A Plea to Frontier
- Thread starter Zazzilas Arden
- Start date
And you really wonder why people accuse you of being dishonest?
Sorry, while the new AI can stay, the still bugged Super-Loadout-NPC-Ships have to go.
You did not encounter them? Good for you.
I am primary not a trader, but I do trade from time to time.
On the 03 & 04 of June I did not have any problems, I encountered many NPCs and the fights were fine (non trading situation).
But in the late hours on the 04th I suddenly had "uber opponents", and I am not talking about the way they fly (Skills).
A FAS killed my Cobra faster than I could look.
Shortly after that another FAS almost killed me faster than I could look.
So I switched to my "main" Cobra MKIII.
Now I get an ASP Scout that shoots my shields down and takes a few % of my hull before I could even react (after that I escaped mostly intact).
1.) All 3 times I have been interdicted.
2.) All 3 times I submitted.
3.) I never encounter such uber-ships if I interdict them, or if I got to a RES/Nav/USS...
4.) So NO, it is not fixed for me.
FYI:
I own 14 Ships, I fly mostly in Cobra/ASP, I do Combat, Mining, Trading, Assassination, Exploring, a.s.o. ...
I have 85 Millions and my Cobra rebuy is around 300k, so no Problem here.
I never did those "get big money really quick" things.
I am a "half" casual Player, which means I have more the Mindset of a "full" Player, but unfortunately only a little bit more Playtime than a "real" casual Player.
I can see how someone with "less" can not survive in this game currently, especially as "luck" based as it is now.
I had 1,8 Days where everything was working as intended, but then for 0,2 Days hell broke loose ...
Common Sense and precautions will currently only help you as long as you are on the "lucky" side, but than again you will not need them in such situations.
Every Ship needs to be A rated to have a very small chance of survival when "hell breaks loose ..."
I agree. It is a poor argument. I never flew without shields, even pre 2.1. Reasons are many, such as boosting inside a space station by accident and other human misstakes one can do when piloting. Having shields that can take a good punch was, and is, a must have for me.
I have to be one of very few commanders that met an OP NPC in pre 2.1. In my T7, with 3 shieldboosters and A rated standard class shields, he/she killed me within 10 seconds after I committed to the interdiction. I guess, back then, it was one in a million chance to have such an NPC spawned.
Another encounter I had, pre 2.1, was this NPC that wanted to take out my Python with A-rated shields and all utility mounts were A-graded shield boosters. Even though I had a full load of cargo (240t or something like that), I managed to ram that NPC to death; I had one ring left on my shields, no hull damage, and... well, I didn't have weapons, therefore I rammed him/her and got some bounty money.
So, all in all, I am very happy that there is a proper balance in 2.1, where NPCs are not as powerfull as in my first example, and not as dumb as in my second example.
Opening with a False Dilemma and an Appeal to Spite was impressive. Not particularly wise for having people take you seriously, but impressive.
The fact that you felt a need to pick fights with anyone that didn't support your position effectively buried the position in question, and the idea that what anyone else might enjoy in the game being a personal affront from Frontier to you was an elegant way of slapping them in the face.
Overall, I have to say that I would be surprised if you haven't harmed your cause more than being quiet would have done. I certainly can't take you seriously after this.
The fact that you felt a need to pick fights with anyone that didn't support your position effectively buried the position in question, and the idea that what anyone else might enjoy in the game being a personal affront from Frontier to you was an elegant way of slapping them in the face.
Overall, I have to say that I would be surprised if you haven't harmed your cause more than being quiet would have done. I certainly can't take you seriously after this.
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...What in the world are you on about? False dilemma? Pick fights?
Are you trying to troll?
I don't get it.
Are you leaving a senseless, flamebait comment because you came into the thread expecting to see another plea to Frontier to nerf the NPCs into target practice, but didn't find what you expected?
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The OP's word's are righteous and well spoken. Much rep to him. I happen to agree whole heartedly--combat was something I did as an afterthought before 2.1, now it is highly interesting and engaging. I hope that Fdev makes good on their promise to start giving modded weapons & modules back to the higher level NPC's in the near future. 2.1 has not only made combat fun, interesting and rewarding (speaking for myself, obviously), it has made ALL facets of the game more interesting as well. To those who think the non-combat types can't succeed against the NPC's, I'm here to tell you you're 100% wrong--you just need to adjust your tactics a bit and re-fit your traders with better modules.
The fighting in the game now is what i allways wanted it to be. its incredible and im loving every fight dont care about money im in it for the combat. all i do now super cruse around looking for USS DC SSS so much fun.
+1 OP.
I love the new AI, skilful as it is.
The previously 'fish in a barell AI' turned me & some of my friends off from the game.
You now have to decide *do I fight or do I run*.
And thats when you fly Pythons, Anaconda, FDL.
Absolutely loving it.
It feels like the NPC now care & think a bit more like humans. (Although someone have turned off the evasive/scared behaviour fully again? - hm).
Thanks FD & SJA - the improvements are awesome, please don't nerf the AI too much.
I do acknowledge that perhaps traders & poorly protected ships may now have big troubles if they carry goods.
Perhaps one can do something for these non-military ships.
Scaling difficulty based on offensive loadouts perhaps?
I love the new AI, skilful as it is.
The previously 'fish in a barell AI' turned me & some of my friends off from the game.
You now have to decide *do I fight or do I run*.
And thats when you fly Pythons, Anaconda, FDL.
Absolutely loving it.
It feels like the NPC now care & think a bit more like humans. (Although someone have turned off the evasive/scared behaviour fully again? - hm).
Thanks FD & SJA - the improvements are awesome, please don't nerf the AI too much.
I do acknowledge that perhaps traders & poorly protected ships may now have big troubles if they carry goods.
Perhaps one can do something for these non-military ships.
Scaling difficulty based on offensive loadouts perhaps?
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I think that if these traders and poorly defended ships would perhaps outfit their ships appropriately for defense, they would not have so much of an issue. I have had zero problems trading in my unarmed Python and Clipper. I've even taken a Type-6 out.
I don't think anyone would mind the tougher A.I if the rewards were comparable. The fact of the matter is that the time it took to kill ships before the A.I changes was perfect for the rewards you received. Having to work much harder and longer for the same reward is just not worth it. Especially if you are doing Power-Play. Maintaining 10,000 points is a challenge but doable. With the increased A.I its just a waste of time. So just worrying about A.I being harder is only a fraction of the problem.
I concur with Maxxgold, the game is stacked against human players, who should have the fun? Working in an ASP setup for MAX HULL and Shield improvement (no cargo, 5D hull + 3x 3D Hull & 6C Bi-Weave) and still I get creamed by vipers & cobra's. My scanners tell the story too, AI seem to have special equipment, Aberrant Shields, Anomalous Bulkheads, Untypical Shields, Inconsistent Shield Soak, Distorted Shield Cycle, Massive amount of Power, etc. the AI are simply cheating! There is no fair competition between equal ships much less against bigger ships, on shot from an AI Anaconda and you are dead meat. Sorry, but I don't see the fun in that, sure, against a bigger ship I can be expected to get killed, but on equal terms I should have a chance depending on skills, but it is not working that way. :-(
The rewards were not perfect for the work you did before. Staying static and shooting at an immobile, rotating target that does not fire back for 150k is not perfect.
No, boyo, I was merely trying on your passionate purple prose to point out that you are offensive. There was no logic in your kiss up rant, and much that I doubt you would have been willing to say about other people if there were any chance they could physically express their displeasure upon you.
As to a False Dilemma, it is a tactic used by people such as yourself to try to force a debate or decision into a set of 2 choices when there are more than two choices to be had. In your case, the rather simplistic set of, My way or the wrong way.
I could have listed the other fallacies you indulged in, but I would hope that you can learn from the website on your own.
As far as your Ad Hominem attack, I have to admit that it is a better retort than most I have seen on the forums, but, really, admitting your ignorance and then accusing me of senselessness? Ah, well, at least you tried.
So? It was still much less profitable than A-B trading or shadow deliveries, even with the help of the brokenly OP (compared to the alternatives) PowerPlay bonuses from ALD or Hudson. In an hour of killing NPCs with a FDL or Anaconda or whatever you might make 4-6 mil, in an hour of trading you could instead have made two to three times that amount.
This thread is a good read. One side( myself included) like the new AI because they now actually fight back and the other side dislikes the new AI because of a bug that was recently fixed ( and the cost of insurance was refunded), or are not combat fans in general. Polar opposites. To stay sort of on topic, I took my trusty Viper to a high rez the other day, and went up against an elite Python, lets just say I am glad the Viper is a lot faster and can turn better than the Python! I only had 1% of my hull left! The Python did not do the roll of death and actually fought back. I had a blast while being blasted! The AI post 2.1.02 is awesome!
The AI post 2.1.02 is awesome!
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Where in the world were you hunting? Pre 2.1, I was making 10mill an hour on a BAD day in HAZRES.
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For me, who likes to do all the things Elite Dangerous has to offer, is the relentless way the AI does interdictions. Dropping into a ring, well away from any REZ sites, and you get 2-3 ships moving in on you. Moving thru and into systems, you can get interdicted multiple times (5-6 times) by different bogeys; Lawless, Wanted, Opposing system faction, etc.. If I am combat flying I love the challenge since that is the "heart and soul" of the game, but if I am out mining or searching for materials I would just like to move on about my business. Sure, whack me a few times as that is part of the fun but that many times is really annoying. By the time you get to where you are going you have a busted ship (repairs may be more than what was earned) and what used to taek an hour (or 2) now takes 3-4.
I do not want the AI nerfed I want it to be realistic for a Space Sim.
1. No one in their right mind would RAM you, unless they out massed and out shielded you
2. Space is mostly empty, and if you are making a 1:1 type of galaxy comparison (yes, I know it is a game) then I should be able to find some; Rings, Asteroid. Planet, etc...where I can hide and mine or hang out with no one "popping" to hi
3. Everyone who is "lawless" does not have to hate everyone who is not, you can use weighting to determine an interdiction, not just "Elite" ranks but actual ship stats/loadouts for comparisons
Keep the crazy maneuvers and the ability for the AI to fly as well as a human pilot, that is fun and nerve racking, but please give me back my empty space. If I want to go hide and do some of the "non-combat types of things, let me get to my destination without every Joe Blow trying out his/her/it's new Christmas gift....."The Interdicter 4000"
Just a humble opinion from a "casual" commander
I do not want the AI nerfed I want it to be realistic for a Space Sim.
1. No one in their right mind would RAM you, unless they out massed and out shielded you
2. Space is mostly empty, and if you are making a 1:1 type of galaxy comparison (yes, I know it is a game) then I should be able to find some; Rings, Asteroid. Planet, etc...where I can hide and mine or hang out with no one "popping" to hi
3. Everyone who is "lawless" does not have to hate everyone who is not, you can use weighting to determine an interdiction, not just "Elite" ranks but actual ship stats/loadouts for comparisons
Keep the crazy maneuvers and the ability for the AI to fly as well as a human pilot, that is fun and nerve racking, but please give me back my empty space. If I want to go hide and do some of the "non-combat types of things, let me get to my destination without every Joe Blow trying out his/her/it's new Christmas gift....."The Interdicter 4000"
Just a humble opinion from a "casual" commander
With the ALD/Hudson bonus, a great spawn, and a joyless pulse laser barge maybe. If I wanted to farm credits in a dull, workmanlike manner, I'd just A-B in the Cutter and watch TV on the second screen.
Furthermore, the risk/reward between trading (including cargo missions) and combat is very much out of whack. It's all but impossible to die doing trading, and in the unlikely event of death trade fits are much cheaper to replace than full combat fits. The biggest threat to traders is gravity on planets and the boost button near stations. Combat on the other hand actually requires you put your ship at risk, which is magnified by the Engineers mandating we hoard rare commodities just in case. This does two things; first, it makes it very hard to get the first strike from an advantageous position, and second it makes you the priority target for every pirate in an RES (and also makes you the target for countless interdictions).
Good post, OP. That's all true.
Why would that make a difference?
What exactly are you trying to suggest here?
Why would that make a difference?
What exactly are you trying to suggest here?
He's big and strong and has 100 friends and his dad works for Nintendo and his Uncle is a Navy SEAL and he's gonna beat you up if you say things he doesn't like?