I've been playing since launch, quite literally - with a few hours of sleep here and there i have been learning as i go, exploring the game and i would say i've done relatively okay, but i am beginning to doubt whether i want to keep spending my time playing a game that has some of the more frustrating mechanics i've met with in an online game.
Bear with me, please, i will explain. But beforehand let's establish a few rules.
First - let's remember that this is a game, regardless of how immersive it tries to be, it is still very much a game. (this will become important later on) And secondly - let us remember that in any online game there are two very clear classes, the players and the npcs. The former are supposed to enjoy their experience, while the latter are instanced and scattered around for the enjoyment of the former.
Now with that in mind my rant concerns two issues:
Rant 1: Suicidal, overly aggressive `friendly` AI:
Quite a few times while hunting wanted npcs i had 'friendly' AI either get right in my face or otherwise fly directly into my shot, which is fine, it is after all AI and thereby imperfect. The problem is that if you even so much as scratch their paint or poke their shield while engaged in combat with someone else - you get bounty, instantly, automagically.
Which results in endless frustration as now i have to abandon whatever i'm doing and rush to the nearest station to pay for what essentially is flawed aggression mechanics, that is of course assuming i manage to get out before i am swarmed by overzealous fly-by cops. Some might argue that the argument of "oh i accidentally shot you, please don't be mad" is flawed, which is where i will refer you to rule one: this is a game.
Solution:
If a player hits a non-hostile npc/player while engaged in combat with another npc/player which the player is targeting set a short clientside timer allowing for one or two more hits before registering it as an act of aggression. Yes, it does mean that whoever got in your face while you were firing your mega beam of instant death will probably get knocked into a core of the nearest sun; quite frankly they had no business getting in your face while you were engaged in combat.
Rant 2: Last Hit kills and `2 bounties per 10 engagements`:
No. Just no.
Resource extraction sites are the greatest offenders here.
It does not even matter if npcs were shooting that target before, refer to rule 2: they are merely npcs. When they kill a wanted target the bounty goes nowhere, poof, fairy dust. Nobody gets it. And bounties are most important in the early stages of the game, when you need those spacebucks badly and when getting a new gun is a consideration rather than an impulse buy.
Solution:
Bounties should be shared between participating players regardless of who did how much damage (as damage competitions lead to too much idiocy and friendly fire) and regardless of who fired the killing shot, especially when you've got five ships shooting up a single wanted target.
NPCs should not be able to steal bounties in any way shape or form as competing with them for a killshot leads to the first rant mentioned in this post.
Addendum:
I get it, the universe is harsh, it's hard and nobody wants an easy game.
But it is still a game which is supposed to be fun rather than terribly and needlessly frustrating.
And to anyone who posts "git gud, git skilld, buy a bigger gun" research the concept of player retention.
Thank you.
Bear with me, please, i will explain. But beforehand let's establish a few rules.
First - let's remember that this is a game, regardless of how immersive it tries to be, it is still very much a game. (this will become important later on) And secondly - let us remember that in any online game there are two very clear classes, the players and the npcs. The former are supposed to enjoy their experience, while the latter are instanced and scattered around for the enjoyment of the former.
Now with that in mind my rant concerns two issues:
Rant 1: Suicidal, overly aggressive `friendly` AI:
Quite a few times while hunting wanted npcs i had 'friendly' AI either get right in my face or otherwise fly directly into my shot, which is fine, it is after all AI and thereby imperfect. The problem is that if you even so much as scratch their paint or poke their shield while engaged in combat with someone else - you get bounty, instantly, automagically.
Which results in endless frustration as now i have to abandon whatever i'm doing and rush to the nearest station to pay for what essentially is flawed aggression mechanics, that is of course assuming i manage to get out before i am swarmed by overzealous fly-by cops. Some might argue that the argument of "oh i accidentally shot you, please don't be mad" is flawed, which is where i will refer you to rule one: this is a game.
Solution:
If a player hits a non-hostile npc/player while engaged in combat with another npc/player which the player is targeting set a short clientside timer allowing for one or two more hits before registering it as an act of aggression. Yes, it does mean that whoever got in your face while you were firing your mega beam of instant death will probably get knocked into a core of the nearest sun; quite frankly they had no business getting in your face while you were engaged in combat.
Rant 2: Last Hit kills and `2 bounties per 10 engagements`:
No. Just no.
Resource extraction sites are the greatest offenders here.
It does not even matter if npcs were shooting that target before, refer to rule 2: they are merely npcs. When they kill a wanted target the bounty goes nowhere, poof, fairy dust. Nobody gets it. And bounties are most important in the early stages of the game, when you need those spacebucks badly and when getting a new gun is a consideration rather than an impulse buy.
Solution:
Bounties should be shared between participating players regardless of who did how much damage (as damage competitions lead to too much idiocy and friendly fire) and regardless of who fired the killing shot, especially when you've got five ships shooting up a single wanted target.
NPCs should not be able to steal bounties in any way shape or form as competing with them for a killshot leads to the first rant mentioned in this post.
Addendum:
I get it, the universe is harsh, it's hard and nobody wants an easy game.
But it is still a game which is supposed to be fun rather than terribly and needlessly frustrating.
And to anyone who posts "git gud, git skilld, buy a bigger gun" research the concept of player retention.
Thank you.
![[VR] Mad Mike](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/27/27910.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}