The thing is, in the attacked systems it's extremly rare to find a single cyclops. Sometimes if there is a megaship around there might be that odd cyclops but else they only pop up in NHSS 7+ together with lot's of scouts. That's kinda hard to solo, for me, at least.
The "Quality of Life" Adjustment That's Not Even on the Roadmap, even as Thargoids Loom Larger
The thing is, in the attacked systems it's extremly rare to find a single cyclops. Sometimes if there is a megaship around there might be that odd cyclops but else they only pop up in NHSS 7+ together with lot's of scouts. That's kinda hard to solo, for me, at least.
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TL;DR: Having now seen some of the coming AX Conflict Zones, the implementation of these sites annoys me even more than the already exasperating Thargoid implementation. And what the evolution of this war effort screams for is either a weapons-effect adjustment or the removal of the exasperating four-AX-weapon limitation.
The long version:
First FDev introduces Thargoids. And with that Frontier manages to achieve one thing -- the Thargs are without a doubt the most challenging PvE combat content in the game. So the invasion addresses the ennui plaguing many combat pilots who've grown bored of the low-risk, repetitive combat within CZs and HazRES areas. But, annoyingly, the Interceptors require a completely unique build from any other combat build to fight effectively. So we sigh, and resolve ourselves to that bit of daftness and work it into our play.
Then AX weapons get nerfed (making Thargoid combat, for many soloists, a barely-break-even proposition, and putting the Interceptors beyond range of many in the combat community). But then we get Guardian weapons, and they become almost required to be really effective at AX Interceptor combat, and absolutely required for the tougher Thargoid ships. So now, we have to maintain at least TWO combat builds for each ship we want to fly against those challenges. ....Oh, and neither build is worth spit at doing the other type of combat missions -- you're either setup to fight humans, or Thargoids.
Then Thargoid Scouts are introduced. And, sure, they CAN be killed by normal weapons if you don't care about flailing about inefficiently. But the optimal, most efficient anti-Scout build is achieved with a mix of regular and (pre-guardian!) AX (non-fixed) weapons that give high ToT and sustained DPS -- along with decon limpet controllers, and an AX scanner, etc, none of which are required of course for non-AX combat. So now combat pilots really need a THIRD combat build for each ship they want to fly against these three types of opponents if they don't want to settle for scrap payouts for their time and risk. And, of course, NONE of these builds are ideal or efficient at the OTHER TWO combat pursuits. <snort>
And now we have the implementation of these new AX conflict zones, which mix both Scouts and Interceptors, including the tougher interceptors that ONLY fall to the kind of Guardian weapons that do alpha damage ...and which aren't known for their high ToT, sustained-DPS.
Are you frakkin' kidding me? -- especially from the perspective of a pilot who flies without a wing? This now means I'm presented with in an environment where, due to FDev's unfortunate (insane? headcanon breaking?) choices of what weapons/ammo harms which opponents best, pilots fly into a high-risk, low-paying environment where the enemies require the capabilities of two different combat builds at the same time. Or an acceptance of huge compromises in one's combat effectiveness against one enemy type or the other. <snarl>
So you want to talk "Quality of Life" improvements? What really needs to happen is that at least SOME weapons are adjusted to become strong choices for more than one enemy type. Or the four-weapon AX limitation MUST be removed, so that we can field builds that are effective and efficient against BOTH Interceptors and Scouts.
But that's not on any roadmap I've seen...
Sums up neatly why I spent a day in the Pleiades then came back, never to return.
Sad really, I was really excited to see Thargoids return (having played '84 Elite on the BBC) but maintaining separate builds in locations 400 ly apart. Meh.
There are plenty of locations you can engage with Thargoids in the bubble now. Just look at recently damaged stations, or read the Eagle Eye Thread.
Yeah. I think some people consider it all one activity called "combat," and they want a "good" ship built for "combat" to excel in all situations. They don't make the same conceptual distinction between Thargoid hunting and RES farming as they make between, say passenger transport and mining. So to them it's a huge illogical insulting injustice.
Pretty sure it's for exactly the reasons you mentioned.
If the limit on anti Thargoid weapons was increased they might get angry on days other than Thursdays...
Saying that quite how no-one in the entire Galaxy has thought about maybe producing some anti-xeno ammo for cannons and multicannons... does not exactly reaffirm my faith in human intelligence. Could call it project Wednesday.
Saying that quite how no-one in the entire Galaxy has thought about maybe producing some anti-xeno ammo for cannons and multicannons... does not exactly reaffirm my faith in human intelligence. Could call it project Wednesday.
Yes it will be. Griefers are going to love this.
This does not bode well for the future of the PvP environment. Even with the penalties incurred in the new Crime and Punishment system, this opportunity to gank other players en masse will be too good for the murderers to pass up, like spear fishing in a barrel. While focusing on the Thargoids, and with the "wrong" weapons, even very experienced players will be highly vulnerable to griefers.
Some very smart people conceived, designed, and implemented this game. I continue to be in awe of the unintended consequences that result from seemingly arbitrary decisions that FD makes about how ED is to be played. This seems to be a repeating pattern of ineptness, for lack of a better description. I predict that it will eventually negatively impact revenues, which is ultimately the only thing that alters management's trajectory on bad choices.
Personally, I am not going to build and engineer 2 or 3 versions of my favorite ships; I don't have the time or inclination. I am not going to use AX weapons for anything. I am not going to engage the Thargoids, no matter what havoc they wreak. Why should I? Where/what is the reward for doing so? Credits? I can get credits anywhere for doing a lot of things.
There are plenty of enjoyable activities in the game that do not involve Thargoids. If they invade my home system, I will simply extricate my fleet of ships to another system and continue to play my game my way.
It's a big galaxy.
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4 AX and Premium Ammo, nuff said.
But honestly all we REALLY need is the option to simply purchase Premium Ammo as a Reload option at stations. I know for a fact if I go to my local gun shop, I can buy good, cheap target loads. Better competition loads, or fantastic high-quality hunting or personal defense loads, in multiple calibers.
Why should it be any different in Elite?
But honestly all we REALLY need is the option to simply purchase Premium Ammo as a Reload option at stations. I know for a fact if I go to my local gun shop, I can buy good, cheap target loads. Better competition loads, or fantastic high-quality hunting or personal defense loads, in multiple calibers.
Why should it be any different in Elite?
And you're not even living in a place infested by huge, gross, blue-haired things with metal in their bodies...oh...hang on...