Discuss the AI here!

[Abomination]

Not much combat experience with 2.1, but my first two battles were already amazing. Nothing I've seen so far.
One was me on the conda, ai on a db scout, yeah.. really, a scout.. had to fight for it.. that darn thing kept flying away and trying to pinch me like a gnat on steriods.
Wasn't hard to defeat, the scout didn't stand a chance but it was awesome seeing it trying to trick me nonethless.
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Second fight: took on a mission with the python to deliver data to another system.
Jumped out and got an inbox message saying a group of three baddies were looking for that data.
An additional bonus reward was automatically added to the mission goal for 'making them understand'.
So, ok, nobody around.. whatever.. jumpt to the next system on route.. and there was one big conda with a pilot called 'Ally'.
Well.. Ally wiped the floor with me.
The only reason I survived that battle was because I could outrun her and got help from the local police force.
Eventually we (police and me) killed that @#$@$ and, with canopy in half, was stil able to land on the nearest planetary base for some repairs.
Good Lord the other two ships weren't around at that time.. going to make the final jump now....
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What a game! [up]

 

[Seonid]

And get rid of the AIs infinite supply of everything lol

That's only MC ammunition.

 

[Nalessa]

Not exactly true (at least in the proper games), as after a random length of time that's when the other stuff rolled up.

I still have nightmares from trying to fight Chrysalids with stock battle rifles in a terror zone in the second month of a playthrough.

But you do terror mission knowing those will have chrysalids, and you can choose to not do them if you feel ill prepared.

If I get interdicted, I don't know anything at all ... is it a novice sidewinder? A master Python with modded weapons?
Simply turning around to scan whatever interdicted you right now can get you killed :s

 

[Mark Lock]

The easy solution would be to reduce the chance of the AI having modded modules at least until the next update once players are prepared. And get rid of the AIs infinite supply of everything lol

Do they have infinite ammo? I noticed a FAS I was fighting started shooting me with rockets, I think he had more than the rockets a ship can carry + other weapons, not sure if they are infinite or it was just my impression

 

[yodajedifishmaster]

Your PP or FSD does not get hammered in every fight.
Every fight is different.
if youre taking module abuse and cant defend it, I would think its time to get out of dodge.
If you see a volley of missles coming your way and stick around for the next volley...whos fault is that?

All hypothetical...but you get the jist.

actually all 4 npcs i have had so far have all gone powerplant. i targetted theirs on the two vipers. maybe they copy what you target i will need to play some more to check that out.

 

[Nexxio]

The easy solution would be to reduce the chance of the AI having modded modules at least until the next update once players are prepared. And get rid of the AIs infinite supply of everything lol

I didnt even know they have an infinite supply. In that case remove it and maybe reduce a chance of rail gun small ships but nothing more. Don't make ED boring again !!!!

 

[Seonid]

I didnt even know they have an infinite supply.

They don't.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Only multi cannons have unlimited ammo for NPCs, afaik everything else is as players.

 

[yodajedifishmaster]

Only multi cannons have unlimited ammo for NPCs, afaik everything else is as players.

apparently npcs also ignore heat. it happens but they dont fret like humans would about it.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

apparently npcs also ignore heat. it happens but they dont fret like humans would about it.

No they don't since 2.1, it does affect their ships. There might be bugs so be sure report them - there might be cases NPC doesnt act like humans and spam weapons despite gaining massive heat.

 

[Noddie]

Those one-shot videos are concerning. Had someone chuck a massive plasma ball at my DBX last night, which missed. But I dread to think what would have happened if the gunnery officer had been any better.

Missiles are now worthwhile. Very worthwhile. Which means. ECM has a reason to exist and point defence is now important. But if you don't have either, a heat sink will put off a missile just fine.

 

[yodajedifishmaster]

No they don't since 2.1, it does affect their ships. There might be bugs so be sure report them - there might be cases NPC doesnt act like humans and spam weapons despite gaining massive heat.

ah ok good to know thanks!

 

[Goose4291]

No they don't since 2.1, it does affect their ships. There might be bugs so be sure report them - there might be cases NPC doesnt act like humans and spam weapons despite gaining massive heat.

They also told us repeatedly that NPC's didn't have unlimited ammo and were affected by heat damage prior to this patch. Didn't stop an Asp firing 4 railguns at me next to a sun, where if I even looked at my lasers the cockpit would burst into flames, or dueling with an eagle that spammed dropped 12 chaffs in a fight. (Note: All pre 2.1 experiences, however we were told that this didn't happen by the devs).

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

They also told us repeatedly that NPC's didn't have unlimited ammo and were affected by heat damage prior to this patch. Didn't stop an Asp firing 4 railguns at me next to a sun, where if I even looked at my lasers the cockpit would burst into flames, or dueling with an eagle that spammed dropped 12 chaffs in a fight. (Note: All pre 2.1 experiences, however we were told that this didn't happen by the devs).

Might be but heat fix has been confirmed by SJA aka MoM and I trust her.

 

[Khelder]

Well, I gave it another crack. I went back and picked up my Cobra Mk III. Figured something a bit more maneuverable than my Asp might help. Got rid of my SRV hangar and added a small SCB.

First off I noticed that there was a wet work mission for 1.5M available to me. This isn't usually the type of thing I do. Figured it would be a wing and I'd get smashed. But I took it on all the same to experiment. Target was indeed in a wing (of 6). First attempt ended up with me at 23% hull, disabled, and spinning endlessly with no thrusters. Though, oddly, everyone decided to leave me alone. Second attempt, I actually managed to nail the target (Asp Scout) seconds before I was destroyed. I was quite surprised.

Then thought I would go to a low-RES. Was interdicted by a Viper Mk IV before I could get there. Thought I would take him on. Things were going reasonably well (it had been a good 10 seconds and I still had my shields). Then I was hit with some missile that instantly disabled a bunch of things. Fortunately, my thrusters came back online reasonably fast and I bolted out of there with <20% hull.

Finally got to the low-RES. I stayed there for a little bit and then called it quits. Hull is currently at 50-something percent. I think I have found my niche, though. I can make sure that multiple authority ships are around to offer support and take on Novice Sidewinders and Eagles. I did try a Dangerous Sidewinder. Pretty sure he would have killed me if three authority ships hadn't intervened.

So, I'm still forming opinions.

The problem I still have is that the bar has been set pretty high. Even taking on Novice Sidewinders, I had to use FA-off and thrusters just to line them up. I'm not a huge gamer and I know I don't have time to learn and perfect all the tricks of the trade. With other games I've played, I've recognised that those are my limits. But I've still managed to get a fair bit out of those games with the level I get to. It's also part of the reason I have no interest in PvP. I know I can't compete well at that level, so I avoid it. It's going to be a bit of a shame if I am relegated to taking on Novice Sidewinders from now on.

A counter to lack of skill in these situations was often to bulk up. Go for a bigger ship. Load up on shields and hull strength. That might buy you a bit of time to make up for your lack of 'technique'. Size/shields/hull don't seem to make much difference anymore.

 

[yodajedifishmaster]

it seems to me that now the thread is settling down less on the AI and more on the mods that some of the npcs get. or am i imagining things? thats also how im seeing it. i do think the concept that engineer mods were going to be rare is flawed; lots say when you have gotten invite from engineers and go there and mod things will be evened up. that doesnt sound like rare to me. sounds like everyone and every npc is going to have them. so why not just make them regular contacts in every station and not require special ingredients that force you to buy horizons and then do mining and crawl around on planets in an srv even if you have no interest in those activities?

or make them really rare so players dont have to do engineers and srv and mining if they dont want because not many npcs and players even high level ones have mods.

btw its not the buying horizons bit i think is a bad thing. i love it, it adds more places to go; but i have less than no interest in mining it sounds like work rather than fun to me and srv sounds like mining by rover.

 

[Khelder]

it seems to me that now the thread is settling down less on the AI and more on the mods that some of the npcs get. or am i imagining things? thats also how im seeing it. i do think the concept that engineer mods were going to be rare is flawed; lots say when you have gotten invite from engineers and go there and mod things will be evened up. that doesnt sound like rare to me. sounds like everyone and every npc is going to have them. so why not just make them regular contacts in every station and not require special ingredients that force you to buy horizons and then do mining and crawl around on planets in an srv even if you have no interest in those activities?

or make them really rare so players dont have to do engineers and srv and mining if they dont want because not many npcs and players even high level ones have mods.

I got the distinct impression that they wanted to add 'variety'. There's no point in focusing a whole release on them only to make them rare. So people without Horizons (or people like me who just don't want to use them) are going to be left behind.

 

[Garbarrage]

There have been plenty of videos posted of these OP NPC's. Please do everyone a favor and stop assuming we're getting blasted due to pip management or bad outfitting.

Who needs video when I've seen them and had zero problems?

 

[woodhouse]

After a bit more research, the new AI really feels just fine to me. They don't flee anymore, which is entirely unnecessary, because the NPC maneuver incredibly well. Maybe a little too well, but it makes sense for dangerous, deadly and elite pilots.

For now, I parked my Corvette and changed to the Imperial Courier, with some modifications, changing a multi-cannon for a fixed beam. The Courier now appears to be much more effective than the Corvette, and while it's a little bit more work, it's no more than double the time required in 2.0 to kill a deadly NPC.

Next up is equipping the Corvette with turrets on the small hardpoints. Hopefully that will improve its chances somewhat.

Have not tried any engineer upgrades yet in the live game.

 

[yodajedifishmaster]

Who needs video when I've seen them and had zero problems?

then you havent seen them.