What’s the point of class 8 sensor ?

[ulyssesric]

I’m outfitting Conda for sightseeing adventure missions for some quick money and quick Explorer exps. I can easily find the sweet spot of mass/performance of most components (power plant, thruster, distributor, shield, etc) and engineering accordingly. But I can’t understand why I’m not permitted to downgrade Sensor to class 6,

Basically a class 8 doesn’t grant you any benefits other then 1km longer in passive scan range, and it’s 4 times heavier than a class 6 scanner. I ended up engineering an 8D sensor with G3 lightweight, witch reduce mass to 32t with compromised scanning angle (though I didn’t notice much difference).

Why can’t I downgrade the sensor ? What’s the point of such design ? In real world we’d just install an array of smaller antennas if we need to boost signal gain and double the receiving range, without losing too much receiving angel. This of course won’t quadruple the mass or power consumption, if you make the scan sequential.

 

[Bob Lighthouse]

I’m outfitting Conda for sightseeing adventure missions for some quick money and quick Explorer exps. I can easily find the sweet spot of mass/performance of most components (power plant, thruster, distributor, shield, etc) and engineering accordingly. But I can’t understand why I’m not permitted to downgrade Sensor to class 6,

Basically a class 8 doesn’t grant you any benefits other then 1km longer in passive scan range, and it’s 4 times heavier than a class 6 scanner. I ended up engineering an 8D sensor with G3 lightweight, witch reduce mass to 32t with compromised scanning angle (though I didn’t notice much difference).

Why can’t I downgrade the sensor ? What’s the point of such design ? In real world we’d just install an array of smaller antennas if we need to boost signal gain and double the receiving range, without losing too much receiving angel. This of course won’t quadruple the mass or power consumption, if you make the scan sequential.

It's just a video game balancing thing.
Any argument suggesting this confers a disadvantage to the Anaconda is without merit.
The hull mass is already ridiculous.

Work for G5.

 

[Vardaugas]

It's to weight down your hull for ramming maneuvers. Put a long range modded one on my Corvette and my, does it have a mean punch.

 

[Muetdhiver]

Paperweight ?

Class8 are salvaged colossus computers from an old earth museum.

Costs a lot to repair because the vintage vacuum triodes cost a leg on the antiquities black markets.

 

[EUS]

Ballast for when water planets are implemented.

 

[Lily from anim.o.v.e]

It's to weight down your hull for ramming maneuvers. Put a long range modded one on my Corvette and my, does it have a mean punch.

doesn't a filled cargo do that better?

 

[Chorda]

when water planets are implemented.

I like your certainty. Water worlds would be a wonderful addition.

 

[ulyssesric]

It's to weight down your hull for ramming maneuvers. Put a long range modded one on my Corvette and my, does it have a mean punch.

Good point. FDev should really consider adding ram bulkhead, better with engineer option “driller ram”. I’d love to maneuver like this:

 

[RamirezKurita]

They are pretty much just a tax on larger ships, emptying both your wallet and power reserves while offering practically no functionality beyond the smaller ones. We can't downgrade them to smaller ones, because there's no reason to have a large one so everyone would end up just using either 1A or 1D sensors.

 

[philngraves]

I’m outfitting Conda for sightseeing adventure missions for some quick money and quick Explorer exps. I can easily find the sweet spot of mass/performance of most components (power plant, thruster, distributor, shield, etc) and engineering accordingly. But I can’t understand why I’m not permitted to downgrade Sensor to class 6,

Basically a class 8 doesn’t grant you any benefits other then 1km longer in passive scan range, and it’s 4 times heavier than a class 6 scanner. I ended up engineering an 8D sensor with G3 lightweight, witch reduce mass to 32t with compromised scanning angle (though I didn’t notice much difference).

Why can’t I downgrade the sensor ? What’s the point of such design ? In real world we’d just install an array of smaller antennas if we need to boost signal gain and double the receiving range, without losing too much receiving angel. This of course won’t quadruple the mass or power consumption, if you make the scan sequential.

Balances out that hull of enchanted aluminum foil and magical toothpicks...

 

[Bryan K]

Some guys think that having a big antenna is important...

 

[Red Anders]

G5 engineering on an 8D takes it down to 12.8 tons which is fine (at least for OP's ship and its stated purpose) and it's one of the less time consuming grade 5 mods to get the materials for.

 

[philngraves]

G5 engineering on an 8D takes it down to 12.8 tons which is fine (at least for OP's ship and its stated purpose) and it's one of the less time consuming grade 5 mods to get the materials for.

Must swap out the material in the sensor housing for anaconda hull 'plating'... er foil... I mean 'plating...

 

[ShadowWolf Kell]

Because a 160t sensor array makes more sense than why it can't launch a 45t Sidewinder.

 

[philngraves]

Because a 160t sensor array makes more sense than why it can't launch a 45t Sidewinder.

Or two fighter at once... Seriously though, I'm all for launching a hauler to do those med/small pad station runs when I'm about in my bigger ships. I shall now hit you with my rep stick...

 

[Chrystoph]

Why can’t I downgrade the sensor ? What’s the point of such design ? In real world we’d just install an array of smaller antennas if we need to boost signal gain and double the receiving range, without losing too much receiving angel. This of course won’t quadruple the mass or power consumption, if you make the scan sequential.

You just answered your own question. A "Class 8 sensor" is not one sensor, it is an array designed to provide coverage. As the volume of the vessel goes up, so does the required array.

 

[Stealthie]

FWIW, you shouldn't be too afraid of big A-rated sensors.

8A sensors, with a G5 lightweight mod', end up at 32t.
Granted, 8D sensors with the same mod' will only weigh 12.8t but it's not a huge difference in a big ship.

As a rule, I bung A-rated sensors on any ship that's likely to benefit from them.
The only time I don't is when the ship doesn't have the power to spare.

Course, the light-weight mod' halves the integrity but, meh.
Losing ~80 from the integrity of an otherwise well-built Annie probably isn't something to lose sleep over.

 

[zebcarter]

8A sensors, with a G5 lightweight mod', end up at 32t.
Granted, 8D sensors with the same mod' will only weigh 12.8t but it's not a huge difference in a big ship.

For an exploration Anaconda, that IS a huge difference in jump range

 

[M00ka]

For an exploration Anaconda, that IS a huge difference in jump range ☝

How big is HUGE, is it a decrease of 10 lys, 5 lys, or 0.1 lys?

 

[kofeyh]

Because it's 8 times better than 1, and 4 years ago the simple doubling of mass per class (apart from when it's not) was good enough at the time. Nobody knows; I don't even think Frontier really know.