Different cruising speed is an ok idea, but I'd say the difference can't be very big because it should still be possible to escape from given ships.
If the cruise speed is to high and the trader/enemy manages to get to cruise without being CDed only for the LF/freighter to catch up with him and CD him a gain within a few kms, they would become too much of a "you can never escape" ship.
I see cruise speed of ~370 m/s as more reasonable.
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Some other issues are class specific:
' Wrote:Light fighters have a manuverability advantage, but suffer when it comes to damage output.
This is being addressed separately as was discussed before.
Freighters, can get a bit more armor, something the other poll also points to.
Igiss says: Martin, you give them a finger, they bite off your arm.
:)Excellent Idea. hmm maybe even increase the LF speed a little more than the freighters 420 and make it 450... you know make it the fact it is a little fast high tech light fighter over a chunkier freighter.
This is actually a really good idea.
I'm completely in favour of it.
I've always been a freighter and a light fighter guy myself, but they're not incredibly useful in this mod... this would certainly give people a reason to use them. Yes... I like this a lot.
I'd say that, to prevent Freighters from being used as a bulky version of the LF (given that they're both fast) any CD slots on freighters (if there are any) should be removed.
1) EXPLOIT = FORMATION CRUISE - Put an LF or Freighter as formation leader, and hey presto your transport convoy or cap fleet now cruises just as fast!
However, there may be a way around it. Consider the old saying that "a convoy only moves as fast as its slowest member".
If the modified cruise is granted by a piece of equipped hardware.
Then perform a FLHook check when entering cruise.
If any ship in the formation DOESNT have the engine (and flying at a lower cruise speed).
Then unequip the special component, and then EVERYONE flies at the default speed.
That will soon put a stop to this particular little exploit...
2) BUG = CRUISING TO TO CATCH UP TO FORMATION LEADER - people already do this for a speed boost. Cruise drain takes care of most of the problems. There is one however.
Anti-cheat means there is a maximum speed limit in Disco, 420 is it? If a LF or Freighter is trying to catch another vessel (assuming it is also high-speed based on the exploit noted above), then the game engine will add 20% to the ship's speed so it can catch up.
This will break the server speed limit and the player gets booted.
Perhaps the solution in both these cases is to unequip the special component upon entering formation of any kind? The price of higher speed is isolation?
Okaies I am totally for this. I see Tena's point and I wholly agree. Of course, I also want to see more of the smaller ships... (nudges Boss). All n' All I think a great suggestion.
It should be possible to remove the 'higher speed to catch up' feature, I think. Just restrict all other ships to 350m/s cruise speed max, even when in formation - if they try to form onto the light fighter or freighter, it will leave them in the dust, as the LF/Freighter will still move at it's max speed (420) but the other ships will be unable to go past 350.
I am all for this. Some ships should be designed purely for speed i.e. blockade runners and interceptors. Run like hell is their mantra. Would make smuggling and catching up to traders who run a lot more interesting
I think its not bad idea but there must be limits of what these ships can intercept.
In my oppinion capital ships including large transports lets say over 4k cargo and liners must not be interceptable by these vessels. You can still use LF/FR to block jump gate if such ship flees but everything else you will be making just another scissors for our paper caps.
Redesign disruptors into classes and leave those powerful enough to disrupt caps for VHF and above.
Or may be its bit overkill with freighters giving them not only ability to run but to intercept others?
This is a good point about possible CD abuse if these ships have a higher speed.
There are many different types of Cruise Disruptors, and I think, they are designed for different types of ships.
A Mosquito CD won't stop a cap ship or big transport like a Train CD would. So, is it possible to limit the type of CD allowed to freighters and light fighters?
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EFFIN' ROLEPLAY GUYS ... off to flood we go for that - Hoodlum