2019-07-01_PC_Gamer

I

t’s been a while since I
last played Elite
Dangerous, which
makes the moment
when I jump into a
random system and find a burning
starport pretty shocking. As I
approach, the flight controller
warns me that the station is in
danger. The advertising billboards
that normally guide pilots through
the ‘mail slot’ as they dock have
been replaced with flashing red
signs saying “EVACUATE”. And I
notice strange green splodges on
the exterior walls, suggesting that
the Thargoids – mysterious aliens
slowly making their presence felt in
Elite’s galaxy – are responsible.

Curiously, I still have the option to
dock. The flight controller cautions
me about high temperatures inside
the station as I fly closer to the
entrance, and I can see why. The
cavernous interior is glowing hot
with flames, and huge chunks of
debris are floating inside, making my
route to the landing pad extra tricky.
The temperature gauge in my cockpit
rises steadily as I touch down, and I
fire up the mission board. Thousands
of people are still stranded in the
station, and because I have some

passenger cabins in my Asp Explorer,

I decided to ferry them to safety.

A large Federation rescue ship is

waiting nearby, but first I have to

make it out of this station alive. As I

approach the mail slot my ship is

running at 200 per cent temp,

damaging my hull and internals. I

should probably bring some heat

sinks next time to reduce the stress

on my ship. But I make it out and I

drop the refugees off at the rescue

ship, earning some CR and Rep with

the Fed. I did this out of the goodness

of my heart, but payment is nice.

While the thrill of flying into the

flaming station and rescuing people is

way more exciting than the

“I’m not sure what’s happening and

my ship mysteriously powers down”

commodities trading I usually

indulge in, I eventually get bored, and

so I look at other ways I can help the

stricken starport. I notice that there’s

a huge demand for water, so I fly to a

nearby station, load up with about 80

tonnes of the life-saving liquid, and

sell it to them.

ALIEN ENCOUNTERS

Later, when I’m back on my usual

trading runs in a nearby system, I’m

suddenly and violently yanked out of

hyperspace. I’m not sure what’s

happening and my ship mysteriously

powers down. Then I see them above

my canopy – three sinister, green-

tinged Thargoid ships, just hovering,

watching. My ship groans back to life

and I slam my thrusters, worried the

alien invaders will attack.

But they don’t. It seems they’re

just observing me. It makes me

wonder if I’ve made a powerful

enemy by helping those refugees. I

don’t know where this Thargoid

storyline is going, but the way

Frontier has subtly woven it into the

galaxy in Elite is very well done.

Accidentally stumbling into that

burning station was a genuinely

exciting (and eerie) moment, because

I had no idea this stuff had been put

into the game.

ANDY KELLY

THIS MONTH

Saved a few dozen

refugees from a stricken

space station.

ALSO PLAYED

Heaven’s Vault

I rescued people from a burning space station in ELITE DANGEROUS, but should I have?

THREE SINISTER, GREEN-

TINGED THARGOID SHIPS,

JUST HOVERING, WATCHING

THEGAMESWELOVERIGHT NOW

NOW PLAYING

Why am I going in here again?

I’ve got a bad feeling

about this.