Supplemental: PC Operations during the Odyssey Expansion

This document contains supplemental material for Hull Seal operations regarding the Odyssey expansion

Hull Seals Supplemental Documentation: Odyssey and PC

Revision 1
V6

What is this Document?

The Odyssey Supplemental is designed to assist in the proper execution of Hull Seals rescues during the PC Launch of Odyssey, including how the rescue workflow has changed in response to the update.

What is Odyssey, and why Changes?

Odyssey marks the next major update to Elite: Dangerous, launching on PC on 2021-05-19, and on Consoles in approximately November 2021. While Odyssey brings many highly-anticipated and controversial changes to the game, there are some factors that significantly alter how our Seals may respond to cases. The most notable change is that the PC Sandbox will, until the Console launch, be split into two sections, the legacy "Horizons" version of the universe and the "Odyssey" version. While CMDRs who have purchased Odyssey have the option to launch into the Horizons version of Elite, CMDRs on different versions of the PC Sandbox will be unable to interact.

This means that if a Client is in Odyssey and a Seal is in Horizons, the Seal would be UNABLE to rescue the client. Therefore, it is important for Seals and Dispatchers to ensure that the client and responder are in the same version of the sandbox until the console launch of Odyssey later in 2021.

What is Changing - Case Intake

On the case report forms, Clients will have the option to select, for PC Cases, if they are in Horizons or Odyssey. This will be reported in the Case Intake blurb posted by HalpyBOT in IRC and Discord. This will help to determine where the client is so Seals can call their jumps correctly. Options for Odyssey and Horizons will also be displayed on Paperwork for Seals to complete.

PC Case Callouts in IRC are also modified from the normal PCCASE - some cases may be shouted out as PC-OdysseyCASE or PC-HORIZONSCASE, or other similar calls. Check IRC for the latest blurb type.

When the PC halves are reintegrated for the Console launch, all records will be reviewed and updated to the unified universe.

What is Changing - Case Response

The responding Dispatcher should, in the event of a PC case, double-check with the Client if they are in the Horizons or Odyssey version of the PC environment. Ensure that all responding Seals are also in that environment. If required, Seals should be asked to downgrade to Horizons if they are in Odyssey.

Asking Clients to change their gamemode is a LAST RESORT option, and should not be used if other reasonable methods exist.

Due to the changes in planetary terrain generation, it is possible that SRV rescue may change with the new maps, or that logging between modes may solve some SRV issues. This has not been tested yet, and needs additional research.