Any news on adding a little jitter to NPC railguns?

Aashenfox

Aashenfox
Reminded of this by another post in another thread (thanks Truesilver) and decided it was worthy of a topic on its own. I know that any of you who do a lot of combat are aware that NPCs with railguns DO NOT MISS, period.

This is obviously a bit immersion breaking, but more importantly it renders SLFs pretty useless in any encounter with NPCs that fire railguns (and sure makes life in the CZ hard for small ships).

I can't find the source, but I believe it has been acknowledged and scheduled to be addressed a very long time ago. Just thought I'd remind you FD, we haven't forgotten! Thanks!

P.S. Only the best human pilots can hit long range with rails, and I count myself among those, this is not a 'nerf' NPCs thread, it's a 'make it more reasonable for the sake of immersion and those who like to fly small ships in CZs' kind of thing.

I also have an alternative solution which doesn't involve nerfing anything or changing NPC AI, just add a new NPC outfitting rule 'only Elites can equip railguns', and then it's more reasonable that they never miss, they're elite after all. :)
 

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead
+1 from me.

I'm not the one to ask for a 'nerf', but when an NPC can precisely railgun an untargettable SRV from 2km up. Something is off. Lol

Just a pinch of jitter for low ranks would be nice.
I did post a while ago about "locking" some their controls during the railgun power up cycle.
A harmless NPC would have all 3 axis and all directional thrusters locked during the charge. Basically, they can't turn while charging.
An expert might only have 1 or 2 axis locked.
Elite would have none.

Or something.

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead
 

Redomus

R
Personally I dont find this too much of a bother - it will make conflict zones too easy by nerfing npc's. They do miss already - the higher ranked miss less. Its important to not dive into the middle of the red side of a conflict zone. Flying tactically and helping ships on your side of the battle does wonders for not getting primaried by the red side.

Regarding - SRV's can tank rail shots, and most of them miss - this was from an elite ship with rails fitted, they are extremely hard to hit and most of the shots that do land are glancing at best. If you move, they cant do anything to you, i'm not sure if its possible to exhaust npc rail ammo, because after a while on the ground chased by an npc with rails and lasers the rails stopped being shot at my srv and it was only lasers.

I've only lost my srv to rail fire once, I got it stuck upside down and an anaconda managed to shoot it down when I had low shield and 50% hull while stationary on near the top of a hill
 
Last edited:

Ian Skippy

Ian Skippy
Aashenfox said:
Reminded of this by another post in another thread (thanks Truesilver) and decided it was worthy of a topic on its own. I know that any of you who do a lot of combat are aware that NPCs with railguns DO NOT MISS, period.

This is obviously a bit immersion breaking, but more importantly it renders SLFs pretty useless in any encounter with NPCs that fire railguns (and sure makes life in the CZ hard for small ships).

I can't find the source, but I believe it has been acknowledged and scheduled to be addressed a very long time ago. Just thought I'd remind you FD, we haven't forgotten! Thanks!

P.S. Only the best human pilots can hit long range with rails, and I count myself among those, this is not a 'nerf' NPCs thread, it's a 'make it more reasonable for the sake of immersion and those who like to fly small ships in CZs' kind of thing.

I also have an alternative solution which doesn't involve nerfing anything or changing NPC AI, just add a new NPC outfitting rule 'only Elites can equip railguns', and then it's more reasonable that they never miss, they're elite after all. :)
Click to expand...

Small correction: while their aim indeed is too good, they do miss, although afaik only when you use lat/ver thrusters a lot. Maybe its because my viper has very strong thrusters, may not work for all ships.
 

StiTch

StiTch
Aashenfox said:
Lol, cheeky git.
Click to expand...

Hey, it was a totally valid remark. Even I don't have trained crew members; I just take the best I can when I need them.

I might start training a couple up, but it's something you do when you don't care about money and save for failing to have rebuy, showcases probably the only real consequence for death in the game.
 

Aashenfox

Aashenfox
StiTch said:
Hey, it was a totally valid remark. Even I don't have trained crew members; I just take the best I can when I need them.

I might start training a couple up, but it's something you do when you don't care about money and save for failing to have rebuy, showcases probably the only real consequence for death in the game.
Click to expand...

I'm ocd about maximizing, so when I learned that I'll never make elite if I use a fighter, that was that. Shame cos they are fun. I do so many assassinations and distress calls, he was going up really fast. I don't know whether to keep him or fire him now, I'm not too bothered about the credits, the man's gotta live, it's the combat xp I can't do without.
 

Arthur Shappey

Arthur Shappey
Hmm.

I am NOT a great pilot. I have only achieved Master so far, and I have had a lot of rebuys from Combat Zones and Haz Res.

I state this because: I think NPCs are far too easy! the idea of any nerf is ludicrous.

Why do I come across elite sidewinder pilots? and why is their first reaction to respond to my engagement instead of run away when they are hopelessly outmanoeuvred and outgunned? How on earth did they make it to Elite with that inept tactical sense?

It is a blessing when a railgun pilot comes in and actually causes some real damage, a feeling of actual tension and interest. Up this, buff it, don't nerf it!!! I want challenge in the game - and believe me I have lost every PvP battle fought so far, I am not good!
 

Morbad

Morbad
NPC railgun aim is not perfect. Indeed, it's considerably worse than some CMDRs I'm familiar with.

If you get up close, it's fairly easy to evade NPC railguns, but at a distance, higher ranked NPCs should land almost every shot.
 

Ian Skippy

Ian Skippy
Arthur Shappey said:
Hmm.

I am NOT a great pilot. I have only achieved Master so far, and I have had a lot of rebuys from Combat Zones and Haz Res.

I state this because: I think NPCs are far too easy! the idea of any nerf is ludicrous.

Why do I come across elite sidewinder pilots? and why is their first reaction to respond to my engagement instead of run away when they are hopelessly outmanoeuvred and outgunned? How on earth did they make it to Elite with that inept tactical sense?

It is a blessing when a railgun pilot comes in and actually causes some real damage, a feeling of actual tension and interest. Up this, buff it, don't nerf it!!! I want challenge in the game - and believe me I have lost every PvP battle fought so far, I am not good!
Click to expand...

You are missing the point I fear. Its not that NPCs are too difficult in general, but that there rail skills are a bit off according to many. I am not sure either way, tbh. AFAIK lower ranked NPCs dont use them anyway, and the high-ends should be very good.
 

Achilles7

Banned
Achilles7
I disagree that a nerf is needed - it is reasonable that they don't miss if you are not evading their fire!

& let's face it, it is pretty easy to evade NPC rails in a 1v1.
 

Aashenfox

Aashenfox
Morbad said:
NPC railgun aim is not perfect. Indeed, it's considerably worse than some CMDRs I'm familiar with.

If you get up close, it's fairly easy to evade NPC railguns, but at a distance, higher ranked NPCs should land almost every shot.
Click to expand...

I agree, BUT, the short range misses are due to hardpoint convergence, otherwise they would hit too.

Guys, please. Stop telling me I need to observe better, or fight better, I don't have an issue, I'm just highlighting something that needs addressing (and has been acknowledged in the past as needing addressing, by FD).

Yes, one on one, flying super evasive, you might be able to get them to miss, but that isn't the issue so much as when your fighter aggros someone you are not fighting and they are able to take it out in two shots in 10 seconds at 1.5k range.

I haven't seen any videos (including peleuch's) that show a player hitting more frequently with rails than NPCs. I'd say I hit about 80% of my shots, I'm very proud of being a very good shot with rails, I've just got the timing down, and timing is what it's about. The computer has perfect timing, every time, if not absolutely infallible aim, but godlike aim. The combination of the two is a bit overpowered especailly against small ships like fighters.

I don't care if they don't fix it, it's never caused me a problem, but it was raised in another topic today and I thought 'yeh, good point, they DID say they would do something about this, let's just make sure they know we haven't forgotten'. That is all. :)
 

Achilles7

Banned
Achilles7
StiTch said:
I'm actually in agreement that we don't need to nerf them, but boosting past one of the worst flown NPC ships as they take their shot, without you firing a single bullet, doesn't really prove much ;)
Click to expand...

Hahaha king of expediency - I suppose the only NPCs you fight are the best & the rest of us get the easy ones. 'Just lost some respect for you StiTchy-boy!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom