Carrack - things I don't like about it

[Mastersan]

Hi All,

While the Carrack is a great ship, which was supposed to be the king of exploration, there are a few things I don't like about it's current state, so wanted to check what do you think.

I have raised some of these points back in 2018 when I've seen the updates on the Carrack. And some of these points are still relevant on my opinion.


So, what I don't like in the Carrack's current state:


1) Landing gear.

I've had some hard time to land Carrack on rugged terrain. It's a large ship, but it has a tiny landing gear. So, some small rocks can make your landing impossible. Look at the original long landing gear - it would have no problem with landing on rugged terrain when you can't find a patch of even surface and have to land with rocks, trees, pits and other obstacles in your way. I still believe that the ability to land almost on any terrain is an essential feature of an explorer ship.

Also, 4 supports would make the ship more stable, and you may be able to level it better. The current tiny gear makes the ship not level when you land elsewhere than a landing pad.

Maybe you could even have an adjustable gear - make it short when you have an even flat surface, and make it long when the terrain is rough.



The original Carrack landed.

The current version of the Carrack has tiny landing gear - almost can't see it, - small unevenness of terrain makes landing difficult.

You can see how low the ship is to the ground. Those rocks are human height. I had to move the ship, before the landing gear could touch the ground properly.

2) Bridge.

I would like the pilot seat to go more forward, otherwise my side view is blocked by air intakes. There is plenty of room to move the seat forward, and there already is a rail on which the seat can move forward.


Also, I would still want the holotable for flat (or 3d) area maps. It could just be functionality, so that the round table can also project a flat (or 3d) round area map.

Moreover, the commander's place should have a view downwards. Currently I can only see up and sideways, but can't see what's below.


3) The captain's quarters.

The office and bathroom are ok. But the bedroom is tiny and empty. Not even much storage, or anything. The crew sleeping room and bunks are better. While I understand it's a military ship, but even on a military ship why the captain would have worse living conditions than the crew members?

The bathroom could be smaller and the bedroom larger, and not as empty.



4) Lack of a small ground entry point, e.g. elevator.

Currently there is only one way to get into the ship from the ground - and that's the front ramp. It takes a lot of time to get it open and closed, vents a large room in the ship, as well as poses a threat, since an enemy, or hostile creatures/bacteria/viruses (it's exploring new worlds) can get in.

There should be a smaller and quicker point of entry. Likely an elevator, which ideally should have a functionality of (or be adjacent to an interlock with a functionality of) decontaminating, like what you've got on the med-bay entrance.


5) Pisces.

In particular, I don't like Pisces's view from the cockpit. It should have a view comparable to the Carrack or the Aurora, i.e. you should be able to view everything, including sides and bottom. Current view resembles a view in Terrapin's cockpit, but that's a different purpose ship, with as much armor and protection as possible. While you could fit the Aurora into the hangar, I would prefer Pisces to have the unblocked view of the sides and the bottom, - you even have this on Ursa rover. Why an exploration ship (Pisces isn't really a snub) has such a limited view?


6) Crew quarters.

I think the toilets and showers need to be adjacent to the sleeping area, and there is no need for a separate relaxation room, a pool table, a spa, a massage salon. As a side-note, it's kind of strange that the crew has more "luxury" than the captain, who lives in spartan conditions. And what's the point of wandering from the sleeping bunk, through the relaxation room, to the toilet? Instead the relaxation room and the mess hall can be the same place. I think the mess hall is too big, so why not use the empty space for relaxation?

Instead of the relaxation room there could be another systems room, storage, large refrigerator? There could even be a proper armory, which is missing from the military ship.


7) Armory.

As I've mentioned above, the military ship is missing a proper armory. There are a couple of weapons racks on the sub-deck. So, imagine the ship is under attack or being boarded. What the crew needs to do? Right, rush to the sub-deck, get weapons and armor, then rush back. What if the crew is sleeping? Isn't it better to make the armory right there by where the crew is located most of the time? If you need your weapons and armor - it's right there.

Also, I think the small weapon and armor racks, like the ones on the sub deck, need to be on every deck - if you urgently need your gear - it's there. Maybe the selection is not as great as in the armory, but it's always there.


That's all I can think about at the moment.

If you have more thoughts, please feel free to add.

Cheers!

 

[Phil]

There is no doubt, I think at least, most of us all agreed the original concept was better, we all liked the look, the functionality and over all appeal, this newer design while relatively widely accepted to me is all temporary at best, we all like shiny new things and dropping the Carrack made a lot of people happy no matter how it looked or functioned, a few years from now when the game is live, (if the game is live) we will all be reminiscing about the original design and how we wished it had stuck.

Again, I am in another thread debating about why costs go up on concept ships when the changes are negative or marginally positive. I don't know where CIG thought this ship warranted a 175$ price hike when the cargo was dropped, the design was not as appealing and the length and size had fluctuated a few times. To me this is nothing more than a money grab, knowing this ship would sell like hotcakes even at almost 200$ more than its concept price they KNEW it would rake in record sales, just like the 890 jump and its 300$ price hike. Going forward you can expect this to happen with every ship now, marginal changes for considerable price hikes.

 

[Cugino83]

Hmm I don'0t own a Carrak and at the moment I feel I'll wan't need one, but you have some good point.

For the landing gear I think the main realson CIG have it changed is becouse it's easy that way to phisicalise it: in the original concept seams like the front landing doesn't retract into the hull, or if they do is in an artificial way.
Still a higher groud clearence for and exploration ship should be mandatory... ironically, 890j and 600i have a better one.

Pilot position on the bridge I agree I feel the same: there is a lot of space in front of all the tree seats and feel just normal that the position will hang the crew on the glass canopy instead of leaving them just on his boarder.

For the small elevator yep, seam strage to me actually that it doesn't have one, but is not the only ship with that "flaw": Starfarer hase the same issue for example.
Actually in my opinion is better not to have one that absolutly cramped in one like they do in the Conny where the elevator is right in front of the deck door and in the miiddle of the corridor, a terrible stupid design if you hask me. For the de-contamination area... well this could be a nice addition for one of the lower cargo pod.

The Pisces lack some view capability, but personally I like it: it lack visibility true but it has a good internal space with both the ability to carry 3 person AND 4 SCU of cargo. I won't trade any of those two for a better view.

 

[Radegast74]

The Carrack is perfect! Well, maybe it could use a personal elevator, all the way down to the ground (damn, going in and out via the ramp gets to be a pain), but otherwise, she's my baby! Don't criticize her!

 

[vahadar]

1) Landing gear.

(...)

2) Bridge.

(...)

4) Lack of a small ground entry point, e.g. elevator.

(...)

7) Armory.

(...)

I agree strongly on those first 3 points you raised (1, 2, 4) and i also think they definitely need improvements especially for number 4 and 1. The ship should have another access under the cockpit.
About the landing gear, sometime landing on a planet and opening the cargo bay wont allow you to go back on the ship with ground vehicles. The front ramp is not long enough, and this kind of ship dedicated to exploration should have longer landing gears that can adjust to the surface,and the ramp should adapt to it also.

The armory point is a valid one also. Maybe add some in the cargo bay?

 

[Bambooza]

It really seems like the main elevator was intended to go all the way to the ground as the weapon and armor locker being on the bottom floor would be a perfect place to get geared up before stepping out of the ship. It would also allow for medical emergencies to be brought up to med bay as well as gear and items to be brought into the ship for storage. As it is if you drop off the cargo pods you cannot walk directly back from the garage which means you have to go up to the habitation level then back down the main elevator to take off your gear.

The crew quarters layout looks like it was just constraint by the space available. While it's not the best it's still workable. While lots complain about a large amount of space most of that is due to AI pathing requirements.

I agree the legs are on the short side and I hope they can do another pass to make the legs longer as well as make the main elevator go to the surface. The rest of the ship while not as beautiful as the concept is still not aesthetically a bad ship

 

[Shadow Reaper]

People who think putting armories by the exits and having more of them both good things, have clearly NOT thought about defending their ships during boarding. The game is designed to give defenders an advantage and the advise here is to give all that up, roll over and play dead.

More entry points and armories near the exits equals spreading your legs, bending over and reaching for the soap.

 

[LoicFarris]

I'll be honest, the only two points I agree with are the landing gear, though I'll say I like the squat look when it's on a flat surface, but you are right about rugged terrain. With respect to the pilot seat being moved forward, sure but it doesn't matter much to me.

With regards to the Pieces, I strongly disagree. One of the thing that I feel CIG bends on too much is the all glass canopies. What I like about the Pieces is the fact that the cockpit feels enclosed, it feels like I'm in a ship not a glass bubble. Ironically that is also one of my least favorite features about the Carrack, it's all glass nose.

But in the end it's just all our opinions. I like the ramp entrance but I understand why people want an elevator, personally speaking I prefer and enjoy the ramp, reminds me a little of the imperial shuttle as the slow ramp opens and vader comes walking out. If anything they need to add pointless smoke or vaper coming out of nozzles around the ramp as it opens and closes.