What's with Newcastle? It just doesn't seem to "fit" in Freelancer.
Firstly, why would the Bretonian government finance jumpgates to the system? There's one uninhabitable planet, and another that apparently only produces water profitably (yet the station orbiting it doesn't even sell it). Every other house system has an inhabited planet, or significant mineral resources. Sure, some border worlds have no resources worth naming, and few bases, but the ones with jump gates are astride major commercial routes. There's no compelling reason for Bretonia to have shelled out all those credits for what amounts to a barren, dead-end system.*
Secondly, Belfast Production Facility. Okay, so the Mollys attacked it, and overwhelmed the defences. But occupied it? With two Bretonian battleships in-system, how has the station not been either retaken or destroyed? I find it hard to believe BMM would just write off such a massive investment as a large production station, and that the Bretonian government would allow such a public defeat to remain unchallenged. The whole point of pirate bases is that they're hidden in asteroid fields, ice clouds, or uncharted systems. A pirate base at the end of a tradelane in a house system just beggars belief.
Lastly, why is it so bloody big? Going by the vanilla systems, it should be something like half the size it is now, with the same features. I like exploring as much as the next man (in fact, it's all I play for, as I play SP) but I don't like visiting Newcastle as it just takes too long to get anywhere. I'd rather take a route that may actually be slightly longer, just because it's broken up by jumpgates/holes and some changes of scenery.
One more (minor) quibble: blue clouds look really weird against the red background. Perhaps they'd look better with say, the colour of the Islay cloud?
*I understand there are certain... objects of interest to researchers, but a more credible approach would be a guarded military jumpgate in a minefield (a la Alaska) or a guard system.
Please don't take this the wrong way, I love this mod and it's given me many hours of fun.
gotto admit - you have a point there. never thought about it much though. i just find newcastle utterly boring. especially when you consider that it has a fully grown tradelane structure ( compare it to the mineral richt tau-31 which lanes are still under construction ) and other systems that offer rich resources.
What you say makes sense I believe, and could be taken into consideration. The system has a big mine field and some nomad ruins nearby. That could be the reason why the system is slightly big. Yet, system modders would have better answers for yer thread.
there is a bit "much" in newcastle anyway - a far away outcast stronghold, a hostile and strange alien planet, an overran rogue base, baf battleships, an ancient minefield and a mysterious nomad facility - and everything is so far from each other that you simply HAVE to use lanes to avoid 20 minutes of cruise.
the problem i have with newcastle is more the roleplay background. it offers many roleplay hotspots - but they are all rather unimportant, sort of. lets take another roleplay hotspot in the original FL ( omega-11i think ) there is the gigantic sun in the middle, countless wrecks of ships, hostile bases around. but each part fits and the systems tells a complex story about exploration, resources and war.
newcastle tells many stories, but sort of only the headlines. like several systems melted together into one - but their stories are not really connected.
I personally enjoy Newcastle - but it is a bit odd. My only complaint about it is the Gaian base in the asteroid field. The asteroids are so thick it is hard to navigate a big ship thru the field - no big deal - on planet Earth truckers know what roads to stick to and what roads to avoid... BUT - after bouncing off of rocks for 10 minutes - I finally get to the Gaian base and there is nothing cool for sale there. No reward at the end of the ardous journey. Only thing i would change is adding more stuff for sale at that base.
Another interesting thing about Newcastle - loads and loads of NPC traffic. I fly a honkin' huge train and they get stuck in trade lanes occassionally - especially if docking with alane gate in the middle of a trade lane - if I have bad timing and NPC's come shooting thru and bump me - i get stuck. Then I have to select the next lane gate and head to it. The other day - there was so much NPC traffic that i got bumped into 7 gates in a row!!!
Annoying - but that is part of the price for flying a train.
I do like Newcastle visually - note the location for my sig picture...
As I recall, Newcastle is Angel's project. I like it a lot; remember, it was constructed as a fully develpoed House system, like it was several hundred years old. Truth is, it doesn't need to be as big as it is, but it is, and I imagine that's the way it will stay. I believe there was originally supposed to be a BIGTIME Cardi hauling route through Cape Wrath, but not anymore. The only reason it's NOT an inhabited planet that I can find is a certain little clause in the System Submission Guidelines...
Quote:Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen
Not going to give any spoilers out....but one of the most profitable trade runs goes into Newcastle. My trade/smuggler charactor goes there regularly. This system has much to offer, although the Molly base right off the tradelane mentioned you have a point with. The bases here sell many different ships also. As said earlier it is visually very impressive. Overall I think Newcastle is one of the best "new" systems added to this mod.