First off, I'm generally enjoying the feel and experience of Odyssey. My PC has little trouble running it and even with the graphics slightly turned down it still looks and feels great. I even like the new UI, generally. It's reasonably intuitive and I'm having very few issues adapting even as a long-time (original Beta) player.
Now for the critique:
I get that Frontier want to make tough NPCs for higher threat ground missions, but it seems overly unrealistic when they can throw unlimited grenades, have unlimited energy and air, and never run out of ammunition.
I was in a mission last night and an enemy NPC lobbed at least five frags and four shield-breakers at me, and would have kept doing so had I not rushed him and put him down. Players could use tactics such as forcing them to waste energy by knocking down their shields and forcing them back into cover, and drawing their fire to force them to waste ammo - but that sort of tactical play-style doesn't work if the NPC simply has unlimited resources. If a player is being smart, picking their shots, conserving energy, but still doesn't have the ability to outlast a couple of NPCs who are not having to rearm or recharge at all, then ground combat simply becomes a matter of "hurr-durr tank the damage and hope you hit more and harder than they do" rather than an exciting, tactical situation where clever thinking can trump brute force.
Right now, the best way to take down a hostile force is simply to jump in an SRV and use the cannons. Hardly difficult or requiring much innovation of thought.
Furthermore, some kind of stealth mechanic so actual sneaking, takedowns, covert scanning of a target, etc can be reasonably attempted without being auto-spotted would also be an advantage for people who don't just want to pew-pew their way through a situation. What's wrong with a silent killing melee attack? Assuming you can get behind an enemy and neutralise them before they can shout over comms, you should be able to do so without alarms drawing every Commando in three kilometres down on you.
As I said, I like the promising aspects of Odyssey, but the NPCs need a serious rebalance and so do the alternatives to all-out firepower overload as the only viable tactic.
Now for the critique:
I get that Frontier want to make tough NPCs for higher threat ground missions, but it seems overly unrealistic when they can throw unlimited grenades, have unlimited energy and air, and never run out of ammunition.
I was in a mission last night and an enemy NPC lobbed at least five frags and four shield-breakers at me, and would have kept doing so had I not rushed him and put him down. Players could use tactics such as forcing them to waste energy by knocking down their shields and forcing them back into cover, and drawing their fire to force them to waste ammo - but that sort of tactical play-style doesn't work if the NPC simply has unlimited resources. If a player is being smart, picking their shots, conserving energy, but still doesn't have the ability to outlast a couple of NPCs who are not having to rearm or recharge at all, then ground combat simply becomes a matter of "hurr-durr tank the damage and hope you hit more and harder than they do" rather than an exciting, tactical situation where clever thinking can trump brute force.
Right now, the best way to take down a hostile force is simply to jump in an SRV and use the cannons. Hardly difficult or requiring much innovation of thought.
Furthermore, some kind of stealth mechanic so actual sneaking, takedowns, covert scanning of a target, etc can be reasonably attempted without being auto-spotted would also be an advantage for people who don't just want to pew-pew their way through a situation. What's wrong with a silent killing melee attack? Assuming you can get behind an enemy and neutralise them before they can shout over comms, you should be able to do so without alarms drawing every Commando in three kilometres down on you.
As I said, I like the promising aspects of Odyssey, but the NPCs need a serious rebalance and so do the alternatives to all-out firepower overload as the only viable tactic.
