I could definitely get behind a zoom view (literally and figuratively).
Spaceship Imagination as a new exploration vessel...
- Thread starter Acaelus Thorn
- Start date
A vessel optimally designed specifically for exploration (as the Asp) would be highly ideal. With the HCS voicepacks I'm surprised a Degrasse Tyson or Sagan voice hasn't been created by now. In regards to the ship, exploration probes would be ideal considering the immensity of a galaxy. For example, the probes could launch once in a system and scan the lesser bodies usually ignored by the lot of us (icy and rocky planets) while we are busy scanning the bigger, more valuable ones. This would increase both the mapping of the galaxy and overall profit gained. Great idea nonetheless!
InMemoriamSirocco
Banned
A Saud Kruger Exploration Cruiser.... ♥ ♥ ♥
I think you misunderstand the purposes of some of those slots. Yes the ASP can do pirate work, but the Vulture is in the same price range and is far better at it. Really I'd rather have a Cobra than an ASP for pirate work. The loadouts on the ASP goes strongly to one huge fuel scoop and enough utility slots for the required scanners and repair modules. Utility spots go for heatsink launchers and since you can be ganked anywhere, the ASP does have guns, but most explorers remove those anyway to get further jump ranges.
Yes you can do some pirate and some rare trading - the jump range on the ASP makes it attractive for trading, but it has a terrible profile and turn rate compared to Cobra, Vulture and other Multi-purose/combat ships.
No, I am pretty sure I understand what makes a ship good for pirate work. Here's what you need:
(a) Be able to _catch and masslock_ your prey (usually trade cargo ships).
(b) Have enough firepower to threaten them credibly, and if necessary shoot their thrusters and cargo hatch out.
(c) Have enough room in your loadout for the cargo they will drop for you.
Cobra is faster than an asp but can't masslock some ships you want to prey on, and has less cargo room. The point of pirating though, is not to be the fastest ship in the galaxy, but being faster than your prey (trade ships). Cobra is a good starter pirate ship, though. Usually the pirate ship progression is cobra => asp => clipper => maybe python? The Vulture is a better killer than the Asp, no question, but has no cargo room and is slow slow slow. Vulture combat power comes in handy when fighting actual combat ships, but that is not what pirates do. Pirates prey on traders who are almost always not flying combat loadouts.
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Weapon hardpoints on a dedicaded explorer vessel are silly. You can run away from any NPC, and a PC player that wants to kill you will kill you if you are kitted for exploration, regardless of whether you carry weapons or not. Asp has too many high class utility slots for a pure explorer ship. In the current game, you want one huge slot for the scoop, the smallest slot that will fit a D shield that goes with your hull, and the rest of the slots can be class 1 (for the 2 scanners, a docking computer maybe, and AFMUs).
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