Hello, Commander, Welcome to Elite: Dangerous Newsletter #81.



This week we're on the road to Gamescom, working on assets, art and video for our next major announcement. We have to stay quiet for a few weeks, but we'll have lots to share at the beginning of August.







As always, you can hear the latest news and updates directly from the development team on our Close Quarters Combat will debut soon for Xbox One before its appearance on PC and Mac, and in this week's Peek we have the world's first look at our second dedicated CQC arena: Elevate. We also have Executive Producer Michael Brookes' Developer Update and some words about the new Community homepage.As always, you can hear the latest news and updates directly from the development team on our Forums , Twitter , Facebook Community homepage and right here in the newsletter every week, and we're always eager to hear your feedback. Have a great weekend! Contents This Week Community Site

Peek Of The Week

Developer Update

Comms Chatter

GalNet Community Site

Next week we're launching daily updates on the Community homepage. Think of it as a fansite run from inside the studio by writers and creators who are players themselves, have worked on some of the biggest brands in the games media, and have full access to the development team.



The Community homepage is where you'll get daily updates from the team at Frontier, including Newsletter regulars like Peek Of The Week and Comms Chatter, and some new things like developer Q&As and profiles of the best content creators from the Elite: Dangerous community. The Community homepage is also where you'll get the latest news and announcements. So when we go to Gamescom or E3 we'll have exclusive features about everything we reveal. It's where we'll announce Twitch streams and showcase new trailers, and it's where we'll take your feedback and celebrate the community's work.



Like our beta tests before every game update, the community site will undergo a great deal of testing in coming weeks and months. You'll see new functions added, several layout changes, and occasional tweaks to the content. It's all about giving Elite: Dangerous players the best home we can possibly make.



You can help us by hitting the forums and letting us know what you'd like to see. We hope we can give you a reason to visit every day. Back to Contents Peek Of The Week Elevate. A new arena for Close Quarters Combat.

Closed hatches guard pathways through an orbiting space elevator repurposed for PVP in CQC. Coming to PC, Mac and Xbox One this year. Play the Xbox One preview soon. Back to Contents From the desk of Executive Producer Mike Brookes.



Hi everyone,



The E3 team seem to have brought the weather back with them and we’re enjoying some rare sunshine here in the UK! A new point release for Powerplay (1.3.07) is coming early next week, which addresses various issues – including a hot topic for pirates by increasing the limit on dumped cargo canisters in deep space. As always we’ll continue to look into outstanding issues – in particular we’re investigating some abnormal stuttering on some people’s machines.



As announced at E3 we have a new game mode coming to Elite: Dangerous with CQC Championship. This multiplayer arena style combat uses specialised ships for quick dip in and out combat. The ships in CQC Championship are separate from the ships you own in the main game and there is no penalty for destruction in the same way as in the main game. Naturally this mode will feed into the main game and we’re considering it as another career role that players can take part in. Within CQC Championship there are two paths of progression.



The first is integral to CQC Championship itself and provides a ladder of upgrades and prestige as you rise through the ranks. Players earn experience by completing various actions in matches (such as kills or assists) and so progressing through the ranks. Different ranks will unlock ships, equipment and abilities and once the top rank is reached then it is possible to wrap around to further increase your status.



The second and parallel path connects with the main game with its equivalent of the Pilots Federation ranks. Players can also earn credits with the matches which are then available in the main game. As it is structured event outside of the normal flow of play it makes it easy to partake and a boon for explorers who are often thousands of light years away from civilisation!



As I mentioned in my last update the development of the Xbox version provides a range of benefits for the PC and Mac build beyond the addition of CQC Championship. We are currently planning a trunk release for the PC and Mac version which contains the many optimisations, fixes and improvements from the Xbox development before the Xbox release. As already announced CQC Championship will release on Xbox One first and will come to PC and Mac in a free update later on. Note that this build isn’t the announcement that David has already mentioned that is coming at Gamescom. I’d love to be the one announcing that as it’s pretty cool! Comms Chatter

This weekend Elite: Dangerous streamer OneVigor is holding a 24-hour livestream in support of Cancer Research UK. You can find the schedule and donate to the cause on the OneVigor Just Giving page. OneVigor will be joined by other UK favourites including Kerrash, MahdDogg, Kate Russell and FireyToad. ThereIs0nly0ne on SteamCommunity.com is building a ‘work in progress’ chair to play Elite. While you're on SteamCommunity.com, check out the never ending well of amazing game screenshots commanders have taken in the months since launch. The /r/EliteRacer second season is about to kick into gear. Check out their teaser trailer here . And finally, LaveCon is back once again, with an even broader focus on sci-fi and fantasy. If you love Elite: Dangerous this convention will be right up your street, and we'll be there with an Elite: Dangerous panel. Visit their site for booking information, dates and times. Back to Contents



In a press release issued to GalNet this morning, Commanders of the Pilots' Federation affiliated with both Sirius Corporation and Princess Arissa Lavigny-Duval have announced the completion of discussions leading towards the imminent preparation of embassies near each power's territory. The systems to be used for this trial run are Sietae and Heverduduna. Sietae will allow Sirius Corporation to obtain a substantial increase on Bounty Hunting income. Heverduduna will allow Sirius Corporation to gain access to the Imperial Clipper, an asset still missing from their portfolio. In return, Sirius Corporation's scale will allow substantial shipyard and outfitting rebates to Commanders aligned to Arissa Lavigny-Duval.



This weekly report indicates some of the minor factions enduring significant health issues such as famine and outbreaks. Dukes of Mikunn famine caused a massive drop in the standard of living for the systems inhabitants. Food trade and related contracts are essential to alleviate the suffering of the populace. Due to the state of emergency combat missions and activities provide no effect on influence.



Prime Minister Mahon gave a speech today to the assembled graduates of the esteemed Alioth University, the same establishment he graduated from as a student. While his opponents sometimes deride his ‘matter of fact’ presentation, few could argue against the Prime Minister’s passion for the values he holds dear: “The Alliance of Independent Systems is built upon a single defining principle and that is one of freedom. The freedoms we enjoy range from our personal freedoms as inscribed in the Bill of Human Rights to the freedom of societies and even planets within the Alliance.”



Each year, thousands of pilots go missing in the black. Some are waylaid by pirates. Others are lost to the dangers of space. However, an estimated 63% of all deep space losses are attributed to pilots who simply run out of fuel in an area where others rarely tread. Now a new initiative, which is being backed by the Pilots Federation, is hoping to turn those figures around. A group of independent pilots, calling themselves the Fuel Rats, have begun patrolling the outer fringes of civilisation. Their mission? To provide assistance to traders and explorers before their life support runs out. Hundreds of businesses have closed and thousands of people are quarantined following an outbreak aboard Newton Dock in what could be the most devastating epidemic of the decade. The illness, the origins of which are currently unknown, has made its way across much of the region. Reports are coming in from surrounding systems indicating that the infection might already be spreading.In a press release issued to GalNet this morning, Commanders of the Pilots' Federation affiliated with both Sirius Corporation and Princess Arissa Lavigny-Duval have announced the completion of discussions leading towards the imminent preparation of embassies near each power's territory. The systems to be used for this trial run are Sietae and Heverduduna. Sietae will allow Sirius Corporation to obtain a substantial increase on Bounty Hunting income. Heverduduna will allow Sirius Corporation to gain access to the Imperial Clipper, an asset still missing from their portfolio. In return, Sirius Corporation's scale will allow substantial shipyard and outfitting rebates to Commanders aligned to Arissa Lavigny-Duval.This weekly report indicates some of the minor factions enduring significant health issues such as famine and outbreaks. Dukes of Mikunn famine caused a massive drop in the standard of living for the systems inhabitants. Food trade and related contracts are essential to alleviate the suffering of the populace. Due to the state of emergency combat missions and activities provide no effect on influence.Prime Minister Mahon gave a speech today to the assembled graduates of the esteemed Alioth University, the same establishment he graduated from as a student. While his opponents sometimes deride his ‘matter of fact’ presentation, few could argue against the Prime Minister’s passion for the values he holds dear: “The Alliance of Independent Systems is built upon a single defining principle and that is one of freedom. The freedoms we enjoy range from our personal freedoms as inscribed in the Bill of Human Rights to the freedom of societies and even planets within the Alliance.”Each year, thousands of pilots go missing in the black. Some are waylaid by pirates. Others are lost to the dangers of space. However, an estimated 63% of all deep space losses are attributed to pilots who simply run out of fuel in an area where others rarely tread. Now a new initiative, which is being backed by the Pilots Federation, is hoping to turn those figures around. A group of independent pilots, calling themselves the Fuel Rats, have begun patrolling the outer fringes of civilisation. Their mission? To provide assistance to traders and explorers before their life support runs out.

Back to Contents That’s it for Newsletter #81. As always, if there's anything in particular that you’d like to hear more about, or if you'd like to ask a question, then please contact us at elite-newsletter@frontier.co.uk.



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Until next time, fly safe and Right On, Commander.



The Frontier Team Until next time, fly safe and Right On, Commander.The Frontier Team