YAAAY moar shoe box paintjobs :D

Anyone who doubts that this has become an arcade space shooter-game needs to simply look at things like this. This is how FDev sees their game...

give me a break, because they are bright colors? not "simmy" enough? If we ever get to the day where we all have our own spaceships, you can bet they'll be plenty that look like this.
 
I think most of the paint jobs are garish, unimaginative and inconsistent with the kind of universe that Frontier aims to create. It doesn't have to be all
grimdark grey and edgelord ebony
(could those be Farrow and Ball™ colours, please?), but I'd like to think that Elite pilots would treat their ships as primarily functional, utilitarian vehicles, not Max Power rides with underfloor neon and spinning chrome hub caps.
 
I think most of the paint jobs are garish, unimaginative and inconsistent with the kind of universe that Frontier aims to create. It doesn't have to be all

(could those be Farrow and Ball™ colours, please?), but I'd like to think that Elite pilots would treat their ships as primarily functional, utilitarian vehicles, not Max Power rides with underfloor neon and spinning chrome hub caps.

And I like to think differently, so who's right?
No one's forcing you to use these paints, just get over it and move along in your dull grey ship.
 
I happen to think that Dull Grey™ is a very nice colour. Goes well with beige.

There has to be a visual aesthetic. It's why films have art directors (and Fdev has one). It's why computer games are considered art. Does ED want to channel No Man's Sky? Go for all the pretty colours. Does it want to have a more gritty 80's SciFi look? It has to tailor its designs and palette accordingly.

Don't get me wrong: there are many bits where I think ED has absolutely nailed it --although some of its concept art is even better and I don't understand why it didn't make it into the game. And then it goes and introduces something hideously jarring and ugly. Fdev has to pick a visual theme and stick to it.
 
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Humans have been splattering their war-machines with gaudy paint and scantily clad (if clad at all) women for as long as they've had gaudy paint and imaginations. Why would they stop in the year 3303?

Yup.

I'm gonna have to start posting Napoleonic-era military uniforms and bronze-age to medieval shields, helmets, and heraldry... ;)

"Military" looks being all black and dark and tacti-cool is modern fad, and not at all the norm throughout human history.

With the technology in Elite, dark or camo-paint only matters for silent running builds. Everything else could be covered in neon lights and it wouldn't be a tactical disadvantage.
 
And if those aren't bad enough...

FerrariWrap1.jpg

Well if that is for real it isn't bad. Anyone who would do that to a Ferrari 488 Spider, even with virtual skin, should be shot. That's sacrilege.

But hey; this is a game about space ships:

colour-dazzle-copy.jpg


Cruiser La Gloire in 1944, after being rearmed in New York, and showing her amazing and now famous dazzle camouflage nicknamed by the crew “railway accident livery” Derived closely from Emile Bertin and meeting the Italian buildings of the Condotierri class, the La Galissonniere displayed 9 pieces of 152 mm in triple turrets. They were marked by more compact superstructures, a square stern, a stronger hull and reinforced protection. In the end they were heavier than 1000 tons, which was not negligible for their size. No fewer than six ships had been planned, which entered service between 1935 and 1937. They were the last French cruisers before the De Grasse class (see projects). These buildings were compromises, designed to ensure both good speed, impressive weaponry, and adequate protection.

18sx2gnzwo2trjpg.jpg


USN_camouflage_title.jpg


But spaceships don't need camo and I don't do cosmetics.
 
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ED is not about space travel in the year 3303. It's about the idea of space travel in 3303. It's not meant to be an accurate, realistic depiction of how space travel will look and work; it is meant to be a credible, relatable depiction of how space travel could look and work. Therefore it has to use recognisable tropes, concepts and ideas of today, cast in a futuristic context. Today's military is black, dark and tacti-cool, so military ships have to look like that. Today's cargo carriers are blocky, utilitarian battered vehicles, so cargo ships have to look like that. Today's passenger carriers are streamlined gloss white airliners and cruise ships, so passenger ships have to look like that.
 
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Skinning ships and PvP:

"Wow! That's a really cool paint job," the commander thought as the Predator-skinned Anaconda sped past having launched a torpedo that promised imminent destruction and a trip to the rebuy screen.

Skinning ships in PvE:

"I'm 10k LY's from anywhere and, unless I take a picture no one will see how beautiful my ship is........." (What about the beauty of the location itself?).

Skinning ships in solo play:

NPC's just don't care what you look like when they are trying to kill you.

Sorry but skinning ships and cosmetics just aren't my thing.

I really like giving all my ships cool names but nameplates? No sorry, I'm not buying them because no one will see them when I get to Beagle Point (or anywhere else I explore).

Now if I could drop the nameplate at Beagle Point and leave it there (sort of like leaving a flag or token at the summit of Mt. Everest) well, that would be cool.

Shame we can't spray paint something on a rock like "Cmdr Pingmonster was here 3304......"
 
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Generic sells. Just ask the dozens of companies manufacturing Coca Cola knock-offs.

We learned long ago that FDev isn't about taking risks.

Exclusive skins aren't surprising. Fdev has always had googly eyes for Microsoft and is looking for reasons to scratch their lower back in return for kickbacks that will never be discussed under the light of day. They do a lot of contract work for them.

Oooh spooky stuff! Much secret, very evil!

give me a break, because they are bright colors? not "simmy" enough? If we ever get to the day where we all have our own spaceships, you can bet they'll be plenty that look like this.

If the paints had be anything else, he still would say they were proof of how terrible ED is. :)
 
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Well if that is for real it isn't bad. Anyone who would do that to a Ferrari 488 Spider, even with virtual skin, should be shot. That's sacrilege.

But hey; this is a game about space ships:

http://www.gsaarchives.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/colour-dazzle-copy.jpg



https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-medi...l_progressive,q_80,w_800/18sx2gnzwo2trjpg.jpg

http://www.shipcamouflage.com/images/USN_camouflage_title.jpg

But spaceships don't need camo and I don't do cosmetics.

Spaceships... eh, there's a time and place for camo.



pinkm60.jpg

This is neither a space ship, nor camo.

yellow_submarine_hotel_liverpool_a_l.jpg

This has more in common with a space ship, and probably should be camouflaged.

seabreacher-02.jpg

This also has more in common with a space ship, and would look pretty excellent on a Dolphin, Orca or Beluga, and I want one of these.
 

Deleted member 110222

D
The good news is, I do now have interesting & original skins for both my ships across PC and Xbox!

I feel special at least.*

*Not so special that I would cry if said skins were released to the "general public". I wasn't joking when I said I'm Red. ;)
 
Archimedes version of ELITE, 1991:

fer_de.jpg
cobra3.jpg
asp2.jpg
python.jpg
boa2.jpg
thargoi.jpg

Take note, paintjobs have been "lore" in Elite for over 25 years: :D
"Berch Industries on Birera will respray any Boa."

Complete set (with the granddaddy of the T6/T9/T10 in the lower right corner):
ArcCards.jpg
 
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Rafe Zetter

Banned
Geesh. Drama much?

Cosmetics is clearly a cash cow for them - I know that seems like an obvious statement; but it's been pointed out before many of the designs are lacklustre; childish even, where the "designer" has spent maybe 20 minutes doodling something while waiting for their microwave meal at lunchtime.

I say "cash cow" in the meaning of "give it a few minutes a day but otherwise very little time or attention, but keep collecting the milk" FDev only cares that if they sell even just a few of each one that's released it's a win for them.

For all we know they have a monthly "what can you design for a ship skin?" competition, with the person who's design gets published getting a free donut at lunch.

no-one and I mean NO-ONE in this forum can say more time has been spent on them than this - you only have to look at designs of ships people have done on deviant art, the majority of them by amateurs, to see how p..spoor the FDev designs are.

It's been suggested MANY times that FDev implement a "design your own" system such as has been used for years in many car games - with people putting up exceptional designs that other players will pay RL money for with the game publisher getting a cut.

All FDev has to do is let people play with the designer and any skins they want to own - they pay the same £3 to finalise it.

The varients will be greater, and the players will feel more connected to thier virtual ship - and even though I HATE (with a burning passion I cannot begin to describe) microtrans and how it's affected the gaming world - I admit if I could design my own ship cosmetic - I would pay for the end result.

I guarentee it would make more money.
 

Rafe Zetter

Banned

This paintjob is an exception - clearly you are not aware of the special "Tiger" designs that happen - I can't remember the reason or frequency, but they are one-offs that's become a tradition still observed by various squadrons around the world.

I''ve personally seen dozens of these on all types of aircraft and helicopters over the years.
 

Zorgon Peterson needs to make a Transporter and Saud Kruger needs to make a Moray Starboat, both for medium pads, to fill some niches.
 
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