Project; "CopyCatsB-Gone"

[Jamez]

Can I get a look at that Wraith from directly head on or from behind? I'd like to see exactly what the angle is, it flows parallel to the center bodies slant right?

Over all, gets the thumbs up from me.

Now to see if it can be loaded out like this.
Also, a few of your ships are ruined because of the warped textures, a re-texturing might make the matter worse or fix it, but its just a note.

Wow, nice find with that pic.

WTF are on those hardpoints?! Specifically the thing on the top of the cockpit and the spikey... thing on the rear hardpoints(where the CMs and mines go I think, I'm no Rheinlander).

EDIT: Okay, that fansite is amazing.

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Andrew Skye
Starflier thrill-seeker

Evangeline Knight
Seasoned fighter pilot

Shinji Takeda
Renzu Corp ex-COO

[Eppy]

I like some of this model work you've done here - the Scimitar replacement is excellent. My problem is that, frankly, the Mk II fighters exist as an extension of the original mod so that you can use the vanilla fighters - part of the core game, and artwork by the original developers - as a workable part of RP-PvP. I have no problem with making fighters based off of those original designs; that's a great thing, and this mod needs more of it. However, I can't help but feel like replacing the models is soiling the artwork of the original developers. It's like (to use a self-relevant example) when some idiot in the pipe organ business comes along to do work on a 150-year-old instrument built by a long-dead musical genius, rips out the mechanical action (to be replaced with, essentially, a computer) and adds a bunch of useless stops that spoil the tonal composition of the instrument. It's all done in the name of 'progress,' of course, but when dealing with something like these ships, a really unique thing in the video game industry, it's better to leave them untouched, a testament to the ingenuity of the core game (and, as this is the largest modded server and very possibly the largest Freelancer server, period, we are one of, if not the, prime example(s) of Freelancer on teh interwebs today, we are where that game is most prominently displayed).

That said, there's nothing that says they can't be included as new ships. That Scimitar, for instance - add a third fin underneath that thing, lengthen the nose (or even the engine) and you've got yourself a beautiful non-Phantom Slipstream right there. There are certainly some lower-quality player-made Rheinland models out there that could use replacement - develop the Valkyrie model in that direction, perhaps? Nothing anywhere says we can't have two full-powered Civilian Light Fighters - in fact, I'd think that kind of diversity would improve sales. BHG? Jeeze, they're a huge, loose-knit group spread all over the place. Moar Light Fighters, plox. There's room for all kinds of variation here - take it and run with it, just don't replace the original material (MK I fighters, of course, do not count, as they are generally not flown above the L40 mark).

EDIT: Also, I didn't vote, because there is no 'Reactionary Discovery Artist Redneck' option.

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Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen

Which Dreadnought was that?

One of your nine.

[Cellulanus]

Wow, nice find with that pic.

WTF are on those hardpoints?! Specifically the thing on the top of the cockpit and the spikey... thing on the rear hardpoints(where the CMs and mines go I think, I'm no Rheinlander).

EDIT: Okay, that fansite is amazing.

The thing on top of the cockpit is a shield I think (This was before they introduced CDs/Torps to the game) The thing on the back is an early version of the thruster methinks which was some sort of engine booster that you could mount four of them onto HFs, each vanilla house HF has two extra hard points where they were suppose to go, the other two are now for CDs/Mines.

[Benjamin]

How about we use Hussar Mk 2 as the Paladin

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Join Cryer Pharmaceuticals

[Rowly]

well the decurion got a remodel for 4.85 and i fly one just cos it looks so good so i vote HELL YEAH!!! for the new models

[Shagohad]

Actually, from a pure RP point of view, the vanilla ship balancing is the thing that makes no bloody sense.
Why would Liberty, the ritchest of all of the houses, make a ship that is basicaly tissue paper next to the Eagle, a civilian ship? Why would all of the houses make guns that they can't even mount on their own ships?
I say simply re-balance all of the vanilla ships so they will be equal to their Mrk II companions if anything.

So we have stepping stones in the single player game! What fun would it be to get ships that are all the same!

Remember that this game has a leveling system in the SP. You had to get different tiers of ships. Liberty = poop. Outcasts = overpowered.

Still seems that way...

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"THE HULL HAS BEEN BREACHED AND THE SCIENCE IS LEAKING OUT!"

[jammi]

Just a note, but the Decurion has already been replaced. Angel of Mercy did it - it's got spikes now. Great work with the current models though. I'm happy to say you've done both the start-ships the Buccaneers use, the Griffin and the Scimitar.

I'm also really glad to see the extra armour plating you've placed on the external hull on Guardian and Chimeria. Goes some way as to explaining the higher armour rating.

Also, if you've going to replace all the clones you've got a long rocky road ahead of you - there's all the civi LF and HFs, unlawful LF and HFs, lawful LFs and HFs as well as some freighters (like the Bactrian). By all means though, carry on the good work. I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread.

Also, seeing the results of a modded Templar would be great - more of that bulky external armour plating and reenforced engines please!

EDIT: Also, as well as the technical changes which are impossible without visible change in the clone models (something I've pointed out in the past and been ignored about) I find it implausable that 17 years on the house militaries would be using the same identicle ships - refine and impove if it helps you kill the guy shooting at you and the politicians'll finance it. That's the watchword of the military.

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News article library, feedback and content requests.

[bluntpencil2001]

Oh my god...

This is possibly one of the best additions to Disco I've seen.

So elegant in its simplicity.

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[elgeeko]

Right, to cover all bases;

Wraith from head-on; http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss293/f...02/headoner.png

Eppy you most eloquently make the point already stated, and thanks for the feedback, but ultimately its up to the voters.

I personally see it as removing needless repetition. Sure discovery is about retaining the Vanilla spirit, and it would be sacrilege to replace the vanilla ships themselves, but these aren't the vanilla ships.
They are new vessels designed in the same lineage based on more powerful technology, and I hope that I am doing the Vanilla atmosphere justice while conveying that sense of upgrade visually.

I also think that the MK-II way of solving the stats problem wasn't the best option. But thats just me.
Id agree that someone with more time who isn't buried in a project should go campaign for the re-balancing of the MK-I's so as to render this debate moot.

Stretched textures; that happens due to shape changes and I'm still working on those.
What you see right now are alphas, so the bits that need cleaning up or remapping... they will get cleaned up and remapped before submission. :) Rest assured.
(though if you'd like to specifically point out the ones most in need (even the specific spots on specific models) I will double check them with *extra* care as I do my second and third passes)

The Templar (Like all other house MK-II's) happens if and only if the vote comes out right.
But have no fear, its on my list.

The decurions done? okie doke. thats one thing off my list. On to the Hyena.

Long rocky road? good. I need a hobby and this is it. Its all very very fun for me so have no fear I intend to see it through.

One way one of you can help me a GREAT deal would be to compile a list of all the MK-II's names with its MK-I's name beside it.
That way I have a checklist and nothing falls through the cracks.

Hmm, oh yes lastly the Chimera was designed to look both more sleek and more evil. (its the cockpit changes that do it truth be told they're the counterpoint to the whole craft's shape ;) )

Ah, one more last thing; if there are player made SHF or Bomber Rheinland models in need of a replacement then the original Wraith prototype is available for that use, but I'm not getting into designing anything new-new until this project is done. Gotta keep a clean clear cut schedule and all that.

EDIT; Jammi has it right. no way in heck the fighters look the *exact* same after 17 years of reaserch

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[Klaw117]

Off the top of my head, these are the Mk II ships that need work.

Liberator LF (Liberty Patriot LF)
Guardian VHF (Liberty Defender HF)
Avenger VHF (Liberty Executioner HF)
Hussar LF (Bretonia Cavalier LF)
Templar VHF (Bretonia Crusader HF)
Wyrm LF (Kusari Drake LF)
Chimera VHF (Kusari Dragon HF)
Phantom LF (Rheinland Banshee LF)
Wraith VHF (Rheinland Valkyrie HF)
Griffin LF (Civilian Hawk LF)
Scimitar LF (Borderworld Dagger LF)
Switchblade HF (Borderworld Stiletto HF)
Sea Serpent LF (Bounty Hunter Piranha LF)
Manta VHF (Bounty Hunter Hammerhead VHF)
Nephthys VHF (Order Anubis VHF)
Labraid Voidrunner VHF (Nomad Morph Interceptor LF) - I highly doubt anyone will want you to do this, but if you want to change it for fun, here it is.

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Carlos Rivera: Corsair Brotherhood Pirate - Retired, shifted to Tripoli Shipyard's Research and Development engineering teams
Anthony Cameron: Guild Core Bounty Hunter - Killed in Action, committed suicide after being trapped in Omicron Minor following its destruction
Juan Ruiz: Outcast Ghost of Razgriz Pirate - Killed in Action, killed by the Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army during Bretonian piracy raid
Michael Winchester: Liberty Security Force Agent - Missing in Action, likely killed during Rheinland espionage mission or trapped in Rheinland Space
Eric McCormick: Order Pilot - Retired, shifted to planetside training of new recruits

Liberty and Nomad Backstory, Very interesting - read it!