Where next: new ship? More engineers?

[Yaargh]

Hi guys

Been lurking in the forum for a while so hope you don't mind asking this without an introduction. I've got about 100 hours in the game, about 30 milion cash, a decent AspX and a Vulture with good but not full engineering. I've also got a free day this weekend for an Elite binge and am thinking about what to do with it.

If I'm going to build up credits it'd be nice to have a goal. But the next ships up all seem a bit underwhelming compared to the Vulture. The FdL is an obvious target but is it that much better? What do you all think - would I save up for one only to find myself back in the Vulture most of the time?

It's tempting to think the same about the faction ships - the stats don't look that much better for the mid rank ones and I'm a long way from a Corvette. Is it worth grinding out missions to get an FAS or a clipper?

Or I could work on engineers. Still really need Palin, Lei Cheng and Bill Turner, and would love to get grade 5 shields and DD on the Vult. But would plasmas be more fun than my overcharged multicannons?

Or head out to look for Thargoids?

I'd like to hear your thoughts. One way or another it'll be a fun gaming day, but a clear goal will make it better.

 

[Jenner]

Don't grind. Grinding is bad, mmmkay?

Otherwise.... just do a little bit of whatever floats your (space)boat.

 

[RowingBoats]

Hi guys

Been lurking in the forum for a while so hope you don't mind asking this without an introduction. I've got about 100 hours in the game, about 30 milion cash, a decent AspX and a Vulture with good but not full engineering. I've also got a free day this weekend for an Elite binge and am thinking about what to do with it.

If I'm going to build up credits it'd be nice to have a goal. But the next ships up all seem a bit underwhelming compared to the Vulture. The FdL is an obvious target but is it that much better? What do you all think - would I save up for one only to find myself back in the Vulture most of the time?

It's tempting to think the same about the faction ships - the stats don't look that much better for the mid rank ones and I'm a long way from a Corvette. Is it worth grinding out missions to get an FAS or a clipper?

Or I could work on engineers. Still really need Palin, Lei Cheng and Bill Turner, and would love to get grade 5 shields and DD on the Vult. But would plasmas be more fun than my overcharged multicannons?

Or head out to look for Thargoids?

I'd like to hear your thoughts. One way or another it'll be a fun gaming day, but a clear goal will make it better.

You are in a comically similar situation to myself, so I had to laugh a bit!

I just had a full day 'working from home' and knocked out Bill Turner and Lei Cheung, then upgraded my Vulture to plasma cannons and G5 shields. I still haven't done Palin, and am not sure that one can be done in one day. G3 drives are fine for me so far...but I'll do it eventually I'm sure. I honestly don't mind putting on some good music and mining or doing the 'grindier' engineer tasks. Even visiting the 36 stations to increase my market count was fun to me.

As far as sticking with the Vulture goes...I do! I have an engineered Python with gimballed beams/mc, and its just too powerful in my opinion. I admit the Python is very useful though. I used it for mining for Bill Turner, and was able to get those 50 tons in about 2 hours. Then I went a bit nuts and modified 7 different plasma cannons...pretty cool that Bill Turner sells those himself...

Not sure what the point of this reply was now. Even typing about this game pulls me in about 10 different directions. To sum up, fly the Vulture, put plasma accelerators on it, and have fun on your day off!

 

[Jethzk]

Python is a great ship, it's what I would recommend, but I would try to keep the Vulture so you have a fun ship to take out to CZ.

The Vulture flies more like a sports car, the FDL more like a speedboat, and the Python more like a truck/SUV.

I loved the way the vulture handles, but the 2 weapons were very limiting. Both the FDL and Vulture suffer from a short jump range and their limited load out make them hard to use as daily drivers. It's more expensive to taxi an FDL than a vulture, and that can make a difference in how long it takes to break even. The FDL is a direct upgrade to the vulture. It's not quite as nimble but has a lot more firepower. With stacked shield cell boosters/bank, the FDL is pretty much unkillable by any single ship. It has enough firepower and survivability that it removes the danger and challenge from a lot of fights.

The Python is a direct upgrade to the AspX. It drops some of the jump range from the AspX and adds more utility. Unlike the AspX, the Python does not need to shy away from combat. I often use my Python (with a couple shield cell banks) instead of my FDL for combat if I don't plan to be in combat more than a few hours. The Python's firepower is comparable to the FDL, and can even be better vs large ships. The real selling point of a Python is all the utility it brings. My asp is pretty much retired since I got the Python. It's a great daily driver, can pretty much go everywhere and do everything. Maybe not my first choice for exploring...

 

[Yaargh]

Thanks, folks, I hadn't thought of the Python as an upgrade target. I'll have a look in Coriolis and see how much more money I'd need! Would love to get a sort of fighty Asp substitute. It's been quite frustrating that the Vulture won't do anything but fight and the Asp can't handle much fighting at all.

Plus, a strong combat ship may come in handy if 2.4 brings increased challenge...

 

[yolomcbobbinz]

Yea the python is arguably the best ship in the game the fdl is also a great upgrade from the vulture I'd get both but start going towards the python, use it to do everything as you work up approx another hundred million credits to out fit and insure the fdl, the pythons a bit more expensive but is more versatile

 

[sb413197]

Depends on what you want to do next in the game really. If you want to trade, work towards a large cargo capacity ship; if more pew pew combat, the FDL is one of the best in the game. Deep space exploration is one of the best moneymakers now so you could engineer that AspX with a nice grade5 roll and fly out into the black, or take some sightseeing missions.

Really just do whatever you think is most fun. It's a sandbox game and eventually you get to various end points so just play and have fun.

 

[Spacecat]

The FDL is quite expensive to equip properly and the Vulture is really pretty good for PVE combat. I'd work on Palin, because grd 5 dirty drives are worth it.

 

[Yaargh]

Yeah the Python looks pretty good but looks like it needs about 200 million credits and that might be ambitious for a weekend! Good to have as a longer term goal. FdL might be more realistic.