Hang on...what happened to shields?

[Abil Midena]

Not complaining, but...

With shields being paper thin now, you need to add HRP's and Mil or better BH.

I've been flying a python A spec with 6A Prissy shields and 3x A shield boosters for 760 MJ shields and Military BH. I also carry one 6A scb and one HS. I use 3 Large beam and 2 med pulse.

Just came from a distress call with escalating enemies. I was fine until the 2x vulture and one Conda showed up. I thought about just leaving, but then I wouldn't learn nothin'.

I engaged the conda. He and one of the vultures went after me while the third was still yellow (guess he was shooting the guy I was trying to rescue). After using all my scb's and hs, I got the conda shields down and to about 10% PP when I saw my shields were about to drop. I decided to leave. I did boost a couple times, but by the time I warped out, I was down to 54% hull. I probably would have died if I tried to stay and finish the conda.


Went back to the station, and repairs were only 100k. No problem. But I did also add a 4D and 5D HRP. That takes my hull from 910 to 1630.

I guess I could try again, but I'm not sure the results would be much different.

I also looked at my FDL build, and don't see how that would have helped. Only 30 extra speed, and 130 MJ more shields. Hull 788 vs original Python 910. Given the same 6/10 agility and poorer fire power (2M beam, 2Mpulse, 1 Huge PA), I don't think it would have made any difference.

*shrug*

 

[Ralph Vargr]

Are you people working under the assumption that playing Elite is meant to be fun?

Duly +1'd

 

[ExRex]

Oh, hey, you're here too. I use four in weapons and two in shields.

That's your problem right there. Always put four in shields whenever you get attacked. I can't believe I had read through all of your negative drivel previously in this thread before you mention this.
Please get better at the game before criticising it. Please refrain from making insulting posts like you did prior in this thread, and when you finally decide to quit this game, I can assure that not a soul will lament the loss of you as a player.

 

[IceFire122]

I also looked at my FDL build, and don't see how that would have helped. Only 30 extra speed, and 130 MJ more shields. Hull 788 vs original Python 910. Given the same 6/10 agility and poorer fire power (2M beam, 2Mpulse, 1 Huge PA), I don't think it would have made any difference.

Seriously, try the "new" FDL. It's agility has been boosted quite a bit, but the rating was not changed. The additional utility slots give you more choices for Shield boosters, even with Chaffs and KWS. Many consider it THE choice for combat, now.
I don't like the role/jump-range limitations, but will give it a try this evening.

 

[digitalscream]

So...a couple of interesting tidbits from last night's experimentation:

1 - I moved from a 5C shield generator + A0 booster (407MJ) to a 5C Bi-Weave + A0 + D0 boosters (403MJ), and the problem disappeared
2 - Went back to the 5C + A0 setup, problem didn't return.
3 - SCBs are painful. After taking on two Corvettes (one after the other), I'd used 4 of my B4 shield cells...most of my modules were down to 60-70% (all heat damage, my shields never dropped), and my chaff launchers were down to 45% and 52% and constantly malfunctioning.

Conclusions:

1 - This could well have just been a data migration problem. However, given that I can no longer reproduce the bug (I think), I'm not sure how much use I can be.
2 - I'm sticking with the Bi-Weave shields; it means losing a utility slot to the extra booster, but it's worth it for the faster recharge.
3 - If I had to use all my shield cells in this build, my modules would be burnt to a crisp and I'd have to bug out. I have yet to try it in a CZ to see how long I can last, but my gut says it's not going to be the 2+ hours I used to play.

Is anybody else still having the problem?

 

[g.eoff]

Old aviator here. Now Elite combat status. The shield cells changes are dreadfull.

Every time I operate a SC I suffer heat damage to my internal modules. I only use one bank, and don't have space in my small ship for heat exchangers.

Please revert the spec back to 1.4.

In the 21st century, if I purchased a tumble dryer and it burnt my clothes on high heat, I would be taking legal action against the supplier

 

[nrage]

...players have been nerfed and NPCs have been buffed..

I must have missed something here. I thought all the recent changed applied equally to both players and NPCs? Was there some asymmetric change?

NPC AI might have been improved perhaps, but surely we still have an advantage there

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Old aviator here. Now Elite combat status. The shield cells changes are dreadfull.

Every time I operate a SC I suffer heat damage to my internal modules. I only use one bank, and don't have space in my small ship for heat exchangers.

Please revert the spec back to 1.4.

In the 21st century, if I purchased a tumble dryer and it burnt my clothes on high heat, I would be taking legal action against the supplier

What size SCB are you using? Have you tried a smaller one? How many utility slots are you using? Why can't you swap one out for a Heat Sink launcher?

 

[Rubellen]

It shouldn't be possible to ponce with your shields. (Introduced at about the same time as that PowerPants nonsense.)

Totally unnecessary complications, which are not only hard to understand, but *impossible* to properly balance in gameplay.

Remove them from the game and Elite's silliness level will immediately decrease whilst its combat transparency increases.

+1. Ramming should get your hull damaged instantly ... A lot ... There should always be the risk of insta death while ramming.

 

[CariadocThorne]

Having played the Python prior to this patch, it's a fantastic combat ship. And I mean 1/10th of the damage in terms of the enemy ship having two medium shotgun turrets, and my Python having two medium burst turrets and three large gimballed beams. And your best response to me is essentially "get better scrub?" Really? Let me know when YOUR ship can face and engage multiple targets at the same time. I know the Python isn't the best ship in the game by far, but it was at least able to hold its own fairly well before yesterday. And in terms of weapon hardpoints? Nothing but the Fer-De-Lance and the faction ships even come close, let alone outclass it. I've been flying into military strikes and RES sites for nearly all of my time in this game. Granted, I've made a few stupid mistakes - everyone does - but my A-rated Python being torn to shreds by two medium turrets on a Cobra wasn't due to 'lack of skill.' It used to be a massive tank whose shields could take a beating, and now it gets wrecked by ships that cost one hundredth as much in half the time it takes to turn on them.

Ok, I'm a new player and even I know that the python is not an exceptional combat ship. It is fairly well armed, fairly tough, fairly maneuverable.... you see where I'm going with this right? It is a fairly good combat ship for the size.

Also, you should give those "shotguns" a try. I fly a DBS with 2 gimballed c2 pulse lasers, and I've been experimenting with different fixed weapons in the small hardpoints. Intersting tidbit..... A 3-round burst at point blank range into a target as big as a python (meaning the full blast hits) does significantly more damage than a railgun of the same class, even against shields. Much more against hulls.

Since I started using frag cannons, Pythons have actually become my preferred cash-cow in RES, since I can stick right behind them fairly easily, I can usually keep their own hull between me and any turrets they have, and I get max damage out of my frag cannons. The rewards massively outweigh the risks. The same principles have been true against the 2 player pythons I've been interdicted by, although they were certainly a lot harder to stick to, especially when they started flying backwards.

Vultures and FDL's on the other hand..... they are scary.

I do believe there is a bug affecting some peoples shields, but you just seem to think flying an expensive ship= autowin vs smaller shıps

 

[digitalscream]

I do believe there is a bug affecting some peoples shields, but you just seem to think flying an expensive ship= autowin vs smaller shıps

Heh...yeah, I've had that experience in PvP with my Vulture.

Python CMDR: "U CRAZY BRO?"
Me: "Nope. En garde, good sir."
<Python's shields pop>
Python CMDR: "Please stop. Also, how did you do that? I'm in a Python!"

It's like the Elite version of "Don't you know who I am?".

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For the record, though, my testing would seem to indicate that selling your shield generator for a cheaper one and then buying the original one back again solves the "weak shields" problem. It'd be useful if somebody else could test that theory.

 

[Nightbringerx]

I fly with a Cutter in trade config(A thrusters, A6 shields...etc), was flying a trade route when I got
pulled over by a cobra IV. I thought to myself, "oh look, a pirate is trying to rob me." So I pointed my craft
towards my jump point, max thrust, deployed hardpoints(all turrets, pulse & burst), 4 pips to weapons and opened
fire, while deploying chaff. As I calmly picked away at my attacker, I noticed that my shield was doing something odd, I was loosing the
first ring of my shields( gasp to a cobra?!?) So I did something I normally wouldn't do, dropped pip from weapons and drive, and put a
total of 3 into sys, and the damage to shields slowed to a crawl. Before that, I encountered other craft I couldn't boost away from and by the
time I could make the jump I was down to 1 ring. So, if this is going to be the state of the abilities of the NPC's? I am all for it, I don't want to mindlessly
go from point a to point b with cargo. When I get interdicted, I want the chance to have that " Oh sh%t, pirates!!" feeling.
Thank you FD, for making the game fun and exciting(hats off to SJA if this was her doing).

In my opinion, this game was heading in all too familiar arcadey(is that a word?) feeling.
SCB nerfed? Good, now to use them you have to think about the situation(pros and cons).


And to any Devs that may be reading this. The only thing I would change about the NPCs is that if they interdict you, they draw
from Pool A of possible wording. If you escape and they get you again, then they would draw from Pool B, such as, "Where do you think you're going?"
or "Did you think it would be that easy" ...etc

 

[Nightbringerx]

For the record, though, my testing would seem to indicate that selling your shield generator for a cheaper one and then buying the original one back again solves the "weak shields" problem. It'd be useful if somebody else could test that theory.

Wouldn't that be cool, to have the chance to buy defective modules? LOL, having to go back to the department store, and say to the lady behind the counter, "I would like to exchange my shield generator for another please. This one is broken".....

 

[Serenitie]

Old aviator here. Now Elite combat status. The shield cells changes are dreadfull.

Every time I operate a SC I suffer heat damage to my internal modules. I only use one bank, and don't have space in my small ship for heat exchangers.

Please revert the spec back to 1.4.

In the 21st century, if I purchased a tumble dryer and it burnt my clothes on high heat, I would be taking legal action against the supplier

No room for a SINGLE heatsink? o.o

 

[Obnoxious_Gamer]

Wouldn't that be cool, to have the chance to buy defective modules? LOL, having to go back to the department store, and say to the lady behind the counter, "I would like to exchange my shield generator for another please. This one is broken".....

Yeah, I sold and re-bought my shield, and that sort of solved the problem. The Python still felt...I dunno, slower? Less maneuverable? Anyway, it wasn't fun to fly anymore, and not nearly as combat-effective. I made the trip to a Li-Yong Rui (or whatever his name is) station, bought and outfitted an FDL, and lo and behold, it obliterated everything. It seems that FD have nerfed the Python so that it's more like its description, a multirole ship, than the massively tanky heavy fighter it used to be. A bit unfortunate for people who were using the Python as a combat craft, but you can outfit an FDL with much better equipment for a much lower price. Oh, and use burst lasers - with the changes to how armor works, they appear to be the best energy weapons for cutting through the hull of almost anything, given the right angle. I was able to take out an enemy Python's powerplant in nine or so bursts, which is nice.

About that dept. store scenario...I just imagine a pilot saying that, and then the camera zooms out to show the 20-ton class 6 shield generator behind him, on a wagon or something.

 

[Obnoxious_Gamer]

That's your problem right there. Always put four in shields whenever you get attacked. I can't believe I had read through all of your negative drivel previously in this thread before you mention this.
Please get better at the game before criticising it. Please refrain from making insulting posts like you did prior in this thread, and when you finally decide to quit this game, I can assure that not a soul will lament the loss of you as a player.

That's a bit rude. There actually is a bug with the Python's A6 shield generator, which is solved (it seems) by selling and re-purchasing the module. I'm flying an FDL now, and it does just dandy with two pips in shields. The one insulting comment you're referring to was in response to someone who was, in retrospect, probably a massive troll. I'll admit I jumped the gun a bit in responding to it, but it was clearly an inflammatory post. The point of this thread was to discuss the loss of shield strength on ships like the Python, in comparison to their strength in previous patches. Skill level doesn't matter in discussions about static game aspects such as this ("Static" meaning something that is the same for every player, with minor variations between ship mass and such), and I'd appreciate it if those of us who aren't affected by this issue would stop treating it as purely based on how individual players fly their ships. Multiple people, including me, have found a way around this issue and are no longer having problems.

 

[Obnoxious_Gamer]

Heh...yeah, I've had that experience in PvP with my Vulture.

Python CMDR: "U CRAZY BRO?"
Me: "Nope. En garde, good sir."
<Python's shields pop>
Python CMDR: "Please stop. Also, how did you do that? I'm in a Python!"

It's like the Elite version of "Don't you know who I am?".

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For the record, though, my testing would seem to indicate that selling your shield generator for a cheaper one and then buying the original one back again solves the "weak shields" problem. It'd be useful if somebody else could test that theory.

I certainly don't think that having a larger ship should be an auto-win. That would be stupid. I do, however, think that maybe my Python's shields should withstand a bit more punishment than a ship that weighs, what, a sixth as much? Anyway, we've found a solution, so there ya go.

 

[Abil Midena]

Seriously, try the "new" FDL. It's agility has been boosted quite a bit, but the rating was not changed. The additional utility slots give you more choices for Shield boosters, even with Chaffs and KWS. Many consider it THE choice for combat, now.
I don't like the role/jump-range limitations, but will give it a try this evening.

Yeah, it can't hurt to try it out. I was referring to my new FDL (post Horizons) build though. I used it a bit in the beta.

I'm also seeing people speculate there's a bug with some shields. You have to sell and rebuy to fix the bug. I hope that works, because I'm using Prissy shields and would hate to lose them because they don't show up when I try to rebuy them.

 

[NeilKD]

Has anyone else tried the Bi-Weave Shield Generator? I replaced my 3A Sheild Generator and 3A SCB with a 3C Bi-Weave after reading about the changes. I'm flying an iCourier.

Anyway, I got interdicted by a Fed Gunship. I got his shields down quite quickly but mine were almost gone so I boosted away, giving pips to Sys to get the sheilds back up. FGS followed me but his sheilds showed no recovery.

When mine were back up I turned round and killed him quite quickly. Without shields he was toast to my Multi-Cannon.

 

[Obnoxious_Gamer]

Has anyone else tried the Bi-Weave Shield Generator? I replaced my 3A Sheild Generator and 3A SCB with a 3C Bi-Weave after reading about the changes. I'm flying an iCourier.

Anyway, I got interdicted by a Fed Gunship. I got his shields down quite quickly but mine were almost gone so I boosted away, giving pips to Sys to get the sheilds back up. FGS followed me but his sheilds showed no recovery.

When mine were back up I turned round and killed him quite quickly. Without shields he was toast to my Multi-Cannon.

I was gonna try it, but the 842 MJ shields with the top generator on the FDL were just too good to pass up. I also used every internal slot for HRPs, besides one I used for a fuel tank. It has 1197 armor now, which is absolutely ridiculous against most things. It's just too bad I can't afford that Mil-Spec armor yet...

 

[CariadocThorne]

Has anyone else tried the Bi-Weave Shield Generator? I replaced my 3A Sheild Generator and 3A SCB with a 3C Bi-Weave after reading about the changes. I'm flying an iCourier.

Anyway, I got interdicted by a Fed Gunship. I got his shields down quite quickly but mine were almost gone so I boosted away, giving pips to Sys to get the sheilds back up. FGS followed me but his sheilds showed no recovery.

When mine were back up I turned round and killed him quite quickly. Without shields he was toast to my Multi-Cannon.

I'm not sure how they'd be on bigger ships, but I'm loving them on my DBS.

Between the quick recharge and the buff to HRP's I can usually pull some evasive maneuvers, pop chaff and I barely take any damage before my shields are back up.

Even if they only take a few hits before going back down, in a maneuverable ship that's often enough, because you are spending most of your time out of your opponents fire arcs.