Discuss the AI here!

[DBCloggy]

In my opinion, There are a few things that would improve the experience for everyone regarding combat:-

1) Higher level 'wanted' NPCs should only rarely be found around player starting systems and then only in Anarchy systems and High/Hazardous RES.

2) You tend to get scanned and ignored if you have no cargo. This should extend to only having low value cargo. I'm pretty sure if you are holding a few pods of coffee it wouldn't be worthwhile for a pirate to attack.

3) Any interdiction submission should give a very short cool down period. Currently if you fight to escape for any length of time, even submitting causes a long cool down and a often leaves you in a bad position. I've had thrusters knocked out for 30 seconds before. Of course, this could be a fixed bug. We need to encourage trying to escape, but not punish you so hard if you realise you can't and submit before you are caught.

4) Maybe allow the hire of NPC's on a per journey basis to accompany you and provide some protection. This could could be a percentage of your cargo cost.

5) I feel that a combat arena to face NPCs would be good. I know there is CQC Arena, but this is PvP? I know there are combat training options, but this could do with expanding, maybe adding an interdiction survival mission

I don't think it's a case of babying new players or treating them like idiots. It's a case of helping prepare them for the challenges ahead and helping them to get the most enjoyment and longevity from the game.

It's all well and good telling people it's a tough game and they should 'git gud', but helping them out early on is a good way to do this. No body would be sent out to space for the first time into a situation where they could be under attack from people who will kill them. They would be properly trained first, and encouraged to stay in areas where there people are kept from. Sure if you leave these places then you are at the mercy of whoever you encounter, but that's your choice.

 

[verminstar]

Dumb down? by making it harder and more cerebral?
Dumb down , by making it that you have to think to survive as a trader or miner? right...

Dont play the high road when the game is the same as before only now you have to think. 2.1 makes trading even better , because now I have a reason to have a convoy of friends and we have to plot routes to find the safe way out of a situation.

The game is for clever gamers , not casuals who want everything given to them

I wonder if you were a new player right now that your tone would be as equally condescending ^^

 

[Soopyyy]

That's it, keep it up. The "Git gud"s and insults only fan the flames. I personally have wrote a letter to Her Maj Queen Lizzy to have a word in Dave's ear (as their pals I heard), failing that, if she'd send Mr. Bond out to FDev HQ!

You guys get to keep the salt, we get the Bar-b-que!

Edit: A wee question then... To all you "claiming" everything is ok, what are you flying and how much cash as your character got? I think we'll find a nice pattern...

I'm flying what ever I want. I've posted video's with my Corvette and now my Vulture. I've got roughly 130,000,000cr in the bank.

 

[Calrissian]

Yeah its not even that hard...
I just killed a python that was ''elite'' ranked.

I mean its great , its fun and sometimes can even be hard , but its not impossible its just normal

In my Anaconda I took out a wing of 3 (Elite Clipper with 2 Expert Vipers with the last viper retreating.) It was proud moment but I fought like a junkyard dog and enjoyed every second of it.

That Asp Scout caught me in my Cobra and got the best of me. I have NEVER lost a battle to ANY Asp Scout until today. The 8 maneuverability was finally put to good use. Shields were tough and it had the new missiles. Bought an ECM after this encounter as well. My Cobra was still flying but my modules and some weapons were battered.

The game is challenging now and yes, not impossible. I just really like that they do maneuvers now instead of just sitting there like tanks and a lot of players, and just exchanging fire in your face just to see who runs out of SCB's and/or HR's.

 

[Dave1029]

The poll is now within the margin of error. So now almost half of the player base needs to get good or get out? I foresee this game being done with quickly if nothing changes.

 

[CMDR_Vyse]

In my opinion, There are a few things that would improve the experience for everyone regarding combat:-

1) Higher level 'wanted' NPCs should only rarely be found around player starting systems and then only in Anarchy systems and High/Hazardous RES.

I would change this to only finding them in Hazardous. Either do that, or increase bounty payouts across the board by 85%.

 

[yodajedifishmaster]

The more people that encounter a NPC with weapons of unimaginable power, the more that poll shifts towards too hard. It's now almost an even split.

i wish i could have added my other comment but it just let me vote other and no box to write anything. i dont mind the AI its just too much for modded AI weapons to drop A5 shields so quick then do so much damage in under 30 seconds. it should take enough time that you can flee. you shouldnt have to auto flee, rather be able to see if combat is viable and fleeing if it isnt. thats fun. fleeing because it MIGHT not be viable and you might not live if you dont is not fun. dying in under 30 seconds or 45 seconds with no chance to flee or fight is no fun at all. games need to be fun.

 

[frostypaw]

I wonder if you were a new player right now that your tone would be as equally condescending ^^

There have been a whole bunch of people saying they've tested the new user situation and they get a nice easy ride from the AI, quit coming back to this.

 

[CMDR CLASH]

I'm flying what ever I want. I've posted video's with my Corvette and now my Vulture. I've got roughly 130,000,000cr in the bank.

Actually that's why i don't think your opinion counts you already have what you want so harder or not it changes nothing for you but for people like me in a middle of oufiting a middle class combat fighter like my FDL getting 109 millions to get my mirrored armour is now taking too much time.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

again you dont understand. how much fun is it to NEVER BE ABLE TO FIGHT? to go back to the casino, thats also a no win situation but why do people play it? because they have the illusion they can win big. part of that is self deception. but there are not all that many who win at casino games like the slots and roulette. the skill games are different. elite is no longer a skill game its pure throw the ball in and hope it lands on the slot that doesnt kill you. and when it does kill you then you lose credits and the ship. and it does it too often for you to use anything other than a pure combat ship or a starter sidewinder.

the money is ebbing away. there is no role in elite for commanders to be traders or miners or explorers (unless they stay out and only occasionally risk coming back to sell. and seeing as most have no armor and weapons one interdiction like i had and they are DEAD along with months of data lost. you seriously think they will keep playing if that happens over and over?). you are going to have a brief glorious time with ai npcs and very few commanders then the servers will be shut down or it will become subscription to keep them open. and this will be another almost good game that died because people wanted pew pew too much and didnt take into account other people enjoying the other ways of playing. now pew pew or die is the ONLY way.

Cool it bro. First stop repeating this "ED will die if you wont listen to me" mantra. I hate to break this to you, but ED will continue to chukle on. Games which I dont find appealing gain millions of players. If you think you hate ED now, just leave, take a break. When you return they will have ironed all quirks with outfitting and npc matchmaking.

 

[Ian Phillips]

Yep. Still waiting for the prophecied demise of Elite Dangerous that was all over the forums before the general release in December 2014.

It's a bit like all the 'end of the world' prophecies. One day one of them may turn out to be correct, but so far its all been a lot of screaming and fearmongering, with no visible result. Then the next one comes along.

 

[Lemonhoko]

That's it, keep it up. The "Git gud"s and insults only fan the flames. I personally have wrote a letter to Her Maj Queen Lizzy to have a word in Dave's ear (as their pals I heard), failing that, if she'd send Mr. Bond out to FDev HQ!

You guys get to keep the salt, we get the Bar-b-que!

Edit: A wee question then... To all you "claiming" everything is ok, what are you flying and how much cash as your character got? I think we'll find a nice pattern...

Im claiming its ok...and im a casual player.
I fly a FAS and have barely 100 mil.
No where near the vettes and cutters bankroll...but I dont think having a bunch of credits makes a difference.
You need to choose your targets wisely and be ready to run when the it starts to go south on ya.
I have noticed that it seems anything rated over competent usually hit harder than before...probably because they are modded.

 

[JuicerPrime]

I, for one, LOVE the new AI. Maneuverable ships should be leveraging their advantage to stay in the blind spot of larger ships that think they are combat ships (yes Python pilots, I'm referring to you).

The only downside IMO is it kinda neuters the Federal Corvette, which is a purpose-built combat vessel. I guess the 'vette would be good at taking on larger vessels, but it would need protection from smaller vessels. It just needs some larger ships to sink its teeth into.

The new AI makes playing in a wing a lot more rewarding. No more discocondas going AFK and farming bounties. It's a beautiful thing.

But the Python is a multirole - it's supposed to be able to fight. Maybe not as well as a dedicated combat ship, but it shouldn't be helpless either.

As for the 'Vette being good at taking on larger vessels...why bother when small vessels seem to be doing the job just as well? You don't build huge and insanely expensive combat ships when fighters that cost less than 1% of the price can kill anything they can and more besides. Since 2.1 dropped large ships appear to be, variously, worthless or outclassed against their tiny competitors, which is economic madness.

 

[Soopyyy]

Im claiming its ok...and im a casual player.
I fly a FAS and have barely 100 mil.
No where near the vettes and cutters bankroll...but I dont think having a bunch of credits makes a difference.
You need to choose your targets wisely and be ready to run when the it starts to go south on ya.
I have noticed that it seems anything rated over competent usually hit harder than before...probably because they are modded.

You're exactly right.

 

[yodajedifishmaster]

TLDR

From reading this thread i can see ED's NPCs are like Marmite some like the new ones some dont. I havent played yet as my laptop that could run 2.0 fine crashes to desktop with 2.1.

The way i see it now is traders now will require wingmen as defence much like some NPCs do when they jump into nav points and they have wingmen.

Now Elite seems dangerous once again and we wont always win, im glad i got 2.2mil for rebuys

just curious how do traders or any non combat in solo wing up? and no i wont go to open to get griefed by the pkers before you ask.

 

[pippo]

I guess the 'vette would be good at taking on larger vessels, but it would need protection from smaller vessels

2.2 Guardians, anyone?

 

[kofeyh]

The poll is now within the margin of error. So now almost half of the player base needs to get good or get out? I foresee this game being done with quickly if nothing changes.

I'm sure if enough people whine, frontier will back peddle and take the AI back to the stone age where all the crushed-ego people can happily farm billions in peace again.

Everyone else will lament that one time the AI stood up for itself before it was merciless cut down and sent back to the paddock as potatoes.

Honestly. The AI is a smidge better. You could be forgiven that endless pets have been murdered and omg look at me and the sack cloth frontier do something!

 

[Cliffson]

AI seems alright, some of the weapons seem a bit off though:

[video=youtube;RrqqeSAFfTM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrqqeSAFfTM[/video]

Anyone think this is a bug? Only had 5c biweaves no boosters so ~100Mj damage in one blip.

 

[Bomba Luigi]

I just realised that this thread is bascily the new Solo vs Open vs Group Thread! Long live the new King!

 

[DBCloggy]

you shouldnt have to auto flee, rather be able to see if combat is viable and fleeing if it isnt. thats fun. fleeing because it MIGHT not be viable and you might not live if you dont is not fun. dying in under 30 seconds or 45 seconds with no chance to flee or fight is no fun at all. games need to be fun.

This is my only gripe since the update. I'm having to autoflee as default. I'm sure some would say "If you're not good enough to stand a fight then fair enough", but I don't think that is true. If they dropped in front of you and you at least got the chance to engage it would be an improvement. currently my shields are gone in 5 seconds and the only option is to run. If you get interdicted again you are probably toast.