As it stands, the Raptor is supposed to be an 'advanced' and elite ship originally reserved for test pilots. But as everyone knows, it's a bit nerfed. The radar is cool, but being in a better ship far outweighs this. It's also quite large, and a tad sluggish for an advanced fighter class. It's only real advantage is it's high speed, but this is offset by its lack of weapon slots. It can only really mount light(er) weapons, and so is forced to engage in the same style of combat as a Vult/Valk with little incentive to do so.

So I propose the TPG Raptor MkIII. It's 'advanced', and so now a ship worth paying for. I'll make two suggestions that are quite different, so take whichever you prefer (or both...or neither as I suspect the case will be :P).

I've tried to maintain the 'experimental' feel by making them slighlty different to most other ships, generally more specialised.
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A joint project between TPG and BioCom, the Raptor XT sacrifices cargo space to fit upgraded engines that provide incredible engine power. Energy that would be used to improve manouverability is diverted to accomodate heavier weaponry and a further radar boost. The drain from the engines makes high-speed rocket or missile attacks more viable than most energy-based weaponry.

Name: BioCom Raptor XT
Faction: BioCom
Faction Level: 400
Level: 5/4/4/-/-
Armor: 8600
Cargo: 2 cu
Weapons: 2S 1L
Mass: 3800 kg
Length: 17m
Thrust: 220 N
Turbo Thrust: 300 N
Max Speed: 60m/s
Spin Torque: 9.5 Nm
Turbo Speed: 230 m/s
Turbo Energy: 65/s

*Standard radar extended by 500m.
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TPG pushed current technologies to the limit to produce the Raptor MKIII. Designed as an escort variant the emphasis is on spectacular energy efficiency and manouverability at lower speeds. This reduces the need for ammunition and battery recharges on extended escort duties. Although achieving impressive efficiency, there are limits. TPG has promoted the MKIII as the flagship for it's 'Sparrow' series of Phase Blaster, which is well-suited to defending convoys from Hive activity.

Name: TPG Raptor MKIII
Faction: TPG
Faction Level: 800
Level: 7/8/-/-/-
Armor: 10000
Cargo: 2 cu
Weapons: 4S
Mass: 3000 kg
Length: 17m Thrust: 235 N
Turbo Thrust: 220 N
Max Speed: 60m/s
Spin Torque: 7.0 Nm
Turbo Speed: 210 m/s
Turbo Energy: 60/s
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If you don't like the ideas then that's cool, but at least suggest your own upgrade, because I think the Raptor really needs some love. :P

I don't think that the devs are going to brake the 225m/s turbo barrier, but I think you've got some cool concepts here.
I like em both :)

I like the BioCom variant, just crank up the faction standing to 600 or 800, and make it weigh 4000kg.

Dude, that thing is like a mini fucking prom. No, no, no. And it'll never get to 230m/s. It won't reach it before the energy runs out.

"Dude, that thing is like a mini fucking prom. "
It's less armoured than a Valk, which is meant to be a light fighter, so it's not exactly heavy duty.
Plus even if it was good, is there a rule that all new ships must be crapper than the current ones?

"And it'll never get to 230m/s. It won't reach it before the energy runs out."
With the acceleration 300N of force provides?

This is a Hornet, bent out of shape. I'm not opposed to the suggestion, though. Would be interesting to see this in-game.

I like both, though I think the second raptor should have a max of 3 small ports instead of 4.

actually yes there is a rule that all new ships must be worse then all current ones in game. just look at all the new ships put in game. anyways we don't need another agt flare spamming ship so unless something changes 2 small 1 large is a no no

Its come up a few times that a 2L "Bomber" variant might work (if nothing less, it'd be original; we have enough 2s1L chassis as-is).

I like these, they're still flare magnets but at least they're some thing new.

I'm not set against changing the weapon ports. I was originally going to makit it 2L but in anticipation of a backlash I changed it.

2L would be different, but a fighter with 2L...
It could work, the thing is we don't have one yet. Could be interesting to say the least.

""And it'll never get to 230m/s. It won't reach it before the energy runs out."
With the acceleration 300N of force provides?"

Yes, have you seen its fucking drain?! 65/s is huge.

Then instead of whining, just suggest it is lowered...it's not like the ship I've suggested has to be stamped pass or fail, it can be altered...

Restayvien: New versions of the raptor have been suggested every 3 weeks since it was first introduced. None of your ideas are even marginally original. The responses to your suggestion are not "whining", they are merely stating the fact that this has been done to death more times than you could count. The fact that you insist on dragging the horse's carcass out for yet another beating is annoying and demonstrates that you have at best a cursory understanding of the process of developing useful suggestions. (Hint: searching for old threads in which 'your' idea has already been discussed would be a good start)

Your whining is hardly original either, yet you don't seem to grow tired of filling the forum with it ad-nauseum.

No one has suggested the Raptors that I did, they simply suggested others (which no doubt, you whined about).

No one has suggested the Raptors that I did, they simply suggested others (which no doubt, you whined about).

Actually, he's whined on relatively few of them, as he's new enough not to have been active when they started. Nevertheless, ladron: stop trying to be Lecter.

There's a reason people keep suggesting Raptor variants: no one flies the current ones because, well, they suck. Restayvien's approach for the TPG raptor variant is indeed original. The Biocom variant is a variant on an idea we've seen before, but moreover something we've seen before and liked (but not implemented), so I don't see why it shouldn't be suggested again.

So, to summarize: if you're going to criticize, be constructive at least.

Having read this and the previous threads on encouragement by prior comments, I am mostly left with a feeling that the Raptor really is in need of some upgrades. (read : proper implementation of an Advanced Fighter)

I have flown that gorgeous craft for a little while now, and for certain, it is a decent Escort fighter.. within Ion Storms. (Unsurprising really)

Therefore the second, Escort Variant, is a great suggestion.

Now if only we could clip it's massive bounding box profile.. and stop getting hit so easily haha ;) (I joke.. just my bad piloting)

However, I agree.. breaking the 225 barrier is a bit much, I would suggest that idea be shelved for the meantime. :)

best,
- T.

Okay, I'm really sorry to be a prick here, but...

"With the acceleration 300N of force provides?"

Can someone tell me what physics are applying in VO? In all my time there I never paid any attention to those numbers, but when I actually look at this stuff, supposing you were to equip nothing to that ship (let's say with 4000 kg) the acceleration would only be .075 m/s/s. That's not very fast.

I'm sure, however, some newb has already complained about this somewhere, somehow, so can some kind gentleman point out where I can see the actual mechanics in play here?

As far as the actual idea, very shiny, I say go for it.

"So, to summarize: if you're going to criticize, be constructive at least."

And creative... if you're going to criticize make it something NEW. (I'm very tired about the people whining about the whining... heck, you've even got ME doing it about YOU.)