Ships with limited access (Horizons, not ranks)

surfin'bird · Dec 2, 2018

Greetings, cmdr.

I was asked about which ships are available for each version and I am ... in a chaotic state of mind to say it nicely.

Although I got Horizons, I am also a backer.
Although I got another account with Horizons, I bought it recently.
Although I got another account without Horizons...

My QUESTION:

Which ships are restricted for NON-Horizons users?

What limitation is set to these ship type?

Example: Cobra Mk4 is reported to be backer or horizons only. Another source says it's only available for folks having purchased Horizons in its first year.

I would be VERY grateful for clarification:

Cobra Mk4
Passenger ships

and...

fighters... they're horizons only, aren't they?

Kind regards (not too lazy, but out of brain and I need an answer before recovery sometimes in spring)

Surfin'Bird

Vacendack · Dec 2, 2018

Cobra Mk4 is available only to Horizon pre-release buyers (it was the sale perk), and Passenger ships, and the alliance ones are available to everyone with horizons, the same as SLF, as long as you have the credits... AFAIK there are no other

moorison · Dec 2, 2018

Just checked the Wiki and it confirms that
- Cobra Mk4 (special case only for preorders)
- Dolphin
- Beluga
- Chieftain
- Challenger
- Crusader
- Type 10
- Krait
- Krait Phantom
- Mamba
- Fighters
are only available for players with Horizon

Hooplah · Dec 2, 2018

Right, no Dolphin or Beluga cruise ships. Luckily the Orca was an original ship which is nice for those bubble sightseeing tours. With engineering it is fast, maneuverable and great jump range...Oops, engineering is not available in non-Horizons. There's some incentive.

surfin'bird · Dec 2, 2018

Thanks for clarifications, cmdrs!

Can confirm the Cobra Mk4 thing using the backer account first, the "fresh" horizons account later on. No cobra mk4 for late adopters.

Gaarp Kobayashi · Dec 2, 2018

surfin'bird said:
Thanks for clarifications, cmdrs!

Can confirm the Cobra Mk4 thing using the backer account first, the "fresh" horizons account later on. No cobra mk4 for late adopters.

Hmm... I wasn't an early backer, though I start playing 3 or 4 months after official release. Ordered Horizons day or two after it was released (or pre-ordered and don't remember that) and I still have Cobra MK IV...

Wasn't there some promo access to the ship for players with 1+ year playtime before Horizons or something? Curious.

Faybs · Dec 2, 2018

The Cobra Mk.IV was a preorder bonus for Horizons. If you're worried about missing out, don't be. It's slow and sluggish even with maxed out engineering, so it's only usable in PVE. It does have the most internals out of any small ship, but since there are no places where only small ships can go, it's not much of an advantage. Just about any other ship is better for any task you can think of. I suspect that FDev were so terrified of ED being labeled as P2W that they bludgeoned it to death with the nerf hammer.

moorison · Dec 2, 2018

Gaarp Kobayashi said:
Hmm... I wasn't an early backer, though I start playing 3 or 4 months after official release. Ordered Horizons day or two after it was released (or pre-ordered and don't remember that) and I still have Cobra MK IV...

Wasn't there some promo access to the ship for players with 1+ year playtime before Horizons or something? Curious.

Well, preorder might be the wrong term. For limited time only seems more appropriate.
Even if it is not particularly great, I do feel sorry for the Playstation-players. And more variety is always better.

Faybs · Dec 2, 2018

moorison said:
Well, preorder might be the wrong term. For limited time only seems more appropriate.
Even if it is not particularly great, I do feel sorry for the Playstation-players. And more variety is always better.

Given that the 3D meshes, textures and audio have to already be in the PS4 in case another player or NPC is flying one, it seems silly to keep it locked. Other than someone looking for an argument, I don't think anyone who's got access to the ship now would complain if FDev made it available to everyone. As I wrote above, it's not exactly a giant advantage we'd be giving up.

Mo Ronik · Dec 2, 2018

If you were eligible to own a Cobra MkIV, wasn't the first one free? There was also a free Eagle given out sometime back or so I've read. I'm too new for a free anything but I think it's cool that they were offered to early adopters. Had I only known about ED back then....

Faybs · Dec 2, 2018

Mo Ronik said:
If you were eligible to own a Cobra MkIV, wasn't the first one free? There was also a free Eagle given out sometime back or so I've read. I'm too new for a free anything but I think it's cool that they were offered to early adopters. Had I only known about ED back then....

You're thinking of the free Viper Mk.IV brand new players got a couple of years ago, as a result of a CG. That was a nice gesture, I wish FDev would do it again.

Ralph Vargr · Dec 2, 2018

Faybs said:
I suspect that FDev were so terrified of ED being labeled as P2W that they bludgeoned it to death with the nerf hammer.

And that is why so many want it blocked *forever* from the peasants...

moorison · Dec 2, 2018

Mo Ronik said:
If you were eligible to own a Cobra MkIV, wasn't the first one free? There was also a free Eagle given out sometime back or so I've read. I'm too new for a free anything but I think it's cool that they were offered to early adopters. Had I only known about ED back then....

I think the Eagle was a Kickstarter reward.

Ralph Vargr · Dec 2, 2018

Mo Ronik said:
If you were eligible to own a Cobra MkIV, wasn't the first one free? There was also a free Eagle given out sometime back or so I've read. I'm too new for a free anything but I think it's cool that they were offered to early adopters. Had I only known about ED back then....

The Mercenary Edition, just a few days before launch in December 2014. A Free Eagle, plus a paint job for the Sidewinder, if you pre-ordered then. If you clean save, you get the Eagle back too.

That's how I got in. I was *not* a Lifetime Extension Pass Backer.

I got the Cobra 4 for pre-ordering Horizons, to everyone's perpetual annoyance... it made for a *great* submarine, and mining ship.

Mo Ronik · Dec 2, 2018

Ralph Vargr said:
I got the Cobra 4 for pre-ordering Horizons, to everyone's perpetual annoyance... it made for a *great* submarine, and mining ship.

Not an annoyance for me. I just think it would make a really great mining ship for me since all I fly are small ships with just 1 medium one, my trusty T6. But, it's a good thing there were early adopters and supporters doing all they could to make sure this game even exists... I thank you all for it.