Newcomer / Intro Okay developers, this is absolutely ridiculous

[Alaska Wolf]

I'd like to start by saying I'm not new to the Elite universe. I originally began playing Elite on my BBC B back in 1984 while stationed at RAF Alconbury, and actually had a chance to meet Ian Bell in Cambridge. I was really looking forward to Elite Dangerous, but after 8 hours of playing and 4 restarts I'm honestly getting fed up with this. First, I do not want to be a "combat pilot", that was never what Elite was about to me, exploration and trading were always the most appealing things in the game to me.

Four times now I've started Elite, in Solo, and I've been annihilated. I've tried breaking interdiction, I've tried giving in to interdiction; I've tried fighting back, I've tried running, I've tried running with no guns or cargo, nothing seems to work. It doesn't seem to matter where I go or what I do, I'm getting attacked while I try to learn the controls, I'm getting attacked in deep space, I've even been attacked while in the weapons exclusion zone outside of a starport; the NPCs I'm encountering all seem to be Elite class pilots flying Cobras that are armed with missiles and lasers that I'll never be able to afford at this rate. The truth of the matter is whenever you are encountering foes at this early stage of the game that do not miss, and cut through your shields, armor and destroy your ship in under 5 seconds, this game is not a lot of fun for newcomers. I have no clue what the developers are thinking, but getting people to play by having NPCs destroy them so fast they never get a chance to learn the game doesn't seem like a very good plan to me. If the NPCs are going to start out with the ability to destroy ships in 5 seconds, then perhaps new players should start with heavier ships and weapons, and a better power converter just to level the playing field. As it stands right now, I don't see a lot of reason for new players to invest their time and money in a game that is so heavily weighted against them that it makes them want to quit after the first day.

 

[Klab]

The AI is kinda ruthless now. I am curious about the station attacks though, are you pledged to a power or have a bounty on you? These are the only reasons I know of that will encourage NPC's to shoot at you whilst coming out of a station. My suggestion to you would be to fly the fastest ship you can afford and boost the hell away, whilst making a few barrel rolls. Target the closest system and high wake out of there to avoid the mass-lock effect. Other than that, I must admit this new ai is kinda brutal at times, especially if you are pledged/have a bounty on you. Keep trying CMDR!!

 

[Ian Skippy]

New accounts should only get low-ranked NPCs, starting to suspect bounties. FD is investigating a possible bug where people get attacked by high-end ships for little reason. Anyway, learn the controls in the training missions, not in the real game. Also, Elite is partly a combat game, and you do need to learn the basics.

 

[CMDR Mr. Boombastic]

As you can tell from my Avatar, I'm also a former BBC B player.
By the way if you want to go on a trip down on memory and play all the classic BBC games on your browser(!), take a look here:
Thread:"Shall we play a game?": ONLY For Old Skool fans of the BBC Micro and its games back catalogue

Anyway, with all the big fuss of interdictions I thought I would try my weakest ship and see if interdictions were that big of a problem. Normally I would turn and fight in my ships with better combat loadouts. A couple of weeks back got a little over confident when I was interdicted by a wing, tried to fight and lost my ship.

So I decided to take the AspX out of the hangar which had been gathering dust for a month or so, fitted it with 5B shields which aren't the strongest, took some missions (one with illegal salvage), and got interdicted around 10 times. And using the tips in a recent video from Vindicator Jones (in the spoiler tag below) managed to survive each interdiction (on a keyboard & mouse) by:

• Submit to interdiction by throttling to zero so FSD cool down is shorter
• Press the keybinding I have to throttle to 100%
• BOOST
• Manage SYS pips (more helps to protect the shields) and ENG pips (manages how soon you can boost and your acceleration)
• After a few BOOSTS, the FSD has cooled down and I'm so far away that I can low-wake out of there with no mass-lock from the NPC (low-wake can be inhibited by NPC mass-lock if you are too close, high-wake can only be mass-locked by a star, planet, station/outpost not NPC)

When I did this the NPC behind me managed to knock one ring out of my shields. There was one occasion I didn't submit and a got interdicted and jumped-in spinning several times but still managed to escape although with my shields nearly all gone.

On my AspX I do have the auto-firing 'Point Defence' turret fitted in one of my utility mounts which is now an essential item against NPC missiles.

Video on how to survive interdictions in a Type 6 trading ship with D rated shields:

Spoiler

[video=youtube_share;woy8nmaVuVg]https://youtu.be/woy8nmaVuVg[/video]

 

[Amphieuss]

Dear Alaska Wolf,

I had the same a week ago. Also I am not new to Elite. I was baffled to see what was going on. But...

First of all: I relogged the game right after patch 2.1/1.6. When I did ,since I haven't played for months ..I saw so many new "things" in this game I was slightly overwhelmed.

One of those things was "pledging to a power faction" which of course I did. Result ..... getting my behind handed to me every jump I made. I lost about 4 million credits this way.... now I do have to say , there was no escaping possible from an NPC , and they would kill me within "Nano seconds" which imo is just wrong.
Of course there was/is the problem with the NPC's atm. Apparently they where equipped with 'Engineer" weapons ... and on top of that there where some bugs that made it possible to have "weird" weapon combinations.

I'm flying a Lakon type 6 , and am a trader/explorer. Inside the bubble (human territory) after I got rid of the "Power pledging thing" I didn't seem to have much problems anymore.

Now there are still players that have to deal with certain bugs, but after FD patched the whole NPC weapon weirdness and NPC engineer equipment thing. Its been a lot better.

Also there is a pretty good community here , that are willing to help new players. to trade in "WING" or otherwise. (Of course like on any forum you have your trolls though"

Anyway, don't give up so easily. This game is in constant development. And the developers actually listen to the player base.

If you want you can give me a shout in game i'm named as my forum name "Amphieuss"

 

[Ready Eagle]

New accounts should only get low-ranked NPCs, starting to suspect bounties. FD is investigating a possible bug where people get attacked by high-end ships for little reason.

Fact, last week I was attacked by Pythons and Drop Ships in my new loaner sidewinder with Competent and Master ranks, I have NO combat rank up and I am still @ 25% Harmless. This is really a fail, at least send reasonable ships and low ranks after a new player, all I am learning is how to run, forget shooting back that is the fastest way to re-buy as a new player.

I was also shot at inside a no fire zone, but then the NPC was killed by the station Police, this NPC was chasing me I had just gotten away from him in an interdiction, (a master in a DBS, I think) so that was actually fun to see him explode. This part is well written code and cool to boot.

The AI is plain and simple for a new player, now I get away most of the time when I do everything right and flying my mostly A rated Sidewinder.
I am still playing, I will play for an hour or 2 then go back to WoWarships for a day or so, but that WoWS is like chess with huge RNG and 6 yr old's [haha]

I guess I do know why I keep trying, the game space is great and I love docking in a busy port. The game feels very alive and lonely at the same time that is a great mix. I am hopping to get enough credits for a Cobra III so at least I can run better and have some fun looking around and maybe get outside the bubble to sight see.

 

[avow555]

I'd like to start by saying I'm not new to the Elite universe. I originally began playing Elite on my BBC B back in 1984 while stationed at RAF Alconbury, and actually had a chance to meet Ian Bell in Cambridge. I was really looking forward to Elite Dangerous, but after 8 hours of playing and 4 restarts I'm honestly getting fed up with this. First, I do not want to be a "combat pilot", that was never what Elite was about to me, exploration and trading were always the most appealing things in the game to me.

Four times now I've started Elite, in Solo, and I've been annihilated. I've tried breaking interdiction, I've tried giving in to interdiction; I've tried fighting back, I've tried running, I've tried running with no guns or cargo, nothing seems to work. It doesn't seem to matter where I go or what I do, I'm getting attacked while I try to learn the controls, I'm getting attacked in deep space, I've even been attacked while in the weapons exclusion zone outside of a starport; the NPCs I'm encountering all seem to be Elite class pilots flying Cobras that are armed with missiles and lasers that I'll never be able to afford at this rate. The truth of the matter is whenever you are encountering foes at this early stage of the game that do not miss, and cut through your shields, armor and destroy your ship in under 5 seconds, this game is not a lot of fun for newcomers. I have no clue what the developers are thinking, but getting people to play by having NPCs destroy them so fast they never get a chance to learn the game doesn't seem like a very good plan to me. If the NPCs are going to start out with the ability to destroy ships in 5 seconds, then perhaps new players should start with heavier ships and weapons, and a better power converter just to level the playing field. As it stands right now, I don't see a lot of reason for new players to invest their time and money in a game that is so heavily weighted against them that it makes them want to quit after the first day.

Firstly welcome to Elite 4.
Secondly, you kinda started at the wrong time as the AI are on steroids just now.
Thirdly, we can apportion blame as the devs kinda blew it during the latest patch and certain community members totally encouraged it.

Please try and persevere, as hopefully common sense shall prevail and the high level ships will be banished to anarchy and some of the high level POI.

 

[Chris Simon]

I'd like to start by saying I'm not new to the Elite universe. I originally began playing Elite on my BBC B back in 1984 while stationed at RAF Alconbury, and actually had a chance to meet Ian Bell in Cambridge. I was really looking forward to Elite Dangerous, but after 8 hours of playing and 4 restarts I'm honestly getting fed up with this. First, I do not want to be a "combat pilot", that was never what Elite was about to me, exploration and trading were always the most appealing things in the game to me.

Four times now I've started Elite, in Solo, and I've been annihilated. I've tried breaking interdiction, I've tried giving in to interdiction; I've tried fighting back, I've tried running, I've tried running with no guns or cargo, nothing seems to work. It doesn't seem to matter where I go or what I do, I'm getting attacked while I try to learn the controls, I'm getting attacked in deep space, I've even been attacked while in the weapons exclusion zone outside of a starport; the NPCs I'm encountering all seem to be Elite class pilots flying Cobras that are armed with missiles and lasers that I'll never be able to afford at this rate. The truth of the matter is whenever you are encountering foes at this early stage of the game that do not miss, and cut through your shields, armor and destroy your ship in under 5 seconds, this game is not a lot of fun for newcomers. I have no clue what the developers are thinking, but getting people to play by having NPCs destroy them so fast they never get a chance to learn the game doesn't seem like a very good plan to me. If the NPCs are going to start out with the ability to destroy ships in 5 seconds, then perhaps new players should start with heavier ships and weapons, and a better power converter just to level the playing field. As it stands right now, I don't see a lot of reason for new players to invest their time and money in a game that is so heavily weighted against them that it makes them want to quit after the first day.

I know you said "no combat" but frankly you won't be able to avoid it altogether, you just don't have to seek it out.
I just crafted a short "how to survive" list (hardly the first and hardly the best but hey...) so if you feel like it, read through it.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=262436

 

[CMDR MAIN SEQUENCE]

In addition to the excellent Vindicator Jones video linked earlier, I would also recommend the following to keep interdictions to a minimum, these are all related - you can choose to follow just one or all 3 combined:

- when travelling in supercruise and carrying cargo, stay out of the shipping lanes (see bottom left of your cockpit HUD) that follow a route between the drop-in point (star) and the starports. In fact you could do this even if not carrying cargo as this will help to avoid psycho NPCs that interdict you anyway
- do not travel in a straight line between drop-in point and starport i.e. approach the starport at a 45 degree angle (for example) and then turn towards it when approx. 10-15 LS away (you need to get a feel for this) - you could even go past it and loop back from the "quiet side". Also related to this - do not travel on the same plane as the planet orbits (turn on Orbit Lines to see them) as most NPC traffic will do this
- travel in a straight line but approach the starport so that the 'alignment' indicator is not lit (i.e. starport is just off to one side), until you are approx 10-15LS away (see above)

My son has recently "taken over" one of my accounts so we are starting from scratch. Using the above strategies so far we've only had a "normal" amount of interdictions when doing trading or missions in a Sidewinder and Hauler.

 

[Alaska Wolf]

I want Snowball.....

 

[Alaska Wolf]

Thank you folks, I'm just venting... I had hoped today would be a little better, but nope same scenarios over and over again. Now keep in mind, I do not have an ASP X, nor a Type 6, believe me I wish I did; instead, I have a basic Sidewinder with Class 2 shields, pulse lasers, EC, and engines, oh and 1,0000 credits. I do not have point defense, or chaff, or flares, or ECM, again I wish I did. What I do have is 8,000 flight hours in F-4s and F-15s and assorted hours in other airframes, plus a wee bit of simulator time.

This is the way my scenario has been going for the last two days. I am getting interdicted with no cargo, no bounty, not even a warrant for spitting on the sidewalk. I have tried out running/out flying the interdictor, yeah, that ends badly. As far as fighting, I learned that bringing guns to a missile fight is generally a very bad idea; this was proven out in Elite. Okay, so now I submit to interdiction, drop out, set engines to 4, shields to 2, weaps 0 and throttle to max. Hit J to start jump clock. Boost, boost, BOOM! First missile cuts completely through shields, second missile damages thrusters and and keeps frame from resetting, fire in the cockpit. Okay, now I'm jinking hard trying to regenerate some kind of shields but the interdictor is stuck to my posterior like it's hot glued in place. Boom. Gone. Dead. I did manage to stretch one out to slightly over 10 secs before I died, but that was it. Right now I'm finding this pretty much akin to flying an L-139 Albatross armed with .30 cals into combat against a MIG-31 armed with R-37 LRMs and a 23 mm cannon. It just ain't happening.

So folks, what am I doing wrong?

 

[Chris Simon]

Thank you folks, I'm just venting... I had hoped today would be a little better, but nope same scenarios over and over again. Now keep in mind, I do not have an ASP X, nor a Type 6, believe me I wish I did; instead, I have a basic Sidewinder with Class 2 shields, pulse lasers, EC, and engines, oh and 1,0000 credits. I do not have point defense, or chaff, or flares, or ECM, again I wish I did. What I do have is 8,000 flight hours in F-4s and F-15s and assorted hours in other airframes, plus a wee bit of simulator time.

This is the way my scenario has been going for the last two days. I am getting interdicted with no cargo, no bounty, not even a warrant for spitting on the sidewalk. I have tried out running/out flying the interdictor, yeah, that ends badly. As far as fighting, I learned that bringing guns to a missile fight is generally a very bad idea; this was proven out in Elite. Okay, so now I submit to interdiction, drop out, set engines to 4, shields to 2, weaps 0 and throttle to max. Hit J to start jump clock. Boost, boost, BOOM! First missile cuts completely through shields, second missile damages thrusters and and keeps frame from resetting, fire in the cockpit. Okay, now I'm jinking hard trying to regenerate some kind of shields but the interdictor is stuck to my posterior like it's hot glued in place. Boom. Gone. Dead. I did manage to stretch one out to slightly over 10 secs before I died, but that was it. Right now I'm finding this pretty much akin to flying an L-139 Albatross armed with .30 cals into combat against a MIG-31 armed with R-37 LRMs and a 23 mm cannon. It just ain't happening.

So folks, what am I doing wrong?

What time zone are you in? If you can play around 11pm in game time (GMT) let's meet somewhere. We can make a bit of money and maybe I'll see what you're doing wrong.

 

[pipo zelvelder]

You're not doing anything wrong. There is a bug that some people like you and me and a few others have encountered and it will hunt you until the problem is solved. Complaining in these thread only get you trolled, and little viable help. Just try to sit it out. Eventually, Frontier will find the bug and compensate you. In the main time, you can file a ticket every time your ship is blown away without any chance and aks for the insurance money back. You will get that and that will give you a chance to slowly progress.

 

[Alaska Wolf]

Chris, I'm GMT -6 (Mountain), usually on between 1 PM to 8 PM GMT and then again 4 AM - 6 AM GMT. Been in Solo trying to get this figured out, NPCs have been more than enough to      me off.

 

[buffy]

PM me and you can join our private group and we can get you going.
PC players 22:00 - 02:00hrs BST/GMT

 

[Ready Eagle]

o7 Alaska Wolf;

glad you got help! players helping others seems to set this game apart and is why I am still here.

Next, f-4's and f-15's now where talking.

So good luck and your cleared to runway 8 [up]

 

[Chris Simon]

You're not doing anything wrong. There is a bug that some people like you and me and a few others have encountered and it will hunt you until the problem is solved. Complaining in these thread only get you trolled, and little viable help. Just try to sit it out. Eventually, Frontier will find the bug and compensate you. In the main time, you can file a ticket every time your ship is blown away without any chance and aks for the insurance money back. You will get that and that will give you a chance to slowly progress.

pipo, I understand your frustration, but the insta-kill bug was patched few days back and people were returned their insurance costs. Also, NPCs no longer have Engineer weapons.
All things that one would call "bug" are gone.
The only thing left is the fact that sometimes newbies are attacked by NPCs way out of their league and to some (stress here) it happens more often than it should have. They are looking into it.
It is unfortunate and it can be frustrating, until you learn. On the other hand "waiting it out" is not a viable strategy of learning.

 

[starman]

Good news In another thread they are discussing with bated breath the possibilities of the character creator and how they can spend hours playing 'dress up' and maybe you guys can join them...

 

[Chris Simon]

Good news In another thread they are discussing with bated breath the possibilities of the character creator and how they can spend hours playing 'dress up' and maybe you guys can join them...

This is a newcomers' subforum. Here we help, advise and try to solve problems.
Moaning and sarcasms here, please: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=30

 

[starman]

I think if Ai work as intended then that would be good ie progressive difficulty depending on rank. I wonder if we will get npc in wings or the ability to 'friend' npc via chat like what was suggested.