Man... I love the raft. Even though I have ships that can haul more ... this little gem gives me the role play vibes so hard. I just need a cigar option in game now. And some kind of space radio channel coming across the interior speaker (think... fallout).
Yes! Cigar options for RP needs to be a thing. And more options for string vests, facial stubble and radio station options (to select country music obvs).
The living area feels… real. Reminds me of my grandpas RV camping as a kid! I still prefer my origin 400i or even a connie due to more uses but this ship is one of the most realistic feeling!
I had never even heard of or considered this kind of ship, until… someone rescued me from deep space after I accidentally ejected from my brand new Arrow. He came by in his Argo Raft and I instantly fell in love with the ship - of course even more so after heading to Farrister to see his review!
I love to hear tales like these. I've seen those ejector buttons on crafts and I always think the likelihood of those getting me into trouble is far greater than their likelihood of getting me out of trouble. Glad there was help. Hope I can help someone in the game, or that someone will be there for me.
For me personally, there’s a very satisfying feeling using this ship. I just love the feel and look of it. I have one in my hangar I like it so much. To each our own.
It's really weird because it's very clunky and a little sluggish to handle, but it's in a way that it feels like it handles -exactly- the way it should when you look at it. It's not even really a negative in my book because the expectation and reality align so perfectly.
I have a RAFT. It's my favorite Argo ship and I can tell that it was done witha a lot of love. Inside and outside. It's probably one of the coziest ships in the game and I would never, ever melt it because I simply love the ship. Reading the comments I can say the everyone loves this little thing and I hope more ships with this incredible level of detail come in the future. Plus we don't know how useful the cargo management station is going to be in the future. One of my most loved ships along with the Eclipse.
I love my RAFT. It's cozy, spartan and for one or two players there is plenty of room. It's design is rather intuitive. Having the ability to land at a site and pick up 3 large containers without derping around with loading and unloading in the future is a big game changer.
I love the look and feel of the RAFT, more of a small home than the Max. I think it will be very very handy in bigger systems where you can have a faster and thirstier Quantum drive installed and be able to do the distance with those larger tanks
One of the ships I can't help but love. There may be others that haul more but won't have as fast a turn around nor the VTOL performance of my favourite little orange brick. My lot are looking to use it for long range runs to remote outposts with little to no unloading capability and for station to city shifting of cargo.
@@Farrister that's the idea for it with us having an Orion in the org and to use as a support ship as we are hoping to base ourselves fairly remotely to avoid opportunistic pirates.
I've been a Freelancer fan boy since the beginning of Star Citizen, but the RAFT is a very special ship that I'm proud to have in my fleet. I look forward to seeing what special functions (loading/off-loading) it will have with the full implementation of the cargo refactor.
I like the video very much. I hope that the RAFT eventually becomes a medium freighter for 'express deliveries' as it can pick cargo fast and has a rather low SCU space for its size. Therefore I think the RAFT will rather take up the special goods contracts. In addition CIG has stated in the concept Q&A that the RAFT is also made for longer journeys, hence the kitchen and beds, which would also imply that you would be expected to fly the valueble good around as transporting a low amount of nonlucrative stuff on long routes is absolutely ineffiecient.
I think it would do well with a modular system, or aftermarket modding by other manufacturers.. Lemme slap some ROC mining apparatus off one side and a fuel scoop on the other, or take out the cargo for exploration and data storage etc etc
I think the biggest advantage will be the same as the Hull Series of ships. That advantage is the loading and unloading time when that no longer consists of clicking buttons in a console. I can see the RAFT being able to be loaded or unloaded in 60 seconds. How long with it take to unload a Freelancer or Cutlass when you have to pull each box out through the door?
I use a MSR to do my quantanium cargo runs BUT.. I love the way the Raft looks, I don't know... gives me a Space 1999 Eagle feel. Can't wait to finish reaching my goal for the 890i jump to then start saving for the Raft.
The interior is probably my favorite of all mid sized ships with a living quarter. I also think this ship will be in a lot more demand with startup cargo/Quantanium haulers when the cargo refactor comes into play. Using a crane to lift 96SCU sounds a lot more quicker than using tractor beams/Mule to do the work. Initially, I was annoyed about the view too. But then I remembered how many among us have a scenic view from our office windows? Hell how many even have a damn window?
Hi! Saying "more quicker" is pleonasm (redundancy in an expression, more words than are necessary to make a point); you should use either "more quickly" or "quicker". Not-at-all-fun fact: throughout most of the 19th and 20th centuries, "quicker" was the more commonly used adverbial expression. In the 1970's, it was overtaken by "more quickly". Remember what pleonasm is and avoid it like it's someone you know at the grocery store! Believe me when I say pleonasm subconsciously makes people think you are dumb, which you aren't. I hope this comment makes even a small difference in your life. I hope I didn't come across as a dick, I just wanted to be constructive! P.S. I know my grammar isn't perfect at all, my home language is Afrikaans.
RAFT has a special place in my heart, I was able to pick one up for $5 ($50 3y/o gift card doesn’t count). Was planning on upgrading it, but they aren’t putting any ships on war bond this time. Cargo cargo (referral bonus) 300 I Spartan Avenger warlock (my five dollars) Argo raft
The RAFTs size to cargo ratio is actually a bit of an optical illusion, go to fleet viewer, and put a RAFT side by side with a Cutlass, and you'll see how small it really is. The verticality is the main part of the illusion.
I love how this ship is laid out. I upgraded to a Connie Taurus, but still think the Raft is a really solid choice, particularly once the container system is implemented for picking up and delivering cargo.
I have a Raft. Really liked the look and felt like a real crago hauler when I started out with smaller runs. But it's taken a back seat to the Taurus. I hope as further gameplay mechanic s arrive it will find its niece.
Hey there Farrister. It's me, the person that always comments on your videos. I like this review of the Argo Raft. It's an interesting ship. It's kind of a cross between the Terrapin, and the Mole. It's kind of funny, that it also reminds me of an Eagle from the television show Space 1990 that I watched as a kid when I was growing up. Oops! I guess that dates me. LOL! The Eagle was a multi-faceted ship that could haul cargo, explore, and fight. Thanks for the review. I kind of like the ship, even though I have a Freelancer Max that is better in the ways you mentioned. Take care, my friend and Org mate, fly safe, and I'll see you in the verse.
@@Farrister Hey my friend, I watched this review again and I thought you'd like to know that that feeling I had about this ship, as in that I like it, has turned into a purchase. It was a little more that you figured, but not that much more. I also decided to pick up a set of alternate paints for it as well. Being able to blend in with the terrain can sometimes be an advantage in areas that are subject to pirates or Pve. I haven't flown it yet as I just bought it, but I will soon. Again, thanks for the review. I also noted on the stern of the ship at the top of the railings that supports the engines, looks like a plate that could be used for connecting cargo strings for towing. It reminds me of gravity plates in Space Engineers. If that is what they are, the Raft could possibly haul more cargo than what is listed in the game. They would only be used within the confines of space and not when landing on moons or planets.
I bought RAFT for early game trading and hauling contracts.. And it will also be useful support ship for my BMM when i need to load or unload it partially and/or when landing with BMM isnt optional i can use RAFT as shuttle ship that can carry containers. Interior is amazing for her size too
Very similar feeling to you. It does have its issues, but the charm factor is just through the roof. It feels so cozy and welcoming inside, I like how it's a compact ship that still has a distinct "engineering" deck, and I really like its handling and performance esp in atmo and planetary gravity, especially compared to a closeish competitor like the Hull A which feels very anemic in its vertical lift. The Argo styling is also just my cup of tea for a more industrial style of ship, it feels a lot like a real world piece of heavy equipment from the color scheme to the cockpit arrangement/view to the big ass landing struts. It's really hard not to like it, whatever issues it may have. I have big hopes that with Pyro's many remote, smallish outposts there might be a really great niche for the RAFT as a long range small/medium volume hauler, because it feels perfect for extended trips with all its little amenities.
I use my Raft to run quant from Arc L1 to ArcCorp, and I like the ship overall. Glad you mentioned the bug with the lift. The bug report for that was archived without being fixed, so they don't seem to care.
As I've mentioned in other creators' RAFT reviews, this is my favorite ship that I don't own and am unlikely to own in the future. I absolutely love it for being an adorable and VERY good little workhorse hauler, and I think the interior is very expertly laid out -- making it absolutely feel like both 'home' and 'work' at the same time. The problem is that for me, its direct competitor is the Constellation Taurus, which is my favorite ship that I DO own, and the one I fly the most when I'm in the verse, by a huge amount. I'll be honest, though, aside from the recently-added and absolutely adorable Drake Vulture, the RAFT is easily the most likely ship for me to get on a whim.
I absolutely agree on the Taurus, except that I wouldn't say it was a "direct competitor" - the Taurus is more expensive, by a fair margin. I think the Taurus is absolutely fantastic, but it carries a higher price tag so I don't see it in the same league as the RAFT.
Heya Farrister - When the game isn't being buggy and the Raft is working as it should, it's a very nice ship to fly, and with the internals setup as they are, it's definitely a worthy 'home away from home.' It's a good ship, and the price point is reasonable (for a virtual spaceship in a game full of expensive virtual spaceships). Nicely done as always :)
A fair and well done review. I got mine when it was launched and love it. My only issue beyond the bugs is that I wish it carried just one more container.
I absolutely adore the rugged industrial look of this ship. As you said it has great personality. However, I have my heart set on a Hull C for cargo hauling, so the raft will have to be a side ship I buy in game for whatever unique utility it gains in the future with those cargo containers.
I like the aesthetic of it. I wasn't thrilled with how it handled when I flew one though and it seems like a lot of ship for the modest amount of cargo it carries. I know the potential of it will be hopefully a quick and easy loading/unloading approach but we'll have to wait and see how that pans out. I think we'll see a lot of NPCs flying these around as they will be ideal for new player pirates to hit.
The raft is hands down my fav flyable cargorunner and i own a Cat. Here is what u need to know: Stanton has size of 5AU Pyro has a size of 17AU with the fuel bay of the raft i dare say it so far has no compeditor in pyro even thou in stanton the max carries more
If this thing had a cargo bay with ramp instead of those boxes and could carry a ROC or Ursa, I think it would be one of the most perfect ships in the game for non-combat. It's cute in its own way, and the interior is one of my favorites. Sadly, those cargo boxes are the only thing I'm not thrilled about, especially since it really seems like it should be able to carry more than it does.
On the contrary, the small compact window by the seating area is great, it shows the ship goes for toughness, plus you get civilian ship/submarine window vibes.
They need the MKII version that is a little longer, higher leg mounts (to haul an extra row of cargo) and a special transport beam that links into the MOLE. NOW THAT WOULD BE AN UPGRADE!!!
This is very interesting. I wanted to jump into the comments to correct or add to your video, but you covered it all. My biggest gripe is the elevator: it just doesn't work, you need to exit via airlock. AND airlock seems... pointless (a plus: legionnaire shouldn't be able to dock!) There is one vrucial reason why I use this ship: it doesn't tumble away in a storm. As does the caterpilar, but the Raft is much mor efficient at taking off from a planet. I want to have a Nomad 2.0: bigger. Until then the Raft does feel like a home away from home. And it pairs well with the Mole. It's the best big ship to fly, though.
Between the C2 Hercules, the Constellation Taurus, Hull Series, and this. The Argo RAFT is definitely the best contender for someone who wants a lot of space but to keep their cargo moderately secure. The Constellation Taurus is probably the best for Internal Storage, and the C2 is best for Personnel and Vehicle Transport while offering space for cargo; this beauty of a behemoth is the best for a happy medium between Hull and the C2/Taurus. You would definitely recommend this to an up and coming Trader / Freight Runner. Also, I believe in a recent patch (3.17.2 PTU.8121594), it was stated that the RAFT would be allowed to slave its turret to the pilot's weapons.
@@Farrister From what I understand though, the C2 isn't labeled for Cargo though, I think it's transport. Meaning it probably won't get a Tractor Beam like other cargo/hauler/freight ships once the refactor comes along. So I feel it might have some trouble getting cargo in certain situations that the others can. But if they add small enough "Tugs" or Snub Tractors, then it might be viable.
Thanks for the review. I agree wholeheartedly about your conclusions. I just love the interior living space of this ship. I also appreciate the little extra details, like gun racks, internal storage, and other gizmos. It's not the most practical ship in my fleet. I have bigger cargo haulers and better fighters. It's hard to justify taking the ship out of the hangar to actually--you know--haul something, particularly when I have other ships that can haul more, get there faster, and defend themselves better. Yet something about the Raft makes me really WANT to fly it. And it isn't always about the "best." Sometimes I just want fun and immersive, and the Raft definitely fits that bill.
this ship has best interior design I have ever seen in star citizen .. not like big empty ships .. there is only one thing I dont like, it need one more container for perfect balance I hope they will put one more in future ..
Given the size vs speed with the directional thrusters, this is probably going to be one of the best freight ships for picking up and dropping off cargo on heavy gravity planets. Once the thruster and flight system get's it's final pass of course. Because we know bigger ships as well as ships without direction thruster's will struggle immensely more than they do now in gravity. Luckily given it's 2 size 2 shields and a decent 2 sized 3 turret, your going to be able to deal with most threats unless they're skilled and simply follow your bottom side. However planet side if you stay near the ground you'll be hard to kill for a large majority of single seater threats.
I love the Raft. I hope that in the far future of cargo refactor when those containers are removable, we will be able to swap them out for either more or larger containers. If not then I hope we get to see a larger or higher capacity version of the Raft.
I just realized why the spaceship is so appealing. But that external superstructure, it reminds me of Space 1999 Eagle. And like with the Eagle, it could use its external cargo mounts to have multiple different type of external units that you could attach to it as well.
I’m yet to make my first million but I know what I’m saving up for!! I thought that I was going to do bunkers and bounty’s to get $$ but yesterday I picked up a cargo job and a ore bit and unlike games like eve that made me hate mining and cargo running, in star citizen those 2 things may be my favorite. But the saber will always have a place in my heart.
It's a great ship, oozing character and detail... I just wish the lift was a little faster and that it would stop better than it does. Currently the Freelancer MAX is a much better ship, but once cargo become physicalised and we have to load the ships ourselves, the Rift will come into it's own.
Bro, i just randonly got in one of your videos and can't stop watching them! I've upgraded my ship using your recomendations and I'm really satisfied! Thank you and keep doing this great work! + 1 sub
It's a bit sad that a fat goose (Hercules) makes so many haulers pretty much useless because it's just way more efficient in almost every way. They should consider decreasing some SCU storages on ships that can everything better than dedicated haulers like the RAFT. The Valkyrie for example also looks like she could hold more cargo than 30 SCUs but they limited it for a good reason.
Hmm... now I'm taking another look at the Raft, since realizing that quantum jump range is going to be a factor if the Pyro system is ever released. It currently has the 3rd highest Quantum Fuel tank and is 1/4th the cost of a Hercules C2, and 7% the cost of a Carrack. So this could serve as a long range transport for smaller cargo loads. The other S3 and S4 ships aren't even close. I guess I'll have to wait and see what the distances in Pyro are really like.
This video speaks to me 😂 “someone has done combat in the RAFT” … yup, can confirm. “The Hull B might be an upgrade in the future” … yup, got that CCU ready 😁 I do have a Freelancer Max in-game, and the Hull B CCU would provide me with one as a loaner anyway, but I like my RAFT too damn much to fly or upgrade to the MAX. Also, there’s gonna be a great view out of that hab window once the shipping crates aren’t there if you’re running empty in 3.18
It would be cool if SC had some planets with high gravity that only certain spacecraft with strong frames and powerful VTOL thrusters could lift heavy cargo from. In the real world, the first two attributes that you need to know about any cargo that you intend to haul are SIZE & WEIGHT. If you're picking up cargo from a planet or moon with gravity, you have to know the weight of your ship or you don't leave the ground or even worse you'll be unable to control your decent and you'll crash land.
The main problem is that, with a coopilot at 95scu of cargo you won't cut a meaningful profit, unless you are hauling Laranite, Construction materials or AV equipments. Things will probably change as you need this ship to bring from and to space containers and load them on Hull E ships. I think a Freelancer is a better choice for multi crew as you can find some M to H risk combat mission and deal with tue threat. To me this was an excellent CCU: through the Spartan and then the RAFT I was able to save about 40 bucks to upgrade my fleet to full LTI
I upgraded my RAFT during ILW but it was a difficult decision. I really liked my little tank and did land on top in a couple of skirmishes. Might get her back one day.
@@Farrister Picked up the Corsair. I already have the Railen so 2 cargo ships neither of which can carry a vehicle didn't make sense. And I am really interested in the future exploration loop. For big ships I will sign up for a turret slot on your Javelin one day😁
It's the Little Ship that could! ;) lol =D I like it. It did fall short in some areas vs freelancers (Max), BUT I think its short falls will be over come when cargo refactor comes into play. In which the Raft will be able to "Grab -n- Go" it's cargo with it's built in Tractor beam (Support station) over having to load a freelancer's cargo.
As I look at the Raft, I keep thinking it's designed to compress. That is, take the cargo boxes out, and the whole rear of the ship would retract up toward the front.
I spent some time in the RAFT during IAE 2951, but since then I’ve become vastly familiar with the MOLE and that’s overdue for a design update so I hope it gets a revised interior like the RAFT.
@@Farrister yeah I checked.. its a 2019 design so not as dated as the Constellation or Retaliator, but they will have to redesign it for component standardization. I guess there's an intention for a Mole/Raft pairing in Pyro - the Mole handing off mining bags to the Raft to transport back, and current cargo containers on the Raft are temporary.
I've used both the RAFT and the Freelancer Max and while the max does hold more and has the ability to hold vehicles such as the ROC, the RAFT just feels like a much more refined cargo experience. The Max, as well as the rest of the freelancers still give off a dated feel to them and I bet it will be reworked or balanced in the future to fit component access.
Hey @Farrister!! Great vid! Personally I love these industrial looks such as MISC and Argo, I think this ship in particular seems very cool, very slow for the size tho, but... since is a cargo hauler... fits! What I dislike the most is the fact I can't take any vehicle with me.
@@Farrister I know land vehicles are useless ATM but I try to use them when I can... I think that realistically makes sense to use them, for example on bunker missions I park my ship a bit far, then I go in my Ursa or bike. Can't wait for the mule!! 😓 It seems so cool.
CIG sometimes seems to have their ships suffer from dead end designs. The airlock placement is one such issue. I do hope I'm wrong with this and that there will be some kind of ship to ship standard for docking but it doesn't seem so. So for me the biggest asset for this ship isn't even one that it's advertised for. Exploration. The fact that it can hold that size cargo container also means that it can hold a dragonfly, food, ship components... things you might need for an extended away mission. Like the MOLE however, I do see this as another swing and a miss. With the MOLE, the example of that dead end design I spoke of earlier was to have the mining turrets extend downward.. beyond the landing gear. Really? I mean they couldn't think of a single reason that the ship might need to mine while landed on a stable surface? So some of the design elements I'm seeing seem silly. Almost insulting in their oversight.
Man I want so bad for the Raft and other Argo vehicles to really get their purpose. One of the hard things in SC is the fact that they have just a few too many ships that can multi-role or flat out be better at multiple things than some of the dedicated ships.
Until we have the cargo refactor and more star systems, the RAFT's strengths are only its good looks and sightlines. Those existing perks are compelling, but the ship will become decidedly more popular than the Freelancers for the long hauls. It remains to be seen if the Hull B will match its range, but even so the RAFT may be a popular stepping stone between the A and B models. I think it's going to retain a dedicated following, and though I just upgraded mine to a Drake Vulture as my starter ship, I hope to earn a RAFT again in-game.
@@Farrister I could see Argo introducing an entire series paralleling the aging Hull workhorses. I do love MISC ships for character and reliability, but they are legacy craft on the edge of obsolescence. And CIG knows a good fraction of Hull owners will bite if they dangle that classic bait and switch. Cha-ching!
I love the industrial rugged look and technically a ship design like the Raft would be my dream, but all the video about ships I have seen so far gave me the impression that the developer team is not fair with these kind of ships. All the industrial looking ships I have seen are relegated in roles consistent to their look: transport, mining and without much flexibility to do something else. On the other hand, all the other ships in the game, usually more cool, flashy, snobbish, sport car looking can be found in any category and many have multi-role capabilities or at least more flexibility. Personally I think it sucks. It would be cool to have an industrial looking ship with the same flexibility of the Freelancer Max, for example.
The one thing that bugs me about the RAFT is there is space at the back for another 32 SCU container if you bunch them up closer to each other you could likely get 2 more on the RAFT with maybe a little overhang at the back.
