Back at the top of June, Frontier announced that the massive Elite Dangerous expansion it’s been working on for ages is called Odyssey, coming in early 2021. The expansion’s headline feature is a form of “space legs” that allows players to touch down on the surfaces of the planets they’ve already been touring with their spaceships, along with new settings and missions.
So if you’re eager to know more, you’re going to want to take a look at Frontier’s dev vlog that dropped this morning. Dubbed One Giant Leap, it’s apparently going to the be the first in a whole series of preview videos, though this one is specifically focused on the atmospheric planets of the expansion.
“Exploration has always been at the core of the Elite Dangerous experience. With the highly anticipated arrival of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey in early 2021, this fundamental aspect of the game takes on a completely new dimension by introducing on-foot exploration of atmospheric planets. Players will leave the protection of their spaceships and venture out and discover the secrets and hazards those new worlds have to offer, experiencing the thrill of leaving their footprints over previously unexplored terrain.
The Elite Dangerous: Odyssey development team is lavishing great care and attention to detail in the authentic recreation of the ice and rocky planets players will be landing on. Surface pressure, volcanism, atmospheric composition and other geological agents all play a key part on the structure and natural features of each world, capriciously moulding their appearance and making them unique and distinctive.
One of the most stunning changes Elite Dangerous: Odyssey’s on-foot exploration will bring to the game is a completely new perception of scale. When disembarking from their spaceships, players will notice never seen before details, like alien vegetation. This exotic flora can be analysed to obtain genetic information from every new variant encountered, and players can profit from their discoveries by trading in the data.”
