Some kit-bash/reworks

First up, an expanded "Star" model line-up:

Starflier VLF that's had the fancier cockpit sides from the unused Starblazer (all are based on this modified cockpit), and an enclosed chin position to allow mounting a CD

Startracker LF upgraded, will feature a stern mounted turret

Starblazer MF perhaps everyone's first mod. The model has been modified, but the changes are subtle. Nothing ostentatious.

Starchaser HF with changes from the base model including resizing the fuselage and additional lower hull/engine combo

Starhunter VHF a progression of the previous model and a couple additional pieces

Starslayer TB good anti-capitol firepower but not meant for serious dogfights

Starrunner LFr standard freighter, a contemporary of, but also an improvement on the Rhino

Starliner HFr improved freighter in the Dromedary's statistical area. Carries an additional turret at the cost of it's mine launcher mount

I still have a bit of minor work to do on them, and still considering whether to bother with LOD meshes or not. Haven't noticed an appreciable performance hit without them and the primary distance pushed out to the max in the scripts. Opinions?

Additionally, I've been digging through forum posts here and other sites. The consensus seems to be that having damage meshes (destroyable parts) cause performance issues especially during online play. I haven't been one for online play in many years, so I haven't had the opportunity to test it out. I haven't made the additional meshes yet. My time is limited so perhaps not, although fairly simple to add them later on. Any input?

I was looking things over in SP. To be honest in the middle of a fur-ball, the destroyable pieces are rarely noticeable in game until the target is on the death roll, especially with the smaller ships. Mostly they're obscured by the flames smoke effects, so kind of pointless. For a brief moment there's a bit of debris then it blows up. Draw distance is fairly conservative with Freelancer, at least compared to current engines.

If combat was in a larger scale it might be worth doing, but I think I'll keep things as unified objects instead. I hadn't considered the loss of ability with hard-points getting destroyed. Makes sense would be extra frustrating in multi. Most other sims don't implement the damage mechanic the same way. An older mecha sim I like to meddle with, Starsiege, has something similar save it was designed earlier and less capable. I did play multi for years with that one. One of the primary complaints was indeed loss of weapons and equipment when a section was blown off the vehicle.

Thanks for the input