I like the Vulture. It's a nice challenge to try to keep it "thin" and keep your opponent in front of you. Flown well, it *is* hard to hit. Flown poorly, it's dead in seconds, even when *I'm* the one shooting at it.

Hi, I stealthily redid the collision hull of the vulture some time ago (like maybe 3 months ago?). It's better and more accurate than the old one, less susceptible to wingbugging, and about the same frontal surface area as the new, resized Cent. So, I don't think it's too bad. I also added shader stuff, and I thought it looked ok for now. I don't have any plans to remove it in the short term. And if I did, it would probably get a "redux" treatment from Luis, and be replaced with something thematically similar but graphically redone from scratch.

The "bus" replacement project is ongoing. Yes, I want to get something newer and cooler in there.. it's the first ship that newbies are exposed to, and lets face it, the bus is pretty ugly. It was intended to be ugly (in a utilitarian sort of way), but it looks.. very dated. I would rather put a better foot forward with newbies, so to speak.

When I replace the EC-series, I will keep one of the old variants available as some special mission-acquired ship, for all those who are feeling nostalgic.

Maybe keep the EC-107 Bus Hunter? :P

Yeah, if you're gonna trash the bus model and keep it on as only one variant, make it the 107 (a few touchups on that model would be nice too, if you're keeping it--newbies aren't gonna be too happy if they kill 50 people in an EC-88 and then they get this crappy-looking ship as a reward).

Awesome, incarnate! Have you considered having Luis design a seperate newbie ship for each nation? What about seperate noob blasters? I think it would go a long way towards first impressions, if you think the effort is worth the reward. In a perfect world I think it would be cool if most ships and weapons were nation specific:
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/9913?page=3#162472
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/13117

Either way I agree heartily about the ec-88... it does have nostalgic value to some (like myself) but it's not the best looking ship in game.

If you're going to keep one variant my vote would be the govbus.

Nooo! Don't nuke the vult, it's almost as iconic for VO as the prom and valk!

If they remove the bus, what becomes of the bus badge?
Yay inc... sounds like a great plan for bus replacement.

To nuking the vult:

Mogul, are you on crack??

I dont know about Mogul but I'm not.

Any kiddy backrolling in that is almost impossible to hit with energy. It's too slim.

Make the canopy tall enough so one can sit and it'd be better. I bet you'd have to lie down on a bed to man one of those.

Edit: plus it's ugly. Anyone who says it's an elegant ship must stop lying to himself and see it for what it is: a plastic toy ship.

mgl_mouser, de gustibus non est disputandum. In other words, your opinion is as good as other's. Personally, I find the Vulture to be one of the sleekest designs in the game.

I find it just lacks details.

The Maud has interesting details. The Thog is cool too. Cent, yeah. Most ships have nice details (Raptor is super sexy). The Vult on the other hand doesn't fit. I find the bus more pleasing.

But looks isn't the issue really. It's it's frontal area. *Every* other ship in the game has a third dimension(!) but that thing is just too flat.

"*Every* other ship in the game has a third dimension(!) "

The cent doesn't even have a SECOND dimension, so where are you coming off with that?