It does let the AI fire off Frag Cannon rounds like confetti. I'd so like to be able to blast out that stuff with carefree abandon, if I had a lightly larger magazine for it. I'd also like it if the Wedding Barges had a non-damaging, multi-coloured celebratory version to pop off, and paid 1000 a tonne for Wine and Beer...
Yet another AI question: ammo ?
- Thread starter Poy
- Start date
I'd forgotten about Frag cannon. What are those, 31?
Seems a silly limit on those. Frag cannon ammo should be same as regular cannon IMO. If that were the case, the unlimited AI ammo would feel less OP.
Seems a silly limit on those. Frag cannon ammo should be same as regular cannon IMO. If that were the case, the unlimited AI ammo would feel less OP.
Huh? Wha-? Who? Where? (shakes head) What the <bleep> just happened..? ;-)
Oh, an answer! Well, yes, AI does has infinite projectile ammo (by Design), but they do run out of chaff, missiles etc.
Oh, and I'm sorry (nah, not really) to add that due to a bug (yeah, I know, another one...) you've all been fighting against AI ships that defensively think they're all Harmless... So... expect a lot more AI use of counter-measures in the near future (like lots and lots).AI chaff usage is now a favorite of mine.
In space no-one can hear a CMDR scream at our new AI overlords......
That's much more a case of UP player ammo loadouts rather than OP AI ammo loadouts. If you're in a fight long enough for the AI to cycle out a completely new "set" of ammo then you're probably doing it wrong in the first place.
[...]Oh, and missiles against unshielded ships!
They do already.. that caused my rather new CMDR his first death.
I decided to ran with 27 smth %, one of those buggers decided to send a missile after me.
I was shocked to see my HUD disappear and hearing the eject message, that hasn't happened in like forever to me.
And Im not trying to be smug, I really didn't die often before the last update.
At first I was ready to rage, but in retrospective Im heaving more fun in combat now even though it is far more of a challenge.
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Sarah Jane Avory
Retro Queen
Oh... Well what I mean is I'm now programming them to use missiles much smarter. Before they seldom tried to use them. Now, whenever it's tactically viable, they'll use 'em.
Oh boy, I'm having way too much fun! 
Oh... Well what I mean is I'm now programming them to use missiles much smarter. Before they seldom tried to use them. Now, whenever it's tactically viable, they'll use 'em.
Well, you ARE the Overlord. The work you do boil our blood in the vacuum of space in interesting ways is greatly appreciated.
Also, your consistent and amicable approach to the forums should be emulated by more of your associates more often. You've got a good balance of silly, informative, and non-overpromising, while avoiding the every-forum-ever traps of snark-dueling or getting bummed out by negativity.
Zac seems to be taking a page from your playbook; it's a good thing to see more of this coming from our orange-flavoured posters. No need to tell us everything, but the stuff you can and do tell us about is also greatly appreciated.
What would be the point, as a minion master, to not be happy with the positive results of training your minions to bring opponent egos down a notch or two?
(Darn, fingers faster than my post reviewing...)
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Sarah Jane Avory
Retro Queen
They have the same heat and WEP capacitor limits as the players. In fact there is a bug in the pip management where Elite AI ships can run out of WEP and stop firing! As for heat, I once had another bug where AI ships were exploding while using boost... Found out it was due to them overheating!
That might be interesting to add accidental cook-off to an action set of "incompetencies", as it were. I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional hapless AI bork themselves into a fireball or burn out a module with terrible heat management. The wider their behaviour range, the more interesting they become.
So on the issue of the bug where the AI wasn't flying appropriately, would it be right to presume that swings both ways?
Just been to a WSS with a wing of Mostly Harmless Eagle's present. I watched this 'novice' perform a fluid and flawless scoop, didn't stop, didn't pause, didn't jiggle to get the cargo just so in the scoop cross hair simply perfect vector control and one single fluid movement*; from a Mostly Harmless npc.
The npcs are meant to represent humans, I don't see this. I see no errors, no panic, all I see is a change of tactics and load-out between AI level. The number of tactics makes no difference if any available tactic is performed perfectly every single time.
If this was for the A.I 'species' in lore I could fully understand and appreciate what's being done, but this is meant to be a Human A.I, and I see nothing human in it.
I don't write this because I struggle with npcs; I don't, and I don't write this simply to be contrary because I'd love to get behind an engaging and immersive AI; I don't see it.
I have a horrible feeling this is going to go badly for people when an already preternaturally aware AI, which never misses its buttons is upgraded and released in game.
*This isn't a good thing.
Just been to a WSS with a wing of Mostly Harmless Eagle's present. I watched this 'novice' perform a fluid and flawless scoop, didn't stop, didn't pause, didn't jiggle to get the cargo just so in the scoop cross hair simply perfect vector control and one single fluid movement*; from a Mostly Harmless npc.
The npcs are meant to represent humans, I don't see this. I see no errors, no panic, all I see is a change of tactics and load-out between AI level. The number of tactics makes no difference if any available tactic is performed perfectly every single time.
If this was for the A.I 'species' in lore I could fully understand and appreciate what's being done, but this is meant to be a Human A.I, and I see nothing human in it.
I don't write this because I struggle with npcs; I don't, and I don't write this simply to be contrary because I'd love to get behind an engaging and immersive AI; I don't see it.
I have a horrible feeling this is going to go badly for people when an already preternaturally aware AI, which never misses its buttons is upgraded and released in game.
*This isn't a good thing.
Oh... Well what I mean is I'm now programming them to use missiles much smarter. Before they seldom tried to use them. Now, whenever it's tactically viable, they'll use 'em.
I hope that means that we get to use missiles without them detonating on our own shields soon.
Actually, while we're on the topic of AI, will NPC ships match up to their faction/power allegiance? Right now, we're seeing stuff like Couriers and Clippers aligned with Hudson, or Dropships flying for Arissa. Also, seeing as these all require naval ranks (and therefore high reputation), will we see a reduction in faction ships wanted in said ship's major faction's space (no more pirate Clippers all over imperial systems)?
I'd be happy if defender ships stopped spawning in enemy HQ systems....
BTW I assume any pirate ship is stolen. It makes no sense to pirate when you own an Anaconda and risk death from bounty hunters.
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Oh thats a cool comment, haven't thought about that.
A stolen Anaconda, the interior is already pretty roughed up, the CMDR inside just trying to get along after his misreable decision to steal that behemoth..
Makes me look at those Condas with bounties different from now on.
Huh? Wha-? Who? Where? (shakes head) What the <bleep> just happened..? ;-)
Oh, an answer! Well, yes, AI does has infinite projectile ammo (by Design), but they do run out of chaff, missiles etc.
Oh, and I'm sorry (nah, not really) to add that due to a bug (yeah, I know, another one...) you've all been fighting against AI ships that defensively think they're all Harmless... So... expect a lot more AI use of counter-measures in the near future (like lots and lots).
First of all, thanks a lot for answering my question, even after I insisted so hard
And as said in previous posts: WHAT ? But ? But ? That's unfair D:
Especially when you equip them with those deadly (against big ships) frag cannons ! And why are the frag cannons (a kinetic weapon) so efficient against shields ! And why are the Clipper's shield so damn weak ! And... wait, I'm being sidetracked...
Have you ever heard of attrition ? Especially in CZ, an NPC conda can keep firing its damn frags every 3 seconds for half an hour without ever running out !
The only good reason an ai should have unlimited ammo is if they were a capital ship !
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I posted a follow up about Frag cannons - players should be getting 105 rounds for those. After all, they are cannons. And if that NPC 'Conda is firing at *you* for 1/2 an hour, then both sides are a bit unbalanced. Combat should violent and short, but now we're treading treacherously close to my views on the shield meta, which is a whole different thread, so I won't dwell any further.
I get the feeling we are being prepared for those who cannot be named!