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Anna Rose 2023-11-28 03:09:52 +00:00
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content/posts/2023-11-27-choosing-a-starter-ship-in-star-citizen/index.md
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Star Citizen is an incredibly weird game. Star Citizen is an incredibly weird game.
Let's say you've watched some Youtube videos or Twitch streams and decided you want to play Star Citizen. If you go to <https://robertsspaceindustries.com> at the time of this publication and click the blue "Play Now" button on the overly noisy home page, you'll be taken to a page with two purchase options for getting started: the "Standard" game pack for $40 comes with a ship called the Mustang Alpha, and the "Premium" game pack for $72.25 comes with a ship called the Syulen. So you've watched some Youtube videos or Twitch streams and decided you want to play Star Citizen. Your interest piqued, you go to <https://robertsspaceindustries.com> and click the "Pledge Store" link, and then, being a naturally thorough and curious sort of person, you click the link that says "View All Game Packages."
The problem is, both of these ships are *terrible* choices for a new player, and a new player has *no way* to know that. If this is you, and you've already purchased one of these ships, there's good news: Cloud Imperium Games, (CIG) the company behind Star Citizen, will give no-questions-asked refunds for 30 days after purchase, *and* if it has already been more than 30 days, they make it possible (though not entirely easy) to upgrade your ship to a slightly better option. 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.
But what ship should you get instead? I'm so glad you asked. This is a guide to choosing your *first* ship in Star Citizen. 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.
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@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ With a small footprint and a decent quantum fuel supply, you can:
* Get around to all of the on-foot content without too much worry. * Get around to all of the on-foot content without too much worry.
There are some specialized forms of gameplay that your starter ship won't be capable of. Luckily, almost all of them require ships or tools that you can rent or buy in game, and your starter ship is the key to getting started.
# Other Factors to Consider # Other Factors to Consider
* The age of a ship can have a strong influence on how much fun it will be to fly. Ships that were introduced a long time ago will not have as much polish as more recent ships. The Aurora is really showing its age compared to the Cutter, for instance. Things that older ships might not have include weapon racks and suit lockers, bathroom facilities, buttons for open/closing doors and controlling interior lights, and "physicalized" components that you can remove and replace by hand. (for example, on a newer ship you can pull the shield generator out and replace it with one you found while scavenging) All ships will eventually receive a "gold standard" polish pass, but in the meantime it is a factor to consider. * The age of a ship can have a strong influence on how much fun it will be to fly. Ships that were introduced a long time ago will not have as much polish as more recent ships. The Aurora is really showing its age compared to the Cutter, for instance. Things that older ships might not have include weapon racks and suit lockers, bathroom facilities, buttons for open/closing doors and controlling interior lights, and "physicalized" components that you can remove and replace by hand. (for example, on a newer ship you can pull the shield generator out and replace it with one you found while scavenging) All ships will eventually receive a "gold standard" polish pass, but in the meantime it is a factor to consider.
@ -60,13 +62,13 @@ With a small footprint and a decent quantum fuel supply, you can:
* "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. * "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. 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.
# I'm Tired of Flying a Starter Ship, What Should I Do Now? # The Elephant in the Room
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, or MSR. Whether you earn credits in-game to purchase these ships[^2] 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. 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.
# The Starter Ships, Ranked # The Starter Ships, Ranked
Ok, on to the good stuff. Here are all the ships I think qualify as starters in ascending order of suitability,[^3] with some weight given to the price tag of each option. I'll also try to include a discussion of why you might want each ship, regardless of its position in the ranking. Prices listed are the standard prices; discounts are occasionally available for select starter packages. Ok, on to the good stuff. Here are all the ships I think qualify as starters in ascending order of how good I think they are,[^3] with some weight given to the price tag of each option. I'll also try to include a discussion of why you might want each ship, regardless of its position in the ranking. Prices listed are the standard prices; discounts are occasionally available for select starter packages.
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@ -139,9 +141,9 @@ You should buy this ship if you have already been playing the game for a while o
* bed * bed
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 combat and storage. 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 cannot 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. 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.
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@ -163,9 +165,9 @@ You should buy this ship if you absolutely cannot spend more than $45 on this ga
* direct cockpit access * direct cockpit access
The original starter ship, the Mustang Alpha from Consolidated Outland can still be pretty viable, depending on what you want to do in the game. I don't like this ship's look personally, but it does have some classic "space fighter" aesthetic that is bound to appeal to some players. Its biggest problem is that it is really showing its age. 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 decent damage output, if dogfighting is something that appeals to you. Its weapon loadout packs a solid punch for its price - you won't get higher sustained DPS until you get to the premium price range ($75 or more) 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 I'm sure there are a few players out there who want exactly that. 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.
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### Premium Features ### Premium Features
* 2x jumpseats for transporting passengers * 2x jumpseats for transporting passengers
The Anvil Pisces is the first starter ship on the list that I would actually recommend. 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.
The 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. 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.
@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ You should buy this ship if you want a ship that can hold its own in combat with
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. 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 the bulky / boxy ship design. You should buy this ship if you want a capable all-rounder of a ship and enjoy its bulky / boxy ship design.
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You should buy this ship if you want a solid foundation for trying a little bit of everything. It has the best balance between price and capabilities on this list, though the Nomad is a *close* second place. You should buy this ship if you want a solid foundation for trying a little bit of everything. It has the best balance between price and capabilities on this list, though the Nomad is a *close* second place.
&nbsp; ---
&nbsp; # I'm Tired of Flying a Starter Ship, What Should I Do Now?
&nbsp; 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[^2] 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]: "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]: 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. [^2]: 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.