Elite Dangerous: Horizons Beta Available Now, New Content and Features Detailed

The beta for the Elite Dangerous: Horizons expansion is available now for anyone who pre-ordered the special edition of the game.



Developer Frontier has also released a long list of new content and features included in the Horizons beta:

Ships can land on planet surfaces!

Orbital cruise mode added
Sub-orbital flight mode added
Added glide path planetary approach flight model
Added the Planetary Landing module slot
Scanner landing radar added
Adjusted ships that can carry SRVs to have sufficient clearance when landed
Added the ability to dismiss and recall your ship
FA Off for planetary flight model
Added Planetary Approach Suites to all starter load outs
Added Planetary Approach Suite to all ships
Added current gravity strength indicator
Added role switch GUI panel
Can deploy SRV when landed
Can deploy SRV at planetary ports
SRV Surface Operations

SRV surface driving added
SRV vertical boost added
SRV turret added
SRV surface interactions added
Wave scanner added
Playable Scarab SRV added
Terrain scanner added
Added SRV specific control options
Add pilot animations for SRV
Planet Rendering

Updated mid-distance planet rendering
Added surface rendering for airless worlds
Added quality settings for surface rendering
Improved planet lighting
Added detail objects for surface
NPC surface skimmers added

Goliath
Sentry
Guardian
Stinger 2
Added surface ports

Players can dock at planetary ports
NPC ships use planetary ports
Added planetary ports as mission targets/givers
Added planet surface market specific commodities
Added surface settlements

Art assets added
Opposition strength variants added
Added air defense turrets
Added ground attack turrets
Surface base components added
Surface base interaction points added
Settlement data link rewards added
Trespass zones added
Added surface points of interest

Scanner indication added
Wave scanner signals added
Materials POIs added
Encounter POIs added
Natural POIs added
Structure POIs added
Materials & Synthesis

Added generation of materials
Added synthesis
AFM module resupply
FSD Boost
Ship projectile resupply
SRV hull repair
SRV refuel
SRV ammo refill
Synthesis quality bonuses
Missions

Add planetary Missions
Make some missions only spawn at planetary ports
Add rare planetary missions
Add off-base planetary missions
GUI

Nav panel indicate planets that can be landed on
Hook planet map into the 'hyperlinking' we support with galaxy/system map
Provide direct access to the planet map from the cockpit
Added planetary schematic map
System map: Adding planetary resource level in info panel
Indicate if a nav target is on the other side of the planet
Render trespass zone boundaries over the terrain schematics
Show settlement and ports locations on planetary map
General

NEW: 64 bit client!
Added Horizons specific starter package
Planetary permits added
Added Black Friday paint jobs - These will be available for the Horizons launch.