So, You Guys Think The NPC AI's Are Pushovers...

[Wicz]

I got jumped by a maxed NPC Python last night. I want to say the name was Infidel, but I think it was actually Irfidel?

Basically my Asp's cheap shields were down instantly, so I passed him head on and legged it to safety, but the AI does seem to have improved somewhat.


Edit: This was in group mode.

 

[Mikey2305]

In solo and unarmed and got well used to the run away game in my asp. To the point where i get a bit blase about it. Have been missiled a couple of times which got my pulse racing. A bit of variety and challenge might be nice. And if they operated where you might expect them ie anarchy, and actually acted like pirates, ie wanted cargo rather than wanting to kill you...

 

[scorpyon]

My attacker had an *amazing* FSD interdcitor. My own FSD failed.

Something that I discovered : the slower that your ship is travelling in SC, the more likely that the interdiction will succeed against you, rather than being whether the guy had a good / bad interdictor. So if you're trawling around at near to nothing speed, and interdictor will kick you out of SC almost instantly.
I tested this out a few times and it seemed to be the case. Flying at high speed and interdicting often took a little while to "win" the minigame, whereas interdicting a low speed ship, they submitted almost within a couple of seconds.

 

[Derath]

The only AI i've encountered that was worth mentioning was a Psycho Python, and it left me with brown trousers to say the least after so long of comfortable victories i was getting shredded and had to flee (in an asp at the time). Thats the only time i've come close to death in combat so would I say i'd like to see more of that? Yes, I want to feel pressured whenever I get interdicted, pressured to play my best fly my best and work that interdiction minigame so hard my PC monitor explodes because I want to avoid that python so much.

 

[Rivka]

I ran into the exact opposite. Was heading back from a conflict zone to turn in bounties, flying a tricked out cobra.. NPC interdiction starts, I just throttle down, submit, and get ready to fight.

It's a mostly harmless, shieldless sidewinder screaming "Die Die Die!"

I kinda...sat there for a minute, 4 pips in sys, stunned. THen I FSDed out. I didn't have the heart to kill him.



Goodspeed, shieldless Sidewinder interdictor NPC, you got bigger balls than some players. I hope you grow up into an Elite class Anaconda, murdering PCs everywhar.

 

[Tony Spaniels]

It seems like we have a rogue NPC Python out there who's intent on bringing the Humans down a notch or two. Good!

Im hoping the A1 difficulty level gets dialled in more accurately in the next build, so that their combat skills accurately reflects their Combat status. If Im fighting an Elite or even Dangerous NPC pilot I want a real battle on my hands (that probably wont end well for me ) . They seem generically set to Easy mode at the moment.

 

[Shadowdancer]

It's a mostly harmless, shieldless sidewinder screaming "Die Die Die!"

I kinda...sat there for a minute, 4 pips in sys, stunned. THen I FSDed out. I didn't have the heart to kill him.

I actually had that issue with a bunch of three Cobras in a USS, and one of them even had shields. It's so sad to see them flail around

 

[WO-One]

Worst thing about AI's, they don't (yet) ask for a share of your cargo.

I'd much prefer it if they played the pirate game, not just the Pew Pew game.

 

[Gorodd]

Boy! We all love a good beating

 

[tagos]

It seems like we have a rogue NPC Python out there who's intent on bringing the Humans down a notch or two. Good!

Im hoping the A1 difficulty level gets dialled in more accurately in the next build, so that their combat skills accurately reflects their Combat status. If Im fighting an Elite or even Dangerous NPC pilot I want a real battle on my hands (that probably wont end well for me ) . They seem generically set to Easy mode at the moment.

Count me in. The hardest encounter I had was with a Python in my Asp. It took me by surprise and had the upper hand for a time mainly because I just didn't expect something with shields let alone a Python.

I play in Open for the added danger people bring. But they also bring sociopaths so if there were more challenging NPC's to meet the need for a good fight I'd probably play permanently in PvE. Killing other players or being killed by them isn't a necessary part of my fun. It's just that without them at the moment there's little danger.

 

[InMemoriamSirocco]

An NPC Anaconda nearly killed me two weeks after Launch. I was still in my Eagle. Made it out barely alive by just mashing the boost button with all power to engines. Even had to outmaneuver seeker missiles because I had no chaff, no ECM, no point defence.

A Python cracked by canopy seconds after interdicting me. I escaped with my hull percentage in the single digits and a minute of breathable air left in my oxygen tank when I entered dock.

And I was playing solo the whole time. Didn't feel safer than in open play.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

I ran into the exact opposite. Was heading back from a conflict zone to turn in bounties, flying a tricked out cobra.. NPC interdiction starts, I just throttle down, submit, and get ready to fight.

It's a mostly harmless, shieldless sidewinder screaming "Die Die Die!"

I kinda...sat there for a minute, 4 pips in sys, stunned. THen I FSDed out. I didn't have the heart to kill him.



Goodspeed, shieldless Sidewinder interdictor NPC, you got bigger balls than some players. I hope you grow up into an Elite class Anaconda, murdering PCs everywhar.

I admire your catch and release policy.

 

[Tony Spaniels]

Count me in. The hardest encounter I had was with a Python in my Asp. It took me by surprise and had the upper hand for a time mainly because I just didn't expect something with shields let alone a Python.

I play in Open for the added danger people bring. But they also bring sociopaths so if there were more challenging NPC's to meet the need for a good fight I'd probably play permanently in PvE. Killing other players or being killed by them isn't a necessary part of my fun. It's just that without them at the moment there's little danger.

I seem to remember way back in Alpha testing, when all we had were the 9 training missions, that the NPC training ships were far better pilots capable of skilled moves and were hard to kill and kicked bottom. The last mission itself consisted of 9 waves of NPC ships coming at you which was tough to survive even past the 6th or 7th wave.

Maybe Im a much better pilot now and that negates the above paragraph somewhat but Im pretty sure the NPC AI setting is turned down to easy going at the moment.

 

[Riedquat]

I logged in for 20mins the other night to do some mining in my Hauler, I was on my way back with some minerals when I saw another ship in SC circle me and come around to my rear , I saw it was an ASP.

He interdicted me and won, i usually get away from interdictions but was just heading out of the cluster so was going slow which could be why he won.

He proceeded to shoot at me, I just full pipped and boosted engines, he got me down to 70% hull before I escaped.


It was exctiting, but way too easy to get away from, especially in a Hauler.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

I don't think that there is a name and shame policy for NPC's.

This guy was "XTCMath"

This leads to an idea: Frontier is testing out new AI's. "X" for experimental.

The reason it was a Python is that it needed the engine power for it's awesome interdiction device.

What if Wings includes hunting groups of NPC's? One large interdictor, and a group of smaller craft to swarm targets. The NPC's are starting to use tactics, now. Pin the target in a vulnerable spot for the interdiction, pick the most vulnerable system to shoot at for the target.

I think that the number of people complaining that the AI's are too easy, are going to diminish, as Frontier scales up for Wings, etc.

There could be an AI live stream, as they pick off the most highly rated players. Especially CMDR Pythons (or Ego Ship Of The Month).

I would pay real money for that.

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

Who was deliberately targeting my thrusters. My Cobra lasted about 15 seconds. I got about two hits on him (could not run, no FSD, not doing the exploit chicken-out) before kaboom.

Good!

I find NPCs tricky anyway but I know a lot of you have complained they're too easy - let's hope FD turned up the dial

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

This guy was "XTCMath"

Most likely a backer named NPC.

(See my avatar for mine .. someone kindly screen-shot it for me before they blew him up !

 

[Tigga]

Who was deliberately targeting my thrusters. My Cobra lasted about 15 seconds. I got about two hits on him (could not run, no FSD, not doing the exploit chicken-out) before kaboom. No effect. Should have dumped the scrap, in his face. Rats.

Why could you not run? 4 pips in engines, a few boosts, and you're away. Cobra is much faster than the Python.

 

[tagos]

I seem to remember way back in Alpha testing, when all we had were the 9 training missions, that the NPC training ships were far better pilots capable of skilled moves and were hard to kill and kicked bottom. The last mission itself consisted of 9 waves of NPC ships coming at you which was tough to survive even past the 6th or 7th wave.

Maybe Im a much better pilot now and that negates the above paragraph somewhat but Im pretty sure the NPC AI setting is turned down to easy going at the moment.

They used to be much better opponents but we were in crappy ships and didn't know what we know now back then. I can't understand hy we see so many shieldless pirates. no pirate should be in an unshielded ship.

 

[SE-Apocalypse]

Three light-seconds out from my final stop of the night, the interdiction game begins. Lots of traffic in and out, unable to tell who started tracking me. I had no bounties on me, and a cargo hold full of scrap for a refinery.

My attacker had an *amazing* FSD interdcitor. My own FSD failed. Started the usual post-interdiction button pushing and maneuvering- only this guy was a Python. A maxed one.

Who was deliberately targeting my thrusters. My Cobra lasted about 15 seconds. I got about two hits on him (could not run, no FSD, not doing the exploit chicken-out) before kaboom. No effect. Should have dumped the scrap, in his face. Rats.

Solo is not the equivalent of safe (for all you guys claiming otherwise). I, fortunately, had eight times the rebuy for my ship, in cash. I keep lots of cash, because there is no safety in this game, in any mode.

Expect the NPC's to get nastier in *all* modes. This AI was no amateur. Using a Python to kill a mid-level Cobra is overkill. I've also noticed them "capping" the primary stars in a system, and getting brazenly close to stations. Interdiction's have been occurring as close as the 30,000 KM mark (30 Mm/0.1 light-second).

I'll be back out again tomorrow night.

I had the same encounter with my viper. 56k bounty was not bad. ;-)

 

[Ralph Vargr]

I seem to remember way back in Alpha testing, when all we had were the 9 training missions, that the NPC training ships were far better pilots capable of skilled moves and were hard to kill and kicked bottom. The last mission itself consisted of 9 waves of NPC ships coming at you which was tough to survive even past the 6th or 7th wave.

Maybe Im a much better pilot now and that negates the above paragraph somewhat but Im pretty sure the NPC AI setting is turned down to easy going at the moment.

I think that's deliberate. You do not want to kill off your new customers, who aren't yet ready for that level of Elite.