Wave 4 Ship Roles Revealed

[jive]

Hey everyone! The 54 million letter from the chairman is awesome. It's a great read and it's the beginning of the new ship role selection for Wave 4!

We're just starting to see the pledge sales and finished concepts for wave 3, the Reclaimer is currently on sale - the first of the wave 3s to reach our accounts (if you're not counting the Gladius, Merchantman, and the Khartu-al, which are kind-of wave 2.5).

Some of the roles available for selection here are pretty inspiring. The current leader is a Science/Hospital vessel. I'm definitely enthused about this option and I think it'll make a great addition to the universe. I full support that vessel winning the first round, but as we know the lowest voted role is eliminated from the next selection.

What roles do you guys hope are NOT eliminated?

Options are:

Search and Rescue
Passenger Liner/Transport
Boarding/Assault
Repair Ship
Minelayer/Minesweeper
Salvage Tug
Recon Craft
Science/Hospital Ship
Third Starter
Deep Space Fighter (Twin Engine)

Of these, personally, I hope that the Salvage Tug is eliminated (good, because it looks like it will be) - it's just going to frustrate me to have two specialized salvage craft. I think that we should focus on expanding other ships into this role rather than reinforcing the class-to-ship comparison.

My personal choice for one I hope does not get eliminated is the Recon Craft, of course. But I think that there is already enough infrastructure in the game that we can make due if it is eliminated. But I would also really love to see a third starter. It'll radically change the landscape of the universe to see more cheap spacecraft for the average person. Currently forty percent of backers have an Aurora. Let's assume that half of them change to the Mustang, that's still 20% of the playerbase all flying the same ship. BOR-RING. Let's mix it up a bit!

So I recommend for this round, vote for the one you don't want to be eliminated because it looks like Science/Hospital is going to win this round. (Again, I think that's awesome!)

[zramn]

Honestly I don't want to see the search and rescue craft removed, as that would mean a probably beefy ship with good scanners and most likely a tractor beam. It would give a good alternative to the other "rescue" ship we have right now, the Cutlass.

I know you asked for NOT eliminated, but one I do want to see taken off of here is minelayer. I do not find it fun to be travelling at cruising speed [whatever %c that will be] only to be told [WARNING- MINES DETECTED] seconds before having my face dented in by the blast, that does not make for interesting gameplay, especially when you consider that if someone is not seen laying mines, there is no way your ship could broadcast the signal that the minelayer killed you...

[leopard]

I hope the SAR ship is removed, honestly

I'd like to see the Cutlass perform that role, as it was supposedly slated to do.
Right now CIG has seemingly been making the various original ships less capable, and each new role-specific ship they add (thusfar at a higher price) reduces the value of those ships.
... and I don't like that one little bit.

[leopard]

Oh, and I'm hoping for the repair ship or passenger liner to stick.