Another Upgraded NPC Gripe

[[DOOK] Droogie]

I'd like to thanks Frontier for killing the game for me. I'm a casual player and have been so since release, The Engineers update seemed OK, I wasn't too bothered that I might have to grind for a lot longer to get some of the benefits. However, I've logged on three times since the update and in three trips have been interdicted by NPC's twice. The first time I lasted approx 5 seconds, just enough to see the attacker was flying a FAS. The second time was a Cutter with what seemed to be PA's that had redballs of energy, the first salvo took out my shields and 10% of the hull, I managed to duck and weave and get away with 66% hull only to be interdicted again by the same NPC needless to say I couldn't get away again.

Now, I was flying an ASP kitted out for trading and have always been able to give an NPC FAS a good fight but this is a joke. Am I supposed to fit my ship out with Hull Reinforcement, Class 6 shields & 4 Shield Boosters and run a 4 ton cargo bay? Those two interdictions cost around 4.5 million in insurance claims and lost cargo and if that's the new norm then trading is dead as a way to make credits.

Yes, the NPC's needed toughening up but if it means almost instant death when you are interdicted as a trader then where's the fun. All I can say is I'm glad I left my trading Anaconda in the station.

Just for clarity:

Did you try to escape, or did you turn around and try to fight the FAS with a trade Asp? It isn't really clear. You said you used to be able to fight them, but that could just mean you died real fast when you used to be able to escape.

 

[smiths121]

Nice option (1) Cmdr PRjeff- obvious when you think about it, bit obviously I never thought about it. Good tip.

Has some rep.
Simon

It will take some adjustment under these new conditions, but we can all feel the pain of losing our ships. As one who doesn't pretend to be a combat expert, I now run quickly once I know I am being targeted. Some other points for the OP that might be helpful to go along with the suggestions on ship configuration...

1. Once they announce themselves, I usually put four pips to shields (sys) and reduce speed. If I can do it quickly and get into the blue before they interdict me, I can drop from SC and it takes them awhile to follow. Often I am back heading towards a station, and if it is a short distance I can often use or repeat this tactic to avoid them all together (and I can also occasionally get them to follow me to the station, where they are dispatched by the local security - no credits from me but somehow a satisfying end to any chase). If it a long distance this strategy can allow you to also high wake out if that is more advantageous or if you are in the middle of multiple system hops to your destination.

2. If you are caught in a trading vessel (or when obviously outclassed), I always submit. 4 pips to the shields and boost, and if that can't shake them then high wake. While I have had to dodge some green plasma blobs, so far I have not lost my shields before getting away in the last few days since the update (prior to the latest I did lose a couple of ships, although admittedly I was flying under the influence on one of those trips so I deserved it).

 

[Darrett]

1) NPCs are subject to heat effects.

2) You can drop cargo to evade a pirate NPC.

1. That remains to be seen. They were noted to take module damage from thermal weapons in Beta, but we have no verification that they suffer self inflicted heat effects. The rate at which they can fire thermally intensive weapons and use SCBs without heat sinks would indicate they either do not suffer heat effects or have a higher threshold before damage is taken.

2. Try it sometime rather than just assuming. They usually attack before you can eject cargo, or require you to dump all cargo using jettison all to be satisfied, even though they are in a ship that can't haul that amount. That's what they need to look at, as it currently works very poorly.

 

[rrobes]

1) NPCs are subject to heat effects.

2) You can drop cargo to evade a pirate NPC.

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You as a player can expend CONTINUOUS CHAFF too.

I think the issue is weve had a few of these posts, often with video, and when you watch the video it's clear the player could have got away.

I'm not saying that's true in this case, I have no idea, but the last one I saw the player had chaff and didn't even use it.

My comment was the frequency and the amount of chaff it expended, it appeared to be over what I have personally experienced in using it, of course it hampers g and t weapons. I wasn't trying to run, I was trying to kill it which I did. I need all the elites I can find to get me from deadly to elite.

"Dune"
Frank Herbert

 

[Enderby]

all because you learned nothing pre 2.1 just how to play safe and not how to fight or more importantly when to run and thats FD's fault ? and i dont believe your story because you provide no video as evidence to prove your claims

Wowzers

 

[bitstorm]

The NPC's still have mods. Just not many. I got hit a few times today alone with heat damage. They were deadly + ships.

Luckily, no 3 second deaths

That's not a mod, there are non-engineer weapons that do thermal damage.

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1. That remains to be seen. They were noted to take module damage from thermal weapons in Beta, but we have no verification that they suffer self inflicted heat effects. The rate at which they can fire thermally intensive weapons and use SCBs without heat sinks would indicate they either do not suffer heat effects or have a higher threshold before damage is taken.

2. Try it sometime rather than just assuming. They usually attack before you can eject cargo, or require you to dump all cargo using jettison all to be satisfied, even though they are in a ship that can't haul that amount. That's what they need to look at, as it currently works very poorly.

1) There was confirmation on Kerrash's stream on Friday

2) I have tried it, the NPC scooped up the single cargo I dropped and buggered off

My comment was the frequency and the amount of chaff it expended, it appeared to be over what I have personally experienced in using it

Equip 3 chaff modules and go try it.

If a player can do it why can't an NPC? Even with just 2 chaff you can chaff virtually continuously.