Well, I've wasted half a dozen more Raptors last night and, while no an ACE pilot myself, have had a lot more difficulties PvP-ing with the Raptor than other ships I've flown before.

It really comes down to handling. It's too slow turning on itself. Vults dance all around it. Worse yet, the Vult being paper-thin makes it even harder to hit given the Raptor's far-apart canons. It only takes a few degrees roll difference in both ships to make the Vult completely unattainable.

This thing desperately needs 2000 armour more, and a third weapon port. Preferably an L port, centered. TPG already delivers a 3S-port platform (Maud and Maud X) so it would be pointless to make Raptor a 3S thing.

The only 2s1L platform I recall is the Wraith so both wouldn't compete really. The wraith has a trunk. The Raptor has a glove compartment.

me points mouser towards the prom as another 2 small 1 largesetup.

From my experience with the ship, which was only botting, I can see that the ship is ok for botting though not very efficient, but it would be horrible for pvp in current state as everyone else has stated. Reminded me very much of the Prom with no armor. I agree with either giving it more armor, or, giving it a third weapons port, but not both. And it definitely needs to have it's turning speed increased.

Renegade, thanks for the reminder.

Though, the Prom being a heavy ship (somewhat like a Rag but more agile), doesn't really compete in the light fighter arena.

If a Prom can withstand a PvP fight against a light fighter, it's only because of it's behemothian armour.

Well the Prom also has mad thrust, making it almost as agile (if not as agile) as the Raptor, even with thre bigass weapons loaded on board and a hold full of cargo... plus, it has a really narrow profile. Add to that your behemothian armor, and you have something against which a Raptor could never measure up.

That's not to say that the prom couldn't do with a few whacks of the nerf bat of course, but they're two totally different animals in a slightly different way...

The issue, is that the raptor doesn't perform particularily well in EITHER arena (the Prom's OR the Wraith's) so it needs something to set it apart from the rest...

I say it needs mad forward thrust and a chart-topping turbo speed. (just look at those engines and tell me it shouldn't go fast!) Of course, it also needs a central port (l-port would be nice) or at least more ports than it currently has (Helix's four-corner-s-port idea sounded cool).

Do I remember correctly, but wasn't the raptor designed as a replacement for the bus? To make the initial game more attractive to new players? If so then we should keep this in mind when flying it...

Maybe i'm completely wrong...

But I still agree it needs to be changed. Every class of ship should be unique in some way, and have more pronounced strengths and weaknesses. These new ships being introduced should hopefully start to reflect that. This shouldn't be too much of a balancing issue until we reach the point where the devs can start making more ships nation specific, or even nation exclusive.

What if the Raptor's top turbo speed were bumped up to 240 m/s making it *drumroll*... the fastest starfighter in the galaxy...

/reverb

That may give it a uniquely useful role. It even looks fast with all those engines. If it did get mad forward (or turbo) thrust as per Cunjo's suggestion, it might be fine with it's 2 s-ports as a rocket jouster.

I agree Phaser.

Yea, the raptor feels like I am driving a truck, even a against a freakin regular bus! if the agility were boosted a bit it would be an excellent gauss platform.

a single L port config or a 2s1L config would be good

hell even 4s. 2 gauss 2 flares THEN we have a weapon platform....if the speed were adjusted as it already turns like a 93 chevy lumina as is.

I would love to see a variant with 2 L ports. Thats something we havent got atm. Would be great if we could put 2 queenguns on it.

Oh, and it needs to be more agile (like said before here). It should become the UIT reply to the vult. So, in other words, a slightly less agile vult with 2 L ports.

Moth has 2 L-ports. :D

medium ports would have been so cool ;(

/me dreams on

What would you put in them lol?

:p

New medium port weapons of course!

A gatling N3 turret!

Ohhhhhhh hmmmmmm

Hows this :p

We move the current large ports down to meduim. Then we can shove LARGE stuff in the large ports =D

Maybe a Proton Charged Fusion Rocket :p
or a Electron Despersing Cannon
or a Neutron Blaster Cannon

Those sound big =D

small ports : automaimless energyweapons, small guiding homers, iceflares (or starflares the smallest ones), flechette

mediumports: sunflares, medium autoaim energyweapons ergo gausses or gatling cannon, geminis, rails, proxmines, concussionmines

large ports: agt, jacks, screamers, swarms, bigger mines, lightningmines, plasmadev

cent: 1 small
ibg/rev c: 2 small
vult : 1 small 1 med
vulturius + svg + that xt version from valent i believe: 2 med
valk : 2 small 1 med
valk mk4 (IDF or something, forgot name): 1 small 2 med
marauder: 1 small 2 medium
Maud X: 3 med
raptor : 3 med
hornet : 2 small 2 med
orion hornet: 1 small 3 med
warthog: 1 small - 1 large
UIT hog: 1 med 1 large
wraith: 1 small 1 med , 1 large
AXIA wraith : 2 med 1 large
centaur: 1 med 2 large
prometheus: 2 med 1 large
rag: 3 med 2 large
behemoth: 2 large

/me dreams on

Adding items from a lower port type into a higher portslot is possible at an extra cost (meaning you can use a gauss in a large port but not an agt in a medium port)

LOOKS get a 9 out of 10 but thats where is ends. Its a big flat pancake of a target and the weapons as everyone has said are too far apart.
What about some special role as a fast recon ship? 240 / 250 m/s and only 1 small port ? Maybe with a stealth capability when cruising @ 70m/s ???

I also think it should have another port. Either make it a 2S 1L or a 4S according to the looks of it one S port could go near each of the engines. That would make sense. Congratulations to Luis on this great design, very fresh. I am sure more great stuff is coming. I love the raptor from the looks of it, but I also believe that the flying is not what it promises when you see it. I think this ship needs a radical ability and not mediocrity. maybe make it a fast turner to compensate for the far apart weapons port, since someone coming close in cant be hit at all atm. Id make it a super fast turner, faster than a rev c.

Maybe this one can get a special ability, like have a cloaking device or a ship scanner that reveals what others have loaded.