NPC response in PP is arguably as variable as other players are as well as being weaker- this is the problem and what I'm talking about when I say strategically rewarded.
...and this is for self admission of the ones who select other-than-open-play game modes for such purpose.
Some NPCs could be set at a level where no player could expect to beat them - if Frontier want to. We'll need to see what Powerplay 2.0 NPCs offer in terms of challenge vs. player activity. Noting that there will be some for whom NPCs will never pose a significant enough challenge (for themself, possibly, and against those whose play-style they don't like).
Ok so if Open wants a bonus that should only apply if you actually get interdicted, otherwise its no different???
Ship choice can't be a determining factor, mainly as it makes no sense, logically or game wise. I understand the sentiment, but engineering is here now, and people are going to feel fed up if its all pointless. Its better to make situations that require engineering of certain types- say, stealth missions.
Ship and engineering choice is already a factor in how much of a threat another ship represents - hence the my edit to the quoted post:
Hard, certainly. Impossible for a significant subset of the player-base? Unlikely.
I would certainly agree to a bonus based on encounters.
This is not CQC though- but, long ago I did think of ideas like each power pledge giving a 'free' ship that is well armed and has free rebuys- but only if you use it.
FD have already done this with FCs. On FU 3 or 4 they talked about attacking and moving around rival FCs more survivable by removing reverb station weapons.
It is a factor, however it shouldn't be a determining factor. Thargoids for example don't tone down the threat they pose if you decide to rock up in a Hauler with an AX Multicannon, neither should any PP NPCs
Simple workmanlike solution: Every pledged NPC/PC killed in a stronghold generates 1 NPC ATR-like unit that will interdict the player if they're in that system, adding 1 to its wing for every kill till it spills over into the another wing. (so after 7 kills would be 1x Wing of 4, 1x Wing of 3).
But larger Powers would have an advantage in Open as they could afford to task players to 'blockade' systems such as Polevnic whilst continuing with other stuff, we being a smaller group really wouldn't stand a chance.
They should, accompanied by screechy Goid laughter as the hive mind digests how adorable it all is.
I wish they would... that was a good 10 minute combat run
Mark Felton music begins
Thats just how it is- Dealine from day 1 was set on by the Imperials, had its capital shut down via UA bombing, is now hostile to ZYADA.....
The larger powers would be busy fighting each other, where the enmity is. Or sleeping like Mahon. Also, I'm told regularly in these threads that blockades do not work.
The way some powers haul fortifications, as well as HQ assets, affects this too... i.e. in Cubeo one needs to camp out the stations (4 orbital with L-pads, + planetaries and outposts), whilst for example in Polevnic there's one L-pad orbital, outpost and 1 planetary moreover haulers must haul to the station (not from) so they can be engaged in SC.
When a large part of the additional risk of Open is due to players in engineered combat ships, which is then used to justify increasing the NPC challenge faced by players in all game modes engaged in the feature, then taking the engineering of the player's ship into account when setting the challenge of the NPCs they face seems to be a logical step - unless the aim is to justify increasing the challenge posed by the feature on the basis of the existence of players who face no real threat from either NPCs or other players.
Indeed they don't - however, unlike players, they remain in context and don't roam freely about the galaxy attacking whatever takes their fancy.
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