The whole Lander system SC2 vs SCO

from Stardock Forums

In SC2, when we obtained technology to make a lander better, better shuttle craft lander were made.   If we started the game with the equivalent of a Ford Model T lander we finished with something like a Rolls Royce or a Lamborghini.  You couldn't lose an improvement because the base lander became better.

In SCO, the approach is different, modules kept on the main ship make a Ford Model T lander behave more like a Tesla.  I suppose that the modules are kept on the main ship because otherwise, when your lander is destroyed, the improvements aren't lost.   The idea here is to be able to customize your lander for a specific mission to a planet.   

The problem with the SCO approach is that the only way you can customize your lander is at a starbase.   It is just not practical.  Imagine if Captain Kirk or Picard on Star Trek had to go to find a Starbase in Federation space every time they wanted to send a customized shuttle craft on a mission.  It's just not practical.   The only way the SCO approach would work to customize landers is if we can do it when we are in orbit around the planet.   The lander specific slots could be customized, this way, if we need extra armour or extra corrosion protection for a specific planet in the system, it would be handled in orbit.  I also don't get why we would still want to build a Ford model T lander once we have better armor tech or better engines.   Why use up a slot for better engines, when you can build your next lander with a better engine ? Imagine we know how to make a chainsaw, but instead of building a chainsaw, we still build a handsaw but use some external module to make the handsaw perform like a chainsaw from a distance.  It's just a weird complicated way of looking at it.

Another possibility would be to find more advanced lander types abord those wrecked ships that litter the various planets.

One other thing that annoys me about the current system:  We have a lander capable of blasting off into space from the planet, but whose same thrusters are unable to climb a steep hill.  This makes no sense.  If you can blast off into orbit, you should be able to climb up any hill on the planet.   The Ruby world are particularly annoying for this.   This makes the ressource gathering more tedious than it needs to be.

33,048 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from StarControl Forums Top

You really need the Anti-Gravity Thrusters to jump over canyons, etc.  Things are really OK after that.

 

However it might be nice to have more lander module slots because I run out of space and never use lander armor or lander engine supercharger.

Reply #2 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Limited number of modules force you to make choices, but it is really frustrating to hover over a valuable world and you need heat or toxic protection and the nearest starbase is a bazillion lightyears away.

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Reply #3 from StarControl Forums Top

There is plenty of space to get heat or toxic protection once you reach endgame where (spoilers): 1 Stun gun, 1 Anti Gravity Thruster, 1 heat shield mk3, 1 or 2 corrosion protection mk2, and 1 atmospheric stabilizer is all you need.  Total: 5 or 6 and you could add lander cargo space optionally, which does all fit on your ship.

 

But it would be nice to also have space to add the lander combat modules too (spoilers): (armor, crew, and super-charger).

 

Also, I mined too much at the beginning of the game and got bored.  It is better to find all those ice worlds for the Mu'Kay first thing in the game that earns you lots of RU (2000 each) while also mining what you can from those places.

 

Also all you have to do to get endgame heat, toxic, and atmospheric protection is visit enough starbases, which does not take long to travel through hyperspace and fuel is free since you can refuel at colonies or (spoiler): get rescued at zero fuel

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

I have reached the end game and also have most of the modules mentioned.  Still don't like it.   The Heat Shield MK3 is insufficient for some hot worlds you need another heat shield on top of that one to explore some hot worlds.


Reply #5 from StarControl Forums Top

Quoting JacquesGauthier, reply 4

I have reached the end game and also have most of the modules mentioned.  Still don't like it.   The Heat Shield MK3 is insufficient for some hot worlds you need another heat shield on top of that one to explore some hot worlds.

Not sure what you're talking about. 100% heat protection is granted by the MK 3 heat shield. No more is required unless you found a bug. Flaming rocks you'll never be protected against by the heat shield. Toxic requires two items.