Horizons balanced NPCs?

[Mike Reacher]

NPC programmers are still giggling behind closed doors.

Us competant solo players keep finding the odd elite, master dangerous flying a Gunboat or python faster than a Cobra sometimes. (Time to log) (What? You think I'm an idiot? I'm not gonna be an NPC's breakfast in one bite!)

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

I've largely stopped playing the space combat because of nonsense like this. I don't regard the pimped AI ships with aimbot any kind of fun. Nor the ones with super resistance or ferrari boost.

 

[777Driver]

I've largely stopped playing the space combat because of nonsense like this. I don't regard the pimped AI ships with aimbot any kind of fun. Nor the ones with super resistance or ferrari boost.

The Op was running engineered 600mj shields on a Python Vs an NPC Cobra MKIV, if you also think that is a tough fight then you should certainly stay away from combat activities in this game.

AI is dumb enough as it is, what we don't need is combat becoming even more watered down.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

The Op was running engineered 600mj shields on a Python Vs an NPC Cobra MKIV, if you also think that is a tough fight then you should certainly stay away from combat activities in this game.

AI is dumb enough as it is, what we don't need is combat becoming even more watered down.

Pff, what do I care what people engineer on their ships? I know I don't. You can stick your arrogant superiority complex where it don't shone bright.

 

[777Driver]

Pff, what do I care what people engineer on their ships? I know I don't. You can stick your arrogant superiority complex where it don't shone bright.

Lol touchy, you didnt even bother to read the specifics of the ops engagment. it's guys like you that have reuslted in the crap AI that pull us out of warp during each session.. You can tell me to stick it wherever, think I just got it out and slapped you upside the head with it..

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

Lol touchy, you didnt even bother to read the specifics of the ops engagment. it's guys like you that have reuslted in the crap AI that pull us out of warp during each session.. You can tell me to stick it wherever, think I just got it out and slapped you upside the head with it..

What's so hard about accepting that part of the gameplay just isn't as fun as it was before for some people? And space combat has gone for the worse for me. It's just like that.

 

[777Driver]

What's so hard about accepting that part of the gameplay just isn't as fun as it was before for some people? And space combat has gone for the worse for me. It's just like that.

I can completety accept that the current gameplay is not fun for some cmdrs. On multiple threads I have suggested making security levels mean something, on multiple threads I have also suggested NPC's behave less phychotic in the way they interdict.. NPC's are basically worse than SDC style griefers in Open, pulling cmdrs out of warp for little or no cargo.

My issue has always been with the NPC's abilty to fight and the fact that the devs are making them dumber rather then dealing with the root cause of the issue.

The Op was in a heavily shielded ship, he also admits to being novice rank. The issue is not the combat, it is easy to deal with NPC's without being some uber combat pilot. In the Op's case he was inexperianced with dealing with his openent.

As I have said many times, the devs should give players the option to avoid combat, even if that means only operating in high sec systems. Simply dumbing down the AI further is not the solution.

 

[4gui4]

It's not a novelty that NPCs cheat, but I believe sometimes the variables that the game generates are the worst possible and the whole scenario is against you.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

I can completety accept that the current gameplay is not fun for some cmdrs. On multiple threads I have suggested making security levels mean something, on multiple threads I have also suggested NPC's behave less phychotic in the way they interdict.. NPC's are basically worse than SDC style griefers in Open, pulling cmdrs out of warp for little or no cargo.

My issue has always been with the NPC's abilty to fight and the fact that the devs are making them dumber rather then dealing with the root cause of the issue.

The Op was in a heavily shielded ship, he also admits to being novice rank. The issue is not the combat, it is easy to deal with NPC's without being some uber combat pilot. In the Op's case he was inexperianced with dealing with his openent.

As I have said many times, the devs should give players the option to avoid combat, even if that means only operating in high sec systems. Simply dumbing down the AI further is not the solution.

It's bigger than just pimping the AI up and the lack of difficulty options. I found the combat indeed a tad more challenging. But then I noticed the payouts vs TTK and the whole thing just doesn't come together. It's one thing to buff the AI and buff their ships and throw you against superior numbers and cut down on rewards and then expect people to like it.

 

[Mike Reacher]

The Op was running engineered 600mj shields on a Python Vs an NPC Cobra MKIV, if you also think that is a tough fight then you should certainly stay away from combat activities in this game.

AI is dumb enough as it is, what we don't need is combat becoming even more watered down.

But is that NPC Cobra MKIV a fully engineered elite? I have had one of those attack me. I'm only competent and slightly engineered guns just bounce off their shields sometimes.
Also, they fly backwards awfully fast.
If you don't think that is possible I was boosting to 360+ to get away and he overtook me and spun around. All his guns were ripping me apart while I couldn't catch him by boosting. He just kept going away from me. That seems way over engineered. And yes, if I remember rightly I did log.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

But is that NPC Cobra MKIV a fully engineered elite? I have had one of those attack me. I'm only competent and slightly engineered guns just bounce off their shields sometimes.
Also, they fly backwards awfully fast.
If you don't think that is possible I was boosting to 360+ to get away and he overtook me and spun around. All his guns were ripping me apart while I couldn't catch him by boosting. He just kept going away from me. That seems way over engineered. And yes, if I remember rightly I did log.

Ahh one of those. I had one reverse flyer I couldn't catch by boosting forward. I also quit and played something else on that occasion.

 

[Jezzer]

I had one yesterday dumb as they come.

name - "The Peanut"

Jump into system with 160 units of cargo instantly greeted with, all that tasty cargo,
head off toward the station only 60ls away, waiting for interdiction waiting waiting waiting, none Oh well he's gone I thought, drop out of cruise, Ah there he is behind me, hmmm I'm only about 8k from station, a few more messages from him, duly ignored.
Request docking - approved, enter the no fire zone, still "The Peanut" is spamming me with messages and getting closer.
Wonder if he's going shoot, yep he opens up and shoots the Asp just in front as it's going through the letter box.
Station or cops open up and R.I.P one "The Peanut".

Does make you wonder at times

J

 

[Mike Reacher]

I had one yesterday dumb as they come.

name - "The Peanut"

Jump into system with 160 units of cargo instantly greeted with, all that tasty cargo,
head off toward the station only 60ls away, waiting for interdiction waiting waiting waiting, none Oh well he's gone I thought, drop out of cruise, Ah there he is behind me, hmmm I'm only about 8k from station, a few more messages from him, duly ignored.
Request docking - approved, enter the no fire zone, still "The Peanut" is spamming me with messages and getting closer.
Wonder if he's going shoot, yep he opens up and shoots the Asp just in front as it's going through the letter box.
Station or cops open up and R.I.P one "The Peanut".

Does make you wonder at times

J

Do you like peanut butter?

 

[Jezzer]

Do you like peanut butter?

Especially when it's spread on the station

 

[thirstyfish]

I am a relatively new player, so please take that into account.

A few minutes ago my python got interdicted by a cobra mkIV. I set 4 pips to shields, and started blasting away.

The cobra was armed with some kind of fast traveling explosive weapon, which would make my ship spin around on hit. Within the first few hits my chaff was disabled. Since I run with 2 shieldboosters, I was surprised to see my chaff go down so fast.

No problem, 2 large multicanons and 3 medium lasers would surely wear his ship down. Our shields went down at the same time. By the time I was 50% hull, most of my weapons had malfunctioned. My opponent, at 6% hull, seemed to have full operation of all his weapons.

So I gained an 8 mil rebuy and lost my carefully farmed and hoarded exploration data, foolishly thiking an expert cobra mkIV would be doable.

Feels very bad, had intended for a binge today but think I'll just pass on the game for now.

Ok...the spinning around could have been a rail gun, they can do that (pretty certain its the rail gun). As far as taking module damage while shields are up, there are effects that go on weapons that allow them to punch some damage through your shield.

I am kinda wondering how you go that unlucky. I fly an FDL right now and I hang out in HiRES and I don't have those problems, even when I am up against pythons, condas, and cutters (oh my!).