Frameshift drive... Tuning?

[who?]

I'd love to see a bit more randomness/variety/unpredictability in the stats - whether through tuning options as above, or even the ability to push modules to >100% for extra performance in an emergency but with much higher risk of failures/higher repair cost.

As it is, it's all a bit mechanical. Want extra range, always go for D rating. Don't care about weight, but want to save a little money, B class. Best money can buy? A class. It doesn't allow a lot of scope for player to play better/smarter.

 

[Cody]

Am I seeing double?

 

[DentRed]

This is a good Idea that I would gladly support, However I am pretty sure FD wants the FDL and pretty much every other full combat ship to be little under cutters with no legs. The T9 should get a boost to its FSD range though I found it a complete nightmare to fly with it being so slow and unable to do any of my awesome trade routes without an excessive number of jumps. I could make more in a Anaconda despite the smaller hold because I could easily get an extra run or two in per hour.

 

[who?]

By the way - are you sure about the Python's hull mass being artificially low? Because it's only 12.5% lighter than the Anaconda, even though it's about half the size. By that reckoning, the Anaconda must be pretty anemic!

 

[DentRed]

Oh I hear ya my FDL is somewhere between 13 - 14 ly range not that it uses it most of the time because of system spacing. I would use my FDL alot more if It could travel because of the obvious pvp benefits ( raw speed/ mass lock factor), Flew from anlave to cubeo once....took me like 40 min - 1hr and around 25 Jumps... only to decide not to stay, what a waste that was. Now my FDL collects dust in a popular system where the only light of day it will see now is when I go hunting for player pirates / griefers or someone hunts me for the bounty I like to keep on my head in my home system just to entice people, it bums me out a bit because it moves the FDL from my fav ship to maybe 2nd or 3rd

 

[Mohrgan]

The potential jump range of a ship is baked into the balancing act of all the ships. A full on fighter with a high jump range would be very popular, but without some other downside it could very easily become too powerful over all. Anything that substantially increased a ships jump range should have huge power requirements. And FDL, and/or Vulture already have power management issues. Differing capabilities between ships is what makes a player make choices. I have a number of ships just to cover the type of activities I plan to do.

 

[DentRed]

You should see my A fit Python and Anaconda. Not a single required module that isn't used for Combat. Both could wipe a FDL from existence with little to no effort and I wont waste any time getting there. Plus people always make the power argument except that when your weapons aren't deployed you should have like an extra 3 MW which could easily power a better FSD. Since everybody in a decent FDL loadout would turn all non combat essentials off in combat anyway I fail to see power being the issue.

 

[h347h]

You should see my A fit Python and Anaconda. Not a single required module that isn't used for Combat. Both could wipe a FDL from existence with little to no effort and I wont waste any time getting there. Plus people always make the power argument except that when your weapons aren't deployed you should have like an extra 3 MW which could easily power a better FSD. Since everybody in a decent FDL loadout would turn all non combat essentials off in combat anyway I fail to see power being the issue.

Some people don't get how module management works. So they complain about it. I always laugh when people say the jump range on the Vulture sucks, mine is 17.07 LYs.....

 

[IronGremlin]

I dislike the complexity of this suggestion, but I do like the idea of decoupling jump range from FSD module size.

I think that there are some ships that should really have a longer jump range, but adjusting base mass or module size doesn't make sense for.

What if this tuning variable was just fixed per ship?
Seems like a simpler implementation, and a less complicated user experience.

 

[Mohrgan]

Explain to me how a fighter with a long range is more powerful in a fight? No, it isn't. Jump range won't hurt anything; it won't change your precious PvP balance at all. It doesn't make it any harder or easier for one player to kill another. Improving it for certain ships which have absolutely abysmal ranges now would only make the game that much less oppressive for the pilots who love them... and since they've made fighters so bad at EVERYTHING but fighting, it's not like you're going to turn them into super-freighters by letting them actually be practical to use for Powerplay-related combat.

Think about it, how long would it take you to get your FDL from wherever you are to the a system controlled by ANY other power?

So no, you're wrong. Improving the jump range on some of the shortest-ranged ships would not throw the game out of balance. It would just serve to put those ships into the game for players who find them too frustrating to use right now.

Edit: And the FDL is supposed to be a luxury ship. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE AN I'M-STRANDED-IN-FACECE SHIP FOR CRYING OUT LOUD

So, no. We have different opinions. I think an FDL with a large jump range would be able to get into a fight sooner. It would make the ship an obvious choice, rather than one of personal choice. It's not just about 'in a fight', it's more about asking players to make, and suffer the choices they make. I largely fly a Vulture. I PvP only occasionally, it is not precious to me. Your attitude, and situation are a perfect example of my point. You love your FDL, but since it has a low jump range you may have to choose another ship for certain tasks. That's the balance. Another player that uses a more suited ship, one with a good range, can perform better than your FDL. It's the choice that matters.

 

[DentRed]

She wasn't talking about power management. Somehow I guess she thinks hyperspace range will help a ship fight. It makes no sense to me either.

Not to be rude, However if you re read what was said, That power issues of a FDL / vulture were for sure mentioned in the post I was replying to. I was just stating that power is however not even close to an issue in this debate since a FSD can only be used with retracted hard points thus having that extra 3 (loose #)or so MW at your disposal

 

[Vasious]

I will just add that there are some Systems that have a description saying it is the home of a Company offering Drive Tuning

In fact the Galaxy is littered with places offering improvements to all sorts of ships systems. We just need that to be implimented in game

 

[h347h]

Not to be rude, However if you re read what was said, That power issues of a FDL / vulture were for sure mentioned in the post I was replying to. I was just stating that power is however not even close to an issue in this debate since a FSD can only be used with retracted hard points thus having that extra 3 (loose #)or so MW at your disposal

Which makes this thread a mute point. Since every ship can have a good FSD range when you know how to manage modules. No fixing of game required. Just L2P is all that's required. Sure there could be some training mission that could help teach how to manage modules in the training section. In fact you should have to do it before you do the first flying/shooting mission.

 

[Mohrgan]

I want to be able to use the ship I want, not get stampeded out of it because someone ELSE doesn't like seeing it. Your attitude is not fair to me, and it's especially not fair of FD to force your attitude down my throat.

You can use the ship you want. Warts and all. I don;t know what ",,,not get stampeded out of it because someone ELSE doesn't like seeing it." means at all. It is fair, all ships have limitations to them. Everyone who buys an FDL has the same limitations as you. My attitude is one of understanding FD's design decisions. Don;t get all hostile with me. You don;t like the news, don;t read it. Your only counter to the balance argument I suggest is 'I don;t like it'. Should that be enough to turn the developer's whole philosophy over? Get a grip. We, as players, have to make choices. Everyone has to make the same choices. There are many players who want an FLD but can't afford them. Is FD not being fair, because players have to earn the credits to buy one?

 

[DentRed]

Which makes this thread a mute point. Since every ship can have a good FSD range when you know how to manage modules. No fixing of game required. Just L2P is all that's required. Sure there could be some training mission that could help teach how to manage modules in the training section. In fact you should have to do it before you do the first flying/shooting mission.

For the most part you are correct, however once you outfit to your liking and buy the A FSD your pretty much locked at that range. Which on a FDL is 14 or under, doesn't matter what you turn off its the weight of the modules that drops your range and not their power use.
I refuse to sell my ships load out then fly 200 ly away just to hope I don't have to visit 20 stations trying to find all the modules again and not at the 10% discount i earned.

 

[h347h]

For the most part you are correct, however once you outfit to your liking and buy the A FSD your pretty much locked at that range. Which on a FDL is 14 or under, doesn't matter what you turn off its the weight of the modules that drops your range and not their power use.

Which I guess comes down to personal definition of a good jump range. That for me is ok. Anything more and you spend a bit more time spinning around a star than I would like unless you fit a C5 or higher fuel scoop.

 

[h347h]

Yeah, and I never said you didn't have a point. I like shield boosters, I always run all of them my ship will mount/power, minus one to leave space and power for a KWS. That means I always need power management, and the FSD is always one of the first things to get down-checked on my priority list. Even on my 'Conda.

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Oh, sure. Except that if I want to get practical range out of an FDL, I have to completely disarm it and D-rate everything... meaning I can't at all use it for its intended purpose. So this thread isn't a moot point, because some ships, you have to sacrifice too much in order to get them anywhere. And of course, there's no guarantee you'll be able to find everything you sacrificed so you can buy it back at the other end!

Inside human space 12 LY is practical in my opinion. Are you using quickest route instead of econimcial?

 

[DentRed]

Which I guess comes down to personal definition of a good jump range. That for me is ok.

Good point and for a long time I suppose it was fine for me. I should have never flown that python down to empire space to rank for a clipper , it spoiled me. At least I'm not stuck in traffic

 

[Mohrgan]

I mean that I get too frustrated to use the FDL because it can't GO anywhere.

I don't know why you're so determined to keep the ship I like best in so many ways so absurdly disabled in the one way that keeps me from using it. Know what I think? I think you're just afraid of FDL's and don't like seeing them, so you're determined to keep them crippled.

You're also the ONLY person so far that hasn't liked this idea, yet you keep going anyway. I have nothing more to say to you.

Silliness. My pixels fear no one. I just accept that the design of the ships makes me have to think about what ship I buy/use. It's fine with me if you want to go away in a huff. I can live with that, easily. I just don't find your 'because I want it' argument compelling. I'd rather have to consider what I want out of a ship, rather than just pick the weapon layout and skin that I fancy.

By the way. I did suggest that if a mod were to come that could increase jump range, it should come at a huge power cost. A well built ship runs as close to 100% power usage deployed, or retracted, as possible. I know my Vulture does. An FSD booster, if one is ever developed, should cause a player to make serious choices around power and weight.

A little bit of adversity shouldn't light your fuse like that. Other people feel differently than you. This just may happen to you again.

 

[Vasious]

Whilst I would like to see tuning services
Really anything over 11 light years is a function jump range in Civilised Space.
Only a few outlying colonies will require a fuel scoop being fitted

So it isnt about L2P but a matter of paying a premium for a convienence of better performance