Out of Pod Experience

Alpha 4 is now available from the Frontier Store, make sure that you have the latest client. Here's a high level change log and as with previous phases please make sure to log any bugs you find through the support tickets.

Travel

Navigation panel improvements
Systems, stellar bodies and “points of interest” are now sorted in a hierarchy, with location type indicated by different icons.
Players can initiate hyperspace directly from the Navigation panel by selecting a system in the hierarchy

Hyperspace

Players will now see the full hyperspace sequence when choosing to jump between locations
As well as using the navigation panel to hyperspace, the player can also initiate a jump by using a keyboard command, default mapped to “J”
Players need to retract hardpoints/landing gear/cargo scoop, align to the destination target and throttle up to finalize the jump
Arriving from a hyperspace jump will leave the ship in super cruise

Super Cruise

Super cruise allows players to travel across a system at superluminal speeds
While in super cruise, players can see and lock onto markers for stellar bodies and “points of interest” in the system
Entering and exiting super cruise is mapped by default to “C” on the keyboard
Players need to retract hardpoints/landing gear/cargo scoop and throttle up engage super cruise
When coming into range of a locked super cruise target, the display in the bottom left of the cockpit display will indicate when it’s safe to disengage
Approaching too close to a stellar body will mass-lock the player, dropping their ship from super cruise
To escape mass-lock from a stellar body players should point their ship away from it when engaging super cruise

Interdiction

Players may be intercepted and pulled out of super cruise by AI ships.
Ships met after interdiction may or may not be hostile

Galaxy Map

Players can now explore the entire galaxy via the Galaxy Map, accessed from the in-game navigation panel.
View data on each system including Allegiance, economy, star type, etc.
Search for star systems by name
Colour map by population, government, faction and economy
Options to show trade routes and star constellations

Trading

Each Star Port now has a commodities market where you can trade a selection of goods.
Prices in each market are influenced by the local economy and reflect current supply and demand.

New Locations

5 Star Ports from 3 different factions
Federation –I Bootis, Dahan
Independent – Asellus Primus, Eranin
Anarchy – LP 98-132
Numerous new scenarios scattered around the Alpha 4.0 systems which demonstrate a variety of possible gameplay situations

Night Sky

Added suns, gas giants and planet rings
Space background now generated from real galaxy map data

New Playable Ships

Anaconda
Eagle
Lakon Type 9
Some ships only available in certain locations

New equipment

Class 8 Plasma Accelerator
Class 6 Burst Laser Turret
Class 6 Fixed Cannon
Class 6 Fixed Beam Laser
The equipment available is now dependent on the current Star Port, so certain items will only be available in certain locations

Other improvements

Turret weapons can now operate in multiple different modes, and can also defend against incoming missiles
Various AI improvements including ability to collect cargo, fleeing into hyperspace, etc.

All I want to know is:

Can you dial in a system to system hyperspace jump or do you have to content with "gates" (gank pipelines, bubble camps, ROFLSTOMPing, etc.).

I just might make a move to E:D for that one difference.

And then you realize that those ******* want you to pay 240€ for alpha access or 120€ for beta, essentially milking the cow with both hands and feet. At least the game will cost less than AAA titles when finished (42.5€).

Lets discuss this game.

I love EvE, but for me EvE has a very limited feel. I can't get out of my Captain's quarters, I can't fly down to planets to explore and other activities, I can only warp to particular preset places (planets, moons, stations etc), I have to go through star gate pipes to get anywhere, there are a limited number of stars with the vast majority in the iron grip of player hogs...

After playing EvE for 10 years now it all feels like a tiny, uninteresting box with nothing to do.

The first game that gives me a truly immersive, open ended, unlimited feel... I'll be playing it.