Flight Model Status

[Darrett]

Checking in after a few years, I've been running through the tutorials in anticipation of giving the game another shot. One thing that was a bit of a concern in the past for me is the flight model, specifically between ship sizes. The last time I played was just after Engineers dropped; in that update they had greatly increased the ability of NPCs in larger ships to turn and remain facing smaller ships, which solidified the "bigger is better" model to ship design.Have there been any substantive updates to this direction, or has Engineering solved some of that issue? I'm not expecting to hear that small ships are the equal of large ships due to the cost difference between the ships, but it would be nice to find out they've evened the playing field so that a slow cumbersome ship is going to have to rely on ship based fighters or turrets when facing a small ship like a DBS or the like.

 

[Siobhan]

Checking in after a few years, I've been running through the tutorials in anticipation of giving the game another shot. One thing that was a bit of a concern in the past for me is the flight model, specifically between ship sizes. The last time I played was just after Engineers dropped; in that update they had greatly increased the ability of NPCs in larger ships to turn and remain facing smaller ships, which solidified the "bigger is better" model to ship design.Have there been any substantive updates to this direction, or has Engineering solved some of that issue? I'm not expecting to hear that small ships are the equal of large ships due to the cost difference between the ships, but it would be nice to find out they've evened the playing field so that a slow cumbersome ship is going to have to rely on ship based fighters or turrets when facing a small ship like a DBS or the like.

Nope,
If anything it's even more weighted in favour of big, engineered ships

 

[Darrett]

Nope,If anything it's even more weighted in favour of big, engineered ships

That's a bit disappointing, I'm a big fan of smaller ships but it was a bit discouraging to be pushed into a larger ship all the time because of the maneuverability issue. I'll still likely play around for a few weeks or so just to see what's new and then wait for another year or so to see if anything changes. Thanks!

 

[dfgqsb]

If you are talking about npcs, then yes, an engineered ship can stay behind them for however long they want, but you need some skills to achieve that.
If you are talking about cmdrs, then the result may vary.

 

[Faybs]

Nope,
If anything it's even more weighted in favour of big, engineered ships

Yep. The anaconda is still made out of weapons-grade polystyrene and because engineering is based on multipliers, the effect is even bigger. The game's ships really need a balancing pass.

 

[Hellfire85]

If you are skilled enough and with a lot of practice, a fully engineered Vulture can still do a lot of damage. In PvE you can kill condas all day long if you got enough synth for frags or Pacifiers

In PvP it's a bit more difficult but still doable. A wing is usually more efficient tho

 

[Faybs]

That's a bit disappointing, I'm a big fan of smaller ships but it was a bit discouraging to be pushed into a larger ship all the time because of the maneuverability issue. I'll still likely play around for a few weeks or so just to see what's new and then wait for another year or so to see if anything changes. Thanks!

There's almost no reason to fly small ships other than personal taste. Much larger ships are just as agile if not more, and they have more shields, armor, guns and internals for cargo or mining/exploration equipment. To top it all off, there's nothing you can do in a small ship that you can't do better in a medium one.

 

[Xious]

I do like the larger ships.... they're easy to hit and make bigger and louder explosions...

 

[znôrt]

That's a bit disappointing, I'm a big fan of smaller ships but it was a bit discouraging to be pushed into a larger ship all the time because of the maneuverability issue. I'll still likely play around for a few weeks or so just to see what's new and then wait for another year or so to see if anything changes. Thanks!

to confirm Siobhan's opinion, yes it's still the same model but that aspect was made worse by engineering because agility buffs benefit ships of all sizes and it doesn't really make a difference but hitpoint buffs do make it even harder for small ships, and those have gone through the roof. sadly i wouldn't expect the trend to reverse at all, but who knows.

otoh, although i have the same old grudge as you (big ships being mostly just bigger small ships) there's still a lot to like in the flight model, and you can mostly choose your opponents. anyway, if that's a blocker for you then that's sad, but fair enough.

 

[Hellfire85]

I do like the larger ships.... they're easy to hit and make bigger and louder explosions...

So true

That screenshot tho... awesome o7

 

[Kylby]

Part of me wishes engineers would just be taken out at this point. Doesn't really do anything but make it harder for people who want to participate in PvP but don't have enough time to grind out engineers.

 

[Darrett]

otoh, although i have the same old grudge as you (big ships being mostly just bigger small ships) there's still a lot to like in the flight model, and you can mostly choose your opponents. anyway, if that's a blocker for you then that's sad, but fair enough.

Unfortunately it is. I’m a lifetime pass holder so I have time to wait to see what they change, but I’m not interested in flying larger ships in the slightest.

Probably the largest that I’d want to try would be an Asp, but only occasionally. To me the DBS or Viper are the most enjoyable to fly, but at last experience were still being outmaneuvered by large ships in PvE.

 

[60mm]

Anyone who thinks NPC Large Ships can keep up in turn rate with Medium/Small ships is not staying close enough to Large ships. Higher Ranked Large NPCs do know how to use Reverse Thrust to maintain distance, mitigating their poor turning rates.

If your target is Larger/Less Maneuverable than you, hug it
If your target is smaller/More Maneuverable than you, maintain distance.

NPCs know this, shouldn't you?

 

[Han Zulu]

That's a bit disappointing, I'm a big fan of smaller ships but it was a bit discouraging to be pushed into a larger ship all the time because of the maneuverability issue. I'll still likely play around for a few weeks or so just to see what's new and then wait for another year or so to see if anything changes. Thanks!

If you're not doing combat, small ships can fill some nice niches.

For instance, I have a hauler, with some really great jump range, that's cheap to call to a station for taxi, just to go somewhere else where I have other ships stored.

Also, I have an Eagle and Imperial Eagle outfitted for speed and serious shields, and I use them for scan missions. Hover over the data tower, scan, when turrets start shooting, you're out of there @ 500 m/s and more.

 

[babelfisch]

Unfortunately it is. I’m a lifetime pass holder so I have time to wait to see what they change, but I’m not interested in flying larger ships in the slightest.

Probably the largest that I’d want to try would be an Asp, but only occasionally. To me the DBS or Viper are the most enjoyable to fly, but at last experience were still being outmaneuvered by large ships in PvE.

You should try the Krait Phantom, it's really a fun ship. I don't like the big ones either.

 

[60mm]

Unfortunately it is. I’m a lifetime pass holder so I have time to wait to see what they change, but I’m not interested in flying larger ships in the slightest.

Probably the largest that I’d want to try would be an Asp, but only occasionally. To me the DBS or Viper are the most enjoyable to fly, but at last experience were still being outmaneuvered by large ships in PvE.

Your ship wasn't being outmaneuvered, you the pilot were.

 

[Hellfire85]

Your ship wasn't being outmaneuvered, you the pilot were.

This. Watch videos OP.
Or join a squad with small ship specialist.