Engineers I'm not quitting - But

[Oldmanbill]

I started playing one month ago (1 week and 2 days palyed) after buying the game over a year ago (free insurance) and a Cobra MkIV. I'm not even trying to engage in combat with my well outfitted Asp Explorer. http://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/25A5A...2t2i2fv6.Iw18WQ==.Aw18WQ==?bn=Oldmanbills Asp

It used to be that I could kill any single ship that interdicted me or I uncovered in an USS but no more. One pass of almost any ship attacking me melts away my shields even when sys is on 4 pips. I fire my 6 cannons point blank at the attacker and get their shield down to one line or less and the attackers shields start recharging almost immediately (why do mine take forever to start recharging?). Second attacker pass takes away a portion of my hull and damages modules. Then I run away. I'm retired and have lots of time to play but not being able to engage successfully in combat could be the end of this game for me. I'm just glad the game is not a real cash sink like many others. Then I would really be disappointed since I do tend to be a pay to advance faster person.

With the changes in 2.1 the new/newer player will give up trying to advance in the game in very little time. Many casual players will also stop playing

 

[PanTast]

I am hoping that you find a way to adapt, Old man Bill
I think we all have to find a new approach to the game and I think we have a better but more challenging game now. I myself decided to run before things get hot. So I got myself a fast ship.

Best regards o7 (salute)

 

[Lightspeed]

Back to the Cobra MkIII ? Cobra Mk IV is inviting trouble without speed to escape.

 

[Alpha087]

I've been playing this game since December 2014 and I'm actually in agreement with the OP. The changes for 2.1 as far as PvE is concerned are just making the game unplayable unless you conform to a very strict "meta" of ships. So that 1 billion credit Fed Corvette, which is classified as a warship by its own description? Useless in most basic combat situations now. I can't even imagine how frustrating it's going to be for newer players starting out in a Sidewinder or Eagle.

It's really become one of the single biggest disappointments I've had this year, because every other change with Engineers I've just absolutely loved and has really made a huge step in adding more depth to the game for me. It's just the combat is near unplayable now.

 

[GammaZ]

Well, i'll suggest you to try smaller combat-focused ships for combat, you will have better results most likely.
Asp is not exactly a combat ship, it is big/easy to hit target and your loadout has relatively weak shield.
Also mixing thermal/kinetic weapons will most likely work better, fast recharging enemy shield means that he has really weak shield (or did he use SCB?), it just takes you long time to take out because of your weapon choice.
Good thing you have armour, which allows you to survive at least

I've been playing this game since December 2014 and I'm actually in agreement with the OP. The changes for 2.1 as far as PvE is concerned are just making the game unplayable unless you conform to a very strict "meta" of ships. So that 1 billion credit Fed Corvette, which is classified as a warship by its own description? Useless in most basic combat situations now. I can't even imagine how frustrating it's going to be for newer players starting out in a Sidewinder or Eagle.

It is wrong, plain and simple. Corvette (at least unmodded one) is slow, unable to run or outmaneuver NPC-s, and is a bit scary to fly in 2.1. Fast/maneuverable ships work much better for solo combat.

 

[Alpha087]

Well, i'll suggest you to try smaller combat-focused ships for combat, you will have better results most likely.
Asp is not exactly a combat ship, it is big/easy to hit target and your loadout has relatively weak shield.
Also mixing thermal/kinetic weapons will most likely work better, fast recharging enemy shield means that he has really week shield, it just takes you long time to take out because of your weapon choice.
Good thing you have armour, which allows you to survive at least


It is wrong, plain and simple. Corvette (at least unmodded one) is slow, unable to run or outmaneuver NPC-s, and is a bit scary to fly in 2.1. Fast/maneuverable ships work much better for solo combat.

They should have added something to help players who can't just get a full wing together all of the time to counter the increased difficulty. I can't help it that the initial release of Horizons drove my friends away from this game and it's really not my job to talk them into playing again. Whatever happened with adding NPC wingmen? Or maybe this change in balance is preparing for deployable fighters from larger ships.. Which isn't actually here yet.

Balancing the games around wings, which still barely works sometimes, with wing mates sometimes ending up in a different instance than you. Or for people who just don't have any friends playing this game. Is just NOT a good idea. I'm far more likely to go play something else than I am to find a wing or downgrade to a ship that I spent half of a year clawing my way out of.

 

[GammaZ]

Well, i am playing solo almost exclusively too.
What happened in 2.1 is that ship roles suddenly became relevant again. To have good chances in combat you need combat ship. If you have multipurpose one you still can fight, but you have to choose weaker targets and most likely immediately run from high-ranked interdictors. Is not that how it should be? May be it is even a good idea to outfit some ships with running in mind, not figting, if combat is not a thing you are actively looking for at a given time?
As for corvette... it is a bit sad for me too, but i will just wait untill i can mod it, i tried it in beta and modded corvette is unstopable...

 

[Nick Sticks]

@oldmanbill, free insurance? Hmmm, have you tested that yet?
.

 

[Bomba Luigi]

Someone who is new isn't used to the old NPCs and stuck in old ways, not to mention that when starting a new game you encounter low rank npcs all the time which aren't any better then in 2.0. New players will have a blast, learning the game from scratch is much easier then re-adjusting what you have learned.

 

[Oldmanbill]

@oldmanbill, free insurance? Hmmm, have you tested that yet?
.

I was under the impression that you had to pay for insurance when you bought a new ship and the amount you paid upon destruction was less because of the insurance you had bought. I do pay on ship destruction. 2 million on my Asp as it is currently outfitted. I may have been wrong, it may have been with Roberts Space Industries a game in which I pre bought an expensive (hundreds) package and have never really played.

 

[Gaheris]

I’m a “lurker” on the forums (read but hardly ever post) and a senior player (age 57). After over a year of playing ED, I finally get to fly a Federal Corvette (arguably the most powerful ship in the game). It’s not “A” rated yet, but I was getting there. Previously, it wasn’t invincible, but I could rely on it to enable me to pursue my chosen career as an armed trader without having to worry too much about NPC pirates (only ever play solo, never wanted any kind of multi player). Now I feel I must add my voice to the outcry against the Elite TOO Dangerous AI. The prospect of losing my multi-million credit space ship to (IMHO) overpowered AI forced me to combat log recently – a dishonourable something I’ve never done before!
Frontier, since you can’t provide an exclusively solo version of the game, please add an NPC difficulty setting so that the Aces in the community can have their fun, whilst the less “skilled” players can enjoy other aspects of the game in relative safety!

 

[waddymc]

Someone who is new isn't used to the old NPCs and stuck in old ways, not to mention that when starting a new game you encounter low rank npcs all the time which aren't any better then in 2.0. New players will have a blast, learning the game from scratch is much easier then re-adjusting what you have learned.

I disagree, as someone who hasnt played since beta and with 2.1 patch decided to return to try the game again, Im finding it extremely difficult to do much at all.

Tried going to a nav beacon to fight and earn a few credits got blown up 2 out of the 3 times I tried.
Tried some easy res sites, nup blown up every time.
Tried running data missions that pay something like 6000cr, which are ok until you start getting interdicted and cant run away in the sidewinder the npc constantly fires and ejected few secs later.
Managed to complete a couple of planetary missions where you destroy skimmers, but the missions are very few and far between at the stations ive docked at so far or maybe Im just unlucky at the stations ive docked at?, cant find any other missions for planets. (e.g find escape pod etc)

For me as a new player starting from scratch its very frustrating, I dont mind difficult, I dont mind learning curve but frustration from not being able to do even supposedly very easy content wont help keep new players.

 

[HappySlayerUK]

Well, i'll suggest you to try smaller combat-focused ships for combat, you will have better results most likely.
Asp is not exactly a combat ship, it is big/easy to hit target and your loadout has relatively weak shield.
Also mixing thermal/kinetic weapons will most likely work better, fast recharging enemy shield means that he has really weak shield (or did he use SCB?), it just takes you long time to take out because of your weapon choice.
Good thing you have armour, which allows you to survive at least




It is wrong, plain and simple. Corvette (at least unmodded one) is slow, unable to run or outmaneuver NPC-s, and is a bit scary to fly in 2.1. Fast/maneuverable ships work much better for solo combat.

Getting a small combat focused ship is all well and good if you want to be a combat pilot. If you're a trader you are screwed with the new ultra aggressive AI. The AI pirates just blast the hell out of you even if you drop cargo. I suppose having escorts is an idea but not everyone has time to form wings. Maybe AI escorts one day?

 

[CptPotatooo]

I've been playing this game since December 2014 and I'm actually in agreement with the OP. The changes for 2.1 as far as PvE is concerned are just making the game unplayable unless you conform to a very strict "meta" of ships. So that 1 billion credit Fed Corvette, which is classified as a warship by its own description? Useless in most basic combat situations now. I can't even imagine how frustrating it's going to be for newer players starting out in a Sidewinder or Eagle.

It's really become one of the single biggest disappointments I've had this year, because every other change with Engineers I've just absolutely loved and has really made a huge step in adding more depth to the game for me. It's just the combat is near unplayable now.

You are aware that the higher you are in rank, the higher ranks are the npc and missions you can obtain.
And the higher the ranks are on the npc the harder they are to fight.
So new players have a challange yes, but its not really as hard as if you are on a dangerous or elite rank.

Im doing the community goals at the moment, and I hade to change my ship to a cobra III to be able to re learn my flying.
After I about an hour or so, I got the hang of it and Im now back in my python.
The game is called Elite Dangerous and its suppos to be hard, also if I recall the old elite wasnt very easy eather.
And Im not trying to prove you are wrong or a personal attack to you, its just my opinion, the game is sooo mutch more fun now.

 

[KomPot]

"2.1 Engineers" should be named "2.1 The Hell".
Despite the really good improvements, the game became totally unplayable for me. Because of superstrong NPC I was very upset, and all weekend I feel terrible. God, I'm upset and greatly furious! First time for many years!
Dear Frontier Developements, no offence but you did a hell, so wish you burn in hell. At least until you fix this imbalance.
Disappointed, but still... Count on you! [sad]

 

[[VR] Enexemander]

Big and/or slow ships really need to try the buffed turrets. I have 2 large ones (pulse) and a large gimballed beam laser on my mining Python and they are working really well. I took out an elite ranked Eagle yesterday as he basically suicided into the turret fire when trying to out maneuver me.

My Python is B/C ranked in components right now. When I move up to a type 9, you had better believe it's going to be a bristling with turrets.

 

[HappySlayerUK]

Big and/or slow ships really need to try the buffed turrets. I have 2 large ones (pulse) and a large gimballed beam laser on my mining Python and they are working really well. I took out an elite ranked Eagle yesterday as he basically suicided into the turret fire when trying to out maneuver me.

My Python is B/C ranked in components right now. When I move up to a type 9, you had better believe it's going to be a bristling with turrets.

I'm just pottering about in the Python collecting mats at the moment, when I get back to my home system I'm taking my Trading Annie to Founder's World for a class 4 something or other and some more turrets.

 

[Ghost Phantom]

I had a fully fitted combat python and never been close to my ship being blown up. 2 weeks of combat in the ship and had no trouble and it was enjoyable. Taking on anaconda's with its wing men at haz res sites. Due to the 2.1 update i have raged quite over 10 times in 1 day. i had to sell the python to buy a Fer-De-Lance fully kitted out. I'm still struggling to take on all NPC ships. Due to this change i now refuse to play ED. I play games for enjoyment. not play games that makes me highly fustrated and get nowhere and waste hours of my own time. Yeah good work frontier

 

[Nick Sticks]

I was under the impression that you had to pay for insurance when you bought a new ship and the amount you paid upon destruction was less because of the insurance you had bought. I do pay on ship destruction. 2 million on my Asp as it is currently outfitted. I may have been wrong, it may have been with Roberts Space Industries a game in which I pre bought an expensive (hundreds) package and have never really played.

You don't pre-buy insurance, just that insurance pay out after the loss. Some people, early Kickstarter backers get slightly cheaper insurance at the pay out screen. Alpha backers get the best deal on insurance with premium beta backers getting a good deal on insurance, I forget the exact percentages.
.

 

[dsmall417]

It's really become one of the single biggest disappointments I've had this year, because every other change with Engineers I've just absolutely loved and has really made a huge step in adding more depth to the game for me. It's just the combat is near unplayable now.

This is my experience as well. It seems that the devs are increasing the AI to match their personal skills and not the average user. They designed it and they play it all day, every day so their skill is naturally better than everyone else's and they seem to be developing the AI to match their skills and not the skills of the people who are paying their bills by buying the game. Business 101: Cater to the buyer, not the seller.