Do ai play by the rules when in combat?

[dutchy2000]

It seems clear that we largely agree dutchy2000, although using the phrase 'kids menu' is more than a little condescending But yes, we both enjoy the same thing - steak with some garnish. If it doesn't have enough hot sauce for you, you can add more. But if too much is added by the cook, I can't take the excess off, for me the steak is spoilt. So I'd like to have the steak with a tub of sauce I can dip into if I choose, you would be happy either way (in this case)

Well it wouldn't be the forums if we don't throw some digs at each other right?

 

[Obnoxious_Gamer]

Yes, they do fully. They might still have infinite multicannon ammo, but that's basically it.

They have the same restrictions on flight performance, chaff reloads, number of shield cells, etc, as the player does.

The higher ranked ones are just better at handling their ships than most players, and some people find it hard to accept that they are being outplayed by a computer.

That's real cute. Please, explain why an Anaconda, sitting still, can out-maneuver a Sidewinder. I've seen that happen in RES sites before. No, the AI don't play by the rules, and they do in fact cheat. They have insanely high heat caps, which is why they can infinitely fire railguns while in Eagles and not explode in a minute and a half. Their maneuvering thrusters are far better than player ships', which is why the aforementioned 'Conda-v.-Sidey situation happens - and why, despite the differences in pitch rates between a "Dangerous" Fed. Gunship and my A-rated, grade-5-modded Python, the Gunship will magically do a 180 degree turn every time I get behind him.

No, they cheat, and they cheat a lot. Quit it with the "git gud" crap. I assume you fly small ships?

 

[Vorxian]

[h=2]Do ai play by the rules when in combat?[/h]
LOL no not even remotely.

[mad]

 

[CMDR Corlas]

That's real cute. Please, explain why an Anaconda, sitting still, can out-maneuver a Sidewinder. I've seen that happen in RES sites before. No, the AI don't play by the rules, and they do in fact cheat. They have insanely high heat caps, which is why they can infinitely fire railguns while in Eagles and not explode in a minute and a half. Their maneuvering thrusters are far better than player ships', which is why the aforementioned 'Conda-v.-Sidey situation happens - and why, despite the differences in pitch rates between a "Dangerous" Fed. Gunship and my A-rated, grade-5-modded Python, the Gunship will magically do a 180 degree turn every time I get behind him.

No, they cheat, and they cheat a lot. Quit it with the "git gud" crap. I assume you fly small ships?

Anaconda vs Sidewinder has to do with the Conda's crazy pitch rate and fact that the Sidey needs to fly in a much bigger circle (read: more distance) than a static pitching Conda's that's mixing in thrusters. That scenario is totally biased in favor of the Anaconda, and I'd totally expect it to win.

Basically the same situation for the Python vs Gunship. Gunships pitch very well, and all in all are pretty agile (I used fixed weapons on mine even, back when I had one). If you on the tail of one, and it doesn't want you there, it just needs to pitch a bit to get you off it's six while, like the Sidewinder, you need to fly in a much bigger circle to actually stay on it's tail.

That's not me saying you're a poor pilot, that's geometry.

As for what I fly, recently it's been mostly Keelback, Python, and Viper IV (with grade 3 drive boosts, I don't trust Sirius Corp). Although I've flown everything except the CQC fighters.

 

[Riverside]

That's real cute. Please, explain why an Anaconda, sitting still, can out-maneuver a Sidewinder.

I'm in the 'put it back the way it was' camp, but really, it does depend on the pilot (rank in the case of NPCs). A Sidewinder is extremely manouverable and has minimal drift. An Anaconda has poor direction change but can still rotate on it's axis pretty quickly. At lower ranks the AI doesn't use thrusters, they just fly the ship FA-on as it were. At higher ranks they use more skilled tactics, better pip management etc. They can still be beaten though, it's just a lot more work is required.

If I want some pew pew, I'll drop into my local RES & I can (more or less) choose an opponent & have a go. Sometimes I'll enjoy an extended one-on-one (had one last night with an AspS vs my Cobra mkIII), or just use the police to my advantage & earn some cash. In that respect the post 2.1.05 AI is good I think. In the right place, I'm equipped for combat, I've flown all the ships myself so I have a good idea what their strengths & weaknesses are, and wings present a serious challenge that may force me to run. The higher ranking NPC may fly their ship better than you do, making better (sometimes seemingly impossibly quick) decisions, but they do fly within the believable capabilities of their ship.

The issue (once actually in combat) is not that they cheat, it's simply that their skill level is much higher than (I think) it should be at the top end, and of course others with greater skill than you or I have wanted this for a long time.

But there is variety in a RES, and there are no psychos, just pirates that scan me. In supercruise there seem only to be psychos.

 

[Obnoxious_Gamer]

Anaconda vs Sidewinder has to do with the Conda's crazy pitch rate and fact that the Sidey needs to fly in a much bigger circle (read: more distance) than a static pitching Conda's that's mixing in thrusters. That scenario is totally biased in favor of the Anaconda, and I'd totally expect it to win.

Basically the same situation for the Python vs Gunship. Gunships pitch very well, and all in all are pretty agile (I used fixed weapons on mine even, back when I had one). If you on the tail of one, and it doesn't want you there, it just needs to pitch a bit to get you off it's six while, like the Sidewinder, you need to fly in a much bigger circle to actually stay on it's tail.

That's not me saying you're a poor pilot, that's geometry.

As for what I fly, recently it's been mostly Keelback, Python, and Viper IV (with grade 3 drive boosts, I don't trust Sirius Corp). Although I've flown everything except the CQC fighters.

Uhm, what? Did you take a few of those CG narcotics? The Gunship has one of the worst pitch rates in the game. As in, absolutely godawful. They turn about as well as a Cutter. And the Conda doesn't have a 'crazy' pitch rate; it's alright, sure, but nothing special. And the Sidewinder, under those circumstances, can literally fly circles around an Anaconda. An Anaconda, sitting still, turns like crap.

 

[CMDR Corlas]

Clearly not, as proven by your own evidence.

 

[foebits]

they dont cheat but some posters want to say they do because they keep getting thier behinds handed to them by a little bit of computer code

And we have fools like this that want to ignore what'ss blatantly happening in front of them everywhere. But that's okay, not everyone can handle reality as well as the average person.

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

There is a background pool of NPC traffic which is created with a supercruise instance. Some of these are police, some are bounty hunters, some are pirates etc. Instead of creating special NPCs that interdict me, why not have those decide to interdict (or not) based on their own rules? If the system is high security & you have a bounty, you need to look out for every Police ship & bounty hunter, not just the single, boringly predictable and repetitive custom NPC we have right now.

This does happen, though these NPCs are easy to outwit even without trying, so many players may not even notice them. The supercruise pirates will often decide to interdict you if you taunt them. I use this occasionally to bountyhunt when I don't have an interdictor fitted.

 

[Riverside]

This does happen, though these NPCs are easy to outwit even without trying, so many players may not even notice them. The supercruise pirates will often decide to interdict you if you taunt them. I use this occasionally to bountyhunt when I don't have an interdictor fitted.

I've used that tactic in the past too, but have not seen any sign of interest from either Police or Pirates since 2.1 (I spent much of 2.0 exploring). If true it's encouraging, FD just need to get rid of the custom psycho NPC interdictors & I'd be pretty happy to carry cargo again.

Played quite a bit tonight carrying some (purchased) engineers stuff in the hold & didn't get interdicted once. Makes a pleasant change from the last time I did that (11 condas & 6 FDLs in 18 jumps), but without confirmation of a game update from FD I can only assume it was pure chance.