Elite Dangerous continually attracts new pilots, but not all of them stay. The space sim is considered particularly inaccessible for newcomers and deters many beginners. However, this has changed with the latest update.
What has changed with the last update? On April 23, Elite Dangerous received a new update on all platforms.
The focus was on numerous “Quality of Life” improvements aimed primarily at newcomers and previously deterred space pilots.
For the previously harsh and ruthless start, there are now some cool features making things significantly easier.
These 4 things make starting in Elite Dangerous easier now
The most important changes for newcomers are: There have been numerous smaller quality improvements, such as
- a tidier menu structure,
- a more comfortable character creation
- and additional useful details for navigation.
However, especially the following features should make life significantly easier for new pilots:
New starter area – exclusively for beginners
This is how it was before: Newcomers previously started normally in one of the starting systems in Elite Dangerous. However, these systems were freely accessible to all players and did not differ fundamentally from the rest of the expanses of space. There was no safety net.
In short: The still fresh pilots were simply thrown into the deep end – without a real explanation of what they should do or which content is suitable for beginners. Moreover, they could be attacked at any time by experienced players.
This is how it is now: This has now changed with the update. New pilots now start in an area specially created for them, a kind of starter zone. This area can only be used by them, experienced commanders have no access here.
Here, specially simple missions are offered, allowing newcomers to initially gain their first experiences and solidify the basics before being released into the infinite expanse of space. These missions can also be easily mastered with the starter ship.
This is intended to avoid overwhelming the players, as has often been the case in the past. Only after completing a specific mission can newcomers leave this protected area.
Pilot’s Handbook
What is the Pilot’s Handbook? The codex of Elite Dangerous, where you can find numerous information about the game and a knowledge database, has now been expanded with another useful feature – the Pilot’s Handbook.
This is a sort of guide with the most important information on all essential areas of the game.
What is it used for? Previously, Elite Dangerous left players quite alone when it came to diving deeper into the game and its numerous mechanics.
- What can you do in the game?
- How do you navigate?
- What should you, for example, consider as an explorer?
- Which equipment is particularly important?
- And what does this equipment actually do?
For all these questions, players previously had to intensively search the internet or needed the help of an experienced pilot.
However, even that was not always easy, as the information in German was not always as extensive and helpful as necessary for newcomers. All this can now be found compactly, easily accessible, and succinctly explained in the game itself (also in German).
Alongside the integrated practice missions and videos, this feature represents a significant relief and helpful orientation for beginners.
Advanced Landing Computer
This is why the landing computer is important: Especially at the beginning of a space pilot’s career, one of the most challenging tasks is docking and undocking at a space station. Many newcomers have lost their ships during this maneuver.
Many stations rotate around a certain axis to maintain gravity within. Access to these stations is very tight and can easily turn into a frustrating and sometimes even fatal trap during high traffic.
The same applies to leaving and landing at a station. This is exactly where the landing computer comes into play.
What the landing computer can do: The docking computer relieves the pilot of this challenging phase. Previously, the computer could only land. With the latest update, it can also safely bring you from inside the station into space.
This way, beginners can initially focus on other important basics, such as navigation, and can choose to learn this maneuver themselves later.
Moreover, this computer module is now standard on your first ship and all smaller beginner ships since the latest update. It does not need to be purchased or installed separately.
Supercruise Assistant
This is why the supercruise assistant is important for beginners: This new module helps new players with flying and navigation in supercruise mode – a faster mode of movement within a system.
As a result, beginners can initially focus on other things and do not have to direct their full attention right away to the initially complex-seeming flight method.
This is what this assistant does for you: This optional module simplifies supercruise flight to a selected destination within the system. While it does not take over direction control, it manages the most critical tasks during this flight phase.
The ship will automatically maintain the correct speed when approaching the target, preventing you from overshooting the target – a mistake that can happen not only to beginners but also to many experienced pilots.
The correctly timed exit from supercruise – for instance, for landing at a station or on a planet as well as for resource extraction – is also regulated by this assistant.
This module has also become standard on your first ship since the latest update.
Are you interested in Elite Dangerous, or has the game previously overwhelmed or even deterred you with its inaccessible nature and complexity – now is the best time to try your hand as a space pilot.
Has Elite Dangerous intimidated you so far? Are these changes reason enough for you to give the game (another) chance?
