If there wont be any changes in the infocard, the Spyglass was built by Liberty Navy and LSF as a deep space exploration vessel with strong firepower to up the survival chances in possible hostile territory. Then the prototype was stolen by Lane Hackers.
In the special case of the Spyglass form has to follow function.
deep space: small crew, because a small crew needs lesser supplies, which is important for long time exploration tours.
Form: Small inhabitable section, but heavily armoured. Same applies for engines. A small travelling engine for standard speed to safe fuel plus additional engines for cases of emergency.
exploration : antennas and scanners of all kinds, giant cpacity to gather a huge amount of datas and samples, all kind of equipment, scientists onboard can use including 1 or 2 shuttles/landing ships and planetary exploration equipment.
Form: Huge hangar bay with added storages, many of them external. Alot of external antenna and sensor superstructures, which are rather built fragile.
strong firepower and survivability: 16 battleship turret mounts, battleship shield, powerplant to support all, redundant back ups for main systems.
Form: turrets would be rather concentrated at a few spots on the hull, because most space will be occupied by sensors and antennas.
Its important to have all this first, before making a special model like the Spyglass. If all is done to get a model which form follows function, there might be room for design experiments.
I'm quite sure that the Lane Hackers modified it to a certain extent in order to make it into something which'd serve their needs, which is to say electronic warfare, defensive operations, and some offensive operations.
' Wrote:i like this concept quite a bit. however, a few changes i recommend. all of the model is mostly thick in diameter, except the front area. form the top, it looks rather frail in the sense that a single crippling torpedo (in RP) would snap it in half.
*cough* did you compare it to the current imported model?
I like AoM's comment.
Size: right now, it's not just big ... it's absolutely huge. the turrets look extremely tiny on it. Not to mention that almost the only way to get it through a tradelane is form on someone else ...
I'd like the Hackers to have a nice stick to bash bounty hunter battlecruisers with. Especially in Magellan and Vespucci, because that's what it will be mainly used for. It could be like 10-25% larger than a Liberty Dreadnought.
But right now it's twice the size. And it does have 16 turrets, actually.
As for pricing (we're discussing the model here, I know) ... it could cost a lot more than a battleship of similar stats. It's supposed to be rare anyway, so that's why ... when it becomes actually fun to fly (because you stop bumping into things and vice versa) ... it might cost more to discourage its misuse / abuse ... all that special equipment installed on it would be very expensive anyway, if not priceless!
I like the the sketched models #2 and #3 (except for the old one, of course). Maybe it will not have the distinct look it had right now with the imported model ... still I'd like it to be quite easily distinguished from the Liberty Dreadnought the same way as Osiris is. And from the looks of it I think it will.
The front section with the sharp edge still resembles the Dreadnought a lot. It could look somewhat different ... have a lot of gadgets in the front section, something characteristic ... in a way the old model is. The front section should become typical for the ship somehow.
I wouldn't like to have the liberty logo on it. Reasons? Propaganda, more work for you, and it would be strange. Osiris doesn't bear a Liberty logo, either.
That's it for now. And ... thanks for spending your time on this!
