Cargo Talk & Cargo Hauler Guide Updates 1.2.6

[Black Sunder]

Since last time @GameFleek and I picked out several ships for the Guide to talk about. Originally the Guide was going to have 4 sections for ships: Starter, Small, Medium, and Large and here is that list. Are there more ships that can carry cargo or take a courier box? Yes absolutely but atm there are about 50 ships which fit one or both of those criteria and believe me, I'm not going into detail on 50 ships. These ships were chosen due to their stated roles as merchant, cargo, or transport on the website ship matrix and are currently ingame NOW. The Mercury will be added later this year

Starter:

Aurora MR
Mustang Alpha
Reliant Kore

Small:

Aurora CL
Pisces C8/C8X
Avenger Titan

Medium:

Cutlass Black
Freelancer
Constellation Andromeda
Freelancer MAX

Large:

Caterpillar
Starfarer / Starfarer G

Ran into a bit of a bump though after writing the Starters. So the writing starts and things are going well. Starters done. Hurray! Naturally I had forgotten that CIG doesn't actually classify the MR as a starter on the ship matrix even though they sell it as a starter pack leading me to wonder wtf is going on. The actual Aurora starter is the Aurora ES which is only sold in November with the super cheap starter packs. How much sense does that make? I grumbled a bit(a lot) at this oversight but after talking it over with @GameFleek we decided to get rid of the Starter classification altogether and just go with Small Ships as an umbrella for them. 5/6 of them are sold as starter packs anyway with only the CL being special sale.

After some thinking and rewriting the Small Ships section is now done. Moving on to Medium Ships now. Hurray!

And because I don't like to leave you guys without cool stuff here is the first version early whitebox subject to change early access alpha release description of the Avenger Titan entry:

Aegis Avenger Titan

Rounding out this Small Ships list is the Avenger Titan. The Titan is aptly named as it is a versatile ship that can fight just as well as it can haul cargo. It is an exceptional choice for new players looking to buy a more advanced ship in game and for veterans who enjoy the versatility it offers. Because of its function as both a fighter and cargo hauler the Titan is maneuverable and quick to accelerate while bringing its formidable firepower to bear. Two Size 1 Bulwark(Ind. Grade C) shield generators keep both pilot and cargo safe. For firepower the ship comes equipped with a gimbaled Size 2 CF-227 Badger Laser Repeaters under each wing and a gimbaled Size 3 Mantis GT-220 gatling gun on the nose. Four Size 2 Ignite II missiles split between the wings round out it’s offensive capabilities. The Avenger Titan Renegade offers a different weapon loadout but is otherwise the same in all other respects.

The Titan can carry a total of 8 SCU worth of cargo that is accessed by ramp at the rear of the ship. When the ship is full of cargo the player must use the ladder beside the cockpit to enter and exit the ship. In the middle of the ship is a bed and personal storage space for the pilot. Lastly the Titan comes equipped with a Size 1 Expedition( Civ. Grade C) quantum drive. It has a pair of Size 1 Bracer(Mil. Grade C) coolers and Size 1 Endurance(Ind. Grade B) power plant to supply its systems.

The Avenger Titan has been in the game for a long time. However, this has not lessened its value in the face of newer ships coming into the game. It remains just as capable today as it was when it was first put in. Because of this, the Titan is almost always recommended to new players looking to step up the in game experience.

 

[Sraika]

neat :p

 

[Flame_Surfer]

Nice! It just so happens that the Avenger Titan was the starter pkg ship that i got - looks like I made the right choice on that one.
This is gonna be an awesome guide - just what newbs like me are gonna need hehe

 

[Black Sunder]

Nice! It just so happens that the Avenger Titan was the starter pkg ship that i got - looks like I made the right choice on that one.
This is gonna be an awesome guide - just what newbs like me are gonna need hehe

Its a very good ship for beginners and vets alike.

I'm certainly going to try my best to make it awesome.

 

[Black Sunder]

Looking for some feedback on this. I had a brainwave this morning to reclassify the ships from Small, Medium, and Large to Courier, Multipurpose, and Freight. What do you guys think? It felt more natural to me.

 

[FluffyVonRage]

Looks good - could be worth having a shorthand breakdown/table of the cargo size, component grades and other abilities, beyond box shifting, just to make skimming through looking for a specific trait easier?

Courier/Multipurpose/Freight is a nice set of classifications too, as that's gonna help people know mat kinds of missions to approach.

 

[Black Sunder]

Looks good - could be worth having a shorthand breakdown/table of the cargo size, component grades and other abilities, beyond box shifting, just to make skimming through looking for a specific trait easier?

Courier/Multipurpose/Freight is a nice set of classifications too, as that's gonna help people know mat kinds of missions to approach.

The table is a good idea. I was already going to make a similar one for ship upgrades later on like I did for the Prospector and Mole in the other guide.

 

[FluffyVonRage]

The table is a good idea. I was already going to make a similar one for ship upgrades later on like I did for the Prospector and Mole in the other guide.

Sounds like a solid choice - I'm imagining the guide to be aimed towards newer players, or those looking for advice, so progression paths is an excellent shout.

 

[Bambooza]

If you are going to break it down that much then you should also break it down based upon the ship's speeds in atmosphere, space and quantum travel as both have an impact on turnaround time. Where a smaller ship with faster atmosphere might be more profitable doing courier missions then the Starfarer attempting to do bulk loads off of the same planet.
I know personally, it was far more profitable per minute to do bulk loads off a moon of Hurston then doing diamond shipments into Hurston due to the slow turnaround even though the profit per load was significantly lower.

 

[Thraesh]

Honestly if you start breaking things down to the degree yourself and others have stated then it could take months to really finish as an initial project and more on top as they release more ships.

After trying to specifically trying to classify things to such a degree as well, they could bring out ships right in between what was thought up as a divide between. I'd recommend just the 4 sizes, obviously even those will grow as we get bigger ships.
Also we could see someone come in and show why they think a ship should be elsewhere in the list with valid reasons too.

If you want to break things to simplify it for people, just state, x, y, z ship can do courier missions, this one is multipurpose and this one is mostly freight or whatever

 

[Black Sunder]

Honestly if you start breaking things down to the degree yourself and others have stated then it could take months to really finish as an initial project and more on top as they release more ships.

This first outing for the guide only has 12 ships in it total that will be talked about in depth. Any other mentioned ships later on will be just mentions and people can draw their own conclusions. As i said in the first post there are about 50 ships in the game now, just in game now that can do couriers or cargo, or both. Thats far too many and many of them to worry about and they all have other primary roles. Just because my Harbinger can do a courier mission doesn't mean I should be using it for such. I could make more cash doing bounties with it.

If other classifications are needed then that's an opportunity to look at for the Guide in its 2nd version. Not this one. This version when it gets released may be a bit rough, may have some blind spots but those will sand down and close up as its worked on more and more like the Mining Guide has been.

 

[Black Sunder]

I hope I did this ship the justice it deserves, even if my own opinion of it is lackluster:

The Constellation Andromeda, like the Cutlass Black and Freelancer, was introduced during the initial Kickstarter for Star Citizen. It has undergone numerous revisions over the years but remains a popular ship. As with the Cutlass Black, the Andromeda is just as capable in combat as it is in transporting cargo giving owners additional options for income. In contrast to the Black, the Andromeda is not as maneuverable but is still quite capable of defending itself from attack and going on the offense when needed. Cockpit visibility is above average and allows the pilot to look down at the ground when landing the ship. The ship can hold a total of 96 SCU of cargo which is accessed from an elevator located between the two bottom engines. When cargo is not being transported, the elevator is capable of comfortably taking an URSA Rover or a number of smaller vehicles. There are four beds and living quarters for crew members behind the cockpit. At the rear of the ship is the snub fighter docking bay.

The Constellation Andromeda features mostly Civilian components in its stock configuration. For defense it has the same two Size 2 5MA ‘Chimalli’(Civ. Grade C) shield generators as the Freelancer. For cooling it has two Size 2(Civ. Grade C) Frost-Star EX coolers. Two Size 2 Daybreak(Civ. Grade C) power plants proved all the power the ship needs for its numerous laser weapons. Finally, the ship is equipped with a Size 2 Bolon(Ind. Grade C) quantum drive giving it the slowest quantum speed of any Multipurpose Ship listed here.

For more tactical pursuits, the ship comes with a gimbaled Size 4 CF-447 Rhino Laser Repeater mounted on each main engine pod. The two manned turrets each have two Size 2 M4A Laser Autocannons. Where the ship truly shines however is its complement of missiles. It comes equipped with 28 Size 1 Marksman I and 24 Size 2 StrikeForce II missiles split between two racks on each side of the ship between the engines. At the present time, the ship’s bespoke missile racks do not function properly meaning this weapon system may not work.

Finally, the Andromeda features a docking port for a P-52 Merlin snub fighter located at the rear of the ship. This snub fighter has no quantum drive but is very maneuverable and will serve as additional support for the ship in the future when ship-to-ship docking is implemented.

Freelancer MAX will be written tonight and then its on to the two final ships. And then: Upgrades!

 

[Sraika]

i like it

 

[Black Sunder]

Freelancer MAX done and with it, Multipurpose Ships. Moving on to Freighters now. The Starfarer is up first.

 

[Talonsbane]

Great job so far. This is just a little something I'm added as something that caught me by surprise while doing a quick double check as something seemed unusual. On the screen that new players / backer arrive on as they are initially signing up, CIG has now changed 1 of the 2 initial options from the Mustang Alpha to the Reliant Kore. Personally, I consider the Kore less of a starter ship than the Avenger Titan in most areas including financial, but I have no say at CIG other than what my money purchases for myself.

 

[Black Sunder]

Great job so far. This is just a little something I'm added as something that caught me by surprise while doing a quick double check as something seemed unusual. On the screen that new players / backer arrive on as they are initially signing up, CIG has now changed 1 of the 2 initial options from the Mustang Alpha to the Reliant Kore. Personally, I consider the Kore less of a starter ship than the Avenger Titan in most areas including financial, but I have no say at CIG other than what my money purchases for myself.

View attachment 15057

Like I said in the 1st post this is something I struggled with. CIG Designates these as starters but sells 'starter packs' for the Avenger and Pisces now too. So how do they even really classify a Starter anymore? Imo the Pisces is interchangeable with the Mustang and Aurora just on cargo alone and the Avenger holds more than the Kore and fights better. So I just ended up grouping them all together as couriers.

 

[Talonsbane]

I understand & I agree with you completely. I was just checking that page because something you said made me think to do so. I don't remember what that was though. Then when I saw that I was caught by surprise & thought to share that here in hopes that it would help.

 

[Black Sunder]

Drake Caterpillar

The Drake Caterpillar is a large ship capable of carrying 576 SCU of commodities making it the current king of bulk trading. This cargo is stored in several modules which make up its distinctive front end with doors that open on both sides of the modules. The ship is not adept at carrying vehicles and takes some ingenuity to load wheeled ones into the cargo bays at this time. Hover vehicles are somewhat easier as they can be loaded in space. Future functionality will allow these side doors the ability to lower to the ground and act as lifts. The ship, despite its size, is very agile and Its unique shape presents a smaller target profile than the Starfarer. Like the Starfarer, new pilots should be aware of the ship’s inertia when approaching a landing zone. The pilot’s seat offers good visibility to everything straight in front and to the left, but the ship itself will obscure vision to the right. Of particular note is that the ship will, in the future, feature a detachable command module giving the ship even more flexibility.

The Caterpillar comes standard with a Size 3 Pontes(Mil. Grade C) quantum drive. This drive is very fast but consumes much more fuel than other types of drives. Luckily the Caterpillar’s large quantum fuel tank allows it to do multiple jumps before refueling. The ship features two Size 3 Ginzel(Ind. Grade C) power plants giving it excellent power output. For cooling, the ship utilizes the same two Size 3 ThermalCore(Ind. Grade C) coolers. Like the Starfarer, the ship is equipped with a Size 3 Size 3 Stronghold(Ind. Grade C) shield generator.

The ship is not nearly as heavily armed as the Starfarer and has no missiles to ward off fighters. The top and bottom manned turrets each have two Size 4 Size 4 M6A Laser Autocannons. The pilot is able to fire the command module’s gimbaled Size 1 M3A laser Autocannons but this is the extent of its firepower. The Caterpillar can not fight its way out of a hostile situation and must heavily rely on escorts to provide an adequate defense or its shield while it prepares to jump again. However, those willing to risk it all with this ship are generally rewarded with great profits at the end of each trade run due to its massive cargo capacity.

And we're done with ships for now. Now for Upgrades! Sneak Peek. Competition components are left off because frankly, I don't see the point. They have a low lifetime and have high wear. Not good for a long haul pilot. The eagle eyed of you will notice the military cooler is grade B. CIG currently has no Grade A military cooler for Size 1.

-Edit- I realize the military cooler name is missing and the MIC-L1 price is wrong. its been corrected on my spreadsheet.

 

[Black Sunder]

I'm thinking(watch out) that I have a theory. After trying for hours to sell 20 SCU of SLAM, and it going very very slowly something occurred to me. I think 3.8.2 introduced cross server record keeping of trading and it would explain a couple things. Here is my evidence after jumping between many servers:

Stats taken from Gallog.co

1. CRU-L5 is listed as having a max inventory of 500(5 SCU). I had roughly 20 SCU of SLAM on me on a 4 person server. FOUR!
2. The odds of someone else beating me to the punch while, possible were super low. I'm not dismissing it, just saying there was a low chance.
3. I go to sell thinking I can sell alot. Terminal only buys 66 units on that trade.
4. Gallog says its refresh every minute is 20 units.
5. It takes many minutes before I can sell anything again, this time 22 units.
6. I jump to a different server. Can't sell. Its possible someone was there already before me, but unlikely as it was only about 20 people.
7. Jump to another server, I can sell 12. Thats lower than 20.
8. Keep jumping and I can sell various amounts or none at all. Even jumping back to the low pop server of 4 I couldn't sell for a long time.

Possibilities!

A) Server tick rate is different for drugs than other items
B) Server tick rate is slowed down by server overload, but this doesn't hold up on the 4 person server as there should have been no lag.
C) Gallog has the wrong refresh stat listed, possible.
D) Trade data is now shared between all servers

Thoughts?

 

[Bambooza]

I'm thinking(watch out) that I have a theory. After trying for hours to sell 20 SCU of SLAM, and it going very very slowly something occurred to me. I think 3.8.2 introduced cross server record keeping of trading and it would explain a couple things. Here is my evidence after jumping between many servers:

Stats taken from Gallog.co

1. CRU-L5 is listed as having a max inventory of 500(5 SCU). I had roughly 20 SCU of SLAM on me on a 4 person server. FOUR!
2. The odds of someone else beating me to the punch while, possible were super low. I'm not dismissing it, just saying there was a low chance.
3. I go to sell thinking I can sell alot. Terminal only buys 66 units on that trade.
4. Gallog says its refresh every minute is 20 units.
5. It takes many minutes before I can sell anything again, this time 22 units.
6. I jump to a different server. Can't sell. Its possible someone was there already before me, but unlikely as it was only about 20 people.
7. Jump to another server, I can sell 12. Thats lower than 20.
8. Keep jumping and I can sell various amounts or none at all. Even jumping back to the low pop server of 4 I couldn't sell for a long time.

Possibilities!

A) Server tick rate is different for drugs than other items
B) Server tick rate is slowed down by server overload, but this doesn't hold up on the 4 person server as there should have been no lag.
C) Gallog has the wrong refresh stat listed, possible.
D) Trade data is now shared between all servers

Thoughts?

Interesting. I know that they were working on linking the trade economies together and then start introducing Quantum, but figured it was still a ways off. With the server-side object container streaming its supposed to open up the first connection of server meshing and perhaps that is what they are trying out.