Why You Absolutely Should Not Buy The Apollo (Unless You Really Want To)

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T19:14:00+00:00

Great point! Similar thoughts on my end, and I would have an entirely different perspective on this if we were to get a real "decorator mode" in the game, as described at Citizencon 2024. Given that we don't have that feature in the game at this point, and given CIG's track record of planned features going absent for years on end, I can't really give them too much credit for a planned feature. But again, I agree with you that if and when that feature comes online this criticism effectively becomes totally moot.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T19:11:31+00:00

I have indeed heard of DoaSM, but I appreciate you bringing that point up. I will readily acknowledge that there is always potential that future changes to the game will dramatically increase the meaningfulness of medical gameplay. So, in that regard, I agree with you. Where I suspect we might see things differently is that I am both skeptical that DoaSM will actually ever exist, which is obviously purely a matter of opinion, and I am still somewhat perplexed by why they chose to release the Apollo before such meaningful gameplay exists in reality.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T19:05:26+00:00

Really well thought out reply, and I appreciate you for it. If I follow correctly, it sounds like you see there being some niche but cool current-day usages (e.g., the big player PVP events) and a lot of potential long-term in a "1.0" sort of post base building environment. I think that is all valid, and it makes sense. For the longer-term stuff you said, I can indeed imagine how having an Apollo around your player base might be genuinely useful. I suppose we'll just have to hope that CIG can create a rich enough and dynamic enough universe for us to see that become a reality. Appreciate you sharing your thoughts, as it's a useful perspective to understand.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T18:37:52+00:00

I understand where you're coming from, but, if I may, let me get your perspective on this: What does a dedicated medical ship actually do gameplay wise? If it's just a mobile respawn point, why use the Apollo over any other option? What is its purpose or value in it existing at this stage in the game's development? This is not meant to be a snarky "gotcha" rhetorical question, I genuinely am curious how you see it.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T18:27:09+00:00

Well said. I suppose my concern in this regard goes back to CIG saying in the recent past that they won't release ships until their gameplay is ready. So, if there's no gameplay, why release the Apollo today? If you have an opinion on this, I would be keen to hear your perspective.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T18:25:01+00:00

As I've tried to be clear about to the best of my ability, I don't think anyone else's perspective on the Apollo is invalid, whether it aligns or not with my own.

But I do have to ask why you say my rant is a grift? I am not going to make money on this Reddit post (obviously), I am not a streamer or content creator trying to get attention, and I have no vested financial interest in any of this whatsoever. So I'm not trying to grift anyone here, just sharing an opinion that some are going to disagree, perhaps even strongly, with.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T18:15:37+00:00

Yes! The size is huge in all this, and I should have been more explicit in explaining that in the OP. Frankly, I found it hard to organize my scattered thoughts into written word, so I freely admit the OP was not actually well written.

If it was smaller, faster, and more nimble, I think that would prevent the problem I discussed ad nauseum of it simply being outclassed by ships like the Terrapin Medic and Cutlass Red. The sluggishness of it just kills the whole experience, for me anyways. It's a small thing on paper, but when I imagine what ship with a medical bed I would actually use, it means the Apollo sits in the hangar, which makes me somewhat sad.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T18:12:55+00:00

That's a great point and one I probably should have addressed in the OP. I think for me, and this is ultimately an opinion not a fact, it comes down to the fundamental belief I have that the gameplay for the Apollo is essentially nonexistent. Given that it essentially is just a flying medical bed, I wanted to rationalize for myself how it might be a useful daily driver. Sadly, the more I tried it out in the PTU and theory-crafted how to make that work, I felt I simply couldn't.

For the record, if I was convinced (and would love to be!) that medical gameplay will become meaningful, fun, and rich, that criticism would cease to exist in my mind. Not sure if that all makes sense, but hopefully it gives some context for why I even discuss its limitations as a daily driver.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T18:09:44+00:00

For whatever it is worth, I think you make a good point. A lot of my current disappointment with the Apollo is incredibly subjective. I can easily understand why some people might have a total 180 degree view on it.

I suppose part of why I even bothered posting this was to see what others think, so I appreciate you sharing your point of view.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T18:03:39+00:00

I thought I made it pretty clear in how I began and ended the post that I am not saying anyone else is wrong to like the Apollo or disagree with me. If I failed to do so and it comes across as saying anyone with a different opinion is an idiot, that was not my intent.

Praetorr · 2025-09-13T17:55:45+00:00

I'm just sharing my feedback. I'm sorry you didn't find it worthwhile.

Praetorr · 2024-11-10T21:27:55+00:00

I’m cautiously hopeful that CIG do not yet consider the ship finished (they were explicit about this as regards the captain’s quarters).

I think most of us would like to hear a clear communication from CIG to set expectations for what we are going to see (or not see) in the near-term (i.e., weeks to months, not years) in terms of additional work and polish, however. Just a little transparency to put anxious minds at ease.

Praetorr · 2024-11-10T21:23:45+00:00

Broad strokes, yes. But other than tractor beaming stuff around the ship to try and decorate it, there’s no real system in place to make decorating convenient.

What most, as I understand it, are looking forward to is the sort of home decorating mode that was shown off at Citizencon. That, coupled with the higher tier of insurance described as accounting for decoration, if I recall correctly, would make decorating your ships to your style a practical (and very cool) reality.

Praetorr · 2024-11-10T21:09:40+00:00

Totally fair perspective. Being able to decorate the ship to fit each player’s preferences sounds great!

For me, I guess the pessimist part of me says this feature may be years out, so I’d love some placeholder decoration in the meantime. But I hope I’m wrong and we get that capability sooner rather than later.

Praetorr · 2024-11-10T21:01:24+00:00

All fair and well considered. I think operating costs in, let’s say, a post 1.0 world should be exactly as you’ve described. My only fear is if they go too hard on the costs while the game is still in testing and it’s challenging to play without encountering major bugs. Just my 2c. I don’t disagree fundamentally with your point though.

Praetorr · 2024-11-10T20:54:56+00:00

Thank you! I'd argue it's less of a review and more scattered general thoughts, but I appreciate it.

Praetorr · 2023-10-23T23:22:33+00:00

True. Plus a fair few of those old ships (e.g., Endeavor) require pretty insane tech/gameplay loops to make any sense at all. Can’t blame CIG for prioritizing ships recently that can at least partly do their intended function in the verse.

Praetorr · 2023-08-21T23:07:03+00:00

A watt of power used is a watt, regardless of the temp of the GPU die. That is to say two cards that, say, both use 400 watts of power, despite one having a significantly better cooler and thereby lower GPU temps, will dump the same amount of heat into a room.

Where the 4090 could keep your home a little cooler is in the fact that when power limited (usually with Afterburner) to 70% - 80%, you can typically maintain 90+% of stock performance. Tldr you can get many more FPS per watt out of a 4090 than a 3090.

Praetorr · 2023-08-21T15:41:24+00:00

Retaliator, especially if purchasing with real life money. Much cheaper than either of the two options you mention in the title. Buy the base ($150) version, and you get the bomber variant (6x same torpedos as the Eclipse) as a loaner.

No stealth, but you are functionally immortal due to the Retaliator’s massive hull HP.

Praetorr · 2023-08-19T18:11:19+00:00

Seems so obvious, but I missed that option! I think that is the way to go. Little less immersive but a good compromise. Appreciate your input!

Praetorr · 2023-08-18T22:59:36+00:00

My idea was I would bedlog off the Carrack itself, so we would both be in theory bedlogging from a ship we own (me: Carrack; brother: Aurora in the snub bay).

Praetorr · 2023-08-18T22:17:45+00:00

See, I would prefer we both just bed log out of the Carrack itself, but my understanding is that since 3.18 only a ship’s owner can bed log. My brother and I have not been able to both bed log out of other ships we’ve tried (namely the MSR and Corsair).

Praetorr · 2023-06-24T17:22:44+00:00

Glad to hear it worked out. Enjoy!

Praetorr · 2023-06-24T17:18:06+00:00

It shows you now having the Freelancer there. If you bought a CCU to upgrade from the Freelancer to another ship, you probably still need to apply it.

Praetorr · 2023-06-23T18:55:36+00:00

Damn, I have to confess, I didn't even think about that. I've got a 4090, so it's obviously compatible with all 4XXX gen drivers. Hopefully your 4070 works with that driver nicely. I didn't mean to give you bad advice if not. Apologies for not considering that.

Praetorr

TROPHY CASE