New Ship Types - What Holes Need To Be Filled?

[shadragon]

Still need a Large Explorer with high agility but only 2 Med Hard Points

Explorer with high jump range should be offset by no hard points. If the idea is to explore only, then you don't need weaponry. Someone else suggested zero hardpoints and multiple utility slots for defence and I can't disagree with that. No weapons means you can fit a smaller power system = more jump range.

Not sure why you'd need high agility on an exploration craft. I'd expect something like the Discovery One from 2001. Long, sleek with drive unit in back and crew cabin up front. A simple, elegant design with multiple C1 & C2 module compartments for scanners, repair limpets, AFMU, etc. and a pair of C4 for SRV's and maybe shields. C5 for a fuel scoop. Low hull points and turns like a Corvette.

I'll go further and specifically recommend:

6 - Utility slots
1 - Planet Landing Module slot
4 - Class 1 module slots
2 - Class 2 module slots
1 - Class 4 military slot (reinf or module protection)
2 - Class 4 module slots
1 - Class 5 module slot

I don't think a C6 FSD is out of the question with a large ship like that. Mass would be in the 275 - 350 (Anaconda is 400) base range with 45 LY jump range without engineering. Should be able to get 60+ LY with tweaks. More with synthesis and neutron boosts, obviously.

And a suggestion from left field. See if the Kubrick estate (or whoever owns the IP rights to 2001: Space Odyssey,) will license the actual design of the Discovery One for use in-game. We already have the Blue Danube and it would be a hell of a tribute. The antenna on top of the hull can fold during landings to fit in the mail slot.

 

[Ddraig]

Options.

The FDL sits as the only ship with 6 Utility mounts. We need options to not always go for this ship.
The Python is the only ship that can move huge cargo loads in medium size pads. That´s absurd, some missions can only be done with a Python, options are needed.
Exploration vessels not made by Lakon, yes pls. Core Dynamics needs a scouting ship, light armored, lightly armed, good jump range with space for sensors and stuff to be a proper scout, that would be used as an explorer for most players, but ey.
The FDL is the only medium ship that allows a class 4 wep. That cant be, you need to have a counterpart.
The imperials need a medium size ship. You either go small or large.

So, kind of that´s my input. Options for what we have, which is good, but for 30+ ships somewhat limited.

 

[Aekero]

I'd like more exploration ships, and by that I mean more ships 55-65 max jump if configured properly. with all the variations of combat ships we have, and given that they are going to be making significant changes to planetary surfaces, some ships to get out there easier would be nice

 

[Kerrash]

I think we will have to close this thread before TJ makes an inappropriate joke about the title...

 

[Muetdhiver]

I would say :

Luxury exploration ship.
Dedicated mining ship.
Combat ship with a good number of turret only hardpoints.

I think that the hardpoint/speed/defence space is well filled now. New ships will need to be able to do unique things in order to avoid samey ships.

I.e. specific roles with niche protection.

 

[Kaybe]

- Dedicated long range exploration ship with great speed and jump range, but little or no hardpoints.

- Super-trader with bigger cargo capacity than the Cutter, but nowhere near its speed or defensive capabilities. Type 10 might fill this, but we don't know yet.

 

[Crazy Joe]

For Krait scale comparisons there is also the screenshot from a developer that was shown during the FX17 livestream, where you could clearly see the krait model next to a Cobra Mk III model.

Spoiler

As you can see it is about the same width as a Cobra, but much longer.

 

[Genus]

I think we will have to close this thread before TJ makes an inappropriate joke about the title...

I think you might have to lock it before someone asks "Why not just load up the game with the ships we are used to seeing in Elite/Frontier, for which most people bought the game in the first place? And instead of thinking the odd ship being introduced here or there (four a year) will be sustainable as an excuse for slow development."

Of course, I wouldn't say such a thing. It is 2017 and having a point just isn't something one can do in public these days.

 

[Saool]

I'm not so sure about new ships that are needed, but rather would be happy to see more ships that fill roles that already exist. I don't like the idea of games having only one ship for a given role. In the real world we don't just have one sedan, one coupé, one 4x4, one sports car etc, we have lots in each category from different manufacturers and often from the same manufacturers. So I would just like to see more verity across all sizes and specialisations.

I will say though that I think the Krait looks much bigger than something between a Sidey and a Cobra. To me it looks like a possible alternative to the Python, which interests me greatly.

 

[Quantis Trap]

I hope one of the new ships gives the FDL some competition!

 

[Actionman2222]

I'm not so sure about new ships that are needed, but rather would be happy to see more ships that fill roles that already exist. I don't like the idea of games having only one ship for a given role. In the real world we don't just have one sedan, one coupé, one 4x4, one sports car etc, we have lots in each category from different manufacturers and often from the same manufacturers. So I would just like to see more verity across all sizes and specialisations.

I will say though that I think the Krait looks much bigger than something between a Sidey and a Cobra. To me it looks like a possible alternative to the Python, which interests me greatly.

Yes, more variety and more choice, I don't usually choose the statistically best fit for the role.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

I want a ship that breaks the "more module slots = better ship" design.

 

[shadragon]

For Krait scale comparisons there is also the screenshot from a developer that was shown during the FX17 livestream, where you could clearly see the krait model next to a Cobra Mk III model.

(snip)

As you can see it is about the same width as a Cobra, but much longer.

Good catch. Cobra is 44 meters wide which is 2/3 of what SushiCW estimated.

 

[shadragon]

Sorry, I can't believe you still can't see it, the evidence is all over the place. I saw the SLF bay and the cargo bay the day they showed the ship, not to mention 3 seats in the cockpit and 2 medium HP and the relative size of those things one to another. Compare it with Keelback, Krait is much wider, almost like ASP.

I'm not being deliberately dumb here. I see the examples, estimates and the rest. All of that is player based and speculation based on a concept render without any scale. People are assuming a specific piece of equipment on there is 18M in size where it can be several different sizes based on what size module bay that is.

CrazyJoes image shows the Krait to be slightly smaller than 44M (A Cobra width) so it can't be 64.8M as described. Again, assuming the two ships are the same scale in that image.

The only "official" info I see is from the ED: RPG. I don't own that book, but I suspect the ship sizes given for existing ships match the dimensions in game (Can a RPG player confirm that RPG ship sizes match those in game?) As this is a licensed ED product they should match. There's an entry for the Krait with specific size measurements and description in the ED: RPG. All I'm saying is, until the ship drops in-game that's the only semi-official info released.

If all other ships match in size between ED and the ED: RPG, why wouldn't the Krait? Again, I'm making a leap of logic based on the most official sources I can find. I could be wrong, as I've said before. Time will tell as more detail is released.

 

[Snarfbuckle]

how about a six shooter small ship.

X6 small hardpoints and built like the Vulture.

 

[GunnerBill]

Purpose built exploration ship with long jump range a must. I don't even care who the builder is. Use restricted bays if you must to stamp down exploiting the design for nefarious purposes.

They just need to limit PD & PP size. Explo ships need little power infrastructure and it’s logical to swap space here for FSD size.

Also a single class 1 or 2 hardpoint is all that’s really required to fit a mining laser as seems to be the fashion atm with some explorers. Again logical to swap hardpoints for utilities.

—————

Upgraded Vulture. Not like the Cobra and Viper ‘upgrades’ but something packing an extra class 3 or 2 class 2’s that also addresses the power and fragile canopy issues of the Vulture.

Thus becomming my dream ship!

 

[shadragon]

I want a ship that breaks the "more module slots = better ship" design.

SLF?

 

[Arithon]

I think we will have to close this thread before TJ makes an inappropriate joke about the title...

Naughtiness is in the mind of the moderator... Kerrash you naughty mod!

ON topic...

The Krait is Asp X / FDL size, based on the 3D render its around 62m x 62m. So a medium size SLF-capable vessel with at least 2 C3 hard-points and 2+ crew stations, making it multi-crew.

In my post about the ship backbone back in January, I pointed out there were three big gaps in jump range (see below) and these are replicated when you look at cargo capacity and speed.

There are certainly spaces that could be filled, especially for exploration ships with long jump range.

I would expect the Type-10 to be faster than the Type 9, but still being well within the lower speed segement - sacrificing speed for firepower and armour.

 

[Darkslayer]

I want more small combat fighter ships. What are our options now but 2 eagles, 2 cobras, 2 vipers or the Vulture. Fighters should be the absolute fastest and most agile ships. Torpedoes should be devastating and a wing of any fighters should be intimidating to a ship that can't turn or isn't loaded with turrets.

 

[BJBeck]

What I`d like to see is a fully configurable ship type . So , say for instance a Python has the usual 3 * 6 internal slots as well as all the other smaller ones , it has a base "slot" total , that players could configure themselves ( a maximum slot level based on the ships size ) . This would allow for total personalising . I loved carwars back in my youth ... that just had the car size & the maximum internal space ... it was then up to the player what they filled the space with , weapons , engine or cargo .

I know that this isn`t the "elite" way , and will never happen , but that`s the "hole" I`d like to see filled .

Failing that , as others have said ... a medium padded imperial ship , a python contender , a medium cargo craft , another medium fighter craft , a large sized "fighter" ... many many holes to fill .