The Bustard is... happy to see me? - Bustard redesign?

[Laxyr]

The idea here is that perhaps the Bustard (Caldari DST) could do with a slight redesign. I caution anyone who does not see anything wrong with it to consider not reading any further. Once the image is suggested to you, you will always see it.

The last time I flew a Bustard, it was still a cockpit and engines welded to three cargo containers. Now it looks like a proper ship and, for the most part, I like the design. I recently refitted the old boat (removing the cargohold extension rigs of course) and took it for a spin, which has lead to this thread:

The Upgrade from the Tayra to the Bustard seems to include an illuminated set of space bollocks, with the keel forming the last part needed to complete the “set”.

While space ships tend to have a certain shape, I just can’t seem to look past it in this case, which may have to do with the light show these parts put on every time you warp.
In my humble opinion it should be considered to neuter the Bustard and remove the light up bollocks.

I really like the concept art that surfaced at the time the ships were redesigned:

Now I’m curious to see what everyone else thinks about the Bustard. For this purpose I have now added a poll:

• I think the design of the Bustard should be reviewed
• I think the Bustard looks fine (i.e. leave my light up space bollocks alone)

[Geo_Eclipse_Oksaras]

Still better than looking like an exhaust pipe

[Lugh_Crow-Slave]

@Laxyr

it was still a cockpit and engines

It was never a cockpit and engine… just how small did you think this ship used to be?

[Laxyr]

Your quote seems to have missed the rest of my sentence there. Let me help you out:

@Laxyr

[…] it was still a cockpit and engines welded to three cargo containers.

[Lugh_Crow-Slave]

… again just how small do you think this ship is? There was never a cockpit

[Laxyr]

It may be completely beside the point of the original post, but I’m happy to entertain this further.

I assume you take issue with the term “cockpit” rather than “bridge”? If so, feel free to interpret what I wrote in the manner you deem more fitting. Since the ones we are flying have been outfitted as pod piloted ships it could probably be argued that they neither have cockpits nor bridges.

PS: If you have a link to canonically established ship sizes, I’d be interested in that. And to answer your question: I assume the old Bustard to have been about 300 meters long.

[Lugh_Crow-Slave]

@Laxyr

I assume the old Bustard to have been about 300 meters long.

It didn’t grow all that much in the redesign, so closer to 800m.

[Laxyr]

How do you feel about the redesign? Do you fly the Bustard?

[Lugh_Crow-Slave]

Same as just about every caldari redesign they look like okay ships, but they in no way look caldari. (Except the chimera, the chimera redesign is just awful all around and is an embodiment of ccp never finishing anything)

[Laxyr]

I would prefer a more recognizable theme too. I really like the redesigned Osprey and the Cormorant, although I could very much have done without all this “reconfigure for warp” type stuff.