Lets discuss the corvette class

[Astraeus]

Let's discuss the corvette class.

Corvettes will very likely be amongst the biggest playable ships. Furthermore, corvettes are dedicated and purpose designed military vessels and thus I would expect them to be quite different from commercially available civilian ships.

What can we /do you expect form the corvette class?

Personally I would love to see the bridge in all bigger military vessels to be located well protected inside the ship with screens all around the bridge that give a near 360º field of view for maximum awareness in battle.

 

[Caylo]

If starfighters have a pierceable canopy rather than the cockpit being located in the midst of the ship in exactly the same manner as you described, I would not expect a different design philosophy applied to the larger vessels. Indeed, what we have seen from the rather sizeable Anaconda and the capital ship battle video suggests that windows remain an important feature for larger vessels as well. For what it's worth, aside from being a rather classic aspect of science-fiction, windowed bridges also have the advantage of specifically not relying on cameras that would effectively blind the commander to what's going on if this system's power is disrupted or the lenses themselves are damaged in battle.

However, I would welcome additional emergency systems such as bulky armor plates that you can manually lower down in case a window is pierced, to prevent atmosphere from leaking out at the cost of visibility, forcing you to pilot the craft by sensors (and perhaps an extended holo?). It would be neat if the player could also "jump" into the seats of any turrets the vessel has installed.

Technically, large vessels should perhaps not be piloted manually at all, but rather just by plotting a course and have the computer do the rest (representing your crew executing your orders), but this would probably be too boring?

 

[Slythe]

While the definition of a "corvette" in real world naval parlance is not exactly precisely defined, one thing that is constant is that they're small and cheap. As such, expecting them to be significantly different from civilian ships is probably being a bit optimistic, especially in a world where civilian ships are expected to deal with pirates so are designed with combat in mind.

 

[Laithlind]

Corvette Summer

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4W9pmT6JTO4

 

[Sagan Ross]

If starfighters have a pierceable canopy rather than the cockpit being located in the midst of the ship in exactly the same manner as you described, I would not expect a different design philosophy applied to the larger vessels. Indeed, what we have seen from the rather sizeable Anaconda and the capital ship battle video suggests that windows remain an important feature for larger vessels as well. For what it's worth, aside from being a rather classic aspect of science-fiction, windowed bridges also have the advantage of specifically not relying on cameras that would effectively blind the commander to what's going on if this system's power is disrupted or the lenses themselves are damaged in battle.

However, I would welcome additional emergency systems such as bulky armor plates that you can manually lower down in case a window is pierced, to prevent atmosphere from leaking out at the cost of visibility, forcing you to pilot the craft by sensors (and perhaps an extended holo?). It would be neat if the player could also "jump" into the seats of any turrets the vessel has installed.

Technically, large vessels should perhaps not be piloted manually at all, but rather just by plotting a course and have the computer do the rest (representing your crew executing your orders), but this would probably be too boring?

Well, in modern wet navy warships the bridge (with windows) is used mostly as the navigational center of the ship, The rest is controlled from the CIC in the bowls of the ship and it is here the captain is located during combat.

I see no reason why Elite could 't adopt this approach.

 

[Slythe]

Well, in modern wet navy warships the bridge (with windows) is used mostly as the navigational center of the ship, The rest is controlled from the CIC in the bowls of the ship and it is here the captain is located during combat.

I see no reason why Elite could 't adopt this approach.

The reason they do that on modern warships is because combat is mainly beyond visual range, so they will get a clearer view of the battle from CIC. In ED combat will be visual range, so the commanders will probably prefer to be on the bridge where they can see what is going on.

 

[Astraeus]

The reason they do that on modern warships is because combat is mainly beyond visual range, so they will get a clearer view of the battle from CIC. In ED combat will be visual range, so the commanders will probably prefer to be on the bridge where they can see what is going on.

Exposing the bridge to enemy fire on a ship specifically designed for combat makes no sense whatsoever, visualizing the exterior indirectly would be much more sensible.

 

[Ben Parry]

Taking a leaf out of Galactica's rationale for such things, after a war versus sentient computer systems people may still be leery of depending entirely on video feeds for situational awareness in battle.

 

[Dejay]

Taking a leaf out of Galactica's rationale for such things, after a war versus sentient computer systems people may still be leery of depending entirely on video feeds for situational awareness in battle.

Hey as long as the cameras aren't networked to the onboard computer you should be fine lol.

 

[Astraeus]

Taking a leaf out of Galactica's rationale for such things, after a war versus sentient computer systems people may still be leery of depending entirely on video feeds for situational awareness in battle.

If my memory serves me right, the bridge of Galactica is well protected in the centre of the ship and they are really paranoid when it comes to AI. As a matter of fact, the battlestar is probably a prime example of a durable ship with very few windows.

 

[Dejay]

If my memory serves me right, the bridge of Galactica is well protected in the centre of the ship and they are really paranoid when it comes to AI. As a matter of fact, the battlestar is probably a prime example of a durable ship with very few windows.

Yeah. The new BSG is really great for the somewhat realistic depiction of space battles. It had a very visceral feel to it. Not just the battlestar combat action but also how the vipers fly in combat.

I guess the main reasons for windows is to add a sense of scale to the design, and make the pilot feel more close to the space around him. It's not realistic, but it feels cooler. Maybe there could be a few of the bigger ships with central bridges though? Probably won't make much different for gameplay though.

 

[Astraeus]

Yeah. The new BSG is really great for the somewhat realistic depiction of space battles. It had a very visceral feel to it. Not just the battlestar combat action but also how the vipers fly in combat.

I guess the main reasons for windows is to add a sense of scale to the design, and make the pilot feel more close to the space around him. It's not realistic, but it feels cooler. Maybe there could be a few of the bigger ships with central bridges though? Probably won't make much different for gameplay though.

In the Alpha cockpit windows can be destroyed, if the same rules apply for bigger ships then the location of the bridge will definitely make a difference gameplay wise.

 

[Slythe]

Exposing the bridge to enemy fire on a ship specifically designed for combat makes no sense whatsoever, visualizing the exterior indirectly would be much more sensible.

1. There are real world examples of commanders exposing themselves to potential harm if it improves their ability to see what is going on around them. (See WWII tank commanders and RN battleship design during WWII).

2. Corvettes, if they're anything like present day naval ships with the same name, are only just counted as combat ships. They're basically a gunboat (or torpedo/missile boat) with better range. They're really not designed to go places where people might do unkind things like shoot back at them. When they do find themselves being shot at, they tend to sink or catch fire quite quickly.

 

[popuptoaster]

1. There are real world examples of commanders exposing themselves to potential harm if it improves their ability to see what is going on around them. (See WWII tank commanders and RN battleship design during WWII).

2. Corvettes, if they're anything like present day naval ships with the same name, are only just counted as combat ships. They're basically a gunboat (or torpedo/missile boat) with better range. They're really not designed to go places where people might do unkind things like shoot back at them. When they do find themselves being shot at, they tend to sink or catch fire quite quickly.

But should be easily capable of coping with half a dozen pirates or a perp in an Anaconda i would think.

useful in a coastguard border patrol, search and rescue or hunting out smugglers kind of way rather than full on battles

 

[Astraeus]

There are real world examples of commanders exposing themselves to potential harm if it improves their ability to see what is going on around them. (See WWII tank commanders and RN battleship design during WWII).

Tanks are already incorporating cameras in order to gain combat awareness without exposing the crew, I can't even imagine how far this technology will evolve in a millennium.

 

[Caylo]

Exposing the bridge to enemy fire on a ship specifically designed for combat makes no sense whatsoever, visualizing the exterior indirectly would be much more sensible.

Of course, this idea would logically have to carry over to our fighters as well. It's the same technology and the same train of thought, and a ship like, say, a Cobra is large enough that you could easily place the cockpit at a much better protected spot by simply moving some of the cargo space to the front.
Not to mention the multi-deck Anaconda (isn't this one corvette-sized already?) with its bridge located atop the mid-section of the vessel.

I think it is as Dejay said: Rule of Cool applies. We can (and quite possibly should) try to find ways for "excusing" this, though, similar to what the devs came up with for explaining sounds in space.

Sometimes, "reversing" technological advancements a la Battletech (where, for example, sensor ranges are ridiculously short, which is explained by ECM oversaturation on the battlefield being standard) makes for a better setting and gameplay experience. Else we could just as well assume that in another ~1,000 years, everyone just stays at home whilst all spaceships are actually drones.

 

[popuptoaster]

Tanks are already incorporating cameras in order to gain combat awareness without exposing the crew, I can't even imagine how far this technology will evolve in a millennium.

I know real tankies and they all say there is no substitute for sticking your head out if you can, i think that until we can have implants and have sensory data piped direct into the brain even VR is still going to feel lacking in the real world however good it gets, you may get improved capabilities but you still feel disconnected.

 

[Shishakli]

Slightly off topic... looking at the cockpit window of the Anaconda makes me wonder what the first person view is going to look like when piloting. Are you going to be able to look around the cockpit? Are you going to see crew members going about their business? Are their avatars going to match their profile picture when you "hire" them off the bulletin board?

I imagine that once you can walk around ships you'll see other crew members going about their business... but what about looking around the cockpit in the meantime?

 

[Caylo]

From what I've seen in the videos so far, we'll be able to look around in smaller cockpits, too - in some cases, it may even be necessary to operate various systems. But I am also curious about whether or not we will see any NPC crews.

They could make it so that your crew is just "busy elsewhere" (manning turrets?) and thus not represented on the bridge, saving resources and not obscuring clear view with heads - but I would say that visible co-pilots and other officers would greatly increase the atmosphere of owning and commanding a larger vessel. We can hope?

 

[Shishakli]

I would say that visible co-pilots and other officers would greatly increase the atmosphere of owning and commanding a larger vessel. We can hope?

FD sure have their work cut out for them