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Kirk-tastic! Elite: Dangerous’ interstellar exploration will bring out the Star Trek in you

Regular readers will know that I’m really looking forward to the upcoming space sim Elite: Dangerous. More than any game for a long time, in fact. Partly, this is because I’m a pathetic oldster with nostalgic memories of the original Elite running on a ZX Spectrum. Mostly it’s because I’ve played the last two betas and it’s looking awesome.

One thing I’ve worried about, though, is whether or not the game will have really long term appeal. I’ve tuned out of the betas after a couple of weeks at a time because I don’t want to overplay the game until the mission structure and so is complete, but I’ve been curious as to how the developers are going to encourage players to adopt an exploration role and get out to some of the 400 billion (count ’em) procedurally generated systems that will be in the final game.

In the latest fan newsletter, that’s made pretty clear: cash rewards. And the mechanism sounds ace. Players who fly into previously undiscovered systems can cruise around looking for planets, and when they get there, scan them. If they find hitherto uncharted resources, they can log a claim for a hefty reward back in one of the core systems, but there is a catch.

Scanning a planet takes time and involves firing out a hefty beam of energy that will light you up to any pirates in the area – so there’s a risk involved which should make the whole much more enjoyable.

It sounds, frankly, like the best Star Trek game that never got made. The great thing for me is that you don’t need to engage in mining to make money out on the galactic edges – seeking out strange life and new civilisations will be enough.

If you’re interested – we’re preparing a little community area on our gaming forums over here where you can chat to other South African players who are playing the current beta or looking forward to the game.

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