Panther Clipper conceptual design suggestion

[JetsonRING]

I do not know if or how far along FDev is in designing a Panther Clipper but I seem to remember reading somewhere that in the original game the Panther Clipper was just a very big box, a huge, slow, ungainly block of a ship and I have a conceptual suggestion that could bring the Panther Clipper forward into the 33rd century:

Leave it alone. Let it be what it is. Design it as a big block of a ship that absolutely fills every square inch/centimeter of a large landing-pad and can barely, just BARELY fit through the mail-slot like a thick slice of bread in a toaster slot. Nothing is squeezing in or out around it, not even a Sidewinder and only the most skilled of CMDRs will even be able to get one through the slot and land it in fact, its existence would almost require the use of a docking computer to get it docked . . . unless you are one of the Elite pilots capable of landing and/or docking it. Unless a CMDR is extremely skilled, landing on low-G planets, even at large settlements will be a critical test of piloting skill and landing on high-G planets though theoretically possible [yesnod] not supported or recommended at all.

Let it be a Lakon ship, a big, flat block like a very thick slice of bread with a tiny, Lakon style multi-crew (3 crew members) bridge at center front and turrets at all 8 corners. Maybe a module slot capable of fitting not a SLF hangar (any module slot can do that) but a small ship hangar, say, up to a Cobra Mk. III-sized ship that could be deployed from orbit and carry an SRV or cargo down to and up from high-G planets. [up]

o7

 

[Lestat]

If you read up on the older newsletters you see pictures of the Panther clipper. If you type in Elite dangerous Panther clipper you see some rendering of the Panther clipper.

 

[JetsonRING]

If you read up on the older newsletters you see pictures of the Panther clipper. If you type in Elite dangerous Panther clipper you see some rendering of the Panther clipper.

I have seen the "concept art", those pictures look like a big Keelback and in fact, the ship I picture is similar though blockier, wider and flatter. Like I said, just barely fits into the mail-slot like a thick piece of bread. A ship so big the mail-slot says "OOOoooh!" at it passes through. Not a "cool" ship, not very "multi-role". It is a trader and bulk hauler. If somebody wants to try mining in one, to try and fly it through an asteroid field, ring or RES then, have at it in fact, being able to hangar a small, Cobra-sized ship (fitted for mining) might be just the trick especially if two such ships could be hangared but the CMDR shouldn't come crying to the forums if they smash it up against an asteroid. Combat? Fuggedaboutit. Another scenario where storable small sized ships would come in handy. Exploration . . . why?

Just a great. big box with a cockpit/bridge and guns at the corners. o7

 

[Lestat]

Well, I mined with a T-9 and an Anaconda. never crashed in any asteroids. But your right it does look like a keelback. Might be a cool multi-role explorer. Because exploration it not all about the distance you jump but how many systems you explore. My Anaconda only has a 16 to 17 ly jump range.

 

[JetsonRING]

Well, I mined with a T-9 and an Anaconda. never crashed in any asteroids. But your right it does look like a keelback. Might be a cool multi-role explorer. Because exploration it not all about the distance you jump but how many systems you explore. My Anaconda only has a 16 to 17 ly jump range.

I have a small laugh at "explorers" who extol the virtues of super-long jump ranges because those CMDRs are jumping right past systems that should be, NEED to be explored. Maybe use a Panther as an orbital base for planetary exploration, drop a Cobra III (or two) fitted with SRV and/or SLF, then the C3(s) can drop the SRV on the surface and SC to another spot on the planet or even another planet or moon. A couple of C3s would also make dandy cargo shuttles for the timid CMDR who does noty want to risk trying to get a Panther to go through the mail-slot or down to a surface. o7

 

[damon8r351]

As I understand, the Panther Clipper is already made, it just hasn't been implemented in game.

 

[Skipnik]

This is a Good and fun idea! Especially the ship launch. That mechanic alone would be worth approval of concept for this ship. It could be the start for shuttle access to outposts for large ships. Something that I hoped SLF would do!

 

[DocLooshkin]

Hello, JetsonRING.

+1. I seem to recall once using the phrase "concrete elephant" to describe the original. It was a wonderful monster and I'd quite like it to be that again. The newer design is nice - and I'd be very happy to see it appear as a newly-minted ship in the game - but there's no denying that it's just not terribly Clipperish.

That said, I can see the size of the thing causing all kinds of got-stuck-and-then-killed-in-the-letterbox support headaches, even with a perfect DC.

The idea of having a Ship-Launched Cargo Vessel for visiting stations and starports is good. It's been floated before, of course, but largely in the context of something more like an SLF, or in older conversations more akin to fleet-carrier ideas.

What do you think about going the other way? Make the new Clipper even more insanely huge and incapable of docking anywhere. Have a Beluga-sized, detachable Lander Module built into the central design - like the Nostromo in Alien, with it's refinery. It would seem to solve the practical issues and sit well as an end-game ship alongside fleet carriers and megaships.

 

[ArchEmperor]

Always protected by a squadron of Kraits.
Up to 4 Moray Starboats as intermediary shuttles. A spiderlike giant SRV with legs and jet packs.
And we can see the Space legs adaptation in the lower right corner.