[Hellbender]

A possible answer for the two glassed areas would perhaps be a compact living area for long duration patrols in systems not worth a carrier or basing facilities... just a thought. Looks good, but as has been stated, the greebling is generally too pronounced. Keep it coming!

[blowfish]

Look at the scale.  See if a Vasudan would even fit in the bottom cockpit.

[Akalabeth Angel]

Am I the only person that thinks an upgraded model should follow the original as closely as possible and have two cockpits??

[Solatar]

The question is: are both the black glass looking things on the original cockpits?

If we can determine they both are, sure. But otherwise it makes no logical sense. I had always thought the bottom one was the cockpit and the top was a sensor dome (ever since I played Freespace 1 the first time). However, it makes little difference to me which is which.

A possible answer for the two glassed areas would perhaps be a compact living area for long duration patrols in systems not worth a carrier or basing facilities... just a thought. Looks good, but as has been stated, the greebling is generally too pronounced. Keep it coming!

I kind of like this idea, as remember the first Vasudans you kill around the GTC Orff were "most likely remnants of a convoy we hit last week". I'm not so sure how good a bed and nightstand would look in a fighter though. 

[lostllama]

Maybe the upper glassy thing could be a solar panel? 

I'll go away now.

[PL_Harpoon]

The Vasudan could fit in both of these.
But for now, i`ll just make some machinery in the one above. You can call it whatever you like

[colecampbell666]

Why? Any input is welcome (if it's constructive) There are no wrong answers unless says so.

I like the living area idea.

[lostllama]

I was just kidding. A solar panel probably isn't as cool an idea as a sensor dome or mini living quarters, that's all.

[Jeff Vader]

mini living quarters

I find it unlikely for living quarters of any sort to be built into fighters. Especially into an Anubis.

Maybe it's just there to cause wtf to the opposition, hopefully giving the Anubis some desperately needed situational advantage.

[Droid803]

The Vasudan could fit in both of these.
But for now, i`ll just make some machinery in the one above. You can call it whatever you like

Good call.

[PL_Harpoon]

It can be the living room

Perhaps we should do a contest: "What`s behind this glass" or something

Anyway, the Vasudans are an ALIEN race...

[Solatar]

I agree with just sticking non-specific machinery and glowy bits in it.

Now let's get this baby textured! 

[Akalabeth Angel]

   Why is the Apollo a two seater? There's no reason for it to be, it's just your run of the mill fighter but it has two pilots, we know that from the opening. The Anubis certain appears to have two pilots.

   How many times does the Anubis actually go suicidal? One mission?? It's a cheap fighter, that doesn't mean it will only have one pilot. In war, lives are cheaper than craft. At least in the 'mass produced' style of combat.

[Solatar]

The Apollo is not a two seat fighter. It's been decided that the Apollo we see in the FS1 opening scene is not the same as the fighter you fly in-game. The weapons are different, it's painted up with different markings, there's a small nose cannon, and of course, it's a two seat fighter.

While lives may be cheaper than rifles, once you're talking about training pilots to fly fighters they become worth a bit more. Training and experience isn't something you want to lose.

[Akalabeth Angel]

While lives may be cheaper than rifles, once you're talking about training pilots to fly fighters they become worth a bit more. Training and experience isn't something you want to lose.

     Which is why Vasudan commanders deliberately loaded explosives into fighters and told their pilots to ram capital ships?

[Solatar]

As you yourself said, that doesn't seem to be standard protocol.

[Flipside]

I have two questions/guesses...

1: Sensor pod? Maybe the ship was such as old design that it used telemetry equipment that required some kind of visual access to the world around it, sort of like triangulating using landmarks?

2: Was the Anubis a multi-role PVN Ship, operating in both atmosphere and space, the upper cockpit provides the pilot with a good view in space, whereas the lower cockpit allows the craft to be flown from a more conventional viewpoint during atmospheric flight?

[Akalabeth Angel]

I think the point of the Anubis though, is that it's a cheap fighter. If a pilot gets experienced, they graduate into something better. Like a Seth or a Horus. Experienced pilots don't stay in the Anubis.  If the Anubis doubles as the standard patrol/scout ship it also makes sense for there to a dedicated sensor/radio operator. Maybe one of the reasons it's cheap is because it has crap electronics and it takes two people to do the job that one can in more advanced craft.

Or maybe it doubles as a two-seat trainer. There's all kinds of possibilities. Doesn't the Serapis have two cockpits too? Or at least the HTL one seems to have glass in the back, though I don't know why.

But whatever, that's just my two cents. It always looked like a second cockpit, so that's what I took it for. What else would have the same cockpit glass with the sort of cockpit structure.

[Solatar]

Not that it matters TOO much, but the "sensors" sub-system of the Anubis seems to be set fairly squarely on the upper pod.

Of course so is the eyepoint...I digress. I'll take what I'm given.

[Droid803]

While lives may be cheaper than rifles, once you're talking about training pilots to fly fighters they become worth a bit more. Training and experience isn't something you want to lose.

     Which is why Vasudan commanders deliberately loaded explosives into fighters and told their pilots to ram capital ships?

Only the HOL do that...