Elite: Dangerous. I broke down.

[Kushan]

Still undecided on what faction to support. Does one give a must have advantage that beats out the others? Tempted to support one of the imperial factions if only because the last time I looked most people seem to support one of the two federal.

[PanzersEast]

Still undecided on what faction to support. Does one give a must have advantage that beats out the others? Tempted to support one of the imperial factions if only because the last time I looked most people seem to support one of the two federal.

Here is what I have found thus far on bonuses....

Federation

Zachary Hudson
Influence gains boost for Federal minor factions, reduced for Imperial
Exploited Systems
    Federal Systems:       
    * 10% reduction on weapon commodity price
    * 20% Security increase

Imperial/Alliance/Ind systems:
    * 40% Security reduction

Control Systems:
    * All shipyards stock Vulture, Eagle and Dropship
    * 10% reduction on Weapons commodity price
    * 30% security increase

Felicia Winters
Influence gains boost for Federal minor factions, reduced for Imperial
Exploited Systems:
Federal systems:
* 200% production+consumption for food/basic medicine
* 20% security increase

Empire Systems:
* 10% increase cost of Imperial Slaves

Alliance/Ind systems:
* 200% production+consumption for food/basic medicine

Control Systems:
* 300% increase production+consumption for basic foods and medicine
* 20% security increase

Empire


Arissa Lavigny-Duval
Influence gains boost for Empire minor factions, reduced for Feds.
Exploited Systems:
* 20% increased bounty pay-out
* 10% reduced Black Market Profits

Control Systems
* Recieved Fines and Bounties Doubled
* 20% increased bounty pay-out
* Security Increased
* All Black Markets Closed

Denton Patreus
Influence gains boost for Empire minor factions, reduced for Feds
Exploited Systems:

Empire systems:
* 30% increased production+consumption of High Value goods
* 5% increase price paid for high value goods

Federal/Alliance/Ind systems
* 5% reduction on price paid for High Value Goods
Control Systems:
* 10% price reduction on all Imperial ships


Zemina Torval
Influence gains boost for Empire minor factions, reduced for Feds
Exploited Systems:
Empire systems:
* Double production+consumption of Imperial Slaves

Federal/Alliance/Ind systems
* 5% reduction on price paid for Mined materials

Control Systems
* 10% price reduction on Imp Slaves
* Imperial Ships in all Shipyards
* Doubled production+consumption for mined materials
* 10% reduction in price of mined materials


Aisling Duval
Influence gains boost for Empire minor factions, reduced for Feds
Exploited Systems:
* Greater production+consumption of high-value goods

Control Systems:
* Greater production+consumption of high-value goods
* 10% increase payment on high-value goods
* Security levels raised


Alliance


Edmund Mahon
Influence gains boost for Alliance/Ind minor faction, Fed/Emp reduced
Exploited Systems:
Alliance/Ind systems
* 10% price increase for agri foods
* 5% price reduction for agri equipment
* 400% production/consumption of agri goods

Federal/Empire systems
* 50% reduction of production/consumption for agri goods
* 5% price reduction in agricultural goods and equipment

Control Systems:
* 20% reduction on hull reinforcement and cargo racks
* 400% production+consumption of agri goods+equipment
* 5% price increase on agri goods/equipment


Independent

Archon Delaine
All minor faction influence increased, especially Independent
Exploited Systems:
* Security halved
* Black Markets pay 10% extra for illegal goods

Control Systems:
* Huge production+consumption boost for narcotics and weapons
* Security halved
* Black markets opened  if not present
* Black markets pay 15% extra for illegal goods

Li Yong-Rui
All minor faction influence reduced, especially Emp/Fed
Exploited Systems:
* Production and consumption of High-Tech goods doubled
* 10% reducted price paid for High-Tech

Control Systems
* Outfitting Prices reduced by 15%
* Shipyards stock Cobra, Dimondback, Asp, Python
* Production and consumption of High-Tech goods doubled
* 10% reducted price paid for High-Tech

Pranav Antal
All factional influence increased, Independents preferred
Exploited Systems:
* Black Markets pay an extra 10% for illegal goods
* 50% increase of received fines and bounties

Control Systems:
* Doubling of received fines and bounties
* All Black Markets closed

1. Zachary Hudson (Fed Republican) - Pacifier Frag Cannon (tighter spread, lower damage), bonus to bounty payouts
2. Felicia Winters (Fed Liberal) - Pulse Disrupter laser (medium weapon, also causes module malfunction), bonus to influence effects
3. Arissa Lavigny-Duval (Imp) - Imperial Hammer (multishot railgun), 20% bonus to bounties
4. Zemina Torval (Imp) - Mining Lance (combat mining laser), bonus to trade profits
5. Edmund Mahon (Alliance) - Retribution (small beam laser, enhanced heat damage), bonus to trade profits
6. Denton Patreus (Imp) - Advanced accelerator (specialist plasma weapon), reduced weapons cost, reduced munitions cost (in top 10)
7. Aisling Duval (Imp) - Prismatic Shield Generator (strong shield), increased influence bonus
8. Li Yong-Rui (Independent) - Pack-hound rack (salvo "drunk" missile launcher), reduced ship insurance, higher explorer payouts (in top 10)
9. Archon Delaine (Independent) - Cryotoscrambler (Burst laser, more shield damage, no hull damage), lower bounties/fines
10. Pranav Antal (Independent) - Enforcer Cannon (lower fire-rate, more damage), more influence change, higher bounty payouts (in top 10)

[PanzersEast]

[Pete Dero]

25% off on Steam for the next 48 hours.

[RooksBailey]

I haven't pledged yet because a) waiting for all the bugs to be squished, and b) still having a lot of fun with the base game.   :)

Ars Vagina...er, Technica has an interview with David Braben concerning the XBox port, the new CQC module, and the future of the PC game here:

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/06/elite-dangerous-at-e3-xbox-exclusives-and-qa-with-david-braben/

Although the game just passed 500,000 active players (after its 1.0 release in December 2014), series creator David Braben recognizes that the console market represents a huge swath of potential new players.

...

We then took the opportunity to hit David up with our entire list of questions about what’s coming next for Elite: Dangerous, and first on that list was whether there would be more free updates, or if next up are paid updates like the much-discussed planetary landings.

“There is more free stuff to come, but I don’t want to pre-announce what they are!” laughed Braben. “But, yes, there are paid things to come as well. I’m very, very excited about where we are.” Braben was unfortunately cagey on actual upcoming features we might see, but he did re-confirm that both the planetary landings and third-person walk-around-the-ship mode were coming—and, importantly, that those features would come to PC first.

Speaking of anticipated features: we asked Braben where the rest of the promised ships were, since there are still multiple announced-but-unreleased ships like the Panther Clipper and the Federal Corvette. “There are more to come,” Braben said slowly, “and we haven’t announced when those will be, but they are in plan.”

“Are there any ships that haven’t been announced that are still coming?” I asked.

Braben smiled, then nodded and said, “There’s more.”

Sounds good.

I have to say that I am becoming a bit annoyed with the toxic attitude on the official forums.  There seems to be a very nasty vocal minority that seems determined to crash and burn the game because it is not as fully developed as they had hoped it would be (it seems that a lot of people believed that the entirety of the design goals (DDF) would be present at launch), or they are having a fit that FD is not acting like it is still the 1980s and are taking their game in a more modern direction (such as the recently announced Xbox port and CQC module).   Yes, FD could have handled things better: it was bad when they dropped offline mode without warning; the game arrived about six months too early (i.e. I think v1.3 should have been v1.0); PP beta should have been two weeks long, and the subsequent patches shouldn't keep breaking things.  But, frankly, this is par for the course when it comes to modern game design.  Regardless, all things considered, I think Elite is the best space game to come along in a long while.  And I think FD has, overall, handled its first six months reasonably well.  So I really don't get this minority that desperately wants to see the game fail.

Case in point: on the Steam forum somebody asked if the game was worth the sale price.  The majority said yes, but there was one guy who went out of his way to (words to the effect) call FD a bunch of charlatans that broke every promise and are ruining the franchise with their pile of ^$#%.  Interestingly, this guy had over 400 hours in the game and was currently playing the game as I read the thread.     Who invests 400+ hours into a game he hates?  But this is a typical example of those hardcore Elite guys who seem to have developed some sort of fatal attraction for this game.  And I am really worried they are going to do long lasting harm to this franchise's viability.

[SirAndrewD]

I think FD has done a good job.  The task the set for themselves was herculean, and they've managed to realize their vision far more than I thought possible. 

There's still a lot of room for improvement, but rather than go the Star Citizen route and create a game that will probably arrive slightly after Godot does, FD has decided to work in chunks. They gave us a perfectly playable, if slightly shallow, game that will do nothing but improve with time.  Of course I'd like to have more immersion, planetary landings, ship excursions and a system to accommodate more story and role playing, but I'm also glad that FD seems to be devoted to bringing those things about in time, and we get to play the game in the meantime.

Moreover, I'm really surprised at how much FD listens to the concerns of the players.  Just look at how they approached the Vulture-Fer De Lance price debacle, the problems with ship upkeep, the early issues with rare trading and seeking luxuries, the PP Beta 10% module sale issue ect..  They actually have remarkably little ego when it comes to making changes to satisfy the community.

The FD forums are a den of scum and villainy, especially Dangerous Discussion.  I only read it because there is occasional good to be picked out of the incessant indignant wail that comes from so many threads.  And yes, I find it ironic that most of those actually do still play the game, probably more than I do.

[Pete Dero]

I think FD has done a good job.  The task the set for themselves was herculean, and they've managed to realize their vision far more than I thought possible. 

There's still a lot of room for improvement, but rather than go the Star Citizen route and create a game that will probably arrive slightly after Godot does, FD has decided to work in chunks. They gave us a perfectly playable, if slightly shallow, game that will do nothing but improve with time.  Of course I'd like to have more immersion, planetary landings, ship excursions and a system to accommodate more story and role playing, but I'm also glad that FD seems to be devoted to bringing those things about in time, and we get to play the game in the meantime.

Moreover, I'm really surprised at how much FD listens to the concerns of the players.  Just look at how they approached the Vulture-Fer De Lance price debacle, the problems with ship upkeep, the early issues with rare trading and seeking luxuries, the PP Beta 10% module sale issue ect..  They actually have remarkably little ego when it comes to making changes to satisfy the community.

The FD forums are a den of scum and villainy, especially Dangerous Discussion.  I only read it because there is occasional good to be picked out of the incessant indignant wail that comes from so many threads.  And yes, I find it ironic that most of those actually do still play the game, probably more than I do.

This is not how I expected it to go :  existing players need to buy the game again to get the new content.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons is a new season of major gameplay expansions for Elite Dangerous, beginning with Planetary Landings across the Elite Dangerous galaxy.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons launches this Holiday. The first expansion, Planetary Landings introduces players to planet surfaces and the first all-new Surface Recon Vehicle (SRV) the 'Scarab'. Scanning airless planets and moons brings new gameplay as players detect signals, crashed ships, mineral deposits, outposts and fortresses. Alone or with friends players will explore, mine and engage hostile forces as they attempt to infiltrate strongholds guarding valuable rewards. Players will explore new worlds, coasting over mountaintops, diving into canyons, landing on the surface and rolling out onto the surface in your SRV, all without loading times or breaks in gameplay.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons will continue to introduce new features and gameplay as the season continues into 2016, enriching the Elite Dangerous experience with new activities and new ways to play.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons includes all Elite Dangerous content to date, and all players will continue to fly together in the same galaxy. Existing Elite Dangerous players receive a £10 loyalty discount off the price of Elite Dangerous: Horizons, retaining their progress and unlocking the exclusive 'Cobra Mk IV' in-game spacecraft.

Regular price is £ 39.99, so existing players pay £ 29.99. (And there is also something like a Lifetime Expansion Pass at £ 130.00)

[undercovergeek]

so its £40 for a brand new customer and he gets the old game and the new update

and we pay £30 for the update to the game we paid £50 for, in short paying £80 for the same thing the new guys paying £40 for and thats a loyalty bonus??

>:(

[Kushan]

I'm more then willing to throw out money for expansions and DLC but this is type of scheme that really posses me off. Whose to say come the second expansion we won't have to buy the full game for a third time?

[chemkid]

i guess, the time has arrived for the folks who paid for the 'lifetime expansion pass' (when it was still affordable...) see their investment was not in vain! great!  O0

now, please lower the specs or gift me one of those new'n shiny gamer boxes... :D

cheers!

[undercovergeek]

reading the release notes and the plans its becoming clear that the game is heading towards being a career, dont get me wrong i think its awesome for those that are in it every day for a few hours but i personally cant commit to that much - it wont spoil what i want to do in the game but theres so much ill always be under the impression im missing something, some huge and vital part to the game because i havent been it as often as one would need

[SirAndrewD]

I admit, I was shocked to see the prices. 

I'm glad I have a lifetime expansion pass, but I don't begrudge the amount of consternation over the cost of Horizons. 

It's great for newcomers, but for those that didn't join in the betas it's a bit of an odd decision.

Ah well, back to running my new Python in the Imperial Slave trade.

[RooksBailey]

reading the release notes and the plans its becoming clear that the game is heading towards being a career, dont get me wrong i think its awesome for those that are in it every day for a few hours but i personally cant commit to that much - it wont spoil what i want to do in the game but theres so much ill always be under the impression im missing something, some huge and vital part to the game because i havent been it as often as one would need

I think Braben has always had Eve Online in his crosshairs.  He wants to make Elite as deep and immersive as that classic MMO.  This expansion should go a long way in helping Elite reach that goal.  In theory, anyway.   :) 

As for the pricing...yeah, it is an odd price point for old customers.  It irks me a bit.  But what doesn't irk me about gaming these days? 

Teaser:

[jomni]

so its £40 for a brand new customer and he gets the old game and the new update

and we pay £30 for the update to the game we paid £50 for, in short paying £80 for the same thing the new guys paying £40 for and thats a loyalty bonus??

>:(

But fans (early adopters) will buy it anyway.

[SirAndrewD]

so its £40 for a brand new customer and he gets the old game and the new update

and we pay £30 for the update to the game we paid £50 for, in short paying £80 for the same thing the new guys paying £40 for and thats a loyalty bonus??

>:(

But fans (early adopters) will buy it anyway.

Depends on how "early" you're talking about.  All Kickstarter backers, Alpha and Premium Beta backers get it free, along with a free Cobra Mark IV. 

Not that that excuses the new pricing,  I'm inclined to be of the opinion that it's excessive, but there are a lot of the first in the door guys that are taken care of.