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So far as I know the only transport that lore states is capable of transporting people is the Armoured Transport. But then it and the various liners are really for VIP's and other specialised human transport.

What we need is taxis and busses. Transports, based off each houses' own freighter, which are specifically designed for the moving of large volumes of people relatively short distances within systems.

Something like this piece of conceptual art I drew up because I have nothing better to do with my holiday.



The name, shamelessly stolen from X3: Reunion: Express

Following the traditional design cues of other Liberty ships, the Express was designed for carrying a large volume of passengers with relatively basic amenities short distances between factories, stations and planetary locations. This ship forms the backbone of the space-borne industrial matrix, transporting countless workers who are unable to pilot their own vessel for any reason, to and from the factory complexes. These ships can be found operating under both corporations and independent operators alike, the latter charging a fee for their services.

Originally produced at Baltimore Shipyards alongside her much larger brethren, this bare-bones workhorse is now widely available across Liberty and numerous examples exist within the 'alternate' factions as utility craft, smuggler ships and parts bins..

Just some numbers spat out at random:

Capacity: 320 seated passengers (320 cargo)
Hull Strength: 6,000 (1,000 up on the Rhino)
Guns/Turrets: 5 small transport turrets (three forward firing as standard Rhino, two turrets top and bottom of the rear chunky bit)
Power Output: 32,000u
Power Recharge: 4,000u/s
Nanobots/Shield Batteries: 42/42
Max Shield Class: Freighter 6
Cost: 232,000cr (ship only)
Turning: Slightly slower than a Rhino to reflect the extra bulk


Just think of the possibilities a properly-played taxi service presents.:)Angry Xeno who lost his taxi job with DSE screaming at lawfuls in an Express with a huge Dominoes sticker cross the side, for instance.:)

What say you? If it boils down to it, I could probably nag my brother to build the models and whatever else for this ship.

While it looks good, I think that these things would be used more within planets - though then again, transport is needed simply "across systems" - so I'm up for it.

Just a note on the cargo: 320 cargo does not equal 320 people. People take up more room than standard cargo.

Erm, I know this is a pretty generic problem with transports, but it looks like it could only carry about 24 people relataive to the place where the pilot sits, making the windows look like they're for midgets.

' Wrote:Erm, I know this is a pretty generic problem with transports, but it looks like it could only carry about 24 people relataive to the place where the pilot sits, making the windows look like they're for midgets.

Not necessarily. The bridge would need a much larger window so you could see more about where you're flying.

Now, the acutal "pilot" inside the ship... yeah, that's an issue.


You would, however, have to basically double the cargo (and boost the price to match), as I think only Slaves (and maybe Passengers) take up just one unit of cargo, all the others seem to take 2-5. Even so, that wouldn't really be out of line for a freighter, as the Dromedary has 650 cargo. Conveniently, with that change it'd also give Liberty its own 500+ freighter, something it's been lacking; Camara's Sirius-Wide if you look at the infocard's second paragraph, and even if it wasn't, it's not Liberty-style.

More for the other houses? I love freighters, so I fully support the creation of more.

' Wrote:Erm, I know this is a pretty generic problem with transports, but it looks like it could only carry about 24 people relataive to the place where the pilot sits, making the windows look like they're for midgets.

Now that I think about it that's actually a good point.

But what can be done about it? As you said yourself the scale issue is pretty widespread in Freelancer.

Yeah, Scale in Freelancer is screwed, let's just pretend like we always do shall we?


I personally would like some higher teir transports, around 3600 in cargo.


So more like what the Freelancer ID can support, give people choice.

We need more passenger ships that are not liners. This looks good, and I'd like to see a few more Yachts out there, Like a Liberty one since we know the people of liberty love to travel in style.

Bob likes. And what Bob likes, Bob get-- Well, not really, but this does seem like an epic idea.

Kinda goes with what I was trying to do with my Original Halcyon Epiphany RP, that is, passenger transport.

It'd be cool if there was a way you could limit what cargo a ship could carry too. Allows for PROPER purpose built craft. (IE, the bus, Waste disposal etc)

EDIT: But yeah, change the cockpit into a bridge, maybe make it only two story,, and it's a win IMO

someone needs to model "passenger pods" for the transports/trains, an alternative to the cargo pods we have now.

Their is always an option to RP a Prison Liner as a budget passenger liner if you wish not to use the Lux Liner.
Passenger pods on a train would look funny though but would work.