Frontier Developments has launched Elite: Dangerous Beta 3 which adds new ships, planets, and features to the space trading and combat game.
The changes made for Beta 3 are:
- Player-driven interdiction. Players can now interdict NPC ships, pulling them out of faster-than-light travel back into normal space along with the player.
- Philanthropy missions added.
- Fuel scooping from stars added. Keep a close eye on your temperature gauge as you refuel from the blazing surface of stars.
- Asteroid mining added. Cut metal and rock from asteroids using the mining laser.
- New ships added: Imperial Clipper and Federal Dropship.
- Multiple ship ownership. Long requested by the community, players can keep multiple craft docked at starports, allowing for reserve ships dedicated to combat, exploration, trading and more.
- Additional ship images added to loading screen.
- Status panel now shows faction reputation.
- New in-game controls to allow rapid switching between display screens.
- Outpost landing pads now reflect low gravity environment.
- Play area expanded to over 2,400 systems and 869,000 cubic light years of playable space.
- Improved galaxy map, with partial name searching, range display and route finding.
- Planet visuals overhaul. Planet surface types, liquids and atmospheric colours now reflect their chemical composition.
- Planets display volcanic features and complex craters can create dust ejecta. Crater frequency is dependent on atmosphere thickness.
- Ice planets now have fracture features.
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All planets now have dynamic ice caps and liquid levels.
Nebulae added, visible in the sky and the galaxy map.
Elite: Dangerous was Q4 release window and you can check out our preview here.