The way AI scales with combat rank in 2.1 and combat rank of ships you encounter depends on your own combat rank is, quite frankly, the absolute best way to make the games difficulty appropriate for everyone.
Anyone who played World Of Warcraft or a similar MMORPG that incorporates leveling knows how scaling is done traditionally: divide the game world into separate areas with NPCs of different levels. Higher level NPCs don't use better fighting tactics, though, they just have more hit points and buffed damage, but act exactly like their low level brethren, run towards you in exactly the same way, use their spells and attacks in the same way etc. No AI improvements for higher level NPCs whatsoever.
While this works in some way, it's kind of a cheap solution and doesn't really make encounters at higher levels feel interesting or very different to those at lower levels. It also leaves "starter" or mid level regions deserted after some time, when most players have a max level character and advanced to the end-game regions.
I am extremely happy that ED doesn't go this conservative way with its NPCs and instead really gives it's stronger AI not just new and improved lasers, but instead new combat tactics and behaviour.
Since strong and weak NPCs also can be encountered everywhere - depending on your own combat rank - and not just in designated starter or end game areas, it should also not have such an impact on where people play by more or less telling them where the region for their current level is, so people don't just all gather in the same small parts of the galaxy because the game tells them this region is appropriate for their level.
To be honest, I think SJA is doing a lot a improve the way players can interact with NPCs in games and makes it way more interesting. It might feel overpowering in the beginning, but when everything works out as intended and you get matched with an NPC with similar combat ranking, you will see if you actually earned the combat ranking you got through skill or just through farming.
I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords!
Anyone who played World Of Warcraft or a similar MMORPG that incorporates leveling knows how scaling is done traditionally: divide the game world into separate areas with NPCs of different levels. Higher level NPCs don't use better fighting tactics, though, they just have more hit points and buffed damage, but act exactly like their low level brethren, run towards you in exactly the same way, use their spells and attacks in the same way etc. No AI improvements for higher level NPCs whatsoever.
While this works in some way, it's kind of a cheap solution and doesn't really make encounters at higher levels feel interesting or very different to those at lower levels. It also leaves "starter" or mid level regions deserted after some time, when most players have a max level character and advanced to the end-game regions.
I am extremely happy that ED doesn't go this conservative way with its NPCs and instead really gives it's stronger AI not just new and improved lasers, but instead new combat tactics and behaviour.
Since strong and weak NPCs also can be encountered everywhere - depending on your own combat rank - and not just in designated starter or end game areas, it should also not have such an impact on where people play by more or less telling them where the region for their current level is, so people don't just all gather in the same small parts of the galaxy because the game tells them this region is appropriate for their level.
To be honest, I think SJA is doing a lot a improve the way players can interact with NPCs in games and makes it way more interesting. It might feel overpowering in the beginning, but when everything works out as intended and you get matched with an NPC with similar combat ranking, you will see if you actually earned the combat ranking you got through skill or just through farming.
I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords!
