Meta Quantum Drives in 3.10 - Star Citizen Tutorial

Think you know which quantum drive is the fastest? Well, it's probably more complicated than you think. In this video, we explore what we discovered about quantum drives through rigorous in-game testing and provide our recommendations based on our "time efficiency-based" analysis.
The "Stanton System Navigation Chart" was created by the UEE Intergalactic Mapping Agency : www.uima.nl/about/
Link to spreadsheet used in the video: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
This video is part of the 3.10 playlist series: • 3.10 Quick Start - Sta...
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[@wetheindividual11]

Glad you mentioned civilian QT drives. Was going to say the only size 1 drives I use are Spectre, Atlas for more fuel ie (box running) and foxfire if I'm still thinking about stealth and distances. The Titans stock drive is decent too. You can save money never needing to upgrade the Titans QT drive.( Expedition )

[@MaculaPravus]

I love all you recent videos. Great work.

[@ChefboyRD253]

Beautiful! That was a crazy work load. Thanks for taking the time to do this

[@HitmannDDD]

I prefer size 1, an Atlas. Grade A civilian, just enough speed to not require a pass-time for long jumps and gives enough fuel economy to jump across Stanton and then some unlike the size 1 Mil drive, which cant make the jump to Microtech from some locations. Size 2+, for now, I always pick military for performance. Cost of fuel is low and fuel economy is negligible when its cheaper (and quicker due to slow refueling) to just reclaim and expedite your Carrack rather than fill up from empty.

[@1BadZ]

Agree. S1, I use Atlas on everything except on my Eclipse which I use the Spectre. I picked the Atlas based solely on speed versus fuel economy, without acceleration being a consideration. S2 & S3, XL-1 & TS-2. Give me raw speed. I'll spend the time saved in quantium doing other tasks or refueling.

[@tyranis123]

Agree to Atlas for S1. No need to stop anywhere for a layover to refuel (which may or may not even let you depending on your luck with refuel bugs). The time saved on using a faster drive doesn't make up for the non-stop trip an Atlas gives you. This of course comes down to how you are playing though. If I was to spend all my time around 1 planet, a Spectre would be better. I am constantly flying between MT, Arc, Crus, and Hurston and I don't even do box missions.

[@chrisladouceur4093]

I’ve been using atlas drives on all my size 1 ships for probably a year now. I’ve been more than happy. I based my decision on fuel economy and range. With small ships I can cross all of Stanton and a bit on 1 tank, which is super convenient. It’s the fastest drive that gives small ships that range for their tank sizes

[@bcomplete8264]

I 100% agree as well. It's not to say that this video is wrong, but that's the beauty of Star Citizen; everyone has their preferences. To be fair, he was talking about maximum time efficiency; but if we're talking about overall efficiency, then it's gotta be the Atlas for size 1!

[@fns58]

Super appreciated videos. Keep it up guys!

[@edthered]

GG guys tyvm, you all are the best in the verse!

[@MrFluppi]

well done testing, ur intructions are awesome

[@RP_Basti]

Thanks for your effort, great video, exactly what Citizens are looking for!

[@negative-7846]

Nicely done.

[@johnboyd9713]

I am a Civilian s1 atlas or Voyage man myself, BUT that is based on a huge caveat. In 3.9, and IDK if it is still true for 3.10, many orbitals and lagrangian stations were finnicky as hell for refueling. Only planetary posts with landing pads were 100% reliable in my experience for refueling. Due to this, I always went with the extra range even on my Pisces with the slightly bigger tanks. I have a BMM now so I just use VK-00 on my loaner defender due to its OBSCENE quantum tank, but will be switching to spectre after this video. Also, I think it is interesting that in the real world, a Carrack with the most efficient quantum drive in the game would barely make it halfway to Uranus from Earth when they were at their closest possible orbital orientation. That is how "small" the systems are in SC.

[@johnboyd9713]

It would be risky, but you might just make it to Saturn.

[@cw5492]

Thank you guys it was very helpful

[@tripperdan]

Excellent, I was frustrated with the VK-00 because of range, so I went back to stock until I could look closer (and not waste aUEC like I did on the VK-00). Thank you so much for spending the time to quantify issues like this to help the community. The only issue that I can determine is that the Spectre will not provide a single travel from PO to MT on a single tank for something like the Origin 325a. In fact when I checked with Erkul, it shows that the Spectre won't reach any of the three spots from PO equipped in the 325a. The Voyager is the fastest QT engine that can reach all three. PS the fuel bug should be fixed sometime. It is nice when the QT is mirrored and charged by how much Hydrogen is needed. I have filled up a QT tank that had only 1% left in it for less than 20 aUEC because I had 98% Hydrogen.

[@LegacyFleet]

Your 325a should be able to make it from Crusader to Hurston. But you are right about mT and ArcCorp. It really depends on if you are going to repeatedly go cross system (box missions?) or if you are going to do other things - if the latter, the fuel stop is going to cost you less time than all the accumulated smaller jumps will.

[@MrMagnaniman]

At S2, the Crossfield seems to deserve an honorable mention. VERY similar performance to the XL-1, trading only ~7% long distance travel time for ~15% less fuel consumption, which is more range. And, of course, there's the substantially cheaper price point, too.

[@loyalmcfs1337]

that is what i was thinking glad im not the only one

[@Hikurac]

I wish the in-game map looked as nice as the one at 3:04.

[@thatdeebloke2127]

Capitol work here. On behalf of us all, the impressed, ignorant, and ungrateful. Thank you for compiling this, and double so for the sharing.

[@denisobrien6419]

thank you!

[@paulb36utube]

That’s amazing

[@vikingbear1487]

I took your advice on the Attritions, they work great. And the Guardian, Mirage combo also works well. But I tried your recommended Quantum drive (The Spectre) and I dont like it. Its too short range. I could not get from Levsky to Microtech. I have gone back to the Atlas.

[@laserbrain7774]

While important, I don't think that transit time is the be all and end all consideration. Range could be important and spool up time could also be important.

[@LaPiraguaAsesina]

but with Gladius & Spectre you can't do a once time travel from Crusader to Hurston, isn't it ?

[@Nomis242]

That is correct. The jump is 32M km and the range of gladius with Specter is 31M km, I feel it's a bit of an odd recommendation to do. You save a couple of seconds, but then you need to do pit stops everywhere you wanna go and with how buggy the refueling/repair can be sometime, it just sound like a nightmare to me.

[@LordTiberius52]

Yeah, my own experiments confirm the video. Provided the ship has enough fuel. The Spectre and VK-00 make the trip from Olisar to HUR L2 in the same amount of time. Shorter trips the Spectre is faster. However the Defender is the only size 1 ship with enough fuel to fly that far (that I know of). Do you have any recommendations for drives with fast spool/calibration time that are better within a planetary system?

[@LegacyFleet]

Still the Spectre. . . remember, calibration is also a limiter and it doesn't depend on what QD you have - though, I believe others in your party can calibrate for you. . . But not sure how much this could help.

[@LordTiberius52]

@@LegacyFleet I just have not tested all the size 1s yet. I was hoping there might be one that, while not fast on long distance, is very quick on the overhead (spool, calibration, and stage 1) for local hops. Also, I find that the crossfield and XL-1, even with slower top speed than the Spectre, are so much faster from planet to planet than the Spectre. That acceleration matters a lot

[@LegacyFleet]

@@LordTiberius52 Ok, so you are talking about two different sizes of drives there in that second paragraph. For short hops, for S1, we definitely recommend the Spectre, it is undoubtedly the fastest (for S1). For longer hops, for S1, the VK-00 will be slightly faster. For S2, the XL-1 and the Crossfield are both good choices.

[@LordTiberius52]

@@LegacyFleet yes, I was tallking about 2 different size drives. The point I'm trying to make is that while the Defender, the only S1 with enough fuel to use the Spectre or VK-00 across the whole solar system, is a great box mission ship. And the VK I believe has a top speed faster than the S2s. The S2 in my Vanguard makes it a much faster box mission ship than the Defender. For cross system deliveries (which I understand are not in game right now)

[@PapaFreedom]

I would like to counter the TS-2 with the quicker spooling and calibration of the baladin. From a smugglers perspective this is the best GTFO of dodge QT with slightly better range at the expense of overall max speed. I'm curious to your thoughts on ts-2 over baladin.

[@LegacyFleet]

For our testing, we had thought that calibration is static and doesn't change based on the QD. Since calibration is usually the limiting factor, we didn't find spool time to be an important consideration. But, now that 3.11 is out and there were some quantum changes, we'll need to test again. I will be sure to test your example specifically when able. Thanks!

[@tinbotturnbot4024]

Can you make an updated video? You said nothing on the atlas-

[@MaLuS25]

that doesnt hold true for the carrack, the TS-2 burns fuel fast and with a fuel tank of 44000 if you empty that in a few jumps you'll be sat there for a few minutes just refuelling. I found that the pontes is a much better choice but if you want to not refuel as often but maintain a reasonable travel time the erebos is the king, i can travel for hours on that drive without refuelling and still have decent travel times

[@Nana-kq4ld]

Yo snake, brown sugar cinnamon is the best pop tart flavor correct?

[@TheBod76]

Crossfield is so much better than XL-1. The very slightly higher speed of the XL-1 is not worth the fuel costs. In order to save 20 !!seconds!! on the way from PO to MT you use 20% more fuel. I'd never use the XL-1 over the Crossfield for S2 QDs.

[@LegacyFleet]

But if you are using a S2 drive, you are in a medium-sized ship, usually, and with those fuel is so rarely a factor. Personally, I'd take the 21 seconds, but to each his or her own. You are right, though, that the Crossfield is a close runner-up. We thought about putting that in the recommendations, but decided it might just confuse people.

[@thebestuser9765]

I completely agree. Crossfield all the way

[@Nomis242]

I used to have XL-1 on my cutlass before it disappeared on me and I never really ran out of fuel. So I would agree with OP on this one. I surely went way lower then the base drive like down to like 20% quantum fuel here and there, but never ran out. The little extra speed was great for bounty hunting, whatever ship I was chasing, I was always arriving to destination before them even though they were jumping first.