Following the concept release of the GATAC Railen, we took your community-voted questions to our designers to provide you with more information on the recently unveiled Xi'an cargo ship.
The current SCU system is based on rectangular dimensions, so how are the new triangular cargo pods of the Railen going to work? Will this new shape affect the physicalized inventory?
The triangular cargo pods of the Railen are actually fixed to the ship and not the cargo containers themselves. They open to fit the standardized cargo items inside.
The brochure says, "Bespoke triangular cargo-pods are made from high-grade materials in a unique shape to ensure freight remains safe." Will the Railen’s cargo pods be more durable than those used on the Hull series?
As the pods themselves are part of the ship, they provide some protection unlike the Hull series where the pods themselves are open to the void. However, they offer nowhere near the protection of a fully enclosed cargo bay.
Will it be possible to use the Railen’s cargo pods at any cargo station?
As standardized cargo units are contained within the pods, they’re treated as normal by cargo stations.
Do the Railen’s shields cover the cargo pods?
Yes, the shield system covers the pod area.
When is this ship planned to go into production?
When we are putting this ship into production, you’ll see it on the RSI Roadmap.
Could you tell us more about this ship's speed and maneuvering capabilities? As the Xi’an are known for their engines, will the Railen be fast and maneuverable for its size?
For its size and role, the Railen is more agile than expected due to the Xi’an thruster technology and placement along with its transformation abilities.
What are shield emitters, and what gameplay function will they have vs. shield generators?
Shield emitters will be an item on all ships where the shield is physically projected from. Typically (but not exclusively), one emitter covers one face of the shield system. Shield generators provide the shield resource to maintain the shield overall.
Could you tell us how we will load the ship? How do we physically fill and load the cargo pods?
They are loaded like all other cargo ships, by maneuvering the cargo into them by hand, tractor beam, or by hiring NPCs to load for you.
Why choose this ship over a Hull B or Freelancer MAX? The Hull B carries more cargo for a lower price and the Freelancer MAX can carry rovers.
We never want to have a ship that is clearly superior in all ways in a similar area, so there are lots of pluses and minuses for each of these ships. The Hull-B is the dedicated small-crew cargo ship and, as such, has a much lower capacity for onboard living for its two crew and favors cargo over firepower, which the Railen overcomes. The MAX has the benefit of being able to carry vehicles but the Railen has about twice the cargo capacity as the upside.
Can the turrets be slaved to the pilot with blades?
Like all turrets, we’ll support slaving them to the pilot with the use of blades. However, they’ll be locked forward so of relatively limited use. Solo players would be better hiring NPCs to man them for better coverage.
Will it be able to pick up mining cargo pods from the Prospector and Mole?
While not designed for this, given the tractor beam and cargo capacity, you’ll be able to pick them up and transport them. Other ships are more suited to this role though.
The Railen has large, well-appointed living quarters. Can we expect it to be a long-range hauler?
Yes. For its size and capacity, the crew has plenty of onboard facilities to facilitate long-range hauling.
What will the tractor beam be used for?
Tractor beams on cargo ships are primarily used to aid in the loading and unloading of cargo.
What happens to the ship’s grav-lev, anti-gravity, and fast-build consoles/systems when the power goes out? Does it all just fall apart like Rayman?
It does not fall apart. All the systems return to a default state and become inoperable until power is restored.
Is it at all designed to carry a vehicle, even a ROC or a Ranger?
It is not designed to accommodate a vehicle in a specific area. However, I’m sure players will find creative ways to get them on board like other ships.
Can the Railen enter VTOL separately from landing mode, or are they linked as part of the transformation?
In the concept, the engines rotate for VTOL as part of the landing mode. But, as we enter production, we’ll evaluate whether we can independently rotate the engines for VTOL without transformation and keep enough force to remain maneuverable.
Disclaimer
The answers accurately reflect development’s intentions at the time of writing, but the company and development team reserve the right to adapt, improve, or change feature and ship designs in response to feedback, playtesting, design revisions, or other considerations to improve balance or the quality of the game overall.