Starfarer Q&A - Part 3

Concept Art - Crate transport blueprint

”The G2G Gemini is the galaxy’s premiere armored refueler. With the capacity to support a squadron of Hornets on a multi-system combat assignment, the Gemini is how the tip of the spear stays sharp. Based on the award-winning MISC Starfarer chassis, the Gemini has been rebuilt from the ground up to military specifications. Optional weapons packages ranging from missile launchers to minelayers allow this ‘turtle’ to pack a real punch! The Gemini is available for broad use today, and is highly recommended for anyone operating on the frontiers or beyond. “

- Aegis Dynamics Weapons of War! brochure, 2943

“TOP FIVE REJECTED STARFARER VARIANTS

5) Jarfarer: Carries jams, jellies and UEE Marines.
4) Carfarer: Can’t hurt to add wheels!
3) Charfarer: Packed full of delicious Terra BBQ.
2) Scarfarer: Exactly the same ship, but pointier.
1) Aarghfarer: Don’t ask.”

- MISCellaneous Quarterly (internal corporate newsletter)

Greetings Citizens,

Last month, we ran a collection of Hull series Q&A posts during the concept sale. The idea went over so well that we’ve decided to make it a tradition. All future concept sales will include at least one ‘post launch’ Q&A post. This week, for the Starfarer and Starfarer Gemini sale, we’re answering questions backers have posted to this thread.

Question & Answer

With the Starfarer’s designed modular rooms, will those be unique to the Starfarer hull? Or are modular rooms being designed with cross-chassis use in mind, to allow more variety with less work by designers and artists?

This will depend largely on the room; some ships (especially larger ones like the Idris and Javelin) will have rooms that could apply to multiple ships, whereas smaller ships like the Starfarer will likely end up with primarily unique rooms (although models and props can be reused between them, for ease of art and development! So while the physical room may be shaped differently, the same desk or aquarium might appear on multiple ships.)

Can ALL the fuel and refining equipment be removed from either variant in favor for an all-cargo carrying version?

No, you’ll always have internal fuel support systems taking up some space. Think of it this way: on the Hull series, the cargo is fully separate from the ship and the job of the ship is only picking it up and dropping it off. On the Starfarer, the ship has to interface directly with the fuel pods in flight… so there’s all sorts of internal plumbing to support this.

In the PU, will it be more difficult to obtain the Star-G due to reputation requirements with a UEE military faction?

Yes, the Gemini will likely be produced in significantly lower numbers.

Does it come with a jump engine?

Yes.

Will there be other variants of Starfarer in the future, or Gemini is the only known modification?

The Gemini is the only variant currently planned.

Will we be able to use the Starfarer to refuel the rest of our fleet in hangar? For instance can you take your Starfarer out and collect and refine fuel and use that fuel for another ship you take out next and store the remaining fuel in some personal depot somewhere?

We don’t have personal depots ready yet, but you can store the pods in your hangar. Otherwise, the answer is yes you will be able to use the Starfarer to manage your own fleet.

Clearly the external cargo space of the SF can handle multiple types of cargo, but what about the internal cargo space? Can that only be used for fuel?

For internal fuel, the answer is ‘anything that fits.’ It is not limited to just fuel.

The stats page and ship info list the Starfarer and Gemini as having the same weapons, engines, and mass. Is this an oversight? If they haven’t yet been determined, it’s ok to tell us, it would be a lot less confusing.

This is an oversight – the Gemini has one size larger turrets and engines. Because the models are very similar and components have not been finished, it’s not possible to measure a more accurate mass yet.

Does the “Gemini” variant show that gas will become a strategic resource in future limited by possible trade embargoes for instance?

While it’s possible in some situations that fuel will become such a resource, the existence of the Gemini doesn’t indicate this. The Gemini was created because the military needs a supply chain. In the past, we’ve told stories about fighter pilots on the front lines without filling out the entire universe… with Star Citizen, we want to show you all the support systems necessary for a universe to make sense.

Can we expect soon an indepth article about fuels, liquids in general and the whole economy in the verse

Yes! The fuel system and related balancing are still in development, but when we have a solid prototype in place we will present it to you. The economy will be fleshed out in many articles as we approach the launch of the persistent universe.

Does the Gemini carry less actual fuel as cargo than the regular Starfarer can?

Yes.

I’m interested in the possibility of skimming fuel from gas giants. Any idea where they are going with that? Seems like the perfect chance for procedural generation, since you don’t even need a ground.

This is one of the Starfarer’s primary goals. You can see in one of the concept pieces we put together for this promotion: the ‘filter’ is in the nose of the ship, so you need to fly down into the outer atmosphere to collect the fuel.

When flying a Starfarer, will NPCs ever hail us looking for an in-flight fill-up? This seems like it could be a good way to make a little extra money for the fuel (would cost more than a normal station refill), but the request could also be a pirate trap.

Absolutely! Any role we imagine in Star Citizen will be used for NPC mission generation.

What is the advantage of refined vs unrefined fuel?

Refined fuel can be used, unrefined fuel cannot. The Starfarer’s equipment will refine fuel much more slowly than a dedicated refinery, but quickly enough for personal use. So you’ll be able to choose between trucking vast quantities of fuel to a refinery, or refining a more limited amount immediately for your own use.

What have the developers envisioned as far as mishaps during inflight refueling? What would be the results of a collision with the refueling boom? What happens to a Starfarer or refueling craft if say one of those crafts explodes mid-refueling.

These situations are all bad news; we want refueling to be a challenging process, so failures and collisions should cause significant damage to ships.

There seems to be a belief that an explorer would be able to hire a Starfarer for support on long trips, allowing the player to take advantage of a near unlimited supply of fuel.

That seems like a good plan! Having a tanker with refinery capabilities along with you will significantly expand your range. (There will be other limitations that will likely prevent you from going forever, chief among them onboard munitions and system damage.)

robertsspaceindustries.com/com…4716-Starfarer-Q-A-Part-3