What would you like to see in Alien week?

[Raven_King]

According to Jared Huckaby's closing remarks in this week's Inside Star Citizen, after First Contact Day this weekend (12th June) next week is Alien Week. I haven't found any published start and end dates for it yet. They're going to showcase some current progress on the Banu Merchantman (looking forward to that), and I'd expect a bit more too, but maybe not much more.

Last year they launched the Gatac Railen as a concept ship. Earlier this week @Montoya started a thread anticipating news of the Santok Yai. It would be great to have some other big-ish announcement, if CIG can manage more than just SQ42 work this year.

So, what do you think are the chances of a new concept ship, or of the Santok Yai or the BMM getting a surprise release? Is there anything to get excited about or is this going to be a bit of a lukewarm affair? I'd expect all the alien ships (except the Vanduul ones) to be on sale with some sort of small deals. Hopefully some warbond CCUs too. But will there be more? Not long to wait either way...

 

[vahadar]

BMM, don't think so. But I expect a price jump, hoping 650.

Santok Yai, maybe as it was supposed to release around this date in pasts roadmaps.

New concept, of course otherwise the funding machine will grip And we have various Alien ship teased in the past like the Xian bomber.

The Vanduul replicas are usually sold during that event, blade and glaive.

 

[DrunkSpacePeej]

This is my first alien week and alien ships don’t particularly interest me (perhaps I am shortsighted here) so I am just along for the ride/show/etc and keeping my fingers crossed for a few warbond CCU options that I can plug into some other planned chains.

ETA I do find the BMM intriguing but the crew requirements are a bit of a turn off

 

[vahadar]

Something to kill the wait ;)
Btw fanmade.

View: https://youtu.be/65skAPi4WT4

Portable toilet at 1'45'' ;)

 

[Montoya]

Something new and unannounced perhaps?

 

[Han Burgundy]

Let's get a lore piece on Banu mating rituals. I wanna see those lanky fucks get freaky with those weird-ass noses of theirs...

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

Some skins for the Nox bikes would be good.

 

[minor_accident]

I haven't explored the alien stuff much, but will be interested to see how CIG approaches the design elements. I think the current ships I've seen are pretty incredible, and they've done a good job. I can't get over the amount of wasted space, though. In the Origin ships, I understand. They're designed to denote wealth and excess, and that's one way to relay that. With other companies, especially Drake, that shouldn't be the case (the hab section of the CB immediately come to mind).

Although I've never been on a cruising sailboat, I'm deeply fascinated by them and have been for quite some time. I directly relate the design principles of sailboats to space ships, and I imagine space would have nearly identical spacial considerations as blue water. With 99% of boats, every square inch matters, and is somehow useful. You can see the difference in design when comparing a budget vs. luxury vessel of comparable length/beam/cabins/draft/rigging/etc. Luxury models will typically "waste" more space, displaying the owner's means through extravagance. So, back to the CB example. The hab area, as everyone knows, is a complete waste of square footage. It could easily still contain bunks, weapon racks, and head. But there's absolutely no reason it couldn't have some level of food prep, additional cargo space, and still maintain the turret. It's designated as a light freight vessel, so a drink/food prep station and head aren't important? Instead, we get a fabulous, agile, fast multi-role ship, with a giant, useless triangle in the middle. You get the idea.

Back to the aliens... As we're talking about separate beings, I'm interested in how CIG is going to approach the question of what they value in ship design that's different from humans. I suspect, they wouldn't have much difference in how they view the utility of space from us. They presumably need to eat, drink, sleep, and crap like the rest of us, but they would certainly have a different sense of overall design from us. I know a lot of these ships are supposed to be retrofit for human occupancy, but that typically affects details and ammenities, not overall design. Will aliens perceive the flow pattern of a space differently?

I'm rambling, but that's what's so intriguing about this game. I've never had a form of entertainment make me think about things like this before. That, or I've watched too many Morphologis vids!

 

[Raven_King]

Some skins for the Nox bikes would be good.

That would be cool.

the amount of wasted space

every square inch matters

This is something I have felt for ages too. From a gameplay point of view I get it, but especially on smaller low-end ships, at least some of them ought to feel pretty claustrophobic, and that would emphasize the roominess of the bigger ships more.
And yes, you do hear CIG devs talk about - and concept artists draw - interiors that work a bit differently from 100% human ships. Great points.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

"What would you like to see in Alien week?"

Aliums!

 

[Lorddarthvik]

I'd bet my empty bottle of Tomatin 12yo that we won't get to interact with the intelligent aliens in alpha.
Rather what I'd like to see is alien fauna, the cave monsters, the wildcats the floaty tentacled thingies, the space whale flying.
With navmesh done, it's only a question of time.

 

[DrunkSpacePeej]

Is there typically a display associated with alien week similar to ILW or IAE?

 

[FZD]

Think it would be cool if we got an in-game event, with the exterior and like the bazaar bit of a BMM. Like, say Banu traders come and land on Daymar or something.
It would theoretically be possible, similar to how we've just seen a small portion of Javelin + exterior. And the ship wouldn't need to fly, just be there, and it'd only need a small bit of interior ready. Would also fit real nice lore-wise.

I mean, I know that's not going to happen, but that's what I'd like to see.

 

[Blind Owl]

Well shit, I hope to hear about the San.tok'yai, as I already own that baby. But I'd love to hate a new alien ship. Love because I love those green skinned sexy vixens . . .er ships. And hate because I love them, but I hate spending money, but I'd be reaaaaaaaalllly tempted to.

#GIB

 

[Deroth]

From looking at the Progress Tracker, the BMM might be ready for Alien Week 2023 but not 2022, unfortunately.
What I'd like to see from this Alien Week:

ALIEN GROUND VEHICLES!!!!

 

[Doyzer]

BMM price bump to $750

 

[Carlos Spicyweiner]

Alien tonks! Alien Mules! Alien ground vehicles of all flavors!

 

[Sky Captain]

Vanduul: Void or Cleaver.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I'd love to see a Tevarin design attack boat, on par with the Redeemer, but with stealth, extended range, and six S7 torp launchers--6 salvos each. Crew of 3, single ventral quad S4 remote turret with under-armor, missile and REO position, 2 S4 fixed guns for the pilot. Fast, almost maneuverable, full bed, head and galley, ample storage, but most importantly, at least as stealthy as the Prowler. All three seats on a shared bridge, connected to the rest of the ship by a components bay for serious damage control in a conflict (with space for spare components) and unusual extended downward view to front that makes use of the funky Tevarin windshield and looks like the beak of a raptor.

S7 torps are slow to lock and fire, but there should be an opportunity that if you could get off a second salvo, you could kill a Void Bomber, but not the better defended Idris.

IIRC, the Void Bomber has a Large sensor suite. With guns and shields off, the Prowler puts out about 11,000 EM. So a Tevarin attack boat modeled like the above could actually approach a Void Bomber to about 12km and remain hidden. What one might therefore do is glide in at 200 SCM and launch at 12km, then straif hard to be beside, above or below your torps and afterburn at the target. 10 seconds later you're about 4km, launch again and pull away before you enter the Void Bomber's S6 turret range. All 12 torp would then land within a second or two. This would not work on the Polaris nor Idris because they have much better radar and would spot you at 18 km.

It would also make a great Close Air Support craft. With 4S4 downfacing and heavy ventral armor it could rule the ground below and of course no Herc would dare enter a bombing run and risk taking a torp salvo.

Again lamenting the lack of a multi-crew scout craft in game. We're doing this long enough. Where is our Klingon Bird of Prey?

 

[Lemming]

I'd really love to see the a X'ian bomber. the X'ian ships are beautiful in design and fly so freaking well.