Really happy to see you poking around in here Bruce!
So I've thought about this quite a bit since I started the thread and
I have become solidly set on the fact we need a class 5 Universal Limpet Controller (ULC). Here's why:
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There are only 38 ships in the game. Only the 6 above can equip a ULC. Out of those six, one has to under-size one of its modules to fit it. Two of them can't run it without giving up their only largest slot. All 6 of them except one actually have 1 or more class 5 slots.
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The above 26 out of 38 ships in the game all have a class 5 or higher internal compartment. Excluding the previous 6 ships capable of running a class 7 controller that leaves 20 ships capable of running a class 5 ULC. Out of these 20 ships, 8 of them do not have any slots higher than class 5. Four of those 8 ships only have one Class 5. Of the remaining 12 ships 6 of them only have 1 class 6 slot.
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Of the remaining 12 ships that can not equip a class 5 or 7 ULC, only
one can't use a MLC and that is the Sidewinder. Two of them only have 1 class 3 slot and one more has no class 3 slots, requiring under-sizing the slot in order to fit an MLC.
So what are my thoughts after thinking all that through?:
- Players hate putting modules in an optional that is smaller than the slot.
- Players hate giving up their only largest slot for something that isn't either cargo\passenger or shielding/defense.
- Even with a class 5 ULC being implimented, the vast majority of ships will still have to make sacrifices to equip a ULC.
- A ULC can be set as a "Unique" module, just as shields, fighter bays, SRV bays, Frameshift Interdictors...
- No player in their right mind would ever want more than 1 ULC anyway due to fire group clutter and the only limpets you'd equip multiples of would be collectors.
- The whole purpose of introducing MLC's & ULC's to the game is to increase the fun factor so people can engage with more of the gameplay options with less outfitting requirements in a believable way.
- Limiting the fun and engagement of ULC's to only 6 ships after waiting years and years of constantly requesting the feature and only one of those six ships can equip a ULC without completely gimping itself and making the player hate themselves is like handing out a shiny new toy to 1% of your player base and then wondering why the majority is irritated with you.
- We need the win of Class 5 ULC's.
- Class 3 MLC's should operate as Class 1 single controllers. (AKA 1 collector max)
- Class 5 ULC's should operate as Class 3 single controllers. (AKA 2 collectors max)
- Class 7 ULC's should operate as Class 5 single controllers. (AKA 3 collectors max)
- It would make more people happy than it would limiting the ULC to class 7.
- Those of us who fly multi-role ships in Open Play really badly need a win. We already gimp ourselves to multi-role. The least we can do is be able to engage in more content while doing so.
- The only ship in the game capable of equipping a Class 7 ULC and not making the user cry inside... is the Federal Corvette. A dedicated combat ship. Oh and the type 9... So two ships in the entire game can fit a ULC "responsibly" if limited to class 7.
For me specifically, I almost exclusively fly a multi-role Python. Always in open. This has been
my build (Sojourn) for a couple years now and I've mostly flown it similarly outfitted since 2015. Do I own other ships? Yes. Do I like flying them? Not as much as I love my Python, which I fly as a mission running support ship.
Lets take my internals...
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That 5A repair limpet? Yes, please let me swap that for a ULC. Then I can drop the 3A collector and replace it with something else. AKA, I get a slot to play with
and I get to engage with all the limpet based activities in my multi-role ship I've spent ~95% of my excess of 53 weeks (8,904 hours) of gameplay.
If we don't get a 5A ULC my option - to do what I want with my ship, and is still arguably a huge improvement - would give me
no slots, because I'd need both the Operative & Rescue controllers which would move my AFMU to my class 5 slot where my repair limpet is and leave me with 2 class 3 MLC's. The result would be quality of life in what I can engage with being slightly expanded, but over all no tangible outfitting benefit from the concept of ULC's or MLC's in my build.
Please.... give me that which I have desperately wanted for years.
)
