This is the blueprint for the Gutamaya Imperial Eagle, the faster and dare I say, sexier, version of the classic Eagle. The wealthy commander's racing ship on weekends!
First introduced in version 1.4 after an early reveal at LaveCon 2015.
Thanks to CMDR Aidan Abacus & the CMDRs of www.elitedangerous.de for German translations. Thanks to CMDR Nicou, CMDR Aymerix & CMDR Duita Rider of www.elite-dangerous.fr for French translations.
English Version 1920x1080 4096x2305
Deutsche Version 1920x1080 4096x2305
Version Française 1920x1080 4096x2305
After the various announcements so far at GamesCom 2015 we know a lot more about the forthcoming CQCC add-on to Elite: Dangerous and the other content being added.
We've heard a lot about it and that it will be a (short) Xbox One exclusive.
When is being released?
September, first on the Xbox and then on the PC a day or two later. The Beta for 1.4 has been confirmed for September 1st!
What else is in the update?
- Player factions are being added to the game. Groups of players can have their own faction and homeworld and (if they want) work up influence to make themselves a Power.
- The mission system is getting some love.
- Legal salvage missions are coming, so you can grab booty on the right side of the law.
- Delivery, courier and smuggling will gain long range variants that can set destinations from tens to hundreds of light years away for long haul missions.
- A new variant on the massacre mission will have higher numbers and greater time for a more sustained strike against the mission target.
- An even more hazardous extraction site has been added to provide a more dangerous environment.
- Changes to the background simulation are being made around systems changing from war / civil war states and also around population and political stability based on population size.
- Frontier has confirmed that assets from CQC will be included in the main game.
What new ships will there be?
The Imperial Eagle
A variant of the Eagle with a larger power generator, higher straight line speed, a medium hard-point on top and a less agile flight model.
Federal Dropship Mark II "Federal Assault Ship"
An improved combat model of it's predecessor. A more agile flight model and two medium plus two large hard-points (instead of four medium and one large) this is at the expense of some internals space.
Federal Gunship
And finally the Federal Gunship which will have two small hard-points, four medium hard-points and one large hard-point. This will be a large ship and with those seven weapon hard-points, will be the second best armed ship in the game after the Anaconda. While similar to the dropship in shape, it has delta wings at the back, more like a Vulture and what appear to be folding fins at the front. Much has been made of the large hatch visible on the underside. It looks like the Anaconda's landing bay hatch.
This weekend is LaveCon 2015, the convention for the game of Elite and the science fiction universe that surrounds it.
The event is organised by the creators of the Lave Radio podcast, the weekly web-based chat show and this year the event is pretty big. I’m told the first LaveCon was just 40 people. This year added a hundred to that number at least.
One guest today was Frontier, who held a Question & Answer session, open to the floor. Michael Brookes, Chris Gregory and Sandro Sammarco were on the panel with Sarah-Jane Avory and Mike Evans also present.
So did they spill any beans?
Well.. yes!
Firstly they gave away a unique paint skin for the Vulture, Cobra and Asp – but sadly for you, only to those commanders present for LaveCon. This was a flaming Elite logo and a flame skin. So if you see these in game, you know that commander was here!
They then announced a new ship variant, the Imperial Eagle (Impegal) a stylish (and blue lit) variant of the Eagle, less manoeuvrable but fast and tough with a medium hard-point on the top and a bigger power plant. This Imperial variant will be very like the old Frontier II version of the Imperial Eagle (or that at least is the intention). David Braben specifically requested this ship variant.
Other gems of information that were “leaked” when the panel were questioned by the audience.
- The Thargoids are still a way off yet, however there is already evidence of them to be found in the game.
- The game has a ten year plan.
- All the ships fit on a “backbone” which is an outline of the total ships and where they fit in the game, although this backbone is revised based on player feedback after each ship is introduced.
- The LaveCon skin was done by one of the Frontier artists in his evenings to get it done specially for LaveCon.
- No part of the game is currently considered finished. That is Frontier feel that there is plenty of room for addition and adjustment (see ten year plan).
- The power-play characters appearance was modelled initially on the actors David Braben would have selected to play them in an Elite feature film (“which is not being made” – Michael Brookes). According to Sandro they are not all modelled on the actors that some have speculated.
- The PC release of the free CQCC expansion will follow as rapidly as possible after the XBOX One release. So it will be exclusive for an exclusively short period!