Frontier Developments has shared more details of Elite Dangerous’ next significant update, which is primarily focussed on delivering a more welcoming experience for beginner players, and launches on Tuesday, April 23rd.
Imaginatively titled the April Update, Frontier’s latest content drop introduces a new Beginner’s Zone, where newcomers are free to take flight and familiarise themselves with Elite Dangerous’ idiosyncrasies without fear of attack from PvP-frenzied pros. New players will have access to the new area – alongside a selection of easy, introductory missions and reduced re-buy costs – until they earn their first Combat, Trade, or Exploration rank.
Additionally, there are two new ship modules available to all players, both designed to assist with some of Elite’s trickier flight manoeuvres. The new Advanced Docking Computer, for example, not only automatically lands a player’s ship at a station, it’ll undock too. Gone will be the days in which you carefully navigate a station’s access slot, only to be greeted by a fellow Commander ricocheting dramatically off a nearby wall.