Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is currently in alpha for those who have pre ordered the mammoth expansion. But fans and early adopters won't have to wait much longer for the DLC to make its final approach.

Docking sequence has been initiated: Elite Dangerous: Odyssey releases for PC on May 19. It will be available through Steam and the Epic Games Store. 

Frontier Developments said that the console versions for PlayStation and Xbox would still launch this fall, staying on target for the timeframe the developer set earlier this year. 

Odyssey was announced in 2020 and is a big change to the original Elite Dangerous formula, which previously saw players zipping around the galaxy in spaceships but unable to visit planets on foot.

While ships still play a role in Odyssey, seamlessly integrating with core Elite Dangerous gameplay, the DLC expansion allows players to put boots on the ground, exploring planets, scanning flora, and shooting NPCs and other players dead in "tactical combat," as Frontier describes it. 

Frontier teased the breadth of Odyssey's missions ahead of the alpha by sharing a combat-focused raid earlier this year. In the mission, a team of commanders infiltrates a compound to disrupt its reactor before being flighted out by their pilot teammate. 

Conflict Zones, Phase 2 of the alpha, expanded the galaxy 20 light-years and introduced team deathmatch style instances that influence the overarching conflict in the Elite Dangerous universe. 

The most recent addition to the alpha, Phase 3, called Exo-Biology, expanded the galaxy again by another 50 light-years and introduced the scanning mechanic, where players are able to record organic data from planetary flora, selling it for money. 

Phase 4 is set to release on April 28. Though it will mostly focus on "compatibility with existing mechanics," according to Frontier, it will also allow players to use ships in the alpha, including carriers, fighters, and SRVs. 

The Elite Dangerous: Odyssey alpha ends on May 5, two weeks prior to the DLC's anticipated launch. Those who have yet to pre order can do so over on Steam or the Epic Games Store for $39.99. 

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is making the long trek to release later this year. Along the way, the development team at Frontier Developments is ever-increasing the game's alpha experience. Phase 3 of the Elite Dangerous: Odyssey alpha is live as of 9 a.m. EST on April 15. 

The newest part of the alpha period that began with Phase 1 on March 29, Phase 3 is called Exo-Biology, and it focuses on "exploration — covering first footfall and exobiology mechanics," according to Frontier. 

A larger rundown provided by a phase breakdown sheet and video shows that Exo-Biology will: 

• Increase playable bubble 50LY

• Include unexplored planets, allowing for First Footfall experience

• Include the Supratech Artemis explorer suit for purchase

• Allow players to analyze organics with the Genetic Sampler tool

Players will be able to scan planets on approach to locate biological hotspots across different regions. After pinpointing specific regions, players will be able to scan plant life and sell the data at port once they've harvested enough, though Frontier points out in the video below that bio-diversity will be important. 

The first phase of the Elite Dangerous: Odyssey alpha was announced alongside footage of one of the game's raids back in March, just ahead of the alpha's launch on PC. It focused on player "first steps" and kept the universe confined to a single solar system. 

However, the second phase expanded that region by 20LY, allowing players to buy ships and experience Odyssey's combat system via Conflict Zones. 

Phase 4 of the Elite Dangerous: Odyssey alpha test is called Compatibility, and it will add new commanders, and allow the use of carriers, ships, fighters, and SRVs. There isn't a firm launch date for Phase 4 just yet, but it's likely to be very soon considering Phase 2 launched only a week before Phase 3. 

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is set to launch sometime this spring for PC and later this fall for PlayStation and Xbox platforms. Fans can pre-purchase the expansive DLC on Steam for $39.99.

Fans of space-simulator Elite: Dangerous have known for some time that their universe is about to get a whole lot bigger with the upcoming Elite Dangerous: Odyssey. And since March 29, those that have already purchased the Odyssey Deluxe Expansion Pass have been able test the new boots-on-the-ground gameplay Odyssey's serving up. 

Now, that alpha has entered another phase and is currently live. 

Frontier Developments said in a release that the Elite Dangerous: Odyssey alpha now gives players access to Conflict Zones, which allows them to influence the outcome of the overarching in-universe war. More about Conflict Zones, including alpha gameplay footage, can be seen in the trailer above, but there's lots and lots of tactical shooting involved. 

On top of Conflict Zones, several more additions have been added:  

• Commanders will have free access to starships and will be immediately issued with a Cobra Mk III, including multicrew seats.

• Expanded playable area of the galaxy to approximately 20 lightyears.

• New space suit available for purchase: Manticore Dominator combat suit.

• New starting system: Nervi.

• 300,000 starting credits for new Commanders. (This amount will also be added to existing Alpha Commanders’ balances.)

Frontier previously showed off an Odyssey raid where players dropped onto a planet, infiltrated a base, and fought their way out when things went south. 

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is set to release on PC sometime in early 2021. Though there is currently no firm release date, Frontier has previously said that it's aiming for "late spring." Those who are interested in the expansion but haven't yet picked it up can head over to Steam and pre-order it for $39.99. 

Odyssey will release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in fall 2021. Stay tuned for more as we learn it. 

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey, the long-awaited boots-on-the-ground expansion to Elite Dangerous, will enter PC alpha later this month on March 29, Frontier Developments announced. To get commanders ready for their first out-of-vehicle missions in the open-world simulation game, the developer released a meaty 8:29 pre-alpha playthrough video that showcases in-game raid combat. 

Grouping up in orbit, the team of three community commanders lands outside of a large base on a dusty world. After solidifying their tactics, they enter the base and attempt to take the reactor core offline. It highlights the immense role-playing and tactical possibilities available in Odyssey from both the air and ground. 

Of course, even though things start off as planned, things ultimately go south. One team member even remarks that they won't be able to take part in combat because their "suit's not designed for it," making it clear that individual roles will play a large part in missions and sorties.

Take a look below. 

To participate in the alpha, Elite fans will need to pre-purchase Odyssey through Steam, Epic Games, or the official Frontier Developments webstore for $39.99. There's currently no word on how long the alpha will run or if a beta will follow behind it. Odyssey is scheduled for release on PC in "late spring 2021," which should put it on track to launch sometime before June 20, the first day of summer. 

Frontier Developments said that Odyssey is set to release for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in autumn 2021, and it does not appear those systems will be included in the upcoming alpha (it is a PC alpha, after all). It is not clear if any pre-release gameplay opportunities will arrive on those platforms before the expansion's prospective launch. 

Elite Dangerous released on PC way back in 2014 before making its way to Xbox One in 2015, then PlayStation 4 in 2017. Stay tuned for more on Elite Dangerous: Odyssey as we edge ever closer to its release. 

Developer Frontier Developments has announced that the second phase of the Elite Dangerous Fleet Carriers beta will commence on May 11.

This will see the beta open up to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 players, alongside being available to PC players. The beta will give players a taste of the immense Fleet Carrier mega-ships before their official release in June.

A lot has changed since the initial beta that took place earlier this year in April. Frontier Developments has taken feedback from the community to build upon its foundation for this upcoming beta.

Per Frontier Developments, these are the changes players can expect:

• Universal Cartographics will be available as an optional service on Fleet Carriers.
• Fleet Carrier owners will have access to shipyard and outfitting for stored items on their carrier, without enabling the full service.
• Reduced the amount of Tritium, the special fuel that powers up the Fleet Carriers’ jump drive, consumed with each jump by around half.
• Decommissioning a carrier will now refund the full cost of a carrier, minus a static fee for voluntary decommissioning.

Also starting on May 22, Fleet Carriers will be available for the low (low) price of 1 million credits. Frontier said the discount is to allow a majority of the player-base the opportunity to adopt more star crafts. The price will be available through May 26.

You can sign up for the beta here for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The official launch of Fleet Carriers into the full game is set for June.

For more on Elite Dangerous, be sure to check out our review. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more on Fleet Carriers as it enters our orbit. 

There are also other creators and channels which can only be described as art projects based on Elite: Dangerous. While they're hard to categorize or rank, for me, they're always the best to watch and relax when I don't want to fly anymore or would like to check what else I can see in this amazing game.

Soak in and enjoy!

1. ObsidianAnt

Over 109,000 subscribers

There are many creators on YouTube dedicating their time to Elite: Dangerous, but certainly there is only one ObsidianAnt -- creator, amazing voice, and known-to-all Commander.

Every YouTube video made by him is high-quality and a pleasure to watch and listen to -- thanks to the completely out-of-this-world voice of Commander Obsidian.

I think that instead of writing, I will just add one more of his exploration videos:

#2 Vindicator Jones

Over 14,000 subscribers

Vindicator Jones offers a very good source of ready-made manuals on how to rank up your commander and finish missions successfully, and what to fit to your ships to make them safe and dangerous for others.

A very calming voice and the overall professional atmosphere have made Vindicator Jones' videos highly likable.

3. DOWN TO EARTH ASTRONOMY

Over 12,000 subscribers

This is a really straightforward and practical channel that mostly concentrates on Elite: Dangerous but also shows a few other space gaming options.

Tonnes of guides and "how to" videos made with attention to detail and very calm most of the time comment.

Down to Earth Astronomy is a highly recommended source of Elite: Dangerous support for both new and old commanders.

4. Archon Fury

Over 1,400 subscribers

Every Elite: Dangerous player starts with Sidewinder aka Sidey. Most of the Commanders are trying as quickly as possible to forget about the entry-level ship and move up the ladder, buying bigger, better, and more expensive toys.

But not Archon Fury, who actually made his name by producing "Sidey Versus the Galaxy" YouTube videos, showing that a small ship can be enough to kill virtually anything in the Elite universe.

Watching his fights always raises the quite simple question: How the f*** did he manage to pull that off?!

5. Rinzler070707

Over 5,000 subscribers

Let's start with the Commander with a very specific approach.

And please be aware, adult language quite often is impossible to avoid in his Git Gud Guides to different ships.

But actually, it is well worth it to watch and listen to what Cmdr. Rinzler has to say. You can expect good knowledge, useful advice, a sense of humor, and interesting entertainment.

Rinzlero7o7o7 also has a nice collection of PvP and PvE videos showing how his Git Gud Builds are working in reality.

Playing Elite: Dangerous is not only a gaming experience. It feels like more than that. Some would say it is a way of life. Others see the game as an escape from boring reality. 

There is certainly a community and a very precise culture behind the Elite: Dangerous project. There are also dedicated people -- Elite Commanders -- who are not only playing the game but also sharing their experiences through different media, most notably through YouTube Channels dedicated to the game.

What is very interesting about Elite: Dangerous YouTube channels is that many of them are not so much dedicated "how to" sources; many are presenting completely unique artistic and cultural visions -- and they are just nice to watch. 

With that said, let's take a look at five Elite:Dangerous YouTube Channels you won't want to miss.

My name is Raphael Vespertilio, and I am an Elite: Dangerous commander. I am also an explorer.

Life as the explorer in the acclaimed open space/sandbox simulation known as Elite can be described as a series of jumps between star systems. To be precise, we are talking endless jumping. Probably the only break is to scan some planets that could be worth a few credits when I get back home.

There are some who would say that this is an extremely boring way of earning credits and gaining in-game experience. Perhaps I would agree with them, but there are things explorers can do to make the trip worthwhile.

Let me give you five good suggestions to entertain you, but also to make your exploring experience more realistic and, I am sure, amazing.

EDDiscovery Assistant is a small and useful application which will serve as your trusty co-pilot. It features a commander's log and tool to calculate your income from whatever you scanned during your journey through the Milky Way.

The real perk of having EDDiscovery installed and working while playing Elite: Dangerous is that it will talk to you as a real on-board computer. Farewell lone rider feeling, and welcome useful information about your trip, scanned planets, earnings, distance from your home, etc.

There is one thing, though, which this handy app cannot do: answer your questions. To have decent conversation during your journey, you need to consider Voice Packs -- HCS VoicePacks to be precise. With this addition, you will be able to give your ships commands with your voice and also receive answers to all sorts of questions.

HCS VoicePacks are not some sort of AI, so please do not expect answers to all sorts of questions wandering in your head. But what you can have are answers to pre-programmed questions, jokes, and personalized voices of your ship computer recorded by known sci-fi personalities such as Mr. William Shatner aka Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek. You can, for example, ask about the origin of nebulas or black holes.

There is nothing better than the computer listening to you and answering to you in the voice of the legend. This guarantees hours of entertainment so that even a couple thousand jumps to the end of the galaxy will be pleasurable.

No doubt the ship computer adds some reality to exploration in Elite: Dangerous. What about pushing this experience to a completely different level of reality? 

Virtual reality without a doubt would be a game changer. Of course, this is not a cheap or commonly accessible option, but from descriptions of those who were lucky enough to use VR devices, Elite: Dangerous in VR provides a completely different perspective and a sense of the vast emptiness of space.

Below is a video from YouTuber ObsidianAnt in which he discusses playing Elite Dangerous with the Oculus Rift.

Watching ObsidianAnt's YouTube video brings up another suggestion on how to make the most of the long journeys through the Milky Way.

Streaming on Twitch, like these 5 streamers who are certainly worth subscribing to, or recording and posting your gameplay on YouTube can help you to make a lot more out of the trip such. There are few Commanders worth to watch on YouTube.

Personally, I can recommend a different activity, which is my choice of entertainment while travelling in Elite: Dangerous (and also in EVE Online from time to time): photography from space. Not too many people in the world can say that they snapped some pictures from the Cat's Paw Nebula.

But I did actually. The proof is below:

Elite: Dangerous is perfect game for making pictures from space. Even if there are no big skills engaged, no Photoshop or other editor involved, there is always a chance to catch a very nice view from the cockpit.

Thanks to the developers, the game has a decent camera suite, letting anybody go virtually outside the ship and make a postcard for the family.

For example, from a distant planet:

Or maybe from the vicinity of the black hole:

The possibilities are endless, and the amazing views unlimited. 

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Flying from star system to star system, anybody can sink into the deep space feeling and relax, which is a nice break from the usual gaming monotony and repetitive tasks found in so many games.

What are your thoughts? Have you found other ways of making the most of your exploration in Elite: Dangerous? Let us know in the comments.

Jolly Rover

Pirate Dogs! Heavily influenced by and frequently referencing Monkey Island, Brawsome's Jolly Rover is a treat for fans who've exhausted LucasArts' series and are looking for something similar. Playing as Gaius James Rover -- who just wants to join the circus like his father -- you're kidnapped by pirates while delivering a potent brew called Jolly Rover (accidentally created by mixing tobacco and rum). This sets off a chain of events that leads you to becoming a pirate and having a very enjoyable -- and often hilarious -- adventure. Also, there's a parrot that gives you hints if you feed him crackers. Brilliant.

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Hopefully, now you've got your eye patches and peg-legs on and are ready to jump aboard when Sea of Thieves and Skull & Bones release in 2018. For news and information on both as they develop, stay tuned to GameSkinny.

The Secret of Monkey Island

Following the adventures of lovable idiot Guybrush Threepwood, you'll fail your way to becoming the most notorious Pirate Captain in The Caribbean in LucasArts' quirky point-and-click adventure series, The Secret of Monkey Island. Known for its humor, The Secret of Monkey Island spawned four sequels spanning 20 years, including Tales of Monkey Island developed by Telltale Games. 

Gameplay is primarily relegated to interacting with the environment, using one of nine commands, such as "talk to" or "pick up" to solve puzzles and progress through the game. As Guybrush, you must impress three pirate captains in order to become a pirate and win the heart of the Governor, Elaine Marley. This brings you into conflict with the seemingly undefeatable villain LeChuck, who comes back to haunt you in each subsequent game, first as a ghost, then a zombie, and then a demon. 

There's some really great twists and turns throughout the series, and the first entry should definitely be on every gamer's list of games to play. 

Elite: Dangerous

I know, I know! This isn't really a pirate game, but Elite: Dangerous can be if you want it to be. Frontier Developments have created a bloody huge galaxy for you to explore and make money, which is basically the goal of the game: make money, buy ship upgrades, make more money, buy a better ship, make even more money, and so on and so forth. What's interesting about Elite: Dangerous, though, is that you can do the usual trading, exploring, and bounties for credits while also preying on other players, taking their hard-earned loot for yourself. 

Choice of the Pirate

Enter the wildcard. Choice of the Pirate is a light-hearted interactive novel by Alana Joli Abbot and is part of the Choice of Games series of choose-your-own-adventure novels. It's entirely text based, weighing in at 165,000 words and as Choice of Games loves to say, it is "fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination". 

This isn't the first pirate-themed ChoiceScript interactive novel, but it's longer and more entertaining than the couple that I've read. As with most of their recent offerings, you can choose to play as a male, female, or non-binary character, as well as your sexual orientation, which doesn't make too much of an impact on the story, even if it's a nice touch.

Taking place in the tropical Lucayan Sea, you strive to rise in the ranks from lowly floor scrubber to trusted Navy Captain in service of the Crown. Not your cup of tea? How about joining the Pirate King and becoming a feared Pirate Captain in your own right? No? Not into sharing? Then challenge the Pirate King and attempt to overthrow him. With such a breadth of jaw-dropping opportunities, I was impressed to see just how much my path diverged from others' playthroughs.

I don't want to give too much away, but there's even the option to explore your magical abilities by controlling the weather, as well as more traditional pirate activities such as boarding enemy ships and searching for buried treasure. Make a change from your usual games and give this one a try.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Following the disappointing slog that was Assassin's Creed III, Ubisoft's Black Flag was a fresh breath of sea air for the increasingly stale franchise. Playing as the Welsh privateer-turned-pirate-turned-assassin Edward Kenway, you are given your own ship and crew to explore the vast open world that Ubisoft sets before you.

There are plenty of opportunities to earn that sweet booty, from hunting whales to sell their skins to the usual assassin contracts, there's plenty do throughout Assassin's Creed IV. On top of that, there are also 4 'Legendary Ships' to fight that require your ship be heavily upgraded before you tackle them, but succeeding feels really rewarding and it doesn't hurt that it pays well.

Sailing between all these locations can feel tedious at times, but the collectable sea shanties solve that problem (at least it did for me); I'd happily forego fast-travelling to my destination so I could join in singing with my merry crew.

Risen 2: Dark Waters

Risen 2: Dark Waters is Pirahna Bytes' sequel to the high-fantasy Risen. It's an RPG set in a gritty open world populated by wild beasts, creatures of the deep, and just terrible, terrible people. But that's all part of the fun: The atmosphere created by the brutal world and the characters you'll come across are why you want this game. Conversations contain perpetual swearing throughout, with some really well-written and funny dialogue, especially when you unlock Jaffa as a crew member, who's a blessing when you have to deal with fairly poor combat and dull boss battles.

Risen 2 is super difficult when you first start it because of a weird progression system that requires money to unlock skills. The catch is that you need skills to get money, so it takes a while before you can really do much. You can eventually choose to learn Voodoo (Risen 2's version of magic), where you can control people, which is awesome! But unfortunately, the overall story is nothing to write home about.

The giggles you'll have just from being in the world of Risen 2: Dark Waters is enough for it to make the list, though.

Sid Meier's Pirates!

Let's just go ahead and get this one out the way. You knew Sid Meier's Pirates! would be on this list somewhere -- and rightly so. The 2004 remake of the 1987 version is as captivating a pirate game as any, and it's arguably the best of the lot. Developed by Firaxis Games (the makers of both the XCOM and Civilization series), this game sets you loose in the 17th century Caribbean after the nefarious Marquis de la Montalbán kidnaps and enslaves your family. Although you are nudged throughout the game to track down your family members and defeat Montalbán, the real enemy in this game is time.

As time passes, your character ages and will eventually be forced to retire, so the decisions you make on how to seek your fame and fortune are pretty important. Do you want to find the perfect trade route to haul spice and make an honest living? (But why would you?) Will you fight for your nation's navy and contribute to the war effort, conquering enemy ports and towns in the name of the various Governors you'll come to meet? Or will you go all in on the full pirate experience and become a legend, flying the colors of the Jolly Roger? 

Regardless of how you play, it's a good time, and with Sid Meier's Pirates! being on nearly every platform now, you have no excuse not to pick this one up. Just don't pirate it.

With Rare's Sea of Thieves and Ubisoft's Skull & Bones both dropping their anchors in 2018, it's shaping up to be a pretty piratey year, one full of plunder and pillage. But if you can't wait until then to get your swashbuckling fix, don't walk the plank just yet: there are actually a ton of pirate-themed games already out there.

So to get your jolly adventure on the sevens seas now rather than later, here are 7 pirate games to plunder before the year of the Buccaneer begins.

If you've ever looked into the best builds for fighter ships in Elite Dangerous, you've no doubt heard about the Vulture. With its high maneuverability, thick armor, solid speed, and strong firepower, the Vulture is the fighter of choice for many Elite Dangerous players. Though its nearly 5 million CR price tag (plus loadout upgrade costs) might seem a bit scary, it's hard to deny that the fearsome Vulture is one of the best -- if not the best -- fighters in the entire game. Provided you have deep enough pockets, that is.

Obviously, you'll want your pricey purchase to serve you well in the rough and tumble galaxy of Elite Dangerous, but figuring out which build to use requires a lot more trial and error time that could be better spent earning credits. Luckily, we've done the leg work for you and come up with the best Vulture loadouts for bounty hunting, PvP, and PvE right here, as well as usage tips. So let's go through these one at a time.

Best Vulture Loadout for Bounty Hunting in Elite Dangerous

• Hardpoints: 
  • 3E/G Pulse Laser
  • 3E/G Pulse Laser
• Utility Mounts: 
  • OD Kill Warrent Scanner
  • OI Chaff Launcher
  • OA Shield Generator
  • OA Shield Generator or Heat Sink Launcher
• Optional Internal Compartments: 
  • 5C Bi-Weave Shield Generator
  • 4D Hull Reinforcement Package
  • 2D Hull Reinforcement Package
  • 1D Hull Reinforcement Package
  • 1D Hull Reinforcement Package
• Core Internal Compartments:
  • Military Grade Composite Bulkheads
  • 4A Power Plant
  • 5A Thrusters
  • 4A Frame Shift Drive
  • 3D Life Support
  • 5A Power Distributor
  • 4C Sensors
  • 3C Fuel Tank

The strategy behind this bounty hunting build is to take down your target's shields using the twin Pulse Lasers and finish them off by ramming them while your shields are still up (thanks to the additional shield generators). If you are a particularly trigger-happy player; however, you may be better served to swap out one of the OA Shield Generators for a Heat Sink Launcher just in case of overheating.

With this loadout, it is important to note that you will have an energy deficiency (a common problem with Vulture builds). The way to alleviate this problem is to shut off the Cargo Hatch entirely and drop the priority of the Frame Shift Drive while keeping Thrusters and Sensors at priority 1. If you decide to include a Fuel Scoop in your build to help with traveling longer distances, remember to shut that off in combat as well.

Best Vulture Loadout for PvP in Elite Dangerous

• Hardpoints:
  • 3B Plasma Accelerator or 3B Advanced Plasma Accelerator
  • 3B Plasma Accelerator or 3B Advanced Plasma Accelerator
• Utility Mounts:
  • OI Chaff Launcher
  • OI Chaff Launcher
  • OA Shield Booster
  • OA Shield Booster
• Optional Internal Compartments:
  • 5C Bi-Weave Shield Generator
  • 5D Hull Reinforcement Package
  • 4D Hull Reinforcement Package
  • 1D Hull Reinforcement Package
  • 2D Module Reinforcement Package
  • 1D Frame Shift Drive Interdictor
• Core Internal Compartments: 
  • Military Grade Composite Bulkheads
  • 4A Power Plant
  • 5A Thrusters
  • 4A Frame Shift Drive
  • 3A Life Support
  • 5A Power Distributor
  • 4D Sensors
  • 3C Fuel Tank

This is a solid all-around PvP build with high damage output. Though the 3B Plasma Accelerators will dish out plenty damage, the 3B Advanced Plasma Accelerators should be used if available, thanks to their higher potential damage output against larger ships. While the 5A Shield Generators are arguably better for PvP than the 5C Bi-Weave Shield, including them would cause a severe energy shortage that even excellent module priority control won't be able to fix. 

Just like with the bounty hunter build above, you'll want to make sure you shutting off the Cargo Hatch and lowering the Frame Shift Drive's priority in order to keep energy in your Thrusters and weapons. Additionally, if you have access to engineers, the weapons should be further modified to increase efficiency and thermal resistance should be added to the shield. 

Best Vulture Loadout for PvE in Elite Dangerous

• Hardpoints: 
  • 3B Plasma Accelerator or 3D/F Pulse Laser
  • 3B Plasma Accelerator or 3C/G Multi Cannon
• Utility Mounts:
  • OI Chaff Launcher
  • Heat Sink Launcher or OI Chaff Launcher
  • OI Point Defense
  • OC Shield Booster
• Optional Internal Compartments:
  • 5A Shield Generator
  • 4B Shield Cell Bank
  • 1D Hull Reinforcement Package
  • 1E Basic Discovery Scanner
  • 2A Fuel Scoop
• Core Internal Compartments: 
  • Lightweight Alloy Bulkheads
  • 4A Power Plant
  • 5B Thrusters
  • 4A Frame Shift Drive
  • 3C Life Support
  • 5A Power Distributor
  • 4C Sensors
  • 3C Fuel Tank

You'll notice that this PvE build drops the Military Grade Composite Bulkheads in favor of the more travel-friendly Lightweight Alloy, plus a Fuel Scoop to further serve that purpose. Like always, remember to keep the Cargo Hatch, Fuel Scoop, and Frame Shift Drive from taking up energy in combat. 

As far as the weapons go, the choice between wielding dual 3B Plasma Accelerators or the Pulse Laser+Multi Cannon combo is dependent on if you prefer an all-out offense build or a more balanced one. Just be aware that if you utilize the Plasma Accelerator loadout you will need to drop one of the additional Chaff Launchers in favor of a Heat Sink Launcher to cope with the additional heat generated. 

[Images courtesy of Elite Dangerous Wiki]

So now that you know how to build your Vulture, get out there and show the galaxy what you're made of. If you have a different build that you like to use or think these loadouts can be improved in any way, let us all know in the comments below. And while you're here, check out the rest of our Elite Dangerous guides for even more tips:

• Elite Dangerous: Trade Ranks and How to Increase Them Quickly
• Is the Federal Gunship Worth Buying in Elite Dangerous?

Since its official release earlier this year, Everspace has been an immensely popular addition to the roguelike genre. Its smooth controls and intense combat give it a highly polished feel, which most space action games can't seem to nail down.  

There are a ton of great concepts that come together to make Everspace what it is -- and it can be hard to find games that are as satisfying. But here are a few games that should scratch that space adventuring itch just as well. 

FTL: Faster Than Light

Recognized as one of the games that popularized the roguelike genre, FTL: Faster Than Light is a phenomenal experience. Players must manage their ship as they travel through the galaxy, fighting rebel forces and other procedurally generated hazards. They have a variety of ships and weapons to utilize, as well as different races of crew members with their own special bonuses.  

Where Everspace sometimes gives the player missions to complete, they are largely optional. FTL utilizes a text-based event system which, more often than not, will include some kind of negative effects to the ship or crew. All in all, FTL is an excellent choice for any players looking for a more challenging style of gameplay. 

Get FTL: Faster Than Light on Steam

Elite: Dangerous

Stepping away from the roguelike genre, Elite: Dangerous is a more realistic space simulator. Players are given the freedom to choose their own path -- whether that be piracy, trading, or exploration. Then they can upgrade their ship however they feel would be best for whatever lifestyle they've chosen to pursue. 

Ironically, that amount of freedom is also one of the biggest issues with the game. Given how little it guides you, it's easier for players to lose interest in this experience because they don't have a specific goal. Despite that, Elite: Dangerous has a ton of content with environments that come from real astronomical data, as well as unique procedurally generated planets. You might have to set your own goals, but if you're looking to make a living in space, Elite: Dangerous is worth checking out.

Get Elite: Dangerous on Steam

Pulsar: Lost Colony

An Early Access cooperative space simulation, Pulsar: Lost Colony is an exploration-based game where players team up to take over the various roles in a single ship. Players can complete missions for NPCs, explore planets, or play the pirate and attack other ships.  

It's still in Early Access, so there are still some features that haven't been implemented. With that in mind, the game is still enjoyable -- especially with a full crew. Players looking for a more cooperative space adventure are likely to enjoy Pulsar: Lost Colony. 

Get Pulsar: Lost Colony on Steam

Strike Suit Zero

A combination of spaceship and mech suit dog-fighting, Strike Suit Zero steps into the spotlight. Players are given a ship that can swap from a standard spaceship into a Gundam-style mech suit, allowing for a variety of gameplay options. Strike Suit Zero is said to be getting VR support soon, too -- so if you're in need of a VR space shooter, keep an eye on this one.

Get Strike Suit Zero on Steam

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This is hardly a comprehensive list of games that focus on the great unknown. Feel free to get out there and explore the final frontier on your own, and let us know about any other great games that brave the infinite dangers of the void. 

Elite Dangerous, the popular massively multiplayer space exploration sim, launches on the PlayStation 4 today. 

Elite Dangerous and its first season of expansions, Elite Dangerous: Horizons, are now available on the PlayStation Store separately or together as part of the Commander Deluxe Edition -- which includes the base game, Elite Dangerous: Horizons, and the Commander Paint Pack. The game is also available physically as part of the Elite Dangerous: Legendary Edition, which contains Elite Dangerous, Elite Dangerous: Horizons, and 1,000 Frontier Points.

In addition to the content available in other versions of the game, Elite Dangerous for PS4 also includes touch navigation using the DualShock 4's TouchPad and optional motion-controlled headlook. PlayStation 4 Pro players will also have the ability to choose between two graphical settings, each focusing on graphical quality or frame rate.

Previously exclusive to PC and Xbox One, Elite Dangerous is a massively multiplayer space exploration sim in which players fight, trade, and survive in a proportional recreation of the Milky Way galaxy. Developer Frontier Developments recently announced that the game's next update would release in Q3 of 2017 and include that long-anticipated arrival of the alien Thargoids into the Milky Way Galaxy. Be sure to stay tuned in to GameSkinny until then.

Earlier today, Elite: Dangerous developer Frontier Developments announced the next expansion in the Elite: Dangerous Horizons season. Dubbed Elite: Dangerous Horizons 2.4 – The Return, this update will feature the long-teased arrival of the dangerous Thargoids.

David Braben, CEO of Frontier Developments and co-creator of the original Elite says: 

"'The Return' will be a dramatic ongoing event for the Elite Dangerous galaxy. Story events have hinted at the Thargoids’ return for a long time, but the Thargoids are returning at a moment when humanity is at its most divided. The Federation and Empire are at each other’s throats, a second tiny human-occupied bubble has scattered humanity’s greatest pilots, and Thargoid scout ships are drawing near. They have already probed our space, infiltrated our starports, and found humanity to be vulnerable. What happens next will be decided by every Elite Dangerous player."

Originally appearing in 1984's Elite, a game often touted as the original open-world game, the Thargoids are a mysterious, aggressive, and above all dangerous alien race. Among the deadliest enemies in the original game, the Thargoid ships were displayed as simple hexagons, but that was over 30 years ago. Now they look like this:

The Thargoids' arrival into the Elite: Dangerous galaxy had been teased since earlier this year, when a player reported being forcibly pulled from hyperspace (a feat previously believed to be impossible) and attacked by a strange, flower-like spaceship. Fans were quick to draw comparisons between this mysterious ship and the Thargoids of older games. Since then, players have found strange structures in the game's massive open-world galaxy similar in style to the mysterious ship, further fueling speculation that the Thargoids would soon be upon the galaxy. 

Though a specific release date for the expansion was not given, Frontier Developments did confirm that Elite Dangerous: Horizons 2.4 – The Return will launch on all platforms in Q3 2017.

Elite: Dangerous is currently available on both PC and Xbox One, and it will release on the PlayStation 4 on June 27th. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Elite: Dangerous news and guides. 

Elite Dangerous, as an already successful title that has run on both PC and Xbox One since 2014, should be more than ready for its jump to the PlayStation 4. Frontier Developments has handled plenty of issues that have cropped up and kept the game thriving. The studio hasn't set a release date yet for the PS4 port, which hopefully means the team is taking their time to ensure everything runs smoothly.

So with any luck -- and a lot of hard work on their part -- the PS4 version of Elite: Dangerous won't have any of the hiccups on this list when it comes out.

Downed or Overloaded Servers

Without exception, any online game will have its servers go down at some point or another. Updates, reworks, patches, DLC, holiday events, severe weather, and DDoS attacks can all cause a server to go down.

But sometimes servers go down for more ridiculous things, such as high number of players. A new game launch, in particular, can bring a server to its knees under the weight of a sudden influx of players.

Elite Dangerous has been around for years though, so by now the developers should know what to expect in terms of playerbase numbers and how much strain the servers need to be ready to handle. So we're hoping that when launch day rolls around for the PS4, those servers are already primed for the onslaught of new adventurers and won't collapse under the added pressure.

We'd much rather get to actually play the game on launch day, rather than ruefully watching Elite: Dangerous streams and wishing we could. 

Broken Updates

With a long beta period, a testing period for the Xbox One, and a slew of updates to refine and add content to an already massive game, Elite Dangerous has had -- and will continue to have -- a lot of updates. These days updates are as common as pressing the start button, so you have to expect them.

Unfortunately, Elite Dangerous also has an issue of updates breaking parts of the game and creating new problems. Missing money, disappearing cargo, and an inability to access markets are all issues that have plagued the game from time to time.

They were eventually fixed, as any devoted developer will do, but some extra testing and polishing before the game's PS4 release would be highly appreciated.

(Extreme) Graphic Degradation

We know full well that it's nigh impossible to not have some sort of graphics degradation when porting from PC to console. Despite the fact that consoles are more powerful and PC-like than ever before, they still aren't quite as powerful as their desktop cousins. At least not yet.

Back in the days of the Elite Dangerous beta, some users experienced a significant drop in graphical quality, namely in lighting and shading, just after updating. With the jump to a new console and architecture, such an issue could once again arise -- and we don't want to see it fly under the radar without getting fixed. 

Incompatibility Issues

The above image in an animation issue only encountered after equipping a new paint job for a ship. Why? Because the cosmetic change is apparently incompatible with some other aspect of the game.

It's a minor grievance since the game is still fully functional and playable. But when such a glaring issue is caused by something so incredibly minor as a skin, there's no telling how many more issues can crop up. Trivial or not, in a game with thousands of active players, customization options, and interactive places and things, the little things need to be impeccably polished.

Graphic Glitches

For its incredible size, Elite Dangerous really is a great looking game. Ships are incredibly detailed, planets are beautiful, and the character creation is outstanding.

But when you can explore the vastness of space and jump from galaxy to galaxy, you're bound to come across something not so pretty eventually. And for some players, this comes not in the form of being killed or robbed, but of severe graphical glitches.

Planets failing to load properly and complete lack of textures have been reported numerous times and are definitely something best left in the past.

Frontier Developments' Elite: Dangerous, a space adventure, trading, and combat simulation game, premiered on PC in December 2014 -- then moved onto the Xbox One less than a year later. Now, over 1.4 million sold copies later, the game is planned to release on the PlayStation 4 sometime this year.

Unfortunately, games of a massive scale like this are bound to have issues somewhere along the way, and the console port on Xbox One is no exception. So before Elite Dangerous makes the leap to Sony's flagship, we're hoping these five issues get left behind.

Space travel isn't just a dream anymore. It's something we can all experience in the comfort of our own homes. We're rather spoiled for choice, but there's bound to be a title in this list that everyone will enjoy.

Which of the games in this list have you tried out? Are there any that weren't mentioned that you love to play? Let us know in the comments below!

Mass Effect

Price: $19.99
Buy it on Steam

Out of all the titles mentioned, this series is more than likely the one everyone has heard of, as well as the odd one out.

Rather than acting as a space simulation game like many of the previous mentions, Mass Effect creates an entire universe and story based on the technology and species that inhabit the galaxy. Exploring space both physically and through the lore in which the series is tied to is fascinating. It is the closest we, in this age, will ever get to experiencing the reality of galactic life, and while it is heavily influenced by the culture and anthropomorphism of the human race, it has enlightened many gamers on what could happen in hundreds or thousands of years.

While exploration itself is limited to roaming tiny pockets of the galaxy, each of these serve a story purpose of some kind, whether it’s major plot points or small portions of dialogue. It’s this story that has caused Mass Effect to gain such a huge following, and if you’re yet to try them out, it is one such series that acts as a great starting point on your intergalactic journey.

Space Engineers

Price: $24.99
Buy it on Steam

Another early access title, Space Engineers combines a multitude of space faring and adventuring aspects into one game.

After building your own spacecraft, your very own engineer will travel the stars in order to claim spots for outposts of different uses. Getting this far does have its dangers, though, as another facet of the game is survival. The engineer will face many trials and tribulations as they use their trusty jetpack to travel from A to B, but it’s the vessel with which you travel that will be your main means of defence.

Construction and resource gathering are of high importance in Space Engineers so they play a part in your success just as much, if not more than the spaceflight. Exploring space on foot is surprisingly enjoyable, but be careful not to let yourself be subject to an unfortunate death due to lack of oxygen or other fundamental resources. Considering it’s still in early access, the developers appear to be hard at work in adding as much as possible to the full game experience.

Kerbal Space Program

Price: $39.99
Buy it on Steam

Space exploration and simulation titles show off a lot of what we can actually do in the stars, but they often leave out how we got there in the first place. Kerbal Space Program works to solve that problem.

Using realistic physics and rocket building techniques, you are tasked with sufficiently leaving the atmosphere of Kerbin, the Kerbal home planet, to then reach the vastness of space. This is much easier said than done, however, as it can be extremely tricky to gain enough thrust to achieve safe orbit. A catastrophic crash landing is very possible, and there is no shame in saying that many of your failed rockets have experienced this.

An exploratory segment of the game is also available once you make it to space. Visiting various moons, setting up your own space station base, and going on the offensive on asteroids are all options -- among many, many others. But the game takes a more minimalist approach in this regard. It’s a game that may look insignificant and almost childish, but behind the facade lies an extremely in-depth and sophisticated title.

Starpoint Gemini 2

Price: $34.99
Buy it on Steam

Starpoint Gemini 2 manages to meld space exploration and RPG tropes into a game that awards progression and fulfills specific role requirements. Unlike other space exploration titles, this particular game is host to a campaign that follows a specific character, Adrian Faulkner, the son of the hero Gabriel Faulkner from the previous Gemini war. This option provides players a little extra context and purpose for their space travels, but the free-roam option still remains, alongside the campaign.

Versatile careers pander to wide range of player interests, and the focus on capital ships in free roam is a refreshing take on exploration instead of the smaller vessels that many players are used to controlling. The initial class that is picked upon character creation also adds that RPG depth, so similar to the campaign, gamers that satiated by clear progression, Starpoint Gemini 2 is a great starting point when delving into space exploration.

EVE Online

Price: Free to Play
Get it on Steam

EVE isn’t new by any means. As one of the most popular MMOs of all time, EVE Online has garnered a huge fanbase since its initial release -- and it has gained quite the reputation, too. 

EVE Online allows players to create their own unique character, play with friends, and head out into a hugely rich universe that is set thousands of years in the future. Five thousand star systems lie in wait for players of the MMO, each with plenty of possibilities. With the choice of many ships at a player’s disposal, natural advancement of skills, and an open, player-driven economy, this is an MMO that has been defined by its players.

However, be sure to be vigilant in the world of EVE Online, as every player essentially dwells within the same version of the world. Battle can commence at any given moment, so epic starship battle fantasies will no longer be well, fantasy. Underprepared players may have to face off against a battalion of vicious dreadnaughts. If you want to sink an abundance of time in a space-filled adventure, this is the game you want to seek.

HELLION

Price: $24.99
Buy it on Steam

HELLION takes a different approach to space simulation and exploration and demands that you focus on survival above all else. As you begin to establish yourself as a space faring adventurer, dangerous hazards such as a decompression, temperature fluctuation, and the harsh vacuum of space will be quick to envelope you.

Many games denote the exploration of space as a constantly exciting and marginally safe affair – not HELLION. Watch your oxygen, keep one eye on your fuel, and look out for any hostile faces that may spare no expense in tossing into that deadly vacuum.

HELLION is also currently in early access, so the game’s developer is regularly engaging with the community for feedback as to where the game can and should go next. Many features are already in place, but plenty more, such as ship-to-ship combat, ship modification, asteroid mining, and gas giant harvesting, are in the works. It’s shaping up to be something interesting indeed.

Elite: Dangerous

Price: $29.99
Buy it on Steam

Elite has been around longer than some of us have even been alive, but its latest iteration has managed to recapture many wannabe astronauts’ imaginations.

The entirety of the Milky Way galaxy is opened up in Elite: Dangerous, and you are free to explore it at your leisure. Of course, it is impossible for just one person to sail the stars, so one of the many attractive aspects of the title is the satisfaction gained from discovering a star system amongst billions -- and with friends. 

Along the way, you will engage in frightful space pirate battles, acquire new ships that will allow you to travel even further into the unknown, and eventually reach the center of the galaxy itself. There is much to be seen and discovered in Elite: Dangerous, and for those of you who are willing to take the time to tackle the game's steep learning curve, a rich experience most definitely awaits.

We insignificant humans crave to explore and discover the unknown. Things that are alien to us are just all the more tantalizing to our exploration-centric brings. In short, we are desperate to uncover the mysteries of what lies beyond.

As gamers, space exploration games are the closest we are ever going to get to that dream of discovery. We may be in the comfort of our own homes, but there are some gems out there in gaming land that allow us to reach for the stars without our backside leaving that comfortable recliner.

If you’re after a space faring adventure on your PC, here are the best ones currently on offer.

If you search for active Elite: Dangerous streams on Twitch, you are not going to find too many.

But, just as with the EVE Online community, Elite: Dangerous has dedicated channels which are streaming high quality content and drawing the attention of thousands of people.

This list will show 5 of the Elite: Dangerous Commanders who are streaming their bellowed game.

You should subscribe to all of their channels right now! Of course, if you haven't done it yet.

KerrashLanding

This channel belongs to Commander Kerrash, who was the first Elite: Dangerous Ambassador.

CMDR Kerrash is a dedicated Elite: Dangerous player, and his Twitch Channel is entirely dedicated to promoting the in-game Community. He is also trying to invite guests every week to discuss the game -- sometimes he even invites Frontier Developments developers.

Kerrash is also very chatty and always happy to answer all questions and give advice.

Overall, KerrashLanding is very friendly place to be for any Elite: Dangerous fan, or even someone who is not sure if the game is worth to try.

Watch live video from KerrashLanding on www.twitch.tv

Rezri

Another streamer who is very dedicated to the Elite: Dangerous Community. He thinks that they are the most amazing bunch of people and players he has ever met.

Rezri has been streaming since 2014, and he tries to make sure that his stream is as friendly and light hearted as possible.

He is also very chatty and always happy to dish out in-game advice, and trick and tips.

His streams include all sorts of activities, and are full of action and friendly chat.

Watch live video from Rezri on www.twitch.tv

CMDRHughMann

HughMann is the the first streamer I started watching, and later was a huge pleasure to be the part of the same Streaming Team, called TEAMTIIQ.

CMDRHughMann has amazing personality and has tonnes of energy to lead long discussions on chat, and provide constant action on the screen in the same time.

If you want to spend a very entertaining time while watching some good Elite: Dangerous gameplay, this is certainly the place for you.

Watch live video from CMDRHughMann on www.twitch.tv

CMDR_Strayn

Strayn is relatively new streamer, but what I really like about his channel is the way he presents the game to the public. He is very keen to explain exactly what he is doing on screen.

If you could charactorise Stay's work, it would be; he has tonnes of passion, and a feeling of freshness with all his work.

I am sure this channel is not the first choice for many Elite: Dangerous players, but it should be. Give it a try!

Watch live video from CMDR_Strayn on www.twitch.tv

Fireytoad

Who is Fireytoad? Well, he is probably the most funny guy I've been watching. He wants to be a full time streamer, and certainly he has all skills to achieve this goal (if he didn't do it yet!)

Also if you like listening to some singing -- Fireytoad is your guy.

One more feature of his channel, he uses the HCS Voice Pack, so anyone wondering how good it is should check out one of Fireytoad's streams.

Fireytoad uses the HCS Voice Pack very often, and it's cool to experience and witness the AI of his ship talking and interacting with the pilot during the game.

Watch live video from Fireytoad on www.twitch.tv

And that's it folks! 

Of course there are more streamers and probably very good ones. I am sure that my suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg for the must watch Elite: Dangerous channels.

If you would like to suggest more E:D Streamers -- please let me know.

Elite: Dangerous and Conan Exiles are games played in open worlds that are heavily dependent on every player’s imagination. To play them, it is necessary to pursue your own ideas and place them into each game's reality.

Perhaps there are huge differences between both ED and Conan, but it is not difficult to imagine that at least some of the features of the Barbarian Era would pique the interest of space commanders.

Without doubt, Conan Exiles is a game worth trying after all!

Are you an Elite: Dangerous fan? Did you try Conan Exiles? Do you think you could play both games or even switch? Sound off in the comments below!

They're Both Games of Domination

Both titles offer a lot in regards to game politics and domination over other players and territory.

In Elite: Dangerous, it's very common for conflicts between various factions to break out, with Commanders fighting it out in space. But they also try to dominate the opposition in other ways, such as through political and economic turmoil. 

Conan Exiles has a lot to offer in the domination game, too. Players can wage wars, fight enemies, and rule over Exiled Lands.

It wouldn't be very difficult for ED commanders to switch the space of the Milky Way to the wastelands of the Barbarian Continent.

They're Both Games of Building and Construction

In this case, Conan Exiles has more to offer than Elite: Dangerous. I know, just hear me out... The game has a very sophisticated building system, letting players build more than just simple things such as tools, weapons and armour.

But this is not everything. In Conan Exiles players can also build their own homes, turn it into a fortress, and then even build an entire town around this fortress. If this is not enough -- players can also craft their own furniture and decorations to customise their own home or settlement further.

This is much more that ED currently offering. Jumping into the world of Conan Exiles could give ED players a small taste of the potential additions, at least in the construction area, for Elite: Dangerous -- if Frontier would decide to implement them.

Right now in Elite, instead of building things, players can improve their ships by adding modernized modules, prepared by so-called 'Engineers'. It is sort of a game of construction, but certainly not on the same level as Conan Exiles.

Conan, in this case, can offer much more.

They're Both Games of Discovery

One of the main features of Elite: Dangerous is traveling to and discovering new star systems in the Milky Way Galaxy. Spending ages scanning space bodies, gathering data, landing on planets – all of those make up ED's primary draw. The average commander can spend not only hours, but days and months travelling to the edges of the Galaxy and back -- all in the name of discovery.

Perhaps discovering an ancient world with Conan could give ED players the same level of excitement, or perhaps even more? There are dungeons there, vast lands to cross, ancient tribes to fight, and all sorts of creatures to discover. 

Any explorer -- even one from space -- should be able to find something interesting in the Conan Exiles universe.

They're Both Games of Survival

Elite: Dangerous and Conan Exiles are both survival games. Regardless of their significantly divergent environments and survival obstacles, ED and Conan both require a certain set skills to stay alive in harsh, unforgiving environments.

It seems that, in fact, Conan is even more demanding on its players due to the sheer amount of different challenges presented at any one time, such as harsh environments, ferocious natural obstacles, ancient warriors, and even mysterious creatures occupying endless dungeons.

In Elite: Dangerous, survival is all about maintaining your ship and your wallet, avoiding nasty pirates, and keeping relationships with system factions. Ships can be burned while jumping out of hyperspace -- if you're too close to the star -- players can be attacked by pirates or other players, or they can die in space due to the lack of fuel in their ships...

Both games are hard, and ED players might just like the challenge Conan presents. 

Could Elite: Dangerous fans ever really get into Conan Exiles? At the first glance, it is obvious that both of these games are completely different. Although both are set in huge, open worlds, ED is set in space, full of galaxies and otherworldly exploration opportunities. In contrast, Conan Exiles is set in the mythical Conan the Conqueror universe, one that's much more medieval in nature and presentation.

It is hard to imagine why on Earth any of Elite: Dangerous player should even consider jumping out of his spaceship for an ax. But it appears that there are features in Conan Exiles that could appeal to average ED fan. Let's take a look.

Trading in Elite: Dangerous (ED) is not any different than in any other game based on MMO/ MMORPG principles: you must buy things cheap and then sell them for a better price.

This will not only guarantee you get the income necessary to buy ships and fit better ship modules, but it means you'll also be able to increase your in-game rank. And in ED, one of the main goals is to achieve Elite Rank in three categories: fighting, exploration, and trading.

With the first principle of enjoyable gaming being, "If you want to do something good – do it slowly," it seems to be a good idea to go through the game step by step, savoring each vast slice of the Milky Way Galaxy by first buying small ships, gaining experience, and then moving on to buying bigger and better ships in ED's late-game. 

This is a perfectly good way of playing ED -- and probably many other games. But what if some players would like to achieve Elite Rank faster?

There is always the way to achieve what you want when you want.

But first, let’s talk about Trade Ranks real quick to better understand the path by which you'll achieve Elite Rank.

The first rank in ED is called Penniless, and it is the rank at which players begin the game. To increase trading ranks, players must generate profit – the more profit gained, the higher rank you're able to achieve. Ranks following the Penniless Rank are:

• Mostly Penniless
• Peddler
• Dealer
• Merchant
• Broker
• Entrepreneur
• Tycoon
• Elite

As you can see, it takes a bit of work to achieve Elite Rank (as it should). But we can show you how to achieve it faster. Let's start with a few basics.

Note: Ranks not only give players the splendor of eventually donning the rank of Elite, but they also grant players access to better in-game missions. 

A Good Ship is The Beginning of Trading Success

Practically all ships in ED could be used for trading, although some of them would be very impractical choices. The main factor that makes a ship perfect for trading is, of course, cargo space. More cargo space typically generates more income.

Every player in ED starts with the trusty Sidewinder, which is not very big. And while it can be used for initial trading, it is much more efficient to use the Sidewinder for bounty hunting in safe Resource Extraction Sites (RES), where, with the support of local law enforcement ships, players can earn money by killing NPC pirates. Usually, with a little effort, bounty hunting would help the players gain enough credits to buy a ship more suitable for trading.

Once you've got enough money, ships dedicated to trading are:

• Hauler
• Type-6
• Type-7
• Keelback
• Type-9 Heavy

Since all of the above ships are designed for trading, they are also very vulnerable to attacks from NPC pirates and other players. Therefore, traders quite often use so-called multi-purpose ships – or ships that have good cargo space but are also better prepared for potential dog fights. The most popular multi-purpose ships are:

• Cobra
• ASP Explorer
• Imperial Clipper
• Python
• Anaconda
• Imperial Cutter

Ships that are the most popular are among ED players are the Type-6 and Python because of their sizes. As each is capable of landing on smaller landing pads, players piloting these ships are able to pick up more missions -- if their trading rank grind is based on hauling.

Conversely, other popular ships are at the opposite end of the spectrum. Bigger ships, such as the Type-9 Heavy, Anaconda, and Imperial Cutter are popular among other players because of their cargo space, helping players generate large amounts of money per a single trip. Unsurprisingly, these bigger ships are better for straight trading. 

How to Increase Trade Rank Quick – Boom Deliveries

Boom Deliveries not only increase a player's trade rank, but they also increase explorer rank, in-game faction rank (Empire, Federation), provide reasonable in-game income per hour, and build player/faction relationships for specific star systems. 

Each system will provide players with Boom Missions, but some systems are better than others, providing higher volumes of Boom Missions than others. One of the better examples of this is the Aditi system. This system is often chosen by players connected with the Empire as it is dominated by Imperial Factions. It's also great because it's a fast way to increase your trade rank. 

So how do you get to and exploit it? Let's take a look. 

1. Take a ship capable of landing on medium landing pads because a lot of missions in this system require such capabilities. The best options in this case, due to cargo space and size, are the Python or Type-6. 
2. Land in any available station in the Aditi System.
   
   
3. Accept as many Boom Delivery Missions as possible. If you would like to improve your Imperial rank, make sure you are taking only missions from Imperial Factions.
   
   
4. Take enough missions to fill your cargo space. Boom deliveries are 24-hour missions, so there is enough time to collect them all. What's more, travel distances on deliveries are not usually very long, so they can typically be finished in an hour. Even if they will lead to different systems and stations, most of the time, they are not too far from each other.
   
   
5. When your cargo is full, execute all missions. Most of the time, the only danger you can expect is from NPC Pirates. The best advice here is not to engage these pirates but instead, jump to hyperspace, recharge your Frame Shift Drive as soon as possible, and jump again. It's rare NPC ships will chase you.
   
   
6. While jumping between systems, make sure to scan, which will increase your exploration rank when you sell the scanning data later. 
   
   
7. Fuel scoop. This is a must to avoid refueling on stations -- all trips will be longer than the capacity of one ship tank. 

As mentioned, Aditi is, of course, not the only system for Boom Delivery Missions, but it is certainly one of the most popular, especially with Imperial Commanders. In Federal space, the most popular systems are the Sothis, Ceos, and Robigo systems.

Note: The more missions you accept and execute from the same system faction, the more you'll increase your pilot standing with any particular faction. This means better-paid missions in the future. That means it is wise to stick to one system and one faction to gain access to more profitable contracts.

How to Increase Trade Rank Quick – Trading Loops

This is a more traditional way of trade grinding: find cheap products and take them to a system where people will pay more for them. Then, while you're there, possibly buy another cheap product and take it back to your starting point. Sell it for profit and repeat again and again.

This simple principle of good trading works perfectly in the ED world. The only question here would be where to find profitable products, where to buy them, and where to sell them.

• What to trade? In my experience, there is only one answer: Imperial Slaves. Trading them will give any player a quick income and therefore, will efficiently support fast trade-rank grinding.
  
  
• Where to buy and where to sell? Luckily for ED players, other commanders have already designed and published profitable trade loop and trade route concepts for other traders to employ. The most popular website for these concepts and routes are able to easily calculate the number of jumps needed for trade routes and the highest potential profits for routes. 

In my experience, it is also quite easy to find profitable loops with no more than two to three systems. Due to their short distances, it is possible to do a couple of missions per hour and maximize your income, hence increasing Trading Rank very fast. 

So how does the loop work?

When I was grinding my rank some time ago, I was taking Imperial Slaves from one of the stations in Marrallang and selling them in few a systems within a two-jump radius. On my trips back, I was taking the most profitable products back to Marrallang -- maximizing my loops, which were giving me profits of about 9 to 13 million credits per hour.

I am sure that there are much better loops, some of them consisting of a single jump, perhaps. But ultimately, the best way of running a profitable trade business in Elite: Dangerous is to use Google frequently, asking for the best routes every few days or weeks. What's more, being a member of multiple ED communities will provide invaluable information about shifting trading routes.

How to Increase Trading Rank Quick – Not So Legal Missions

If any player decides to become a pirate in-game, there is still another way to increase Trade Rank while staying within Pirate Faction -- LORE.

You can obtain this by smuggling or participating in shadow missions. Both can be very profitable, but each is certainly riskier than legal hauling or trading as the missions can fail when ships are scanned or intercepted by NPC police. This not only results in loss of profit but it also often means you could lose faction rank -- and even your ship!

The principle behind not-too-legal mission running to increase Trade Rank is the same as described in Boom Deliveries: find a good system serving profitable contracts, accept them, and execute.

Note: It is important to comply with the conditions of the missions so that you are not intercepted or scanned. In short, avoid getting busted! 

Grinding Experience Can Be Fun

As with many other things in MMOs, Elite: Dangerous' trading requires some sort of grinding. There are ways, though, to make it good, entertaining, and fun.

Trading is part of the game and achieving Elite Status in this profession is one of three ultimate goals for most ED players. Achieving it can be challenging – it is not going to be a fast or easy process. But there is certainly no better feeling than seeing that your Elite Trading Status was granted.

And what would be life without the challenge? Boring for sure, but if you need some extra help check out our other Elite Dangerous guides.

There is a lot of hype amongst Elite: Dangerous fans due to the newly presented addition to the game. Patch 2.3 AKA The Commanders is indeed very shiny but under the glitter there is no meat to feed the bored community.

Players are concentrating on multiple crew ships and character creation, but all I can see is a lack of really important changes introduced by Frontier. Changes, which would have pushed Elite: Dangerous in any direction, bring some dynamics, instead of letting it to become a symbol of endless grinding and be some odd universe where people play solo on MMO servers.

To clarify -- what we will have in patch 2.3 is very nice, I cannot deny, and some additions will also please commanders dedicated to PvP fights.

I just don't think these are exactly THE most important improvements.

Elite: Dangerous

Elite: Dangerous (ED) is a Kickstarter born baby of Frontier Developments, a small development studio founded by David Braben. ED is the follow up to the old eighties game Elite, popular on early computers.

There's no denying that Elite: Dangerous is the legend of persistent universe gaming; it is also one of the best space MMO titles on the market.

ED was originally released in December 2014, and Frontier announced it will be updated through major expansion packs, and updates.

The first season pack (called Horizons) was added to the game at the end of 2015, bringing a really significant change -- the ability to land on planets. This practically doubled the amount of fun, as players could not only fly in space but also land and use small SRV vehicles to drive around and do some planetary missions.

Later The Engineers and The Guardians were added as a part of the same season, bringing ship upgrades and also the ability to fly fighter ships stored in big player space ships. The latter update also brought changes to in-game UI.

Now it is time for The Commanders

From the first look everything was very promising. I am a dedicated Elite: Dangerous player and I am very excited with every addition to the game, and it is pleasure to see how it is growing.

The new additions to the game were presented to the general public during the "On the Horizon" life preview on YouTube.

The new additions brought by The Commanders:

Multi-crew: players will be able to connect and fly ships together. Up to 3 commanders will be able to be in the same ship. Commanders invited to the ship will be able to take on different roles like gunner for example.

Holo-Me: which is the system for creation of the player's in-game persona/characters. This looks very good, and gives players tonnes of options to prepare their own original characters.

The Camera Suite: till now it was a very fiddly system of third person camera, and screenshotting  letting players to do some selfies of the ship in space. Now this system is much easier to operate and will even let you fly ships while in third person view.

There is also an additional small passenger ship added called Dolphin, some very big ships which nobody alone can fly, and the cherry on the cake -- ship naming will be added as well!

Galactic in grey

While I am an active Elite: Dangerous player, I do not have very positive feelings about these new additions. I feel this new patch lacks features which would bring some much needed dynamics to the game.

I am, right now, somewhere half way through a mission of taking passengers to a remote Nebula. With my trusty ship I am jumping between star systems -- every time traveling round 32 light years. In this flight operation I can do about about 30 jumps per hour, meaning the whole mission will require about 20 hours of gameplay.

The views are also stunning, so I will take a lot of good photos of this trip.

Where is the problem then?

The biggest one is that actually NOTHING is going on. I am just jumping, fueling up and jumping again. I am scanning planets. I can also land on them and take some nice pictures. But actually there is nothing on the planets to see or do -- other than some of them are beautiful.

Once the 20 hours are up (and I've completed the mission) I will have 20 million more credits, an addition to my Elite Explorer title grind, and then... I will take another mission.

For a change I can go and fight pirates, I can transport some goods, but overall all this is about is finding the most profitable missions to buy the biggest ships. Then -- guess what -- grind again. Mostly for nothing.

There is also not too much opportunity to interact with other players -- they are usually not even playing on open servers. The reason why they are not playing is quite simple -- PvP is occupied by those who play only to destroy others. Dog fights in Elite: Dangerous require some skill, and not every player decided to play the game to participate in some space dogfights. Some can accept being shot on site while in completely defenceless transport ships, but others would rather decide to withdraw to solo or private servers where so called ganking has no place.

I have nothing against PvP; I just need to learn how to be better, but for many players this is too much -- which is understandable.

Probably the best option would be to have only open, multiplayer servers -- like in other similar games. Players would need to accept the possibility of being interdicted and killed at every minute of the game. This would probably convince them to learn and improve their skills or work together to defend from the attacks.

Adding the multi-crew system, in theory, should support player to player interaction. However, just because there will be more people sitting in the same ship, this doesn't mean actual in-game interaction will happen.

Let me explain.

Glitter and fireworks

This is what we're actually receiving with these new additions to the game.

Multi-crew: I will be able to invite one or two of my in-game friends to board my ship. This means that now all three of us will be bored to death, while flying to the Nebula I mentioned above. There's no use for gunner or second pilot, or whatever else these poor souls are going to do. Of course it could be fun if we would decide to go into PvP or at least go for some bounties.

But as mentioned above, the amount of living players sitting in the same cockpit will not stop them from going into the safety of private servers. This is why, in my opinion, this new patch is not going to really support team cooperation.

I mean cooperation in building in-game lore. For example why not get together and set up a convoy with gunship support?

That would be much more beneficial than just sitting together in one cockpit.

Holo-Me: This is actually useful for the selfies in my ship. I was really fed up with this anonymous guy sitting in my shiny space ship. Now I will be able to see my "own" face.

Again, the only issue I have is that this is just a cosmetic move. Pilots will have faces but they are not going to be able to leave their ships anyway. So there is no change in gameplay, or need for cooperation.

The Camera Suite: I'm sort of used to the wonky system currently in ED, but I can appreciate this upgrade. Again, Elite: Dangerous is mostly about the views around you. Having the ability to use an operational third person view will be an asset during long and boring passenger trips. It is cosmetic again though.

I am not going to concentrate too much on smaller additions like the ability to name own ships, but I really would like to mention Dolphin.

Why Dolphin

Can somebody explain why the devs are introducing a third identical passenger ship to the game? 

All  three passenger ships: Beluga, Orca and now Dolphin are nearly the same -- only the size is different. Due to their specifications, they can only really be used to do passenger missions.

But, players can already do passenger missions in ANY ship in game -- as long as it's big enough to fit the passenger module. Therefore, the idea of having just passenger ships does nothing good to the game. Having one was good for role playing, but that's all that was needed. One.

Average passenger ships are also easy prey for ganker and pirate-alike, so sooner or later 90% of passenger missions will be taken to private and solo servers for safety. It feels that with more and more passenger ships, and passenger missions are quite profitable, there will be more players hiding on safe servers and voiding open play.

It means less commanders "in open," so means less person to person interaction.

Conclusion

As a big fan of space gaming, especially space MMOs, I love Elite: Dangerous and I have spent hundreds of hours in game just to fly around.

After watching the new patch presentation, I can say the changes brought by Frontier look impressive, but won't necessarily add any important changes to ED.

Multi-Crew, Holo-Me and Third Person View Cameras are just normal features. Expected, and great, but not groundbreaking.

I wonder if after waiting a long time for new and amazing content, is this going to be enough for the hungry Elite: Dangerous player base? I am also worried that the Multi-Crew option will (instead of bringing more in-game interaction) support the decision for many players to hide away from open servers -- they will be able to play in solo, and still create some sort of team play, but this won't affect the overall game.

ED is supposed to be a Massively Multiplayer Online game, set in a persistent universe. I feel that this is not exactly the case for many of players right now, and I feel that this new patch is not going to change that.

What I would rather see in patch 2.3 is some content which would force groups of players to team up, maybe some team quests, or even more Human vs Thargoid action.

Less glitter, and more meat please Frontier! We have a starving community, and adding some real substance will work better than naming ships.

Header picture taken from Elite: Dangerous Reddit - author Liam Rafferty

MMO games need grinding to give players the ability to achieve more, and go further. The same grinding process is also the reason why people are playing MMOs less and less, even if they seem to be very interesting.

Let me be perfectly honest with you; there is no chance that there will be no grinding in games -- especially true in MMO games.

Do I think this is ok? No, not really. Grinding is boring, and some serious TLC is needed to make it bearable and interesting.

So what should really happen to make sure that grinding is brought to a halt?

For starters, a game which is not even an MMO, but at the same time is the poster boy for a bad grinding system:

No Man's Sky

Let's forget the whole discussion about what NMS was/is, and if the advertising on the Steam store was actually cheating or lying. I believe that everything has been said by everybody about Sean Murray and his vision of almost unlimited worlds -- hint: they all just appeared to be a second class cartoon with a lot of limitations.

What is important though, NMS is a perfect example of a game with boring grinding for no reason. Or rather I should write -- grinding is actually THE reason for everything.

No Man's Sky, due to ill design, did not present any interesting aim for the players. Very quickly it was established that there is nothing in the heavily advertised "centre of the Universe" -- the endgame for NMS. I think someone got there in the first couple of hours of the game, and was transferred to exactly the same Universe (at least it looked the same). How very sad and a boring idea for the game finale it was.

Grinding in NMS is very bad, by waving some sort of blaster taking chunks of different coloured blobs. That's it.

If anybody thinks that I chose NMS as an example of bad grinding in games because it was easy target -- this is exactly the reason! But I will not feel guilty, the grinding of the games should feel guilty of being bland.

The reason I have brought No Man's Sky is, that the grinding in the game failed badly. There was no really interesting story behind it. It seems that Hello Games people one day were sitting behind the table and decided that NMS players must grind something. Otherwise the game will have no purpose.

I think this is the worst case scenario for any game -- when grinding becomes the aim for it.

What about Elite: Dangerous?

I love the game, don't get me wrong, but repetition in Frontier's version of the Milky Way can sometimes be concerning. It certainly drags player out of the game very often.

There is an aim here though. The reason for grinding in ED is to reach Elite rank in three categories: fight, exploration, and trading. Higher ranks are also responsible for the access to some of the solar systems, and also grant access to more sophisticated space ships.

Where is the problem?

I feel that the problem is lack of variety in the quests. It is not so visible at the beginning, but with time, when players have most of the space ships and ranks it becomes very apparent; there is not too much else to do.

I am just in the middle of a passenger trip taking 6 people to some sort of Nebula. Hours of jumping from star system to star system. Nice views -- I can admit -- but nothing more. This is where the problem lies; grinding is lonely and overly prolonged.

A lot of players who are leaving ED claim that they achieved everything. Sometimes two or three times, and that is it.

I can understand this point of view and I can see where those leavers are coming from.

I didn't quit though, and regardless that I am sure there is much to say about endless grinding in ED, there is also one thing, which makes it different comparing to many other titles. The reason why grinding can be acceptable is that you can interact with other players (when you are not on your way to a nebula) and create some sort of own story.

This is an important feature of properly designed MMO games, such as Elite: Dangerous; people are never alone and they can interact not only with the in-game world but also with each other. This makes a difference and provides sense to questing and grinding.

The same principle applies to every MMO game

Let's take a look at the really big titles. World of Warcraft is certainly top of the bunch. Highly acclaimed, easily playable but still based on the old MMORPG principle of waving your sword/axe/knife or shooting, and just in world doing repetitive quests to achieve higher ranks. Mega grind in progress...

Star Wars: The Old Republic? Exactly the same. After 2 hours of playing this game I was ready to uninstall it and forget it forever. And I actually did -- until a friend, who has been playing for the last 5 years, told me exactly why he is still playing and why I was unwise to quit.

He stays in game for the people who are playing with him. It is not so much about another quest, another skill or ability any more. What keeps him coming back, grinding another quest, achieving another skill is an ability to use what he learned during team escapades against other clans or teams.

It seems to be really clear, that to avoid grinding which will put people out of the MMO game, developers must re-think the position of quests/grinding in their game design.

Quest structure should be rebuilt...

...and players should gain deeper control over their own development paths.

The easiest way to describe a good grinding system would be our real life structure.

Of course people need to work, and work quite often reminds us of proper in-game grinding. The difference is that in life we are fully in charge of our decisions and choices. Therefore we are in power to stop our grind -- change of job, move to another country, write a book, or start to write for GameSkinny (editor note -- in our JTP program hint hint)...

Good MMO games should follow a similar pattern; of course games are not real life and never should be. The popularity of sandbox games, like Life is Feudal, Astroneer, Evochron Legacy, shows quite clearly that set quests and grinding becoming rather obsolete. Players want to decide about their in-game life and what to do next.

This is the reason why in Elite: Dangerous, Star Wars: The Old Republic, World of Warcraft, and so many other games, people are slowly adding an element of team cooperation though factions, corporations, any sort of PvP interaction, and more.

This is the way of bringing grinding back to life -- making it useful for the community and a force for good.

Therefore quest structure should rely on the choice of the players. They should be less designed as a path from A to B, and should be about choices with the support of others, skip a couple of levels, jump higher, and succeed or fail. Learn from experience, learn from mistakes. Learn from others.

EVE Online is all about players and learning

There is only one world in EVE. The world is cruel and requires you to learn from all the players. It can be a painful experience, dragging people out of the game, but they have the option to work with other people, have some advice, and above all support. In exchange they just need to be useful for the community.

A few days ago I was in my tier 1 frigate flying around. As a noob in space, I wasn't grinding. I was attacking space structures surrounded by players with tonnes of skills, and flying ships I was not be able to buy for another two years of playing EVE. I was still part of this story. It was fun. Much better than endless missions for local militia.

In many games I would need to level up for ages to even gain access to this kind of "boss fight."

I think that CCP, the developers of EVE Online, learned a long time ago that the best method of keeping your game interesting and popular is to give players an ability to mould the game and run it. This is why EVE has such a sophisticated economy system, lively corporations, and constant buzz around main alliances -- as well as  space battles with thousands of players.

There is no reason to remove grinding from a game. What should really happen is developers making sure that grinding will not become the reason for the game.

With interesting, non-linear quest design, stunning visuals, and an attention grabbing believable story behind it all, every MMO game will be closer to being a better version of real life. Regardless that many look at games as an escape, we are also hoping to find something familiar there, as well as a life changing experience which would require effort but not constant boredom.

There are different ways you can pilot space ships in the acclaimed MMO Elite: Dangerous. Since the game is about flying, it seems completely natural that a joystick would be the best control option for all pilots in the game.

One look at a cockpit in an ED space ship -- and some basic knowledge about the game's complexity -- makes it readily apparent that just any joystick will not do.

Hands on throttle-and-stick systems (or HOTAS) are the next best options because of their throttle and significant  button and switch mapping, which is ready for immediate in-game binding. They're also able to operate all functions necessary to keep ED commanders alive in space. It's no wonder that most of the commanders in ED have decided to use different HOTAS systems to control their ships.

Below are the binding options for one of the most popular HOTAS control sticks. It shows off the serious complexity of the bindings and gives proper perspective to the subject -- piloting your ship is the matter of in-game life or death.

The Elite Dangerous Community (EDC)

To establish which HOTAS is the chosen one by ED Commanders, I went to the source -- I asked members of the biggest in-game group of players called the Elite Dangerous Community. Many commanders answered that the Best HOTAS for Elite: Dangerous is Saitek X52 Flight Control System.

According to 82 players, the X52 is the only real option for game. It has not only enough buttons to be bound, but it's layout is also exactly of the right design for playing ED in the most optimal way possible.

According to and IGN review, the X52 is a good looking and ergonomic HOTAS system, which should be considered by many players as a very good option for flight simulators and space simulators.

To be clear, according to Commanders using this system to play Elite: Dangerous on a daily basis, the X52 is far from perfect: It's not sturdy enough and prone to micro switch failures. Regardless, a lot of those asked confirmed that if they were thinking about ergonomics, the X52 leaves all other HOTAS systems in the dust.

It seems that also the system's visual similarity to ED's in-game HOTAS system (the one visible in every ship cockpits) plays a vital role in the X52 being the best option for ED.

So, while the X52 is certainly a legend amongst ED players and their go-to HOTAS system -- some of players, like CMDR Elenar, Imperial King, and Leader, of the in-game faction Achenar Immortals, have few doubts about the X52's superiority:

"I really think the X52 is king"
 -- King Elenar 

But what about the X52's competition? 

Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X -- This is a very interesting HOTAS system. It's the simplest on the market because it a.) doesn't have many buttons and b.) has fewer switches. This means ED commanders aren't able to bind as many commands to the stick. It's (probably) popular mainly because of the price, which is much lower than the competition. 

Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS  - This HOTAS was designed especially for Elite: Dangerous, although it's not as popular as the X52 because of some design and button placement issues. It is very strange that the Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Flight Pack was not designed to look like HOTAS in ED ships, especially considering its target market.

Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog with H.E.A.R.T - This is the one and only full-metal HOTAS system, which is based on the original A-10 Warthog fighter place HOTAS. On the surface, it seems that this should be the most popular HOTAS on the market, since it is a 1-to-1 replica of the actual aircraft HOTAS. However, as the Warthog had no z-axis in the control stick, this feature is also absent from the gaming HOTAS, which means that while ships can fly up, down, right, and left in-game, they cannot yaw, making the ship relatively useless. And although this HOTAS does have a bit of a dedicated cap on throttle and assign-to-yaw function, many ED Commanders find this HOTAS too complicated to use efficiently. 

Saitek Pro Flight X-56 Rhino H.O.T.A.S. System - This HOTAS is supposed to be a better version of the X52, but it never gained the same popularity as the X52. Mostly due to its poor build quality.

Commanders from the Elite Dangerous Community added to the list another 20 HOTAS options, which included a few other HOTAS systems on the market and various options for piloting, such as dual joysticks, game pads, and keyboards and mice.

With all of these options, it's obvious it's all down to individual pilot skill and how good they are going to be flying in space. But at the end of the day, the Saitek X52 Flight Control System makes the task of flying the absolute easiest.

You can buy the Saitek X52 Flight Control System here. 

What kind of flight system are you using? Do you think it is better than X52 from Saitek? Let us know in the comments below!