What Is Powerplay?
Powerplay is a new way to play Elite: Dangerous.
In Powerplay, you can participate in an ongoing battle for interstellar conquest and control that enhances every aspect of the Elite: Dangerous experience.
When Powerplay launches, you'll be able to ally yourself with any one of a number of galactic Powers, earning valuable perks, reputation bonuses and credits for your allegiance.
As a trusted ally of your chosen Power, you will be able to guide their strategy, take on special objectives to advance your shared cause, and dominate human space. Your choices and actions will have a direct and visible impact on the balance of galactic power.
And of course, Powerplay is a FREE content update for all Elite: Dangerous players and will be part of Elite: Dangerous for Mac and Xbox One at launch.
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Senator Denton Patreus (Click to enlarge)
"If you choose to participate in Powerplay, it will add a whole new dimension to Elite: Dangerous," Lead Designer Sandro Sammarco says. "These powers have their own ethos and methods. How they take control of systems varies depending on whether they favour warlike or more pacifist methods. Some will conquer systems with economics, others by just sending in the troops. Either way, you can be part of that."
Combat-focused players may choose to side with warlike Powers for combat missions and perks, while trade-focused players may prefer to side with a Power looking to expand their trade monopoly.
"You could choose a Power for any number of reasons," Sammarco continues. "Maybe you'll pick one who dominates a regular trade route you like or one that offers the kinds of missions you like to fly. Maybe you'll pick one whose politics you favour or maybe you'll just side with one who's about to go to war with your best friend's faction!"
"These characters offer us a chance to get deeper into the fabric of the Elite: Dangerous galaxy," Art Director Chris Gregory says. "Some of these Powers are new, and some will be familiar. You'll see fresh faces alongside names like Aisling Duval, Torval and Denton Patreus. Fans may already have a picture in their heads of what these people look like, but in some cases I think they'll be intrigued when they see those faces for the first time."
"We want players to love or hate these Powers," Gregory continues. "Because it's the players who will choose their actions on the galaxy map each week."
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An early version of Patreus' Overview screen, detailing his warlike ethos (Click to enlarge)
In Powerplay, every week is a fresh opportunity to expand and defend your Power's galactic influence. All week long players can perform actions to undermine enemy control over systems, fortify your territory against rivals attempting to undermine you, or prepare unoccupied systems for conquest. Systems prepared for takeover will become zones where duelling Powers can attempt to expand their borders.
"Players choose which system their Power targets," Sammarco says. "At the end of the week the target will be chosen and objectives will be created. If your Power tasks you to conquer a system, there will always be an opposing mission for the other side.
"One of my favourite parts of Powerplay is how the objectives match the faction's ethos," Sammarco continues. "For example, if a major economic Power sends in their traders for a financial takeover against a military powerhouse, the other side may be tasked with piracy missions to destroy or loot their cargo. You can always be a trader or a miner or a pirate for your own ends, but by joining a Power you'll be afforded special rights and be rewarded for playing the way you already like to play."
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Torval and Patreus supporters clash over the Carnai system (Click to enlarge)
By completing missions, players drive their Power’s expansion and boost their personal standing. A successful week will bring players rewards and see their Power expand across the galaxy, but failure may see your chosen faction weakened or finished outright.
By joining a Power that supports your play style you'll get better deals, cheaper repair costs, reduced fines, increased values for exploration data and more. Some Powers stand alone, but others have their own allegiance to the Empire or Federation and can offer reputation bonuses for their followers, potentially fast-tracking pilots to faction-exclusive starships.
Players will even have a hand in creating new Powers. The initial selection of factions will rise to a maximum of twenty as players provide assistance to minor local forces; as those forces establish a foothold across a handful of systems, they may rise to become Powers in their own right.
You can choose to defect if one of those new Powers is more appealing, but you should weigh the benefits of joining a new power against the consequences for your treachery. You may find yourself wanted by your former friends.
"But for me the best reward is how Powerplay changes combat," Lead Designer Sandro Sammarco says. "The Pilots Federation waives all penalties for engaging invaders in combat during times of war, so you'll have license to attack anyone from a rival power in your own territory without incurring a bounty. We're giving players a reason to engage in PVP against supporters of other factions, and a chance to feel like part of a team even if you prefer to play alone.
"Powerplay is a huge feature in its own right, and a huge change to the game," Sammarco continues. "Players have always been able to influence the background simulation and affect change in the galaxy, but Powerplay gives you control over these charismatic entities and wage war on a truly massive scale. It's a chance to choose a side, earn great rewards and reshape the galaxy in a really cool way."
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Imperial Courier
- Higher-yield mining spots and high and low intensity extraction sites, adding risk to mining and dramatically increasing the potential rewards.
- A bigger cash insurance safety net from the Pilots Federation for higher-ranked pilots so you can fly more expensive ships with reduced risk. We want pilots to be daring.
- A number of improvements to the background simulation. You might not notice them, but they're all making the galaxy more credible and richer in every way.
- A number of under-the-hood tweaks to balance the different ways players choose to play.
Powerplay Q&A with David Braben
Last Friday Elite co-creator and Frontier CEO David Braben took to our forums and answered your questions about May's upcoming Powerplay update. David answered as many questions as he could in the time available, and we've highlighted some of our favourite questions and answers below in case you weren't able to make it.
The first peek at Senator Denton Patreus' Powerplay breakdown, revealed last week
Asked by Crixomix
Q – “Are there any plans for 1.3 to have any new/improved/balanced weapon modules? Many of us are curious as to the future of weaponry in Elite: Dangerous.”
A – “For some of the Powers we are looking at Power-specific modules and weapons. More info to come. <<< Announcement. ;-)”
Asked by Cmdr PeryplusErithrea
Q – “Me and my father have been wondering if you guys at FD were going to add in a system orrery for in game orbits and such?”
A – “It’s still on the list.”
Asked by SlackR
Q – “When will there be non-celestial things to discover in deep space?”
A – “There already are... ;-)”
Q – “I did say "deep" space... Those probes are still in the sol system so I'm hoping he meant other things to find!”
A - Yes. Other things... ;-)
Asked by Pippo
Q – “Will new characters come into the game (i.e. new senators and politicians) and to what scale?”
A – “Yes. Powers, and their associated characters will come and go. The 'go' will often be due to them dying...”
Asked by Philip Coutts
Q – “Do you envisage Powerplay as a tool to raise the amount of PvP currently happening? It seems that you are giving carte blanche to attack anyone from a different faction to you, regardless if they are wanted or not. Is there not a danger that the inhabited parts of the galaxy end up as one big warzone?”
A – “The carte blanche only exists within systems controlled by your Power and only apply against ships that are aligned with a Power of a different major faction to your Power. Powers interact with each other in different ways and combat is but one of those methods. How the Power is structured geographically will also guide which areas are potential hotspots. In some case Powers could provide a safety zone within their borders by their actions.”
Asked by Matlok
Q – “The Empire have a couple of great ships that adds to the empirical identity. The mighty federation also have ships to call their own. I really love the Alliance, yet I feel they have been very neglected by the defs. Currently, there is no real reason to rank up in their systems, for there is no real reward. With Powerplay, will there be some content for the Alliance faction?
A - “The Alliance is a relative newcomer on the galactic stage, but we know the Alliance is a favourite with many players. The Federation and Empire have both had hundreds of years to evolve their traditions and identity. For the Alliance this is little different from the Independent ships already available in game. That’s not to say that an Alliance ship building project might happen in the future, along with recruitment for the Alliance Navy. The trouble is Prime Minister Mahon finds it hard to get his members to agree...”
Asked by bobiroka
Q – “Will Powerplay effectively replace the current Community Goals system?”
A – “Certainly not! Community goals will still be used in game, and can connect with Powerplay – for example: a campaign of goals to elevate a minor faction to a Power.”
Asked by MrTrendall
Q – “How should we start for trying to get our independent faction in to the top 20 list of factions we can pledge with? Should be start now rapidly expanding them or will we be able to choose our faction out of the 20 you pick?”
A – “Firstly there won't be twenty to start with. It is likely to be ten when Powerplay first goes out. This gives room for more to come in later. Currently there are no minor factions anywhere near being promoted to being a Power.”
Hit our
answers roundup for the full Q&A, and read on for a peek inside one of the new ships you'll find in the Powerplay content update.
