Ship Builds & Load Outs Mass when upgrading Modules

[Noddie]

Is it only me, or do relatively small changes in module mass (and therefore total hull mass) seem to have a disproportionate effect on handling?


IE if you took a -notional- 100 tonne ship and fitted lighter components and got it down to 95 tonnes you wouldn't expect it to make much of a difference, but my experinance is that it can, and does, make quite a difference to agilty (and I think supercruise speed changes as well). Similarly, going up to 105 tonnes could turn your gazelle into a hippo.


Has anyone else noticed this?


My theory is that the effect that modules have on agility is determined by how far your ship is below the maximum/optimum hull mass. IE if our 100 tonne ship had thrusters good for 110 tonnes, lightening by 5 tonnes is a 50 percent increase in "headroom", whereas increasing it to 105 halves the headroom. However if the thrusters are good for - say - 150 tonnes then 5 tonnes here and there isnt' going to make a lot of difference. as there is plenty of headroom either way.


Also... Does anyone know if how far a given module is from the center of movement changes it's effect on agility? In practice, extra mass in the nose or tail ought to add more inertial to a ship's pitch, making it slower to respond to pitch inputs, and the same ought to be true to sticking mass on either side of the ship (effecting roll, of course). Theoretically you should be best off putting your heaviest modules in the middle of the ship's roll/pitch axies. I wouldn't usually expect that to be modeled in a video game (except a flight sim, maybe!) but knowing how much FD love their physics....

 

[Ceekay]

I'm sure the flight dynamics that are used are more complex than we envisage but the current thinking based on available information is that total ship mass (hull, modules, fuel and cargo) should be as near to a 1:2 ration with the optimal mass of the fitted thruster.

For example a combat A specced Viper will struggle to get to 1:1.2 whereas a Vulture is close to 1:2 even with D class thrusters, TBH I don't know if FD accurately model the roll, pitch and yaw inertia effects of each module as we add them to the ship or just add a few % to approximate the additional mass/inertia but the end result will probably be close enough that you wouldn't notice.

In my experience with thrusters you really have to make the jump from D to A to notice a subjective worthwhile improvement (I estimated the change was around 3% per grade several updates back) but it also varies between ships i.e. some have under specced thrusters as stock and some over specced.

I try and keep my ships as light as possible by using higher grade (A) but perhaps one or two classes down, although it can be expensive it can add a little additional performance and the ship will run a little cooler too which can be useful in some situations.

 

[Morbad]

IE if you took a -notional- 100 tonne ship and fitted lighter components and got it down to 95 tonnes you wouldn't expect it to make much of a difference, but my experinance is that it can, and does, make quite a difference to agilty (and I think supercruise speed changes as well). Similarly, going up to 105 tonnes could turn your gazelle into a hippo.


Has anyone else noticed this?

My theory is that the effect that modules have on agility is determined by how far your ship is below the maximum/optimum hull mass. IE if our 100 tonne ship had thrusters good for 110 tonnes, lightening by 5 tonnes is a 50 percent increase in "headroom", whereas increasing it to 105 halves the headroom. However if the thrusters are good for - say - 150 tonnes then 5 tonnes here and there isnt' going to make a lot of difference. as there is plenty of headroom either way.

Acceleration and rotational performance are based on total ship mass vs. thruster class and rating.

You get the best performing flight model with the largest A class thruster your ship can hold and a total ship mass equal or less than half the optimal listed mass rating for the thruster module.

Most of the smaller ships will never be so light as to reach half optimal thruster mass unless totally stripped.

Also... Does anyone know if how far a given module is from the center of movement changes it's effect on agility?

It doesn't.