Observation on the two new ships

[Ren Otani]

First of all, apologies if this has been hotly discussed before, though I still figured it might interest someone.

I have noticed that both the Python Mk.II and Type-8 are designed as ships that contest the throne of what is considered meta in a given size class.

Pyhon Mk.II is a valid sidegrade to the fer de lance in PVP with it's more distibuted hardpoints, while losing out on the big punch that a size 4 provides

Type 8, again, is a valid sidegrade to the python Mk.1, gaining a lot of cargo space, though missing out on most means to defend itself.

Both of these ships are great at what they do, though they dont completely replace what is "meta" in their size class.

Maybe this is a pattern? The only ship that I know that is meta in an activity (within its size class) is the Anaconda for exploration. Though a stripped down Anaconda with even more ludicrous range just sounds like a Beluga that has been sniffing too many neutronstars.

 

[Kira Goto]

I’m not sure an Anaconda 2.0 would be welcomed too well for an exploration-dedicated ship.

Sure, it will have its fans with all the internal space to basically be self-sufficient forever(bar powerplant damage), with redundancies, but good luck getting it anywhere near those mountain (space) fungus colonies. It’s already painful with a Phantom (and the stupidly finicky landing system which refuses perfectly acceptable locations).

 

[Ren Otani]

I’m not sure an Anaconda 2.0 would be welcomed too well for an exploration-dedicated ship.

Sure, it will have its fans with all the internal space to basically be self-sufficient forever(bar powerplant damage), with redundancies, but good luck getting it anywhere near those mountain (space) fungus colonies. It’s already painful with a Phantom (and the stupidly finicky landing system which refuses perfectly acceptable locations).

Yeah, good point. Though like I said, this is the only activity within a size class that is overall the most used, that I could think of

 

[Rebel Yell]

One will be an exploration dedicated for sure (Gutamaya or Saud Kruger)... I do rather expect the big one for the Alliance as last to be released.

 

[Elpapo]

Pyhon Mk.II is a valid sidegrade to the fer de lance in PVP with it's more distibuted hardpoints, while losing out on the big punch that a size 4 provides

P2 4 large hardpoints makes up for it a lot more in terms of dps potential, and it still have 2 mediums. Only niche FDL has over P2 is that its bit more mauverable, but P2 can well keep up with it.

Maybe this is a pattern? The only ship that I know that is meta in an activity (within its size class) is the Anaconda for exploration. Though a stripped down Anaconda with even more ludicrous range just sounds like a Beluga that has been sniffing too many neutronstars.

Certianly is seems like there is pattern. Since P2 is for combat, and T8 is for trade, its safe to assume that 3nd ship theme will be exploration, so it might just be it...

Anaconda is multirole, its just happens to be best at exporation (range-wise) so far because of its abysmall mass compared to any other big ship in game, wich is relic of ancient balancing, when there was only T9 and Conda at very begining of this game development, and far as I am aware, conda never was nerfed in any way, atleast its mass never had any changes. About time for ship to appear, that is actually dedicated explorer and have better range than conda.

One will be an exploration dedicated for sure (Gutamaya or Saud Kruger)...

Imperial explorer is my bet, since sneak peak that shows 3nd upcoming ship from its rear, engines looks a lot like cutter that did some GYM and its now more slender (not as fat, and we can see worker welding in middle engine - and size of it matches ones at cutter), and only Gutamaya so far have such characteristics for thier ships. Design wise, it does not look like something that Saud Kruger would make as it also seems to have nacells or "wing" simlar to clipper and cutter. But its only an speculation at that point, and before more official info about it is relased, so any speculation should be taken with bit of distance, I might add.

Wonder if that thing would hold size 8 FSD since its technically in game but no ship so far can mount such. At same time, if its mass would be even lighter than anaconda, then it might have over 100LY in jump range if not way more than this. Regardless wich kind of FSD its gonna have, something tells me thats gonna be fast ship, since Every single Gutamaya ships are always being fast ones.

Rarely as I get ever exited in anything that is related to being yet to relased for Elite, I must admit that I am very intrested in 3nd ship, and if my speculation might come true about it (imp explorer with FSD 7/8 + enchanced SCO properties) then 100% gonna grab one, like how I did with P2 while T8 aint is intresting at all in my taste - Trade is not my forte, and stats wise it does not fit into combat at all, apart of meme bulids.

 

[Shir]

I hope they model it around the Asp Explorer, not for looks of course, but for visibility and handling.

 

[DemiserofD]

It seems quite clear to me that the imperial Explorer is the next new ship. The view of the rear is clearly gutamaya, and they earlier posted a Star Trek reference where they are pointing at a Klingon bird of prey, which also happens to look pretty much just like the Imperial Explorer.

My real question is what ship four will be. We have already covered combat, trading and with this new one exploration. Maybe some sort of high-end small ship? Federal captains yacht or something?

 

[Ren Otani]

It seems quite clear to me that the imperial Explorer is the next new ship. The view of the rear is clearly gutamaya, and they earlier posted a Star Trek reference where they are pointing at a Klingon bird of prey, which also happens to look pretty much just like the Imperial Explorer.

My real question is what ship four will be. We have already covered combat, trading and with this new one exploration. Maybe some sort of high-end small ship? Federal captains yacht or something?

I would love to see that the small ships get a nice addition, its been a while since they saw a new one

 

[Shurimal]

only Gutamaya so far have such characteristics for thier ships. Design wise, it does not look like something that Saud Kruger would make

Lore-wise, Saud-Kruger is quite tied into exploration (they own Astrogator Tours), so it would make sense for them to make an SCO-capable exploration ship. I personally hope for a small ship, essentially Dolphin XL with class 5 FSD, fuel scoop and FSD booster, jumprange rivalling DBX and easy to land in difficult spots. All the while retaining the classic S-K design and speed.

Then, the sneak peek does look more Gutamaya than S-K, and Guta is in a dire need for a medium ship. Especially now that Type 8 hopelessly outclasses Clipper in internal space and can land on medium pads

 

[metatheurgist]

Anaconda is multirole, its just happens to be best at exporation (range-wise) so far because of its abysmall mass compared to any other big ship in game, wich is relic of ancient balancing, when there was only T9 and Conda at very begining of this game development, and far as I am aware, conda never was nerfed in any way, atleast its mass never had any changes. About time for ship to appear, that is actually dedicated explorer and have better range than conda.

If by "balance" you mean typo and the devs didn't reverse it because if you reduce jump range in this game they get lynched.

 

[GJ51]

One will be an exploration dedicated for sure (Gutamaya or Saud Kruger)... I do rather expect the big one for the Alliance as last to be released.

I had forgoten that Zorgon Peterson didn't have a large ship.

I think I'd still rather see a medium for SK and Gutamaya.

 

[Elpapo]

If by "balance" you mean typo and the devs didn't reverse it because if you reduce jump range in this game they get lynched.

Its not it. More than "typo", its seems its more like Fdevs really wanted a ship that could reach over 40LY at relase back at 2014... and conda was only one to break 40ly barrier.

"Meta" high end explorer from very first months was conda with jump range around 41.17ish LY... Conda has working damage model, wich is relic from its earliest stage of game development as it was one of very first ships ever made by Fdevs for this game... so be its stats - wich as pointed already out, have not been changed since.
Its clear as day, that this ship was meant be at very early stages, the "best one" in every area... be it combat, trade or exploring, it was end-line choice for each role, until more ships where added and features had expanded.

Give it like extra 50 or 100T of base mass, and it wont be able to reach 40 LY on stock as there was no engineering at time, neither neutron boosts (cones was not even added yet), even route ploting was limited to 120-150 LY at time, 1000LY route range was added few months later after relase of game and even then it had really hard time navigating in core, or rather, ploting route there was impossible.

I still have nightmares of being unable to plot any route at galaxy core, had to make each jump by selectin each star manually.... but atleast some permit regions was not locked yet.(horsehead for example - and most likely system that contain raxlaa)

Thing was shieldless, unable to boost (1D distro), slow as T9 (stock 5D thursters - 150-160 m/s...) and only purpose it had was to flying in supercruz, and obviously made only for jumpin, tin can paper thin hull caused getting caught at open by aspiring gankers meant certain death in such bulid, it was without any hardpoints and utilities, and with almost empty internals (advanced scanner for full system scan honk was actuall internal to install and that thing along DSS had weight at time) and even some cmdrs downsized thier fuel tanks down to 16T to get bit of extra range in cost being able to jump only twice per refuel - but it was not really popular, with risks at time.

Not even fuel rats existed at time (neither fuel limpets existed yet), so jumpin mistakes often meant rebui (like getting too deep onto brown dwarfs zone or overlookin what star is jumpin at with last bit of fuel - quite common mistakes at time), and even AFMU didnt could not repair broken canopies (it was added later), so bumpin onto somtin more than few times meant also end of trip if glass cracked. Black holes had actually been lethal at time and if someone unprepared was jumpin into one, or be it neutron star or white dwarf, it meant guaranteed collision if not had throttle at zero.

Not to mention, old style (get close to stellar body to scan it and tag it - close and personal) meant scanning full system was way more time consuming due of that, so most cmdrs focused on only at WW's or ELW's while ignoring almost everything else, even Terraformables was often overlooked to save time, because it didnt meant much diffrence in payout... Diffrent credit vaules for exploration was thing indeed, so in order to get "rich" at early exploring, easiest way was actually getting into black holes/neutron zones (10k+ ly away from bubble for nearest I think, where is good density of such) since these was payin much as ELW at time, while ELW was still same to find as its now... not entierly rare, but not common as well, you dont get these every jump.

 

[DjVortex]

If the third new ship is an exploration ship, it will be quite interesting to see how they will balance it (considering that, as mentioned in the OP, the published two new ships challenge their respective areas of gameplay without completely breaking them).

Currently the best explorations ships are:

• The Anaconda: Clearly the largest jump range, and most module space, but is a big ship (lands badly on rough terrain) and handles like a whale.
• The Diamondback Explorer: Second largest jump range, handles very well and being a small ship lands well on rough terrain, but has very little module space and can only fit a class-4 fuel scoop.
• The Krait Phantom: Third largest jump range, medium-sized ship with a lot of module space, but handles slightly worse (especially in supercruise) than the DBX or AspX.
• The Asp Explorer: Extremely close to the Phantom in almost everything, except handles better, but has a bit less module space and a tad bit less jump range.

So if the new ship is a fifth ship to challenge that top 4, it will be interesting to see where it will land on that list. My guess: It will land right on second place, challenging the DBX, but with more module space (being a medium-sized ship), with a jump range similar to that of the Anaconda.

 

[Brrokk]

I’m not sure an Anaconda 2.0 would be welcomed too well for an exploration-dedicated ship.

Sure, it will have its fans with all the internal space to basically be self-sufficient forever(bar powerplant damage), with redundancies, but good luck getting it anywhere near those mountain (space) fungus colonies. It’s already painful with a Phantom (and the stupidly finicky landing system which refuses perfectly acceptable locations).

Yes, I made a long distance Anaconda once. Filled it with cabins and an AFMU, stacked explorer missions and went neutron-jumping to the centre of the galaxy. Never again, the handling around neutron stars was horrible! It actually almost died in cones a couple of times, which I've never come near to in any other ship.

 

[Elpapo]

So if the new ship is a fifth ship to challenge that top 4, it will be interesting to see where it will land on that list. My guess: It will land right on second place, challenging the DBX, but with more module space (being a medium-sized ship), with a jump range similar to that of the Anaconda.

Look how small worker is compared to engine that they welding on. That ship is almost big as cutter (by height alone), its no way its gonna be medium, otherwise worker would be not lookin so small doing hes job - ship gonna be large pad. Also, Gutamaya was never able to make medium sized ship, and I doubt if that changed

Imperial explorer in older games kinda looks similar to Enterprise (atleast for me), as mentioned already by DemiserofD, and thier reference to star trek at that point surely is another hint what we gonna be getting.

 

[Greasetrap42]

A pattern that I see is the new ships do not have any new activities introduced with them.

The SCO is a really good new feature. I'm curious if another feature or activity will get introduced with the upcoming ships.

 

[aRJay]

Wasn’t the last time they did that when passengers were inflicted upon us?

 

[metatheurgist]

Its not it. More than "typo", its seems its more like Fdevs really wanted a ship that could reach over 40LY at relase back at 2014... and conda was only one to break 40ly barrier.

Nope. Nothing about the mass makes sense.

 

[DemiserofD]

Nope. Nothing about the mass makes sense.

Maybe it's made out of meta alloys.

 

[galahad2069]

Pyhon Mk.II is a valid sidegrade to the fer de lance in PVP with it's more distibuted hardpoints, while losing out on the big punch that a size 4 provides

It does not lose out on anything though, 4xc3+2xc2 hardpoints is more firepower than 1xc4+4xc2, not less.