Engineers Back after a break - are NPC's really fixed? - Can I please rescind my Combat Level?

[Tackyone]

Just come back to Elite after a bit of a break, playing in Solo.

A couple of trade missions done - I get intercepted, attacked with thermal weapons and other "sparkly exploding stuff" (and oh-so-many missiles) - shields stripped, thrusters destroyed - boom. Dead.

5m rebuy, 5m cargo gone.

This was a bit of a shock from previous encounters, and going to take me (as a casual player) more than quite a while to grind that cash back.

My combat rating is 'Master' - probably because I played since Beta - and obviously took out too many of the previously weedy NPC's.

Now they're all "beefed up" is there some way to reset my combat skill, so it doesn't keep launching lots of 'leet dudes with massively overskilled pilots and 'wepz against me, so I can just get on and trade?

-Tacks

 

[Balkore]

The only way to do it in-game is by resetting your save, but you'll lose all the progress you've made.

Other than that, maybe if you open a support ticket and ask really nicely, it might be possible they could do that for you.

 

[Chris Simon]

Just come back to Elite after a bit of a break, playing in Solo.

A couple of trade missions done - I get intercepted, attacked with thermal weapons and other "sparkly exploding stuff" (and oh-so-many missiles) - shields stripped, thrusters destroyed - boom. Dead.

5m rebuy, 5m cargo gone.

This was a bit of a shock from previous encounters, and going to take me (as a casual player) more than quite a while to grind that cash back.

My combat rating is 'Master' - probably because I played since Beta - and obviously took out too many of the previously weedy NPC's.

Now they're all "beefed up" is there some way to reset my combat skill, so it doesn't keep launching lots of 'leet dudes with massively overskilled pilots and 'wepz against me, so I can just get on and trade?

-Tacks

Hello, and welcome back to brand new Dangerous Elite.

It's not that bad, if you have at least some combat experience. But I would definitely recommend (if your pause was longer) to buy some smaller ship and feel your way through some combat, before you start flying the big babies, again.
NPCs are much more aggressive, now, have stronger weapons and are generally smarter. I strongly recommend chaff and at least one Point defense turret. Also, don't try to max out your cargo, any more. Stronger shields are a... very good thing to be had.