Analysis of the Mudskipper (Mass Effect Teaser Image) 2022

Happy N7 Day! The concept art entitled "Mudskipper" was released by Bioware in November of 2020, a month before the teaser trailer came out. A lot has been made of the Drell and Salarian crewmembers, but not much has been said about the ship itself. What can the design of the Mudskipper tell us about her origin, and and what can we infer about the state of the Milky Way post-Mass Effect 3? I have no insider knowledge, I just assumed all design features had a logical reason behind them, down to the paint color.
Speculation for everyone!
Mass Effect Hero Ships by Eudarion
www.deviantart...
Mass Effect belongs to Bioware and EA.

[@211Shinobu]

Let me know if you'd like to hear more ramblings -- or fewer.

[@christophergroenewald5847]

Based on the details from N7 day, it does appear that the next mass effect is set in a time after the galaxy has recovered from the Reaper War. So the idea of the protagonist using a mothballed first contact war era ship because that's all there is doesn't work. The mud Skipper actually wouldn't look out of place as a civilian ship modified for combat. This is further backed up by the fact that the thrusters appear to be fusion torches. Which a a civilian thruster type. As for the SFX, the Alliance doesn't have proper dropships. They make due with small troop transports, but they don't have anything to transport heavy-duty hardware such as vehicles. Typically relying on Frigates to deploy and recovery vehicles. Unlike the Mud Skipper, the SFX actually looks military. I think that it's not a ship, but rather some sort of heavy dropship, like a halo pelican, deployed from a larger ship. Maybe even the protagonist's ship. Meaning that the SFX might not be the new Normandy, but rather the new Kodiak. This is further backed up by the fact that SFX sounds more like an aircraft design than a ship

[@211Shinobu]

Yes, you're right. The concept art of the red city looks like the galaxy is recovering pretty well. It's hard for me to reconcile the army-surplus look of the Mudskipper with the shiny new things being built, unless the protagonist is poor and got the Mudskipper second hand. Interesting thought about the fusion torches. I was uncertain what kind of engines the Mudskipper has as the ports are glowing red here but appear blue in the trailer. I don't really know what to make of the SFX. It's been pointed out that it has the same color scheme as the Tempest (black/white/red) and may be from Andromeda, or maybe it's from the Milky Way and has replaced the Mudskipper as the medium ship flown by the protagonist. I could see the Mudskipper not testing well since we're used to space Ferraris instead of turbo bricks. It seems there is overlap in the crews of the Mudskipper and SFX (the krogan, possibly Liara), so it would be weird if both ships were in the game unless we upgrade from one to the other. If the SFX is a dropship, how big would its mothership need to be? I'm thinking of trying to estimate the SFX's size. It looks as though it will be similar to the Mudskipper. I suppose they could both be dropships used for different types of terrain (ala Hammerhead/Mako) with SFX for rocky planets and Mudskipper for wet ones.

[@skylerwaterman7203]

How do you think the Mudskipper compares in size in comparison to the SFX spaceship you alluded to in this video? do you think it is possible the mudskipper could fit inside of the SFX and the mudskipper would be used for landing on planets the SFX is unable to land on? or alternatively, the mudskipper and SFX are both smaller ships that rest in the hangar of a larger ship, and the Mudskiiper or SFX are used to land on planets depending on the surface of the planet?

[@211Shinobu]

Oh, that's a cool thought! I haven't had a chance to estimate the size of the SFX yet, but given the relative size of the Krogan walking alongside, I doubt the Mudskipper would fit inside the SFX. If one were to go inside the other, it might be the SFX inside the Mudskipper, or maybe as you said both of them fit into a larger ship the way the Hammerhead and shuttle fit inside the Normandy SR 2.

[@skylerwaterman7203]

@@211Shinobu it would be really cool if your character flew around in a slightly larger ship than the SR2, that could fit both the SFX and the mudskipper (unless they somehow make them both fit inside the SR2, but idk if that’s possible) and then you use the SFX and mudskipper like you did the Hammerhead in ME2, except this time you can actually land the ship and get out and explore on planets like you could in ME1 with the Mako, and with the nomad in MEA.

[@211Shinobu]

@@skylerwaterman7203 Agreed, that would be cool! Standing in the SR2's hangar bay in ME3, it looks like it might be possible for a ship the size of 8 Kodiaks to fit. If another ship were also put in there they'd probably need to be in line, which would make getting them out again kind of a pain. Maybe if I move Vega's weights...

[@211Shinobu]

THERE'S A GETH TALKING TO LIARA IN THE TEASER RELEASED TODAY! Does that mean Shepard didn't pick Destroy? Or did the Geth escape somehow?