Gecko, Boa, Moray, Panther. Maybe the Constrictor Mission?
Ships from Elite and Elite II
- Thread starter Bonnie Parker
- Start date
I think the reason you don't see these is (Panther Clipper and Constrictor aside) these are all referenced as being old and outdated designs- in 3200. However, l if we look at gaps these could fill- the Panther Clipper would be a trade ship that is actually the best trade ship. The Boa would be a larger copy of the Anaconda more geared towards trade, so basically a T-9 with decent shields, but significantly more expensive.
Unfortunately the Gecko would be up against the Eagles, Adder, Cobra mk3 and Vipers, so I'm not sure how this or even a new mk2 variant would stand out from that crowd. The Moray would be eclipsed by the Cobra mk3 (as it was in FE2) and Viper mk4 and the Constrictor would be going up against the Python and Krait mk2. The question would be what FDev could do to make these stand out.
Unfortunately the Gecko would be up against the Eagles, Adder, Cobra mk3 and Vipers, so I'm not sure how this or even a new mk2 variant would stand out from that crowd. The Moray would be eclipsed by the Cobra mk3 (as it was in FE2) and Viper mk4 and the Constrictor would be going up against the Python and Krait mk2. The question would be what FDev could do to make these stand out.
More ships mean more choice which means more fun
Even if "outdated" according to old lore, there could be modernized version in the "new lore"
New ships don't need to stand out, be unique or fill a specific niche. New ships just need to be new and be just a bit different to make them interesting for different flavors.
Even if "outdated" according to old lore, there could be modernized version in the "new lore"
New ships don't need to stand out, be unique or fill a specific niche. New ships just need to be new and be just a bit different to make them interesting for different flavors.
Perhaps - or it could backfire and they create a bunch of new Asp Scouts.
Cheap, extremely manoeuvrable, good jump range and with a class 4 distro with the same weapons as a Cobra or Viper with their class 3 one- it should have worked but many seem to think it's a fairly useless addition.
![[VR] Mad Mike](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/27/27910.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}
I have no idea how much work is being done on elite right now but if new content is ongoing, even if not in game as such perhaps these ships could be found as old wrecks we could find on. planet surface or as the floating in space wrecks. maybe that would not involve too much work?
I'm all about more spaceships in muh spaceship game.
Would have loved to see the Boa, the Gecko, the Ophidian, and such, and see the Shuttles going from spaceports to planet surface stations, or watch the Shuttles disappear to an atmospheric surface world even if I'm not allowed to follow it.
Sadly, after multiple years of no introduction of new spaceships .... into their game about flying spaceships.... I don't think new spaceships in their spaceship game is on the list from FDev. Weird now that you think about it though ... A video game about flying spaceships .... but you stop throwing in new spaceships ...
Would have loved to see the Boa, the Gecko, the Ophidian, and such, and see the Shuttles going from spaceports to planet surface stations, or watch the Shuttles disappear to an atmospheric surface world even if I'm not allowed to follow it.
Sadly, after multiple years of no introduction of new spaceships .... into their game about flying spaceships.... I don't think new spaceships in their spaceship game is on the list from FDev. Weird now that you think about it though ... A video game about flying spaceships .... but you stop throwing in new spaceships ...
I think the problem is the "cheap" bit: specifically, it's really not for its spec. And even though price doesn't matter as such, it does I think still give an indication of how "good" the ship is supposed to be.
The other 2M2S combat and multirole hulls have a base price of a few hundred kCr. The Asp Scout costs 4 million for the base hull and for that you get a tiny amount of extra cargo over the Cobra III, no more firepower and distributor than the 1L2M Diamondback Explorer (which is half the price), you get a distributor advantage over the Keelback but that can fit a SLF to make up for it (and is still cheaper), but unlike most of those competitors it's a medium ship which makes an easy pancake target if you turn wrong. For another million more on the combat side you can get a Vulture and go 2L with a size 5 distributor, a smaller target profile, and twice the shields. Or if you want the 2M2S weapon set, the Viper IV is much cheaper, carries more armour, and has a much smaller target profile.
If it'd been priced at 1.5 million base hull so it actually got thought of as a contender for the "combat T-6" or "cargo-oriented DBX" sort of level it'd probably have done a lot better.
As I said on a previous thread about “new” ships, given the Constrictor was a military prototype in the original Elite, I think now would be the perfect time to bring it back as a medium-or-large sized AX Protoype with three pairs of C2 hardpoints staggered along its “spine” for maximum DPS potential and 6 Utility slots for xeno scanner, field neutraliser and plenty of heat sinks.
C7 PP so that armoured or low emissions are viable options but a C6 PD so as not to encroach on the Kraits. It should be fast, though. Like Mamba fast. Maybe even C7 thrusters if the mass requires it.
The balance should be a rubbish shield multiplier and a good number of the internal slots would be military so that it wouldn’t be any good for cargo / passenger stuff.
I’m thinking a single C6 (AMFU), two C5s (MRP and Weapon Stabilizer), 5 Military C4s (HRPs) and then a C2 and C1 (further MRPs) That would give you a few options whilst still requiring some choices between limpets / AMFU vs overall hull numbers.
Based on that, I would pitch the base armour at around 2500 with Military Composite Heavy Duty / Deep Plating engineering, in order to hit around 5.5k for a typical build (as I propose above) or less if you want to sub in some limpets. Though that would likely require reducing module protection or dropping the Weapon Stabilizer, so it’s not an “all powerful” design.
While I fully agree that Elite could use some more ships, we really do run into redundancy issues very quickly.
I'm reminded of what The Pilot had to say about the Python, which is something like "It's an amazing ship... that nobody needs" in reference to the fact that it is outclassed by both more specialized ships and better multi-role alternatives like the Krait 2 (which is just a faster Python with a fighter bay). We could debate the merit of that statement all day, but we can't avoid the fact that many of Elite's ships already suffer from functional redundancy as soon as a certain credit threshold has been reached.
The DBS/DBX, for example, can be made into fantastic stealth/silent running and exploration ships... but the only reason to keep flying them instead of a Cobra III or an AspX/Phantom is immediate availability, a lack of credits, or sheer personal preference. Nobody who can afford (or has reputation access to) a FAS or FGS keeps running a FDS unless they're a glutton for punishment. You don't keep core mining in a Keelback if you have access to a Python or Clipper, both of which outperform the Keelback in the rings. And if you have the money and don't mind the size, the Anaconda just replaces everything you can get your hands on.
Adding a bunch of new ships to the mix will likely result in them either replacing existing ships in certain roles or flaming out spectacularly because they don't do what they need to well enough in order to compete.
So, while I would love to see Elite get some more ships, they would need to have unique functions that were accompanied by new gameplay features that they were specifically suited for. Otherwise we run into the Krait/Python problem or, far worse, the Asp Scout problem. Although I don't agree with The Pilot about the Python, because it retains both functionality and overall appeal, the copy/paste situation with the Krait really is unfortunate. Adding another qualified multi-role midsized ship to the game would provide an aesthetic alternative... and nothing more.
Elite still suffers from "Yeah, I could get a Mamba because they're fast on the line and they look cool, but why wouldn't I just buy a FDL?" Adding another midsized bounty hunting ship on top of these two would again provide either a total replacement, an inferior alternative, or a re-skin of something we already have. The exploration space is full. So is the combat space. And the mining space. So where exactly is new ship functionality supposed to expand to? Honestly, I have no idea.
Personally, I think personal preference is more than enough of a justification for “redundant” ships. I hate the weird offset cockpit in the FDL, so the Mamba suits me much better, and if I could get Chieftain specs in a Federal ship design I’d be over the moon ...
Personal aesthetic preferences play a big role, I totally agree, and it's great to have alternatives. But unless new ships have a niche to work within, and something about them that makes them excel at certain activities, we run the risk of them flopping completely.
If you had Chieftain specs in a Fed ship... why would anyone run the other Fed ships or a Chieftain, which is already the only Alliance ship (out of 3) that has met with any measure of success? The introduction of that ship would sideline a bunch of others, no? It really does result in a tough situation.
I am a fence sitter on this. more ships is better for sure but equally the game has so much potential for stuff to do which may be better spending time on.
one way I think FD could get around the fact that so many ships are just ignored would be a raft of new mission templates where the ship is part of the mission (deliver this T9 full of mcguffins to x y z and bring back a shiny new viper MK3 which has been built to order for someone... do not scratch it!.
or go on patrol in a certain region as part of the security services in one of their ships
or smuggle a ship into a base which is primed to explode
etc etc etc.
that way it does not matter if the asp scout is a bit pants.... if the mission pays 30,000,000 but comes with a cloned asp scout and the goal is to ramp up notioiety of 4 or above and stay alive doing a bunch of stuff to build up rep with a nefarious faction or to set up some doo gooder who can then be blackmailed, then a lot of players will take that mission
You could make a weird case for adding the Worm. Sure it's supposed to be a space raft for landing teams, but they could introduce a Mk2 version that's beefed up and designed specifically for planetary operations. It would perform best inside atmospheres from the perspective of modules and how it handles. Make it a good compliment to Odyssey features. That might work.
But yeah, a Boa is just a Python with more cargo space, and I don't think the space trucking industry needs another player. The other old ships would be up against some very tough competition.
But yeah, a Boa is just a Python with more cargo space, and I don't think the space trucking industry needs another player. The other old ships would be up against some very tough competition.
I’m assuming some people would prefer the look of the Cheiftain, though?
Of course, but now we have 2 ships that are identical apart from their appearance, and that in of itself isn't a particularly good thing given the time that would go into making it happen, you know what I mean?
Kinda … although, given they have the models already, simply linking a FAS-like model with the stats from a Chieftain doesn’t strike me as anywhere near as much work as creating a ship from scratch.
Like when they made the Type-10 and Crusader.
I say just make new ships and let the community deside if they like them or not.
I don't mind the T10. it's a good mining ship.
Exactly that is the right attitude.
Fdev make more ships for the community, cmdrs will use them as they see fit.
Everything is tried and tested.