Elite Dangerous - Beta 5 incoming

Hey guys,

The beta servers will be getting an update (beta 5) shortly.

The update is due to go live at 11am and could last up to a few hours.

The change log is detailed below!

Update

Minor edit to the patch notes.

The UI scaling mentioned in the patch notes below is actually done automatically depending on your VR device's field of view to maximise readability. We hope that this will allow players to have the best VR experience possible as we continue to refine this functionality.

Stability Fixes

• Fix a server crash with a Curl error
• Crashed ships didn't have a schematic set up for when locking onto them to scan them, causing an assert - default schematic set
• Fix crash closing workshop UI after crafting a recipe
• Fix crash when initialising scaling parameters for a weapon that is in an invalid state
• Fix crash where kinematic data was invalid for mining resources
• Fix error when avatar data was expected, but not present
• Fix audio error when going from planet into CQC
• Don't crash after building a bad string key due to a weird rank value
• In order to investigate softlock in hyperspace jump / supercruise transition, force a crash dump if it has not completed after 110 seconds
• Let the chat UI component look at destination locations if there is no current location. If there is still no location the mission branch message should do nothing rather than attempt to dereference it and crash
• Return plot route limits to 1000 light years to prevent crashing
• Force kill the game if there's a double shader loaded on a non-doubles system - so we get better telemetry if the issue occurs in the wild
• Fix crash applying an upgrade in the Engineers' UI
• Fix occasional shut down crash
• Fix for a hang when power distributors malfunction and in a bad state. Also clamp a few related values that could go out of range briefly
• Fix crash in Anomaly Detected scenario
• Outfitting: Catch for a crash with a missing inventory item

General Tweaks & Fixes

• Rebalance of hyperspace lights to prevent strobing
• Provide a graphics option to adjust UI scale in VR with a maximum and default of 0.7 for Vive and 1.0 for Oculus
• Mouse cursor no longer disappears when using keyboard/gamepad input
• Fixed focusing issues related to the PopUp and various panels
• Added controller preset for Thrustmaster HOTAS 4
• The glow was too strong on the new control/graphics option screen, making text hard to read. Now matched to previous implementation
• Audio: Increase supercruise music fade out time to 4 seconds
• Correctly shutdown the list of FSD countdown voice events during ship swap by clearing the array, so we don't attempt to send a bunch of destroyed events resulting in the FSD countdown missing at times
• Added support to overwrite the audio engine's internal settings for samples per frame and refill buffers. That way players can increase frame rate / reduce the latency to match VR frame rates
• Fixed wonky scrolling behaviour when using gamepad/keyboard on the graphics and control options screens
• Gamma slider setting missing in graphics options fixed
• Everybody docked at Jaques Station has retreated to a safer distance
• Found a better home for some populations and factions from star systems that didn’t have anywhere for them to live
• Ensure portraits are around for any GUI that may live between locations (like the Cockpit GUI)
• Add a workaround for avatar portraits being affected by the GUI colour when it has been changed by the player - it won't work for all values, but should catch most of them
• Renamed some duplicate star systems
• Latest batch of translations added
• Various text fixes

Missions

• We now test against (Mission Giver's) Faction Government as opposed to the (controlling Faction's) Market Government for text and associated variables
• Reward balance pass for missions
• Assassination religious leader (elite) does not have its name overridden in the USS fixed
• Balanced the rewards for elite/allied missions
• Bodyguard USS was setting a different variable for its location, compared to the variable that the inbox was reading. Changed the variables that are set so that it matches
• Massacre Skimmer Panel showing incorrect distance to settlement fixed
• Allow missions to use scaled descriptions on the bulletin board
• Changed the mission timeout to vary from between 1 and 2 days for altruism normal, collect, massacre and smuggle missions
• Changed the base scalar for the mission end time on salvage and planetary missions to be between half a day and a day (at elite, this will be significantly increased)
• fixed the timeout on planetary missions that was using a different timeout value on the transaction panels
• Removed the timeout value from the collect rewards panels on missions that have them. This affects assassination missions - alternate route. Massacre missions - both collect reward panels and planetary disable, hack and scan missions
• Restored reputation check on Hitmen missions
• Reputation scalars now used correctly for gating
• Delivery Scoop mission initial (mission offer) Inbox messages now contain contract elements
• Don't attempt to give cargo on accept for a space mission
• Variable reordering so variables are created before being referenced
• Scoop Missions no longer require the player to scoop ALL of the required cargo before being offered the mission
• Fix rankup notification inbox messages that don't contain an animation
• Changed the transaction panels on assassination illegal alt route for missed target states so they resemble the mission route they are currently on
• Added in the body address to the post nav beacon panels for the kill and don’t die wrinkles so they now show the target body
• Stop repeated inbox messages for the same state change in a mission
• Add telemetry to server for reporting mission request timings
• Add the super power perks text to the mission handin screen
• Added in a player killed target control in the missed target states that it was missing from
• Updated mission tip off descriptions
• Various server data fixes
• Various text fixes

Engineers

• Bias the rolls for engineer-crafted items, following several factors:
• Existence of a special effect tends to mean you rolled nearer the top of the ranges
• Items tend to be more consistent in extremity of positive and negative mods when both exist
• Rolls are now biased towards slightly above centre as a baseline
• Removed some of the common materials so there isn't quite so many different ones to collect
• Fixed Shield Booster recipe modifiers that made them affect hull rather than shield
• Added engineer ident to services welcome animation
• Tweak drop rates of data materials from basic scanning ships and add PowerPlay archetypes to loot tables to make sure the drop materials
• Fix capping on bounty donations
• Fix incorrect invite progress for stat based invites
• Pressing UI_SELECT to skip the engineering animation will no longer continue on to select a nav button
• Fixed bug where the recipe list on the 'Apply, are you sure' popup would have items that are vertically too large
• Buttons should not be active when you have 'No Engineer Selected' in the Engineers interface
• Fix a bug spotted in stat displays for Mechanics where the difference value for stats shown as absolutes (primarily damage resistances) used the total value, not the difference
• Made the removing modification dialog box bigger
• When the recipe has no side effects we show a „This Recipe has no side effects“ and the None state in the UI
• Opening the Known Engineers page whilst crafting an Item will cause the Item to be lost
• Fix to make sure we always send inbox notifications when sending engineer invites on login
• View Engineer Menu is Opaque and isn't navigable after hitting Launch while being in your hanger fixed
• Check that the player owns Horizons before sending out engineer invites
• The Engineers workshop UI will now show a box describing the effects of any previous modifications being removed
• The 'Preview' button is now focused by default when pressing right (it was focusing on the new recipe tooltips before)
• Fill in engineer relationship history
• Various server data fixes
• Various text fixes

Weapons

• Feedback tweaks to torpedos:
• Torpedos now have a 2.5 second arming time rather than their previous 0.5 second. When hitting a target before arming they will deal no damage and self destruct in a small puff
• Torpedos now inherit the speed of their launching ship for the first few seconds of flight, before dropping to a 250m/s cruising speed. These two changes give them an effective minimum range of about 700m+ depending on ship speeds, and also means that you won't be running into the back of your own torpedos!
• Some mining laser effects are offset - now fixed
• Halve firing heat from missiles

Outfitting

• Fixed missing description string for Shield Generator Maximum Hull Mass
• Fixed Missile and Torpedo outfitting category icons being the wrong way around
• Vehicle Bay Slot in Vehicle Hanger doesn't list or show the SRV fixed
• Added rating indicator to a module's name
• When showing context menu, allow LMB on the list to act as 'back'
• Fixed armour piercing stat for mining lasers
• Fix for the wrong top speed and boost speed values being shown
• The first stat item in the footer now changes based on the type of item/slot being viewed
• Fixed module info on read more screen
• Back from Buy & Read More now takes you to actions menu
• Entering the inventory shop default focus was currently fitted item, but requested details on the first item from the list below fixed
• Fixed incorrect life support power draw value

Galaxy Map

• Galaxy map, nav panel: web route lines can be switched off again
• System map navigation: fixing route destination icon behaviour when plotting a route to a surface settlement
• System map: fix the target arrow behaviour (displaying it only when an object is an actual target, or when reaching the route destination system)
• Fixed planetary view audio issues
• Fixed system map ambience/music base layer missing issues
• Fixed galaxy map being not centred on last system checked with system map
• Fixed bookmark dropdown menu by removing target action button upon reopening system map of current system
• Facilities of stations missing in System Map fixed
• Fixing galaxy map cargo slider range to make it match previous behaviour (increment by 1T of cargo possible again)

NPCs

• Fixed issues with recalled ships boosting when trying to land
• Tweaked AI pip management
• Fixed AI orientation issue over planets (ships nose-diving into the ground)
• Fixed AI terrain avoidance over planets (was getting very confused over higher G worlds)

SRV

• Fixed surface noise volume issues in SRV turret cam mode
• Player can see through their ship while headlooking up during SRV deployment fixed
• Fix for the strange looking muzzle flash on srv turret
• Make sure that SRV stats update before they are picked
• Stop ship rising to 1km when activating DC over a landing pad

POIs/USSs

• Remove factions from systems that cannot generate scenarios - ie: systems without any bodies in them.
• Added ship voice notification when a mission specific USS has spawned
• Fixed Mining fragments being too quiet
• Fixed missing textures on wrecked Diamondback and Eagle ships
• Difficulty for one of the USS distress call scenarios does not reflect the actual difficulty fixed
• Increased audio memory pool to allow two capital ships to have audio
• Added a fence to the mining laser probes
• Fix various fixed event scenarios, ships now move and have chatter
• Added in audio feedback for when a nav beacon scan returns stellar data

Ships

• Art fixes for Federal Gunship
• Asp Green Apollo paintjob fixed
• Fixed rotated headlight bones and incorrect chair on the clipper
• Fix broken asp and asp scout warning lights
• Main lights on Viper not orientated correctly - Fixed
• Federal Assault Ship shadow is projected incorrectly

Ports/Stations/Bases

• Fixed offset medium landing pads
• Engineer Garage - Light bones misplaced and missing fixed
• Updated tile rate on Large pad rock material
• Fixed terrain cut out issues causing lad geo to render on top of terrain
• Removed unused material draw call from Medium pad
• Remade Hitcheck for large pad throughout
• Fixed hitcheck on Medium Engineer Pad
• Fixed landing pad allocation message being displayed when boarding at a port from an SRV
• Fixed offset landing pad and floating regolith heaters
• Fixed offset landing pad and rock which was intruding into one of the hangar bays
• Lori Jameson - Large biome is slightly floating fixed
• Fixed areas where rocks were intruding into several hangars
• Broo Tarquin - Landing pads misaligned fixed
• Zac Nemo base - large gap in bridge fixed
• Fixed the large hangar rock wall that had some of its exterior mesh showing through
• Heri Tani - Floating geometry fixed
• Fix light orientation on large landing pad
• Landing pads will now play ambiences which fit to their parenting station
• Fixed broken security alarm sound
• The Dweller - Gap under the small biome fixed
• Raised two of the most problematic hangers a few meters which seems to improve the situation inside with seeing rogue terrain patches
• Added Terrain and DepthBlocker meshes, so that if we are looking at a pad displaying a lower LOD, and the pad animates, we see a hole through the terrain
• Fixed Zfighting on the landing pads
• Fix for settlement rocks appearing white
• Upgraded some settlements and added new ports so Factions can be interacted with in some newly colonised starsystems

Celestial

• Fix star glow effects
• Only apply depth bias to non-miniature stellar bodies
• Stop star glow effects depth testing incorrectly
• Shader fix
• After a location transfer, make sure to add the asteroids to the new asteroid octree, otherwise they wouldn't appear on the radar
• Fix some unsightly miscoloured rocks/dust/decals that can display briefly when transitioning between cruise and normal flight while we're still waiting for the planet surface colour to be calculated
• Kill solar flare particles and particle emitters when we move far away from a star