Preventing the Copy and Paste: Phantom

[Jaylem]

I mentioned a suggestion a few days ago about upsizing the Phantom's FSD, as some pointed out this could have a more negative effect than positive in terms of game balance. so here is my new suggestion;


There are a few 'copy and paste' ships in Elite, for this post I will be discussing the Krait Phantom. And how to improve it without breaking the game. Copy and pastes have to be my BIGGEST issue with ships in the game, it feels sloppy and some of them are a complete waste of a Shipyard slot {cough} Cusader…. I will have some fun with that one soon


Whilst the Phantom is certainly not the worst Copy and paste Vessel, it does have a VERY close resemblance to it's sister ship the Krait MK 2, only differences being;

- one less Large Hardpoint

-Decreased optional internals (thus reducing mass, increasing agility and jump range slightly)

-No SLF compatibility

-Different Thruster shape

-Painted red

Otherwise, for the price difference there isn't too much difference between the two ships, the Phantom is a touch faster and can jump a little further. but that is all.

The Krait MK2 is renowned for being an Excellent Combat biased Multi-role, and was perhaps one of my favourite ships before this update. With the Phantom it seems it is intended as an Exploration biased multi-role, a job which without argument It does well, but so can the Mk2 to a slightly less degree.


This is where I suggest a change to the Phantom that will push it a touch further away from the MK2, making it it's own league of ship;


-Ship's mass is decreased with the Magic Anaconda touch (but not to the same degree)

-Jump range limit now elevated to match, if not slightly best the Anaconda

-Perhaps a mild Hull strength penalty ( If you want armour there is the MK2 for that.... now we have a difference already )

- as a result of hull weight reduction, Speed is further increased (I think I see a lot of people canyon racing in this.... I know I fitted mine out with size 6A thrusters despite being an explorer )

There you have it, with these minor changes the vessel is transformed from being slightly different to being almost unique in it's role, in fairness I was hoping the Phantom could outjump the AspX as a worthy investment, now it can be something people can strive for on their way to getting Anaconda's!!

Anyone else agree that the Phantom should be at least a bit more different?


CMDR Jaylem

 

[varonica]

There are a few 'copy and paste' ships in Elite, for this post I will be discussing the Krait Phantom. And how to improve it without breaking the game. Copy and pastes have to be my BIGGEST issue with ships in the game, it feels sloppy and some of them are a complete waste of a Shipyard slot {cough} Cusader…. I will have some fun with that one soon

I'm not sure what you are on about, the Phantom was always advertised as a variation of the basic Krait hull, just as the Ford Raptor 6x6 is a variation of the standard Ford Raptor, of course it's going to look mostly the same because it is using the same hull with some minor variations. Arguably it's easier to do FDEV that than creating an entire new ship, but considering the way our current vehicle manufacturing works it seems to be quite fitting with the way vehicle manufacturing technology works, why retool or rebuild an entire production line when you can simply change a few features to make a variation suited for different activites? It's not out of place in the ED universe and in indeed the process is not out of place in the real universe where manufacturers do it all the time.

If you want to get FDEV to make an entirely new ship then post to that end, I personally am perfectly satisfied with the way the Krait Phantom was introduced and the way it looks, feels and operates, please leve it alone.

 

[Jaylem]

I'm not sure what you are on about, the Phantom was always advertised as a variation of the basic Krait hull, just as the Ford Raptor 6x6 is a variation of the standard Ford Raptor, of course it's going to look mostly the same because it is using the same hull with some minor variations. Arguably it's easier to do FDEV that than creating an entire new ship, but considering the way our current vehicle manufacturing works it seems to be quite fitting with the way vehicle manufacturing technology works, why retool or rebuild an entire production line when you can simply change a few features to make a variation suited for different activites? It's not out of place in the ED universe and in indeed the process is not out of place in the real universe where manufacturers do it all the time.

If you want to get FDEV to make an entirely new ship then post to that end, I personally am perfectly satisfied with the way the Krait Phantom was introduced and the way it looks, feels and operates, please leve it alone.

As am I, but you still wouldn't want it just a smidge jumpier? just a wee bit?

You are right though, that's why I did krait first as I see it as the least irritating of the ships we deal with in the shipyard, it's just I think I expected it to be a bit better. but then again that was my expectations...I still love the Phantom, it is my favourite of my exploration ships. despite having the third highest jump range, it will always steal the no.1 spot for awesomeness

 

[varonica]

As am I, but you still wouldn't want it just a smidge jumpier? just a wee bit?

You are right though, that's why I did krait first as I see it as the least irritating of the ships we deal with in the shipyard, it's just I think I expected it to be a bit better. but then again that was my expectations...I still love the Phantom, it is my favourite of my exploration ships. despite having the third highest jump range, it will always steal the no.1 spot for awesomeness

My new Phantom is up to 62.41ly, it's got a SRV and I haven't even started light weight mods, that's seems a good jump range for a ship like that. I'm personally not a fan of jump range creep, so that would be a no.

 

[Jaylem]

My new Phantom is up to 62.41ly, it's got a SRV and I haven't even started light weight mods, that's seems a good jump range for a ship like that. I'm personally not a fan of jump range creep, so that would be a no.

Quite fair enough, I know right! mine is at 53Ly without any light weight mods (I even believe I haven't put the mass manager effect on it yet.... I must do that) it could go much higher, but those thrusters! it would be a shame not to A rate them


It gets me from A-B, that's what matters. and I do LOVE the look of it! makes me want to explore more for the inner comfort, and taking pictures

 

[varonica]

it could go much higher, but those thrusters! it would be a shame not to A rate them

I always A rate my thrusters and dirty drive tune them, there are some things you don't economise on.

 

[Ethaidan]

As am I, but you still wouldn't want it just a smidge jumpier? just a wee bit?

You are right though, that's why I did krait first as I see it as the least irritating of the ships we deal with in the shipyard, it's just I think I expected it to be a bit better. but then again that was my expectations...I still love the Phantom, it is my favourite of my exploration ships. despite having the third highest jump range, it will always steal the no.1 spot for awesomeness

So, you love it, and with the third best jump range it's your favorite exploration ship, but you want more? That makes no sense.

I find it quite different to my mkII, it does some things sufficiently better, some sufficiently worse. I think you picked the wrong two ships. They're both fantastic, similar ehough to be Kraits, but different enough to fill completely different niches in different ways.

I think they got the Phantom variant spot on.