Elite Dangerous: Horizons

[Razzerman]

Hello there folks.

As there has been a bit of a sale on at Frontier, I've upgraded to Horizons (on Bootcamp, Windows 7 Pro) but it dumps out on launch.

I was wondering if anyone is running Horizons on a 2011 iMac, i7 3.4 quad core (1gb Radeon 6970) 8gb ram, with any success?

Probably a narrow margin of users, but you never know.

Cheers,

Razzerman

 

[whooleytoo]

Not the same machine, but vaguely similar.. I'm playing on a 2013 iMac (i5 2.9GHz, 1GB GeForce 750M, 8GB RAM) and it plays pretty well. It certainly launches!

It's actually below min-specs for Horizons (as is yours) but they've made great strides in improving the performance on lower end machines (less stuttering when doing planetary fly-bys, plus the framerate when on the surface is much better as is the LOD pop-in).

Can you still launch the non-Horizons game? It should still be an available option in the launcher.

 

[Razzerman]

Hey, thanks for the reply.

Good to know your machine runs it with the 1gb card. Yes, the option to launch Elite Dangerous works from the launcher, so it's a bit frustrating. I tried dropping the resolution down to 640 x 480 but no help there.

I'll check if it's the latest launcher version next.

Cheers,

Razzerman

 

[Razzerman]

Okay, good news (well, for me at least).

Installed latest drivers from http://www.bootcampdrivers.com/ and all good now. Horizons now works on 1gb HD6970M, under Windows 7 Pro.

Great support from FD too.

Cheers,

Razzerman

 

[whooleytoo]

Okay, good news (well, for me at least).

Installed latest drivers from http://www.bootcampdrivers.com/ and all good now. Horizons now works on 1gb HD6970M, under Windows 7 Pro.

Great support from FD too.

Cheers,

Razzerman

Good to hear! FD support are very good (albeit busy!).

Horizons really adds a lot to the game, and you're just in time for the 2.4 launch.. livestream next week so hopefully the new version then too. Other than some surface locations (especially around the alien structures) you should get by with that machine, if you're willing to tune down the graphics settings a notch or two.

 

[Huntn]

I know I can look it up, but what is Horizon's about? I'm pretty close to an Oculus Rift purchase and ED is one of the games I already own, but quit, and might get back into.

 

[Janichsan]

I know I can look it up, but what is Horizon's about?

Landing on planets without atmosphere, ship module modifications, ship-launched fighters, player avatars, and multiplayer crews.

 

[whooleytoo]

I know I can look it up, but what is Horizon's about? I'm pretty close to an Oculus Rift purchase and ED is one of the games I already own, but quit, and might get back into.

The headline feature is planetary landings, you can land on airless worlds, deploy a surface vehicle and drive about. Scout for materials, fight against drones, scan terminals at bases.
2.1 added Engineers, certain specialist bases let you do custom upgrades (much faster thrusters, longer jumps, more powerful Powerplants etc.).
2.2 added ship launched fighters, a handful of craft can deploy a fighter to fight alongside (you can switch between fighter and mothership at will)
2.3 added the ability to invite other commanders as crew onto your ship (they just zap into the seat, there's no walking around).
2.4 this month adds the Thargoids (dun dun dunnnnnnn)

Lots of other stuff too, some of which may be back-added to the non-Horizons version:
Megaships (massive non-combat ships, some of which you can dock with)
Guardian Ruins (ruins that you can explore, with a 'puzzle' you can solve for ~100m)
Thargoid Structures
improved spaceport internal variety (industrial ports look very different from agricultural etc.)
Lots of customisation options (shipkits, an avatar builder, ship name and ship ID decals)
Passenger missions
New station types (brought across from the CQC module) and Asteroid bases.
New star types (neutron stars and white dwarfs have tails that can be scooped for improved range).

A few new ships too (Dolphin and Beluga, small and massive passenger ships), and a few fighters.

 

[Huntn]

The headline feature is planetary landings, you can land on airless worlds, deploy a surface vehicle and drive about. Scout for materials, fight against drones, scan terminals at bases.
2.1 added Engineers, certain specialist bases let you do custom upgrades (much faster thrusters, longer jumps, more powerful Powerplants etc.).
2.2 added ship launched fighters, a handful of craft can deploy a fighter to fight alongside (you can switch between fighter and mothership at will)
2.3 added the ability to invite other commanders as crew onto your ship (they just zap into the seat, there's no walking around).
2.4 this month adds the Thargoids (dun dun dunnnnnnn)

Lots of other stuff too, some of which may be back-added to the non-Horizons version:
Megaships (massive non-combat ships, some of which you can dock with)
Guardian Ruins (ruins that you can explore, with a 'puzzle' you can solve for ~100m)
Thargoid Structures
improved spaceport internal variety (industrial ports look very different from agricultural etc.)
Lots of customisation options (shipkits, an avatar builder, ship name and ship ID decals)
Passenger missions
New station types (brought across from the CQC module) and Asteroid bases.
New star types (neutron stars and white dwarfs have tails that can be scooped for improved range).

A few new ships too (Dolphin and Beluga, small and massive passenger ships), and a few fighters.

Thanks! I anticipate I'll be playing this again soon upon the purchase of an Oculus Rift.

I have a Cobra III and the small fighter (Eagle?) as I recall. What does it take to land on a planet and deploy a vehicle?

I'll post and ask more questions in one of the general ED threads...

 

[Janichsan]

What does it take to land on a planet and deploy a vehicle?

A planetary landing suite (which you'll have automatically when you buy Horizons) and a vehicle hangar.

 

[Huntn]

A planetary landing suite (which you'll have automatically when you buy Horizons) and a vehicle hangar.

Does a Cobra qualify?

 

[Janichsan]

Does a Cobra qualify?

Absolutely. Every ship can have these modules.

 

[whooleytoo]

Thanks! I anticipate I'll be playing this again soon upon the purchase of an Oculus Rift.

I have a Cobra III and the small fighter (Eagle?) as I recall. What does it take to land on a planet and deploy a vehicle?

I'll post and ask more questions in one of the general ED threads...

As said above, you need a special planetary approach module, which every ship can fit (a new specialist slot has been added to every ship just for this, so you're not losing a slot). To get out in the surface vehicle, you need a planetary vehicle hanger, which does take up a slot.

To approach a landable planet (atmosphere-less moon/planetoids for now) approach it as now. Once you get close, an attitude indicator, altimeter and compass pop up. You get warning noises if you approach too steeply. Supercruise becomes 'Orbital Cruise' now (basically the same thing, but with the above HUD items and slower speed so you don't faceplant into the planet).

Once you hit a certain 'drop' height (marked on the altimeter) you enter glide mode, falling at 2.5km/s, then at the end of that you're in normal flight. Once you get close to the ground, a terrain map pops up, over over a flat spot and your ship landing indicator goes blue, and you can set down. Then you can deploy the Scarab (the only Surface Recon Vehicle in the game) via the 'navel' screen. It has two laser weapons in a turret, 2 tonnes of cargo space, and two small thrusters that let it do jumps and/or right itself if turned over.

 

[Huntn]

How do you guys who are actively playing the game earn income these days? I assume a primary goal is always a bigger ship.

I dropped out of the game a while back because I tired of the routine (my routine) mining pirates in the extraction zones and I thought hauling trade goods was rather boring, but as I see it, the primary motivation besides seeing the sights, is income and acquiring the next bigger better ship.

 

[Razzerman]

How do you guys who are actively playing the game earn income these days?

Bit jealous of your Occy Rift, huntn. Can't wait to have a wander around the galaxy using that one day.

I'm currently ferrying folks around with a passenger cabin. I did have an asp explorer, but have just managed to scrape enough credits together for a python. I was mining in the asp x to begin with, but seems to take a while to collect the required quantities of (mostly) osmium. Be a bit careful which missions you choose.

Other than that, how much you enjoy the game is up to you. If you're "into it", even crashing is a lot of fun. I say that having just half-crashed my python when trying to leave a planet. Whoops!

 

[Huntn]

Bit jealous of your Occy Rift, huntn. Can't wait to have a wander around the galaxy using that one day.

I'm currently ferrying folks around with a passenger cabin. I did have an asp explorer, but have just managed to scrape enough credits together for a python. I was mining in the asp x to begin with, but seems to take a while to collect the required quantities of (mostly) osmium. Be a bit careful which missions you choose.

Other than that, how much you enjoy the game is up to you. If you're "into it", even crashing is a lot of fun. I say that having just half-crashed my python when trying to leave a planet. Whoops!

I know I'll sound wishy washy, but I'm still thinking about the OR. The immersion is impressive, however I may be more comfortable with the pre-VR setup.

How did you "half crash", hit a mountain on the way out?

 

[whooleytoo]

How do you guys who are actively playing the game earn income these days? I assume a primary goal is always a bigger ship.

I dropped out of the game a while back because I tired of the routine (my routine) mining pirates in the extraction zones and I thought hauling trade goods was rather boring, but as I see it, the primary motivation besides seeing the sights, is income and acquiring the next bigger better ship.

Yeah, for me the missions are still pretty shallow and simplistic, so you only really play them to get the cash/reward; rather than the gameplay being its own reward.

I tend to mix it up a bit. You can do the Guardians Ruins mission, which involves scanning obelisks with certain combinations of artefacts in your hold. It's not something you'd figure out on your own though - but you could grab one of the many guides and play through that mission for 110 million for maybe a day or two's gameplay.

Finding the "Unknown Structures" (Thargoid surface base/crashed ships?) is a bit more rewarding (not financially). You could just google their locations, but it's more fun to just head out to the Pleiades, filter your Galaxy Map for populated systems, and search those for Listening Posts. Most of them lead you on a mini search/code-breaking/combat hunt which ends at one of the structures. I quite enjoyed them, even if I'm a hopeless code-breaker and searching can be time-consuming.

Another activity might be visiting the Generation Ships. These are old sub-light ships which left populated space ages ago, most of which met nasty ends. There are several of them scattered about, not far from Earth (because, you know, sub-light speeds!) and you can scan antennae on them to hear audio logs of what went wrong. Again, no financial rewards, but they add a bit of 'flavour' to the game which I like.

I still like the competitive side of Community Goals, getting and staying in certain reward brackets. They pay reasonably well.

 

[Razzerman]

How did you "half crash", hit a mountain on the way out?

Heh...well, took eye off the ball to grab a quick slurp of homebrew, ship rolled over and I hit the surface hard with my roof. Bounced off, shields gone, hull down to 56%. Ouch!

 

[Huntn]

Heh...well, took eye off the ball to grab a quick slurp of homebrew, ship rolled over and I hit the surface hard with my roof. Bounced off, shields gone, hull down to 56%. Ouch!

At least the game was kind enough to spare your ship. I forget, if you get marooned you just kill your self instead of waiting for the air to be gone?

 

[whooleytoo]

Heh...well, took eye off the ball to grab a quick slurp of homebrew, ship rolled over and I hit the surface hard with my roof. Bounced off, shields gone, hull down to 56%. Ouch!

Yeah, one thing to note is most ships have more powerful ventral (underside) thrusters than lateral; meaning once you roll onto your side you're very likely to slide down into the planet unless you compensate. Some ships overheat badly when flying on their sides low over a planet.

Also - don't drink 'n' fly.

 

[Razzerman]

I forget, if you get marooned you just kill your self instead of waiting for the air to be gone?

Yeah, you don't run out of fuel too many times once you've been through that experience

Though there is a solution https://www.fuelrats.com/

Also - don't drink 'n' fly.

Lol, probably good advice but I'll just have to risk it