Q&A: MISC Hull B

Hull B

Built around the Hull series’ signature external cargo spindles, the Hull B forgoes close-quarter manual storage for open-access tractor-beam-assisted loading, making every job you take simpler and smarter. Unmistakably MISC, the Hull B is for operators ready to level up.

We asked the Vehicle and Gameplay teams a few questions about this long-awaited member of the Hull series. Here are the answers, straight from the devs themselves.

The Hull B is the largest ship in the Hull series capable of properly landing planetside while fully loaded. How does the new spindle design affect the experience of landing, loading, and unloading cargo on the ground?

As with the other Hull series ships, the benefit of the spindle is a compact frame when not carrying cargo but, when extended, the ability to quickly load and unload cargo, whether in EVA or on the ground. Compared to the original concept, we chose the X-form spindle to allow the landing gear to be reasonably sized and retain the ability to land planetside fully loaded.

Where does the Hull B sit in terms of the cargo career journey the team envisions for players?

The Hull B is a great ship for players wanting to progress to larger hauling contracts from the initial offerings, as up to 512 SCU per run opens up a wide variety of missions to them.

Are there differences in the flight characteristics when the Hull B’s spindle is retracted compared to when it’s extended?

Yes. Due to the extension of the ship, the thruster positions change around the center of mass, resulting in a change to angular rotational rates. In addition, the mass of cargo impacts the flight characteristics depending on cargo load, position, and type.

How are the external tractor beams and turret controls assigned between the pilot and co-pilot seats?

The tractor beam is planned to be controllable from both the pilot and co-pilot seat, with the co-pilot being the priority. (Currently, there is a bug preventing the pilot from having control that we are looking to fix. This also affects the Hermes.) The co-pilot will have exclusive control of the remote turret with the pilot having control over the ship’s main weapons and missiles.

As the Hull B can change its footprint pretty dramatically, which hangar size will its owners be assigned?

The Hull B is assigned to a medium hangar to ensure that, regardless of its state, it fits with plenty of space around it for cargo loading. While technically it fits within the small hangar metric in its retracted state, the experience of loading with the ship and cargo in the smaller hangar wasn’t practical.

Does the Hull B have a docking port, and will it have optional access to the cargo ATC?

While the Hull B has a docking port, for the initial release, this is disabled due to the inability to manually choose between a docking collar and hangar at locations that have both available. We plan to re-enable the docking port in a future update.

What does the Hull B's interior offer for haulers?

The Hull B comes with all the facilities players need to live aboard their ship for extended periods of time, with full habitation, a mess hall, and toilet facilities. Core components are accessible from the interior of the ship, allowing for easy management and repair.

What are the key advantages that set the Hull B apart from other medium cargo haulers?

The primary benefit is the external cargo setup prioritizing speed of loading and unloading over protection. The Hull B also features a larger-than-average quantum fuel tank for the size of the ship for extended duration travel.

What is the maximum container size you can fit onto the external cargo blades?

The largest container size it supports are the 32 SCU containers.

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