Day one of Gamescom 2016 is complete! You can watch the livestream back on our official YouTube channel, but keep reading on to find out about some of the highlights we spoke about over the two livestreams. Remember to come back every day to stay up to date on all of the latest Elite Dangerous news straight out of Gamescom.
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Passengers – Hop On Board At most starports you’ll be able to pick up simple bulk passenger contracts, where you’ll take large numbers of passengers from one starport to another… It’s simple work, but it pays well. You may need to ferry refugees away from a system that’s locked in deadly warfare, or move medical experts to a system to help dying inhabitants. You may need to move security teams to assist unruly citizens, or sometimes move those whose intentions are unclear. Ships like the Beluga are dedicated to passenger-based activity and will be able to fit the facilities to carry more passengers at a time than other vessels, as well as accommodate VIP passengers with upgraded luxury cabins. |
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Beluga Whale by name, whale by nature, the Beluga is one of the largest ships in the game. As a specialised Passenger Liner the Beluga has multiple module slots that can accommodate all types of passenger cabins. Well armoured, and decently quick for such a large civilian ship, the Beluga has a similar speed to the Hauler. When escorting passengers across the galaxy you’ll need defence, so the Beluga has 6 utility mounts and 5 medium hardpoints. The Beluga has plenty of mid-range sized internal slots (4 threes, 1 four, 2 fives and 4 sixes). The Beluga can fit a size 7 FSD, but it’s a very heavy ship so it’s more suited for multiple jumps rather than giant leaps. |
Very Important People
At service-based starports you may be able to pick up these VIP passengers. These are wealthy individuals with exacting accommodation requirements, willing to pay big if your ship is meets their tastes. But be aware, they also have their own traits that may end up causing complications for you en-route.
Safety First
When carrying passengers, you’ll have a responsibility to keep them safe. If they get perturbed, or upset, they’ll hop into the ship’s escape pods and leave you with no pay, and end your contract immediately.
The same goes for if your ship is destroyed, so you won’t end up feeling too guilty when you’re accidentally shot down by a well-meaning bounty hunter.
If you take too long on any mission, your passengers will become increasingly bored, and eventually leave you of their own accord… so unless they want to, you probably won’t be able to take them on what would be a simple trip from one system to another, via a detour to Sagittarius A*...
I can show you the world
The galaxy is full of many wonders… nebulae, neutron stars, black holes, historic battle sites and more.
The Pilots Federation has listed hundreds of new sites of importance, and Commanders can now visit these areas, scan them and return to any starport for a reward.
For those interested in seeing everything… the must-visit list just got that little bit longer. Missions can also lead you to tourism sites, too.
VIPs passengers may want to see some of these tourist spots up close – will you have enough time to indulge their desire for detours to these beautiful places, whilst still ferrying them to their final destination in time?
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My way or the High Way - Route Plotting If you are an explorer you can make your route plotter only pick out stars you’re able to scoop fuel from, if you’re a new starter you can pick systems that are secure, or if you’re looking to cause some trouble (or if you have already) you can do the opposite and make your route plotter only pick out systems that are in Anarchy. The Route plotter will always pick the best route closest to the filters you’ve applied, but it will still complete the route for you if it’s not possible to fill the entire route with the exact criteria you’ve specified. The plotter will update as you select and deselect filters, altering your route in real time on the screen. The plotter still keeps in mind the plot option you've selected – economical or fastest. |
