Beta for Elite Dangerous’ Beyond Chapter Four’s PC update is live now, or rather, the first wave is. “In tune with our vision for the Beyond season of updates, this fourth and final chapter brings improvements and additions to existing core features of Elite Dangerous,” Frontier says. Today’s chunk of testing will focus on the new exploration mechanics, new Codex, scenarios, background simulation, cockpit UI, and graphical enhancements, with more to unlock over the next few weeks.
As we’ve previously covered, some of chapter four’s biggest additions and changes are being made to the game’s Background Simulation, or BGS, which is the game’s “representation of how the actions of all players, no matter on which platform or mode, impact the galaxy.” As part of these changes, “factions will no longer be limited to a single state” and can instead be in “multiple states per system.” As an example, if a faction is at war, it will be at war only in the system where the war is actually taking place rather than being at war throughout all systems, as the system currently operates.
Changes to the faction state system aren’t the only things coming in chapter four, however. The update will also introduce scenarios, which are described as “new and enhanced versions of the Unidentified Signal Sources (USS) and fixed events that [players] may already have encountered.” These random events are fully voice-acted and feature “bespoke UI, providing [players] information on what [they] need to do to engage with a Scenario and the rewards [they] will receive for doing so.” Scenarios also tie in with the BGS changes, as they provide “specific Background Simulation rewards for successfully completing a Scenario, such as increasing the security status of the faction involved.”
This week’s preview will focus on mining and squadrons, so stay tuned for Frontier’s preview later today at 3 p.m. EDT!
Get ready to dig into Chapter Four with this week's YouTube livestream, we'll be taking a look at Mining & Squadrons! Check out the forum post here: https://t.co/V1gt85Hg8u
Don't forget to subscribe and hit the bell to be notified when we go live. https://t.co/Ci4JFneEWD pic.twitter.com/i4mmBJdgBM
— Elite Dangerous (@EliteDangerous) October 29, 2018
The patch notes are now available on the Frontier forums, Commanders. Take a look: https://t.co/pu9dhf88vH pic.twitter.com/ReoQ7Z20bc
— Elite Dangerous (@EliteDangerous) October 30, 2018
