Project; "CopyCatsB-Gone"

[Funkz]

Whoa, you're really into it, hm? That's a LOT of time you're spending on those models. Well, first of all, I like your approach on the subject and I like especially the new Griffin. I have some suggestions concerning your design approach on the ships but let's talk about that later. First I would like to lay down some logical conclusions that you all should consider when it comes to justifying importing new models or keeping the vanilla models.

First of all the general idea of the Mk II fighters: The existing singleplayer balance of the fighters in vanilla is not playable for a faction based server and not acceptable from a RP point of view. So the developers of Discovery had to solve the problem that any Rheinland fighter would usually laugh at a Liberty Defender that is supposed to be the pinnacle of Liberty engineering. They had two options for dealing with the issue: Take all existing fighters and balance them out, thus eridicating all ships in their original state or add new ships with balanced stats for each line. They obviously decided to take option two.

That solved the balance issue between the factions as well as some RP issues, though it still leaves a ship like the Defender basically in a state of RP-nonsense because it is still a heavy fighter with very poor stats that is still outgunned by its counterparts from other houses. Also, the developers decided to describe the new ships as new additions to the respective ship line or improved versions of older ships in the infocards. This leads to the point why El-Geeko started with his re-modeling in the first place: These new ships wouldn't look exactly like their predecessors from a RP point of view. They are supposed to be improvements, like the Cavalier's infocard states that it is an improved design of the "Bee-One".

This leaves two options again if we want progress in this matter: Go ahead like El-Geeko and finish improved designs for the new ships to fit their infocard's description or keep the vanilla models while removing either the Mk I or Mk II versions and balance the remaining ships out.
A third option would of course be to say "I like everything exactly like it is". However, by leaving everything as it is the above described inconsistencies would remain.

I personally say let's go for the first option and have some new models for the Mk II ships and leave the Mk I versions as they are. This way the Mk II ships would finally resemble their descriptions in the infocards and the vanilla parts of Freelancer remain untouched. Discovery is vanilla's future, we are in the year 817 A. S. and that means that new designs (read: models) are an absolutely logical conclusion. Almost every faction is at war with at least one other faction, and that's the time where - sadly - great technological advancements are achieved, especially in ship design and weaponry. Nobody questions the genius of the vanilla designs.

Now for El-Geeko's approach itself. You give an explanation why you modify the ships the way you do:

[...]

There is no way you can advance a ship as much as the MK II's are advanced over the MK I's without effecting visible external change to the spaceframe.

Lets take a Wrath for example (compared to its MK I the Valkyrie) it mounts higher weapons classes, produces almost 3 times as much power, mounts a shield 2 classes up and has 20 extra units of cargo space to boot despite all these doubtless larger bulkier systems.. Its recharge and hull armor are twice as high (sauce for the goose).

There is no physical way to effect that radical a systems change without leaving visual evidence. No way in the physical universe, even in sci fi.

[...]

Right, the ships have to look different due to their advancements. But using a slightly bulkier appearane like your Switchblade and Wrath do is not the ultimate solution to show these advancements. Especially the design of the Borderworld line suffers from that, as you might have noticed when you read the reactions. Stronger and more efficient engines for example don't have to result in bigger parts of the ship that contain them. Car engines would be rediculously large today if you would transfer your approach to that. Technology evolves, but mostly it doesn't grow larger but smaller by doing that. Try to alter details in the way you did with the Hyena or be as brave in your designs like you were with the Griffin. From all ships you modeled so far the Griffin looks most like an advancement in shipdesign. If you call your project "CopyCatsB-Gone" you should come up with more unique ideas than to turn around small wings like you did with the Switchblade. That for example is an altered detail that makes not much sense since it works against the ship's overall design. Those ships are called after blades because they are similar in their appearance and the hard angles of the wings do a great deal to ensure that.

/EDIT: Concerning your poll: It is pretty useless because you don't have an option for "No, I don't want any new models" and "I would like to see new models, but I don't approve your approach". Always consider that you have to offer options for at least the most imaginable opinions, otherwise the outcome does not resemble the people's opinion in any way.

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