources in demand, the Fed and Empire pay handsomely.  If you can get back before your competitors.

That is a run down of civvy careers for now; I plan to carry on my EVE tradition and go loaded for a fight, but looking for a reliable income through measured risks and cooperation.

BONUS: Have an Asp Explorer HRes Pic: http://elitedangerous.com/extra/newsletter_2014_09_19/HighResScreenShot_2014-09-19_11-34-49

[Jace]

Transport of persons is another rumoured option.  Design documents state it will be in at launch, and you can install quarters of vary quality into your ship.  Specialised ships can fit high tier VIP quarters .  The importance of your guest and quality of their accommodation affects the number and quality of spin off missions they may offer you.  After all, knowing a licensed free spacer is useful no matter who you are.

Smuggling, like trading but chillier (running silent means venting your heat sink and cutting 'non-essential' features; shields, engines, sometimes life support).  The Feds don;t want their people getting access to sporting equipment like 'High Calibre Battle Weaponry'?  Fight for freedom by enduring potential hypothermia and explosive decompression by picking up some life-ending hardware form an anarchy or indie system and coasting into a station with underground connections available.  Make mad profit and try not to lose sleep over it. 

Hmm, this has potential to interest me if these routes are fairly developed. I'm assuming Beta 2.0 means they are shooting for a summer 2015 release?

[PracticalTechnicality]

Quarter 4 2014, so December-February afaik. 

[PracticalTechnicality]

Elite: Dangerous hits beta 2 in 24 hours.  The latest newsletter gives more details, stopping shy of telling us every ship that will be included and naming all 500 of the additional star systems that will be included. 

Exploration will begin and combat/trade professions will be matured.  read below for more information:

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=c02ce26b9b

[Silas Vitalia]

Space High-Five to you ELITE people, looks like this is coming along well!

Question to some of you ELITE people,

How are they handling multiple clients in the same location? Are they instancing the larger systems or will it be EVE style with 10000 people in JITA?

[PracticalTechnicality]

Instancing with a hierarchy of preference (players you end up with as follows):

Most important first, least is last.

1. Current settings (solo, group, open)
2. Blocked list - all blocked players excluded from your instance and you from theirs on a first into instance basis
3. Friend list (players on friends list more likely to be in)
4. Resource-skewed allocation (random placement in instances with bias to 'half full' instances to give the impression of populous space - bias to empty would spread processes thin, bias to full would lead to lag creating new instances on demand only)

Networking is peer to peer with server call back - the server provides dynamic data (market trends, NPC warfare status, exploration status and other global features shared across all instances) while the highest performing early-comer to the instance becomes a form of host until they leave.  Local information relevant to dynamic world is communicated at a low tick rate back to the server.

Essentially, we're all in the same galaxy, but in different discreet and intangible rooms.  This measure isn't a great solution, but considering how fine-grained the simulation is compared t a traditional MMO, not to mention it lacks the concessions CCP has made with eve (1Hz server tick, very simple mechanics), I think they've done the best they can with current limitations.  It certainly feels organic when playing, unless you arrange to meet a friend not on your list who ends up in a different instance . 

[Silas Vitalia]

Instancing with a hierarchy of preference (players you end up with as follows):

Most important first, least is last.

1. Current settings (solo, group, open)
2. Blocked list - all blocked players excluded from your instance and you from theirs on a first into instance basis
3. Friend list (players on friends list more likely to be in)
4. Resource-skewed allocation (random placement in instances with bias to 'half full' instances to give the impression of populous space - bias to empty would spread processes thin, bias to full would lead to lag creating new instances on demand only)

Networking is peer to peer with server call back - the server provides dynamic data (market trends, NPC warfare status, exploration status and other global features shared across all instances) while the highest performing early-comer to the instance becomes a form of host until they leave.  Local information relevant to dynamic world is communicated at a low tick rate back to the server.

Essentially, we're all in the same galaxy, but in different discreet and intangible rooms.  This measure isn't a great solution, but considering how fine-grained the simulation is compared t a traditional MMO, not to mention it lacks the concessions CCP has made with eve (1Hz server tick, very simple mechanics), I think they've done the best they can with current limitations.  It certainly feels organic when playing, unless you arrange to meet a friend not on your list who ends up in a different instance .

This looks to be the same approach as Star Citizen, sort of a 'guided' instancing.  I think we'd all prefer no instancing but with the level of fidelity SC and ED are looking for I don't see a way around it.

How about NPCs in Elite Dangerous?

In SC they are aiming for the players to be about 10% of the total 'population' for market and pvp, so 90% of the ships you see will be NPC.  The trick they are doing is not -telling- you which is which, so you might not know if you are fighting players or npc.  Just seeing a ship in space won't tell you anything about who is the pilot without the proper equipment and taking the time for a lengthy scan.  (although your preferences will help decide).

[Lyn Farel]

I don't think I have a problem with subtle instancing. I would actually prefer that over overcrowded 1000 vs 1000 laggy spilled toyboxes like in Eve. I prefer to keep it at small scales, not to overview exercises and "you are a speck among 999 other specks fighting each other".

[PracticalTechnicality]

I don't think I have a problem with subtle instancing. I would actually prefer that over overcrowded 1000 vs 1000 laggy spilled toyboxes like in Eve. I prefer to keep it at small scales, not to overview exercises and "you are a speck among 999 other specks fighting each other".

Agreed, it'd be nice to have an organic, all in one world situation, but technical and playability limitations make this a pretty good compromise in both SC and ED.  i also prefer smaller actions - my play in EVE became centred around providing for a small group of like minded players and I think my ED career is going to be the same pretty much - facilitate wealth, fuel and ships for exploring with friends.  Small instances help that a lot.