Community Input: Freighters

[Antonio]

Community Input - Freighter Class

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After finishing Capital ships, Freighters are next on the list. They're likely the class most in need of a major overhaul, having not received one in many years. We're looking for a community input on this one, since a very few people actually fly them and it's hard to tell what exactly they are at the moment. Please try to be as constructive as possible and don't go off topic.

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In its most basic form, the idea is to balance freighters better among each other, as well as slightly improve their combat capabilities overall. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel here, the basic combat role of a small, fast ship weighed more towards defense than offense will remain. The current main plan is to standardize powercores to a greater degree, and look at slight increases in speed. We're looking for ideas for specific ships, as well as potential general changes (reworks) here.

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What we are not looking for:

-"Freighters are too hard/impossible to kill on individual snubs"
They will retain this characteristic as it is their defining combat trait and arguably only major strength.

-"Freighters are trade ships"
No ship class that has 650 cargo space max should be balanced as a trade ship. They will retain their advantage as ships with the most cargo being able to dock on planet satellites.

Oh, and one last thing. Keep in mind that we're looking at it from a pvp balance perspective (which is why it was posted in this subforum) because there's only so much we can do as balance developers. Stuff like better routes or increasing cargo size is not our territory, nor our focus here. Those changes would have to go through our economy dev(s), aka @Xoria.

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SNAC Montage Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Thruster SNAC

[Corile]

All of the mining freighters need to have their turrets fixed. I suppose you know what I'm talking about so just leaving this here for the record.

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Reflections on the Revolution in Gallia
Custodi // High City of Heraklion // The Cult of Archangels
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[Stoner_Steve]

I would like it if the Voyager Freighter had class 9 codename weapon hardpoints

[Omi]

paging @Jayce

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[Foxglove]

They are really good at fighting snubs, since they have enough cargo to mount a CAU8 and their cores have enough capacity. It is actually fairly obnoxious to fight them if the pilot is capable, but I don't think they're too OP because of that. Honestly, I find them alright the way they are.

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[TheSauron]

Camara. It has a decent core (for its armaments, at least), good hold (one of the best among freighters, afaik) and benefits from freighter shield and armour while being smaller than some VHFs. I personally believe it needs a larger model. I do not think that the concept of a slim freighter like that is bad on its own, but Camara takes it way too far.

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One MD Admiral

[Fish]

Camara. It has a decent core (for its armaments, at least), good hold (one of the best among freighters, afaik) and benefits from freighter shield and armour while being smaller than some VHFs. I personally believe it needs a larger model. I do not think that the concept of a slim freighter like that is bad on its own, but Camara takes it way too far.

Agreed.

The Kestrel is quite slow for its size. It feels numb when trying to turret steer, like using fighter guns on a fat transport. Would be nice if it was a tiny bit quicker, at the expense of something else if need be.

[nOmnomnOm]

freight·er
ˈfrādər/
noun
noun: freighter; plural noun: freighters

a ship or aircraft designed to carry goods in bulk.


Can you please not try to emphasis the ship as being a combat ship?
Sure it is cool to do so, but the name speaks for itself.

The statement that "No ship class that has 650 cargo space max should be balanced as a trade ship." is ironic to make becasue the name SUGGESTS a trade ship.

How about making commodities or routes designed for freighters of giving them utility buffs.

How about increasing the amount of planet satellites around and also giving cool commodities inside?



EDIT:


Let me add a bit more.
Freighters as I see it are inRP to transport important things faster than the average transport.
They can be there to pass blockades with greater ease and have better defense than transports becasue of their agility and the turret guns.

If you can make freighters have commodities that they can transport for them that give a nice reward, then it will go a long way.

By buffing the pvp of freighters, you are just going to be WASTING your time.

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[Jayce]

freight·er
ˈfrādər/
noun
noun: freighter; plural noun: freighters

a ship or aircraft designed to carry goods in bulk.


Can you please not try to emphasis the ship as being a combat ship?
Sure it is cool to do so, but the name speaks for itself.

The statement that "No ship class that has 650 cargo space max should be balanced as a trade ship." is ironic to make becasue the name SUGGESTS a trade ship.

How about making commodities or routes designed for freighters of giving them utility buffs.

How about increasing the amount of planet satellites around and also giving cool commodities inside?

noun trans·port \ˈtran(t)s-ˌpȯrt\
Definition of transport

1
: an act or process of transporting : transportation

2
: strong or intensely pleasurable emotion <transports of joy>

3
a : a ship for carrying soldiers or military equipment b : a vehicle (as a truck or airplane) used to transport persons or goods

4
: a transported convict

And yet transports are the single most competent piracy ship in the mod.

Why are you so opposed to ships being able to defend themselves?

PVP is more attractive and appealing to a large portion of the community. Just because you can't do it doesn't mean others can't either.

[nOmnomnOm]

Im not opposed to ships being able to defend themselves. what? LOL


Edit: you guys wonder why freighters arn't used and then think it's becasue they need to be buffed with pvp in mind.
no.

it's like adding transports to the game and not adding commodities for them to do what they are ment to do.

Have freighters have something they can do that goes with what they are for: transporting important things quickly.

How about making high value cargo that has a decay rate? A fast one that transports can't keep up compared to freighters.


You know what I use my freighter for?
Transporting my Exotic Entertainers.
They are high value, they are very expensive so it makes me choose to carry small amounts instead of large ones with high risk, AND i need also to be quick so no one can steal.

Add a commodity also with a additional decay rate and it would be great for freighters.

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