Forums » Suggestions
Update the Axia Guardian Wraith/Revenant
Background
Historically, the Revenant has been the first trade ship available to players, and many players move on once something with more cargo capacity becomes available. However, the Revenant has a combat niche in the game as the 'poor-man's' Prometheus. I was interested in this play style and thought the natural next step up would be the Axia Guardian Wraith. However, when trying the ship, it felt worse.
It was hard to put my finger on, but after a side by side comparison (thanks 3rd-person free cam) it's apparent that the shape of the ship is the reason. The Revenant is effectively point shaped, whereas the Guardian Wraith is effectively hockey puck shaped. The Wraith therefore has a larger frontal profile, and a significantly larger top and bottom profile. The result is that the better stats are completely offset (or more) by the larger profile, making the Wraith a 'neat historical relic' instead of a 'top of the line Revenant equivalent'.
Suggestion Core
Assuming that the intention of the Wraith is meant to be the pinnacle of the Revenant line and more appropriate for combat, I have two possible solutions:
* Reduce the size of the Wraith model
OR
* Introduce an Axia Guardian Revenant, with the same stats as the Guardian Wraith
Either one of these should increase the viability of the top end Wraith/Rev line, and therefore provide more variety in viable combat ships to the game overall. Keeping a reduced Wraith model in game maintains a touch more uniqueness and variety, but has more risk to create an unbalanced ship if the model were made too small. Switching to a Guardian Revenant is a safer but less interesting path; less variety, but, since the Prometheus line would have better stats, there's little chance that a Guardian Revenant would be overpowered.
In terms of development effort, shrinking the model will either be easy (select all -> scale to ~75%) or hard (a complete remake). For adding the Revenant, I would guess it would be an hour or two of copy-pasting the Wraith stats as a new ship, then updating the Axia stations to sell the new ship instead of the old one.
Finally, if keeping some variant of the Wraith in game is the desirable, creating a Valent Wraith with more cargo space would make sense. That would match the existing Axia/Valent dynamic, and the larger model would justify the extra cargo room.
Historically, the Revenant has been the first trade ship available to players, and many players move on once something with more cargo capacity becomes available. However, the Revenant has a combat niche in the game as the 'poor-man's' Prometheus. I was interested in this play style and thought the natural next step up would be the Axia Guardian Wraith. However, when trying the ship, it felt worse.
It was hard to put my finger on, but after a side by side comparison (thanks 3rd-person free cam) it's apparent that the shape of the ship is the reason. The Revenant is effectively point shaped, whereas the Guardian Wraith is effectively hockey puck shaped. The Wraith therefore has a larger frontal profile, and a significantly larger top and bottom profile. The result is that the better stats are completely offset (or more) by the larger profile, making the Wraith a 'neat historical relic' instead of a 'top of the line Revenant equivalent'.
Suggestion Core
Assuming that the intention of the Wraith is meant to be the pinnacle of the Revenant line and more appropriate for combat, I have two possible solutions:
* Reduce the size of the Wraith model
OR
* Introduce an Axia Guardian Revenant, with the same stats as the Guardian Wraith
Either one of these should increase the viability of the top end Wraith/Rev line, and therefore provide more variety in viable combat ships to the game overall. Keeping a reduced Wraith model in game maintains a touch more uniqueness and variety, but has more risk to create an unbalanced ship if the model were made too small. Switching to a Guardian Revenant is a safer but less interesting path; less variety, but, since the Prometheus line would have better stats, there's little chance that a Guardian Revenant would be overpowered.
In terms of development effort, shrinking the model will either be easy (select all -> scale to ~75%) or hard (a complete remake). For adding the Revenant, I would guess it would be an hour or two of copy-pasting the Wraith stats as a new ship, then updating the Axia stations to sell the new ship instead of the old one.
Finally, if keeping some variant of the Wraith in game is the desirable, creating a Valent Wraith with more cargo space would make sense. That would match the existing Axia/Valent dynamic, and the larger model would justify the extra cargo room.
Assuming that the intention of the Wraith is meant to be the pinnacle of the Revenant line[
What is your justification for assuming that?
What is your justification for assuming that?
"What is your justification for assuming that?"
Based on the Revenant being the successor to the Wraith. Before the Revenant was released, the Wraith existed with the same stats, and included the Axia Guardian Wraith as the pinnacle of that line. My understanding is the devs kept the Guardian Wraith for diversity when the Revenant was released. Similar to how the EC-88 is still purchasable after doing a mission tree.
Based on the Revenant being the successor to the Wraith. Before the Revenant was released, the Wraith existed with the same stats, and included the Axia Guardian Wraith as the pinnacle of that line. My understanding is the devs kept the Guardian Wraith for diversity when the Revenant was released. Similar to how the EC-88 is still purchasable after doing a mission tree.
I'd rather see the Guardian Wraith get a turret, probably mounted towards the prow more for offensive usage then defensive.
+1 and look no hands make a separate suggestion! I like that.