Greetings Citizens, The first Retaliator module concepts are here, and we know you’ve got questions about this new system! These questions were chosen from the Retaliator Module Q&A thread on the forums. Enjoy!
Question & Answer What happens to the old Retaliator? Does it stay as a solid block of torpedo only ship or will it be changed to modular base variant with torpedo bays? Existing Retaliator pilots do not need to purchase another ship! Your current Retaliator is now equivalent to the base with two torpedo bays installed. You can purchase separate modules this week to swap onto your existing ship.
Will the Retaliator have variants in addition to the modules or does the modular system replace variants? This will depend on the ship. Some will continue to have variants while some will have a single base with modular portions (think of how real world aircraft might have the ability to be retrofitted for different roles, while others might have several different types manufactured depending on missions.) As a rule of thumb, military ships are more likely to have traditional variants than civilian ones.
We do not currently plan additional Retaliator variants, although they’re possible. It’s likely the UEE has built several different hulls over the year! (Similar to how there’s a B-17D, E, F, G and so on with various improvements/changes.)
How will the Retaliator be without any modules installed, aka the unladen hull? Will it just be two holes in the hull? A Retaliator without modules installed would have large portions of the interior inaccessible.
Will all ships have modules, if not which ships will get modules? No! It will vary from ship to ship; many will have individual components you change and only some will be specifically designed to swap out modules. We can’t give you the entire rundown today, but we will go ahead and announce that the Endeavor platform is designed around a similar system of modules that change based on role.
Will these modules fit in other ships of relative size in the future? Potentially! We imagine using them in a larger, interconnected system in the future. These will likely follow logical rules in the game universe: Aegis might build other ships to use the same modules, while Anvil ships would have their own process. Imagine, for instance, a future medium bomber similar to the Retaliator that might let you choose only one of these modules instead of two!
How is insurance handled on a per module basis? Will we always have to insure modules separate from the base vessel? The insurance on the modules and the base ship are separate. This is intended to keep the original, torpedo-bomber version of the Retaliator unique: having one is the only way to get LTI on the bomb-related modules.
Does the installation of modules change the outside look of the hull based on the modules installed? This will vary from ship to ship; modules will significantly alter the Endeavor, while the change to the Retaliator will usually be negligible.
What situations can the dropship module be used in? Or what was the idea of CIG when creating them? This will tie into the gameplay we intend to introduce with Star Marine! We envision a future where there will be a need to deliver marines to hot landing zones or for boarding larger ships.
Why are front and aft modules with identical function not simply one module that fit in both locations? As noted above, we see these modules as the first step to a larger system. Having two smaller modules in a single ship gives you much more customizability. Sure, you can build a pure cargo Retaliator or a pure living version… but you can also mix and match to perform multiple roles. As the number of ships that use modules increases and the number of options available goes up, this will allow for significantly more gameplay.
Will we be able to begin installing these modules in our ship with AC 2.0? If not when do you expect us to be able to do that roughly? Modules will likely start coming online ‘in game’ after Arena Commander 2.0 launches; we do not have a specific date or patch to announce yet.
On modules in general: Will modules for all the possible jobs/roles in Star Citizen be available for all ships? Or will it be decided that perhaps a Retaliator can’t be used for mining or a Cutlass can’t be used for exploration? I’ve used arbitrary examples of course! No, there will always be limitations – we don’t see every ship as being able to fulfill every role (and especially, we don’t see every hull as being effective for every task.) We do have a mining module in development for the Retaliator, but because of the nature of the ship it would be significantly less useful than the technology on a dedicated ship like the Orion.
How will the changing of the modules work, will there be a system in your hangar that does automatically, or is this something you have to manually install with a crane. This will be done using a future version of the holotable, similar to how guns, shields and other components are changed.
What are the benefits of “living space”? Is it cosmetic as well as functional? (such as being able to transport passengers?) Or mostly cosmetic? Living space will let you use the Retaliator as a personal transport and tie into the larger passenger system discussed during the Starliner rollout… but in addition to that, it’s intended to speak towards personal customization, a place you can set up as your own much like you will your Hangar.
Will the modules be added to the EA REC store once they are Arena Commander ready? Yes, where appropriate (there likely won’t be a good reason to have a non-combat Retaliator immediately, but that will change as we begin prototyping other systems live.)
Will there be an option to reduce the needed crew for the Tali (e.g. swapping the turrets with something else, but also keeping some punch)? Yes, but this type of customization would take place using the existing systems: you can remove turrets, guns, etc. without changing these modules.
The current base model Retaliator comes with LTI, a hangar, a model, and the poster. Will the original Retaliators have these items retroactively added to them as well? Yes, we will grant the model and poster to all backers who purchase an empty Retaliator hull.
Cargo modules Living modules Torpedo bays Dropship module