Ships Beluga Suggestions

[CMDR_Aetuz]

As someone who did most of my missions in a beluga (passenger, sight see, and tried a slightly longer distance one (2200ly), here are my suggestions.

Looks:
I have taken many screen shots - the design as beautiful - 9/10

Suggestion:
- Allow LED mods to be added to the ship as module (if Fdev wants to keep the microtranaction element, why not allow players to buy cosmetic modules?). I'd like to use LEDs and some kind of staircase for passenger embark/disembark.

- Animation for passenger embark/disembark. We already have holome, this would be a nice reason to implement something on bases.

- DOUBLE the number of passenger cabins - scale other components to allow more space for passengers. I'd like to be able to carry up to 1000 eco passengers for missions. I got an anaconda recently.. sadly the anaconda is my preferred passenger ship now because I can easily justify not using luxury cabins (luxury missions don't spawn much, and they pay difference doesn't really justify vs business class). Much more passenger room would entice me.

- Add a 'explore' ship in the fighter bay! another way to distinguish the Beluga. When I am close to a tourist site, hop into the small tourist vessel with your passenger (make interior filled with people) for a 30-60 pause in front of a volcano. I can scan it now to complete a mission which isn't very realistic. Likewise for ground vehicle - make a tourist version with big windows. Make these exclusive to Beluga / dolphins to create another reason.

- Make the jump range HIGHER (with mods) - again, it should be enticing for long distance jumping and space faring.

Maybe I've come up with the mega version of the Beluga, but I just want to see better differentiation on a cool line of ships. I've also suggested the idea of a spaceport (maybe UI update) with a modern airport-style destinations and timetable, so you can scoop up passengers and 'create an airline' of your own. I'd like to hire passenger ship pilots to work for me too, and collect a fixed income from that over time.

I'll let the good folks at FDev think about the 'balance' aspects such as credits costs, physics, mass and other technical issues with such an idea I really hope to see further enhancements to the passenger transport aspect of this game. I really enjoy this aspect of E. Thank you for reading and I hope you will consider my suggestions.

PS. One more thought: I bring it up because in my mind it is relevant for those who enjoy pass missions: Can you stabilize pass missions such as Rhea/Haiden routes instead of nerfing them as players find them? Why not CAP mission payouts to a set dollar amount that you are comfortable allowing players to stack, then decrease the max based on rank, #interdictions, time limit, and SHIP? I love the idea of stacking 1000 passengers into one ship, then going into space to drop them off in various places. If you cap payouts that is also ship specific (shouldn't I charge more to let people ride in my beluga vs a smelly vulture that I used for mining 10 mins ago?) I'll feel much better about my grind to the Beluga. Make passenger missions a BUSINESS

Again thanks for reading.

 

[The Red Wake]

Some interesting Ideas you have here! I like these sorts of posts that are generally constructive

Personally, I like having purpose built ships. Just bought a Fer-De-Lance for ship fighter action, use an Anaconda for hauling/passenger missions(for now), Diamondback Explorer for....well exploring!, building up a python as a potential mission runner, and I have my Star Destroyer....I mean Federal Corvette for anything that needs a thorough smashing (plus, its my love). Just bought the beluga with the hopes that I could move my passengers missions off the Anaconda, though I've yet to figure out how to outfit this thing (lack of experience with anything other than bulk hauling missions, hoping to figure out the differences between the other cabin types soon).

I certainly agree that the Beluga being effectively the Luxury Cruise Liner of Elite, that commanding a higher price to ride seems reasonable. Not sure how this would affect the game economy in the long term though, and that SHOULD be a consideration, not just in this. Specifically regarding the stabilization of markets: I'm not sure that I would necessarily agree with the assertion that those things NEED to be managed. Wild swings in availability I find to be....some what frustrating but, simultaneously, more realistic. There are times when people just are not going out on vacation as frequently and I think it important that some scarcity be represented in game as well. Not sure I necessarily would want a fixed maximum either (I'm sure there is some semblence of this already, but I've had massive swings in passenger payouts for the same route).

Definitely agree that the Beluga should have more space internally for passengers. Seems a bit silly that I can bulk haul, theoretically, more people in an Anaconda.

I LOVE the idea of having the fighter bay replaced with a sort of sight seeing ferry! As another alternative, shuttles would be fantastic for temporary shore leaves to smaller stations. Not saying all big ships should or should not have the option though. Consider it another perk of flying a luxury liner!

Not exactly sure how the boarding and deboarding animation would work under the current screen modes as you have to be in the missions tab to turn things in. Though, perhaps its implied that you want that changed so that said new animations could be seen by the pilot as well.

Not much to add personally, just wanted to say that I appreciated your cool ideas and throw out my 2 cents.

Great Post!

 

[XOSHI]

I'd agree that the 'Conda is way to good as passanger hauler compared to the Beluga. but IMO an upgrade of 1 class6 or 1 class5 would be enough to make this ship a bit more useful. I mean, if I want to get 2 useful luxury and 1 large firstclass in my sightseeing Beluga, I'm left with a class4 internal for my fuelscoop. To fill a 128t fueltank. I tell'ya that's not funny.

And to the idea of a fleet of passangerships, that are controlled by the player, but flown by NPCs, I have to say: at first ED is a space-flight-sim, not a Space-RTS. It would be quite difficult to implement a civilisation like system to a on first person perspective, on personal experience based game. Although it would be really cool.

What I really wish to get, is a more defensive, harder hitting, military version of the Beluga, the Narwal Liner.
Combined with more dangerous missions to make this ship relevant.
I really like the passenger transport missions I do in my Orca and the sightseeing tours in my Beluga, but a bit more action, if I have ViPs on board, would be interesting. Especially if I think about the massive waste of potential given by the second best manoeuvrability of the big5, only being surpassed by a dedicated combatship.
I mean, beside it's size, the Beluga handles more like a Python than a 'Conda, if it hadn't these terrible heat issues, and a chance to use a rightsized shieldgenerator ,which causes a nearly nonexistent defensive, worse than a T9, how great could it perform as a blockaderunner and high risk passengertransporter.

But maybe we get the Narwal and a few Beluga adjustments in 2018. I mean they promised a lot new ships, tho.

fly save o7