Ships The Diamondback Scout exists. Why fly the Viper?

[Guidebot]

When I was a green commander coming up in the galaxy, the Viper was my trusty steed. It taught me all the fundamentals of the game and, most importantly, how to fight. It's sexy and sounds glorious.

Now, however, the Diamondback Scout exists. While the Viper has some very small advantages, they're nowhere near enough to justify flying it over the DBS.

Does anyone else think that the Viper is now almost entirely irrelevant? I think it needs some changes.

 

[bitwise]

Look&Feel.

 

[paganpenguin]

Look&Feel.

^^Second this!

While it's been a while since I flew a Viper, it's on my TODO list to compare various smaller and cheaper ships to one another in an attempt to find "My Perfect Ride"*. When I first started the game it was the ship I strived to get as quickly as possible (once I figured out that trading wasn't for me), and once I had enough credits I flew one for a considerable (for me) length of time. The Viper had character, and that engine noise was almost worth ever dent and laser burn inflicted on the hull. Then went for the Vulture because I became too wrapped up in ship progression - trying to min max my way to big creds, envious of those in the Clippers, FDS, Pythons and 'Condas.

Never again am I going to choose a ship just because it can pull in x amount of credits per hour, I'm going for the "Wow" or "" factor. Hell, I might just boot ED up and jump in a Viper for a few laps round the block!

*Currently piloting a DBS - "The Rubber Ducky" and loving every second.

 

[Ziljan]

The Viper has better shields and an extremely low profile. Very hard to hit from 1.2km and farther unless you have fixed mounts or de-select your target.

 

[Hanatarashi]

The Viper has better shields

The default shields are better, yes. But the Scout's shields have the potential to go higher than the Viper's, because of the extra utility mounts and better power plant.

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

When I was a green commander coming up in the galaxy, the Viper was my trusty steed. It taught me all the fundamentals of the game and, most importantly, how to fight. It's sexy and sounds glorious.

Now, however, the Diamondback Scout exists. While the Viper has some very small advantages, they're nowhere near enough to justify flying it over the DBS.

Does anyone else think that the Viper is now almost entirely irrelevant? I think it needs some changes.

Of course the Scout is better as it was put in as an upgrade between the Viper and Vulture. That being said, there is no reason to buff the Viper as it would then make the Scout a pointless addition.

 

[Ceekay]

Have you listened to the Vipers engine noise? what more reason do you need?

The DB-S does have more potential but a stripped out VIper a mean piece of kit!

 

[curses]

Because the Viper is cheap and good. Same reason as why you would choose it over a Cobra.

Base model Viper is cheap, c-rated it is between 1 and 2 MCr and a-rated is 3.5MCr.

Diamondback Sc is 3MCr for c-rated and 7MCr for a-rated. You don't approach the shield strength and effectiveness of the Viper until close to 7MCr.

Both are good ships but one is an upgrade for the other, and you pay for it.

This also is apart from any style or personal preference reasons. Dat engine sound tho.

 

[Mephane]

The Viper has better shields

No. DBS has the power and utility slots to just slap on some shield boosters to get to the same shield strength while STILL being faster, more agile, having better weapon placement, lower heat signature and higher jump range. DBS vs Viper is a softer variant of the Vulture vs Eagle situation, where a ship already struggling to remain useful becomes superceded by a ship that fills the same niche and is better at almost everything.

Because the Viper is cheap and good. Same reason as why you would choose it over a Cobra.

Not being able to afford something more expensive is not a choice. And when you are at the point where you would seriously consider using any ship as a throwaway ship for shenanigans, you are rich enough for it to matter very little whether your rebuy cost is, like, 100k or 200k.

And the reason why one would have chosen a Viper over the Cobra is that it is a better fighter. Not by a large margin, only slightly, but still. Now the choice is between Cobra and DBS, because any advantage the Viper had over the Cobra, the DBS has it even better.

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

No. DBE has the power and utility slots to just slap on some shield boosters to get to the same shield strength while STILL being faster, more agile, having better weapon placement, lower heat signature and higher jump range. DBE vs Viper is a softer variant of the Vulture vs Eagle situation, where a ship already struggling to remain useful becomes superceded by a ship that fills the same niche and is better at almost everything.

At roughly 400k more base price it should be better as a stepingstone ship to the Vulture, you're looking at it like it's the same price when it's not at it's base state and by an even greater amount once outfiting comes into the equation.

 

[paganpenguin]

Spent the last two or so game hours flying about in a Viper trying to replicate everything else that I do with the DBS - and it was a struggle. While straight line speed and boost helped a bit, the lack of agility really did show and those weapon placements really left a lot to be desired. All in all I can understand why people are saying that the Viper is redundant - but to me all that extra work flying the ship was worth ever scrape.

It was noted that NPC's with a fixed weapon loadout did hit me less at range...

 

[Ceekay]

It was noted that NPC's with a fixed weapon loadout did hit me less at range...

That was the most noticeable difference between the Viper and Cobra combat in conflict zones, in a Cobra I was getting a lot more random hits due to it's greater size, I haven't tried a DB-S in a CZ yet but I'd expect it to be better than the Viper due to better weapon placement but it's a LOT heavier (X 2.5!)

Just realized what the DB-S sounds like accelerating it a pod racer from those "other" Star Wars movies!

 

[Mephane]

At roughly 400k more base price it should be better as a stepingstone ship to the Vulture, you're looking at it like it's the same price when it's not at it's base state and by an even greater amount once outfiting comes into the equation.

I am looking at it like the game weren't meant to be a series of level-ups towards a Vulture/FDL/Anaconda endgame.

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

I am looking at it like the game weren't meant to be a series of level-ups towards a Vulture/FDL/Anaconda endgame.

Unfortunately the game's obviously designed as such with cr being your "XP." I don't like it, but I acknowledge it.

 

[goemon]

isn't it a matter of style of flying, too? i'm in no way an experienced viper pilot, but i flew the dbs a lot - preferred ship for cz and "policing"/bounty hunting. me being a lakon fanboy, most preferred ship for flying a rated t6 .... :-D... than, 3 days ago, i kitted out cobra for blockade running (tried it with a dbs, too -) - and found, that i so much more love the gliding fly style of cobra, so i now selled my maxed out dbs. the same i experienced with eagle/ courier. i love the eagle, the courier is supposed to be an "upgrade" - but nothing is as mobile as an eagle. waiting for the eagle upgrade now... and i still prefere my old adder for smuggling.

tl;dr: we should talk more on the different feeling of piloting a ship than about stats. we spend a lot of hours in there.

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

isn't it a matter of style of flying, too? i'm in no way an experienced viper pilot, but i flew the dbs a lot - preferred ship for cz and "policing"/bounty hunting. me being a lakon fanboy, most preferred ship for flying a rated t6 .... :-D... than, 3 days ago, i kitted out cobra for blockade running (tried it with a dbs, too -) - and found, that i so much more love the gliding fly style of cobra, so i now selled my maxed out dbs. the same i experienced with eagle/ courier. i love the eagle, the courier is supposed to be an "upgrade" - but nothing is as mobile as an eagle. waiting for the eagle upgrade now... and i still prefere my old adder for smuggling.

tl;dr: we should talk more on the different feeling of piloting a ship than about stats. we spend a lot of hours in there.

Agreed, I smuggle in a Vulture for crying out loud! I know other ship's are better but this is so much more fun and funny when sneaking in 50t of slave, guns, or drugs.

 

[Bane Six Echo]

Ship	Build	Armour	Shields	Speed Thrusters	Speed Boost	Jump Range Max	Jump Range Full Tank	Jump Range Laden	Cargo	Cost	Agility	Mass Unladen	Mass Laden	Fuel	Power Retracted	Power Deployed	Power Available	Total Range Unladen	Total Range Laden	DPS
Diamondback Scout	Combat	216	196.57 [SIZE=-2]MJ[/SIZE]	283 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	384 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	23.97 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	22.74 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	22.74 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	0 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	9,657,636 [SIZE=-2]CR[/SIZE]	8	238.6 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	254.6 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	16 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	14.24 [SIZE=-2]MW[/SIZE]	17.66 [SIZE=-2]MW[/SIZE]	15.60 [SIZE=-2]MW[/SIZE]	131.49 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	131.49 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	14
Viper	Combat	126	178.5 [SIZE=-2]MJ[/SIZE]	320 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	400 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	13.6 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	13.34 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	13.34 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	0 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	4,886,374 [SIZE=-2]CR[/SIZE]	6	111.6 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	115.6 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	4 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	10.70 [SIZE=-2]MW[/SIZE]	14.12 [SIZE=-2]MW[/SIZE]	12.00 [SIZE=-2]MW[/SIZE]	33.74 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	33.74 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	14
[SIZE=-3] Interactive Comparison at Coriolis.io[/SIZE]

The DBS has more armor, more shields, longer jump range, more agility, and a longer range than the Viper. If I were in the market for a new combat ship I'd get the DBS for sure. It seems like a no brainer if you have the credits.

 

[Clumsywordsmith]

It's a style thing. If driving a forklift is your idea of a dream ride, then the Diamondback is for you.

I tried one -- took one look at the cockpit and nearly puked -- then repurchased my viper and skipped the POS entirely, going straight for a Vulture instead.

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

It's a style thing. If driving a forklift is your idea of a dream ride, then the Diamondback is for you.

I tried one -- took one look at the cockpit and nearly puked -- then repurchased my viper and skipped the POS entirely, going straight for a Vulture instead.

Yeah. it's deffinitely built to function with no style being like a piece of work equipment.

 

[Rauminen]

...Price?