Specialist Ships

[Capt. Hook]

Just been going through the DDF forum re. Mining and got to thinking about the refining modules that have been suggested as a way to make more from ore/gas/dust etc that is mined. While I think this makes sense from the point of view of turning mining into a profession in the game, I can't help thinking that you would some pretty large, specialist ships to handle the process well. In short, one would need a mining specialist ship to pull it off in any meaningful way in order to create quantities to make mining worth its while, particularly if you are many light years from the nearest port to drop off your loot, vs. having to go back and forth many times etc in a small vessel.

So, are we happy with turning a anaconda into a mining barge, or should the game have some specialist mining ships? And if mining, then what other professions?

 

[Nagual]

The proposal of dedicated passenger ships vs bigger ships just fitting lots of passenger modules was talked about in the Passengers thread in the DDF archive. So having other dedicated specialist ships could be an idea. Although the passenger thoughts were along the lines of being able to create missions / events and other content based on players using those ships, so as long as there were 'things to do' and by adding these kind of ships extra, meaningful and fun content could be added to the game..

What kind of mining specific missions or events could there be?

 

[Perseus]

Just been going through the DDF forum re. Mining and got to thinking about the refining modules that have been suggested as a way to make more from ore/gas/dust etc that is mined. While I think this makes sense from the point of view of turning mining into a profession in the game, I can't help thinking that you would some pretty large, specialist ships to handle the process well. In short, one would need a mining specialist ship to pull it off in any meaningful way in order to create quantities to make mining worth its while, particularly if you are many light years from the nearest port to drop off your loot, vs. having to go back and forth many times etc in a small vessel.

So, are we happy with turning a anaconda into a mining barge, or should the game have some specialist mining ships? And if mining, then what other professions?

I like the idea of the different hulls being 'specialised' for different purposes. The Anaconda, for example, could be a trader, miner, missile ship, support ship, resupply ship - just about anything a big ship is handy for.
Having the same hull would also allow players to change their mind about a career. I know some people would say it was stupid but I'll get attached to my ships - in a manly, emotional way. Plus, different configurations with the various hulls will leave a grey area about ship capability for other players. Is that Anaconda a big, slow, juicy trader or is it a maxed out recon ship with a huge hyperspace range?
Versatility and diversity with the same hulls would add to game play, IMO.

Mining looks set to be a lot more interesting than just Pew-pew'n'Scoop!

 

[bitrogue]

I also mentioned mining specifc ships in a couple of my mining posts on the DDF, but it never got picked up, or wasn't deemed important enough. Either way, I don't think it would be an addressable feature for the first release, but I think it would certainly be a consideration further down the line with any of the expansions. I'm sure as people start to try it out, a lot of new ideas and pain points will surface, giving FD the opportunity fine tune the mechanics and give us new mining presents, like class specific mining ships.

For now I think kitting out a Panther Clipper with a few refineries and a cargo hold of empty mining barrels and all hard points maxed out with mining lasers should give you a formidable mining vehicle.
(I can't remember if mining drones were mentioned, but these may be on the cards as well)

Mining missions could put you working for one of the mining mega corporations sending in you in search of specific minerals, or allowing you the use of various frontier mining outposts if you join a small mining community. I guess you could also get involved in mining survey and sample collection missions of recently discovered systems, for companies or private prospectors.

But I agree with the general consensus, I think mining is shaping up to be quite interesting.

 

[izzy]

I also think that specilise your ship is a good gameplay element. FD has to balance it well.

 

[Patrick_68000]

A spaceship, "trash can", would be useful to collect innumerable wrecks trailing space after the fighting, too innumerable. This would allow the recovery of pieces still usable. For sale or used on the black market

 

[Philip Coutts]

Pretty sure the design of the ships is going to be modular so you can fit different engines (set to the correct speed for skimming gas clouds?) and customised to suit your preferred profession. Some people will want a do-it-all ship which they can use for a few different professions, others may specialise for example bounty hunters would want better shields and weapons at the expense of cargo space.

 

[izzy]

Yes, fly a space garbage scow like Roger Wilco and become the best Sanitation engineer.

 

[JeffRyan]

Their might be a delibrate emphasis on the part of Frontier to avoid copying the route taken by EVE Online in this regard. Not sure though.

 

[Capt. Hook]

Their might be a delibrate emphasis on the part of Frontier to avoid copying the route taken by EVE Online in this regard. Not sure though.

sounds plausible to me.

 

[Robert Maynard]

.... or fit out the cargo bay of a very large vessel with a large number of hydroponic units and waft through the galaxy in a narcotically induced stupor, only occasionally being resupplied by trusted cohorts who then take the produce to market for a share of the spoils.

 

[insanephoton]

I wonder if you could convert something like an Anaconda into a brewery or distillery?

 

[Perseus]

.... or fit out the cargo bay of a very large vessel with a large number of hydroponic units and waft through the galaxy in a narcotically induced stupor, only occasionally being resupplied by trusted cohorts who then take the produce to market for a share of the spoils.

I wonder if you could convert something like an Anaconda into a brewery or distillery?

Some innovative thinking here, chaps, hats off to you.
You're both nicked as well.

 

[Wulf]

I'm all for the customisation and specialisations of ships. These options should only fit into the key elite roles, like pirate, trader ect.

I don't want any specialisations, that gives players a MMORPG type role like a healer or tank. That would spoil the experience for me.

 

[kenwshmt]

extended route ships, outpost ships, or science ships.

the extended route ships would either make a large circle around a sector or follow the same path out and back, with a stop so long at any star system in route. modest service, some refeuling, they would buy fuel from you if you sell it, etc.
This way you can follow it, catch up to it from the side, or come back from further out. it would give you a chance to limp to a star system on the route if you cant make it to a propper station.

the outpost ships are going to set up stations, or be stations themselves.
they may be colony ships, or colony resupply, but this would make it a route ship.

Science ships may be headed for the rim, but they are probably plodingly headed to something strange, like a tight star cluster or nova and such.

?

 

[Arexack]

I'd really prefer specialised (read uncustomisable and optimised) ships to be NPC generally and for the player-role to be the roguish jack-of-all-trades.

The way rumour and tradition have it is for highly customisable ships.
Of course the wiggle room depends on actual room on board. Wouldn't expect an Eagle to lug around a mining rig!
Even with fully customisable hulls some specialisation is inevitable due to space constraints and optimisation.

Cumulative bonuses for certain combinations or stacking of components could be used to promote specialisation.
I expect specialisation to be limited to buying a ship outfitted with a full suite of gear at less cost than having it installed yourself into a standard hull. Changing roles would still be possible at the cost of removing said pre-installed gear and refitting with other stuff.

But I understand the thread to be more about specialised hulls rather than specialised gear?
I'd expect that specialised hull types are likely to be restricted to subtypes of player hulls, with a small bonus toward the role.

For example a Transporter-M could be sold standard outfitted with a mining rig without loss on cargo space and with a bonus on space required to fit more of such mining equipment. (with some appropriate negative quirks too obviously)
A bonus inherent to a hull such as +50% chance of precious ore (unless a goldsniffer 2K (R) is installed) or +50% to hit critical components (gotta aim straight at it to hit it, right?) just because one rides a certain ship or hull-type I do not like.


... I wonder if ship inertia will be calculated depending on extra mass of installed equipment and cargo? (As opposed to having a fixed ship speed/acceleration for each hull.)