Elite: Dangerous Beta 1 Released

Added on by Ali Beasley.

Beta 1 increases the number of playable star systems in the game by a factor of 10 compared to Premium Beta, and covers a greatly expanded 38,000 cubic lightyear volume of Elite: Dangerous’ accurately modelled Milky Way galaxy centred around the Boötes constellation familiar to Premium Beta players.

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Marmalade to Fire up Developers

Added on by Ali Beasley.

London, UK.   21 July 2014.  Marmalade Technologies Ltd, providers of the free, top-rated cross-platform app development tool, today announced a brand new offer for developers who deploy their Marmalade apps to the Amazon Appstore, enabling them to reach the rapidly growing audience on Android devices, Kindle Fire, Fire TV and Fire Phone.

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Elite: Dangerous Premium Beta Phase Starts

Added on by Ali Beasley.

Step Change Today As 10,000 More People Start to Blaze Their Own Trail Across 200 Cubic Light Years of Space

Cambridge, UK.  30th May 2014.  Frontier Developments plc (AIM:  FDEV), the leading independent game developer with studios in Cambridge, UK and Halifax, Nova Scotia, today reaches the next milestone in the development of its forth-coming Elite: Dangerous title.

The Premium Beta phase starts today with all the major features that have been added through the four Alpha phases. The immediate focus is on testing the systems and servers with a step change in numbers using a re-balanced game based on feedback and information from the recent Alpha 4 build.

More than 10,000 additional people, a number which is growing daily, are today able to earn credits to upgrade their ships and weapons by blazing their own trading, piracy and bounty hunting trail though five star systems covering a 200 cubic light year volume of space.  There are a range of different economies and governments, ranging from Anarchy to Federal Democracies to Corporate-run systems.

All this action takes place around ten stars in five star systems that make up part of the Boötes constellation (when viewed from Earth) and set within the 400 billion star systems of the Elite: Dangerous Milky Way galaxy.

The Premium Beta, which includes a lifetime Expansion pack, is available now for new customers here. Those who wish to upgrade can do so from a pre-order of the standard Beta here, or the final game here. Customers who have already pre-ordered the standard Beta and the Expansion pack only need spend an additional £15 to start playing the Premium Beta today.  

David Braben, CEO of Frontier, said: “The start of the Premium Beta phase is another exciting moment in our development – from today we have over 10,000 additional people playing the game.  This is a significant and sensible step-change with which to test the next level of scaling of our cloud-based systems and servers as we move towards the very large numbers of people we will eventually have playing.

I once again would like to thank all those who played such an important role in the Alpha phase, which is now at an end. We’re looking forward to continuing to collaborate with the expanded community during the beta phase as we deliver greater scale, richer content and ever higher quality.”

These community created videos giving a glimpse of the scale and depth of Elite: Dangerous:

Heat mechanics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvl7uaR1sfI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Super-cruise with flight assist off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hj2MXw8t_40

Voice control

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SxhiLpLeFhU

Media contact:   Alison Beasley, Lincoln Beasley PR.

T:  +44 7966 449 130 E:  alison@lincolnbeasley.co.uk

About Frontier Developments

Frontier Developments plc is a leading independent game developer founded in 1994 by David Braben, co-author of the seminal ‘Elite’ game.  Based in Cambridge, UK and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Frontier uses its proprietary ‘Cobra’ game development technology to create innovative games across videogame consoles, computers, smartphones and tablets.  

Elite: Dangerous, to be released on PC and Mac, was initially crowd-funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign and Frontier’s own website. Previous titles Frontier has created include RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, Thrillville, LostWinds, Kinectimals, Kinect Disneyland Adventures.  The studio developed Zoo Tycoon as a launch title for Microsoft’s new Xbox One console also is also working on other original IP titles with publishing partners. 

 

Elite: Dangerous Alpha Phase 1.1 released today - Oculus Rift, 3D TV and Track IR support

Added on by Ali Beasley.

Just in time for the holidays Frontier today releases the new Elite: Dangerous Alpha Phase 1.1 - Single Player combat, which is an updated version of 1.0 with new stereoscopic 3D features we are testing.

We'd like to thank everyone for their positive feedback on the Alpha test so far. Craig Pearson from the Rock, Paper, Shotgun website got a hands-on look at the Alpha Phase 1.0 build, and you can read his impressions in a detailed piece here.

To get the latest build Alpha backers can simply re-download the Alpha build from the Elite: Dangerous online store as before.  If you want to get involved, access to the ongoing Alpha testing phases can still be purchased from the store.

Alpha Phase 1.1 includes the following in addition to the 1.0 content:
• A selection of stereoscopic 3D support options added
- Oculus Rift
- Side-by-side 3D rendering for use with 3D TVs / monitors
- Anaglyph rendering: old school Red/Cyan rendering for those without Oculus Rift or a 3D TV but with some vintage red/cyan glasses
• Track IR support added
• Dashboard brightness option added
• Improved build stability
• Assorted improvements from Alpha feedback

Have a Happy Holidays! The Elite: Dangerous team is going to take a well-deserved rest now – although there will be people supporting Alpha backers over the holidays - and we’ll be back in the New Year with a bang!

Frontier Announces Elite: Dangerous Premium Beta

Added on by Ali Beasley.

Frontier today announced the delivery date of the next milestone in the development of its forth-coming Elite: Dangerous game.

The Premium Beta effectively starts today, with Premium Beta players able to download a single player combat build of the game. The full Premium Beta will start on 30th May 2014, and until then, players will be able to practise with the single player combat build.

Upgrades are on sale now for anyone who has already pre-ordered the standard Beta or the final game, via this link.

Before the first Premium Beta release, Frontier will release one final Elite: Dangerous Alpha phase, Phase 4, which adds Travel and Trading.

Alpha phase 1 covered the vital moment-to-moment combat and ship controls.

Alpha phase 2 added internet-based multiplayer capability.

Alpha phase 3 expanded on these technology tests to add docking and the first elements of gameplay progression.

Alpha phase 4 expands significantly on this with two modes of faster than light travel - in-system 'super-cruise' and between-system 'hyperspace'.  The full Milky Way galactic map, containing some 400,000,000,000 star systems, will be present. Alpha 4 gameplay is focused on a 200 cubic light year volume of space, far from Earth.

The date and further details of Alpha Phase 4 will be announced shortly.  Alpha contributors get early access to future builds and a lifetime benefit of discounted in-game ship insurance. Elite: Dangerous Alpha access is available for order until 25th April.

David Braben, CEO of Frontier, said:

“The Alpha process has worked well for us. We have gradually built out the key elements of the game, first locally, with single player combat, then with a few thousand players across the internet. On 30th May the Premium Beta extends this to many thousands of players worldwide, with an increasingly rich game.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who have played such an important role in Alpha testing, and I’m very happy that we will continue to benefit from their valuable input as they test Beta builds approximately 2 weeks in advance of release.

400 billion star systems are yours to explore in Elite: Dangerous

400 billion star systems are yours to explore in Elite: Dangerous

 

On 30th May we move into a new phase of Premium Beta testing, and I’m delighted to be able to welcome a significant numbers of new players to Elite: Dangerous today.”

Elite: Dangerous shown to US press at Game Developer Conference 2014

Added on by Ali Beasley.

Elite: Dangerous shown to press at Game Developer Conference 2014. David Braben and Producer Adam Woods demoed the game to journalists from around the world in San Francisco this week. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

After five incredible days of interviews and demos, ranging from PC World US, Gamespot USA, PC Gamer US, Gamasutra, MMORPG, Games Global, Yogscast, US Gamers and a host of freelance journalists too, there will be a lot of coverage in the coming weeks.

We were also able to accomodate a few short notice interviews, like this one with Scott Manley.  Scott, who has posted many You Tube videos of his own Elite: Dangerous gameplay, came along to meet us in person and he took the time to video an interview with David Braben:

Elite: Dangerous Alpha 3.0 Releases. Docking and Ship Outfitting; Game Progression; Cobra Mk III.

Added on by Ali Beasley.

Elite: Dangerous, Alpha Phase 3.0 - Docking & Ship Outfitting, is today released to all players who have backed or bought Elite: Dangerous at the Alpha stage.

After successfully proving out the moment to moment combat gameplay, and multiplayer technology in Alpha phases one and two respectively, phase three starts to move towards building out the game by adding docking, an early version of hyperspace jumps between multiple locations and ship outfitting within an iconic Coriolis space station.

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Elite: Dangerous Alpha Phase 2.0 - Multiplayer Released Today

Added on by Ali Beasley.

Today Elite: Dangerous Alpha Phase 2.0 - Multiplayer was released, which provides backers the opportunity to play against each other in four distinct multiplayer scenarios:

  • Free-for-all melee
  • Pick your side in a two-team melee
  • Co-operative defense of a crippled Federal battlecruiser
  • A more sophisticated ‘Pirates and Bounty Hunters’ mode which hints at the fluid choices and roles players will experience on a much greater scale in the final game 

Credits can be earned in each scenario and used to purchase new ship loadouts.


Frontier’s Elite: Dangerous Alpha program has been created to engage with the game’s Alpha backers, enabling the team to respond to feedback, add features and balance the game to make it the best it can possibly be. This is an incredibly exciting and important phase in the development of Elite: Dangerous.

Commented David Braben,

"Player stat tracking, the multiplayer networking code and associated management are all big new systems that are being tested with Phase 2.0 plus it’s the first time we’ll be able to test how the game mechanics perform with significant numbers of players all playing simultaneously."

There will be two further major Alpha releases to roll out before Elite: Dangerous reaches Premium Beta stage.

The Elite: Dangerous Alpha program can be joined now via http://elite.frontier.co.uk