Add future considerations for each ship.

This commit is contained in:
Anna Rose 2023-11-28 07:21:25 +00:00
parent 2b1d267cd3
commit ebcfc46966
2 changed files with 39 additions and 8 deletions

View File

@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ So you've watched some Youtube videos or Twitch streams and decided you want to
Now you are presented with a full 15 options, ranging in price from $45 to... $1100? What is going on here? A new player has no way to actually judge these relative to each other. You can play during the few "free fly" events scattered throughout the year, but the game can be overwhelming at first, and trying to test drive over a dozen ships while the servers are overloaded is a stressful idea even for many veteran players.
To make matters worse, some features described on the website may not even be in the game yet, and there may be features coming soon that change the balance of which ships are best. The nature of playing a game still in alpha is that it's something of a moving target. For example, the next patch promises to bring a new requirement when buying cargo - it will be delivered to your hangar on a cargo elevator and you'll need to load it into your ship manually.[^1] Right now, the layout of your cargo grid doesn't matter, but pretty soon some ships will have a much easier time getting loaded up than others.
If this is you, and you've got decision paralysis, maybe I can help. This is an opinionated guide to choosing which ship to start out with in Star Citizen.
<!--more-->
@ -48,7 +46,7 @@ With a modest array of weapons, you can:
With a few SCU (Standard Cargo Units) of cargo space, you can:
* Try out cargo hauling.
* Do delivery missions.[^2]
* Do delivery missions.[^1]
* Scavenge cargo from wrecks. (you can even pick your bounty targets clean after destroying them)
With a small footprint and a decent quantum fuel supply, you can:
@ -64,6 +62,9 @@ There are some specialized forms of gameplay that your starter ship won't be cap
* "Time to cockpit" is a metric of how long it takes to get into the pilot's seat once you're at the ship. Some ships have much faster access to and from the cockpit, making them great if you want to do a lot of FPS / on-foot gameplay.
If you are absolutely certain you want to do exactly one type of gameplay, ignore this advice and get a ship tailored to that gameplay. If all you want to do is dogfighting all day, get a fighter, but maybe pay attention to its quantum range. If your dream is to be a Space Medic, get a Pisces Rescue or spring for a Cutlass Red, but you should know you will struggle to make credits doing that right now, and while credits aren't all that necessary, they are useful! If you are sure the only thing you want is to mine rocks, get a Prospector, but know that mining breaks every other patch or so.
* Some features described on the website may not be in the game yet, and there may be features coming soon that change the balance of which ships are best. The nature of playing a game still in alpha is that it's something of a moving target. For example, the next patch promises to bring a new requirement when buying cargo - it will be delivered to your hangar on a cargo elevator and you'll need to load it into your ship manually.[^2] Right now, the layout of your cargo grid doesn't matter, but pretty soon some ships will have a much easier time getting loaded up than others. Given the volatility of development, I'll include a "future considerations" section for each ship that discusses things that might change about a ship in the future.
# The Elephant in the Room
Yes, Cloud Imperium Games charges different prices for different starter ships, and you tend to get more capability for more money. Plenty of digital ink has been spilled discussing the ethics of their business model, and I certainly don't love it. But it's a game experience you simply can't get elsewhere, and this is currently the price to buy in. If it bothers you, I recommend limiting your choice to the "discount" ($45) ships and the "standard AAA game" ($60) ships.
@ -87,8 +88,12 @@ Ok, on to the good stuff. Here are all the ships I think qualify as starters in
* 2 SCU cargo grid
### Premium Features
* Bed
* Suit locker
* bed
* suit locker
### Future Considerations
* Loading cargo into this ship might be slightly bothersome, as you may need to maneuver cargo containers through the passenger door.
* Having a bed but no bathroom means that the upcoming hygeine gameplay may be tricky in this ship.
I will admit, I can't give this ship a fair shake. I just really hate the aesthetic of Origin ships. I think they're too sleek; it looks boring to me. And you're paying a "luxury tax" for this ship that it just doesn't warrant. At $65, it is less capable than everything that follows. It has a pretty good silhouette for combat, but it can't quite back it up with firepower. The interior is on the small side for a $65 ship. There's nothing it does better than any other ship on the list.
@ -113,6 +118,9 @@ You should buy this ship if you think it looks cool, and you don't mind getting
* weapon rack and suit locker
* it's cool as hell
### Future Considerations
* Cargo loading is reasonable with the external cargo pods, and this ship doesn't have any features that are expected to change dramatically.
The Gatac Syulen is the newest starter, introduced at IAE 2953. I love this thing. It is beautiful, elegant, imposing. It has personality. It sings at full throttle. It has solid firepower: it's tied for second with the Nomad, and has outright the best missile loadout on this list. It is extremely maneuverable. And the interior is littered with writing in the Xi'an language, which is super cool if you're into constructed languages.
But it's a terrible starter ship.
@ -140,6 +148,11 @@ You should buy this ship if you have already been playing the game for a while o
### Premium Features
* bed
### Future Considerations
* The underslung cargo rack may be difficult to load, since containers must be slid in from the front. In practice this is currently a bit challenging.
* Having a bed but no bathroom means that the upcoming hygeine gameplay may be tricky in this ship.
* The lack of a suit locker may make it difficult to wear heavy armor while piloting this ship in the future.
The second starter added to the game. Has a bed and a small interior. Aesthetically I like this ship better than the Mustang, but the Mustang is a bit more capable in both combat and storage. There's nothing wrong with the Aurora per se, but it sacrifices a fair bit compared to the Mustang for the luxury of a bed.
You should buy this ship if you absolutely aren't going to spend more than $45 on this game and don't like the look of the Mustang or don't want to focus on ship combat at all. The bed also has some utility if you regularly have to log out in a hurry.
@ -161,6 +174,10 @@ You should buy this ship if you absolutely aren't going to spend more than $45 o
### Premium Features
* direct cockpit access
### Future Considerations
* Manually loading cargo containers into the Mustang's cargo 'box' requires some finesse and wiggling, making it a bit slower to load than other ships.
* The lack of a suit locker may make it difficult to wear heavy armor while piloting this ship in the future.
The original starter ship, the Mustang Alpha from Consolidated Outland is still a surprisingly strong contender, depending on what you want to do in the game. It has a classic "space fighter" aesthetic that is bound to appeal to some players. The very first ship designed for the game, it is the only ship in this list without a walkable interior - it *only* has direct cockpit access, so it definitely feels more like a fighter plane than something a long-haul spacefarer would want to live in. It is fast and nimble and has great sustained damage output for its price, if dogfighting is something that appeals to you. You won't see higher sustained damage potential until you get to the premium price range. ($75 or more)
You should buy this ship if you want to get into combat but you're on a budget, really value getting into and out of your ship in a hurry, or want something with an *extremely* small silhouette that can land between two trees in a densely packed forest. This is a light fighter that can carry some cargo, and it's genuinely fun to fly, but it isn't as well-rounded as the other options. This is the first ship on the list that I would genuinely consider to be a good choice.
@ -182,6 +199,9 @@ You should buy this ship if you want to get into combat but you're on a budget,
### Premium Features
* 2x jumpseats for transporting passengers
### Future Considerations
* The lack of a suit locker may make it difficult to wear heavy armor while piloting this ship in the future.
The Anvil Pisces is a nimble little ship with a classic profile. The jump seats are nice; I've been rescued by a Pisces pilot more than once! Has decent firepower for its price. The flat silhouette means you'll be harder to shoot head on. (or when retreating) A nicely balanced choice overall, and fairly popular in the Star Citizen community.
You should buy this ship if you want a ship that can hold its own in combat without specializing in it, and that has a cozy interior with room to transport a couple friends.
@ -205,6 +225,10 @@ You should buy this ship if you want a ship that can hold its own in combat with
* weapon rack and suit locker
* cargo hold can fit some small ground vehicles
### Future Considerations
* This ship will be particularly well-armored once ship armor is implemented, making it a solid choice for players who want to escape from combat situations.
* The bulky size of this ship will make it easier to detect on radar when the radar system evolves.
The Drake Cutter is a direct price competitor to the Pisces. Its weapons have slightly less sustained damage but more missiles, and it has a boxier silhouette than the Pisces as well. Combined with the slightly more spacious interior and living amenities, this is a ship which is less focused on combat and more focused on being a general runabout. It doesn't fly as well in atmospheres as the Pisces, owing to its complete lack of aerodynamics. But it *does* have VTOL-capable engines, and which makes it a solid "getaway car" because it can go straight up in a hurry. Also it's pretty cool to watch the engines rotate into place.
You should buy this ship if you want a capable all-rounder of a ship and enjoy its bulky / boxy ship design.
@ -229,6 +253,9 @@ You should buy this ship if you want a capable all-rounder of a ship and enjoy i
* bed and bathroom
* weapon rack and suit locker
### Future Considerations
* The exposed external cargo grid may be a liability if it becomes possible to dislodge cargo in combat.
By far the most versatile starter, the Consolidated Outland Nomad can do it all and has a lot of premium features to match its premium price. Often called the "space pickup" because its cargo grid is on a lowerable platform on the exterior of the ship. This means the cargo isn't fully enclosed, and is not accessible from inside the ship's living area. This also means your cargo (or ground vehicle) can be damaged or dislodged if you come under attack.
{{< imgproc "images/nomad_interior.jpg" "300x" "left" "The Nomad's angular interior design.">}}Strange, sharp angles define the interior spaces.{{</imgproc>}}
@ -262,6 +289,10 @@ You should buy this ship if money is no object and you want an *extremely* capab
* direct cockpit access
* bed
### Future Considerations
* The lack of a suit locker may make it difficult to wear heavy armor while piloting this ship in the future.
* Having a bed but no bathroom means that the upcoming hygeine gameplay may be tricky in this ship.
{{< imgproc "images/avenger_cockpit.jpg" "300x" "left" "The Avenger's quick-access cockpit configuration." >}}Easy cockpit access for the pilot on the go.{{</imgproc>}}
When you ask a lot of people what starter to get, they'll say "get the Avenger Titan, you can't go wrong with it." And it's hard to argue with them, because they're right. This ship is an all-around great starter, and if price isn't a huge concern, this is pretty much your de facto pick unless you really like the style of another ship or want to pay extra for the Nomad.
@ -284,7 +315,7 @@ You should buy this ship if you want a solid foundation for trying a little bit
You have 2 main routes in this case: get a specialized ship and do some specialized gameplay, or else upgrade to a medium-sized "daily driver" soloable ship, like the Freelancer, C1 Spirit, or Cutlass Black. If you like the feeling and challenge of flying larger/more cumbersome ships, you can consider something like the Corsair, Constellation, MSR, or the C2 Hercules. Whether you earn credits in-game to purchase these ships[^4] or buy them with your real money on the [pledge store](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge) is a personal decision; I'm not a huge fan of CIG's business model, but if you have more expendable income than free time and want to get right to the ships you think sound fun, I feel like that's a perfectly reasonable decision.
[^1]: The developers' intent is to allow you to pay to have NPCs load your ship for you, but there's no telling whether that will be implemented when this feature initially arrives. That's perpetual alpha, baby!
[^2]: "Box delivery" missions are often bugged, so may or may not actually be a good activity to do.
[^1]: "Box delivery" missions are often bugged, so may or may not actually be a good activity to do.
[^2]: The developers' intent is to allow you to pay to have NPCs load your ship for you, but there's no telling whether that will be implemented when this feature initially arrives. That's perpetual alpha, baby!
[^3]: I will update this post as new starters are added to the game as well.
[^4]: Note that, while the game is still in Alpha, ships purchased in-game will be lost every time the devs do a database wipe. This happens about once a year, but there are no guarantees.

View File

@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ a {
margin-bottom: 0px;
}
h5 {
h3 {
margin-block-end: 0.5em;
}