I would like her to go over 500m/s like she used to. Then it would be my go-to ship for PvP. [hehe]
I agree, it's pretty outclassed all around by everything in its class around it.Yes it's a fun little combat ship if you like a challenge, but it is outclassed by most other small ships, and even the basic little Eagle Mk II is significantly better at dog fighting. It doesn't really have any combat/speed advantages over the DBS. It's basically like a small version of the clunky old FDL pre 1.5. Slow rolling, bad pitch rate, slower than the direct competition (Cobra III, iEagle, DBS). The Mk IV version only exacerbated these weak points and solved only the power and jump range issues. Issues that are low priority for a police ship.My suggestion to fix the Viper Mk III:-faster roll rate-faster pitch rate-increase agility to match the DBS-increase speed to match the Cobra (420 combat / 445 bare bones and weaponless)Why should the Viper MK III be as fast as a Cobra and as agile as the DBS? -It's a police ship. You shouldn't be able to outrun the police on foot-a ship this tiny (60T) shouldn't be slower & less agile than an FDL (400T) or even than the DBS (170T)-it has the worst jump range of all the small ships, so it needs a niche, and that niche is Policing
I'd like all the little ships to be significantly faster on boost, it'd make flying them very different.I would like her to go over 500m/s like she used to. Then it would be my go-to ship for PvP. [hehe]
Other ships have other tools to deal with NPCs that aren't as readily available to the Viper: tough shields, bottomless utility slots, thick hulls, speed, agility, overwhelming firepower, stealth.
The only clear advantage of the Viper was the small hit box. If that's off the table, then the police ship is meant to be worse by every measure. So it needs a niche imo.
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Maneuvering thrusters are powerful? Maybe I'm running too much armor, but the side thrusters seem like garbage with any amount of hull additions at all. And the hull packages weigh as much other similar modules.
Can you post a build? And maybe message me some pointers?I am using fixed weapons btw (small burst and med MCs)
honestly, no, not any kind of upgrade like this..
Yes it's a fun little combat ship if you like a challenge, but it is outclassed by most other small ships, and even the basic little Eagle Mk II is significantly better at dog fighting. It doesn't really have any combat/speed advantages over the DBS. It's basically like a small version of the clunky old FDL pre 1.5. Slow rolling, bad pitch rate, slower than the direct competition (Cobra III, iEagle, DBS).
The Mk IV version only exacerbated these weak points and solved only the power and jump range issues. Issues that are low priority for a police ship.
My suggestion to fix the Viper Mk III:
-faster roll rate
-faster pitch rate
-increase agility to match the DBS
-increase speed to match the Cobra (420 combat / 445 bare bones and weaponless)
Why should the Viper MK III be as fast as a Cobra and as agile as the DBS?
-It's a police ship. You shouldn't be able to outrun the police on foot
-a ship this tiny (60T) shouldn't be slower & less agile than an FDL (400T) or even than the DBS (170T)
-it has the worst jump range of all the small ships, so it needs a niche, and that niche is Policing
The Viper Mk III did get a buff, it is called the Viper Mk IV
The Viper to me is a wierd one.
I think its ballanced fine , it might be that the other fighters like the vulture just outclass it in every single way...
Beyond price that is.
But so much has changed so I would say maybe a buff is in order... or maybe a genral ballance pass
Not really. More of a sidegrade than a buff.
Good points.I think the problem with the Viper is less the Vulture and more the fact that the DBS is just better in almost every way for not that much more money. The iCourier also seems to be very similar in performance, yet better than the Viper with it's far superior shields and better weapon loadout.
I agree that a general balance pass on the small pad ships would be a good idea, especially the older 1.0 ships.
Good points.
I forgot about the DBS and I love that ship but it does indeed render the viper semi unless (in terms of numbers)
OK I tried a lighter Viper build. It was not much better than a regular viper in terms of agility. The turn rate was 9.9s as opposed to 10.5s. The roll rate was very similar about 4s. Side thrusters were noticeably better with a lighter build, but they didn't help as much in the turns when the ship was lighter for some reason. Maybe because the turn rate was already optimal with the lighter build? No idea.
Conclusion: the Viper needs a pitch rate buff, maybe a speed buff as well. Shave it down to an 8s turn rate with a mass at 110T and the ship would be more balanced with it's peers, at least in terms of raw combat ability. It would still be terrible in every other respect: Jump range, heat management, power management, overall speed, mass to accleration ratio