Alternative Buff Idea for the Clipper - Experimental FSD

[DemiserofD]

The Clipper is a fun ship, but inferior in many ways to alternatives. I'd like to suggest an alternative way to buff it, one that might be more interesting than just changing its pad size or whatever.

Give it the option to install an Experimental FSD.

The only difference is that the bonus when injected is doubled(and it's a lot more expensive to buy). So a basic boost gives a 50% bonus instead of 25%, the enhanced boost gives 100% instead of 50%, and the superior boost gives 200% instead of 100%.

This means that, for short distances, the Clipper could achieve an astounding 156ly of jump range!

For extended duration exploration, the Phantom or DBX or Anaconda would remain better, but for as long as you have materials, the Clipper would be an impressively competitive alternative. It also pairs perfectly with Imperial doctrine; IE, throwing money at problems to make them go away, and flying as stylishly as physically possible.

I think this would make the Clipper a fun ship for niche purposes without invalidating other options, and would be a cool addition to the universe.

Thoughts?

 

[VirtueXOI]

Just make it medium T_T (sorry OP that's my honest thought)

 

[Zoltor]

The Clipper is a fun ship, but inferior in many ways to alternatives. I'd like to suggest an alternative way to buff it, one that might be more interesting than just changing its pad size or whatever.

Give it the option to install an Experimental FSD.

The only difference is that the bonus when injected is doubled(and it's a lot more expensive to buy). So a basic boost gives a 50% bonus instead of 25%, the enhanced boost gives 100% instead of 50%, and the superior boost gives 200% instead of 100%.

This means that, for short distances, the Clipper could achieve an astounding 156ly of jump range!

For extended duration exploration, the Phantom or DBX or Anaconda would remain better, but for as long as you have materials, the Clipper would be an impressively competitive alternative. It also pairs perfectly with Imperial doctrine; IE, throwing money at problems to make them go away, and flying as stylishly as physically possible.

I think this would make the Clipper a fun ship for niche purposes without invalidating other options, and would be a cool addition to the universe.

Thoughts?

I'm not convinced a ship most seem to consider one of the bests, "needs" a buff, but that is a interesting idea, and as long as you increase the price by a decent amount, sounds like a viable idea.

 

[DemiserofD]

I'm not convinced a ship most seem to consider one of the bests, "needs" a buff, but that is a interesting idea, and as long as you increase the price by a decent amount, sounds like a viable idea.

I'm not sure who considers it the best. In most of my discussion on the ship, it's basically only good for core mining. It's okay at piracy, but there are better options, and it's pretty bad at most everything else, if only by comparison.

This change would make it good at core mining, okay at piracy, and niche at exploration/travel, which to me would probably be enough to make it at least cool to own.

 

[CMDR Deano The Imperial]

My Clipper has got over 51lys jump range with a 7a fuel scoop, sheilds, weapons, SRVs, AFM, repair limpet controller (with cargo rack for limpets), an auto docker, a DSS and some of the best thrusters I've seen on any large ship. I think it's pretty good at exploration. And if you take off the scoop it's pretty cheap to transfer Between Colonia and the Bubble.

 

[Zoltor]

I'm not sure who considers it the best. In most of my discussion on the ship, it's basically only good for core mining. It's okay at piracy, but there are better options, and it's pretty bad at most everything else, if only by comparison.

This change would make it good at core mining, okay at piracy, and niche at exploration/travel, which to me would probably be enough to make it at least cool to own.

Not me that's for sure. If I were to redesign it I would give it a class 7 fuel tank, and perhaps class 7 thrusters. Get rid of the class 7 optional, add another class 6. Get rid of all the class 4s, as well as the class 3 slots(because f class 3 slots, they're useless), and add 3x class 5 slots.

 

[Captain Willard]

It's a fabulous ship as is. I have three.
Doesn't need any changes.
The class 7 slot for a fuel scoop makes it great as an explorer.

 

[varonica]

Not me that's for sure. If I were to redesign it I would give it a class 7 fuel tank, and perhaps class 7 thrusters. Get rid of the class 7 optional, add another class 6. Get rid of all the class 4s, as well as the class 3 slots(because f class 3 slots, they're useless), and add 3x class 5 slots.

You do know you can add as many fuel tanks as you want up to the limit of the modules, in fact in most of my ships I actually fit a smaller fuel tank than standard size slot, so a larger fuel tank slot and smaller other slots would actually make the ship less versatile!

 

[Zoltor]

You do know you can add as many fuel tanks as you want up to the limit of the modules, in fact in most of my ships I actually fit a smaller fuel tank than standard size slot, so a larger fuel tank slot and smaller other slots would actually make the ship less versatile!

Yes I know, but that would mean keeping the class 7 optional, which = it deserves to be pre-nerfed, and you would still have the core fuel slot, so I say upgrade the core, and lose the optional 7

 

[Captain Willard]

Yes I know, but that would mean keeping the class 7 optional, which = it deserves to be pre-nerfed, and you would still have the core fuel slot, so I say upgrade the core, and lose the optional 7

We are happy you are not in charge.
It is a unique ship. Low mass, large configuration, Superb handling in SC, very fast.
I add a class 3 gas can to give me a total of 5 50ly jumps instead of 3 on my explorer.
BTW How many ships have an optional class 7 slot? and you want it removed? NOT
I can't agree to any of your mods to lessen this ships qualities.

 

[Zoltor]

We are happy you are not in charge.

2 class 6s, and 3 class 5s, are better then 1 class 7, and 1 class 6

 

[DemiserofD]

Not me that's for sure. If I were to redesign it I would give it a class 7 fuel tank, and perhaps class 7 thrusters. Get rid of the class 7 optional, add another class 6. Get rid of all the class 4s, as well as the class 3 slots(because f class 3 slots, they're useless), and add 3x class 5 slots.

That sounds like a huge revamp of the ship.

I don't think the ship needs a huge revamp. Just a little more to push it over the edge from ordinary into exceptional. I think this one small change could, with only a little effort, make that change.

What's so bad about that?

 

[Maymo]

Nice shields like the Courier and Cutter would be the only change I’d like to see. Imperial Shielding is meant to be a thing...

 

[DemiserofD]

My Clipper has got over 51lys jump range with a 7a fuel scoop, sheilds, weapons, SRVs, AFM, repair limpet controller (with cargo rack for limpets), an auto docker, a DSS and some of the best thrusters I've seen on any large ship. I think it's pretty good at exploration. And if you take off the scoop it's pretty cheap to transfer Between Colonia and the Bubble.

It's okay at exploration, but overall it just falls short compared to other options like the DBX or Phantom.

With this change, it still wouldn't beat them for consistency, but it WOULD have an interesting niche for galactic edge exploration, plus offering opportunities for quickly moving across the bubble. If you just want to get there as quickly as possible and damn the expense, it's what you want, and I think that's a perfect niche for a ship!

 

[CMDR Deano The Imperial]

IMO In exploration, The Clipper should fall short of the DBX or Phantom. It's a large ship and 2nd best for it's size at exploration. Only the Anaconda has it on range and number of utility slots. Comparing the Clipper to small and medium ships is kind of nonsense. It's like comparing a luxury stretch limousine to a 4x4 off road vehicle and saying that the limousine is not very good at off road because all the 4x4s do off roading a lot better.
I got a Type 6, Krait Mark II, iCourier, ASPX & probably a number of small/medium ships that will beat a Clipper on range. They don't make the Clipper any worse at exploration. It's still the 2nd best of the large ships for exploration.

Looking back at your OP, the only thing I would suggest to do is buff the FSD boost synthesis for all ships. If FDev changed the Clipper's FSD only then I think that would put the Clipper way up on a pedestal out of reach of anything else (which it should be, lol) and I suspect that many players would bury FDev in so much salt demanding they do the same to all the other ships.

 

[Kenneth McGrew]

Clipper is fine, only thing it could do with is retracting nacelles to fit onto a med pad, or shrinking, whatever, that would make it great.

 

[DemiserofD]

Clipper is fine, only thing it could do with is retracting nacelles to fit onto a med pad, or shrinking, whatever, that would make it great.

I dont think that would make much difference tbh. Only reason to need that is to haul cargo to them, and it's nowhere near the best cargo hauler even for medium ships.

I think this idea would make it more distinctive, which is more important imo.

 

[Denneb]

I personally would only change the hardpoint placement on the Clipper.

 

[CMDR Deano The Imperial]

I dont think that would make much difference tbh. Only reason to need that is to haul cargo to them, and it's nowhere near the best cargo hauler even for medium ships.

I think this idea would make it more distinctive, which is more important imo.

The 7&6 slots alone puts the Clipper on par with a Python for hauling. The Python loses a lot of slots to haul any significant amounts of cargo. The Clipper is not the best of the large ships for hauling, but better than anything small or medium sized with only the Python getting anywhere close.