Launched fighters look like gnats

[Desterion]

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/startrekonline/video/6232976

There has been almost nothing on klingon fighters before. But I really don't think klingons would be launching such tiny ships for use in battle.

[TruthSeer]

You also have to remember scale. A one/two person craft (fighter or shuttle) would look like a gnat compared to just about any decent sized ST ship. Also while on of the recent interviews (don't remember which may have been the Old Gamers one) mentioned that carriers can launch BoP, I find it hard to believe they will be player ship Birds of Prey.

[Desterion]

I know It said they would launch birds of prey, but I would also like to think that their fighters would be a bit larger than a VW beatle. Even if they aren't to be as powerfull, they should increase the visual size at least. I'd like to at least see them doing something rather than seeing small orbs orbit around an enemy ship.

[Cormoran]

if they get bigger they'd cease to be fighters wouldn't they?

[slingbladez]

Here is a screenshot with them in it
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm184/deyvid_mmo/STO/mmorpg_2009-09-16_3514_3.jpg

I also did a print screen of the vid
http://img129.imageshack.us/i/klingonfighter.jpg/

[Desterion]

They look a bit better in the screenshot, but did you see the part in the vid where there is a squadron of them launched?

[Loekii]

I know It said they would launch birds of prey, but I would also like to think that their fighters would be a bit larger than a VW beatle. Even if they aren't to be as powerfull, they should increase the visual size at least. I'd like to at least see them doing something rather than seeing small orbs orbit around an enemy ship.

Well according to this sight - http://www.st-minutiae.com/misc/comparison/index.html

fighters = 5 - 20 meters
Defiant = 120 meters
Sovereign = 687 meters


Now STO is a little different, but the sense of scale is still implied. If anything, the STO fighters are 'Bigger' than they should be, but that is because of the game needing them to be visually seen.

[ransomwk]

They seem to be about the right size to me. Also consider that the only other fighter that's been see on screen is the Peregrine, which is somewhere between 30 and 50 meters long depending on which model you prefer. It seems no particular model has ever been pointed to on screen and explicitly called "Peregrine".

[TruthSeer]

Once again scaling. These are most likely one or two man ships, that also have to be launched and stored in the carriers. It wouldn't look right if the fighters were bigger than the launch bays.

[overlordthor]

Once again scaling. These are most likely one or two man ships, that also have to be launched and stored in the carriers. It wouldn't look right if the fighters were bigger than the launch bays.

True, I bet they are manned, by 1-2, much like a shuttle, but pure combat ships.

But i was wondering if we might be able to have drone controlled fighters, so as not to waste our crews in them?

There is basis for this, the Romulan's have fought wars with Drone ships before, the MVAM, is generally turns the other sections of the ship into drones controlled by the computer, with little to no control from the crew necessary, so they could be unnamed fighters.

P.S. they are supposed to be tiny, or they wouldnt be fighters, put a f16 next to a WW2 aircraft carrier, and zoom your camera out, the fighter is almost like a gnat compared to the ship.

[TruthSeer]

Drones could be an interesting idea.

The main thing I'm hoping is that carriers get a decent amount of fighters. The biggest should have about 20-40 fighters imo.

[Kaybok]

Here is a screenshot with them in it
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm184/deyvid_mmo/STO/mmorpg_2009-09-16_3514_3.jpg

I also did a print screen of the vid
http://img129.imageshack.us/i/klingonfighter.jpg/

They look pretty far in the background to me. Might be hard to tell until we have some footage of them launching out of the Vo'Quv.

[TFO_KillSwitch]

if she puts out bops that is one dame big ship

[Zepath]

I'm personally fine with the size of the fighters ... keeping them this small allows them to have A LOT of them with little or no impact.

[TruthSeer]

The one thing I am worried about is keeping the weapons effects proportionate.

[overlordthor]

I'm personally fine with the size of the fighters ... keeping them this small allows them to have A LOT of them with little or no impact.

Indeed, and you can fit a lot of small ships inside the hangars, The scimitar had fightercraft, they didnt use them, nor did they seem to really pack them in very tightly, that bay was spacious, they could have had more fighters in that bay.

I'd give the small carriers at least a dozen fighters to use. the VoQuv might have a hundred onboard, unless it gets bigger fighters. I might give it a limit on how many can be active at once, but have more then enough to cover that by 2-3 times. Justified by a lack coordination beyond a certain number.

[TruthSeer]

Indeed, and you can fit a lot of small ships inside the hangars, The scimitar had fightercraft, they didnt use them, nor did they seem to really pack them in very tightly, that bay was spacious, they could have had more fighters in that bay.

I'd give the small carriers at least a dozen fighters to use. the VoQuv might have a hundred onboard, unless it gets bigger fighters. I might give it a limit on how many can be active at once, but have more then enough to cover that by 2-3 times. Justified by a lack coordination beyond a certain number.

Being able to decide what kinds of fighters we use could be an interesting addition. Swapping them out like other equipment. Small fighters don't last as long and aren't as strong but you can have a lot more than larger fighters.

[ransomwk]

if she puts out bops that is one dame big ship

Indeed, though I would expect a BoP would take up a lot of her internal volume, thus severely lessening her compliment of normal fighters. She might even need specialized bays to hold a pair of BoPs. Though having the fighter bays as equipment on the paper-doll means they can provide several different types of fighters, and a bay for each. They could stick with the usual three weight classes: light for fighter superiority, heavy for assaulting hard targets, and medium for balance. This BoP thing suggests that they might give us a possible fourth option to forgo fighters for some built in wingmen.

[TruthSeer]

Indeed, though I would expect a BoP would take up a lot of her internal volume, thus severely lessening her compliment of normal fighters. She might even need specialized bays to hold a pair of BoPs. Though having the fighter bays as equipment on the paper-doll means they can provide several different types of fighters, and a bay for each. They could stick with the usual three weight classes: light for fighter superiority, heavy for assaulting hard targets, and medium for balance. This BoP thing suggests that they might give us a possible fourth option to forgo fighters for some built in wingmen.

It would be really great if we could balance out the numbers, as opposed to having to choose one type.

For example:

Heavies= 3, Mediums = 2, Lights = 1

10 capacity = 2 heavies, 1 medium, 5 lights.

[eqfan592]

It would be really great if we could balance out the numbers, as opposed to having to choose one type.

For example:

Heavies= 3, Mediums = 2, Lights = 1

10 capacity = 2 heavies, 1 medium, 5 lights.

I love this idea! I'm curious if, for the feds, which ship types will be able to carry fighters. I'm guessing cruisers? Or are they not getting fighters?

[Norexan-Guy]

Well, one BoP (tier-0) could be carried into a Vo'Quv. I'm not betting on more than one, though.

[Desterion]

I would think federation doctrine would be against sending out manned fighters like that. For klingons it would be honorable

[TruthSeer]

I love this idea! I'm curious if, for the feds, which ship types will be able to carry fighters. I'm guessing cruisers? Or are they not getting fighters?

From what we know they aren't getting fighters. Though it was hinted at awhile ago Feds might get shuttles but if they do I hope they get a max of like 3.

[Banar]

Starfleet used Runabouts and Peregrines for combat. If it is tactically beneficial to use them, they probably will at some point.

[TruthSeer]

I would think federation doctrine would be against sending out manned fighters like that. For klingons it would be honorable

He's right the Federation would be against sending one or two manned fighters to almost certain death. 1,000+ manned Starships on the other hand they're fine with. :D

[ransomwk]

It would be really great if we could balance out the numbers, as opposed to having to choose one type.

For example:

Heavies= 3, Mediums = 2, Lights = 1

10 capacity = 2 heavies, 1 medium, 5 lights.

wouldn't it be 1 heavy, 1 medium and 5 light? or 2 heavy, 1 medium, and 2 light?


either way I like the idea, having one bay, and different types of fighters taking up different amount of space in the bay would be the most sensible. Though I still think loading a BoP would require equipping a whole different box than what would be used for small fighters.

[Desterion]

Eve online did a good job with it. Allowing different types and sizes of drones as well as varying functions.

[ryuto]

I hope they work like the fighters from the Ur-Quan Dreadnought in Star Control/Star Control 2. I want some Klingon captain to waste all his crew on fighters so that one shot takes him out. :D

[Desterion]

Pilots are not considered part of the crew compliment of a starship. They are independent. They'd either run out of ships or pilots, but not crew.

[scottage00]

It would be great if they handled them like EVE online or some other pet system instead of just a constant DoT, that opens up all sorts of possabilities like having nebulae that deal small but constant damage to all ships in the area, forcing Vo'Quv commanders to recall their fighters when they enter one. Also as for the size, remember that the Vo'Quv is over 1.2 kilometers long, if you can even see the fighters distinctly in comparison than they're very large.

[DethInACAn]

I would think federation doctrine would be against sending out manned fighters like that. For klingons it would be honorable

I totally agree. I like the drone fighters idea and I also think that multiple fighter classes are a must. You should be able to hold fighters on any ship as well (tho if its a really small ship not many). The fighter sizes seem ok to me although a 20m fighter would be a bit massive. Thats like a shuttle size... but you could fit a lot of weaponry in...

[Eclipse1987]

I think the scale is about right, in sins of a solar empire, when a capital ship launches fighters, they are practically invisable from any distance outside of maximum zoom, most of the time all you see is the icon.

[Norexan-Guy]

I would think federation doctrine would be against sending out manned fighters like that. For klingons it would be honorable

If you played ST Invasion on a PlayStation you would know that Feds may have some use for fighters after all. Should Feds have shuttles armed to fighter specifications they could use shuttles as fighters, knowing Feds would have 3, maybe 4 on tier-4 ships.