Griefed by an NPC

Sidey

Sidey
So finally managed to get a type 7. Not outfitted particularly well. Mostly went for cargo space and the FSD then type D of everything to save on mass.
Anyway so I start a trade run, arrive in Huichi to drop off some imperial slaves, an NPC anaconda, Alba, interdicts me. No problem, I submit, burn away and continue to head for the station, take a few hits, due to having to juggle some heat issues but its no big deal.

I activate the FSD and continue back towards the station. About 30 secs later I get interdicted again by the same anaconda NPC. Pulled out, once again we do the song and dance of me burning away towards the station. I jump away and continue on my route, now taken a little bit of armour damage, but its not a problem.

I get interdicted again by the same NPC lol. Anyway I got interdicted 3 times in a row. Im finally closing in on the station and I can see the anaconda lining up to try for the fourth time, but I get to the station first. I pop out of supercruise 8km away from the station and I start my approach.

All of a sudden I see a huge shape on the left hand side of the cockpit, so pull an evasive move so I dont fly into the ship which I quickly identify as an anaconda! Im immediately shot at. Last aggressor confirms that its the NPC Alba in the anaconda again. This time im not at range he's sitting right on top of me and my shields are v low from the previous interdictions. I boost towards the station as I can see all the defense craft there and think maybe thats my only chance.

Anyway Alba the anaconda is fitted with a plasma accelerator. About 2 seconds later my nice new shiny type 7 blow up and I can see the station defenses starting to shoot the NPC.


Overall, thats about as epic a moment in this game ive had in ages. Ive never seen an NPC follow me out of supercruise before. Brilliant. I lost about 4mil in slaves and insurance but it was worth it haha.

Anyway just thought id share. Wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar or has another story about the NPCs actually being decent.
 

Mosait

Mosait
I've had the same thing happen to me, except I was able to make into the station just in time. Sorry for your loss.
I now evade interdiction most of the time, unless I feel I'm not gh oing to be able to or it catches me off guard.
Best of luck next time!
 

Marak

Marak
LOL

Npc's parents are no longer married... ;) (since 1.3)

I've been chased through 3 systems by the same Diamondback pirate - in my weaponless Lakon 9.

I only got rid of the little tyke by getting close to a station while station guns took him out. Needless to say my L9 has less jump range now, but NOW it does have turrets, and missiles... Lots and lots of misiles.
 
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gazra

gazra
All you had to do was jump to another system, then drop out of SuperCruise, then when you jumped back to that first system, the pirate Anaconda NPC Alba would no longer be in that system, and you could continue your trade unmolested. Oh, well. You live and learn.
 
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Marak

Marak
gazra said:
All you had to do was jump to another system, then drop out of SuperCruise, then when you jumped back to that first system, the pirate Anaconda NPC Alba would no longer be in that system, and you could continue your trade unmolested. Oh, well. You live and learn.
Click to expand...

I've had them follow me in system jumps since 1.3.

(I could just be unlucky though...)
 

Darth Ender

D
this is not griefing. This is how the NPC's are dealing with horrible traders who run around with no weapons and boost boost SC back along their merry away and avoid any risk that the game attempts to provide.

The proper way to deal with interdicting NPC's is to either be armed and kill them, or hyperspace jump to a neighboring system and either go somewhere else or try again.
 

Sidey

Sidey
Commander Dave said:
It is impossible, by definition, to be griefed by an NPC.
Click to expand...

I agree. This does however, lead us to an interesting thought experiment:

Let us (for the sake of argument) assume that every single ship in ED is given the name Alba. Furthermore lets also assume that it is impossible to tell the difference between an NPC and a Cmdr via the radar. If I had been the "victim" of being "harassed" by being interdicted multiple times, and then arrived at the station to have my pursuer arrive as well and shoot me down without using limpet drones or warning me or anything. Then there are a large number of people (im not one of them) who would consider that griefing. It was a non consensual attack, where no way out of the situation was offered, and it cost me 4mil. attery simply for the sake of it. No rhyme or reason.

Now lets look at the consequences for me:
If Alba had been an NPC I would lose 4 mil, and end up back at my starting system.
If Alba had been a Cmdr, I would lose 4 mil, and end up back at my starting system.

The consequences (to me) are exactly the same regardless of whether Alba is an NPC or not.


Now as you have (correctly) stated that NPCs cannot grief, then we need to consider the following scenarios:
1. This is unintentional behaviour by the AI.
2. FD programmed the AI to have the potential to act in a manner which may be considered similar to a griefers behaviour and therefore they expect the players to also act in a similar way.
3. FD dont consider the above behaviour to be detrimental gameplay regardless if done by an NPC or Cmdr.


The main response that I normally see when people present a similar point that I have here is normally:
4. Its ok if an NPC does it, but its not ok if a player does it.

Try as a might I see no way to come to the above conclusion if I view the cause and effect of the situation objectively.

Anyway, just a thought.



EDIT: oh it wasnt clear, I think its 3. This type of behaviour and gameplay is intended.
 
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Darth Ender

D
Sidey said:
I agree. This does however, lead us to an interesting thought experiment:

Let us (for the sake of argument) assume that every single ship in ED is given the name Alba. Furthermore lets also assume that it is impossible to tell the difference between an NPC and a Cmdr via the radar. If I had been the "victim" of being "harassed" by being interdicted multiple times, and then arrived at the station to have my pursuer arrive as well and shoot me down without using limpet drones or warning me or anything. Then there are a large number of people (im not one of them) who would consider that griefing. It was a non consensual attack, where no way out of the situation was offered, and it cost me 4mil. attery simply for the sake of it. No rhyme or reason.

Now lets look at the consequences for me:
If Alba had been an NPC I would lose 4 mil, and end up back at my starting system.
If Alba had been a Cmdr, I would lose 4 mil, and end up back at my starting system.

The consequences (to me) are exactly the same regardless of whether Alba is an NPC or not.


Now as you have (correctly) stated that NPCs cannot grief, then we need to consider the following scenarios:
1. This is unintentional behaviour by the AI.
2. FD programmed the AI to have the potential to act in a manner which may be considered similar to a griefers behaviour and therefore they expect the players to also act in a similar way.
3. FD dont consider the above behaviour to be detrimental gameplay regardless if done by an NPC or Cmdr.


The main response that I normally see when people present a similar point that I have here is normally:
4. Its ok if an NPC does it, but its not ok if a player does it.

Try as a might I see no way to come to the above conclusion if I view the cause and effect of the situation objectively.

Anyway, just a thought.



EDIT: oh it wasnt clear, I think its 3. This type of behaviour and gameplay is intended.
Click to expand...

The proper way to deal with interdiction is not to go back into SC where your interdictor can just as easily follow you and continue to do it again. He's not at fault. You as the person going into SC are being stupid in how you deal with getting away. Why wouldn't he keep following you, you're making it insanely easy.

The proper way is to hyperspace jump since this requires a wake scanner and even if the NPC or player had one, it would take time and give you time to further jump away and survive.

Players aren't used to having to actually play the game correctly because up until now the NPC's behaved like morons and forgot about you as soon as you left the instance.

This is how the game is supposed to be for traders and anyone else. You either fight back or you run, and you can expect to be pursued if possible. It's not griefing unless you think any behavior utilizing a short term memory lasting more than a goldfish == griefing.
 

Sidey

Sidey
Darth Ender said:
The proper way to deal with interdiction is not to go back into SC where your interdictor can just as easily follow you and continue to do it again. He's not at fault. You as the person going into SC are being stupid in how you deal with getting away. Why wouldn't he keep following you, you're making it insanely easy.

The proper way is to hyperspace jump since this requires a wake scanner and even if the NPC or player had one, it would take time and give you time to further jump away and survive.

Players aren't used to having to actually play the game correctly because up until now the NPC's behaved like morons and forgot about you as soon as you left the instance.

This is how the game is supposed to be for traders and anyone else. You either fight back or you run, and you can expect to be pursued if possible. It's not griefing unless you think any behavior utilizing a short term memory lasting more than a goldfish == griefing.
Click to expand...

You do realise that I agree with you right...

the only reason I got caught out was because I was expecting the same NPC behaviour we had before (I havent played since the 1.2 release) I was actually rather happy that the NPC chased me about. Of course I could have jumped to another system I contemplated doing it but I was more curious to see if I stuck around what the NPC would actually do and the result was that I got pleasantly surprised.
 
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ecute2014

ecute2014
lol.. thats harsh.

I've been chased by a pirate NPC as well in my poor old blue Clipper. I was hauling 192 ton Palladium (slightly weaker shields than normal) for "my princess" and got interdicted by a pirate diamond-back but I didnt bother to even turn around and "greet him with a blaze of glory". Instead I just wanted to go to the station and sell my cargo and leave.

I was surprised when I got interdicted again by the same NPC just outside the station (first time it ever happened to me) firing at my rear. Seconds later the stations started to fire upon it so.. I did that as well and ended his troublesome life.
 

Daffan

Daffan
And here i was expecting some crying about npc's being too powerful.

I think these forums have shaped me badly.

Good post nonetheless :)
 
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