Python MK2 special SCO drive feature?

[ждун]

I have noticed something interestning.
When equipped with SCO FSD Python MK2 can do something that other ships cannot do.
With any other ship, when departing from a planet, and having supercruise enabled, you cannot use SCO boost until gaining some fair distance from the surface. The SCO is blocked saying "masslocked" (even though mass lock checkbox is cleared already) for about 40 seconds in supercruise or so. Now with Python MK2 there is no such restriction. I can kick on SCO boost right after entering supercruise. That gives the Python MK2 a huge advantage when it comes to hopping ground settlements. With the MK2 I can jump from one settlement to another in less then a minute. Take off, 10 seconds later I am already engaging SCO boost. 10 seconds later I am already approaching next settlement.

Is this a bug? And if so, how is it supposed to behave? Should Python MK2 SCO be blocked near ground too, or should other ships not be blocked?

[Holeypaladin]

Some planets mass lock your ship when you depart, others not so much. I think it depends more on the planet and its atmosphere than whether or not you're flying a Python mk II.

[ждун]

It seems not affecting Python MK2. I have noticed that landing on same planet when collecting massacre missions with Mamba, Anaconda and DBX all equipped with SCO drive. They all have SCO boost blocked after entering supercruise for a while, now P2 can kick it on right after departing and entering supercruise. Also when hopping engineers P2 was not blocked on really heavy planets with high gravitation as well, while other ships were always blocked.

[QbeX]

its a bug not a feature AFAK, happens to me in other ships like Vmk4 and Cobra, its just not consistent, even the same planet sometime will let you boost from almost ground zero but other times is "mass locked"

[Un1k0rn]

Messaggio originale di QbeX:

its a bug not a feature AFAK, happens to me in other ships like Vmk4 and Cobra, its just not consistent, even the same planet sometime will let you boost from almost ground zero but other times is "mass locked"

I was thinking the same. I was absolutely hitting the boost the moment I entered SC in my Cobra Mk IV prior to the latest patch.

[ждун]

For me its consistent with P2, works always on every planet.
If its a bug, how is it supposed to be? Supposed to be blocked until gaining some distance or not?

[Un1k0rn]

Messaggio originale di ждун:

For me its consistent with P2, works always on every planet.
If its a bug, how is it supposed to be? Supposed to be blocked until gaining some distance or not?

No clue.

General rule of thumb though: Until a dev says an inconsistency is a feature, assume it's a bug.

To the best of my knowledge, Frontier has not said anything about this.

[LlxxTprr]

The P2 is made for SCO and has less negative side effects than (so far) all other ships.

It's in the official announcement:

https://www.elitedangerous.com/news/galnet/python-mk-ii-released-faulcon-delacy-announces-collaboration-achilles-aerospace

“Thanks to a fruitful collaboration with our friends at Achilles Aerospace, the Python Mk II has been designed from the ground up to better handle their new Frame Shift Drive.”

“It has improved heat management, better handling, reduced fuel consumption, and even better acceleration and deceleration capacity.”

[Un1k0rn]

Messaggio originale di LlxxTprr:

The P2 is made for SCO and has less negative side effects than (so far) all other ships.

It's in the official announcement:

https://www.elitedangerous.com/news/galnet/python-mk-ii-released-faulcon-delacy-announces-collaboration-achilles-aerospace

“Thanks to a fruitful collaboration with our friends at Achilles Aerospace, the Python Mk II has been designed from the ground up to better handle their new Frame Shift Drive.”

“It has improved heat management, better handling, reduced fuel consumption, and even better acceleration and deceleration capacity.”

Nothing about this suggests that the thing will be able to boost away from a planet faster, however.

The lack of consistency with other ships lends credence to thinking it's a bug IMO

[LlxxTprr]

I would see boosting away from a planet faster included in 'improved acceleration capabilities'.

[Un1k0rn]

Messaggio originale di LlxxTprr:

I would see boosting away from a planet faster included in 'improved acceleration capabilities'. :mashyourmotor:

Maybe. It's a bit vague and again, the lack of consistency (Not to mention my own experience with my Cobra boosting away as soon as I hit SC) suggests otherwise to me.

Maybe I'll try it again some time, as perhaps something changed with the latest patch.

[Kart0ffel]

I think too, there is something not right. Or maybe the G's involved or planet itself how big or whatever. With a T9 i was trading and some planets instantly in SCO boost from the planet and some takes time to get in the boost. Keep in mind with a T9.

But it doesn't matter that much for me. Traiding and or travelling with all ships is so much better now.

[Un1k0rn]

That is a fair point. I only ever fly small ships myself. Far less mass on them of course.

[ждун]

Also with a Python MK2 I don't have to aim exactly at the escape vector in order to enter supercruise. It works with 40° climb angle already, while other ships allow you to enter SC much closer to 90°.

[Planewalker]

Messaggio originale di ждун:

Also with a Python MK2 I don't have to aim exactly at the escape vector in order to enter supercruise. It works with 40° climb angle already, while other ships allow you to enter SC much closer to 90°.

Yes the new ships have (AOT) been built with the new SCO in mind.
-hence the "functionally different" part of the dev introduction.

TLDR; Working as intended; not a bug.

[Holeypaladin]

Maybe they'll make a Viper mk V or Cobra mk V to implement improved supercruise mechanics meant for Odyssey content and planetary landings. Because we don't have enough Viper and Cobra variants already...

Honestly though, a small ship with the same supercruise functionality as the Python mk 2 would actually be a good thing, provided it's half decent at combat and reasonably fast. So long as they don't botch the internals like they did with the Python variant...