Why would I use a ROC-DS over two ROCs?

The ROC-DS is designed as a counterpart to the ROC rather than a straight upgrade; it’s not designed to be superior in every way, but to have some positive and negative attributes like all of our vehicles. The goal for the ROC-DS is to provide a more efficient per-sortie experience thanks to the larger ore-storage capacity, increased reach of its mining and extraction beams, and the ability for two players to mine together rather than independently. As mentioned on Star Citizen Live, the current method players use to circumvent the inventory limit by unpacking to a carryable box will be removed in a future patch, meaning longer-duration mining expeditions are more sensible in a single vehicle over two.

Are there specific scenarios or locations where the ROC-DS would outperform the ROC?

Longer duration mining expeditions suit the ROC-DS thanks to the increased cargo capacity, as well as more technically challenging environments where a dedicated driver is required to navigate while the second player scans and mines.

Why was the decision made to have the driver only steer the vehicle and have the second player essentially perform the mining while being exposed to the elements?

The primary reason was for use in the new and future caves that support ground vehicles. The ROC-DS allows the driver to concentrate on navigating through the cave and the second player to focus on finding deposits and extracting them.

Compared to the ROC, where players are essentially constrained to mining ahead of them, the ROC-DS has a much greater arc of accessibility thanks to the entirely separate turret seat. Having the driver enclosed allows a second player, who may not necessarily have all the outdoor endurance equipment, to still participate.

What amount of mining rock explosions, atmospheric heat, cold, and toxic environments can the ROC-DS protect the driver and passenger from?

This is highly dependent on the rocks themselves as they each have different variables. The driver is better protected in the ROC-DS than the ROC thanks to the enclosed cab and, with the positional ability of the mining arm, the ROC-DS allows players to position themselves less in harm’s way if required. Plus, being able to do it from further away further mitigates the risk.

Is the storage capacity of the ROC-DS more significant than the ROC?

Yes, the ROC-DS currently holds 3.5 SCU of material compared to the 0.8 SCU of the ROC, providing over 4x the capacity. So, a ROC-DS allows two cooperating players to collect and transport more ore in one trip than they would with two separate ROCs.

What is the harvesting speed of the ROC-DS compared to the ROC?

The ROC-DS has a slightly wider extraction beam, which has greater range and the ability to process 50% more commodities at a time.

How do the ROC-DS’ scanners compare to the standard ROC?

Both are currently the same, though we may look to improve them based on PTU feedback.

The wheel/tires of the ROC-DS are significantly larger than on the ROC. Do they give any measurable benefits to traction, speed, and stability?

All ground vehicles had changes in Alpha 3.13.0 to help improve their handling, but the ROC-DS also benefits from increased traction and stability over the base version thanks to its wider stance. However, the ROC-DS is currently 8m/s slower than the ROC due to the extra mass.

Is the ROC-DS all-wheel drive, as this could be an advantage in difficult mining locations?

Both vehicles are rear-wheel drive. However, the ROC-DS has two driven rear axles, which aids traction.

Does the ROC-DS have a wider range of operation before refueling compared to the ROC?

Currently, ground vehicles do not consume fuel of any kind during operation. However, we plan to enable this feature in the future when we can refuel vehicles in the field. When this occurs, the ROC-DS will have an extended range over the ROC.

What ships can the ROC-DS fit into?

The ROC-DS fits in any vehicle that the Ursa Rover fits in. Generally, we build ground vehicles to four metrics to make it clear what can fit in what. We have:

• Bikes
• Cyclone-sized
• Rover-sized
• Ballista/Tank-sized

All of our ground vehicles belong to one of these classes. When designing ships that we want ground vehicles to fit in, we ensure they have the internal space and entrances to suit the planned size class.

Can personal items (tools, weapons, etc.) be stored on the ROC-DS’ external side and top rack storage locations, or are these cosmetic in nature?

They are cosmetic. All items can be stored via the vehicle’s Local Inventory accessed at the rear.

Considering that the ROC-DS will potentially be used to mine in more extensive caves, is it equipped with any specific lighting to accommodate this type of work?

It has a similar setup to the ROC in terms of headlights/lightbar. We’re looking into adding a spotlight to the turret to aid visibility in the future.