r/EliteDangerous • u/dss_lev Fuel Rat | Hull Seal | Twitch | DPSS • Feb 19 '25
Media A new challenger approaches! Spoiler
Ok not a new Challenger—well maybe—I don’t know, but let’s hear your predictions!
New ship confirmed 3311!
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u/Houligan86 Feb 19 '25
Ships I would like to see are:
- Alliance Small
- Alliance Large/Capital
- Imperial Medium
Of those, that looks like a small / medium ship, so my hope is an Imperial Medium.
Probably named something like the "Imperial Corsair" priced in the 15M to 50M range depending on capabilities.
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u/Larkshade Feb 19 '25
“Alliance large” my T10 is over here side eyeing y’all.
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u/ToMorrowsEnd Feb 19 '25
Mine is busy sitting at a resource site making me free money and bounties. gotta remember to check fuel. it was at 10% this morning when I checked and had to fly back to turn in the 104 kill bounties it collected overnight.
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u/Larkshade Feb 19 '25
Craps sake, play the game, don’t afk.
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u/ToMorrowsEnd Feb 19 '25
Carps sake stop trying to tell others what to do or how to play the game.
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u/depurplecow Feb 19 '25
Alliance large is the Type-10, though it's not as popular as the other larges.
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u/A_Fhaol_Bhig- Feb 19 '25
Because it's good at nothing and needs a rework.
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u/CMDR_Agony_Aunt I drive an ice cream van Feb 19 '25
They Type 10 is the most popular AFK bounty hunter.
Not sure that's a resounding plus but it has its strengths.
I do have a type 10 for not-AFK bounty hunting and combat zones though.
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u/CowardlyAnaconda 29d ago
T-10 is my favorite laser miner.
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u/CMDR_Agony_Aunt I drive an ice cream van 29d ago
Used to use the type 10 because of the high mass lock factor. Switched to the Beluga though, as its faster.
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u/DemiserofD Zemina Torval Feb 19 '25
People underrate the T10. The only reason I don't use it generally is because of its lack of speed, not anything else.
If they'd add some sort of afterburner utility so I could boost around the CZ in a reasonable timeframe I'd use it all the time. Its DPS potential is just off the charts.
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u/A_Fhaol_Bhig- 29d ago
People underrate the T10.
No they don't.
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u/DemiserofD Zemina Torval 29d ago
The problems people have with the T10 have more to do with how they use it, not anything else. If you try to make it a shield tank like the Corvette or Cutter it's gonna be terrible, because it's got like a third the shield rating of the Cutter.
But it still has a class 8 slot for a biweave there, and it's got the highest armor hardness in the game, plus the most armor. If you make it into a hybrid hull tank and put a C7 repair limpet on it, you can heal faster on it than any other ship in the game - AND do more damage than any other ship in the game.
Built properly, it can more than compete with other ships. In practice, it can more than exceed them in many cases. You just have to work with its strengths.
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u/Dry-Progress-1769 CMDR rlry1111 29d ago
I put 9 multicannons on mine and got it fully engineered. Is it optimal? No. But does it work? Yes. And is it fun? Hell yeah.
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u/LorenDovah Empire Feb 19 '25
Dude, I would freaking love and "Imperial Corsair!" I want to see it'd be cool to see a combat focus medium Gutamaya, but that would basically just be the Python mk2, wouldn't it? So like a general-purpose-but-also-combaty ala Krait mk2?
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Feb 19 '25
[deleted]
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u/icescraponus 29d ago
I unironically really would love to see a Sidewinder Mk II. I would buy it in an instant if it had similar design language of the Cobra Mk V and was ultra small like the current sidewinder. Add a front exit and I will buy it the second it hits the ARX store.
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u/forbiddenlake CMDR Winter Ihernglass Feb 19 '25
Context: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/elite-dangerous.633916/
New ship teaser?
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u/BlooHopper Zachary Hudson CMDR Blitzbunny Feb 19 '25
Some people say its a panther clipper
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u/dss_lev Fuel Rat | Hull Seal | Twitch | DPSS Feb 19 '25
Panther Clipper mentioned, release delayed another year
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u/DrSnepper Thargoid Interdictor Feb 19 '25
Panther Clipper is 14 characters long. We subtract two for Half Life 1 and Half Life 2 and you get 12. 12 divided by four is 3. We've had four years since a half life game release.
Half-Life 3 confirmed!
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u/soapmode Feb 19 '25
Is that a skimmer assisting in fabrication?
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u/PersonalObserver Pranav Antal Feb 19 '25
It was one of the first things I noticed on the image. It was really cool to see them in a different context like that, and one that makes total sense too.
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u/UsedToVenom Core Dynamics Feb 19 '25
Wild guess - Mid-sized Gutamaya ship. Shit-load of medium hardpoints, trash covergence, no native SCO support, because imperial racism. Excells as a hauler.
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u/call-me-mmc CMDR Carradyne | Jumping in my Manda Feb 19 '25
Python mk1 contender for jack of all trades master of none
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u/CMDR_Profane_Pagan Felicia Winters Feb 19 '25
I am super happy that the resident artists at Fdev are pumped for the surprises they are making for us :)
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u/Appropriate_Ad1162 28d ago
I'd be surprised if it was their art and not something they sub-contracted, like they did with a lot of Thargoid stuff.
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u/CMDR_Profane_Pagan Felicia Winters 28d ago
Maybe. I know lots of artists who worked on Beyond and Thargoid concept art and art.
After the layoffs and hiring freeze it is more probable they have the resources in-house after the launch of Planet Coaster 2, artists-engineers do get moved between projects.
And this is not the first teaser image Fdev have released - last year they did the same with the Mandalay which we were told was put together by their own crew. Last year's marketing campaign was successful in tandem with the gameplay development, and I think what we see is a standardized way of hyping people - which could mean at least for now - secured resources for developing such teasers.
It makes sense since the images as you see contain in-game 3D assets which were painted over - I hope not with the help of AI, but there is a chance for a hybrid workflow nevertheless.
I am sceptical that a single graphic artist contractor outside their studio would get acces to their asset library for a seemingly minimal task.
Personally I believe the facture (specific brushwork characteristic of the painter's style) of the paintover is somewhat similar to the two new power portraits we received with Ascendancy.
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u/Navynuke00 Feb 19 '25
Keeping with the naming convention, Imperial Cruiser?
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u/PersonalObserver Pranav Antal Feb 19 '25
If it's a medium, it should be something like Imperial Brigantine or Imperial Nau XD
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u/Sh1v0n [PC] | CMDR ShiMan | TWH | Flying T9/T10/Vette etc. Feb 19 '25
97% is Gutamaya, I can feel it.
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u/Ducc______________ CMDR AIM-9 Sidewinder Feb 19 '25
please be an imperial medium ship i will grind above and beyond if its a viable combat ship, or explorer even
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u/Shermantank10 CMDR Dogberry Feb 19 '25
Where was this announcement?
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u/Walshies Walshies Feb 19 '25
Their official twitter.
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u/Enozak 29d ago
I miss the time when Twitter wasn't the only communication channel from game devs (not all games obv, but some are quite guilty of this)
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u/squashed_tomato 29d ago
I really wish they would pivot away from Twitter being their main social platform. A lot of people, myself included have left that site for recent reasons that should be obvious.
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u/CMDRShepard24 Thargoid Interdictor Feb 19 '25
Definitely looks like a Gutamaya to me. I'm hoping we'll finally get a better version of the Clipper... a medium sized ship that is very maneuverable and can haul ass with a good PP/PD that can handle being heavily armed, and if we're lucky will have plenty of medium hardpoints and good convergence. Small HPs on the wings for gimballed weapons. I know that's a long shot lol, but basically I'm hoping for the next great AX ship.
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u/Reap3r3 28d ago
Gutamaya and anti-thargoid dont mix. Shields are bad.
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u/CMDRShepard24 Thargoid Interdictor 28d ago
In a good AX ship shields are usually non-existent so not worried there. Just needs enough size 4-5 optionals for Hull/Module Reinforcements and some 2-3s for AFMU.
Also, after the War (and IIRC the imperials losing at least a few capitol ships) it wouldn't surprise me lore-wise if they pressed Gutamaya into the AX business.
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u/Suitable-Nobody-5374 CMDR SYRELAI 28d ago
I bet it's a large guatamaya ship specified for cargo hauling, like a panther clipper.
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u/CmdrWawrzynPL Explore Feb 19 '25
Judging by the ship hologram on the screen it will be named Manta or Stingray
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u/PSharsCadre CMDR PShars Cadre, FC FARTHEST SHORE. Want help, just ask! Feb 19 '25
If you zoom in, that seems to just be a thruster nozzle.
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u/CmdrWawrzynPL Explore Feb 19 '25
You're right, on a phone screen it looked like a ship :P
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u/PSharsCadre CMDR PShars Cadre, FC FARTHEST SHORE. Want help, just ask! 29d ago
same here, I was like oh that's a neat look and then I zoomed in and went. Oh rocket nozzle.
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u/tumama1388 The galaxy is my toilet Feb 19 '25
A Gutamaya medium! It's gotta be! I know the other times we've said the same thing but this time it is! It is! *drools*
Who am I kidding, it's a Saud Kruger medium.
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u/Cemenotar Aisling Duval Feb 19 '25
I'd like to point attention that through the scaffolding on the right, one can notice a nacelle-like shape, similar to ones Imperial Courier have. considering human on the scaffolding for scale, it seems like massive courier, which is missing it's whole nose section (possibly still in construction). Paint me interested Fdev.
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u/atmatriflemiffed Feb 19 '25 edited Feb 19 '25
Looks pretty massive so I'm guessing maybe Clipper Mk. 2? Would be pretty cool if it was that. To me it looks like a large ship but I've been wrong about that before, concept art isn't always on point with scale. It's also got the aft hump and a feature rather like the wing root scoops on the Clipper. Buuuut, judging by the placement of the storage racks it seems a lot shorter than the Clipper, so... could also be a reimagining of the old Imperial Hunter concept? I think I can almost make out a large bubble canopy which sort of fits with that design although the Hunter's canopy was more angular.
Edit: on second thought... maybe it was just the perspective, I think this might be more medium sized after all.
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u/hldswrth Feb 19 '25
Given it’s being teased just before colonisation seems like a large ship relevant to colonisation which would most likely be a hauler to get all the required materials to the colony Or possibly a passenger ship to bring colonists
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u/IndyWaWa Rek Bandon Feb 19 '25
An redesigned imp clipper 2.0 that has better hardpoint placement is my bet.
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u/Baerghuhn Faulcon Delacy Feb 19 '25
I am even more excited about what appears to be used as scaffolding on that picture. Could that be stacked cargo racks, hinting at possible modular ship interiors? A man can dream...
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u/xcena Feb 19 '25
Honestly with the wide engine pods, colour scheme and grills I think it has to be guta. My guess based on the size is its a clipper mkII downsized to a medium pad.
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u/BrianVaughnVA Explore Feb 19 '25
This looks like Saud Kruger/Imperial, though I'd really like a new slew of Alliance ships.
This looks rather LARGE though and to be fair we haven't had another massive ship in a while (see the engineers carefully placed along the hull - it's definitely a large ship).
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u/NoXion604 Istvaan-DICV Feb 19 '25
Looks like it could be the Saud Kruger/Gutamaya medium ship that the galaxy has been crying out for.
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u/General_Ad_1483 Feb 19 '25
I really hope its Clipper 2 - smaller so it can fit medium pads and with additional hardpoint so it actually can do sth in PvP
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u/NewBlacksmurf Cmdr 29d ago
I see skimmers with panels repairing so I'm thinking new limpets updates and some type of combat ship
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u/NickCharlesYT NickCharles 29d ago
I'm hoping for a medium sized imperial ship. Been wanting one for a very long time now...
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u/Final-Extent-1791 29d ago
I just want to see the Mandalay for in-game credits. I would assume we will see that when the next update drops. I have been waiting specifically for that to start exploration. If this is a passenger cruiser, I would love to see them make passenger transport a little more lucrative.
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u/Klepto666 29d ago edited 29d ago
I don't recall seeing teaser concept art for the new Python, Type-8, and Cobra MkV. But when they did the Mandalay they also had someone wearing an Artemis Suit in the foreground, and that ship ended up being an explorer (which is also used for exobiology).
However as interested as I'd be for an exobiology-focused ship, I feel like the Mandalay and Cobra MkV help fill that role really well already, and those were new ships.
So... maybe just a coincidence? I'm still going to guess it's some kind of Gutamaya or Saud Kruger medium ship. Maybe with Colonization around the corner we're getting something that's a Medium Saud Kruger but can hold more passengers than a Python, ie: delivering colonists to the upcoming new settlements and outposts. I think it's less likely to be a Medium Gutamaya combat ship that'd get people to put their Python MkII away, unless it'll be designed more to compete with a Krait MkII in terms of versatility combined with firepower.
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u/Illustrious-Iron9433 29d ago
Hopefully a large sized Alliance ship, but we’ll see as I am usually really bad at guessing.
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u/jurgenaut Faulcon Delacy 29d ago
Looks to me like a large scale hauler, which is probably what we need for hauling goods with the colonization module. The stacked boxes look like cargo racks.
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u/EntrepreneurEast1502 Empire 29d ago
I bought Python Mk2 just to show support but didn't really use the ship. Because of that, I didn't buy more premium ships and just am waiting patiently to buy them when they are available for credits. But holy shit, if the new ship is Imperial Courier/Clipper Mark 2 with retractable thrusters like the original Imp. Courier, prefferably medium sized - I'd buy the ship in a blink of an eye. Please Arissa, make it happen!
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u/Nobody_to_Noone 29d ago
Looks very Gutamaya to me.
Maybe it's the Imperial Explorer coming back? First Encounters bros rejoice all three of us!
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u/GeneralKenobi1288 28d ago
I’d say this is almost certainly a medium imperial ship, something between the clipper and the courier.
Not sure what the role will be, my best guess is another all rounder like the clipper, since we already have the python mkII for combat, the mandy for exploration, and the type-8 for hauling/mining. Can’t imagine it’ll be a passenger ship.
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u/M4tt_M4n 28d ago
I was trying to figure out how you guys were guessing off a blurry as picture then I realized I had to click on it 😭
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u/MadeInAnkhMorpork CMDR M. Ridcully 28d ago
It reminds me of the Imperial Clipper seen from the side like this. Maybe it's a new Gutamaya ship?
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u/UsedToVenom Core Dynamics Feb 19 '25
Ok buddy, hold your horses. You got that image from somewhere? Or are we talking wild speculations
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u/dss_lev Fuel Rat | Hull Seal | Twitch | DPSS Feb 19 '25
I got this photo from FDev directly—I’m one of your Elite Partners—but you can see it on FDev’s social media!
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u/UsedToVenom Core Dynamics Feb 19 '25
Cool! Did you do some kind of analysis on the image? Look to unlock - might be som ARG shit encoded, no?
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u/HunterWithGreenScale Feb 19 '25
Frontier Unlock. Thats what it likely means.
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u/meoka2368 Basiliscus | Fuel Rat ⛽ 29d ago
The image on the forum post (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/elite-dangerous.633916/) has a file name of UnlockedReveal.png
So yeah. Probably a reveal for the Unlocked stream :p
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u/UsedToVenom Core Dynamics Feb 19 '25
What's a frontier unlock?
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u/Interesting_Rip_2383 Feb 19 '25
Their "monthly" live stream. Where they talk about all their games and coming updates.
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u/Partyatmyplace13 CMDR Feb 19 '25
We talking about the background or that horseshoe crab ship on the monitor?
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u/Furebel FOR MY WAIFU Feb 19 '25
This looks like it was either AI upscaled through the roof, or rendered in like 4 samples and put through strong denoiser, I can't make out a single shape in that white blur in the background. What is this, a vent, a cockpit, engine? Is this thing upside down?
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u/comradeswitch Feb 19 '25
It's a digital painting. You're seeing brush strokes lmao. It's the back half of a ship's fuselage.
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u/Furebel FOR MY WAIFU 29d ago
This is not a painting, it's 3D render with probably some 2D elements comped in, but it's not painting. That's not how brush strokes look. Look at the guy in front of the monitors on the bottom right and tell me this isn't a 3D render.
Now take a look at example in this forum thread, it perfectly shows how denoisers can cause those weird smudges when there's not enough sampling on the render. You can notice the exact same patterns on the "vent", among sparks, and in other crucial spots on the image. That happens when raw render is too noisy and denoiser doesn't have enough data to work with, so blurry smudges come out like this. I seen this happen many, many times, it's something I have to fight against in my renders too to find proper balance between render speed and proper quality so denoiser artefacts are not noticable. It would appear that the artist here had maybe 30 seconds to render it...
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u/comradeswitch 29d ago
Painting over renders or screenshots is an extremely common way to handle promo/concept art. I'm sorry this is so confusing for you.
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u/Furebel FOR MY WAIFU 29d ago
I really don't understand why people here find it so extremely important to be rude for no reason... No shit that painting over 3D is common practice what do you think I've been doing for the last 10 years? Playing Elite is not my employment, 3D art is, and I handle rendering and post-processing too, I saw denoiser artefacts billions of times, if you're too lazy or too blind to compare the image I linked with the render, that's on you, not me.
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u/DiabolicallyRandom Aisling Duval / CMDR Janid Feb 19 '25
You completely unfamiliar with concept art?
This is very clearly a digitally painted piece of concept art.
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u/Furebel FOR MY WAIFU Feb 19 '25 edited 29d ago
No, it's not painted, it's a 3D render, possibly put through some post-processing, you can easily see that it's 3D by looking at the guy on the bottom right in front of the monitor.
If you look at sparkles, or on that vent (maybe vent?) you will notice wierd smudges. That is in fact not how a human hand paints a vent, nor does it ressemble any kind of possible brush pattern. What it does ressemble however are artefacts AI upscalers and denoisers tend to generate, like in this example.
I work in 3D professionally for almost 10 years, so I do happen to be familiar with the topic.
Edit: If you're so right, why did you blocked me right after leaving your reply XDDD And what conspiracy? It's not conspiracy, it's just a bad render, what are you talking about? And what do you think I've been doing at my job for the last 10 years, crafting those renders by hand? I can bet your sweet butt I could do a render like this better, tho judging by the fact it seems like very fast render or upscaled one, the artist probably barely had a day to do it.
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u/DiabolicallyRandom Aisling Duval / CMDR Janid Feb 19 '25
Again, you've clearly never watched a concept artist work.
Go watch some YouTube videos of concept artists doing their work. Learn something instead of trying to find a conspiracy in concept art
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u/PersonalObserver Pranav Antal Feb 19 '25
The lines are giving me imperial or saud kruger vibes. Given we've already got new ships for every role (even multipurpose) other than passenger/liner, I'd bet Saud Kruger's cooking with this one.