This right here^^^^^^
Patch Notes Update 2.1.05 update incoming
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This right here^^^^^^
Sorry not gonna happen fun not allowed.
I've been playing a second account for the last couple of days while my 1st account sits idle at Jaques waiting for repairs.
It has been a while since I faced NPCs since I've been out exploring. Today I got interdicted not once but four times (I didn't realize I had cargo in my hold thanks to mission rewards).
Is it normal for me to be able to simply escape without so much as a laser to my shields? I mean ... before 2.1 I'd usually escape after they brought down two rings but now ... nothing. It reminds me of playing pre-release beta where I'd get interdicted by an NPC that didn't even have weapons. Whats going on here?
Frontier are going for a record... the number of patch items dedicated to "balancing" NPC difficulty, where, if done slgihtly differently, would not need "balancing" in the first place. And would be far more engaging to play. And would work in a way that would, by nature, make most players happy.
I'm firmly of the opinion that this current direction leads only to blandness in terms of the "lay of the land" security profile... which leads to reduced player engagement. And will generate endless discussion points like,
- "unhappy being killed by an NPC!"
- "there is no challenge now!"
- "why do NPC skill levels change when I change my ship?"
- "why do NPC skill levels change when my rank increases?"
etc.
System Security Level is the answer. It's right there! It's a Thing! Use it.
If a system says, "SECURITY: LOW", make sure it actually feels like its security is low.
- Make it dangerous to do business there.
- Make it easier to pirate there.
- Structure commodity prices so profits are higher there.
- Set mission rewards to be higher for flying there.
If a system says, "SECURITY: HIGH", make sure it actually feels like its security is high.
- Make it safer to do business there.
- Make it hard to pirate there.
- Structure commodity prices so profits are lower there.
- Set mission rewards to be lower for flying there.
Put SYSTEM SECURITY on the Galaxy Map - and possibly on the HUD/panel somewhere... so it's visible and clear.
Then, when someone says, "I'm new. NPCs seem hard/easy", we can explain in one sentence why, and what to do about it.
- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -
I challenge anyone to point at a single item in the above bullet point list of suggestions that is (a) technically challenging for a developer of FD's calibre to implement, (b) illogical, or (c) hard for the player to grasp.
I really don't think there should be NPC's in the first place. I think they're spending far too much time on them.
Give us a real open mode. Not one where players can switch between modes. One account per mode. Is that so hard? And do something about the combat logs - It's a really simple easy fix - a small period of grace for the connection to be re-established. Five minutes. If they don't re-connect then let the ships loose their immunity and get attacked. Do this in the real open mode only. Most players can take the insurance hit anyway. We'll accept this without any problem at all. So why won't you implement this? Stop messing around with the AI and start messing around with the real problems in the game. Your open mode crap does not work. Its care bear mode. There is no point playing open. No point at all. Pointless. Useless. Combat logging and flipping to easy mode when docking destroyed it utterly and completely. This game is not elite dangerous. It's elite mostly harmless.[sad] Give us control of our own destinies! And get rid of mass-lock in real open mode too. Weapon fire on a shieldless ship should reset the jump engine. PvP, PvE. Get coding!
Give us a real open mode. Not one where players can switch between modes. One account per mode. Is that so hard? And do something about the combat logs - It's a really simple easy fix - a small period of grace for the connection to be re-established. Five minutes. If they don't re-connect then let the ships loose their immunity and get attacked. Do this in the real open mode only. Most players can take the insurance hit anyway. We'll accept this without any problem at all. So why won't you implement this? Stop messing around with the AI and start messing around with the real problems in the game. Your open mode crap does not work. Its care bear mode. There is no point playing open. No point at all. Pointless. Useless. Combat logging and flipping to easy mode when docking destroyed it utterly and completely. This game is not elite dangerous. It's elite mostly harmless.[sad] Give us control of our own destinies! And get rid of mass-lock in real open mode too. Weapon fire on a shieldless ship should reset the jump engine. PvP, PvE. Get coding!
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What you're describing there is an entirely different game. One point something million game owners would probably take exception to the game they bought being replaced by something totally different.
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+rep for the one sensible solution for it all.
Frontier are going for a record... the number of patch items dedicated to "balancing" NPC difficulty, where, if done slgihtly differently, would not need "balancing" in the first place. And would be far more engaging to play. And would work in a way that would, by nature, make most players happy.
I'm firmly of the opinion that this current direction leads only to blandness in terms of the "lay of the land" security profile... which leads to reduced player engagement. And will generate endless discussion points like,
- "unhappy being killed by an NPC!"
- "there is no challenge now!"
- "why do NPC skill levels change when I change my ship?"
- "why do NPC skill levels change when my rank increases?"
etc.
System Security Level is the answer. It's right there! It's a Thing! Use it.
If a system says, "SECURITY: LOW", make sure it actually feels like its security is low.
- Make it dangerous to do business there.
- Make it easier to pirate there.
- Structure commodity prices so profits are higher there.
- Set mission rewards to be higher for flying there.
If a system says, "SECURITY: HIGH", make sure it actually feels like its security is high.
- Make it safer to do business there.
- Make it hard to pirate there.
- Structure commodity prices so profits are lower there.
- Set mission rewards to be lower for flying there.
Put SYSTEM SECURITY on the Galaxy Map - and possibly on the HUD/panel somewhere... so it's visible and clear.
Then, when someone says, "I'm new. NPCs seem hard/easy", we can explain in one sentence why, and what to do about it.
- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -
I challenge anyone to point at a single item in the above bullet point list of suggestions that is (a) technically challenging for a developer of FD's calibre to implement, (b) illogical, or (c) hard for the player to grasp.
I totally agree with this. Dear Frontier: This should not to complicate to realize it. And this would be a solution for every player.
(Written from Germany)
I didn't read all pages here and I'm not going to but something very funny is in de update.
- Set all AI ships in lawful space to have an interdiction rank range of 2 or less ranks below their own, and all AI ships in anarchy space to have an interdiction rank range of 3 or less ranks below their own
That was a bug, now presented as update, bug solved
Dree
- Set all AI ships in lawful space to have an interdiction rank range of 2 or less ranks below their own, and all AI ships in anarchy space to have an interdiction rank range of 3 or less ranks below their own
That was a bug, now presented as update, bug solved
Dree
In ED it means 'Not another Noob' or 'Not another NPC' - to kill.
Well said.
I am a bit disappointed that NPCs don't target sub-systems. It just doesn't seem 'right' or 'real'. Statistically NPCs should behave as humans regarding combat but that may be too big a problem for the technology and SJA to solve and implement. And, more significantly, it may not be in the best interests of ED to do so. Let's face it, people have an absurdly difficult time wrapping their heads around the fact that they are crap at combat and coping with the consequences.
Since I am a C++ programmer I am use to dealing with the consequences of my crap code.
I can deal with being a less-than a proficient combat pilot in ED.
So SJA, how does your AI code simulate flying skills? By emulating humans?
...
The insurance idea taken seriously - well some(?) people, at times, take the risk of not having enough insurance for the ship they are flying. I've done it.
May be there should be premium in the terms for going into a 'dangerous' place? What terms?
Perhaps the existing terms are for a fully comprehensive policy.
Well said.
I am a bit disappointed that NPCs don't target sub-systems. It just doesn't seem 'right' or 'real'. Statistically NPCs should behave as humans regarding combat but that may be too big a problem for the technology and SJA to solve and implement. And, more significantly, it may not be in the best interests of ED to do so. Let's face it, people have an absurdly difficult time wrapping their heads around the fact that they are crap at combat and coping with the consequences.
Since I am a C++ programmer I am use to dealing with the consequences of my crap code.
I can deal with being a less-than a proficient combat pilot in ED.
So SJA, how does your AI code simulate flying skills? By emulating humans?
...
The insurance idea taken seriously - well some(?) people, at times, take the risk of not having enough insurance for the ship they are flying. I've done it.
May be there should be premium in the terms for going into a 'dangerous' place? What terms?
Perhaps the existing terms are for a fully comprehensive policy.
Look, I'm not going to be a total fascist about the whole NPC subsystem targetting thing. I get that the player's fun stops the minute their drives are shot out... so while it's "on par" with player dogfights, it's a bit of a wet blanket.
But...
There are lots of OTHER subsystems on our ships! What's wrong with NPCs targetting one of our pulse lasers? Or power distributor? Or frameshift drive? You know, stuff that makes a dogfight more interesting, because you have to deal with things malfunctioning.
Heck, I'm now targetting enemy ship weapon subsystems during dogfights... rather than drives or powerplant. It reduces their DPS, which is A Good Thing.
So why bring the hammer down on all NPC subsystem targetting? I don't get it...
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I openly agree with CaptainKremmen's post(s) - just to show FD that the opinion is not an isolated one.
Well said.
I am a bit disappointed that NPCs don't target sub-systems. It just doesn't seem 'right' or 'real'. Statistically NPCs should behave as humans regarding combat but that may be too big a problem for the technology and SJA to solve and implement. And, more significantly, it may not be in the best interests of ED to do so. Let's face it, people have an absurdly difficult time wrapping their heads around the fact that they are crap at combat and coping with the consequences.
Since I am a C++ programmer I am use to dealing with the consequences of my crap code.
I can deal with being a less-than a proficient combat pilot in ED.
So SJA, how does your AI code simulate flying skills? By emulating humans?
...
The insurance idea taken seriously - well some(?) people, at times, take the risk of not having enough insurance for the ship they are flying. I've done it.
May be there should be premium in the terms for going into a 'dangerous' place? What terms?
Perhaps the existing terms are for a fully comprehensive policy.
Fair point, but this is still a game and supposed to be fun to play. Sure, NPCs behaving like real humans would be impressive, but it would also be incredibly unfun. (At this point I should remind you not all humans are nice.) Besides, even I forget to target subsystems most of the time and last time I checked, I was still a real human with the combat rank "Competent".
So NPCs not targetting subsystems is a non-issue even if you take "realism" into account.
It is an issue, as it renders some engineer modifications useless (for PvE). Why would anybody even contemplate to choose 'sturdy mount' (or any other resistance increase) if there isn't the slightest necessity for it and there are those desirable damage upgrades to compete with it?
The change makes the game poorer as it eliminates (reasonable) choices.
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I would like to see a lattitude/ longitude system setup or surface bookmarking...i mean the grid is already painted...when you open the view..also would be super cool if after the world is generated to have the skin on the actual planet translated into that grid and if you numbered that grid you can have another chapter in types of missions and stuff like that..like in coords x,y pick item, bring to safety...also for prospecting..if in that grid you had the already generated world "skin" the pilot examines topography finds some craters he actually wants to ride before he even sets out there maybe 100,000Ls because he just found 18% arsenic moon; bookmark all sites first that you want to land and look geologically active with good read outs on what you are looking for then just pick spots and land and move on...thus streamlining the exploration and acquisition of materials.. the question thou that arises is.. are we ever going to build stuff and have a real market? so that its not such a boring grind...for the love of all that is good...space walk, for when you are really desperate tumbling in space at 2 percent hull and nothing is working but there is still powercore to work with...spacewalk repairs with some type of module for "damage tools, bay" or even feed from your afm ...you know for those messy times when thrusters are 0%, repair sequences refuses to work...just come out and do it yourself with the old torch, hammer and tape and scraps..and hope you landed on moon and have enough material for repairs and components from salvage to limp home...If you lookat the camera system that we have when you press cntrl+alt+space It already functions as if you were on a backpack thrusting around in space...It needs two things.. a layer of a hand holding a torch, and a digital hud on visor down, with visor up it would be just plain sight. then you can select you different subsystems by targetting them and applying an effect that will feed off of your materials and/or maybe your afm or both o_0. a certain quantity for acertain quantity of a certain material/salvage/afm to a maximum of idk...15%...im just pulling an example not saying these should be the numbers, just the concept.. .all this while limited while in space by some sort of tethering system to the ship so that distance from ship has a max ( that would improve processing power usage at the server side a lot) I want to enter a planet with atmospheres...and here is my idea, the more gases the more gravity and the more atmosphere pressure, the less of an angle you need to employ to enter, otherwise you commence to burn up, you go to steep on a thick atmosphere and you are toast ( another cool affect to add to canopy while you are messing up your entry would be awesome). it would be cool to see what kinda effects can be made by a hot entry on a vessel with an angle to steep building heat and exploding...i must sidewinder this at some point if it ever came true. as from the coder POV i dont think its really that hard to implement.... we want to land in a planet with an atmosphere and if it can look cool even better...Of course there would be off limit systems example capitals and very populated earth like planets. but that icy rock with meathane around it...i want it!! sounds fun!!... also... for the love of god..please we need ASAP a bigger scarab i am willing to sacrifice having to buy a bigger bay and have that scarab occupy 2 slots if it had like 4-6 cargo instead of two...maybe the scarab be the light, then a medium, and a large (they would occupy bigger bays), and then modules to buy for your srv's would be the pinnacle of all that, and the coolest thing ever. And the main thing I believe MUST BE DONE is to fix the PVP grid. I say the aim should be 128 players on a grid with 0 net issues of any kind...imagine the carnage of 2x64 man gangs clashing over star control and maybe station control. This requires...MORRREE SHIPS!!!! We havent seen anything new come out in quite a while, if things are evolving in the game i say its time to have more ships, i find it that we have very little to choose from when it comes to ship,not necessarily bigger, just more variety although bigger is always better and welcomed. Other than that the game is perfect
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