Been readying an update for the
oxp based on my thoughts here after making a few tweaks to my size formula.
(
Quick recap...) Based on inference from primary sources it's not too dificult to postulate that 1TC = 1 crew in terms of space requirements and perhaps that 1 missile would account for similar and that 1 escape pod indeed does.
Engine size might appear logical if they're to generate enough force to push x mass at speed y (potentially within and without gravity); or at least 'logical' enough not to appear out of place within Oolite's flight model.
However, two things in particular appear difficult for different reasons: the hyperdrive and the cargo bay extension(/expansion).
Cargo Bay Extension
The only canonical one I'm aware of is for the Cobra 3, granting an extra 15TC of space at seemingly no cost beyond the financial.
Extra cargo space may be acquired by extending the cargo bay, which does not affect maneuverability.
Despite the fact that it's extremely cheap given it's potential for return of investment.
It's interesting that the word 'maneuverability' is used, especially when 'speed' is so much easier to spell
Now the two words aren't typically referring to the same thing and I expect the difference wasn't lost on mathematics graduate Ian Bell.
We know in game of course (i.e. elite) that there was neither speed nor maneuverability penalty but then we also know that there were a number of in game oddities that were contrary to other primary sources. For example, the cobra mk III was, at least occasionally
bigger than a 100TC python but smaller than a 0TC worm. So it's very difficult not to disagree with any given primary source when they so often appear to disagree with each other.
Also, I don't wish to disagree with anything 'Oolite' for the sake of it (believe it or not); after all Giles tweaked a few things to try to have them make more 'sense' or at least be more playable. So what if the oolite speed value of the cobra 3 (0.35LM) required that the cargo bay not be extended? Perhaps the same space that were optimised for cargo could just as easily be optimised for engines, or (if you prefer) installing the extended capaity taxed the engines more heavily?
We I now have an(other) excuse for (at least) two speed values for the same ship and an encouragement to slow down player progression rather than game speed.
If I use the 0.28 value (from the C64 stats) as the one that makes the most sense to me (between cobra 1 and fdl) and minus it from the oolite value of 0.35 then I get 0.07. Slowest core ship is the shuttle at 0.08, so even it could take a 0.07 hit to speed and still be mobile... just.
This could also explain why the mamba is relatively slow despite it's racing heritage:
Fighter which grew out of custom-built primarily designed for racing purposes but adopted and armed by pirates due to its high speed and maneuverability. Cargo space was added later when Raddlett and Rayburn Shipyards (based at Reorte) standardized the variences and began manufacturing the craft in large numbers.
Assume it has its cargo expanded by default and it's no longer limited to 0.32LM but could make it up to 0.39LM. Pirates likely wouldn't bother with that as they need the TCs but a racer might see things differently. The asp on the other hand is already at 0.4LM with no cargo capacity (therefore already at top speed) and although slightly faster than the racing mamba just doesn't have the same maneuverability.
Currently, extra cargo space is assumed to be fully optimised and less influential with regards ship size than is standard cargo space.
Hyperdrives
I've already suggested this up thread in an attempt to explain the asp but having a hyperdrive could be at the expense of maneurability. It already matches fairly well with the curve factor values in the manual and if it were simply an engine option (superior manevrability or hyperdrive) then there'd be no need to account for extra space. There's still be the fuel tank of course but then injectors as well as hyperdrives can exploit those.
Speed vs Capacity
Hyperdrive vs Maneurability
That's 4 variants/fittings for each ship type and not without at least some evidence in support.
Next up, energy banks/recharge vs er... pylons? Maybe not as crazy as it sounds (or maybe it is, I need to think some more).
