Oolite Bulletins

Two new ships in various flavours for you to try:

Falcon.oxp - bit of a give away.

Kestrel.oxp - smaller ship on a similar theme.

Both can be found @ the link on my sig.
( I've been having trouble with Oosat2 )

Read the ReadMe's: V.v. short back-story in a poor attempt to justify such ships in the Oolite universe.

These are my first .oxp's ( and first attempt @ 3D modeling too ) so be kind.

Yes, the ships are ment to be like that...
Too well speced?
Too cheap??
( I've tried to balance them with the aid of some NPC-only versions. )

Your comments would be appreciated.

*Edit*
Oops - problem with the link, now fixed
Here's a screenie...



Click for a for a better view.

The Kestrel has it's own HUD too.

Right On, Commander!

The screenshots look great, just downloaded them, can't wait to get my hands on one!

Captain Hesperus
"In my past I've been responsible for a good number of destroyed ships. Some of them were even ships I was in combat with."

Just tried out the Kestrel. Wow! For a first attempt, it rocks! The controls are a little *delicate* on the keyboard, but with a fine hand and a quality joystick it'd handle better. The skin is well detailed, but I must admit, the pylons can be something of a liability, both in combat and in post-combat cargo clean-ups. This is because they take up almost half the forward view. However, once you get past this (it took me two kills to get used to it) you find you almost forget they are there, though it helps to have a STE. Another problem is that they catch and reflect a lot of light which can distract you. Finally since the fuel scoop is located way back behind the edge of the ship, you have to line up far in advance and crawl over the object to be scooped but this is easy once you line it up between the pylons. With only ten tonnes of cargo space, you have to really economise with fights, but since you only have space for three missiles you're hardly going to be breaking the bank if you clear your missile pylons in a brawl. The speed is phenomenal, enough to outrun pretty much anything that might outgun you, but this of course has a knock on effect on manouevring.
The cockpit views are great with only the problem of the front view being cut off by the hull, but I must admit that the cockpit wasn't built for comfort although the brunished steel accents and deep leather-lined pilot's seat make up for the lack of legroom. Also the facilities are somewhat basic. I mean, really, this is the 30th Century, do we not have technology now to prevent me having to do my business in a bucket in the corner of the cockpit!!?!?!
A few screenies of my own here

Captain Hesperus
"I'm never touching MegaWeed again. Last time I woke up with a splitting headache, a hold full of sun-baked Trumbles and on the wrong side of the galaxy. It's those kind of parties I PREFER to remember!"

Thank you for the kind comments:

Twitchy bugger isn't it?

The pylons do get in the way, but part of my efforts to balance out a ship of these specs...

The fuel-scoops were ment to be located roughly where the scoop-thingy is slung under the ship. One of probably many mistakes I've made.

Another is that I was hoping this ship would come with rear plasma-cannons by default, but not working for me.

I'll make changes as feedback dictates...

Ooo, if you thought the view out of this ship is restrictive, just wait till you want to look out the port side of the Falcon.

P.s.
If you haven't already discovered, the Kestrel often turns up as an escort to some Falcons.
If you come across a Falcon-H; I suggest you RUN!

To me the Kestrel is a fighter with enough cargo to make a useful bountyhunter's ship.

Regards.

P.S. Nice screenies.

One little bug I just experienced. After sending a pirate Python to meet his maker I started scooping my 10 tonnes worth of booty when I caught up with his escape pod and another cargo pod simultaneously. The fuel scoop chugged away and I checked my manifest....to see 11 tonnes of cargo!

I don't know if this is a bug in Oolite or the Kesrel's OXP, since I've never experienced it before. Not that I'm complaining of course.

P.S. I really like the flux pattern of the Kestrel's engines!

Captain Hesperus
"I wouldn't consider myself a pirate, it's just GalCop doesn't see that my style of 'cargo acquisition' is totally legal."

I think it's a bug with the tractor beam, giles did do some work on it which improved it's performance, but as you found out, it is still possible to go over the limit when you scoop multiple objects.

TGHC wrote:

I think it's a bug with the tractor beam, giles did do some work on it which improved it's performance, but as you found out, it is still possible to go over the limit when you scoop multiple objects.

The most irritating part of scooping when you're nearly full, is that when you've filled the cargo bay and it's told you it's full, the tractor beam remains active so you end up with a bunch of 'satellites' that invariably end up sat right in front of your gunsights (but strangely, just out of reach by your lasers) . I had to fight a pirate Asp II using just the STE since I couldn't see to shoot. Nailed him tho'.

Captain Hesperus
"If you read the Pilot's Reference Manual carefully, it tells you how to generate high grade Quirium out of whiskey. It's a shame I can't keep it in the bottle long enough to try..."

I'm thinking of doing a Kestrel variant, once any reported bugs in the current .oxp's are ironed out & released.

It would be much like the current one but with the cockpit @ the front to make room for more cargo

My worry is that such a ship would have much the same specs as the Kestrel - if a little heavier and so slightly less manouverable.

Would this remove too many of the penalties I've put into this ship & so make it too 'uber'?

I may do it anyway as part of a Kestrel update but make it NPC only...

Comments?

Variants are fine, eg the mosquito sport and trader, look identical apart from the skin.

I love it...

Benulobiweed.inc is proud to announce its latest addition!!


Click the image.

See the link below...

Nice add

TGHC wrote:

Variants are fine, eg the mosquito sport and trader, look identical apart from the skin.

Actually the sport is smaller and has two extra fins which the mosquito doesn't

there are two variants of the sport though, a silver skin and an orange one.

Merlin looks very nice!

Hey, I like the Merlin! And the ad is funny!